Overview of the Great Barrier Reef

Discuss about the Conservation Plan for the Great Barrier Reef for Businesses.

This conservation plan of the Great Barrier Reef of Australia focuses to achieve the following objectives:

• To promote sustainability of the ecosystem so that the ecosystem can be used both as a source of education for students and knowledge for tourists and travelers. This can in turn lead to research based on ecological, cultural and recreational concepts and promote value for the region of the Great Barrier Reef(Authority, 2014).
• Promoting and engaging the government, businesses, activists and students towards activities related to the conservation of the species and nurturing of biodiversity
• Aiming towards achieving goals and responsibilities of Australia in the field of ecosystem protection and hence conserve the world heritage

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most important structures built by living organisms and is considered to be one of the best World Heritage Sites. Cable News Network (CNN) labelled it as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Great Barrier Reef apart from promoting high cultural integrity and biodiversity also serves as a very important source of income for the tourism industry of Australia. It is one of the largest covering a distance of over 2,300 kilometers covering the area of over 900 islands. It can be located from outer space as it is the largest reef system in the world. However, of late the reef system has been under constant denudation due to the high temperatures and coral bleaching. These and other pressures have caused the Reef to lose almost half of its cover since 1985.

As mentioned before, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the largest ecosystems in the world and is situated off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Reef extends from Papua New Guinea in the north to Fraser island in the south and covers an area of almost 344,400 square kilometers. Only now, most parts of the reef situated in the northern parts pf the island has eroded away due to high temperatures (around 800 kilometre).

The current situation focuses mostly on the conservation and restructuring of the lost parts of the Great Barrier reef through the use of fossil fuels and protection from climate changes and other factors that are detrimental to the reef structure. Extensive conservation conversations are also being analysed to develop such strategies (Hughes, Day & Brodie, 2015).

The future of the Great Barrier Reef completely aligns on the present implementation of protection and sustainability strategies. If these attempts are successfully and significantly able to reduce the impact of global temperatures and pollution, the reef system will continue being rich in biodiversity and will serve the purpose of cultural heritage for Australia. In fact, the Reef 2050 Plan formulated and introduced in 2015 is aimed at promoting activities and initiatives that will help conserve this ecosystem.

The Great Barrier Reef like all other coral reefs is principally made of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) accumulations. The reefs located toward the Torres Strait generally consist of coralgal flat zone, reef crest zone and the trends of seabed depth. Most of the ribbon reef consist of reef crest zones which are proportionately smaller and rise from greater depths of the sea bed. It also consists of some reefs which are juvenile and submerged. Studies also reveal that submarine canyons form a series along the Noggin Passage area along the slopes.

Conservation and Protection Strategies

The habitat of the Great Barrier Reef consists of coral cays, fringing, reef flats, ribbons, mangroves, rock pools, muddy bottoms, lagoons, continental islands, sea-grass beds, sandy substrates and platform reefs.

The Great Barrier Reef houses various species of water animals and sea organisms that form a very fragile food web ranging from large predators like White-tipped Reef Shark to tiny microorganisms like the Phytoplankton. In this context too, conservation is very important as if even one organism from the food web gets endangered, all the others are affected to a detrimental extent.

The general methods of coral reproduction which help in reproduction of the corals in the Great Barrier reef include spawning where the egg and the sperm are released into the ocean simultaneously, brooding where the egg is fertilized by the sperm inside the polyps, budding where a coral moves out of the polyp, Parthenogenesis where without any fertilization the embryos grow and Coral bail out where a single polyp separates itself from the parent polyp and grows independently. Scientists are increasing testing and implementing techniques to promote the growth and reproduction of corals artificially by providing the most perfect environment that will instigate growth of corals. This is expected to help reduce the problem of degradation of corals and revive the original area covering the Great Barrier Reef and multiply coral population

Studies on the dynamics of the coral reef cover in the Great Barrier Reef are reported to be stable for about 23% to 33% of the total cover (Biggs, Ban & Hall, 2012).. The coral cover is reported to have increased in six sub-regions and decreased in seven sub-regions. Also, around 100 kilometers of the coral in the sub-regions is reported to have changed and been dynamic for the past few years. Decline in hard corals and Acroporidae has been consistent and has accounted for 68% of the decrease due to bleaching or other environmental outbreaks (Ban, Pressey, & Weeks, 2012). This has in turn led to distributional changes in terms of the coral cover being reduced in the northern and southern parts of the entire reef system.

Studies suggest that most of the species of the corals that reside and multiply in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia are stable and predict a decrease in the size and number with aging (Schaffelke et al., 2012). This shows that the system is stable and is not affected detrimentally due to the impact of some natural or artificial calamity. However, a few corals like fungiid corals are affected adversely due to problems like disturbances from low tides.

