Searead 28 Final

Issue 28 • May/June 2009 Research reveals rapid reef recovery What’s inside Window to the Reef provides glimpse of wild weather impacts 3 Graziers dedicate land for environmental rehabilitation 4 Coastal bird training takes flight 5 First-hand experience to make bright Reefs in the Keppels have recovered (left) from coral bleaching in 2006 (right) – photographs courtesy of Dr Guillermo Diaz-Pulido future decisions 6 Research has uncovered spectacular recovery of coral reefs in the Keppel Bay area of the Great Lessons from the Barrier Reef Marine Park after they were severely affected by coral bleaching in 2006. Great Barrier Reef could help other A lucky combination of rare circumstances enabled these reefs to recover from damage caused by precious corals 8 severe bleaching and being smothered by seaweed that year. The recovery is linked to an exceptional combination of previously-underestimated ecological mechanisms and the benefits of a well-protected marine area. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Chairman Russell Reichelt welcomed the research that showed good coral recovery from bleaching. "This research confirms marine protected areas are beneficial in building the health of the Reef against the impacts of climate change," he said. "While this research brings good news, we are certainly not underestimating the damage climate change can cause. "We cannot afford to be complacent and we are continuing to look at ways to build the health of the Reef in all areas so that it is able to withstand the impacts of climate change." The research pinpointed three main factors for the coral recovery. DISCLAIMER Exceptionally high re-growth of surviving coral tissue fragments combined with unusual seasonal While all efforts have been dieback in the seaweeds and the presence of a highly competitive coral species that was able to out- made to verify facts, the Great Barrier Reef Marine grow the seaweed. Park Authority takes no responsibility for the The research was funded by GBRMPA, ARC Centre of Excellence and a Pew Fellowship in Marine accuracy of information supplied in SeaRead. Conservation awarded to Dr Laurence McCook from the GBRMPA. ISSN 1834-6774 Laurence, one of the research authors, said understanding the different mechanisms of resilience Copyright Commonwealth was critical for reef management under climate change. of Australia Please note that you are "Diversity in processes may well be critical to the overall resilience and persistence of coral reef welcome to photocopy SeaRead. However, if the ecosystems globally," he said. text is reproduced separately, it must not be altered and "This combination of circumstances provided a lucky escape for the coral reefs in Keppel Islands, must acknowledge the but is also a clear warning for the Great Barrier Reef. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority as the "As climate change and other human impacts intensify, we need to do everything we possibly source. Illustrations must not be reused separately can to protect the resilience of coral reefs." without permission. Please contact the Great Barrier The research was published in the paper "Doom and boom on a resilient reef: Climate change, algal Reef Marine Park Authority if in doubt. overgrowth and coral recovery", in the journal PLoS ONE, by Guillermo Diaz-Pulido, Laurence J. McCook, Sophie Dove, Ray Berkelmans, George Roff, David I. Kline, Scarla Weeks, Richard D. Evans, David H. www.gbrmpa.gov.au Williamson and Ove Hoegh-Guldberg. There is no doubt this past summer extensive and persistent flooding of is great to see canegrowers and saw mixed blessings for the Reef. rivers. graziers embracing the Australian However, this month’s front page Research currently being Government’s Reef Rescue Package. Searead shows that the Reef does undertaken suggests these There has been some recent media have the amazing ability to bounce floodwaters appear to have combined about a proposal to close the Coral Sea back under the right circumstances. with moderately high water to fishing. I would like to clarify that A joint research project between temperatures to cause localised the GBRMPA is not responsible for the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park bleaching, especially in shallow management in the Coral Sea. The Authority (GBRMPA), ARC Centre of inshore reefs between Townsville and Coral Sea falls within the Australian Excellence and Pew Fellowship has Cairns. Government’s marine bioregional found coral reefs in the Keppel Bay Cyclone Hamish has also played planning process and is a matter for area have recovered in remarkable into the suite of summer stresses, the Minister for the Environment, fashion since being severely affected causing damage to many reefs in the Heritage and the Arts. There have by coral bleaching in 2006. southern Great Barrier Reef. been suggestions in the media that this proposal will reopen the Great While this is welcome news it We continue to work closely with Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan. should be remembered that this our partner organisations, including There are no plans to reopen the recovery was due to a very lucky the Queensland Department of Zoning Plan. The Act states that the combination of rare circumstances Environment and Resource Minister cannot approve a review of a which cannot be relied upon to occur Management, Australian Institute of zoning plan until the plan has been in in future years. Marine Science, James Cook operation for at least seven years. In It is more important than ever to University and the Marine and the case of the current Zoning Plan, ensure we have a healthy and Tropical Science Research Facility to while a review could not occur before resilient ecosystem to give the Reef determine the combined impacts of July 2011, it is not a mandatory the best possible chance to resist these events. We will bring you more requirement after this date and there and/or recover from the cumulative information on this research as it are no plans to reopen the zoning impacts of climate change. Good comes to hand. process. water quality is essential for the In other news, I was pleased to be proper functioning of the Reef’s invited to speak to the members of Regards ecological systems if it is to have any the Board of Mackay Canegrowers chance of enduring the impacts of recently and to hear about some of climate change. the innovative practices being While we managed to avoid the adopted by canegrowers in their catastrophic heating that was region to help improve the quality of predicted at the start of summer, the water flowing to the Great Barrier heavy monsoonal conditions that Reef. Similarly, I welcome the averted severe heating brought other initiatives by the grazing industry stresses to the region in the form of profiled in this edition of Searead. It "MCL growers have been working practices as a win-win for both the Reef health on hard to understand and improve their Reef and land managers," he said. Mackay farming environments and welcome "We recognise that many local cane the opportunity to gain a greater growers have already adopted on- Canegrowers understanding of the results of their farm practices that will improve the hard work. quality of water entering the Great radar "Mackay growers have responded Barrier Reef. enthusiastically to the Australian "The Mackay/Whitsunday cane The members of the Board of Government’s $200 million Reef farming community's involvement in Mackay Canegrowers Limited (MCL) Rescue Plan. In fact, the program has identifying best practices and in lead- welcomed Great Barrier Reef Marine been over-subscribed for this financial ing the development of tools for Park Authority (GBRMPA) year." Chairman Russell Reichelt to their recording what practices farmers are Russell said the meeting was a great Board meeting recently. implementing, has moved us a long opportunity to help strengthen the way to understanding just what can MCL Chairman Paul Schembri said relationship between the GBRMPA be achieved. Board members were very keen to and the Mackay Canegrowers. hear what Russell had to say. "We applaud the efforts so far and "The GBRMPA believes Mackay look forward to working with "We were all keen to hear his Canegrowers have a good under- Canegrowers to foster the widespread assessment of the current reef envi- standing of the links between their uptake of these practices across the ronment," he said. environment and the Reef and sees industry in the Mackay/Whitsunday improving land management region." The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority 2 email: [email protected] "To help level out salinity in the Russell Reichelt said corals at Reef Window to the tank, we added six tonnes of salt HQ were lucky to have avoided the Reef provides over two weeks." same levels of damage experienced The six tonnes only managed to by the Reef due to their relative glimpse of wild raise the salinity by one part per protection. thousand, which is like increasing "Keeping sensitive coral alive and weather impacts the salinity of a bathtub full of well is extremely challenging and water by one teaspoon of salt. Reef HQ has a team of people It may not be the real Great working constantly to improve Barrier Reef, but the live coral But this initiative, coupled with environmental conditions and keep display at Reef HQ Aquarium in a reprieve from the rain, has seen the corals as healthy as possible," Townsville certainly felt the brunt the tank bounce back. he said. of summer just like its namesake. On the real Reef, freshwater "While the real Reef can’t receive The coral at the aquarium flood plumes are extremely the same level of intensive care as suffered from summer’s warmer stressful to corals and can cause Reef HQ, there were ways to help temperatures and heavy rainfall in wide scale coral bleaching, death build the health of the reef against the same way that these events and long-term damage.

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