great Barrier reef
♥♥♥♥enviormentalist♥♥♥♥
what is the great barrier reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres
Human impacts on reef
Over-fishing, pollution and global warming are main factors that are tipping the equilibrium of the ecosystems within the coral reefs.
- Global warming that has been induced by human activity has affected the reefs by creating warmer temperatures in the waters that will have adverse effects on these highly productive ecosystems.
- Aggressive fishing has caused major disruptions to the food web and in turn will have a negative domino effect. Over exploitation of marine life disrupts the entire stability of oceanic life because it depletes keystone plant and animal life.
- Pollution is another major threat to the health and stability of the Great Barrier Reef’s ecosystem.
Why we should take care of it
- the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef, and probably the richest. More than 1500 species of fish, 4000 species of molluscs, 400 species of sponge and 300 species of hard corals live here.
- The reef is very important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, . The World Heritage Area is worth some $5.4 billion to the Australian economy—$3.5 billion of that goes into the local towns and communities bordering the reef.
- More than 67,000 people are employed in jobs like tourism, recreation and commercial fishing that depend on the health of the reef. Some 40,000 people are employed locally.
benefits of humans keeping the reef healthy
the great barrier reef holds so many jobs and many vacation destiny's. People go to the great barrier reef all the time. its on of the best vacation spot and desired for relaxation and vacationing
tourists
tourists can be great for the economy and yet horrible. tourist bring more money to put forth to taking care of the great barrier reef. But yet you have the risks of tourists not following the rules like don't touch the reef, don't take artifacts, etc. Plus all the pollution the tourist bring with them(trash, cameras, etc.)Plus the tourists have to have places to eat and sleep and shop. the pollution will go up because of building buildings and the equipment to build them as well as the gas to run the equipment causing more pollution