The article, Warming Bleaches Two-Thirds of Great Barrier Reef , talks about how Coral reef ecosystems around the world are threatened by human and climate change. The waters of the ocean are raising due to global warming, in turn
The Great Barrier Reef is a huge, complex ecosystem located off the east coast of northern Queensland and is considered as an ecosystem at risk. It stretches approximately 2300km from Papua New Guinea’s Fly River in the north (8⁰S) to Fraser Island in the south (24⁰S) and has become the largest World Heritage site in the world. It has 1500 of the worlds 13 000 fish species in it area, 200 bird species, 5oo species of seaweed, 600 species of echinoderm, 125 species of shark and ray and around 360 species of hard coral.
What if all the coral reefs of the world vanished or died? According to Karen Kirkpatrick of How Stuff Works, if the coral reefs of the world vanished completely, experts have predicted that hunger, poverty and political instability would occur as the livelihoods of up to 500 million people and the livelihoods of some entire countries would disappear (Kirkpatrick). Recently, an online story by Outside magazine said The Great Barrier Reef or the GBR was dead. This article went viral and caused much debate and outrage among scientists and the general public. The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Australia and is the largest coral reef system in the world. It is home to unique plant
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:
Corals build colonies that secrete calcium carbonate to form ocean reefs. When they're healthy, coral reefs provide shelter and food for animals all along the food chain, including the top: us. Across the planet, half a billion people rely, directly and indirectly, on corals for their living. That's why what happens to the 9,000-year-old Great Barrier Reef, as well as to other reefs worldwide, is critical. The floods in Queensland have hurt the Great Barrier Reef by funnelling into the ocean vast plumes of freshwater and agricultural runoff that could severely damage the coral. Besides the extreme rain that sparked the floods, rising ocean temperatures, changes to the ocean's chemistry and the global trade in natural resources — all symptoms of our fossil-fuel economy — are waging a multiform war on the marine
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.
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.
There are many things that the Great Barrier Reef contributes to society environmentally that we overlook and take for granted every day. One example is tourism. As stated in Skwirk, “It is estimated that each year about two million visitors travel through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Most of the tourism, about 85 percent, is focused around Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands.” There are many people that go to the reef every year to explore and witness the wonders of it. This develops into many positive
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.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is located south of Queensland and covers almost 350 000 km2 in area, extending into both the above airspace and the ground under the seabed. It contains 3000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and around 150 inshore mangrove islands (GBRMPA, 2015). It also includes the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, extending over 14 degrees of latitude between estuarine and deep water areas and covering 2300 km. The largest living structure in the world, the Great Barrier Reef evolved over a millennia and is “one of the richest and most complex natural ecosystems on earth” (DE, 2015), containing 600 types of soft and hard corals, 100 species of jellyfish, 3000
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.
Scientists say that climate change is making coral bleach. Coral bleaching is the process of coral turning white. This happens when the water gets too warm for the coral to prosper. Even in the cooler parts of the reef coral is bleaching slowly. The Great Barrier Reef has been hit with a big loss of coral and it is important to our economy because it provides protection. It works as natural barrier between floods and populated land. Oceanservice.noaa.gov says “When reefs are damaged or destroyed, the absence of this natural barrier can increase the damage to coastal communities from normal wave action and violent storms.” This means that if each coral reef is slowly dying than when they all are gone not only will there be lack of protection
Brightly colored reefs, and a variety of creatures swarm over the Great Barrier. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system! The Great Barrier Reef has been around for an extremely long time, and it has thrived for thousands of years. Sadly, scientists have noticed that as of lately, this beautiful reef is in fact dying. Scientists have been studying the main contributors to this decline, and have been proficient in examining the smaller details. They have also been studying how the dying of this reef is not only affecting ocean ecosystems and organisms, but it has the potential to also greatly affect a part of our world’s population.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, it is the largest reef system boosting exotic crystal-clear waters, vibrant coloured coral and an abundant variety of marine life. Bleaching of the coral ecosystem influenced by global warming and anthropogenic pollution is putting the reef in mortal danger and generating an environmental
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.