Great Barrier Reef Research Paper

Australia is in debt to The Great Barrier Reef as it has brought economic and environmental stability not just to Australia, but the World, from a business and ethical standpoint everyone must put an end in this growing issue.

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:

Tourism in Australia has evolved over the years and continues to increase to this day, however it is the effects that tourists have the ability to place on the Southern Great Barrier Reef which are potentially threatening for, not only the reef of lady Elliot Island, however, the corals surrounding it. “International visitations within Australia alone reached 3.9 million visitors within the first 7 months of 2014, which was an increase of approximately 9.5%, a number which continues to rise” (Tourism Australia, 2015). However, with this increasing number, comes possible damaging effects to the surrounding reefs of Lady Elliot Island, possibly leading to the excessive damage of corals due to activities and infrastructure requirements

What do you think about when you hear the words Great Barrier Reef? Most people would imagine turquoise water, colourful and littered with endless fish, rays, sharks and turtles. Most people would imagine an everlasting wonder that has existed for tens of thousands of years, preserved by its sheer size and beauty. An icon indeed that is seen from Space. Being as reputable as it is, the Great Barrier Reef is surely not in any sort of danger right? Many believe that the reef is under no such danger however the scientific community old grave fears that Australia’s wonder of the world is in fact under threat, and is potentially facing its untimely ruin in our lifetimes.

In the play, Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare, two star-crossed lovers, both of high standing, fall in love. Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet fall in love when they meet at the Capulet party, but they can’t pursue their romantic desires for one another because of the lengthy feud that has lasted between both their households for generations. Regardless of the everlasting feud between their families, the two young lovers met and adored each other in secret. But, their secret affair caused their families and friends to intermix; resulting in great issues for the two lovers and their families. Although there could be numerous plausible causes for the deaths of Romeo and Juliet, the true reason and most prominent cause for their deaths is Friar

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef In the world being at 345, 000 square kilometres in size. This huge amount of reef is home to 1,500 species of fish, 30 species of whales and dolphins, and 133 species of sharks and rays (Act.greenpeace.org, 2018). Imagine you were one of these fish and your home was just dying off leaving you without food and having to move to different areas. We are the ones causing The Great Barrier Reef to die! Not only does the reef provide homes and food for all of these animals but it also provides the ocean and earth with large amounts of oxygen.

The 2014 Great Barrier Reef outlook report identifies ports as a moderate to major threat to the Great Barrier Reef, and outlines the impacts port activity has, including dredging and dumping of waste, increased risk of oil and chemical spills, and diminished aesthetic values. It also links problems with ports with shipping issues impacting the reef.

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

Economic development is mostly compatible with maintaining the long-term biodiversity and ecosystem functions of the Great Barrier Reef as shown by its economic contribution. In north-east Queensland

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.

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 may contain over 134,286 square miles of marine wildlife, but its secondary purpose is to protect Australia from the killer cyclones that try to invade the country. According to Alison Jones and Ray Berkelmans,

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system. It stretches to 2300km which means it can be seen from outer space. It provides a home for a huge number of plants and animals. Some of these include turtles, crocodiles and algae. The Great Barrier Reef is made up of 2900 reefs and 900 islands.

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

Marine Protected Areas worldwide make it a goal to protect biodiversity, conservation and Socioeconomic viability. To establish a functional and efficient management plan their needs to be a consensus on strategies that will be implemented to ensure the effectiveness and satisfaction of all stakeholders. The Management also needs to include monitoring programs along with methods to reevaluate the plan to fit the most current issues throughout time. One of the most well-known Marine Protected Areas is the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park located in the northeast corner of Queensland, Australia. Its geographical coordinates are 18.2871° S, 147.6992° E. This Marine Park has been in place since 1975. The MPA began in attempts to regulate devastation to commercial fish stocks and replenish biodiversity in the Coral habitat. It has since grown to regulate all types of human impacts including recreational use by snorkelers and tourist activities. Since the establishment there has been a monitoring system in place to reevaluate the progress and regression in