A Study Guide by Dave Crewe

CAN WE SAVE THE REEF? http://www.metromagazine.com.au http://theeducationshop.com.au A STUDY GUIDE BY © ATOM 2018. ISBN: 978-1-76061-146-0 DAVE CREWE Can We Save the Reef? is the epic story of Australian and international scientists who are racing to understand our greatest natural wonder, and employing bold new science in an attempt to save it. Professor Emma Johnston is a passionate diver, leading marine biologist and board member of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. It’s part of her mission as a scientist, and an Australian, to protect our Reef. Both hard-hitting and hopeful, Professor Johnston shows us how no two reefs are the same and how other reef systems, like those in Hawaii, are proving to be valuable testing grounds for what can be done at home to help our Reef survive. Working with Australian scientist Dr Madeleine van Oppen, Dr Ruth Gates in Hawaii is identifying INTRODUCTION and testing coral species with the greatest resilience – part of their joint work to breed Can We Save the Reef? is an Australian coral under warmer, more acidic, future-ocean documentary written and directed by Adam conditions. Here in Australia, at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Dr Madeleine Geiger. The documentary explores the van Oppen is pioneering ways to breed hardier feasibility of scientific interventions to protect Great Barrier Reef corals – and, to breed and preserve the Great Barrier Reef. more resilient algae (their symbionts and food source) to keep more coral alive. Host Professor Off Australia’s Northeast Coast lies a wonder Johnston explores when and how science should of the world; a living structure so big it can be intervene to put hardy new coral species on the Reef, and whether the pitfalls of new genetics seen from space ... more intricate and complex could do more harm than good in the world’s than any city... and so diverse it hosts a third most diverse and complex coral reef ecosystem.1 of all fish species in Australia. This is the Great Barrier Reef; 2,600km of coral reefs, lagoons, islands and deep channels — a living fortress that meets the relentless power of the sea head-on, and protects Australia’s coast. A name recognized by most, but understood by only a handful of intrepid people. The Great Barrier Reef as we know it – 8,000 years old and home to nearly 10,000 marine species – is dying in our lifetime. CONTENT HYPERLINKS 3 CURRICULUM LINKS 7 THE HEALTH OF THE REEF 3 DOCUMENTARY PARTICIPANTS 9 SCIENTIFIC INTERVENTION 2018 © ATOM 5 CORAL BIOLOGY ACTIVITIES 10 CAN WE SAVE THE REEF? 6 THE GREATNESS OF THE BARRIER REEF 2 DOCUMENTARY PARTICIPANTS Professor Emma Johnston is Dean of faculty appointments in the Departments of Zoology and Science at UNSW Sydney. She is a leading authority in Oceanography, since 2003, and Molecular Biosciences and marine ecology, one of just five Board Members for the Great Bioengineering, since 2008. In 2010 she was a Sabbatical Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA), and a former Fellow at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) at UNSW. Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara. Professor Johnston has an exceptional research career. She Dr Gates was the winner of the Paul Allen X-Prize Ocean is head of the Applied Marine and Estuarine Ecology Lab at Challenge to Mitigate Impacts of Ocean Acidification (2013), UNSW, and has led major research projects for industry, gov- named Distinguished Woman Scholar by the University of ernment, the Australian Research Council and the Australian Victoria, Canada (2015), elected President of the International Antarctic Science Program. She was the inaugural director Society for Reef Studies (2015-2019), won Scientist of the of the Sydney Harbour Research Program at the Sydney Year 2015 by the ARCS Foundation, and has more than 100 Institute of Marine Science. refereed scientific publications.3 Her UNSW research group investigates the ecology of hu- Professor Madeleine van Oppen man impacts in marine systems, combining the diverse disci- holds a halftime position as a Chair in Marine Biology at the plines of ecology, microbiology and ecotoxicology to expand University of Melbourne (School of BioSciences) and a half- fundamental understanding and provide recommendations time position as a Senior Principal Research Scientist at the for management. Her research is conducted in such diverse Australian Institute of Marine Science.4 Professor van Oppen field environments as Antarctica, the Great Barrier Reef and is also a Senior Principal Research Scientist in the Australian temperate Australian estuaries.2 Government’s “A Healthy and Resilient GBR” Program. Dr Ruth Gates is the Director of the Hawaii Madeleine’s research focuses on coral reef restoration, in Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB). She held postdoc- particular