Great Barrier Reef

Environmental threats:

There are a number of different problems that can cause environmental threats towards the Great
Barrier Reef. Here is a list of the most common reasons that the Reef can be endangered:

• Water quality
• Climate change
• Over fishing
• Oil

Water quality:

The reason that the water quality is important is because, if just a minor change happened in the
temperature, salinity, nutrients, or suspended sediment concentrations, could have an enormous
impact on the wild life of the Reef. The ecological system in the Reef is very fine tuned and any big
change could possibly destroy the Reef.

Since the river discharges are the single biggest source of nutrients that feeds the Reef, it is very
important that it is kept in order. If the water from the river discharges was polluted, it could have a
big influence in the water quality surrounding the Reef.

Climate change:

Most people believe that the most substantial threat to the status of the Great Barrier Reef and of the
planet's other tropical reef ecosystems is climate change, comprising mainly of global warming and
the El Niño effect.

Global warming may have triggered the collapse of reef ecosystems throughout the tropics.
Increased global temperatures are thought by some to bring more violent tropical storms, but reef
systems are naturally resilient and recover from storm battering. Most people agree that an upward
trend in temperature will cause much more coral bleaching; others suggest that while reefs may die
in certain areas, other areas will become habitable for corals, and new reefs will form. However, the
rate at which the mass bleaching events occur is estimated to be much faster than reefs can recover
from, or adjust to.

Over fishing:

The unsustainable overfishing of keystone species, such as the Giant Triton and sharks, can cause
disruption to food chains vital to life on the reef. Fishing also impacts the reef through increased
pollution from boats, by-catch of unwanted species (such as dolphins and turtles) and reef habitat
destruction from trawling, anchors and nets.
Sharks are fished for their meat, and when they are part of by-catch, it is common to kill the shark
and throw it overboard, as there is a belief that they mess with the fishing. As of 1 July 2004,
approximately one-third of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is protected from species removal of
any kind, including fishing, without written permission. However, illegal poaching is not unknown
in some no-take zones.
Oil:

It is suspected that the Great Barrier Reef is the cap to an oil trap. Oil drilling is not permitted on the
Great Barrier Reef, yet oil spills are still a threat to the reef system, with a total of 282 oil spills
between 1987-2002.

What good does it do?

The Great Barrier Reef is a very important part of the Australian eco-system. The Reef has been
providing both food and resources for many years, and has been established as a landmark and
gigantic tourist attraction.
For over 40.000 years The Reef has been used as a perfect place for fishing, and collecting
endangered species.
The amounts of money made by fx scuba diving and boat tours, is enormous. Many people survive
on the money spent by tourists. Lots of the people who benefit from the Reef, benefit from fx
selling souvenirs or taking tourists to see The Reef.