The Importance of the Great Barrier Reef and the Need for Its Protection

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR), also known as the “rainforest of the sea,” is one of the world’s most unique, diverse, complex, and valuable ecosystems (“Corals,” 2017; “Great barrier reef world,” n.d.). They inhabit many plants, fish, and other organisms (Sebens, 1994). Many of the species have yet to be discovered (Sebens, 1994). Coral reefs are the most vulnerable ecosystem to human-induced impacts and global warming, and they are rapidly disappearing worldwide, causing damage to coastal protection, fisheries, tourism, biodiversity, and sand supplies in Australia and over 100 other countries (Goreau, T. J., & Hilbertz, W., 2005). The following research will be organized in such a way that first explains coral bleaching and then goes into the various benefits of the GBR as well as the possible consequences if all the corals of the GBR were to die. Conserving the Great Barrier Reef is essential due to the many benefits it provides for humans and marine life.

Bleaching occurs when extreme heat kills a type of algae called zooxanthellae (Schiermeier, 2018). Zooxanthellae and corals have a symbiotic relationship in which the zooxanthellae give corals energy and nutrients from photosynthesis (Schiermeier, 2018). These algae are also what give the reefs their beautiful, rich colors (Cressey, 2016). So, if these algae die, the corals die too. Due to an extreme heatwave in 2016, the 2,300-kilometer Great Barrier Reef (GBR) underwent the most drastic bleaching event in history during March and April of 2016 (Cressey, 2016; Schiermeier, 2018). The area that was affected by the bleaching was about 1,100 kilometers long, and corals in the northern part of the reef were affected the most (Cressey, 2016; Schiermeier, 2018). Had the remains of cyclone Winston not come to the Queensland coast, the 2016 bleaching could have been even worse (Cressey, 2016). This ex-cyclone cooled down the middle and southern parts of the reef, so had this not happened, the entire GBR would have been as severely bleached as the northern part of the reef (Cressey, 2016).

It is unlikely that the GBR will recover anytime soon. While it is possible for reefs to recover from bleaching since the reefs most affected tend to be the faster-growing corals, global warming will cause bleaching events to occur more frequently (Schiermeier, 2018). This makes the recovery of corals much more difficult. The corals that were lightly bleached, such as in the southern part of the GBR, should be able to recover its regular color in a few months after the bleaching (Cressey, 2016). If the planet continues warming, however, and the global temperature rises over 2 °C, the rest of the coral reefs will continue to undergo bleaching and die off completely (Schiermeier, 2018). As human-induced threats and effects of climate change become more frequent and severe, the GBR’s resilience to threats will begin to weaken and may not be able to recover from them (“The threats,” n.d.). If coral reefs are not healthy and productive, they become less able to provide services on which local human communities depend on (“Bleaching,” n.d.). All in all, the future of all the coral reefs and organisms that depend on the reefs all depends on people’s efforts to curb climate change.

Even though coral reefs cover less than 1 percent of the Earth’s surface, they support more species per unit area than any other ocean ecosystem (Cho, 2011; Great barrier reef world,” n.d.).Very important animals rely on the GBR such as dugongs, sea turtles, and other endangered or threatened species (“Biodiversity,” n.d.). If reefs die off, marine species that depend on them for various reasons will either die off or migrate to other areas (“Human impact,” n.d.). In that case, biodiversity will be reduced which will, in turn, decrease the ecosystem’s health (“Human impact,” n.d.). Healthy reef ecosystems provide natural resources; various services that humans depend on; the breakdown of pollutants; creation of soil, social, cultural, and recreational activities; recycling and purification of water and air; and employment (“Community,” n.d.; “Human impact,” n.d.). When there is a more diverse range of organisms, there is a larger gene pool (“Human impact,” n.d.). This means that species will have a larger chance of survival if the environment undergoes a big change (“Human impact,” n.d.). If just one species goes extinct in an environment where there are few species, all species in the ecosystem may feel an impact (“Human impact,” n.d.). However, if there is a greater number of species and more diversity in an ecosystem, there will be less of an impact even if a few species are removed.

