Year 9 Ecosystems Poster

 

What Makes Up the Great Barrier Reef Ecosystem?

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest, richest and most complex coral reef ecosystem on Earth. It supports many different types of organisms. The most notable are:

1625 bony fish species, including 1400 coral reef species	3000 species of molluscs (clams, oysters, squid, octopus, cuttlefish, nautilus, nudibranchs, chitons and snails)	630 species of echinoderm (starfish, sea urchins)
14 breeding species of sea snakes	215 species of birds	6 species of marine turtle
30 species of whales and dolphins	Significant populations of dugong	133 species of sharks and rays
600 species of hard and soft coral	500 species of marine algae and seaweed	15 species of seagrass

Most of the animals survive due to the existence of producers and the environment in which they live. The producers are the marine plants (macroalgae and seagrass). Seabed dwellers and other organisms serve as the scavengers/decomposers. The other life forms are the consumers.Predator-prey relationships are the most common interactions seen within this ecosystem. Not all animals are found in the same place. They are evenly distributed and make up a complex food chain and ecosystem. The abiotic factors of the Great Barrier Reef include the amount of sunlight, the rate of carbon dioxide diffusion, temperature, turbidity and other important non-living effects.

The old view of how the Great Barrier Reef worked was that plants were not part of the food chain and all the animals relied on plankton to survive. It is now known that both plants and plankton are the basis of the food chain. The plants are usually hidden in various animals. Tiny single-celled plants called zooxanthellae are mainly found in corals and clams. Turf algae is found covering dead coral. Some are not green and are therefore not immediately recognisable as plants. The producers create organic materials which are consumed by herbivorous plankton and any other herbivorous animal. Plankton feeders consume the plankton. Carnivores consume the herbivores and all organisms are decomposed by bacteria in the end. Sponges and clams filter the sea for bacteria and ingests them. All the organisms that live in the Great Barrier Reef rely on each other and the sun for survival.Sunlight is the most important thing for the Great Barrier Reef. It is the source of all life in the Reef. Levels of carbon dioxide must also be balanced, as almost everything releases carbon dioxide through respiration. High temperatures can cause massive coral death and unbalance the entire ecosystem. Silt in the water can block out sunlight and cause plants that require it to die.

Human impact issues that have affected the Great Barrier Reef

Declining water quality- the run-off received from the large and coastal catchments contain large amounts of sediment, nutrients and pesticides which can cause algal blooms and disturb the natural system of the reef. Forests, wetlands and woodlands have been replaced with crops and pastures. More people live near the Reef than in the past. Oil on the streets, rubbish thrown away and chemicals used in the gardens and parks end up in the Reef.

Pollution- Pollutants mainly come from rivers which contain fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), herbicides and pesticides (various toxins). These cause algal blooms, loss of oxygen and affect coral.

Marine debris-Plastics can smother coral, entangle wildlife or be ingested by marine life. The only solution is to promote not littering.

Climate change- One of the greatest threats to the health of the Great Barrier Reef. It has caused an increased frequency of severe weather events, ocean acidification, rising sea levels and temperature. All the key elements (biotic and abiotic) of the Great Barrier Reef are affected by climate change. The only solution is to help the elements of the reef adapt to climate change.

Coral reefs are affected by higher-than-normal sea temperatures, ocean acidification and extreme weather events. High sea temperatures cause coral bleaching and therefore has a likelihood of wiping out most of the sensitive coral types. The sensitive coral types provide the marine life shelter and refuge. Seaweeds and temperature-resistant coral will most likely dominate coral reefs in the future. Continuous ocean acidification weakens the structure of the coral and slows down the process of calcification. Extreme weather events such as intense cyclones and severe storms will occur more often in the future and reduce the amount of coral even more.

Fish are affected by climate change moderately. Rising sea surface temperatures, ocean acidification and rising sea levels do change biological processes and habitats of fish. The effect is not as serious as the situation of the coral reef.

Crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks- The crown-of-thorns starfish is a native species and normally contributes to sustaining a balanced ecosystem by feeding on mainly fast growing coral types. They were regarded as uncommon fifty years ago, whereas now they have large outbreaks approximately every 17 years. The giant triton, the Maori wrasse, the starry pufferfish and the titan trigger fish are opportunist predators of adult crown-of-thorns starfish. The larvae and the juveniles are eaten by many types of fish, however the types are still unclear. Excess nutrients promote plankton blooms, which allow the larvae to have a greater chance of surviving. Despite the amount of research that has been undertaken ever since the outbreaks began forty years ago, little has become known about the mysteries of the starfish. The extreme lack of progress is surprising and interesting. The debates, outbreaks, controls and research continues. The outbreaks were the cause of more urgently undertaken research which enabled more to be known about the Reef and its ecosystem.

Fishing- Fish, sharks, crabs and prawns are the primary targets. Careful management of fishing is needed to ensure that illegal fishing practices, by-catch of unwanted species, pollution from boats and overfishing does not occur often. Illegal fishing and poaching is still a problem that has to be solved.

Extreme weather- Intense rainfall and cyclones are occurring more often than in the past. Climate change is the primary cause of extreme weather. Floods can cause the seawater to become freshwater and become turbid. This affects coral.

Non-native species- They may exterminate the existing native species by predation, competition and infection. They are hard to get rid of, and have long-lasting effects on the ecosystem.

Coastal development&Shipping accidents and Oil spills- The more industries there are along the coast, the more shipping there is. If shipping intensifies, oil spills will increase in the future and damage habitats. Coastal wetlands and other natural geographical features may be lost during the development.\

There are many other issues including noise pollution which are not yet considered a serious threat to the Reef ecosystem. Noise is caused by motor boats and ships.

The Aboriginaland Torres Strait Islander people are somewhat like the Japanese people who place much importance on harmony between man and nature. Western people have in the past treated nature as an enemy, or as something to be overcome or used. Aboriginal ecology is well-suited to Australia. The reason for them to respect nature, conserve the land and lead a sustainable lifestyle was because all the rocks, streams and mountains were formed by their spirit ancestors. All the plants and animals in Australia were provided by their spirit ancestors. Farming was not undertaken by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. They most likely never had to store food or sell it (they did trade with locals and neighbouring groups). They hunted and gathered their food. Children were taught to capture and take no more than what is needed. There are over 70 different groups of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have connections with the Great Barrier Reef. All the equipment that they used was made out of natural materials found on land and in the sea. Stones, wood, animal teeth, fire, sharkskin, animal bones and shells were all used to create various tools and weapons to aid themselves in their everyday lives. Today, their wooden outrigger canoes and wooden spears are being replaced by small motorized boats, fishing rods or spear guns. Are plastics, electronics, electrical appliances and other forms of advanced technology really going to create a brighter, better life and world? Is an evolved or evolving society really going to bring happiness? Are engineers and designers really happy and content with their lives when they actually see what they have created and have pride in it? Although the tools that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people used are mostly modern, the way they use the land is still sustainable and should be done by all of us.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have a diet comprised of mostly food from the sea. They only consumed what they needed and selected their food carefully to ensure sustainability. Some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people assigned themselves totems, which were usually birds, reptiles, sharks, crocodiles and fish. Some groups forbid their individuals from eating the animal that is their totem and onlyallow that for special occasions such as ceremonies. This ensures that the specific animal is protected and will exist somewhere in the event that it is driven close to extinction. Trading allowed groups that live far from each other to exchange things that they want. Both parties would gain and the overall balance of the ecosystem is preserved. The Aborigines were exploring the Reef 15,000 years ago, before the Reef became what we know of it today. They used large outrigger canoes to hunt and travel. Compared to the nomadic mainland aboriginals, the coastal aboriginals stayed in small territories and never moved around more than half a kilometre each time. This makes their usage of resources even more sustainable than the nomadic mainland aboriginals.

The Current State ofthe Great Barrier Reef

The current state of the Great Barrier Reef is very stable compared to the situation in the past. It seems that climate change is the only main issue that must be addressed. The Reef is one of the best managed and protected marine ecosystems in the world. The new Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan will address key human impact issues and develop the resilience of the Reef. The World Heritage Committee and other organisations have been very demanding and insistent on the government. They will continue to do so in the future. This ensures that the Great Barrier Reef is given the highest priority and the greatest attention. Most of the predictable future changes of the Reef are positive, with negative changes mainly caused by ongoing climate change.

