Could the Great Barrier Reef Disappear?

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world and it is just off the coast of Australia. The reef supports a large range of life from the littlest creatures to larger predators to the coral itself. The reef was created millions of years ago and has withstood many devastating environmental changes but the environment today could be changing too drastically for it to bounce back. The quick change in the world’s climate has caused bleaching too occur more drastically at the reef. The last recorded major issue with bleaching at the reef was in 1997 when El Nino brought a 3 degree temperature change. Other issues that face the reef has been the 60 year decline of phytoplankton which feed directly on the greenhouse gases which helps the environment. This decline has caused the greenhouse gases percentage to increase.

Another issue in the ocean is the changing sea level which has brought many devastating affects. As the sea level decreased it exposed shallow corals to the sun but then with all the flooding that the coast of Australia has experienced this year, there have been issues with the reef being covered in too much water so they are hidden from the light. Also, the floods have brought sediment into the reef which have limited the amount of light that can get to the coral as well has harming the marine life that depends on the light and coral in order to live.

This issue relates to the course because we have talked a lot about the changing coral reefs from around the world, as well as, what can be done to help save these reefs. Commercial fishing needs to decrease or be outlawed around the reefs so that the marine life can bounce back to its original ecosystem. In class, we discussed how ocean phytoplankton plays a crucial role in the ocean ecosystem so with this 60 year decline, it is having devastating affects on the marine life at the reef.

About two years ago I went scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef and I could not imagine loosing this amazing ocean environment. The reef is so colorful and supports so much life that I could not imagine a time when this was destroyed. The reef has been around for millions of years so I could not imagine that our human pollution and global warming will destroy one of the greatest things in the world. I hope that more people become aware of the changing reef and learn how to protect it and help it grow back in the parts that were devastated. The Great Barrier Reef is part of Australia and I don’t know what would happen to the people there if they lost it.

References:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/great-barrier-reef/holland-text (Accessed April 22, 2011)