Environmental Science And Sustainability: The Great Barrier Reef
Phase 1 Individual Project
Kathrina Nguyen
SCI201-1404A-13 Environmental Science and Sustainability
Coral reef
Coral reefs are beautifully seen in shallow areas, such as the Australia’s eastern coast, also known as the “The Great Barrier Reef”. The reef covers an area over 300,000 square kilometers. Amazingly enough, the Great Barrier Reef also covers wide range of ocean depth. People consider that the coral reef is the most complex ecosystem on Earth.
Abiotic Components
There are two major abiotic factors, Temperature and Sunlight. The Great Barrier Reef is an aquatic ecosystem, in which it has more abiotic factors. The additional abiotic factors are “buoyancy, viscosity, light penetration, salts, gases and water density.” (Batema, …show more content…
2014)
Biotic components
The Great Barrier Reef’s major biotic components are Plants and Bacteria.
The bacteria is able to create energy by breaking down dead organic matter and then converting it. Once it’s turned into energy, other living things that live in the ecosystem can use it. Plants also can create energy by converting the sun light into energy for food and to serve food for primary consumers. (Batema, 2014)
Biogeochemical cycle
The components in numerous forms flow from the nonliving, also known as abiotic, to the living, also known as biotic, components of the biosphere and back to the nonliving again. For all the living things that live in the Great Barrier Reef to survive, all the chemical elements that make up living cells must be recycled continuously. (Batema, 2014)
The Carbon Cycle
The biosphere contains carbon, in which is continuously reused in geologic time. The Great Barrier Reef is essential to the carbon cycle of the planet. It is because by taking calcium ions and dissolved carbon dioxide from the water and turning it into calcium carbonate forming the reefs hard skeletons. This allows our oceans to become a sink for the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (Eoearth, 2011; Batema, 2014)
Nitrogen …show more content…
cycle
The nitrogen compound falls into the ocean, which we know as precipitation (water cycle). Nitrogen Fixing bacteria on sea weed and sea grasses convert unusable nitrogen in sand to usable nitrogen compounds, in which are then in the soil. The nitrogen compounds are taken in by the coral reefs. Are then consumed by various sea life like the sea turtle. Decaying organic matter and animal waste return nitrogen compound, in which is then converted to nitrogen gas by the bacteria that is in the sand. The nitrogen gas is then released back into the air. (Batema, 2014; Reef Recovery Initiative , 2011)
Disturbance and Recovery
The Great Barrier Reef is at risk from the rising ocean temperatures and ocean acidification.
When the ocean temperature rises, so does the amount of coral is being bleached (death). As carbon dioxide continues to increase in our atmosphere, it is also pulled down into our oceans. Coral reefs act as a sink for carbon dioxide, but they cannot uptake it all and the ocean is becoming more acidic due to increased dissolved carbon dioxide levels. Reef resistance is how well a coral reef is able to tolerate disturbances such as rising temperatures or the degree to which such impacts alter reef communities and ecosystems. Resilience factors can be grouped into two categories: ecological and spatial. The ecological factor; coral reef diversity and species abundance is often dependent on a wide array of herbivorous fish and invertebrates that keep the amount of algae on the reef in check. Spatial factors that affect resilience include genetic diversity and connectivity between reefs for larval dispersal and larval recruitment. (Great Barrier Reef,
n.d.)
References
Batema, C. (2014). The Major Biotic & Abiotic Components of the Ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef. Retrieved from Global Post : http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/major-biotic-abiotic-components-ecosystem-great-barrier-reef-31685.html
Eoearth. (2011, 31 july). Conservation Biology. Retrieved from Coral reef resilience: http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151488/
Great Barrier Reef. (n.d.). Great Barrier Reef Threats. Retrieved from Great Barrier Reef: http://www.greatbarrierreef.com.au/information/great-barrier-reef-threats/
Reef Recovery Initiative . (2011, June 09). Coral Reef. Retrieved from Reef Recovery Initiative : http://www.reefrecovery.org/coral-reefs
Kathrina Nguyen
SCI201-1404A-13 Environmental Science and Sustainability
Coral reef
Coral reefs are beautifully seen in shallow areas, such as the Australia’s eastern coast, also known as the “The Great Barrier Reef”. The reef covers an area over 300,000 square kilometers. Amazingly enough, the Great Barrier Reef also covers wide range of ocean depth. People consider that the coral reef is the most complex ecosystem on Earth.
