This dataset provides details of over 1700 marine algal samples collected throughout the world between 1964 and 2010. The algal samples are kept in laboratory cultures at the University of Melbourne. The dataset includes the species name, date and location of collection, and the status of the culture.

The queen conch is an important cultural component and an extremely valuable coral reef fishery resource throughout the Caribbean, historically second only to the spiny lobster. Comparisons of past studies with current densities from these areas continue to show that queen conch populations are depleted although we may be seeing small signs of increase. This data set investigates the population status of queen conch around St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, through mark and recapture, habitat availability and utilization, acoustic tracking, and seasonal migration studies to provide needed information for improved management.

The US Congress has authorized the Department of the Interior to enter into a lease agreement with the Governor of American Samoa to establish the National Park of American Samoa. This park would include a nearshore reef along the southern coast of the island of Ofu. This fringing reef on Ofu provides a natural lagoon habitat which is uncommon in American Samoa. This area supports a local subsistence fishery and provides excellent opportunities for diving and snorkeling. A survey of the nearshore reefs in the area of the proposed national park at Ofu was conducted between 7-12 September, 1992. The goals of the survey were to: 1) collect baseline data on the current status of the reefs and reef resources in the area, 2) to establish long-term monitoring stations to enable documentation of the health of the reef communities through time, and 3) to contribute information to a comprehensive coastal resource survey of Tutuila and the Manua Islands. The overall purpose of the work was to design and implement the biotic component of a reef monitoring program for the areas within and adjacent to the proposed national park site.

Artificial substrata were used to investigate the patterns of establishment and change in the structure of a subtidal, marine epifaunal community at Portsea, Victoria from October 1975 to November 1979. Sessile invertebrate species and mobile species that significantly affected the distribution and abundance of the sessile species were the focus of the study. Experiments examining variability in recruitment and community development, species competitive ability, and the effects of predation on the epifaunal community at Portsea are outlined in the related records.

As part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), Twelve quadrats were sampled along 2 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines, conducted at 6 sites at Tinian Island in the Marianas Archipelago from 3 September - 1 October 2005, aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette, during the Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise OES0511. Raw survey data included genus presence and relative abundance, and voucher specimens. Detailed taxonomic analyses of voucher specimens are presented.

Parasmittina delicatula colonies were located on the Queenscliff pier in early 1999 and assigned to a small size class (10-15mm) or large size class (30mm or more). Each colony was 'damaged' by scraping colony parts according to assigned treatment. The treatments were large control (>30mm diameter), large fragment with edge intact, large fragment with edge removed, central fragment and small control (see attached resource for more details). Colonies were photographed in situ with an underwater camera using slide film at intervals of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 months. A total of 47 established colonies were photographed over the 8 month period. In the laboratory, the slides were projected onto graph paper, and the outlines of the colonies traced. The images were then scanned and colony survival, mortality, size, growth and fragmentation were recorded using SigmaScan 2.0.

As part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), Twelve quadrats were sampled along 2 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines, conducted at 9 sites at Maug Island in the Marianas Archipelago from 3 September - 1 October 2005, aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette, during the Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise OES0511. Raw survey data included genus presence and relative abundance, and voucher specimens. Detailed taxonomic analyses of voucher specimens are presented.

As part of Rapid Ecological Assessments (REA), Twelve quadrats were sampled along 2 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines, conducted at 8 sites at Saipan Island in the Marianas Archipelago from 3 September - 1 October 2005, aboard the NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette, during the Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) Cruise OES0511. Raw survey data included genus presence and relative abundance, and voucher specimens. Detailed taxonomic analyses of voucher specimens are presented.

Twelve quadrats were sampled along 2 consecutively-placed, 25m transect lines as part of Rapid Ecological Assessments conducted at 9 sites at Jarvis Island in the US Line Islands in March 2006 from the NOAA vessel Hi'ialakai (HI0604). Raw survey data included genus presence and relative abundance, and voucher specimens. Detailed taxonomic analyses of voucher specimens are presented.