The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is assumed to be a tectonically stable area, but recent studies show that neotectonic activity could have affected the geomorphology and evolution of the coral reefs. We used bathymetry, free-air gravity and 2D seismic data to test the hypothesis that neotectonic (i.e. geologically recent or currently active) faults have affected the morphology and major aspects of reefs’ growth in the northernmost...

Tidal flats are a globally distributed coastal ecosystem important for supporting biodiversity and ecosystem services. Local to continental‐scale studies have documented rapid loss of tidal habitat driven by human impacts, but assessments of progress in their conservation are lacking. With an internally consistent estimate of distribution and change, based on Landsat satellite imagery, now available for the world's tidal flats...

Our ability to completely and repeatedly map natural environments at a global scale have increased significantly over the past decade. These advances are from delivery of a range of on-line global satellite image archives and global-scale processing capabilities, along with improved spatial and temporal resolution satellite imagery. The ability to accurately train and validate these global scale-mapping programs from what we w...

There are few in situ studies showing how net community calcification ( G net ) of coral reefs is related to carbonate chemistry, and the studies to date have demonstrated different predicted rates of change. In this study, we measured net community production ( P net ), G net , and carbonate chemistry of a reef flat at One Tree Island, Great Barrier Reef. Diurnal p CO 2 variability of 289–724 μatm was driven primarily by phot...

The distribution and abundance of seagrass ecosystems could change significantly over the coming century due to sea level rise ( SLR ). Coastal managers require mechanistic understanding of the processes affecting seagrass response to SLR to maximize their conservation and associated provision of ecosystem services. In Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, vast seagrass meadows supporting populations of sea turtles and dugongs a...

Few studies have assessed the biophysical properties controlling reflection and absorption of light in coral reef environments and their relationships with quantitative measures of reef health and productivity. The present article examines the relationship between spectral reflectance, photosynthetic capacity, and chlorophyll a from common coral reef substrates. Reflectance readings of several targets (massive corals Montipora...