SURG RESEARCH

SURG members have been involved in research projects in the Solitary Islands Marine Park since 1985.

Early projects included compilation of a small booklet containing identification details and photographs of marine animals found in local waters. Examples of nudibranchs, crustaceans and echinoderms were among those featured.

Mapping of the eight major underwater habitat types found around the islands of the Marine Park was another successful project carried out by SURG volunteers. With the help of dive charters donated by local dive shop, Dive Quest, using quadrat and line transect methods, an accurate map of the waters surrounding South West Solitary Island was produced. Habitat information provided by this research was used extensively when current zoning plans for the Marine Park were being implemented.

Later projects include an ongoing investigation into the phenomenon of coral bleaching, where corals were tagged at a number of sites around the northern islands. Regular inspections of these corals plus random 30m transects of the sea bottom to determine coral density resulted in a wealth of information invaluable to researchers and managers of the Marine Park.

Tagged corals were video taped and photographed at regular intervals and the captured images were used to compare changes to the corals over the surveying period. Special software was used to calculate the changes in area of bleaching or other damage to the coral polyps.

Corals showing signs of disease were monitored over a period of some months.

Ongoing research into diseases afflicting local corals is being carried out by students from the University of New England through the nearby National Marine Science Centre at Coffs Harbour.

Apart from the ongoing Photographic Inventory, SURG is also involved in another current project, monitoring the growths of Corallimorphs, order Corallimorpharia, sometimes known as Coral Anemones or False Corals. They are closely related to the stony or true corals, and are sometimes grouped as part of the same Order (Scleractinia) as a sub-order. The subject of extensive research into their spread in the Mediterranean and other parts of the northern hemisphere, SURG applied for, and was granted, funds to enable research to be conducted at the Solitary Islands Marine Park.

There are six sites currently being monitored, each site having a number of markers placed within or adjacent to corallimorph colonies so the spread, or contraction, of the organisms can be monitored using a one metre square frame or quadrat.