Current Initiatives and Possible Further Action

Current initiatives on the Great Barrier Reef include the creation of the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan which is the very latest blueprint with clear targets and actions to undertake to achieve the outlined targets. It will encourage everyone to protect and manage the Reef. Never-before-seen amounts of investment and funding are planned to improve water quality, reduce the impacts of fishing and control outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish. Work with landowners and industries made possible with investments has reduced the sediment,pesticide, nitrogen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen load by at least 10 per cent. The amount can still be decreased further, as long as the funding continues. Research is also ongoing as much is still not known about a great deal of things to do with the Reef. The expression new port developments will be forgotten from the minds of people who care about the future of the Reef. The disposal of capital dredge material in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has been permanently banned. Any material that needs to be dumped in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park will be dumped on land instead. Shipping incidents will decrease in numbers due to the North-East Shipping Management Plan and the enlargement of the Great Barrier Reef Particularly Sensitive Sea Area. The Great Barrier Reef Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (2012–2017) is currently being implemented and will most likely build resilience and balance in the ecosystem. Much is being done to protect and conserve the Reef, from investment to campaigning. The concept of the Marine Park has not changed however, which is the basis of my ‘further action’ that could be engaged in to reduce the effects of human impact on the change of the ecosystem demonstrating a positive change. The current concept is based on retaining a sustainable balance between reef conservation and its use by researchers, tourists, and other people who operate commercial activities. We have never really fully considered what is perfect for the reef. We have placed our interests first. Although the basic concept of using the reef environment without abusing it is followed, more could be done. Reefs in other parts of the world may be less well managed than here, but is there a need for management? Management of the Reef only started in Australia in the late 1960s and early 1970s due to widespread public concern over the future of the Reef. Tourism is the largest commercial activity in economic terms. Advances in technology during the 1980s brought about a massive increase in numbers of tourists. Examples of the technology include faster boats. The government or whatever organisation that has the power should stop (ban) all commercial activity (including tourism) in or related to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Reef requires peace and quiet. The investment and funding are unnecessary. If people really want to preserve the Reef, they should stop going there. Research and protection should be differentiated from tourism. It does not require profits from tourism. Climate change is to be addressed globally and the local issues such as pesticide and nutrient runoff can be solved without the existence of tourism. The Reef does not want tourists exploring it every day and the noise of boats passing through it. Research and monitoring can still be undertaken and will ensure that the future of the reef is a good one. There was no tourism before European settlement of Australia. When the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people used the reef there were no motor boats or divers. There were no accommodations or facilities. There was no litter or rubbish. We should use the Great Barrier Reef like the people who used it in the past.

Bibliography

Coleman, N 1990, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd, Frenchs Forest

 

Commonwealth of Australia 2015,‘Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan’, http://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/d98b3e53-146b-4b9c-a84a-2a22454b9a83/files/reef-2050-long-term-sustainability-plan.pdf, (accessed 18/09/2015).

 

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2012, Great Barrier Reef Climate Change Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan 2012-2017, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Townsville.(PDF accessed 18/09/2015).

 

石井忠浩and 5 others 2009、中学用/理科自由自在、受験研究社、Osaka

 

Murdoch, L 1989, Discover The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Bay Books, Kensington NSW

 

Pyers, G 2011, Great Barrier Reef, Pearson Australia, Port Melbourne, Victoria

 

“生態系とその保全” 2014, 【新課程】チャート式®シリーズ　新生物　生物基礎・生物, 数研出版株式会社, Chapter 10 p.420, Tokyo & Kyoto

 

Williamson, K & Garton, A 2011, Science Essentials 9, MACMILLAN EDUCATION AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, South Yarra

List of references for Images on the Poster

Coleman, N 1990, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, Child & Associates Publishing Pty Ltd, Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia, 2086 (Files of the Australasian Marine Photographic Index AMPI)

 

Construction work carried out at the Wiggens Island Coal Export Terminal expansion site in Gladstone. 19/01/2012 11:40 AM, digital photograph, (AAP Image/Taken with NIKON D3S by Dave Hunt), accessed 19/09/2015, 《http://theconversation.com/it-all-adds-up-port-development-on-the-great-barrier-reef-19708》

 

Murdoch, L 1989, Discover The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Bay Books, Kensington NSW (Photos taken by theGreat Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)

 

Pyers, G 2011, Great Barrier Reef, Pearson Australia, Port Melbourne, Victoria (Photos taken by theGreat Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)

 

Noah Nishihara Homegroup 909