Challenges to conservation

Although coral predators are considered to be a healthy source of balance maintenance in the global waters, an increase in their number and hence their predating activities can adversely affect the coral population hence causing imbalance in the ecosystem. Corallivores, crown-of-thorns starfish  and coral-eating snails are the major predators. Of these the crown-of-thorns starfish is the predator that has increased densities of late in the regions of the Great Barrier Reef and hence caused a decrease in the density of coral reefs and contributed to denudation of the Great Barrier Reef.

The defining genetic characteristic of corals is the formation of a group of polyps or colony. The corals consist of a set of tentacles at the opening of its mouth and an exoskeleton which is situated at the base of the coral bodies. There are various species of corals and the genetic characteristics of these vary however, the basics of the structure remain the same. Most of the times, the polyps of the same species of corals reproduce gametes simultaneously.

The rising temperatures of the coastal areas of the Australian Bay and coral bleaching is causing immense habitat loss and rising mortality rates or not only the corals but also the other animals that reside in this region including fish and turtles.

In the context of over harvesting, studies assert that the artificial means of increasing production of corals and multiplying the number of different species of corals, can sometimes adversely affect the ecosystem and the existent corals if not effectively and efficiently experimented and developed.

The crown-of-thorns starfish is the single largest predator of the corals that detrimentally and intensely affect the corals of the Great Barrier Reef. It is reported that a large outbreak of these predators caused a decline in the coral cover of the Great Barrier Reef by 60% in the year 2000. Fishing has also impacted the corals indirectly by causing an imbalance in the entire food web of the organisms in the coastal waters of Australia.

The rivers of the north east that flow into the coastal waters generally carry water burdened with wastes and sediments due to flooding. Also, the excessive of fertilisers and pesticides on the farming lands of Australia that wash off to the  coastal waters where the reef thrives causes Eutrophication and the reduction in the capacity of the corals to absorb light and obtain energy from the environment. Another method in which pollution is caused is due to mining wherein water laden with nitrates run off into the ocean and cause hazards potentially. Shipping is another example of pollution n this area that usually happens when ship wrecks and failures of the ship to mechanically perform cause leakage of wastes and tonnes of oil and fumes and emissions from the vessels that pass by.

Initiatives and Policies

Climate change is by far the biggest challenge towards conservation and protection of the coral reefs un the Great Barrier Reef region (Day & Dobbs, 2013). In fact, habitat loss is induced by severe climatic changes. Coral bleaching is now reported to be an annual occurrence due to the extremely elevated temperature levels of the ocean waters. Even the benthic coral series are equally endangered as are other species residing in this region.

The government of Australia has taken up some serious initiatives and formed some intense policies that govern the safety, protection and conservation of the species and the habitat of the Great Barrier Reef. Some of these initiatives and rules are summarised as follows:

• The government has taken up some serious funding operations to curb the predatory activities and growth of the crown-of-thorns starfish that cause the growth of coral to reduce.
• The management has also imposed strong and heavy penalties for acts of poaching and slaughter of animals in this region
• The dumping of capital dredge related to ports in any of the areas that come under the Word Heritage Area is strictly prohibited. This ban was initiated on 2 June 2015 and was first passed by the Congress on 12 November 2014. The effectiveness of this law is proven by the significant decrease in the amount of dumping and capital dredging since the commencement of this law.

The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan introduced in 2015 has introduced a number of alternatives to the conservation and protection of the Great Barrier Reef, through extensive collection, processing and analysis of data obtained over the years of research and development. The fifty year plan focuses on the targets and aims that each stakeholder within the plan is individually exposed to. The plan has strengthened the management to take up initiatives collectively and led to sharing of ideas and innovations on a global basis which in turn has promoted investments and monitoring in this field of research and development.

• The Australian and the Queensland Government together have promoted sustained investment of almost $140 million in the Reef Trust with initiatives been taken up by the Prime Minister. The major objective of the firm was to look after and improve the quality of water in the World Heritage Area. Apart from this, the government and management of Queensland has additionally invested a sum of $35 million and another $100 million to improve the quality of water and reduce the levels of fishing and shipping in those areas.

As the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most important sources of culture, heritage, environmental diversity and a means of livelihood to the Australian population associated with tourism, it is very important for the government of Australia and educationists as well as environmentalists to spread awareness and education about the conservation of the corals and other living organisms that reside in the coastal waters surrounding the Great Barrier Reef (Grech et al., 2013). The methods that can be used and applied to conserve the ecosystem are summarised as follows:

• The government should increasingly fund the extensive researches and initiatives taken by researchers and environmentalists to promote growth and multiplication of the population of the corals and do away with the already denuded and depleted portions of the reef system
• All the educational systems in Australia especially and all around the world should introduce sections which emphasises on the importance of this system and awakens students to take up initiatives for conservation of the reef.
• Increasing number of videos should be recorded that help provide information in an interesting and simplified way about the way in which the Great Barrier Reef works and what measures can be taken by the citizens and tourists to help enhance the current situation that has occurred due to the increase in the global temperatures and bleaching of the corals
• Media campaigns should also be initiated and the environmental institutions of Australia should partner with organisations like the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to seek support both financially and technologically so as to protect and conserve the ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef.

