Land-based run-off and the effects on the Great Barrier Reef Coral

1. EDC171
Inquiring about the World (SP2 2017)
Stacey-Leigh Ball
19045320
Image retrieved: ://www.zacktravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/great-barrier-reef..jpg

2. Summarisation
The Great Barrier Reef is an Australian Icon, tourist attraction and
heritage to the Indigenous community.

3. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, containing more
than 3,000 individual coral reefs within an area of 345,000 km2 and has been under
threat for 32 years, according to (De’ath et al., 2012). The Marine Park as pictured is
most under threat.
Image retrieved: https://phys.org/newman/gfx/news/hires/2013/1-graphiconaus.jpg
Image retrieved:http://www.zacktravel.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/great-
barrier-reef..jpg

4. Nutrient and sediment level in the Great Barrier Reef catchments are
5 ninths times higher than pre European settlement levels (De’ath et
al., 2012).
Image retrieved: http://coral.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOPR1662-1024x768.jpg

5. Methodolgy
• Internet search- google scholar, Curtin university library catalogue.
• Using key words- “Great Barrier Reef, effects, land based run off,
water quality, coral, strategies, implementation”, used in a variety of
combinations.
• Directly to the government sources via online contact forms- where
do they obtain there data:
Research Data Australia portal via Australian National Data Services
(ANDS). Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), James Cook
University’s TropWATER, Geoscience Australia, Atlas of Living Australia
and Australian Ocean Data Network.
http://www.ands.org.au/_
_data/assets/image/0019
/391015/ANDS_Logo_Whi
te.jpg
https://au2011studyabroad.fil
es.wordpress.com/2011/03/ai
ms_logo.jpg
https://www.socialsciencespace.
com/wp-
content/uploads/Google-Scholar-
Logo.jpg

6. Methodology challenges
Government data bases needing registrations and permissions for
access
Overwhelming amounts information to sort through
Information too scientific to understand
Keeping focused on specifics of topic- so many threats
>>>>>>>>>>>> and theories relating to the Great Barrier Reef.
Image retrieved:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Internet1.j
pg
Image retrieved:
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0014/509/Great-
barrier-reef.png

7. Key Findings
• The role of Coral types
Image sourced: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/coralreefs-150607080621-lva1-app6892/95/coral-reefs-an-introduction-7-638.jpg?cb=1433664459

8. Coral Reef Role
(Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, 2017) states that our Reef is the home to
many marine animals, including rare animals. It provides shelter and food sources
for these marine animals.
Image retrieved: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-
iB2rtFbe3O8/TvNBtdFV6SI/AAAAAAAAAvE/n4itJEOs7M8/s1600/%2528Australia%2529+%25E2
%2580%2593+The+Great+Barrier+Reef+2.jpg
Image retrieved: https://pre-tend.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/turtle-in-
Great-Barrier-Reef.jpg

9. Land-based run-off
Comes from….
Image retrieved: http://www.eccos.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Factors-
That-Contribute-To-Coral-Reef-Pollution.jpg
Image retrieved: http://www.ecosmagazine.com/temp/EC11059_Fb.jpg

10. Image retrieved: http://www.ardrossanlowline.com.au/images/content/Steersinchicory_t.jpg
Image retrieved: http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201207/r979796_10706815.jpg
Beef farming
Sugar cane
farms

11. Run off from pesticides, herbicides and soil
sediments enter the catchment, especially after
heavy rain or the wet season.
Image retrieved: http://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au/about/regions/great-barrier-reef/assets/3-Paddock-icons.jpg

12. The increased use of herbicides and pesticides combined
with the formation of river water plumes following the wet
season rains, resulted in new chemicals entering the Great
Barrier Reef.

