Leave the waters!

Panic at the reef

Maria Rodriguez April 1st, 2020

Greetings from australia.
The great reef. 2
What IS the great barrier reef?
✢ Also known as the Barrier Reef, it rests off of
the coast on the Northeastern coast of
Queensland, Australia.
✢ It covers over 133,000 mi² of land and consists
of about 3,000 individual reefs.
✢ The reef works as a barrier to prevent
disturbances to the coral sea.

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What are the benefits?
Biodiversity
Supplies the world with vast
species. Better dubbed as “the
nursery of the world”.
Coastal protection
Some species of coral are
actually strong enough to
withstand storms and large
waves. This reduces coastal
erosion.
Fisheries
The fish that live on the coral
are harvested to feed the locals,
stock markets around the
country and even, the world.

Medicine
Several species of coral release
chemical compounds to defend
themselves. While harmful to
others, most are beneficial for
human pharmaceuticals.
Tourism
The beautiful reefs attract
scuba divers from all over the
world. This allows income to
flow in for the surrounding
communities, and brings
awareness on the reef’s welfare.
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however...It’s endangered.
The Great Barrier Reef is known to be one of
the world’s largest hotspots.

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What makes a place a hotspot?
Endemic species Loss of vegetation
A certain area must contain over The area must have lost over
1,500 vascular (containing 70% of native vegetation.
muscles which feed the plant
things such as water, pollen, and
nutrients) that do not appear
anywhere else on the planet.

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How is the Great barrier reef
endangered?
Let’s start by comparing its situation with the hotspot criteria.
Endemic Species
As explained earlier, the great
barrier reef is home to over
thousands of species. If all of these
were lost, it would make a massive
impact on our global health. Take a
look at the next slide for some
reference.

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 4,000
Species of fish

800
Types of hard coral (it also makes up ¼ of the world’s soft coral population!)

134
Species of sharks and rays

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In order to understand the next
section, let’s learn about bleaching.
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 “Coral bleaching happens when corals lose their vibrant colors and turn white. But there’s a lot
more to it than that. Coral are bright and colorful because of microscopic algae called
zooxanthellae. The zooxanthellae live within the coral in a mutually beneficial relationship, each
helping the other survive. But when the ocean environment changes—if it gets too hot, for
instance—the coral stresses out and expels the algae. As the algae leaves, the coral fades until it
looks like it’s been bleached. If the temperature stays high, the coral won’t let the algae back, and
the coral will die.” - WWF

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Since 2017,
Half of the reef has died.

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However...you can help.
Here are some tips from the WWF!

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 “We are not doomed...
to lose all corals to bleaching, but we need to act now if we want to protect coral for future generations. Small, daily actions can help reduce
coral reef loss, like reducing stormwater and fertilizer runoff or avoiding herbicides and pesticides. But if we really want to solve the coral
bleaching problem, we must address climate change. That means global, comprehensive, and immediate action to reduce emissions –
something that WWF is determined to accomplish. We’re working to stop deforestation; help businesses, consumers, and cities transition to
renewable energy; and guide governments toward climate-smart policies. There’s a role for you, too. Together we can act now to save the
world’s coral reefs from bleaching before it’s too late.”

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Credits
Special thanks to all the people who made and
released these awesome resources for free:
✢ Presentation template by SlidesCarnival
✢ Nat geo
✢ WWF 1

✢ Scripps

✢ WWF 2

✢ great barrier reef

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