What is Marine Pollution?
Marine pollution is the spreading of harmful substances into the ocean. Oil, carbonic acid and plastics are harming the marine environment as well as the wide variety of animals and plants within. Marine pollution is caused by many industrial and domestic activities such as oil spills, garbage dumping, factory waste disposal and the burning of fossil fuels. A few of the main causes in the great barrier reef are oil spills, the burning of fossil fuels and general waste.Fossil fuels affect the reefs by the carbon dioxide from the fossil fuels accumulates in the atmosphere. As carbon dioxide enters the ocean, it reacts with the seawater to form carbonic acid. The carbonic acid harms oysters, mussels and clams, floating marine snail as well as the coral reefs - all of which are significant to the marine food webs.
The oils spills can kill the animals or delay their reproduction, growth and development. The entire reef ecosystem can suffer from an oil spill, affecting the many species of fish, crabs, and other marine animals that live in and around the coral reefs.
Who is involved with Marine Pollution?
Many people are to blame for Marine Pollutions in the Great Barrier Reef. Anyone
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I have based my research in the Great Barrier Reef. The great barrier reef is situated in the Coral Sea, on Australia’s north-eastern coast. It stretches 2,300km along Queensland’s coastline, beginning at the top of Cape York Peninsula in the north and traveling all the way down to Bundaberg in the south. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem on earth, representing about 10% of all the world's coral reefs. The Reef was listed on the World Heritage Register in 1981 on the basis of its Outstanding Universal Value.
The Reef contains the greatest species diversity of any World Heritage Area on the planet, including: o 56% of the world’s hard coral species o 33% of the world’s soft coral and sea fan
Biophysical interactions refer to the ways in which the four spheres, atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere interact with each other, which in turn leads to their diverse ecosystem functioning and the extent and nature to which they operate. The Great Barrier Reef is a diverse underwater marine ecosystem located off the coast of northern Queensland, it stretches 2300km to Fraser Island, has 3 000 different reefs and it is considered the largest living structure on the planet. The biophysical interactions including the dynamics of weather and climate, geomorphic and hydrological process biogeographical processes and the adjustments in response to natural stress all lead to the diversity and functioning of the Great Barrier Reef
Coral reefs not only protect coastlines and beaches from wave damage and erosion, but also are the basis for the fishing and tourism industries. Dying reefs is a worldwide problem, and evidence shows that 10% of the entire world’s coral has died, and 60% will die by 2020 if existing conditions continue (NOAA 2000). The reason that the Australian Great Barrier Reef is so important is because not only is it the largest barrier reef in the world, but it is also one of the most evolved models of how to best manage and protect the world’s largest reef system (Ornitz 1996). It extends for 2,340 kilometers (km), covers 345,000 square km and contains 2,900 reefs, 300 coral cays and 600 continental islands (White 1999). Historically, it has been ahead of the rest of the world in terms of recognizing and addressing problems associated with reef degradation.
While government officials looked the other way, half of the coral has disappeared from along the length of the Great Barrier Reef. Additionally, vast areas of the reef’s coral have suffered serious degradation. It isn’t surprising that the area’s unique level of biodiversity is being threatened by the damage as well.
Pollution contributes majorly in harming the Australian aquatic ecosystems. Simple examples include throwing rubbish on the streets. As soon as rubbish is left on the ground, it goes to the ocean thought the sewage system and rain. These days, many plastic materials are used and thrown out. Unfortunately, species assume these rubbish as food chocking themselves until they die. Many species are effected this way. Other global pollution impacts include oil spillage. Oil are common these days and which is used as a vital resource. It is common to see oil floating on the surface of oceans. These resources soon effect the ecosystem by polluting habitats of many
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most complex natural ecosystems and was listed on the World Heritage List in 1981. It has a large biodiversity with a great variety of habitats and threatened species including over 400 species of corals, 4,000 species of molluscs, over 1,500 species of fish and a huge diversity of sponges, marine worms, anemones and crustaceans.
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
The Great Barrier Reef is the world largest living expansion. Stretching more than 2,300 kilometers (approximately 1,429 miles) in length and over 344,000 square kilometers in area this phenomenon takes up a huge portion of Australia’s eastern coast, and even so large it can be identified from space. Seen on the left is an image taken from space of The Great Barrier Reef (Great Barrier Reef from Space). “The Great Barrier Reef is also unique as it extends over 14 degrees of latitude, from shallow estuarine areas to deep oceanic waters” (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park). In terms of composition, the reef is made of a variety of corals built upon dead corals built upon the continental shelf rock below the ocean surface. Sand and sediments carried by currents and waves get trapped within the reef thus expanding the reef more. The newest part of the reef typically faces outward, seaward, while the oldest part, comprised of mainly now dead corals, is more inland near the shallower waters. The waters in which the reef grows range in depth from ten to twenty five meters, with individual variations up to fifty meters in
In the Great Barrier Reef, there are more than 1500 fish species, 411 of hard coral, one third of the world’s soft coral, 134 species of sharks and rays. The Great Barrier Reef, has the most dugong population in the world. Corals and seaweed are known as plants, tat is located in the reef. With a big amount of sunlight, warm seas, refreshing sea breezes and a warm climate all year round, The Great Barrier Reef’s weather is hard to
The Great Barrier Reef is known as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is believed to be one of the most incredible places on this earth. This reef is the largest living organism on this planet and the only living thing on earth visible from space (2011). The warm waters of the southwest Pacific Ocean are the perfect environments to create the world's largest system of coral reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is in such pristine condition that it was listed by the World Heritage Trust as a protected site and is therefore, managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to ensure that its beauty is maintained for many travelers and sightseers (Edgar 2010). Due to the complexity of this natural phenomenon, human practices have led
There are so many reasons why pollution in Oceans water are the worst in the world. Oil is a Natural resource that most people use, it is found on certain areas in the world such as the bottom of Oceans. Oils spills can be involved as the result of deliberate sabotage or illegal dumping. Depending on the location and the condition, they have several techniques can be used to clean up the oil spills. 37 million gallons of oils is spilled in the Oceans each year. Most consequences of water pollution is caused by mishandling of oil products Proper disposal and recycling of used oils can go along way to help to prevent oil pollution in the water. In conclusion oil spills are so dangerous animals and maybe peolpe could die of oil pollution in waters.
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 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.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the natural wonders of the worlds. However, it is under threat cause of human activities, climate change, and natural disasters.
Some people consider coral reefs the most beautiful places on earth. With the plants and animals progressing all around the beautiful corals, it is spectacular. Located on the northeast coast of Australia, there lies a place just like this. This is the Great Barrier Reef. These coral reefs are called, “the rainforest of the ocean,” because it supports a huge diversity of life. Coral reefs are more than just beauty, they are a home to fish and other creatures. They protect humans against floods and storms. The reef not only contains an abundance of marine life, but it is also the world’s largest coral reef system. It is so gigantic, astronauts could see it all the way from outer space. This paper offers an extensive amount of information about the Great Barrier Reef, including how it was formed, the animals that call it home, and how it is dying.
Out of all of these ways, oil spills can cause a noticeably excessive amount of damage to the ocean. Although only 12% of the oil entering the sea is caused by spills, they can deteriorate ocean life and environment more than any other pollution. One gallon of used oil spilled into the ocean, which contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals severely dangerous to the micro-organism at the base of the food chain, can cause an eight-acre layer