106-483: A biodiversity action plan ( BAP ) is an internationally recognized program addressing threatened species and habitats and is designed to protect and restore biological systems. The original impetus for these plans derives from the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). As of 2009, 191 countries have ratified the CBD, but only a fraction of these have developed substantive BAP documents. The principal elements of
212-648: A red-listed species, as they are listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Subspecies , populations and stocks may also be classified as threatened. The Commonwealth of Australia (federal government) has legislation for categorising and protecting endangered species, namely the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 , which is known in short as the EPBC Act . This Act has six categories: extinct, extinct in
318-476: A "long-term reorganisation of the reef ecosystem if the trend continues." The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 (section 54) stipulates an Outlook Report on the Reef's health, pressures, and future every five years. The last report was published in 2019. In March 2022, another mass bleaching event has been confirmed, which raised further concerns about the future of this reef system, especially when considering
424-518: A "shark control" program ( shark culling ) that deliberately kills sharks throughout Queensland, including in the Great Barrier Reef. Environmentalists and scientists say that this program harms the marine ecosystem ; they also say it is "outdated, cruel and ineffective". The Queensland "shark control" program uses shark nets and drum lines with baited hooks to kill sharks in the Great Barrier Reef – there are 173 lethal drum lines in
530-521: A BAP typically include: (a) preparing inventories of biological information for selected species or habitats; (b) assessing the conservation status of species within specified ecosystems ; (c) creation of targets for conservation and restoration ; and (d) establishing budgets, timelines and institutional partnerships for implementing the BAP. A fundamental method of engagement to a BAP is thorough documentation regarding individual species, with emphasis upon
636-649: A biodiversity friendly production. It has not been common for companies to integrate biodiversity aspects into their value chain , but some companies and organizations have shown overall efforts for implementing better practices. An existing example for guidelines on biodiversity practices in agriculture is the Biodiversity Action Plan for spice production in India . By planning and implementing biodiversity friendly measures, farmers can mitigate negative impacts and support positive influences. Where
742-477: A country BAP may cost up to 100 million pounds sterling, with annual maintenance costs roughly ten percent of the initial cost. If plans took into account neglected groups, the cost would be higher. Obviously costs for countries with small geographical area or simplified ecosystems have a much lesser cost. For example, the St. Lucia BAP has been costed in the area of several million pounds sterling. Australia has developed
848-656: A country’s BAP should ideally entail a thorough description of the range, habitat, behaviour, breeding and interaction with other species. Once a determination has been made of conservation status (e.g. rare , endangered, threatened, vulnerable), a plan can then be created to conserve and restore the species population to target levels. Examples of programmatic protection elements are: habitat restoration ; protection of habitat from urban development ; establishment of property ownership; limitations on grazing or other agricultural encroachment into habitat; reduction of slash-and-burn agricultural practises; outlawing killing or collecting
954-590: A depth of 150 metres (490 ft) due to their need for sunlight, and cannot grow above sea level. When Queensland edged into tropical waters 24 million years ago, some coral grew, but a sedimentation regime quickly developed with erosion of the Great Dividing Range ; creating river deltas , oozes and turbidites , unsuitable conditions for coral growth. 10 million years ago, the sea level significantly lowered, which further enabled sedimentation. The reef's substrate may have needed to build up from
1060-525: A detailed and rigorous Biodiversity Action Plan. This document estimates that the total number of indigenous species may be 560,000, many of which are endemic. A key element of the BAP is protection of the Great Barrier Reef , which is actually in a much higher state of health than most of the world’s reefs , Australia having one of the highest percentages of treated wastewater . There are however serious ongoing concerns, particularly in regards to
1166-514: A disease of bony corals caused by the protozoan Halofolliculina corallasia , affects 31 coral species. According to a 2012 study by the National Academy of Sciences , since 1985, the Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its corals with two-thirds of the loss occurring from 1998 due to the factors listed before. In 2022, the northern and central parts of the reef had the highest amount of coral cover since monitoring began, but
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#17327904980441272-450: A doubling of the chlorophyll in the water leads to a tenfold increase in the crown-of-thorns starfish larvae's survival rate. Sediment runoff from farming carries chemicals into the reef environment also reduces the amount of light available to the corals decreasing their ability to extract energy from their environment. Pesticides used in farming are made up of heavy metals such as lead, mercury, arsenic and other toxins are released into
1378-499: A draft decision, expressing serious concern about the impact of coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef. The draft decision also warned Australia that it will not meet the targets of the Reef 2050 report without considerable work to improve water quality. Climate change has implications for other forms of reef life – some fish's preferred temperature range leads them to seek new habitat, thus increasing chick mortality in predatory seabirds. Climate change will also affect
