environmental threats great barrier reef great barrier reef world largest reef system composed roughly individual reefs islands stretch kilometres cover area approximately square kilometres reef located coast queensland northeast australia large reef protected great barrier reef marine park according report great barrier reef marine park authority climate change significant environmental threat great barrier reef major environmental pressures listed decreased water quality land based runoff impacts coastal development persistent impacts fishing activities reef threatened storms coral ocean report shows numerous marine life species recovered previous declines strength population continuing decline arc centre excellence coral reef studies wrote august conversation piece harmful government policies ongoing conflicts interest mining royalties risks equivalent magnitude consider climate change poor water quality coastal development impacts fishing area major threats reef scientists hughes stated cumulative effects combined impacts real issue conversation article colleagues mapped parts great barrier reef exposed ocean map great barrier reef presents exposure ocean reefs providing managers information need tailor management individual reefs great barrier reef singular reef physical barrier prevents exchange reefs mixture thousands productive reefs shallow areas lying continental shelf complex oceanic circulation history australian committed act partnership protect reef water quality monitoring programmes implemented criticised slow progress governments raising concern reefs continued risk sediment runoff australian government outlined action called completion strategic assessment reef area committee urged government use assessment data develop long term plan protecting outstanding universal value reef basis listing criticisms emerged expert community vague targets absence clear specific strategies mention implications climate change significant efforts state federal governments addressed key recommendations report published criticised government management great barrier reef warning area downgraded world heritage site danger major changes implemented report expressed extreme concern rapid rate coastal development highlighting construction natural gas plants recommended thorough assessments new developments affect reef approved specifically recommended new port development abbot point hay point australian foreign minister informed australian media use climate change talks held peru december avoid consisting experts nations applying danger listing bishop believed justification existed send message world meet criteria set world heritage committee risk place area danger list significant implications australia set dangerous precedent countries don opportunity action australia avoid great barrier reef listed danger introduced ports bill november bill seeks restrict port development coast brisbane priority port development areas including ports identified report bill decade long period exception priority ports additionally long term plan expansion water quality activities introduced state federal governments partner agencies response ports bill academics said december issues health reef declining consequently needs australian marine conservation society great barrier reef campaign director stated press release new fails rule currently proposed new dumping reef waters silent maintenance region millions tonnes dumping mega port developments pipeline able ahead bill despite establishment priority port development areas reef bill allow port expansion fails meet recommendation new port developments permitted outside existing port areas bill contains northern section reef delta improve water quality reef waters matters wants action water quality water quality identified threat great barrier reef thirty major rivers hundreds small streams comprise great barrier reef area covers square kilometres land queensland major urban centers coast including industrial city port raising concern dead fish found harbor largest coastal cities populations approximately major water quality affecting coral reef health including water temperature nutrients suspended sediment concentrations species great barrier reef area adapted variations water quality critical exceeded adversely impacted river single biggest source nutrients providing significant pollution reef tropical flood events pollution sourced farms water visibility decreased metres range human uses water area adjacent great barrier reef reefs risk zone water quality declined naturally acidic sediment chemical runoff farming coastal development loss coastal wetlands acts natural filter major factors industries water area cotton growing comprising approximately dairy farms average area cattle grazing including banana growing farming approximately wheat use cotton dairy beef sugar industries essential ensure productivity sugar cane harvesting methods form component surface runoff great barrier reef principal agricultural activity wet tropics sugar cane farming cattle grazing primary industry dry tropics regions considered significant threats high water quality copper common industrial waters great barrier reef shown interfere development coral flood flooding events associated higher levels nitrogen february climate system sediment runoff observed reaching regions reef runoff especially concerning region south receives rain year reefs kilometres away coastline farm run result excessive use mud pollution increased nitrogen pollution introduction european farming practices australian landscape pollution linked range significant risks reef system including intensified coral eating contributed loss live coral cover sampled reefs thought mechanism