Advection, Dispersal and Plankton patchines on the Great Barrier Reef

Abstract

The relative dispersal of a patch of planktonic larvae subject to advection through a complex reef matrix is considered. Attention is focused on the growth of the particle and tracer domains, and the development of patchiness. Garrett's (1983) theory for the dispersai of tracer in the open ocean is applied to the Great Barrier Reef. A simplified numerical model of flow through a reef matrix suggests that a point release of tracer will expand to a patch approximately 20 km in radius after 15 to 20 d. The predicted tracer domain is not 'streaky', but does exhibit fluctuations in concentration, with a coefficient of variation of 1 to 2 on length scales of 2 to 3 km.