Page 18 - Port Douglas Magazine 28

(managed by the Department of the Environment and Energy) and
the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.
The consortium* were given the task to assess the feasibility of large- What Are Coral Reefs And Corals?
scale interventions for restoration and adaptation of the Reef and to Corals consist of tiny animals called polyps (close
develop the roadmap for making these interventions a reality. The relatives of sea anemones and jellyfish). For
aim was to create and deliver a model that could be used for reefs ‘hard” corals these tiny animals produce calcium
around the world. This work is predicted to take a decade and is carbonate exoskeletons (like tiny shell homes).
akin to landing the first man on the moon. These minute homes when made by many polyps
Under the Reef Trust Partnership, the Australian Government has create vast coral tower blocks and cities which
made an investment of $100m into Reef Restoration and Adaptation make up the coral reef. As the polyps die, this hard
program (known as “RRAP”). This investment will be supplemented exoskeleton becomes the foundation for the next
with funding raised by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. coral ‘home’, the builder’s rubble of the marine
world. Soft corals don’t have exoskeletons and can
fit in comfortably between the gaps.
“Port Douglas is not only the gateway to What Is Coral Bleaching?
the Great Barrier Reef but is also now at Coral has a friend called zooxanthellae (sounds
the epicentre of a range of exciting research like jelly), which is an algae that lives in harmony
in the coral, turning carbon dioxide into sugars that
projects to ensure that our reefs, and the they and the coral feed off. The coral polyps grow
precious eco systems that it supports, are quicker on this sugar diet rather than just plankton.
It’s the zooxanthellae that gives the coral its colour.
ahead of the game.” Zooxanthellae don’t have the benefit of A/C and
can’t stand hot water. If they get too warm, they
get stressed and instead of producing sugar they
produce toxic waste which poison the coral.
Their half way plan in 2023 will present innovative ways to make Sensibly, the coral polyps gives the zooxanthellae
corals stronger and thermally tolerant with proposals on how to its marching orders and expels it. This is when the
implement this and how to switch from small scale to full scale
coral then returns to its natural white “bleaching”
implementation. colour.
Other innovative work supported by the Great Barrier Reef This bleached coral can survive for a few months
Foundation include: but does need the zooxanthellae to return to
• Sunblock for the Reef - Scientists are testing biodegradable continue its effective feeding, which they will only
surface films blocking up to 30% of light entering the water do once the sea temperature has dropped. If it
they’re applied to. If tests are successful, the ‘sun shield’ could is too long, then the coral is unable to feed itself
be used to reduce the impact of bleaching on high value or effectively and will die leaving behind its white
high-risk areas of reef. exoskeleton.
• In Nov 2017 a team of scientists used their knowledge of coral Why are Coral Reefs Important?
sex. By catching the eggs and sperm of the coral produced in Coral reef ecosystems are important for many
their once-in-a-year spawning, they developed millions of reasons:
coral larvae. The larvae were released into large enclosures off
Heron Island on special tiles and growth was monitored. This • While coral reefs cover only 0.0025 percent of
the oceanic floor, they generate half of Earth’s
was the first time this ‘reseeding’ method had been used in
Australia and successfully resulted in the accelerated forming oxygen and absorb nearly one-third of the
of colonies. carbon dioxide generated from burning fossil
fuels.
• The RangerBot - No, not a futuristic comic character – but a
partnership between the coral IVF scientist and the RangerBot • They remove and recycle carbon dioxide,
which is a gas that contributes to global
robotics team. The RangerBot has been modified to deliver
heat-tolerant coral ‘babies’ that were collected during the 2018 warming.
spawning to damaged reef areas. • Protect coastlines from the damaging effects
of wave action and tropical storms - here in
• Cryoreservation - Reef Recovery program to cryopreserve
the Reef which brings together Taronga Conservation Society Port Douglas we can see the protective effect
Australia, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the of the reef as the shore is protected from wave
action (not so good for surfing, but perfect for
Smithsonian Institute to create the largest bio-bank of frozen
corals in the world. This project involves freezing and banking kite surfing).
coral sperm in a bid to safeguard at-risk species and their • Provides shelter for juvenile fish and a habitat
genetic diversity. for many marine organisms to provide bio-
The Great Barrier Reef is under continual stress. Without the oceans diversity and ensure a healthy food chain.
absorbing the excess heat in our world we would all be living in a • Assists in carbon and nitrogen fixing and
sweltering 50 degrees celsius. As the oceans warm, the marine life helps with nutrient recycling.
within them suffer, a dead ocean is a dead world. • The Great Barrier Reef through fishing and
Moving away from fossil fuels and taking individual responsibility tourism contributes 5 billion dollars every
about our own eco footprints could ensure that the ominous year to the Australian economy.
projectory we are taking could be slowed down. With the amazing • Coral is used in the medical field. Scientists
scope of research work being carried out, the preservation and can grow new bone cells within coral, which
rejuvenation of coral reefs around the world might still stand a can be used in cosmetic and reconstructive
chance to survive into the next generation. 70% of our world is surgery. It is also used as a calcium
underwater, this is truly OUR world down to each tiny polyp. supplement to treat multiple sclerosis and
* (Australian Institute Of Marine Science - AIMS, Commonwealth Scientific prevent cancer, heart disease and other
and Industrial Research Organisation - CSIRO, James Cook University - JCU, chronic health problems.
University of Queensland – UQ, Queensland University of Technology, QUT,
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority - GBRMPA and Great Barrier Reef
Foundation - GBRF)
18 tourismportdouglas.com.au