Australian efforts can buy invaluable time, but the entire world needs to act if we want the Great Barrier Reef to survive for our children and grandchildren.Įditor's Note: Dr. Without such steps, bleaching events will become more and more common, and the negative effects of ocean acidification will increasingly kick in. In the long-term, however, reducing carbon dioxide emissions will be necessary to save the GBR. Models suggest that before European agriculture was established, outbreaks occurred only once every 50-80 years, compared to the once every 15 years today. Although the storms that bring flooding can’t be controlled, better agricultural practices could help enormously. But outbreaks are also more likely to occur when flooding takes place, probably because floods bring nutrients to the reef and feed the developing larvae of the seastars. Protecting the fish that eat the seastars by reducing fishing pressure has already helped: the frequency of outbreaks in unprotected areas is seven-times that in protected areas. In the short-term, reducing the magnitude and frequency of outbreaks by crown-of-thorns seastars ( Acanthaster planci) is the most practical step. These patterns suggest a way forward to halt, and reverse, the decline. Importantly, the northern parts of the reef, which are less influenced by the activities of people, is holding its own. About 42 percent of the losses have been due to predation by the crown-of-thorns seastar, 48 percent due to damage from typhoons, and the remainder due to coral bleaching caused by unusually warm water. How could such a tragedy be unfolding, given that the GBR has been a marine park since 1975 and more than one-third has gone completely unfished since 2004? As with most cases of reef decline, there is no single explanation. If current trends continue, over 90 percent or more of the living coral will be gone from the central and southern parts of the reef in just 10 years. Between 19, over half of the living coral has been lost. Yet a recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests that large portions of the GBR have been on a trajectory of decline for much of this period. We are passionate about Australias great natural wonder, its vast marine life, its golden sun-kissed. You have the choice of over 100 islands, from unique and exotic islands to the Whitsundays and the remarkable Northern Islands. This largest barrier reef in the world is both a national icon and a global treasure that was recognized as a World Heritage site over thirty years ago. Great Barrier Reef’s islands are simply enchanting, one visit is just enough to keep you coming back for more. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef (or the GBR as it is known to reef aficionados) stretches for more than 2,300 kilometers (over 1,429 miles) and can be seen from outer space.
0 kommentar(er)
