Biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef-how adequately is it protected?

PeerJ
Zoe T Richards, Jon C Day

Abstract

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the world's most iconic coral reef ecosystem, recognised internationally as a World Heritage Area of outstanding significance. Safeguarding the biodiversity of this universally important reef is a core legislative objective; however, ongoing cumulative impacts including widespread coral bleaching and other detrimental impacts have heightened conservation concerns for the future of the GBR. Here we review the literature to report on processes threatening species on the GBR, the status of marine biodiversity, and evaluate the extent of species-level monitoring and reporting. We assess how many species are listed as threatened at a global scale and explore whether these same species are protected under national threatened species legislation. We conclude this review by providing future directions for protecting potentially endangered elements of biodiversity within the GBR. Most of the threats identified to be harming the diversity of marine life on the GBR over the last two-three decades remain to be effectively addressed and many are worsening. The inherent resilience of this globally significant coral reef ecosystem has been seriously compromised and various elements of the biological diversity f...Continue Reading

References

May 17, 2000·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·S J Andelman, W F Fagan
Aug 23, 2005·Journal of Environmental Management·Colin J Legg, Laszlo Nagy
Oct 26, 2005·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·John D ReynoldsJeffrey A Hutchings
Apr 11, 2006·PLoS Biology·Paul J Ferraro, Subhrendu K Pattanayak
Aug 22, 2006·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·James D Nichols, Byron K Williams
May 10, 2007·PLoS Biology·John F BrunoAmy M Melendy
Nov 23, 2007·Ecology Letters·Toby A GardnerCarlos A Peres
Oct 14, 2008·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Madeleine C BottrillHugh P Possingham
Jan 3, 2009·Science·Glenn De'athKatharina E Fabricius
Jan 29, 2010·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Mayeul DalleauFrancesca Benzoni
Aug 31, 2010·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Terry P HughesRobert S Steneck
Oct 28, 2010·Science·Henrique M PereiraMatt Walpole
Feb 22, 2011·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Natalie StoecklRobert Costanza
Jul 14, 2011·Ecology Letters·Howard B WilsonHugh P Possingham
Aug 7, 2012·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Joslin L Moore, Michael C Runge
Sep 7, 2012·PloS One·Philip Francis ThomsenEske Willerslev
Oct 3, 2012·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Glenn De'athMarji Puotinen
Oct 25, 2012·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·P R SutcliffeH P Possingham
Jan 26, 2013·Ecology Letters·Michel Loreau, Claire de Mazancourt
Jan 26, 2013·Science·Mark J CostelloNigel E Stork
Dec 18, 2013·Scientific Reports·Lorenzo Alvarez-FilipRoberto Iglesias-Prieto
Jan 24, 2014·PloS One·Zoe T Richards, Jean-Paul A Hobbs
Mar 7, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Steven W PurcellAnnie Mercier
Aug 16, 2014·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Lucie M BlandJon Bielby
Feb 3, 2015·Current Biology : CB·Thomas J Webb, Beth L Mindel
Apr 30, 2015·Conservation Biology : the Journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·Paul BeierFabio Albuquerque
May 6, 2015·Current Biology : CB·Mark J Costello
Oct 20, 2015·Molecular Ecology·Alice ValentiniTony Dejean
Feb 9, 2017·Ecology and Evolution·Laurence J ClarkeBruce E Deagle
Mar 17, 2017·Nature·Terry P HughesShaun K Wilson
Jun 2, 2017·Nature·Rachel Cernansky
Aug 24, 2017·Scientific Reports·Julien TroudetFrédéric Legendre
Mar 15, 2018·PLoS Biology·Scott A ThomsonHong-Zhang Zhou

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Mar 12, 2020·Ecological Applications : a Publication of the Ecological Society of America·C MellinB Schaffelke
Jul 17, 2020·Journal of Fish Biology·Alistair J Cheal, Michael J Emslie
Apr 10, 2019·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Paul R MuirPim Bongaerts

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Google Scholar

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.