IMIS

All surveys were carried out by the principal researcher using Rapid Ecological Assessment. On each reef, 1-3 sites were surveyed with up to 5 transects (usually 200-300m long, 1-3m wide for 10-15 minutes) per site at pre-defined depths (1-3m, 3-8m, 8-13m, 13-18m and reef flat). Species recorded: octocorals (soft corals, gorgonians, sea fans, sea whips, sea pens, leather corals, arborescent octocorals, blue coral, stoloniferans), black and wire coral. Note that species are mostly at generic level. Octocoral genera (in some cases species) were given a taxon abundance ranking (0=absent, 1=rare, 2=uncommon, 3=common, 4=abundant, 5=dominant). Site locations: Bokhara Rocks, Breakers Rock, Fo Shek Chau, Junk Bay, Kung Chau, Lo Chau Pak Poi, Long Ke Wan, Luk Chau, Luk Chau Wan, North Ninepin, Pak Shau, Ping Chao, Po Toi, Sham Wan, South Ninepin, Tai Tau Chau, Waglan. Additional information was collected during the surveys recording - site variables, visual estimates of abundance for other groups besides octocorlas, zooxanthellate richness. This data is not included in the dataset served to OBIS. Comparable data are held for the Great Barrier Reef, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Torres Strait, and Rowley Shoals (WA). Purpose To determine spatial patterns and abiotic controls of soft coral biodiversity: allowing examination of relationships of reef location (in-shore, mid-shelf and off-shore), environmental conditions and depth to taxonomic composition and richness. Because roughly half Octocorals have photosynthetic symbionts they are ideal to assess how biodiversity is related to spatial and environmental factors, and photosynthetic symbionts and energy supply. To examine principal drivers of biodiversity, community composition, and ranges of coral reef benthos. Total Distribution Records: 173 Total Number of Taxa: 9 families, 21 genera, 1 species