1484-458: A fact which makes it difficult for many smaller countries and poorer countries to comply. In terms of the plans themselves, many countries have adopted pro-forma plans including little research and even less in the way of natural resource management. Almost universally, this has resulted in plans which emphasize plants and vertebrate animals, and which overlook fungi, invertebrate animals and micro-organisms. With regard to specific world regions, there
1590-710: A graph from 1985 to present of the main index, geographical representation, monitoring consistency and time series and species accumulation. In April 2020 the Mammal Index reported that there had been a decline of more than a third of threatened mammal numbers in the 20 years between 1995 and 2016, but the data also show that targeted conservation efforts are working. The Threatened Mammal Index "is compiled from more than 400,000 individual surveys, and contains population trends for 57 of Australia's threatened or near-threatened terrestrial and marine mammal species". Individual states and territories of Australia are bound under
1696-492: A lawsuit against the government of Queensland to stop shark culling in the Great Barrier Reef. In March 2015, the Australian and Queensland's governments formed a plan for the protection and preservation of the reef's universal heritage until 2050. This 35 years plan, titled "Reef 2050 Plan" is a document proposing possible measures for the long-term management of the pollution, climate change and other issues that threaten
1802-413: A mathematical measure of biomass related to population growth rate . This quantitative metric is one method of evaluating the degree of endangerment without direct reference to human activity. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories, depending on
1908-486: A number of threatened species depend upon a specific habitat, it may be appropriate to prepare a habitat protection element of the Biodiversity Action Plan. Examples of such special habitats are: raised acidic bogs of Scotland; Waterberg Biosphere bushveld in South Africa; California’s coastal wetlands ; and Sweden’s Stora Alvaret on the island of Öland . In this case also, careful inventories of species and also
2014-430: A patch to existing problems. Increasingly, biodiversity planners are looking through the lens of ecosystem services . Critics of biodiversity are often confusing the need to protect species (their intrinsic value) with the need to maintain ecosystem processes, which ultimately maintain human society and do not compromise economic development. Hence, a core principle of biodiversity management, that traditional BAPs overlook,
2120-411: A rate of about 0.1 per decade this century. The acidic water breaks down the materials that coral and shell building creatures need to grow. Another key threat faced by the Great Barrier Reef is pollution and declining water quality . The rivers of north-eastern Australia pollute the Reef during tropical flood events. Over 90% of this pollution comes from farm runoff . 80% of the land adjacent to
2226-436: A significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of life on Earth”. To achieve this outcome, biodiversity management will depend on maintaining structure and function. Biodiversity is not singularly definable but may be understood via a series of management principles under BAPs, such as: 1. that biodiversity
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#17327904980442332-608: A wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. CNN labelled it one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World in 1997. Australian World Heritage places included it in its list in 2007. The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland in 2006. A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park , which helps to limit
2438-484: Is a distinct feature of the East Australian Cordillera division. It reaches from Torres Strait (between Bramble Cay , its northernmost island, and the south coast of Papua New Guinea ) in the north to the unnamed passage between Lady Elliot Island (its southernmost island) and Fraser Island in the south. Lady Elliot Island is located 1,915 km (1,190 mi) southeast of Bramble Cay as
2544-587: Is a notable lack of substantive participation by most of the Middle Eastern countries and much of Africa, the latter of which may be impeded by economic considerations of plan preparation. Some governments such as the European Union have diverted the purpose of a biodiversity action plan, and implemented the convention accord by a set of economic development policies with referencing certain ecosystems' protection. The definition of biodiversity under
2650-479: Is a searchable online database about species and ecological communities listed under the EPBC Act . It provides information on what the species looks like, its population and distribution, habitat, movements, feeding, reproduction and taxonomic comments. A Threatened Mammal Index , publicly launched on 22 April 2020 and combined as of June 2020 with the Threatened Bird Index (created 2018 ) as
2756-493: Is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over AUD$ 3 billion per year. In November 2014, Google launched Google Underwater Street View in 3D of the Great Barrier Reef. A March 2016 report stated that coral bleaching was more widespread than previously thought, seriously affecting
2862-484: Is also useful to compile time trends of population estimates in order to understand the dynamics of population variability and vulnerability. In some parts of the world complete species inventories are not realistic; for example, in the Madagascar dry deciduous forests , many species are completely undocumented and much of the region has never even been systematically explored by scientists. A species plan component of
