Author: Beaman, R.J.
Year: 2018
Publication: Assessment of deep-water habitat for COTS in the GBR, Crown of thorns starfish (COTS) Working Group Meeting, 27 November 2018. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre (RRRC) on behalf of the National Environmental Science Programme (NESP), Townsville, Australia.
Abstract
This project integrated all the available source bathymetry data currently used within the latest gbr100 grid and generated a much higher-resolution gbr30 bathymetry grid (~30 m pixel spacing) over the GBR shelf area.
The gbr30 grid is recommended for use as a spatial dataset to feed into the Local and Regional Decision Support Tool (DST) being developed by CSIRO for Integrated Pest Management.
The gbr30 grid was used to generate spatial datasets and descriptive statistics of the 22 ‘super spreader’ and tourism reefs, to better understand the extent of deep-water habitat at these sites.
An assessment was conducted on whether submerged banks or deeper reefs may provide deep-water coral habitat for COTS, and the implications for the design of the control program.
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