the development of coral stock better able to cope toral positions from 1990–2002 in four different labs in the with disturbed environments and predicted future ocean Department of Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution conditions (i.e., assisted evolution). This includes the study at the University of California, Los Angeles, and an Assistant of microbial symbiosis in corals, and the genetic and epige- Researcher position there from 2002-2003. netic mechanisms of adaptation/acclimatisation to climate change. She also uses population genomic approaches to Since 2003 she has held successive Researcher posi- understand connectivity among coral reefs and signatures of tions in the HIMB. She has University of Hawaii graduate selection in corals.5 CURRICULUM LINKS Can We Save the Reef? is suitable for students undertaking: and possible interventions allow students to demonstrate Questioning, Analysing, Evaluating and Reflecting, and • YEAR 4-5 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES Communicating skills. • YEAR 6 SCIENCE • YEAR 9-10 SCIENCE As a curriculum resource in Science, Can We Save the • YEAR 10 GEOGRAPHY Reef? is primarily relevant to the Biological Sciences strand of Science Understanding. Investigations around questions © ATOM 2018 © ATOM As a curriculum resource in Humanities and Social Sciences, of the sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef and possible Can We Save the Reef? is primarily relevant to the Geography interventions allow students to develop their Science Inquiry strand of Knowledge and Understanding. Investigations skills. In Year 9-10 Science, this resource is also applicable to around questions of the sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef Science as a Human Endeavour. There are opportunities to 3 include elements of these activities into earlier and later years of Relevant Content Descriptors for Year 6 Science study, but this resource is best suited to these two year Science: levels. - The growth and survival of living things are affected by As a curriculum resource in Year 10 Geography, Can We Save physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094) the Reef? is an excellent stimulus or source material for the - With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make Environmental Change and Management Unit. Teachers could predictions about scientific investigations (ACSIS232) incorporate this program wholly into an extended research task - Reflect on and suggest improvements to scientific where students extrapolate upon the resource’s exploration investigations (ACSIS108) of responses to the crisis facing the Great Barrier Reef (and international equivalents), or could be used to model the Relevant Content Descriptors for Year 9 process that they would expect to undergo in a similar task. Science: Teachers are advised to consult the Australian Curriculum online - Multi-cellular organisms rely on coordinated and at https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ and curriculum interdependent internal systems to respond to changes to outlines relevant to their state or territory for further information. their environment (ACSSU175) - Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent Relevant Content Descriptors for Year 4 organisms and abiotic components of the environment; Humanities and Social Sciences: matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176) - Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the - Pose questions to investigate people, events, places and focus of scientific research (ACSHE228) issues (ACHASSI073) - Formulate questions or hypotheses that can be investigated - Draw simple conclusions based on analysis of information scientifically (ACSIS164) and data (ACHASSI079) - Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions - Interact with others with respect to share points of view that are consistent with evidence (ACSIS170) (ACHASSI080) - Reflect on learning to propose actions in response to Relevant Content Descriptors for Year 10 an issue or challenge and consider possible effects of Science: proposed actions (ACHASSI081) - Present ideas, findings and conclusions in texts and modes - Transmission of heritable characteristics from one that incorporate digital and non-digital representations and generation to the next involves DNA and genes (ACSSU184) discipline-specific terms (ACHASSI082) - The theory of evolution by natural selection explains the - The importance of environments, including natural diversity of living things and is supported by a range of vegetation, to animals and people (ACHASSK088) scientific evidence (ACSSU185) Relevant Content Descriptors for Year 5 Relevant Content Descriptors for Year 10 Humanities and Social Sciences Geography – Unit 1: Environmental change and management

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