2968-418: Is conserved across all levels and scales – structure, function and composition are conserved at site, regional, state and national scales. 2. that examples of all ecological communities are adequately managed for conservation. 3. ecological communities are managed to support and enhance viable populations of animals, fungi, micro-organisms and plants and ecological functions. Biodiversity and wildlife are not
3074-460: Is expected to become an annual occurrence. In 2020, a study found that the Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its corals since 1995 due to warmer seas driven by climate change. As global warming continues, corals will not be able to keep up with increasing ocean temperatures. Coral bleaching events lead to increased disease susceptibility, which causes detrimental ecological effects for reef communities. In July 2017 UNESCO published in
3180-629: Is extremely large. Five major divisions of habitat have been identified in Uzbekistan ’s BAP: Wetlands (including reed habitat and man-made marsh ); desert ecosystems (including sandy, stony and clay); steppes ; riparian ecosystems; and mountain ecosystems. Over 27,000 species have been inventoried in the country, with a high rate of endemism for fishes and reptiles. Principal threats to biodiversity are related to human activities associated with overpopulation and generally related to agricultural intensification. Major geographic regions encompassed by
3286-587: Is how they've collected much of their data regarding threats to the Great Barrier Reef. In addition, the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan was announced in 2018 in order to help transition local communities, agricultural organizations and industries to more sustainable practices. This plan will join the Queensland government and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to manage the amounts of runoff that reach
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3392-493: Is located in the Coral Sea , off the coast of Queensland , Australia , separated from the coast by a channel 160 kilometres (100 mi) wide in places and over 61 metres (200 ft) deep. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps . It supports
3498-449: Is noteworthy because of its extensive detail, clarity of endangerment mechanisms, specificity of actions, follow up monitoring program and its inclusion of migrating cetaceans and pelagic birds. On August 28, 2007, the new Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) [launched in 1997] identified 1,149 species and 65 habitats in the UK that needed conservation and greater protection. The updated list included
3604-553: Is the less protected of the two protected categories. The Bay checkerspot butterfly ( Euphydryas editha bayensis ) is an example of a threatened subspecies protected under the Endangered Species Act . Within the U.S., state wildlife agencies have the authority under the ESA to manage species which are considered endangered or threatened within their state but not within all states, and which therefore are not included on
3710-451: Is the need to incorporate cultural, social and economic values in the process. Modern day BAPs use an analysis of ecosystem services , key ecological process drivers, and use species as one of many indicators of change. They would seek to maintain structure and function by addressing habitat connectivity and resilience and may look at communities of species (threatened or otherwise) as one method of monitoring outcomes. Ultimately, species are
3816-399: Is thought that the poor water quality is due to increased light and oxygen competition from algae . Farming fertiliser runoff release nitrogen , phosphorus , and potassium into the oceanic ecosystem, and these limiting nutrients cause massive algal growth which eventually leads to a reduction in oxygen available for other creatures in a process called eutrophication . This decreases
3922-501: The Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The first European to sight the Great Barrier Reef was James Cook in 1770, who sailed and mapped the east coast of Australia. On 11 June 1770 Cook's ship, HMS Endeavour , ran aground on a shoal south of the present-day location of Cooktown , requiring seven weeks to repair. It
4028-519: The Business Biodiversity Offsets Program are now integral to any plans to manage biodiversity, including the development of BAPs. Threatened species A threatened species is any species (including animals , plants and fungi ) which is vulnerable to extinction in the near future. Species that are threatened are sometimes characterised by the population dynamics measure of critical depensation ,
4134-731: The Coral Sea Basin formed, coral reefs began to grow in the Basin, but until about 25 million years ago, northern Queensland was still in temperate waters south of the tropics – too cool to support coral growth. The Great Barrier Reef's development history is complex; after Queensland drifted into tropical waters, it was largely influenced by reef growth and decline as sea level changed. Reefs can increase in diameter by 1 to 3 centimetres (0.39 to 1.18 in) per year, and grow vertically anywhere from 1 to 25 cm (0.39 to 9.84 in) per year; however, they grow only above
4240-534: The Great Barrier Reef Foundation in 2018. The announcement of the grant was subject to backlash as the grant had avoided proper tender and transparency processes. The Great Barrier Reef contributes to the overall wellbeing of the marine biome. Numerous species of aquatic plants, fish and megafauna use the reef for feeding, shelter and mating. Threats such as ocean acidification , pollution runoff and outbreaks of destructive species like
4346-437: The Great Dividing Range with some larger hills (most of which were themselves remnants of older reefs or, in rare cases, volcanoes ). The Reef Research Centre, a Cooperative Research Centre , has found coral 'skeleton' deposits that date back half a million years. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) considers the earliest evidence of complete reef structures to have been 600,000 years ago. According to
