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Besides their worth as centers of biodiversity, coral reefs are important to the
tourism and fisheries industries as well as
for shoreline protection. In fact, the annual
global economic value of coral reefs is estimated at $30 billion.
Unfortunately, coral reefs are very fragile ecosystems. Because they are sensitive
to water temperature, they are particularly
threatened by climate changes. In some areas, increases in ocean temperature have
cause coral bleaching, a whitening that can
damage the corals. They are also susceptible to over-fishing and pollutants, notably
those found in runoff from agricultural areas that can promote excess algae growth.
The Great Barrier Reef, located in the
Western Pacific Ocean off Australia’s
northeast coast, is more than 130,000
square miles (336,700 sq. km.) in area,
more than two and a half times larger than
Virginia. It lies in the Coral Sea, running
parallel to Queensland’s shore for 1,242
miles (2,000 km.), extending from shore to
open ocean. The Great Barrier Reef comprises 19 percent of the total global reef
area and sees an estimated two million
visitors each year.
Compared with other reefs of the world,
the Great Barrier Reef does not suffer
as many human threats. Australia’s low
Neal Lineback
population density and dry climate, which
prevents much freshwater runoff, contriband Mandy Lineback Gritzner
ute to the reef’s protection. Furthermore,
because Australia is a relatively highly
developed country, few people depend
on the reefs for their food sources. Consequently, strong national support for reef
A Chinese coal ship ran aground in early
conservation and resource management
April off Queensland, Australia, plowing
exists in Australia.
full speed into a shoal near the Great Barrier
According to Voice of America
Reef. The ship leaked three tons (2.7 metric
(voanews.com), it could take marine life
tons) of oil into the surrounding waters creon the Great Barrier Reef 20 years to recovating a slick up to two miles (3.2 km) long.
er from the damage caused by the Chinese
This could spell disaster for the
coal ship. When the freighter
Oil Spill Threatens Coral Reefs of Australia ran aground, ocean currents
world’s largest coral reef.
Coral reefs are underwater
dragged it along the sea floor,
AUSTRALIA
mounds or ridges composed
crushing coral and plants and
of calcium carbonate. Corals,
smearing them with potentialcolonies of tiny living animals,
ly toxic paint.
Northern
secrete a hard exoskeleton that
Salvage workers were able
Territory
forms the reefs. Most commonly
to unload the 950 tons (862
Queensland
Western
Australia
found at shallow depths in tropmetric tons) of oil held in the
South
ical waters, especially in the Pafuel tanks—but not before
Australia
New
cific Ocean, corals can also exist
three tons (2.7 metric tons)
South
Wales
on a much smaller scale as deep
leaked onto the reef. The ship
water and cold-water corals.
ran aground in an area where
Victoria
According to most estimates,
commercial shipping is reshallow water coral reefs comstricted to protect the reef. The
Coral Sea
prise about 110,000 square miles
ship’s crewmembers undoubt(284,300 sq. km) of the ocean
edly face charges and will be
Cairns
floor. If all of the world’s shallow
required to pay fines for enterwater coral reefs were placed
ing the zone without permisside-by-side, they would fill an
sion. Furthermore, the ship’s
Great Barrier Reef
area slightly larger than the state
owners will be required to pay
AUSTRALIA
of Texas. Still, this area is only
the estimated tens of millions
0.015 percent of the ocean’s total
of dollars for the cleanup efQueensland
area.
fort.
Paradoxically, coral reefs
The Australian Transport
Mackay
contain more than 25 percent
Minister has announced that
of the ocean’s biodiversity. That
new regulations will be esChinese Ship
is more than a quarter of the
tablished to regulate foreign
Oil Spill
world’s marine species, includships using Australian waters
Coral Reefs
ing fishes, mollusks, echinoand ports. As one of the Sevderms (a phylum of marine
en Wonders of the World, the
©2010
animals including starfish, sea
Great Barrier Reef is an inter0
300 mi
urchins, sea cucumbers, sand
national treasure.
0
300 km
dollars and others) and sponges
And that is Geography in the
Geography in the News 5/7/10
that reside on reefs.
News™. May 7, 2010. #2040.
Source: http://www.reef.crc.org.au/
Brisbane
No other ecosystem on the
Co-authors are Neal Lineback,
T. Smith/ C.Franko
planet contains more life forms
Appalachian State University
in such a limited area than coral
Professor Emeritus of Geography,
Sources: GITN #723, “The Great Barrier Reef’s Struggle to
reefs. Rainforests are the only
and Geographer Mandy Lineback
Survive,” April 9, 2004; and http://coralreef.noaa.gov/; and http://
other ecosystems that can come
Gritzner.
University
News
www1.voanews.com/english/news/Chinese-Freighter-Re-Floatedclose to the amount of biodiverDirector Jane Nicholson serves as
Leaves-Long-Gash-on-Australias-Great-Barrier-Reef-90737909.html
sity found on a reef.
technical editor.
Geography
In The
News™
GREAT BARRIER
REEF DAMAGED
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