ipl-logo

The Importance Of The Great Barrier Reef In Australia

673 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: A paragraph on the great barrier reef

The Great Barrier Reef in Australia is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but massive coral bleaching has stripped the corals of their natural beauty. Less than 50% of the original reef remains. Pollution, habitat change, and global warming is causing the colorful reef to turn a pale grey color. The Great Barrier Reef needs all the attention it can get to restore itself back to its original liveliness. The world-famous coral reef is not only in grave danger, but each day, it is getting closer and closer to complete destruction.
The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland in Australia and has many creatures living in it. It is the largest coral reef system in the world, and it is so large that …show more content…

One problem is El Niño, which makes the water hotter than the corals are used to, and hot, still water for long periods of time creates heat stress the corals cannot survive with (Howard). When the water is too warm for the coral’s main food source, algae, it becomes toxic to the coral, resulting in the coral extracting it. When this happens, it gets rid of all color from the coral tissue, leaving behind a transparent skeleton. This process is called bleaching. If the coral goes too long without the algae, it will basically starve itself to death. To keep the corals alive, the change in water temperature must happen quickly (Netburn). This means everyone must do their part or else the Great Barrier Reef’s salvation will be out of reach by …show more content…

The carbon dioxide in the air rises due to fossil fuel emissions; therefore, more of the gas goes into the ocean’s water. That makes the coral’s habitat more acidic, which can make it harder for reef-building creatures to build up the hard skeletons. And if that isn 't bad enough, the runoff chemicals from farms and lawns are adding to the problem by changing the water’s natural composition. A oil spill in 2010, caused by a Chinese coal-carrying ship, went through the coral reef, leaving almost 2 miles of oil to mix with the ocean water (Zimmerman). As more and more water is becoming contaminated with pesticides and chemicals, it is becoming even harder to stop the corals from dying. Thankfully, there are solutions that can help restore the Great Barrier Reef.
Just as there are several causes to the habitat change of the Great Barrier Reef, there are ways to put the progressing depletion to a stop. One effective solution is to cut farm pollution, or at least keep it from the oceans. Using organic fertilizers instead of harmful chemicals can keep the coral’s water fresh from the dangerous pesticides. If everybody follows pesticide regulations and follows the laws, it mill make a difference for the coral reef. With everyone 's help, we can all conserve and replenish the Great Barrier

Show More
Related

Gke Task 1

1425 Words | 6 Pages

One major limiting factor could be humans and pollution of the ocean effecting the health of everything in the sea. Temperature is also a huge limiting factor. Coral reefs like the environment to be warm but not too warm, it has to be just right. There is also a need for salt, if salt levels go down in an ocean over a long period of time because of rain or rivers the the coral will die. One last limiting factor is overfishing in the area of the coral reef.

Read More

The Sixth Extinction By Elizabeth Kolbert: Chapter Analysis

1698 Words | 7 Pages

That being said, one would see the importance in preserving the integrity of this structure. Elizabeth Kolbert’s choice to explore the destruction of this massive landmark will surely evoke passion for her subject matter and as a reader had no difficulty depicting her passion. I favor the assumption that other readers will react in a similar manner with the thought that the Great Barrier Reef is in peril. Much of society is only concerned with what affects them personally In chapter seven, she piggybacked with atmospheric scientist Ken Caldeira on One Tree Island to find out learn about ocean acidification and her findings show neither good news nor promise concerning the future of the ocean’s coral reefs. The tone of the chapter is that of death: the balance of coral reef revolves around life and death in its current state.

Read More

Examples Of Invasive Species Affecting The Everglades Ecosystem

1196 Words | 5 Pages

If the climate continues to rise the coral population could become obsolete and disappear (CREARY, M. (2013). One of the most notable climate changes that damaged the coral reefs was the “El Nino” storm in 1998. This storm caused an extreme increase in the water temperature and bleached one- sixth of the corals in the World (El Niño prolongs longest global coral bleaching event. (n.d.)) Although we cannot prevent the weather, humans can reduce the amount of deforestation in rainforests that will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is emitted into the atmosphere.

Read More

Coral Sea As A Turning Point In Australia's History

499 Words | 2 Pages

Introduction: World War 2 was a very significant time in Australia’s history and it was a defining point because it played a large part in shaping the way other countries viewed it. One of these events was the battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. This battle was a triumphant point for the allied forces (Australia and US) as they fought through a number of naval engagements to keep the Japanese from cutting Australia’s supply lines from America. The battle of the Coral Sea was a turning point in the war for multiple reasons such as the major events throughout the battle, the outcome and the measures taken to cause that outcome.

