Essay on Acanthaster planci on the Great Barrier Reef

Detailed quantitative observations on the foraging activity and grazing selectivity of parrotfishes were concentrated at Timbebas Reef during a total of fifty hours between January and March of 2007. In addition, parrotfish individuals preying upon live corals were recorded opportunistically during about sixty hours of observations made at the five sites between 2001 and 2007 (January-March). This study concluded that a certain species within the scaridae family were found predominantly feeding on live coral during their observations. The two-species found directly feeding on the live coral were Scarus trispinosus and Sparisoma amplum. Similarly, to their Caribbean counterpart Sparisoma viride, Sparisoma amplum removed live tissue underlying skeleton adjacent to prominent lesions, or preyed upon live tissue that was previously undamaged, was not bleached, and did not exhibit signs of disease. (Bruckner & Bruckner, 2000). The removal of healthy coral by parrotfishes can have a detrimental affect on the coral reef ecosystem if the population of Sparisoma viride increases

Coral bleaching is normally characterized by the expulsion of the zooxanthellae algae, loss of algal pigmentation, or both. Coral bleaching events have had serious effects on corals and reefs worldwide. What is crucial to the understanding of zooxanthellae expulsion and bleaching is how the density of zooxanthellae within the coral is changing, if at all, under the prevailing range of environmental conditions (Gates and Edmunds, 1999). Over the last twenty years, there has been a dramatic increase in both the frequency and intensity of coral bleaching events. Sixty major bleaching events have been reported between 1960 and 1979, whereas only nine were reported prior to 1979 (Huppert and Stone, 1998). Given the dependence of the coral on this symbiotic algae, it is important to determine the cause of these bleaching events. According to Helvarg (2000, p.12):

The terrestrial runoff spawned at around the time of major storms that wash large amounts of nutrients promotes plankton to blooms, which increase the food for many animals including Crown-of-Thorns Starfish larvae. The Great Barrier Reef receives runoff from 35 major catchments, which drain 424,000 square kilometres of coastal Queensland (Reefplan.qld.gov.au, 2012). Attacking the Crown of Thorns Starfish problem is through an integrated pest management approach that may be achieved by improving water quality as the long-term benefits to the health of the Great Barrier Reef.

The Crown of thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) is another large threat to the reef. These starfish consumes coral tissue faster than the corals can grow. This is commonly known as a crown-of-thorns starfish ‘outbreak’.

has risen to around 3.2 millimetres per year, although it does vary from year to

The Great Barrier Reef has and will continue to face countless threats in its lifetime. The reef has survived through millions of disastrous events through the years. The Crown of Thorns Starfish (COTS) is a major threat to the coral reefs which helps destroy the Great Barrier Reef. This threat may be no bigger than a dinner plate, but it is one of the biggest threats to the Great Barrier Reef. Kate Osborne and researchers discovered that Crown of Thorns Starfish were responsible for 36.7% of coral damage, 33.8% caused by storms, 6.5% by disease, 5.6% created by bleaching and 17.4% unknown or multiple causes of the damage to the Great Barrier Reef, as shown in Appendix 1 (The Conversation. 2012).

The Great Barrier Reef is an oceanic/costal ecosystem off the coastline of Port Douglas, Australia. There are man costal systems that are significant to the role of the Reef including coral reefs, wetlands, and rainforests etc. The reef consists of many diverse corals and is a home for over 1,500 different species of fish. The reef is unique for many distinctive reasons; a reason that is unique is that it is acknowledged as one of the most imperative biological possessions. The Reef is a complex ecosystem with numerous organisms trusting on each other for nourishment and endurance. Broadly all collections of maritime plants and animals are extravagantly signified in the Reef. The animals range from dugongs

Coral reefs are natural formations that host around twenty-five percent of the world’s marine species, however, these reefs are majorly threatened (“Air”). The Great Barrier Reef in particular is an important marine location, home to major marine diversity with over 3,000 reefs over 1,400 miles (“Great” World Book). The Great Barrier Reef is a limestone formation made of coral polyps and algae, and lays off the coast of Queensland, Australia. For many years, this reef has been exposed to several threats. The threats facing the Great Barrier Reef include pollution, invasive species, and climate change.

