Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

Status of Coral Reefs of Australasia
of action has been published and bio-regionalisation schemes have been proposed that
identify gaps. Many significant reefs are already included in protected areas. The vast geographic
scale of Australia’s reef resources means that capacity for enforcement is limited, but human
pressures are generally light, economic status is high and the public supports conservation.
CORAL BLEACHING AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Coral bleaching has been reported from numerous locations around PNG since 1996. It
appears that the 1998 bleaching event was less severe in PNG than in Australia and many
other countries. In PNG, bleaching has also occurred outside El Niño periods, with the most
severe and widespread bleaching in PNG during 1996-1997, centred apparently on Milne
Bay with 54% of corals bleached. Most other areas had lower level of bleaching and good
recovery. Bleaching was reported from some areas in 1999 and has again been observed in
several locations during early 2000. The consequences of repeated bleaching events are
unknown but may include changes in community structure or degradation of reef diversity.
With the apparent increase in the frequency of bleaching events in PNG it is important that
coral bleaching and associated physical parameters, such as sea temperature, be
monitored in a coordinated manner. The likely effects of global climate change on reefs in
PNG remain unclear due to uncertainty about appropriate models for predicting changes in
temperature and sea level, the complex geological dynamics of PNG, and uncertainty about
the effects that increasing temperatures will have on coral communities. Nevertheless,
PROTECTING BIODIVERSITY - REPRESENTATIVE AREAS IN THE GREAT BARRIER REEF
MARINE PARK (GBRMP).
The GBRMP contains incredible biodiversity within the variety of habitats, which are
protected through a number of management tools; zoning, education, permits, and
management plans. To ensure all habitat types are adequately protected, the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) is using a ‘representative areas’ approach to
identify the different habitat types, assess threats and identify an appropriate level of
protection. The ‘Representative Areas Program’ contributes to an Australian review of
marine and terrestrial areas requiring protection for biodiversity. A representative area is
typical of the surrounding habitats at an ecosystem scale, with physical features,
oceanographic processes and ecological patterns representative of the full range of habitat
and ecosystem types. Recently, there has been a growing realisation of the need to
identify and protect representative examples of the diversity of habitats for species
dependent on those habitats, rather than focus on specific habitats or individual species.
Coral reefs are given higher levels of protection within the Marine Park, but other lessknown
and less-spectacular habitats are also important and should be represented within
highly protected zones. Consequently, GBRMPA has started a program to classify
representative habitats, review existing protected areas and identify candidate areas to
ensure protection of all representative habitats, with the process scheduled for completion
in late 2002. A major feature of the process is the involvement of a broad base of
stakeholders, who will provide input through meetings, workshops, written documents and
invitations for submissions.
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