Data set contains natural stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen of coral reef macroalgae, collected by hand from six locations from the Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia, between 2008 and 2012. Data for 681 samples were analysed. In addition to natural stable isotopes, data include taxonomic details, nitrogen and phosphorus content (expressed as a percentage of dry weight), rate of photosynthetic electron transport (in micromoles per meter squared per second), RNA content and RNA:DNA ratio.

Supplement to: Lovelock, Catherine E; Reef, Ruth; Pandolfi, John M (accepted): Regional variation in δ13C of coral reef macroalgae. Global Ecology and Biogeography