excess nutrients affecting reefs increased light oxygen competition algae unusually low create phase shift great barrier reef primarily coral primarily algae suggested poor water quality excess nutrients encourages spread infectious diseases general great barrier reef considered low coral diseases skeletal disease bony caused affects species families reef long term monitoring program found increase coral disease period dispute claim great barrier reef coral diseases caused pollution elevated nutrient concentrations result range impacts coral communities extreme conditions result collapse affects coral promoting growth increases number filter feeding organisms compete space excessive sediment land coral lead reef destruction burial disruption recruitment success community shifts sediments affect coral particles settle reducing light availability potentially reducing growth coral reefs exist impacts increased flood related stresses pollution mining freedom information request showed owned australian politician discharged laden water great barrier reef releasing tonnes long tons short tons toxic waste water occasion june stated intended release waste water continuously months times allowed maximum level heavy metals briefing stated company threatened compensation claim intend exert authority company operations response dumping incidents stated strongly encouraged company investigate options releasing material environment develop management plan eliminate potential hazard legislative control dam managed dumping following tour great barrier reef area members report criticised management great barrier reef specifically recommended new port development outside established areas abbot point december australian environment minister approved plan create shipping construction according corresponding approval documents process create million cubic metres dumped great barrier reef marine park area january issued dumping permit allow million cubic metres sea bed abbot point north transported waters great barrier reef marine park potential significant identified relation process sea floor area exposing air firstly new research shows finer particles cloud water block sunlight sea grass coral distances away point origin actions wind currents furthermore literally reef sea grass death storms repeatedly particles harm caused ongoing secondly disturbed sea floor release toxic substances surrounding environment abbot point port project dumped kilometres away near north queensland approval authority result production extra million tonnes coal annually worth billion billion authority chairman stated confirmation approval approval line agency view port development great barrier reef coastline limited existing ports port operation nearly years better placed ports great barrier reef coastline undertake expansion capital maintenance required significantly required areas important note approved disposal area consists sand clay contain coral reefs beds approval provided corresponding set new environmental conditions include following long term water quality monitoring plan extending years disposal activity completed heritage management plan protect second world war aircraft wreck establishment independent disposal technical advice panel management response group include community representatives numerous responses including online petitions published opposition proposal launched save reef campaign opposition dumping remained active signatures march addition online petition registered signatures march political activist group funding legal case conjunction non profit represents fight reef partnership australian marine conservation society maintains campaign collects online donations fund legal fighting team displayed nearly supporters website legal fighting team received support april following release sounds reef musical fundraising project produced digital album features artists herd featuring released april album songs sold website support partnership occurred late april ice cream company signed fight reef campaign early april company withdrew popular food flavour australia aquatic association potential awareness raising product withdrawal decision followed tours select parts nation involved representatives distributing free ice cream highlight reef damage issue response minister environment heritage protection queensland said contacting parent corporation explaining people taking reef ben jerry understand facts want ben jerry australian public informed brand manager stated newspaper ben jerry believes dumping world heritage waters surrounding marine park area detrimental reef ecology threatens health australia iconic treasures queensland state senator confirmed raised issue writing said campaign issue like company obligation tell australians truth truth australia strict laws protect consumers misleading behavior cost jobs development regional queensland irresponsible behavior company know better climate change according significant threat status great barrier reef climate change rise sea temperatures gradual ocean increase number intense weather events hughes writes failure state commonwealth address issue climate change august article furthermore temperature rise degrees result great barrier reef year reef scientist terry predicted degree rise global temperature result reef degrees result degrees result total devastation model based events concurred temperature rise degrees result total coral mortality scientists hold coral cases problem mainstream believes professor quoted australian conservative newspaper saying saying end world look highly dubious proposition research scientist documented astonishing levels recovery devastated related article australian newspaper goes explain expel