Case Study - Coral reef ecosystem

Question 1

Spatial patterns and dimensions

Answer 1

Location - cape york to bundaberg

Altitude - Found 5m deep in shore, outer reef is 2000m deep.

Latitude and longitude - 30N -30S globally, GBR 8s -24s and 142E - 152E

Size - 344km2

Shape - 2900 individual reefs, linear defined outer shape.

Question 2

continuity of great barrier reef?

Answer 2

1. 20,000 years ago began growth.
2. 6,000-8,000 years ago present reef structure began growth.
3. present-era is GBR

Question 3

Temperatures in GBR

Answer 3

Too low - below 20c

Ideal - 20-27c

too high - above 27c

Question 4

Precipitation and extreme whether events?

Answer 4

Precipitation is key to allowing coral growth as it impacts salinity and pollution of water.

Extreme weather can be highly destructive.

Question 5

Geomorphic and hydrological processes impact?

Answer 5

Interactivity of biophysical and geomorphic interactions influences formation of reefs.

1. Formation of calicles (based of polyps), very structure of reefs.
2. three main reef formations: fringing, barrier and atoll.

Question 6

Erosion and weathering

Answer 6

1. chemical weathering
2. mechanical weathering

Question 7

Biogeographical processes

Answer 7

Invasion - Foreign species enter ecosystem e.g. crown of thorns starfish.

succession - evolution of ecological community overtime.

Question 8

Adjustments to natural stress

Answer 8

• modification
• resilience

Question 9

nature and rate of change - Coral Bleaching

Answer 9

Anthropogenically caused impacts of climate change and how it influences environment.
- catastrophic events

Question 10

nature and rate of change - Crown of thorns infestation

Answer 10

Crown of thorns can be defined as form of “natural change”, accelerated by human influence.

Question 11

nature and rate of change - pollution

Answer 11

Human induced change in nature, typically identified as result of runoff and chemicals, ending in river streams connected to GBR
- higher algal growth, bioaccumulation.
- gradual or catastrophic.

Question 12

Human impacts, positive and negative

Answer 12

Positive
- climate change, shipping, overfishing and tourism

negative
- tourism - 5.2bn and 64k jobs

• management - GBR Marine Park Authority

Question 13

Traditional management strategies

Answer 13

• Aboriginal philosophy - stewardship, 70 owner groups in GBR with social, cultural and economic links for 50k years.

Important to cultural value and way of life.
- art and culture
- totemic fulfilment
- source of resources

management strategy - size limit, seasonal hunting, assigning totems, maintaining small populations and low level technology.

Question 14

Contemporary management strategy

Answer 14

1. key contemporary management - establish as marine park 1975, heritage listing in 1981.
   - extensive research scientific
   - pressure from people living in area
   - management by GBR marine park authority.

Question 15

Marine park authority management

Answer 15

1. zoning
2. education and fees
3. improving water quality.