13. Water quality trends have been mapped as
part of ongoing management plans
Image retrieved: http://www.reefplan.qld.gov.au/measuring-success/report-cards/2011-report-card/assets/gbr-water-quality-trend-line-graph.jpg

14. Effects
• Findings in the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report (Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Authority, 2009), say that water quality effects the
resilience of the reef systems.
• Research has found that reefs coral cover does not directly depend on
water quality, however, the exposure to poor water quality caused by
land based run off does have some unfavorable effects on the Great
Barrier Reef’s coral (De’ath et al., 2012).
• (Australian Insititure of Marine Science, 2010) research into the
explosion of Crown of Thorns populations had clear links to poor
water quality.
Image retrieved:
https://i2.wp.com/factschronicle.com/wp-
content/uploads/2017/04/17888199_101564159643788
68_2093512226_n-min.jpg?fit=890%2C668&ssl=1

15. Land-based run-off contains fine sediments that reduce the light needed
by corals and also nitrogen discharge that accelerates and encourages
algae growth associated with outbreaks of Crown-of-thorns starfish that
eat coral, (Kroon et al., 2016).
Video sourced
https://youtu.be/kGRyNWrkG_w

16. Land-based run-off doesn’t directly effect the
Great Barrier Reef Coral. However, it does effect
water quality that contributes to effects on the
health and survival of the coral.
Image retrieved: http://cdn.unilad.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/36393UNILAD-
imageoptim-Great_Barrier_Reef_008_5387514565.jpg
Image retrieved: http://www.yalescientific.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/features-
reef-2.jpg

17. Strategies-future
Stratagies-future
• Great Barrier Reef Strategic Assessment Program-Strategies
implemented to date have not been efficient enough to get
the results needed and changes will need to be made to
ensure desired results are not only achievable but are
successful, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (2014).
• Implementation of comprehensive programs to restore river
flows in the Great Barrier Reef coastal catchments, land uses
and new agricultural products, could improve water quality
more efficiently as suggested by Kroon et al., (2016).
Maintaining a good consistent quality of water in catchments,
will enable the coral to become more resilient.

18. Links to the Australian Curriculum
• Years 5 and 6 Science curriculum best suit this inquiry
• Science understanding
• Science as a human endeavour
• Science inquiry skills
5 Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment -ACSSU043
6 The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment -ACSSU094
5&6 Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects
historical and cultural contributions -ACSHE098
5&6 Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions -ACSHE100
5&6 Reflect on and suggest improvements to scientific investigations -ACSIS108
5&6 Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations -ACSIS221
5&6 Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts -ACSIS110

19. References
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (n.d.). Sustainability Cross Curriculum Learning. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum:
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/cross-curriculum-priorities/sustainability/#
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority. (2015). Science. Retrieved from Australian Curriculum v8.3 F-10:
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/f-10-curriculum/science
Australian Insititure of Marine Science. (2010, 10 2). The Great Barrier Reef has lost half of it's coral in the last 27 years. Retrieved from Australian Insititute of Marine Science:
http://www.aims.gov.au/docs/media/latest-releases/-/asset_publisher/8Kfw/content/2-october-2012-the-great-barrier-reef-has-lost-half-of-its-coral-in-the-last-27-years
Australian Institute of Marine Science. (2009). Research shows herbicides concern to reef. Retrieved from Australian Insitiute of Marine Science AIMS:
http://www.aims.gov.au/docs/media/news2009/20090409a.html
De’ath, G. F. (2012). The 27 year decline of the Great Barrier Reef and its cause. Proceedings from the National Acadey of Sciences of the United States of America, 109, 44.
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (2009). Outlook Report . Retrieved from Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority:
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/3862/catchment_runoff.pdf
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (2014). Science Stratagy and Information Needs 2014-2019. Retrieved from Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority :
http://elibrary.gbrmpa.gov.au/jspui/handle/11017/2872
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (2017). Animals. Retrieved from About the reef:
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/about-the-reef/animals
Kroon, F. J. (2016). Towards protecting the Great Barrier Reef from land-based pollution. Global change biology, Volume 22, Issue 6, 185-202.
Queensland Museum. (2017). Biodiscovery and the Great Barrier Reef. Retrieved from Types of Corals:
http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/microsites/biodiscovery/03sponges-and-corals/types-of-corals.html