Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching surveys 2006 undertaken as a part of the climate change coral bleaching response plan, March-April 2006

Abstract

Coral bleaching surveys of 34 reefs in the Great Barrier Reef were undertaken by the Climate Change Group of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority between March and April 2006 to assess the extent and severity of coral bleaching. Surveys were conducted on most of the core survey sites of the Coral Bleaching Response Plan1 and included five cross-shelf regions, representing a latitudinal range of 9 degrees. Within each region, reefs representing inshore, midshelf and outer reef habitats were surveyed using standard rapid assessment and video transect techniques.