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4452-601: The Ok Tedi Mine in Papua New Guinea are a potential pollution risk for the far northern Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait regions. Some 67% of corals died in the reef's worst-hit northern section, the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies report said. The runoff problem is exacerbated by the loss of coastal wetlands which act as a natural filter for toxins and help deposit sediment. It
4558-734: The Threatened Species Index , is a research collaboration of the National Environmental Science Program's Threatened Species Recovery Hub, the University of Queensland and BirdLife Australia . It does not show detailed data of individual species, but shows overall trends, and the data can be downloaded via a web-app "to allow trends for different taxonomic groups or regions to be explored and compared". The Index uses data visualisation tools to show data clearly in graphic form, including
4664-576: The crown-of-thorns starfish have brought about the decline of this ecosystem. These threats to the reef are not only a danger to the organisms inhabiting it, but also the economy of this region, a large part of which relies on revenue from ecotourism of the Great Barrier Reef. The Australian government has had the goal of protecting this World Heritage Site since 1972 when they created The Australian Institute of Marine Science. The Australian and Queensland governments have contributed about $ 142.5 million to their National Environmental Science Program which
4770-684: The hedgehog , house sparrow , grass snake and the garden tiger moth , while otters , bottlenose dolphins and red squirrels remained in need of habitat protection. In May 2011, the European Commission adopted a new strategy to halt the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the EU by 2020, in line with the commitments made at the 10th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held in Nagoya, Japan in 2010. In 2012
4876-428: The olive ridley . The green sea turtles on the Great Barrier Reef have two genetically distinct populations , one in the northern part of the reef and the other in the southern part. Fifteen species of seagrass in beds attract the dugongs and turtles, and provide fish habitat. The most common genera of seagrasses are Halophila and Halodule . Saltwater crocodiles live in mangrove and salt marshes on
4982-773: The BAP include the Aral Sea Programme (threatened by long-term drainage and salination , largely for cotton production), the Nuratau Biosphere Reserve , and the Western Tien Shan Mountains Programme (in conjunction with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan ). Some developing countries criticize the emphasis of BAPs, because these plans inherently favour consideration of wildlife protection above food and industrial production, and in some cases may represent an obstacle to population growth. The plans are costly to produce,
5088-488: The Convention on Biological Diversity now recognises that biodiversity is a combination of ecosystem structure and function, as much as its components e.g. species, habitats and genetic resources . Article 2 states: in addressing the boundless complexity of biological diversity, it has become conventional to think in hierarchical terms, from the genetic material within individual cells, building up through individual organisms, populations, species and communities of species, to
5194-482: The EPBC Act, but may also have legislation which gives further protection to certain species, for example Western Australia 's Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 . Some species, such as Lewin's rail ( Lewinia pectoralis ), are not listed as threatened species under the EPBC Act, but they may be recognised as threatened by individual states or territories. Pests and weeds, climate change and habitat loss are some of
5300-568: The GBRMPA, the current, living reef structure is believed to have begun growing on the older platform about 20,000 years ago. The Australian Institute of Marine Science agrees, placing the beginning of the growth of the current reef at the time of the Last Glacial Maximum . At around that time, sea level was 120 metres (390 ft) lower than it is today. From 20,000 years ago until 6,000 years ago, sea level rose steadily around
5406-489: The Great Barrier Reef can be found in The Kimberley , Western Australia. The Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area has been divided into 70 bioregions , of which 30 are reef bioregions. In the northern part of the Great Barrier Reef, ribbon reefs and deltaic reefs have formed; these structures are not found in the rest of the reef system. A previously undiscovered reef, 500 metres tall and 1.5 km wide at
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#17327904980445512-505: The Great Barrier Reef in warm waters up to 50 metres (160 ft) deep and are more common in the southern than in the northern section. None found in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area are endemic, nor are any endangered. Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed: the green sea turtle , leatherback sea turtle , hawksbill turtle , loggerhead sea turtle , flatback turtle , and
5618-403: The Great Barrier Reef is the rising levels of ocean acidification in the ocean. Ocean acidification occurs when excess atmospheric carbon dioxide gets absorbed into the ocean. This causes a decrease in the pH and this alters the chemistry of the ocean's water. This reduces the amount of aragonite, a key mineral for coral to grow, in the water. The Great Barrier Reef is predicted to lose aragonite at
5724-690: The Great Barrier Reef is used for farming including intensive cropping of sugar cane, and major beef cattle grazing. Farming practices damage the reef due to overgrazing , increased run-off of agricultural sediments, nutrients and chemicals including fertilisers , herbicides and pesticides representing a major health risk for the coral and biodiversity of the reefs. According to a 2016 report, while higher regulation contributes to less overall pollution from "other land uses, such as industrial, mining, port development, dredging and urban development", these can still be locally significant. Sediments containing high levels of copper and other heavy metals sourced from
