This analysis supported a related study by (Pandolfi et al. 2004) who found a strong negative trend in coral abundance on Great Barrier Reef sites going back to 1960. One of the first of these was (Bellwood et al. The idea is that if these sources are carefully vetted for a certain level of quality and rigor, then the dataset of numbers on things like the abundance of coral on coral reefs at a certain time in recent history can be established. These studies are referred to as meta-studies given that they depend on drawing numbers from published papers. Several research groups have assembled datasets from the growing number of studies that have been undertaken on the Great Barrier Reef.
Barrier reef full#
Full details can be obtained in the study reported by Wachenfeld (1997).
Matched photographs of the same section of reef taken around 1890 by William Saville- Kent and again in 1994 by Andrew Elliott. These studies are revealing that major changes have been occurring in coastal coral communities, with the general trend that coral communities have converted into seaweed communities that are very different to the coral communities of old.įigure 1. Several more recent studies have been exploring sediments using push coring and radioisotope dating techniques, which is allowing a reconstruction of past communities based on the sediments that have built-up. The criticism that arises is that had that happen, we might have seen an equal and opposite set of photographs in which coral returns to coastal reef flats. However, it is important to acknowledge that photographers probably went out to photograph 'beautiful' areas of the reef as opposed to areas without coral cover. Photographic analysis is a very direct way of assessing whether or not coral reefs have declined at particular locations. At four sites, there was evidence of change in the health of intertidal reef communities, while at the 4 remaining sites, coral had more or less disappeared from the intertidal reef areas (Wachenfeld 1997). The results revealed no change in reefs systems at 6 out of the 14 sites where it was possible to compare photographs from 100 or more years ago. He then organised photographs to be taken in exactly the same spot of the same reef systems. Wachenfeld searched photographic archives of pictures of intertidal coral reef systems going back over 100 years.
David Wachenfeld of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. One of the first and most direct way has been via 'before and after' photographs assembled by Dr. Historic photographic analysis (> late 19th century) This area is not without its controversy, which is discussed elsewhere at Skeptical Science by Professor John Bruno (University of North Carolina) and others. This evidence comes from a number of key sources. is it really "in fine fettle")?ĭespite being one of the best managed marine ecosystems worldwide, there is evidence that the ecological 'health' of the Great Barrier Reef has declined since the arrival of European settlers into the Queensland region. What's the current state of the GBR (i.e. The Great Barrier Reef is in fine fettle ( Bob Carter)
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Skeptical Science New Research for Week #28 2022.
Barrier reef software#
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