greater barrier reef case study

state the location of the GBR

• off north east Australia

• Queensland

state the number of reefs in the GBR

3000

state the length of the GBR

2500km

state the species found in the GBR

• >1500 fish species

• 400 corals

• 130 shark/rays

state the number of tourists annually

2.6 million

state the economic value of the GBR

AUS $6 billion annually

state how many jobs the GBR generated for locals

70,000

state the fishing value of the GBR

AUS $1 billion annually

state the % of global fish found in the GBR

10%

describe how the GBR acts as a coastal defence

• reef acts as a natural barrier to coastal storms

• this inhibits coastal erosion

• and protects the land and property behind it

describe how the GBR is important to research

GBR research potential is high for cures of cancer and other diseases

describe the danger of higher ocean temperatures to the GBR

• 2-3°C warming

• will put 97% of the GBR

• in danger of bleaching

describe why climate change is a problem to the GBR

• climate change is not controllable by Australia

• temperature rise is a global problem

• meaning the negative impacts on the GBR, caused by climate change is hard to manage

state the impact of the drainage basin being increasingly urbanised in Australia

increasing storm runoff in urbanised catchment area

state what problem surface runoff causes in Australian urbanised catchment areas

• litter is washed into river and down into the ocean

• which can be eaten by aquatic animals

• or cause entanglement

explain why farms in the catchment area in Australia not help

• sediment and fertiliser is washed into the rivers

• sediment is transported down to the coast

• where it is deposited in the GBR and smother coral polyps

• stopping the corals from photosynthesising

• nitrogen from fertilisers causes harmful algal blooms, which is food for crown of thorns starfish

explain why there are crown of thorns starfish (COTS) outbreaks in the GBR

• COTS feed off the nitrogen

• which appears in the GBR

• due to agricultural run off in basins

state the issue of the increase in the COTS population in the GBR

• COTS rapidly eat reefs

• 15 COTS in 1 Ha can remove 90% of the living tissue

describe numerically the over-tourism in the GBR

• 2 million international visitors

• 500 commercial vessels

• annually

describe the issues created by over-tourism in the GBR

• water pollution from boats

  • 280 spills in the last 30 years

• noise pollution from boats puts aquatic organisms under stress

• tourists walking on/colliding with the reef causes damage

• chemicals from sunscreen runoff is absorbed by corals and kills them

state what issue in the GBR changing farming practices combats

storm runoff

describe what Australian farmers have done to change farming practices

• build sediment traps to catch runoff

  • causes sediment to settle in the traps so it doesn’t go into the rivers and thus the GBR

• planted vegetation to bind the soils

  • this means less sediment is washed into river and onto the GBR

• plant soya beans which absorbs lots of water

  • this means less surface runoff and thus less capacity to carry sediment

state how widespread the changing farm practices is in Australia

• 70% of the land area is agricultural

• >50% of Australian farmers have adopted new techniques

state the positive impacts of changing farm practices

• large spatial coverage and take up

• improved water quality for local ecosystems and GBR

• no major construction required - lessens the carbon footprint of the strategy

• cheap strategy - farmers already own the equipment to implement

• creates a sense of community between farmers who are implementing the strategies

  • agriculture has been known to have loneliness and suicide rates

state what issue in the GBR the starfish terminator deals with

increase in COTS population

state the number of COTS killed by the starfish terminator annually

200,000

state the positive impacts of the starfish terminator

• much quicker and effective than humans manually killing COTS

• >99% correct starfish termination and improving in accuracy

• ensures a viable businesses model for tourist companies

state the negative impacts of the starfish terminator

• bile salts are used for injections which is expensive

• there are still millions of COTS left in the GBR

• spatial scale is limited to tourist sites as it’s expensive and COTS live everywhere

• COTS hide under coral and terminator is not good at getting underneath coral - means human dives are still required

state what issue in the GBR guidelines and restrictions on tourism impacts

over tourism

state the guidelines and restrictions on over tourism in place in the GBR

• limits on tourist group and vessel size

• no anchoring zones in the GBR

• monitoring of scuba divers

• ecotourism certification is required - companies can apply for certificates if they can prove their eco-friendly credentials

• permits must be obtained for tourist activities

state the positive impacts of the guidelines and restrictions on over tourism in the GBR

• educates public to keep better care of the GBR

• reduces number of anchors dropped on and thus damaging reefs

• protects wildlife and reduce stresses on aquatic organisms

state the negative impacts of the guidelines and restrictions on over tourism in the GBR

• it’s expensive to put the strategy in place and follow up complaints

• companies in tourism industry make less money by buying permits - removes incentives for companies to adhere to regulations

• many activities remain unmonitored and unregulated

• accidents still happen, even if people have good intentions