5830-449: The Great Barrier Reef. In Queensland, sharks found alive on the baited hooks are shot. Queensland's "shark control" program killed about 50,000 sharks from 1962 to 2018. Also, Queensland's "shark control" program has also killed many other animals (such as dolphins and turtles ) – the program killed 84,000 marine animals from 1962 to 2015, including in the Great Barrier Reef. In 2018, Humane Society International filed
5936-545: The IUCN, but adds a "warning list", includes species endangered to an unknown extend, and rare species that are not endangered, but are highly at risk of extinction due to the small population. Under the Endangered Species Act in the United States, "threatened" is defined as "any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range". It
6042-660: The JNCC website. Content from the original UK BAP website has been archived by the National Archives as snapshots from various dates (for example, UK BAP : copy March 2011; copy 2012). Twenty-six years prior to the international biodiversity convention, the United States had launched a national program to protect threatened species in the form of the 1966 Endangered Species Act . The legislation created broad authority for analyzing and listing species of concern, and mandated that Species Recovery Plans be created. Thus, while
6148-856: The Mermaid, Francis Price Blackwood in HMS Fly , Owen Stanley in the Rattlesnake, and Henry Mangles Denham in the Herald led to considerable navigational improvements, as they outlined the contrasting advantages and perils of the Inner Route (between Australia's east coast and the western edge of the reefs) and the Outer Route, in the open sea. The Great Barrier Reef supports an extraordinary diversity of life, including many vulnerable or endangered species , some of which may be endemic to
6254-572: The Reef Research Centre (RRC). Outbreaks are believed to occur in natural cycles, worsened by poor water quality and overfishing of the starfish's predators. The unsustainable overfishing of keystone species , such as the giant Triton , can disrupt food chains vital to reef life. Fishing also impacts the reef through increased water pollution from boats, by-catch of unwanted species (such as dolphins and turtles) and habitat destruction from trawling , anchors and nets. As of
6360-813: The Soufrière Marine Management Area. The St. Lucia BAP features significant involvement from the University of the West Indies . Specific detailed attention is given to three species of threatened marine turtles, to a variety of vulnerable birds and a number of pelagic fishes and cetaceans . In terms of habitat conservation the plan focusses attention on the biologically productive mangrove swamps and notes that virtually all mangrove areas had already come under national protection by 1984. The Tanzania national BAP addresses issues related to sustainable use of Lake Manyara , an extensive freshwater lake, whose usage by humans accelerated in
6466-468: The UK BAP was succeeded by the 'UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework'. To support the work of the UK BAP, the UK BAP website was created by JNCC in 2001. The website contained information on the BAP process, hosted all relevant documents, and provided news and relevant updates. In March 2011, as part of the UK government’s review of websites, the UK BAP site was ‘closed’, and the core content was migrated into
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#17327904980446572-476: The USA is an unratified signer of the accord, arguably it has the longest track record and most comprehensive program of species protection of any country. There are about 7000 listed species (e.g. endangered or threatened), of which about half have approved Recovery Plans. While this number of species seems high compared to other countries, the value is rather indicative of the total number of species characterized, which
6678-403: The base, was found in the northern area in 2020. There are no atolls in the system, and reefs attached to the mainland are rare. Fringing reefs are distributed widely, but are most common towards the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef, attached to high islands, for example, the Whitsunday Islands . Lagoonal reefs are found in the southern Great Barrier Reef, and further north, off
6784-402: The biodiversity in the affected areas, altering the species composition . A study by Katharina Fabricius and Glen Death of Australian Institute of Marine Science found that hard corals numbers were almost double on reefs that were far from agricultural areas. Fertilizers also increase the amount of phytoplankton available for the crown-of-thorns starfish larvae to consume. A study showed that
6890-443: The biosphere overall...At the same time, in seeking to make management intervention as efficient as possible, it is essential to take an holistic view of biodiversity and address the interactions that species have with each other and their non-living environment, i.e. to work from an ecological perspective. The World Summit on Sustainable Development endorsed the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity to “achieve by 2010
6996-548: The coast near the reef. Nesting has not been reported, and the salt water crocodile population in the GBRWHA is wide-ranging but low density. Around 125 species of shark , stingray , skates or chimaera live on the reef. Close to 5,000 species of mollusc have been recorded on the reef, including the giant clam and various nudibranchs and cone snails . Forty-nine species of pipefish and nine species of seahorse have been recorded. At least seven species of frog inhabit