Read More

Florida Keys Ecosystems

1315 Words | 6 Pages

Even as the ocean is warming, much of the coral cover will still remain. We will see a rise in sea-level but to a limited extent. Working to adapting and mitigating to these climate changes will prove successful. Efficient land-based conservation efforts and sanctuary management work will be crucial for facing these climate

Read More

Zooxanthellae's Symbiotic Relationship With Coral Reefs

790 Words | 4 Pages

The cell death leads to the expulsion of the zooxanthellae from the corals, which eventually will lead to coral bleaching. Zooxanthellae give corals their color. Symbiodinium are responsible for the majority of coral’s energy (Berkelmans 2006). A coevolutionary relationship is necessary for coral reefs to thrive. This symbiotic relationship is effective in recycling nutrients and using light (Berkelmans 2006).

Read More

Great White Sharks Research Paper

268 Words | 2 Pages

Recently, because of the downturn of sharks, those coral reefs and seagrass

Read More

Compare And Contrast Reef Biome

481 Words | 2 Pages

Reefs are composed of calcium carbonate skeletons that are secreted by corals, which form the foundation of the reef ecosystem. The reef biome is found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, primarily in shallow, coastal areas. In contrast to the reef biome, the rainforest biome is a terrestrial biome that is characterized by high

Read More

Great Barrier Reef Food Chain Analysis

1262 Words | 6 Pages

The ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef is a fragile balance, with a food chain that has several points, in which each one is reliant on one another. The Great Barrier Reef’s coordinates are 18.2871° S, 147.6992° E. The Reef has a huge amount of flora

Read More

What Are The Human Activities That Affect Coral Reefs In The Caribbean

952 Words | 4 Pages

In Caribbean, 36 percent coral reefs are located within 2 km of the inhabited land thus this area of coral reefs ecology have highly susceptible to pressures arising from coastal populations. The extensive construction and development for roads, housing, ports and other development has been required to support both of the residential and tourist populations. The coastal development was poorly managed therefore put stress on coral reefs through direct damage from dredging, land reclamation and sand and limestone mining for construction as well as through less direct pressures such as runoff from construction sites and removal of coastal habitat. Besides that, the loss of mangrove and sea grass which filter sediment and nutrients coming from the land has been widespread in the Caribbean which lead to add the pressure towards coral reef ecology. Next, the increased sediment in the coastal waters reduces the amount of light reaching the coral and hinders the ability of their symbiotic algae which is zooxanthellae for photosynthesis.

Read More

The Weather Makers Chapter Summary

1024 Words | 5 Pages

Thus it is much better to prevent coral bleaching than to accomplish its recovery which may take many

Read More

Summary: The Great Barrier Reef

701 Words | 3 Pages

Not only is Australia home to the Great Barrier Reef, but it is also the only continent in the world that is its own country. The Great Barrier Reef is the world 's largest coral reef system that stretches 1,250 miles off the Northeast coast of Australia. The coral reef support much of the marine life such as fish, sea turtles, and other marine mammals. In 1981, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, became in charge of the environmental protection of the Great Barrier Reef. Research found that because of the acidity in the ocean, the coral reef is at its slowest growing rate in at least 400 years.

Read More

The Pros And Cons Of Using Wind Power

486 Words | 2 Pages

Wind power is a type of renewable energy, which means that the source of the energy will not run out. Wind power is a type of solar energy, the winds flow depends on the earth's terrain, water, and plants. Electricity can be created by the use of wind turbines. The wind turbines blades turn around a rotor, the rotor is connected to a shaft that spins a generator to create electricity.

Read More

Great Barrier Reef Threats

121 Words | 1 Pages

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).

Read More

Essay On Coastal Development

936 Words | 4 Pages

Sea-level rise and changes in storm patterns are affecting coastal development activities. Local affection of land-based sources of stress will occur in combination with regional and global stressors, like climate change, land-use practices, and freshwater inputs, further threatening the survival of coral reef ecosystems. Reducing the impact of coastal development is critically important, and can be reduced by effective planning and land use regulation. Coastal development nearly threatens 25% of the world’s coral reefs, in southeast Asia, the Indian ocean, and the Atlantic.

Read More

More about The Importance Of The Great Barrier Reef In Australia

Related Topics

Open Document