Some reasons marine species may depend on corals is for food, habitats, and for hiding from predators (Cressey, 2016). If corals die off, species such as fish will be vulnerable to predation from other species such as sharks (Cressey, 2016). Coral reefs are the source of nitrogen and other important nutrients for many marine species (“Human impact,” n.d.). Coral reefs also protect coasts from the damaging effects of tropical storms, hurricanes, typhoons, tsunamis, and waves (Cho, 2011; Goreau, T. J., & Hilbertz, W., 2005; “Great barrier reef world,” n.d.; “Human impact,” n.d.; “Why care about reefs?” n.d.). This protection prevents events such as erosion, deaths, and property damage from happening (“Great barrier reef world,” n.d.). If reefs become degraded, they may not be able to protect the coast as well as they used to (“Bleaching,” n.d.).

The fishing industry depends on reefs as well (“Human impact,” n.d.). Many fish produce offspring in reefs, and many young fish also spend some time in coral reefs before leaving to the open sea (“Human impact,” n.d.). The more corals that die off, fish and other organisms caught for food may either die off or migrate to another area (“Bleaching,” n.d.). This means that fishers would have less catches, especially if they fish for a particular species that died or left (“Bleaching,” n.d.). This, in turn, leads to a smaller food supply, less revenue to the Australian economy, and fewer jobs (“Bleaching,” n.d.).

About one million people live in the GBR region and greatly depend on it (“Great barrier reef world,” n.d.). Coral reefs provide food and resources for over 500 million people in more than 100 countries and territories (Cho, 2011). For example, the GBR is a food source for people in Australia and throughout the world (Cho, 2011; “Community,” n.d.). The final reason to conserve the GBR is that many drugs are currently being developed using coral reef animals and plants to cure diseases such as cancer, viruses, bacterial infections, and arthritis (Cho, 2011; “Great barrier reef world,” n.d.). Over half of new cancer drug research is focused on marine organisms (Cho, 2011; “Why care about reefs?” n.d.). Degraded reefs are not likely to be a good source for important medicinal resources (“Bleaching impacts,” n.d.).

The GBR is a big draw for tourists due to its great beauty, many islands, turquoise water, colorful corals, and great species diversity (“Community,” n.d.; “Great Barrier Reef,” n.d.). Almost 1.9 million people visit the GBR each year, making it a huge source of income to the local economies in Australia (“Great barrier reef world,” n.d.). Businesses such as diving tours, fishing trips, restaurants, and hotels that are based near reefs provide millions of jobs and create billions of dollars throughout the world (“Great barrier reef world,” n.d.). Reefs damaged by coral bleaching would lose many of the features that draw people to its site as a tourist attraction (“Bleaching,” n.d.). If fewer people come to visit the GBR, then the Australian economy would lose its revenue due to reduced tourist activity (“Bleaching impacts,” n.d.).

The GBR also produces a large amount of money for the economy. In fact, over 1.5 billion dollars are generated from the GBR every year for the Australian economy from fishing and tourism (“Human impact,” n.d.). Reefs also provide goods and services that are worth about $375 billion each year to millions of people (Cho, 2011; “Great barrier reef world,” n.d.; “Why care about reefs?” n.d.). In addition, the GBR contributed more than 64,000 jobs during 2015 and 2016 (“The value,” n.d.). Many of these jobs came from tourism activities for the GBR, but other jobs included fishing, recreational, and scientific activities (“The value,” n.d.). Right now, the GBR has a value of $56 billion (“The value,” n.d.). Reef degradation from bleaching could cost from $20 billion if bleaching is moderate, to over $84 billion if bleaching is severe (“Bleaching,” n.d.). The loss of tourism could cost $10 billion to $40 billion. Secondly, the loss of fisheries could cost $7.0 billion to $23.0 billion. Finally, the loss of biodiversity could cost $6 billion to $22 billion (“Bleaching,” n.d.).

In conclusion, the GBR is a very important ecosystem on the planet. The GBR is under threat due to the massive coral bleaching that occurred in 2016. So, the GBR must be protected by curbing climate change because marine species in the oceans and people in Australia and all around the world will suffer if the GBR were to go extinct. The GBR has many benefits such as providing food sources, habitats, jobs, money to the economy through tourism and fishing industries and making ground-breaking medicines. Millions of people directly depend on these benefits, especially those that live in the GBR region. If the GBR were to go extinct, people or marine organisms would not be able to have access to these benefits.