The Great Barrier Reef is under threat due to many human impacts and natural impacts. These impacts lead to other consequences that may harm our society as well. For example, if the Great Barrier Reef was to be damaged by pollution, tourism levels would decrease, which can lead to a drop in the economic stance of Australia. For these reasons, it is important to keep our ecosystems safe and protected. Some of the human impacts towards the Great Barrier Reef include:
The 2,300 km Great Barrier Reef is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the world's largest protected reef system.
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.
Changes in the environment have had a negative effect on the health of the Great Barrier Reef. Development of coastal areas around the Great Barrier Reef and other land use has hurt the health of the reef. The effect of global warming has altered water temperatures which have killed off algae with which live on the reef and that has led to coral whitening. Contaminated water from farms and surrounding land development has disrupted the pH balance of the water by introducing more acid into the water, which does not allow proper growth. Overfishing can alter the food cycle and change the patterns on how the reef gathers food. Marine scientists are concerned that the Great Barrier Reef is vulnerable to man negative outside
Earth is not what it was before, it is rapidly changing due to human activity and natural causes. If humans continue these trends by harming the Earth, it would constantly affect the environment, plants, animals, the earth we live in and humanity. In this essay I will be explaining; What climate change is. How does climate change affected the biodiversity on the Great Barrier Reefs. What are some prediction for future effects of climate change. How this will impact biodiversity on the Great Barrier Reef. How it will affect other ecosystems and what locals and global consideration to reduce the impacts of climate change.
Coral reefs around the world are in danger. One of the causes is global warming, which has been increasing the temperature of the ocean water resulting in coral bleaching. This essay will focus on damage occurring to the Great Barrier Reef.
need to become hardened and strong. The Industrial Revolution was ultimately when man made fossil fuels became a problem for the environment. Before it, about 98% of Earth’s coral reefs were surrounded by waters with adequate aragonite saturation stats, which helped them maintain a healthy ecosystem (Oceana, 2014). However, now almost 60% of coral reefs are in waters that have less adequate aragonite saturated stats (Oceana, 2014), meaning that maintaining their hardened exterior has become increasingly difficult for coral across the globe. Researchers say that if the carbon dioxide concentration increases to 450 parts per meter (ppm), which it will if carbon dioxide emission is not controlled, over 90% of coral reefs will be in waters that cannot sustain the aragonite they need to survive (Oceana, 2014). Due to the rapid increase of carbon dioxide emissions, scientists believe that this is not far off. In fact, they fear that the concentration may double that of what it was prior to the Industrial Revolution, which would result in stopping coral growth entirely, and all existing coral reefs will begin to erode (Oceana, 2014). A prime example of some of the major damage being done to coral reef habitats is the Great Barrier Reef itself. The Great Barrier Reef is home to almost 400 types of coral, one of the biggest collections in the world (Iacurci, 2014). It is also home to over 1,500 species of fish, as well as 4,000 different types of mollusks (Iacurci, 2014). The Great
Because the GBR is such a highly visited tourist attraction for snorkeling and diving, there has been a large number of human structures that have been built in natural areas. Every five years, the Australian government publishes an Outlook Report that examines the Great Barrier Reef’s health, pressures, and likely future. “The report is required under Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (section 54) and aims to provide a regular and reliable means of assessing reef health and management in an accountable and transparent way.” The report shows the actions that have been taken since 2009, including the focus on improving the quality of water that runs off the land. The increased freshwater run-off is in direct relation to the coastal development that has occurred since the major bleaching events have begun. The report released in 2009, states that the greatest risks to the Reef are still climate change, land-based runoff, coastal development, and some remaining impacts of fishing and illegal fishing and poaching. The report points out climate change as being the main cause of the destruction or bleaching of the reef (Department of Environment and Energy 2017). Most observers conclude that the climate change is a direct result of human
Barrier reefs are defined as, a coral reef running parallel to the shore but separated from it by a channel of deep water ("About The Reef“). These reefs are all over the world and are some of the most beautiful sites to see. In fact, one of the seven wonders of the natural world is a barrier reef. The Great Barrier Reef is in Australia off the Queensland coast ("About The Reef“). The reef stretches around 1,800 miles down the Queensland coast, and can get to 40 miles wide ("About The Reef“). The Great Barrier Reef is home to many animals including: 1,500 species of fish, 200 types of birds, and 20 different types of reptiles ("About The Reef “). The amount of life that lives in these waters just add to the amazement of the Great Barrier Reef. Many people go to this reef for many different reasons. People go to see the amazing coral reefs, humpback whale breeding, and many endangered species ("About The Reef”). Although there are so many beautiful aspects of the Great Barrier Reef, there are many things that make it a Not-so Great Barrier Reef.
While traveling through the spectacular continent of Australia you will find yourself discovering many local beauties.The Great Barrier Reef is the largest and most known coral reef ecosystem in all of the world. This massive reef covers over 1800 miles or approximately 2000 kilometers and thrives in the untouched and undeveloped waters of the pacific ocean. This incredible reef contains thousands of different species including coral, fish, birds, reptiles and so much more. Among many of Australia's flourishing tourist attractions the Great Barrier reef tops all others. Not only is this location a beautiful spot to look at it offers many attractions above and below the water. Snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing,
How the Australian Great Barrier Reef Succeeds at Preservation and Sustainable Use and How it Applies to a Worldwide Problem
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most beloved regions of the world but due to recent human activity in surrounding areas and subsequent sediment delivery, coral and seagrass habits within are being negatively impacted. Extending 2000km along the North-eastern Australian coast (Brodie et al., 2007), the Great Barrier Reef is a major source of income for Northern Australia and fuels the growth of local businesses. As industrialization in areas adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon have increased since European settlement (McCulloch et al., 2003), the need for more resources to compensate for human population has led to harmful land practices such as overstocking and deforestation for cattle grazing inland. These are causing a significant
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders around the world. It is approximately 344,400 kilometers long. The Great Barrier Reef is home to many marine organisms. More than 1,500 species of fish live in the Great Barrier Reef. The coral that forms The Great Barrier Reef is made of polyps. Billions of living coral polyps are attached to the reef. The colour of these polyps range from blue, green, purple, red and yellow. As the largest living structure on the planet, the Great Barrier Reef is incredibly plentiful and various. Stretching 2300 kilometers, this natural icon is so large it can even be seen from outer space. While it’s known mostly for its large maze of colorful reefs, its intricate architecture also provides a home for a huge number of plants and creatures. There are multiple reasons as why the Great Barrier Reef is important, as it helps protect coastlines from the detrimental effects of waves and storms, provides habitats and protection for many marine organisms, help in nutrient recycling and is the source of nitrogen and other essential foods for marine food chains.
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
One of the world’s largest living structure, the Great Barrier Reef is biologically rich and diverse and is Australia’s most remarkable, valued and remarkable environmental resources (Australian government). As the world’s most comprehensive coral reef ecosystem, the Great Barrier Reef is a site of unparalleled natural beauty on the north-east coast of Australia (unesco).