Abiotic Components
There are two major abiotic factors, Temperature and Sunlight. The Great Barrier Reef is an aquatic ecosystem, in which it has more abiotic factors. The additional abiotic factors are “buoyancy, viscosity, light penetration, salts, gases and water density.” (Batema, …show more content…
2014)
Biotic components
The Great Barrier Reef’s major biotic components are Plants and Bacteria.
The bacteria is able to create energy by breaking down dead organic matter and then converting it. Once it’s turned into energy, other living things that live in the ecosystem can use it. Plants also can create energy by converting the sun light into energy for food and to serve food for primary consumers. (Batema, 2014)
Biogeochemical cycle
The components in numerous forms flow from the nonliving, also known as abiotic, to the living, also known as biotic, components of the biosphere and back to the nonliving again. For all the living things that live in the Great Barrier Reef to survive, all the chemical elements that make up living cells must be recycled continuously. (Batema, 2014)
The Carbon Cycle
The biosphere contains carbon, in which is continuously reused in geologic time. The Great Barrier Reef is essential to the carbon cycle of the planet. It is because by taking calcium ions and dissolved carbon dioxide from the water and turning it into calcium carbonate forming the reefs hard skeletons. This allows our oceans to become a sink for the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (Eoearth, 2011; Batema, 2014)
Nitrogen …show more content…
cycle
The nitrogen compound falls into the ocean, which we know as precipitation (water cycle). Nitrogen Fixing bacteria on sea weed and sea grasses convert unusable nitrogen in sand to usable nitrogen compounds, in which are then in the soil. The nitrogen compounds are taken in by the coral reefs. Are then consumed by various sea life like the sea turtle. Decaying organic matter and animal waste return nitrogen compound, in which is then converted to nitrogen gas by the bacteria that is in the sand. The nitrogen gas is then released back into the air. (Batema, 2014; Reef Recovery Initiative , 2011)
Disturbance and Recovery
The Great Barrier Reef is at risk from the rising ocean temperatures and ocean acidification.
When the ocean temperature rises, so does the amount of coral is being bleached (death). As carbon dioxide continues to increase in our atmosphere, it is also pulled down into our oceans. Coral reefs act as a sink for carbon dioxide, but they cannot uptake it all and the ocean is becoming more acidic due to increased dissolved carbon dioxide levels. Reef resistance is how well a coral reef is able to tolerate disturbances such as rising temperatures or the degree to which such impacts alter reef communities and ecosystems. Resilience factors can be grouped into two categories: ecological and spatial. The ecological factor; coral reef diversity and species abundance is often dependent on a wide array of herbivorous fish and invertebrates that keep the amount of algae on the reef in check. Spatial factors that affect resilience include genetic diversity and connectivity between reefs for larval dispersal and larval recruitment. (Great Barrier Reef,
n.d.)
References
Batema, C. (2014). The Major Biotic & Abiotic Components of the Ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef. Retrieved from Global Post : http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/major-biotic-abiotic-components-ecosystem-great-barrier-reef-31685.html
Eoearth. (2011, 31 july). Conservation Biology. Retrieved from Coral reef resilience: http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/151488/
Great Barrier Reef. (n.d.). Great Barrier Reef Threats. Retrieved from Great Barrier Reef: http://www.greatbarrierreef.com.au/information/great-barrier-reef-threats/
Reef Recovery Initiative . (2011, June 09). Coral Reef. Retrieved from Reef Recovery Initiative : http://www.reefrecovery.org/coral-reefs