Factors Influencing the Spatiotemporal Variability in Satellite-derived Chlorophyll on the Queensland Continental Shelf
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Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Gabric, Albert
Other Supervisors
Cropp, Roger
Year published
2015
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Declines in coastal water quality are a global problem resulting in enhanced algal biomass, altered community compositions and changes to ecosystem structure and functioning. Poor water quality continues to have a detrimental impact on coral reef health. The abundance of hard corals in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region has reduced by 70% over the past century. Key threats such as coral bleaching, skeletal diseases, lack of reef recovery, and the proliferation of crown-of-thorns starfish in the GBR are all exacerbated by eutrophication. The inshore regions of the GBR are at risk of impacts from increased nutrient (as well ...
View more >Declines in coastal water quality are a global problem resulting in enhanced algal biomass, altered community compositions and changes to ecosystem structure and functioning. Poor water quality continues to have a detrimental impact on coral reef health. The abundance of hard corals in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region has reduced by 70% over the past century. Key threats such as coral bleaching, skeletal diseases, lack of reef recovery, and the proliferation of crown-of-thorns starfish in the GBR are all exacerbated by eutrophication. The inshore regions of the GBR are at risk of impacts from increased nutrient (as well as sediment and pesticide) loads delivered to the GBR waters. Therefore, the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 indicates the targets by 2018 should be at least a 50% reduction in anthropogenic dissolved inorganic nitrogen loads, and at least a 20% reduction in sediment and particulate nutrients in priority areas. Fluvial discharge is a primary source of nutrients for algae growth in the GBR lagoon although upwelling, mineral dust deposition, biological nitrogen fixation, and rainfall can also be sources of new nutrients. Fluvial discharges of sediment and nutrients and their impacts on the GBR have been previously studied to describe the presence, nature and extent of land-derived contaminants in GBR waters. Upwelling is also a source of nutrients for the GBR ecosystem, with this study examining a hitherto unidentified seasonal chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) anomaly likely due to upwelling on shelf waters to the southeast of Fraser Island and also off Stradbroke Island
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View more >Declines in coastal water quality are a global problem resulting in enhanced algal biomass, altered community compositions and changes to ecosystem structure and functioning. Poor water quality continues to have a detrimental impact on coral reef health. The abundance of hard corals in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region has reduced by 70% over the past century. Key threats such as coral bleaching, skeletal diseases, lack of reef recovery, and the proliferation of crown-of-thorns starfish in the GBR are all exacerbated by eutrophication. The inshore regions of the GBR are at risk of impacts from increased nutrient (as well as sediment and pesticide) loads delivered to the GBR waters. Therefore, the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 indicates the targets by 2018 should be at least a 50% reduction in anthropogenic dissolved inorganic nitrogen loads, and at least a 20% reduction in sediment and particulate nutrients in priority areas. Fluvial discharge is a primary source of nutrients for algae growth in the GBR lagoon although upwelling, mineral dust deposition, biological nitrogen fixation, and rainfall can also be sources of new nutrients. Fluvial discharges of sediment and nutrients and their impacts on the GBR have been previously studied to describe the presence, nature and extent of land-derived contaminants in GBR waters. Upwelling is also a source of nutrients for the GBR ecosystem, with this study examining a hitherto unidentified seasonal chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) anomaly likely due to upwelling on shelf waters to the southeast of Fraser Island and also off Stradbroke Island
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Thesis Type
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Degree Program
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School
Griffith School of Environment
Copyright Statement
The author owns the copyright in this thesis, unless stated otherwise.
Item Access Status
Public
Subject
Water quality
Great Barrier Reef
Coral reef health