Great Barrier Reef Effects

Decent Essays
Show More
Unfortunately, these reefs are being destroyed at an alarming rate. According to the World Wide Fund (WWF) within 25 years the world will lose 60 % of its coral reefs strict actions will not be taken. Human activities such as pollution, illegal fishing and recreational activities like diving and snorkeling are major threats. Global warming is also be contributing to their demise by raising seawater temperatures above the narrow range in which corals thrive. Natural calamities like typhoons and earthquakes may also contribute to the destruction of reefs.
Australia’s Great Barrier Reef was declared by members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) world heritage committee to be listed as “in danger” in

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Coral Reef Ecology Activity
    • 1875 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Coral Reef Ecology Activity

    When the corals' health are in jeopardy, the health and overall well being of all the organisms that rely on them are at risk as well. Many organisms, along with their babies and eggs, will be exposed to predators if they do not have healthy coral reefs to depend on for shelter. Predators will have easier access to their prey if they are ever without a home, and this will result in a decline in population of the consumers lower in the trophic levels (little fish are wiped out, and predators overpopulate). If there were ever a decline in the prey population, all of the organisms higher up in the food chain would be killed off as well, since there wouldn't be enough food to keep the higher trophic levels healthy and…

    • 1875 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Great Barrier Reef
    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Great Barrier Reef

    The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is found off the northeastern coast of Queensland, Australia, in the Coral Sea of the Pacific Ocean. Scientists believe that the coral reef structure was formed 60,000 years ago, but deteriorated due to climate & sea level changes. However, the coral reefs grew over the old structure. The current GBR is about 6,000 - 8,000 years old. The reef’s abiotic factors include sunlight, soil, water, climate, & temperature.…

    • 674 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Great Barrier Reef (GBR)
    • 1716 Words
    • 7 Pages

    The Great Barrier Reef (GBR)

    “We should preserve every scrap of biodiversity as priceless while we learn to use it and come to understand what it means to humanity” (Edward Owen Wilson, 2006). The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981 and stretches for more than 2300 kilometres along the northeast coast of Australia, including an area of about 347 800 square kilometres of seabed. It is the largest coral reef ecosystem in the world with 2500 coral reefs and is home to more than 1500 species of fish and 5000 species of mollusc. Approximately 215 species of birds are found on its islands and cays. Despite the GBR being given World Heritage status the health of the GBR has declined to date.…

    • 1716 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Coral Reef Environmental Effects
    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Coral Reef Environmental Effects

    “Runoff carries nutrients sediments, and pollution from land-based sources and deposits them directly onto our reefs.(http://wwf.panda.org/).” Too many nutrients create algal growth creating a decrease in oxygen levels leading to the condition, Eutrophication. Erosion by construction, inland or along coasts, mining, logging and farming increases sediment in rivers. This then ends up in the ocean where it smothers corals by trapping them from the light which is needed to survive. Sedimentation limits the light ability to the corals inhibiting their ability to feed and reproduce.…

    • 1378 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Great Barrier Reef Informative Speech
    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Great Barrier Reef Informative Speech

    Nick Bkassini 21 Hillcrest Ave Greenacre NSW 2190 20/8/15 Minister of the Environment, Queensland Government George St, Brisbane QLD 4000 Dear Queensland Government State leader John Appleseed I am writing to inform you of my concerns for the threatened habitat of The Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds biggest coral reef. It is home to over 10,000 different species. The Great Barrier reef is also a popular tourist attraction in Queensland with over 2 million visitors each year.…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Off Great Barrier Reef Research Paper
    • 1817 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Off Great Barrier Reef Research Paper

    It is also a breeding ground for animals such as six different species of turtles. The great the barrier reef is ancient and to some is dated back to around twenty million years ago. Sadly the great barrier reef is threatened by many things such as climate change, warmer ocean temperatures put stress on coral and lead to coral bleaching. The great barrier reef has experienced two mass coral bleaching events in 1998 and 2002, the bleaching was more severe in 2002, when aerial surveys showed that over more than 50% of the reef experienced coral bleaching. Sediment, nutrient and agriculture pesticide pollution from river catchment runoff is also affecting the reefs health.…

    • 1817 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Great Barrier Reef Research Paper
    • 310 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Great Barrier Reef Research Paper

