Reliability and utility of citizen science reef monitoring data collected by Reef Check Australia, 2002–2015. Issue 1 (15th April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Done, Terence; Roelfsema, Chris; Harvey, Andrew; Schuller, Laura; Hill, Jocelyn; Schläppy, Marie-Lise; Lea, Alexandra; Bauer-Civiello, Anne; Loder, Jennifer
• Is Part Of: Marine pollution bulletin. Volume 117:Issue 1/2(2017)
• Page Start: 148
• Page End: 155
• Publication Date: 2017-04-15
• Subjects: Citizen science -- Benthos -- Coral monitoring -- Great Barrier Reef, subtropical reefs; Marine pollution -- Periodicals; Marine Biology -- Periodicals; Water Pollution -- Periodicals; Mer -- Pollution -- Périodiques; Publications périodiques; Pollution des mers; Lutte antipollution; Electronic journals; 363.7394
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.01.054
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0025-326X

Abstract

Abstract: Reef Check Australia (RCA) has collected data on benthic composition and cover at > 70 sites along > 1000 km of Australia's Queensland coast from 2002 to 2015. This paper quantifies the accuracy, precision and power of RCA benthic composition data, to guide its application and interpretation. A simulation study established that the inherent accuracy of the Reef Check point sampling protocol is high (<± 7% error absolute), in the range of estimates of benthic cover from 1% to 50%. A field study at three reef sites indicated that, despite minor observer- and deployment-related biases, the protocol does reliably document moderate ecological changes in coral communities. The error analyses were then used to guide the interpretation of inter-annual variability and long term trends at three study sites in RCA's major 2002–2015 data series for the Queensland coast. Highlights: Reef Check Australia conducts a major coral reef monitoring program in Queensland. Inherent accuracy of the monitoring protocol used is high (<± 7% error). Ecologically important changes are detectable because measurement biases are low.