Australian Great Barrier Reef

Our oceans are beset by dangers on all sides—the Great Barrier Reef is no exception. In fact,
coral cover on surveyed reefs has declined by about 50% in the last thirty years alone,
according to research by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). Even more
sobering is the data that two-thirds of that decline has occurred quite recently, since 1998.
Climate change is the primary culprit behind a phenomenon known as "mass coral
bleaching," which occurs when the ocean water warms unnaturally, compelling the coral to
expel the algae living within its branches. The algae represent the coral's primary food
source, so while coral can sometimes recover from a bleaching event, many die, especially if
mass coral bleaching is recurrent. The Great Barrier Reef has suffered mass coral bleachings
in 1998, 2002, and 2006, and some predict that it may become an annual occurrence.
While coral bleaching is deemed responsible for 10% of coral loss since 1985, a whopping
42% is pinned on crown-of-thorns starfish. While helpful in small numbers, the population
of these coral-eating invertebrates has exploded in the last 30 years. The reason? Pollutants
and declining water quality.

According to AIMS, over 90% of reef pollution is caused by inland runoff of soils,
fertilisers, and pesticides from agricultural and coastal development. The chemicals present
in these sediments have adversely affected the health and biodiversity of the reefs, while
simultaneously stoking crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks.

Finally, we must always consider the human element. While the tourism industry has been a
boon for Australia by-and-large, the general public has expressed concern that the tourism
industry may prove harmful for the Great Barrier Reef. To combat this, the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority continues to invest in ecotourism options. Their 2014 report
reveals that 64% of tourists chose ECO tourism certified options when visiting the Great
Barrier Reef in 2013—a number that climbs every year.
Comparisons of historical photographs provide an illustration of the changes in inshore coral
reefs over the last century. This series of photographs can be accurately compared using the
skyline in the background. The changes largely took place before monitoring programmes
commenced.
Although the condition on the reef has been fairly stable for the past 20 years or so, it cannot
be assumed to be in a natural or healthy condition – in fact, the reef has degraded and its
current, stable condition is a shifted baseline.