    The only thing dissapointing about Australia’s Mt. Disappointment was when British explorers climbed up the 218 foot mountain with hopes of enjoying a beautiful view. However when they reached the top, they discovered their view was blocked by an uncounted amount of trees, making it a disappointing end to their hike. One of the most famous bodies of water with many living things is the Great Barrier Reef, which is located off the northeast coast of Australia. The Great Barrier Reef is home to more than 2,000 different sea creatures. Since no other countries border with Australia and it is completely surrounded by water, it is considered an island.…

    • 310 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Great Barrier Reef Research Paper
    • 210 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Great Barrier Reef Research Paper

    The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem located in Queensland, Australia. It stretches for over 2300 km across hundreds of islands and contains thousands of marine species such as fish, dolphins, sharks, and many more. The reef is also the habitat of endangered species such as the Dugong and the large Green Sea Turtle. It is an understatement to say that the Great Barrier Reef is home to many species. Thirty species of whales, dolphins and porpoises have been found in the GBR and more than 1,500 fish species live on the reef.…

    • 210 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Mesoamerican Coral Reefs: A Case Study
    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Mesoamerican Coral Reefs: A Case Study

    1. Introduction 1.1 Coral Decline Coral reef is a highly diverse ecosystem that provides many environmental, economical and social benefits to humans (Barker & Roberts 2004; Hughes et al. 2010). Approximately 20% of coral has been lost worldwide (Wilkinson 2006) with an 80% loss in the Caribbean basin (Jackson et al. 2014).…

    • 889 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    Summary Of Hot Flat And Crowded
    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Summary Of Hot Flat And Crowded

    Twenty percent of the corals are gone and another twenty percent are severely threatened. Species are disappearing at rates about a thousand times faster than normal. We need to take action and find solutions to these…

    • 900 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More
  • Decent Essays

    Examples Of Ocean Acidification
    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examples Of Ocean Acidification

    Another impact on deteriorating coral reefs is the effect on the eco-tourism industry that receives its revenue from showcasing coral…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Coral Reef Research Paper
    • 1041 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Coral Reef Research Paper

    Now that I know how these incredible creatures are being brought down, I will do anything to let everyone know that this is happening and do anything I can to help stop it. Throughout the remainder of this letter, I will present all of the positive things coral reefs bring to our world, and not only will I show you why coral reefs should be saved, but I will also show the rapid decline of the fish population that…

    • 1041 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Great Essays

    Summary: The Great Barrier Reef
    • 2205 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Summary: The Great Barrier Reef

    An ecosystem is interconnected, and if one part is weakened, the other parts will also experience more complicated effects. There have been new areas of science that focus on sustainability, which is the protection and maintenance of our natural resources for current and future generations. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR), one of the most diverse and rich ecosystems in the world, is experiencing negative impacts from human activities, and if this continues, the habitat may cease to exist. Spanning almost 1,300 miles, the Great Barrier Reef extends along the coast of Australia and is home to millions of different of organisms, ranging from the smallest microorganisms to the largest species of fish and mammals.…

    • 2205 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Great Essays
    Read More
  • Superior Essays

    Ocean Acidification Essay
    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 5 Works Cited

    Ocean Acidification Essay

    When coral reefs disappear it will cause a chain reaction affecting people all over the world. "We are seeing an overall negative impact from ocean acidification directly on organisms and on some key ecosystems that help provide food for billions. We need to start thinking about the risk to food security" (CNN World). People don’t understand the severity of what we are doing to the ocean and the world. If no action is taken and we continue on with our daily lives not caring about the long term effects of our actions then it could wipe out entire ecosystems or entire populations of sea…

    • 1116 Words
    • 5 Pages
    • 5 Works Cited
    Superior Essays
    Read More
  • Improved Essays

    The Pros And Cons Of Coral Reef Diving
    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Pros And Cons Of Coral Reef Diving

    CORAL REEF DIVING IS AN ALL-TIME FAVORITE TO MOST SCUBA DIVERS. BUT LIKE IT OR NOT, SCUBA DIVERS ARE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE WORLD’S CORAL REEFS. Scientific evidence shows that divers are directly and/or indirectly responsible for damaging the reef life with some of their thoughtless behaviors. Not to say that all divers are harming reef life intentionally.…

    • 769 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
    Read More

Related Topics

Ready To Get Started?
Discover
Company
Follow
©2024 Cram.com
Privacy Policy |  About Ads |  Site Map |  Advertise  | 
  • Cookie Settings