Climate Change: Climate Change And The Great Barrier Reef

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Climate change and The Great Barrier Reef:
The Earth’s biosphere is being affected by climate change in numerous ways. The interactions that occur between the hydrosphere and atmosphere are leading to changes in our ocean’s chemistry that could be devastating to humans in the future generations to come. Climate change is the modification in the climate patterns. The effects of climate change have become particularly apparent from the mid to late 20th century onwards and have been substantially contributed to by the increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide produced by the use of fossil fuels.
Parts of the Great Barrier Reef are over 18 million years old. During this time sea levels have changed, with the Great Barrier Reef being left high and dry during the last ice age, turning into grassy plains. Sea levels rose as ice caps melted around 12 000 years ago, allowing corals to reestablish on old remnant reefs. It is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. The Great Barrier Reef is home to 1500 species of fish, 400 species of coral, 40000 species of Mollusk, 500 species of sea weed 215 species of birds, 16 species of sea snake and 6 species of turtle. However over time this diversity is rapidly decreasing, it is vital that the Great Barrier Reef is protected.
Climate change has affected biodiversity on the Great Barrier Reef significantly over the years and is continuing to have negative effects on the marine life. The rapid climate change puts the food chain at risk. Species of marine life are likely to decrease resulting in major biodiversity loss. Climate change has increased extreme weather such as flooding and cyclones. Extreme weather, such as cyclones has caused extensive amounts of physical damage to the reef, an exa...

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...he experiment consisted of two jars, one jar was filled with vinegar and the other jar had bicarbonate soda and vinegar in it. The bi-carb soda caused the temperature to rise. This is concerning because the sea temperatures are also rising. Healthy sea temperature is vital to reef building and controls the speed of coral reef development. Escalating sea temperature is endangering distribution and diversity of marine life.
In conclusion, the Great Barrier Reef is in danger due to climate change issues such as ocean acidification, greenhouse gasses and many others previously discussed. In order to protect the reef, changes in society need to be made. The reef is there for people to enjoy, not destroy however due to the careless life style we lead, the Great Barrier Reef is suffering. Society needs to make changes now before the reef becomes damaged beyond repair.

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