• ECOS - Towards a Sustainable Future
Ecos Issue 151 - Table of Contents

 

Spotlight on CSIRO

Geothermal energy: clean and sustainable energy for the future

CSIRO Science Education Centres

 

Do sediments sully the reef?

About one-quarter of the Queensland land surface drains into the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Runoff of sediments, nutrients and other pollutants has increased several-fold since before European settlement, but the issue of impact on the reef has been contentions. Most of the sediment and nutrients come from cattle grazing. Sugarcane production also makes a disproportionate contribution to sediment, nitrogen and phosphorus discharge. Flood plumes tend to hug the coast and the greatest pressure due to runoff seems to be on some 200 near-shore reefs. Evidence for deleterious impacts on coral reefs is growing.




    
 
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Climate Change

Climate Change

Leading climate researcher Barrie Pittock revisits the effects that global warming is having on our planet.