narrow opening new temperature resistant algae team noticed dominant strain changed light heat sensitive type robust types coral reef researchers severely negative effects climate change occurring potentially disastrous effects climate change future reef depend planet climate changes high atmospheric greenhouse gas concentration levels allowed rise september report australian great barrier reef marine revealed carbon dioxide levels reached parts million reef habitats highly vulnerable carbon dioxide levels managed parts million moderately vulnerable reefs remain coral dominated global warming triggered collapse reef ecosystems tropics increased global temperatures thought bring violent tropical storms reef systems naturally recover storm people agree upward trend temperature cause coral suggest reefs die certain areas areas new reefs form rate mass events occur estimated faster reefs recover adjust report suggest trend ocean indicates sea decreases able calcium study showed robust great barrier reef slowed growth suggested cause heat stress lower availability dissolved calcium climate change implications forms life great barrier reef fish preferred temperature range lead seek new areas live causing chick mortality prey fish sea turtles higher temperatures mean sex ratio populations change sex sea turtles determined temperature habitat sea turtles shrink crown crown coral reef predator coral climbing stomach releasing digestive absorb tissue individual adult species eat square meters living reef single year geological evidence suggests crown great barrier reef ecology thousand years geological evidence crown large reefs outbreak contributed loss live coral cover sampled reefs study large believed occur natural cycles human activity great barrier reef effects reduction water quality associated agriculture cause crown larvae thrive runoff farming increases available larvae consume study showed doubling water leads increase crown larvae survival rate natural predators giant considered contribute increase number reef research centre defines outbreak adult area large reef observation began fourth began investigation undertaken mimicking chemical scent released natural predator giant species giant sharks cause disruption food chains vital life reef fishing impacts reef increased pollution boats catch unwanted species turtles reef habitat destruction anchors nets populations cause reefs observed significantly reduce studies sharks meat common kill shark throw overboard belief interfere fishing july approximately great barrier reef marine park protected species removal kind including fishing written permission illegal unknown zones study coral trout great barrier reef found zones coral trout coral trout larvae tropical cyclone events helped areas sooner shipping shipping accidents continue perceived threat commercial shipping routes pass great barrier reef estimates vessels greater metres length use great barrier reef route collisions occurred great barrier reef shipping route human error identified leading cause shipping accidents reef pilots stated consider reef route safer outside reef event mechanical failure ship sit safely repaired inner route ships travel great barrier reef known occurred great barrier reef region waste foreign species discharged ships ballast water procedures followed biological hazard great barrier reef compounds found paint ship hulls toxic marine organisms humans efforts underway restrict use april bulk coal carrier ran aground great barrier reef causing largest grounding date spill caused damage section great barrier reef use oil resulted oil spreading reef islands away ship great barrier reef region forecast increase years ship occurred oil suspected great barrier reef cap oil trap paper suggested right rock formation support great magnitude exploration activities increased queensland including wreck island southern great barrier reef 1960s drilling oil gas investigated great barrier reef seismic magnetic methods eastern princess charlotte bay coast late 1960s wells near channel near results dry responding concern oil canyon ordered production drilling petroleum area great barrier reef federal state governments ceased allowing petroleum drilling great barrier reef study concluded reef young contain oil reserves oil drilling remains prohibited great barrier reef oil shipping routes threat reef system total oil tropical cyclones tropical cyclones cause ecological disturbance great barrier reef types damage caused tropical cyclones great barrier reef varied including sediment decreasing following heavy rains cyclone joy patterns reef damage similarly cyclones paths came near great barrier reef cyclones pass great barrier reef day general compact fare better branching cyclone conditions major damage caused tropical cyclone larry underlying reef structures displacement overall consistent previous tropical cyclone events severe tropical cyclones hit queensland coast years period cyclones region weak category scale february severe tropical cyclone struck northern queensland caused severe damage stretch hundreds kilometres great barrier reef decade recover fully cyclone wind speeds kilometers hour threats second day round training exercise australian military personnel conduct joint activities week period unarmed bombs dropped great barrier reef jets unable land weight weapons minimize potential harm reef bombs weighing total metric tons pounds dropped meters water away reef coral structures bomb drop originally planned occur bombing range controllers reported area clear hazards emergency occurred australian senator responded news asking gone completely mad look area letting foreign power drop bombs
Environmental threats to the Great Barrier Reef