Main Aspects of Great Barrier Reef - Report Example

The Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) has the special distinction of being the largest living structure on earth and is home to a diverse range of natural and complex ecosystems. The reef was recognized as a World Heritage center in 1981 and is listed under all the four world heritage criteria. Though popularly known for its coral reef structures, the GBR encompasses a large variety of species and habitats. Almost the entire barrier reef lies within the Federal Marine Park, which is an independent Australian Government Agency authorized to protect and manage the GBR. The GBR Marine Park authority has undertaken various activities to protect the GBR, as several threats have been recognized which could affect the long-term health of the reefs. These include changing weather patterns and climatic conditions, decline in the quality of water entering the reefs, multiple uses of the GBR and the impact created due to fishing for which the reef is principally used. Though it is still recognized as the healthiest coral reef ecosystems, coastal development along the reef regions has posed considerable pressures to the long-term sustainability of the reef. The Marine Park Authority have published an outlook report that provides information about the reef condition, social and economic factors that influence the reef, management and assessment outlook for the reef (Great Barrier Reef; Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; The Great Barrier Reef; Great Barrier Reef-WWF). The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s most extensive ecosystem that covers an area of 348,000 square kilometers. The entire stretch of the reef includes inshore areas, mid-shelf and outer reefs and the oceanic waters have a depth of about 2000 meters (Great Barrier Reef). There are about 3000 individuals coral reefs with varying structures and shapes, 900 islands that include small sandy islands to large vegetative lands, 150 inshore mangrove islands (Great Barrier Reef; Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; Great Barrier Reef-WWF). In addition, the GBR also has deep water features such as canyons, channels, plateau and slopes. There is immense biodiversity across the reefs and both the species and the habitats are interconnected which makes the reef and its surrounding regions one of the most complex natural ecosystem in the world. The health of any ecosystem is vital in order to withstand and recover from external stress factors and to help in the survival of various forms of organisms. The biodiversity of the reef has been grouped into 70 bioregions out of which 30 regions are part of the reef structures while the remaining are non-reefal regions. The animal population within the reef is extraordinary ranging from microscopic planktons to large whales. The GBR supports 1625 species of fishes of which 1400 are species found in the coral reefs which includes commercially important species such as coral trout. There are more than 3000 species of molluscs that includes clams, octopus, oysters, squid, cuttlefish, nautilus and snails. There are about 630 species of echinoderm which includes star fishes and sea urchins. It also harbors about 1300 species of crustaceans including commercially important species of crabs and prawns. The reef habitat also supports 14 species of sea snakes and 215 species of birds out of which there are 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shore birds. The reef also harbors 6 of the 7 known species of marine turtle and 30 species of whales, seals, dolphins and the vulnerable dugong or sea cow population. The marine turtles have been classified as threatened due to internal and external pressures. Some most commonly cited mammals include bottlenose dolphins, humpback and dwarf minke whales while other species such as the Bryde’s whales are spotted occasionally. The estuarine crocodile is also found in coastal waters and in many islands and cays. The reef also supports about 133 species of sharks and rays ranging from the small epaulette shark to the larger whale shark. The reef also contains about 40 species of sea anemones. The reef also supports about 100 species of jellyfish including blue bottles and box jellyfish. The reef also contains nearly 30% of sponge species found within Australia (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; The Great Barrier Reef; Great Barrier Reef-WWF). Other interesting species found in the reef include the Bryzoans which are small animals that form colonies like corals, about 500 species of worms, more than 5 species of marine spiders and 20 species of marine insects. The microscopic planktons which serve as a major food source for a number of species are also found in abundance. The Ascidians and Tunicates which are also called as the sea squirts number about 720 species and their vibrant colors contribute to the brilliant color hues of the BGR (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). The GBR is known for its bright and beautiful array of colors which it derives mainly from the coral reefs which come in the form of soft corals. The soft coral species whose bodies are contain a number of polyps which are connected by tissue number about 150. They also have tentacles with a feathery surface and a number of fishes, prawns and sea slugs live in the branches of these corals. These corals are also in danger of being eaten by fishes and snails but they offer resistance by producing pungent and poisonous chemicals. There are also about 450 species of hard corals which form the building blocks of the reef structure. These are made of several thousands of coral polyps with smooth tentacles that live together and the limestone skeletons produced by them acts as a foundation for the hard corals (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). The GBR which harbors such as diverse variety of organisms and structures has served multiple purposes such as protecting the diverse range of organisms, ecological sustainability and for entertainment. Most of the property of the GBR lies within the Marine Park which was established under the Marine Park Act in the year 1975. This act was established with the main objective of providing protection and conservation of the biodiversity and heritage of