The Great Barrier Reef, the largest known reef in the world, is a majestic and beautiful attraction for tourists who visit Queensland, Australia and are looking for an adventure. Many people go to scuba dive, snorkel, or swim in the crystal clear water. There are many more unforgettable experiences that can be done at the Great Barrier Reef, which can be seen from space. The reef is home to a variety of organisms, has many threats that affect it, but in the end, overcomes all of them to thrive and become more beautiful than before.

The Great Barrier Reef is a vast organic structure that has existed longer than man. It has always been present underneath the water surface near the coast of Australia, harboring many different types of sea creatures. Over the past few decades, the reef has slowly been dying. Humans have been negatively affecting it for a while now, although they may not have known it at that time. We, as humans, have the duty to correct our mistake and take responsibility for our actions by doing everything in our power to nourish and tend to the reef. Governments all across the globe have come together to collaborate and discuss what they can do to save the reef from extinction. Many solutions have been talked about and some have been put into place, but the effects of these won’t be seen until a number of years later. We must wait and hope that our ignorance up until this point won’t destroy an iconic landmark before we can try and save it.

At large spatial scales, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation over many decades can cause ocean wide deviations in water temperature and principal productivity systems. During marginally shorter temporal scales overtime periods of 3-7 years the El Nino Southern Oscillations generates ocean wide deviations in temperature, wind strength and direction, and oceanographic upwelling. These deviations over set time periods help contribute to large scale instabilities for example coral bleaching during period’s summer when warm water, and cyclones are an occurrence. Coral bleaching is the process of ejecting most or all of endosymbiotic zooxanthellae in a stress response to fluctuations in corals external environment (4 360 link). In extreme case which are happening at a more regular occurrence, the bleaching response is disastrous for the coral host as well as the entire reefscapes for the Great Barrier Reef (4 360 link). Operating at large scales biological turbulences such as the parrotfish diminish the integrity of the reef. Human interactions with the biophysical world can be reflected in the coral eating crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks which can kill corals on vast areas of reef. According to

For over 25 million years, the Great Barrier Reef has lived off of the northeastern coast of Australia. The first human civilizations started around 5,000 years ago and industrialization of humans about 200 years ago (History of Humans, 2016). The human race’s timeline is just a small fraction in comparison to the reefs, but somehow humanity has managed completely derail mother nature in an incomprehensible amount of ways. Healthwise, the Great Barrier Reef is in the worst shape of its life and which just so happens to match ever so nicely with the rapid pandemic of global warming that has increased over the past couple of decades. The rise in air temperature is gradually increasing the ocean 's temperature as well which is causing colossal damage to Great Barrier Reef and reefs across the globe. If we do not take action immediately in reducing our planet’s rising temperature and ever increasing CO2, it will soon be too late to save this natural wonder as well as the countless organism that call it home.

C: Even though an abundance of research is being conducted by scientists in order to help save the coral reef, their efforts seem to be getting nowhere due to the ignorance of people who do not know how bad the problem truly is. E: Scientists are currently using Google Maps technology to take pictures of the reefs to showcase the severity of the problem (Chasing Coral). A: This makes pictures of the reef’s condition accessible to anyone anywhere on earth, therefore making education about the reef more accessible. E: NOAA is transforming the ways reefs are researched by using satellites to detect where bleaching is occurring and at what level (Chasing Coral). A: By doing this, NOAA is providing useful information to scientists

Some starfish may perform this function by preying on sea urchins, mussels, and other shellfish that have no other natural predators. If the sea star is removed from the ecosystem, the mussel population explodes uncontrollably, driving out most other species, while the urchin population annihilates coral reefs.

A. planci preys on coral and a single starfish can eat up to 10 sq. meters of coral each year. A. planci kills approximately 161 sq. cm. per day in the winter and 357-478 sq. cm. per day in the summer. In order to eat the coral, A. planci pulls its stomach out