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The Guardian

12 February 2015


The survival chances of crown-of-thorns starfish increase by as much as 240% if sea-surface temperatures rise 2C, say Australian researchers.

Warmer seas are creating an additional threat to the Great Barrier Reef, with new research suggesting rising temperatures are helping a key coral predator thrive. Read more

 

 

 

The Age

02 October 2012


Half the Great Barrier Reef's coral has disappeared in the past 27 years and less than a quarter could be left within a decade unless action is taken, a landmark study has found.

A long-term investigation of the reef by scientists at Townsville's Australian Institute of Marine Science found coral had been wiped out by intense tropical cyclones, a native species of starfish and coral bleaching. Read more

 

 

The Sydney Morning Herald

02 October 2012


Half the Great Barrier Reef's coral has disappeared in the past 27 years and less than a quarter could be left within a decade unless action is taken, a landmark study has found.

A long-term investigation of the reef by scientists at Townsville's Australian Institute of Marine Science found coral had been wiped out by intense tropical cyclones, a native species of starfish and coral bleaching. Read more

 

 

PS News

03 December 2013


Surveys conducted during this year’s turtle nesting season are expected to show if the population of green turtles is bouncing back nearly three years after cyclone Yasi destroyed much of their food supply.

Species conservation manager at the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, Mark Read said November and December marked the peak period in the Great Barrier Reef when female turtles lay their eggs on a beach in the region where they were born. Read more

 

 

The Newsport Daily

01 October 2013


The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is inviting public comment on the North-East Shipping Management Plan (NESMP), draft guidelines developed to ensure the protection of Australia’s north-east marine environment and improve shipping safety. 

AMSA, the Australian government agency with prime responsibility for the safety of shipping in Australian waters and for the protection of the marine environment from ship-sourced pollution, drafted the plan in consultation with a range of government agencies. Read more

 

 

 

Herbicides used to control nuisance weeds on the farm can also be effective once they get into the ocean; even in minute quantities such chemicals have been shown to cause stress to corals, algae, mangroves and seagrass. A little stress has a greater impact than you might think...

Dr Andrew Negri of AIMS presented an overview on the effects of pesticides, particularly herbicides to organisms in the GBR. Pesticides, particularly herbicides from agricultural sources, have been detected all year round near the shore in the GBR. Those called PSII herbicides are of greatest concern and have been found in the highest concentrations in the wet season, at levels known to affect marine organisms. They also remain in the water for a surprisingly long time, some with half-lives of up to 1200 days.

Dr Negri then looked at sensitivity, and found that two seagrass species (Halodule and Zostera) were as sensitive as corals and algae to four commonly used herbicides found in the GBR (Diuron, Atrazine, Hexazinone and Tebuthiuron) and that Diuron could affect photosynthesis at flood plume concentrations.

Herbicides also increase the sensitivity of corals to thermal stress, meaning that as climate change sets in, things could get serious. It is not expected that herbicides alone would pose a threat, but if corals are already stressed by increases in turbidity, sedimentation, increased nutrients and pesticides, the addition of rising temperatures, ocean acidification and changed weather patterns may have severe effects, additive or worse.

These foundation species (i.e. seagrass, mangroves and corals) are highly sensitive to pesticides, and the research suggests that pesticides increase their vulnerability to climate change, leading to the Dr Negri to the conclusion that efforts to significantly reduce pesticide contamination of the GBR should continue. To that end, research users have been engaged, a pesticide working group formed and his results have been incorporated into the risk assessment process for the Reef Plan Scientific Consensus Statement.

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    ABC News

    12 November 2013


    Scientists say the conditions forecast for this summer will give the Great Barrier Reef a chance to recover from recent natural disasters.

    The weather bureau says sea surface temperatures will be close to normal over the next three months. Read more

     

     

    Freeman, A.N.D., Catterall, C.P., Freebody, K. and Kanowski, J. (2011) How does landscape context influence the re-colonisation of rainforest restoration sites by birds?. Pp 165-168 in Majid, N.M, Ahmed, O.H., Sajap, A.S and Islam, M.M. (eds.) Proceedings of International Symposium on Rehabilitation of Tropical Rainforest Ecosystems. Online at: http://www.forr2.upm.edu.my/frp/images/abstract18.pdf.

     

    Related to Project 12.2

     

    Supported through MTSRF funding

     

    ABC News

    26 November 2013


    The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is inviting discussion on how best to manage the reef.

    The Australian government has commissioned strategic assessments from the Queensland Government and the GBRMPA on the marine areas and adjacent coastal zone. Read more

     

     

     

    Courier Mail

    10 August 2012


    A SCIENTIFIC expedition will head into rugged north Queensland rainforests next month on a last-ditch mission to find frogs not seen for decades.

    The frogs are thought to be extinct but there is some conjecture they may have survived in remote pockets. Read more

     

     
     

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