7102-587: The coast of Princess Charlotte Bay . Crescentic reefs are the most common shape of reef in the middle of the system, for example the reefs surrounding Lizard Island . Crescentic reefs are also found in the far north of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, and in the Swain Reefs ( 20 – 22 degrees south ). Planar reefs are found in the northern and southern parts, near Cape York Peninsula , Princess Charlotte Bay, and Cairns. Most of
7208-422: The cover in the southern part had decreased and bleaching events occurred more frequently. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority considers the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef to be climate change, causing ocean warming which increases coral bleaching . Mass coral bleaching events due to marine heatwaves occurred in the summers of 1998, 2002, 2006, 2016, 2017 and 2020, and coral bleaching
7314-591: The crow flies . It includes the smaller Murray Islands . The plate tectonic theory indicates Australia has moved northwards at a rate of 7 cm (2.8 in) per year, starting during the Cenozoic . Eastern Australia experienced a period of tectonic uplift , which moved the drainage divide in Queensland 400 km (250 mi) inland. Also during this time, Queensland experienced volcanic eruptions leading to central and shield volcanoes and basalt flows. Some of these became volcanic islands . After
7420-426: The degree to which they are threatened: Less-than-threatened categories are near threatened , least concern , and the no longer assigned category of conservation dependent . Species that have not been evaluated (NE), or do not have sufficient data ( data deficient ) also are not considered "threatened" by the IUCN. Although threatened and vulnerable may be used interchangeably when discussing IUCN categories,
7526-581: The geographic extent and quality of the habitat must be documented. Then, as with species plans, a program can be created to protect, enhance and/or restore habitat using similar strategies as discussed above under the species plans. Some examples of individual countries which have produced substantive Biodiversity Action Plans follow. In every example the plans concentrate on plants and vertebrate animals, with very little attention to neglected groups such as fungi, invertebrate animals and micro-organisms, even though these are also part of biodiversity. Preparation of
7632-597: The impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem include runoff of humanmade pollutants, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching , dumping of dredging sludge and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish . According to a study published in October 2012 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ,
7738-405: The islands on the reef are found on planar reefs. Wonky holes can have localised impact on the reef, providing upwellings of fresh water, sometimes rich in nutrients contributing to eutrophication . Navigation through and around the reefs is a major challenge. More than 20 ships were recorded lost in the region between 1791 and 1850, Surveys between 1815 and 1860 by Phillip Parker King in
7844-558: The islands. 215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands, including the white-bellied sea eagle and roseate tern . Most nesting sites are on islands in the northern and southern regions of the Great Barrier Reef, with 1.4 to 1.7 million birds using the sites to breed. The islands of the Great Barrier Reef also support 2,195 known plant species; three of these are endemic. The northern islands have 300–350 plant species which tend to be woody, whereas
7950-461: The key threatening processes faced by native plants and animals listed by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment of New South Wales . The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation ( German : Bundesamt für Naturschutz , BfN) publishes a regional Red List for Germany of at least 48000 animals and 24000 plants and fungi. The scheme for categorization is similar to that of
8056-497: The life span and value of this global heritage. The plan contains all the elements for measurement and improvements, including; long-term sustainability plan, water quality improvement plan and the investment plan for the protection and preservation of The Reef until 2050. However, whereas the 2050 plan aims to incorporate protective measures such as improving water quality, reef restoration, killing of predatory starfish, it does not incorporate additional measures to address what may be
8162-480: The litmus test for biodiversity – viable populations of species can only be expected to exist in relatively intact habitats. However, the rationale behind BAPs is to "conserve and restore" biodiversity. One of the fastest developing areas of management is biodiversity offsets. The principles are in keeping with ecological impact assessment, which in turn depends on good quality BAPs for evaluation. Contemporary principles of biodiversity management, such as those produced by
8268-513: The marine and coastal diversity of the Soufrière area of the country. The BAP specifically acknowledges that the carrying capacity for human use and water pollution discharge of sensitive reef areas was exceeded by the year 1990. The plan also addresses conservation of the historic island fishing industry. In 1992, several institutions in conjunction with native fishermen to produce a sustainable management plan for fishery resources, embodied in
8374-462: The material to the environment and to develop a management plan to eliminate this potential hazard; however, GBRMPA does not have legislative control over how the Yabulu tailings dam is managed". The crown-of-thorns starfish preys on coral polyps. Large outbreaks of these starfish can devastate reefs. In 2000, an outbreak contributed to a loss of 66% of live coral cover on sampled reefs in a study by
8480-405: The middle of 2004, approximately one-third of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is protected from species removal of any kind, including fishing, without written permission. Shipping accidents are a pressing concern, as several commercial shipping routes pass through the Great Barrier Reef. Although the route through the Great Barrier Reef is not easy, reef pilots consider it safer than outside