The legislation lays don principles and objectives based on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 which aims at promoting greater protection and conservation of the reef system so that the biodiversity, integrity and heritage of Australia is maintained (Cinner et al., 2012). The act essentially aims towards:

• Ecological sustainability for the purposes of education, public activities, appreciation, tourism and refreshment, recreational and cultural integrity
• Encouraging increased participation and engagement in the field of protection and conservation and including a greater cohort of individuals under such activities and initiatives and movements
• Helping Australia reach and comply to its objective and responsibility towards the world of upholding an maintaining one of the seven wonders of the world.

The general behavior of the public in terms of the conservation and protection of the Great Barrier Reef has essentially been supporting, encouraging and helped promote great amounts of cooperation all across the world (Butler et al., 2013). All sections of the Australian population including businesses, environmental organizations, the students, the government as well as the international tourists are now increasingly aware and are continuously contributing in different ways to protect this ecosystem.

The management should make sure that this level of conservation, awareness and protection is maintained while triggering further growth of the coral in this area through collaboration with international organization and increased research and innovation that will help to revive growth of the depleted population of corals (Kroon et al., 2012).

Studies assert that reports are being published regularly for the specialized organizations as well as the general public to take a look at the improvements and the challenges that exist in terms of conservation of the reef system. Increased technological and biological innovations are also being applied to help trigger methods and approaches that help in generating larger amounts if coral growth along with strike of a balance amongst the different species in the ecosystem.

This section of the management plan makes use of a small estimated proposal of budget that portrays the various types of expenditure that the management needs to incur in order to efficiently conserve and protect the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef.

Particulars	Amount (in millions)
Current and proposed management actions (Legislative)	$1000
Compliance and enforcement	$1200
Community education and awareness	$500
Monitoring and research	$2000
Total estimated Expenditure	$3400

From this table, it is noticeable that a substantial amount of expenditure for the government and the management in Australia and Queensland will be in the fields of legislative and policy actions and the initiatives taken for compliance and enforcement. The maximum amount of expenditure of the government will involve research development and implementation of techniques to improve and conserve the growth of corals in the World Heritage Area. Other expenses will be in the fields of spreading awareness and introducing the concepts in the educational sphere.

Conclusion

To conclude, it can be summed up that being one of the most important heritage sites of the world, the protection and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef is very important and the government and management of Australia and Queensland has proposed important techniques and plans to promote the sustainability of this ecosystem.

References 

Authority, G. B. R. M. P. (2014). Great barrier reef outlook report 2014.

Ban, N. C., Pressey, R. L., & Weeks, S. (2012). Conservation objectives and sea?surface temperature anomalies in the Great Barrier Reef. Conservation Biology, 26(5), 799-809.

Biggs, D., Ban, N. C., & Hall, C. M. (2012). Lifestyle values, resilience, and nature-based tourism’s contribution to conservation on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Environmental Conservation, 39(4), 370-379.

Butler, J. R., Wong, G. Y., Metcalfe, D. J., Honzák, M., Pert, P. L., Rao, N., … & Brodie, J. E. (2013). An analysis of trade-offs between multiple ecosystem services and stakeholders linked to land use and water quality management in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, 180, 176-191.

Cinner, J. E., McClanahan, T. R., Graham, N. A. J., Daw, T. M., Maina, J., Stead, S. M., … & Bodin, Ö. (2012). Vulnerability of coastal communities to key impacts of climate change on coral reef fisheries. Global Environmental Change, 22(1), 12-20.

Day, J. C., & Dobbs, K. (2013). Effective governance of a large and complex cross-jurisdictional marine protected area: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Marine Policy, 41, 14-24.

Grech, A., Bos, M., Brodie, J., Coles, R., Dale, A., Gilbert, R., … & Rasheed, M. A. (2013). Guiding principles for the improved governance of port and shipping impacts in the Great Barrier Reef. Marine pollution bulletin, 75(1-2), 8-20.

Hughes, T. P., Day, J. C., & Brodie, J. (2015). Securing the future of the Great Barrier Reef. Nature Climate Change, 5(6), 508.

Kroon, F. J., Kuhnert, P. M., Henderson, B. L., Wilkinson, S. N., Kinsey-Henderson, A., Abbott, B., … & Turner, R. D. (2012). River loads of suspended solids, nitrogen, phosphorus and herbicides delivered to the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. Marine pollution bulletin, 65(4-9), 167-181.

Schaffelke, B., Carleton, J., Skuza, M., Zagorskis, I., & Furnas, M. J. (2012). Water quality in the inshore Great Barrier Reef lagoon: Implications for long-term monitoring and management. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 65(4-9), 249-260.