the GBR. The Marine Park Authority oversees the management and protection of the GBR. The Marine Park Act was amended in the year 2007 and 2008 (Great Barrier Reef). The reef also supports various commercial industries such as marine tourism and fishing which provide employment opportunities for several thousands of individuals. In addition shipping activities via the GBR provides an important link for various production industries. The reef is also used for various recreational purposes and serves as a vital source for scientific research and is used for defense training. However, several other activities such as drilling, mining and explorations have been prohibited by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act which was proclaimed in 1975. In order to keep track of the management and for the long-term protection of the reef, the Marine Act recommended the publication of an Outlook Report which provided information about the existing condition of the GBR, the various social and economic factors influencing the reef ecosystem, on the effectiveness of its management and long-term assessment of the reef. Such a report was recommended to be developed every five years and submitted to the government. The first report was published in 2009 and the 2014 report is currently under preparation (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). Despite various efforts taken to maintain the reef ecosystem, the 2009 outlook report identified several factors that posed serious threats to the health of the reefs. Climatic changes were identified as a major threat with severe weather changes, acidification of the oceans, rising sea temperature and sea levels. In order to deal with these changes, a climatic change action plan has been devised in order to build resilience and enable the reef to adapt to changing climatic conditions. This is a collective effort of managers, researchers, industries and the community with more than 250 activities devised in the Action Plan. Another major threat identified is the declining water quality as the reef is being exposed to increased levels of sediments, nutrients and pesticides. The reef receives most of the sediments from the surrounding catchment areas. In order to improve the quality of water supply several initiatives such as the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan have been devised. In addition programs have also been implemented in order to protect the reef from extreme weather changes such as floods and cyclones. Increased rainfall and intensity of cyclones have a profound effect on the long-term health of the reef (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). The reef also served multiple purposes with commercial marine tourism being the most popular use. Upon obtaining a permit commercial tourism can be conducted in almost all places along the marine park. All the commercial activities are closely monitored as activities such as diving and snorkeling can damage the coral reef. The GBR also forms a critical part of the defense training program which is conducted in a few areas along the reef. Training activities such as dive training, boating, navigation exercise and landings are conducted regularly and these are managed by the Department of Defense. The GBR is also a commercial source for fishing of rare species of fishes, crabs, sharks and prawns. The fishing is managed by both Australian and Queensland governments. While most of the fishing techniques have a negligible impact on the reef structure, some techniques such as trawling can cause habitat damage and is therefore restricted to certain areas in the marine park. The GBR also serves as a port as it contains 2 ports and the rise in industrial and mining activities shipping has also increased. Though shipping has been restricted to designated areas along the reef, it does have a considerable impact on the reef in the event of collisions, groundings, oil or chemical spills, waste disposal and damage to anchors. Hence shipping activities are stringently managed. The reef also offers tremendous opportunities for research due to its diverse marine ecosystem and research activities also require permits and are subject to stringent conditions. in addition to the above the reef is also a popular destination for recreation and traditional use such as fishing and hunting. While both these activities do not pose any significant risks to the health of the reefs, illegal hunting and fishing of threatened species poses a considerable risk and calls for suitable actions (Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority). Thus the GBR is a great source of natural beauty and serves as a source of employment and revenue. Conserving the reef structure would be of immense benefit to the surrounding communities in addition to providing economic benefits to the country. Reference “Great Barrier Reef.” Unesco. n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154 “Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority.” Australian Government. n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef “Great Barrier Reef.” Wwf.org. n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.wwf.org.au/our_work/saving_the_natural_world/oceans_and_marine/priority_ocean_places/great_barrier_reef/ “The Great Barrier Reef.” Greatbarrierreef.org. n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2014. http://www.greatbarrierreef.org/about.php Deadline: 2014-04-02 6:59 AM Time left: 7h 56m Status : in progress Number of pages: 5 Cost per page: $5.00 Total: $25.00 Created: 2014-03-26 6:56 AM Level: College Grade: Guaranteed 2:1 Standard (Normal Charge); Pages: 5 Style: MLA Country: [USA (GMT -5)] Sources: 4 Language Style: English (U.S.) Project description http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/# http://www.greatbarrierreef.org/about.php http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154 http://www.wwf.org.au/our_work/saving_the_natural_world/oceans_and_marine/priority_ocean_places/great_barrier_reef/ I need a research paper for my beaches & coast class with 4 sources. I copied the links to the 4 sources. IF you find any better ones by all means change them but to any .org or .gov website. I need a work cited as well. Instructions ATTENTION! Instructions have not been confirmed by Customer yet! Please n Read More