8586-579: The national list of endangered and threatened species. For example, the trumpeter swan ( Cygnus buccinator ) is threatened in the state of Minnesota , while large populations still remain in Canada and Alaska . 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 (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi). The reef
8692-400: The northern parts of the reef as a result of warming ocean temperatures . In October 2016, Outside published an obituary for the reef; the article was criticised for being premature and hindering efforts to bolster the resilience of the reef. In March 2017, the journal Nature published a paper showing that huge sections of an 800-kilometre (500 mi) stretch in the northern part of
8798-522: The ongoing negative impact on water quality from land use practices. Also, climate change impact is feared to be significant. Considerable analysis has been conducted on the sustainable yield of firewood production, a major threat to deforestation in most tropical countries. Biological inventory work; assessment of harvesting practices; and computer modeling of the dynamics of treefall, rot and harvest; have been carried out to adduce data on safe harvesting rates. Extensive research has also been conducted on
8904-566: The period 1950 to 1990. The designation of the Lake Manyara Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO 's Man and the Biosphere Programme in 1981 combines conservation of the lake and surrounding high value forests with sustainable use of the wetlands area and simple agriculture. This BAP has united principal lake users in establishing management targets. The biosphere reserve has induced sustainable management of
9010-547: The population distribution and conservation status . This task, while fundamental, is highly daunting, since only an estimated ten percent of the world’s species are believed to have been characterized as of 2006, most of these unknowns being fungi , invertebrate animals, micro-organisms and plants. For many bird, mammal and reptile species, information is often available in published literature; however, for fungi, invertebrate animals, micro-organisms and many plants, such information may require considerable local data collection. It
9116-414: The possible effects of El Niño weather phenomenon. The Australian Institute of Marine Science conducts annual surveys of the Great Barrier Reef's status, and the 2022 report showed the greatest recovery in 36 years. It is mainly due to the regrowth of two-thirds of the reef by the fast-growing Acropora coral, which is the dominant coral there. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by
9222-509: The reef had died in the course of 2016 of high water temperatures, an event that the authors put down to the effects of global climate change. The percentage of baby corals being born on the Great Barrier Reef dropped drastically in 2018 and scientists are describing it as the early stage of a "huge natural selection event unfolding". Many of the mature breeding adults died in the bleaching events of 2016–17, leading to low coral birth rates. The types of corals that reproduced also changed, leading to
9328-466: The reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985, a finding reaffirmed by a 2020 study which found over half of the reef's coral cover to have been lost between 1995 and 2017, with the effects of a widespread 2020 bleaching event not yet quantified. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef
9434-404: The reef in the event of mechanical failure, since a ship can sit safely while being repaired. There have been over 1,600 known shipwrecks in the Great Barrier Reef region. On 3 April 2010, the bulk coal carrier Shen Neng 1 ran aground on Douglas Shoals, spilling up to four tonnes of oil into the water and causing extensive damage to the reef. The government of Queensland has
9540-536: The reef system. Thirty species of cetaceans have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef, including the dwarf minke whale , Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin , and the humpback whale . Large populations of dugongs live there. More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef, including the clownfish , red bass , red-throat emperor, and several species of snapper and coral trout . Forty-nine species mass spawn , while eighty-four other species spawn elsewhere in their range. Seventeen species of sea snake live on
9646-457: The reef, including thirteen species of genus Halimeda , which deposit calcareous mounds up to 100 metres (110 yd) wide, creating mini-ecosystems on their surface which have been compared to rainforest cover. Climate change , pollution, crown-of-thorns starfish and fishing are the primary threats to the health of this reef system. Other threats include shipping accidents, oil spills , and tropical cyclones. Skeletal Eroding Band ,
9752-500: The reef. The majority of these spawn gametes , breeding in mass spawning events that are triggered by the rising sea temperatures of spring and summer, the lunar cycle, and the diurnal cycle. Reefs in the inner Great Barrier Reef spawn during the week after the full moon in October, while the outer reefs spawn in November and December. Its common soft corals belong to 36 genera. Five hundred species of marine algae or seaweed live on
9858-581: The relation of brush clearance to biodiversity decline and impact on water tables ; for example, these effects have been analyzed in the Toolibin Lake wetlands region. New Zealand has ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity and as part of The New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy and Biodiversity Action Plans are implemented on ten separate themes. Local government and some companies also have their own Biodiversity Action Plan. The St. Lucia BAP recognizes impacts of large numbers of tourists to
