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Environmental And Environmental Impact Of The Great Barrier Reef

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The Great Barrier Reef holds various types of species such as tropical fish, shellfish, and different kinds of sea plants. About twenty-five percent of the global reef systems have been destroyed by human activities. Also, sixty percent of the reef systems are endangered by some level. The Great Barrier Reef is protected by the World Heritage Area, but is still greatly impacted by humans. Pollution, mining and tourism all have affected the Great Barrier Reef in some way.
In order to flourish, corals need clear, salty water that is low in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus. The pollution from the land enters into rivers and oceans that lead into the Great Barrier Reef. Materials such as dirt, sand, and mud which enters the rivers, oceans, and other body of waters that will be affect the Great Barrier Reef region. Other material dumped at sea includes metals, glass, plastics, wood, chemicals and nuclear waste. It is estimated that about seven billion tonnes of litter is put into the oceans every year. Over half of this is in various forms …show more content…

Although it takes place on land, the fertilizers used in growing crops and killing pesky bugs, the chemicals are getting onto the ground where underground waterways take the chemicals into the Great Barrier Reef and other bodies of water. While tourism is great for local communities to help treat the Marine Park, it also has its negative effects. With more and more people in one area, the demand for natural resources increases. With the overuse of the natural resources, more waste products and pollution are created. There are many more ways that the Great Barrier Reef is being harmed by. Such as non-native species that are infected the waters of the Great Barrier Reef and killing species that naturally live in the Great Barrier Reef. Another way is global warming interfering with the temperature of the water which heats up and kills of species of coral and

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