9964-406: The root cause the problem – climate change, which is caused by greenhouse gas emissions. As such, experts doubted whether it would be enough to save the fragile environment. Another issue is that the time left to the 1.5 °C warming threshold (the temperature limit that coral reefs can still cope with ) is very limited. As part of the Reef 2050 plan, an AUD$ 443 million grant was given to
10070-476: The same thing. The traditional focus on threatened species in BAPs is at odds with the principles of biodiversity management because, by the time species become threatened, the processes that maintain biodiversity are already compromised. Individual species are also regarded as generally poor indicators of biodiversity when it comes to actual planning. A species approach to BAPs only serves to identify and at best, apply
10176-594: The sea turtle's population and available habitat. Bleaching events in benthic coral communities (deeper than 20 metres or 66 feet) in the Great Barrier reef are not as well documented as those at shallower depths, but recent research has shown that benthic communities are just as negatively impacted in the face of rising ocean temperatures. Five Great Barrier Reef species of large benthic corals were found bleached under elevated temperatures, affirming that benthic corals are vulnerable to thermal stress. A threat for
10282-400: The sediment until its edge was too far away for suspended sediments to inhibit coral growth. In addition, approximately 400,000 years ago there was a particularly warm Interglacial period with higher sea levels and a 4 °C (7 °F) water temperature change. The land that formed the substrate of the current Great Barrier Reef was a coastal plain formed from the eroded sediments of
10388-476: The southern islands have 200 which tend to be herbaceous; the Whitsunday region is the most diverse, supporting 1,141 species. The plants are propagated by birds. There are at least 330 species of ascidians on the reef system with the diameter of 1–10 cm (0.4–4 in). Between 300 and 500 species of bryozoans live on the reef. Four hundred coral species, both hard corals and soft corals inhabit
10494-414: The species; restrictions on pesticide use; and control of other environmental pollution. The plan should also articulate which public and private agencies should implement the protection strategy and indicate budgets available to execute this strategy. Agricultural practices can reduce the biodiversity of a region significantly. Biodiversity Action Plans for agricultural production are necessary to ensure
10600-538: The submerged hills, to form the present cays and reefs. Sea level here has not risen significantly in the last 6,000 years. The CRC Reef Research Centre estimates the age of the present, living reef structure at 6,000 to 8,000 years old. The shallow water reefs that can be seen in air-photographs and satellite images cover an area of 20,679 km , most (about 80%) of which has grown on top of limestone platforms that are relics of past (Pleistocene) phases of reef growth. The remains of an ancient barrier reef similar to
10706-639: The term threatened is generally used to refer to the three categories (critically endangered, endangered, and vulnerable), while vulnerable is used to refer to the least at risk of those three categories. They may be used interchangeably in most contexts however, as all vulnerable species are threatened species ( vulnerable is a category of threatened species ); and, as the more at-risk categories of threatened species (namely endangered and critically endangered ) must, by definition, also qualify as vulnerable species, all threatened species may also be considered vulnerable. Threatened species are also referred to as
10812-480: The wetlands, including monitoring groundwater and the chemistry of the escarpment water source. The United Kingdom Biodiversity Action Plan covers not only terrestrial species associated with lands within the UK, but also marine species and migratory birds, which spend a limited time in the UK or its offshore waters. The UK plan encompasses "391 Species Action Plans, 45 Habitat Action Plans and 162 Local Biodiversity Action Plans with targeted actions". This plan
10918-456: The wider environment due to erosion of farm soil, which has a detrimental effect on the coral. Mining company Queensland Nickel discharged nitrate-laden water into the Great Barrier Reef in 2009 and 2011 – on the later occasion releasing 516 tonnes (508 long tons; 569 short tons) of waste water. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) stated "We have strongly encouraged the company to investigate options that do not entail releasing
11024-657: The wild, critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable, and conservation dependent, as defined in Section 179 of the Act. These could be summarised as: The EPBC Act also recognises and protects threatened ecosystems such as plant communities, and Ramsar Convention wetlands used by migratory birds . Lists of threatened species are drawn up under the Act and these lists are the primary reference to threatened species in Australia. The Species Profile and Threats Database (SPRAT)
11130-454: The world. As it rose, the corals could then grow higher on the newly submerged maritime margins of the hills of the coastal plain. By around 13,000 years ago the sea level was only 60 metres (200 ft) lower than the present day, and corals began to surround the hills of the coastal plain, which were, by then, continental islands . As the sea level rose further still, most of the continental islands were submerged. The corals could then overgrow
11236-445: Was Matthew Flinders who named the Great Barrier Reef, after his more detailed mapping of it in 1802. Flinders used various terms to describe the reefs comprising what we now call the Great Barrier Reef including "great reef", for one such reef, "barrier reef", for any reef preventing a sailing vessel in, or waves from, the open sea, from reaching the coast, and "Barrier Reefs", for the collection of such reefs. The Great Barrier Reef
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