Australia's Rank of Marine Biodiversity
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Although marine biodiversity loss this century is most definitely on an international scale,
there is loss right at our doorstep. A good quality habitat is essential to support the species populations within the ecosystem and to allow natural ecological processes to occur and is the boundaries for a healthy ecosystem survival.
Summary of Source: The status of Australia's rate of marine biodiversity has been assessed by examining marine habitat quality, the health of the species, the level of population and the ecological processes that support the species and populations. The result of these assessments of marine biodiversity are summarised for each region of Australia and aggregated into a single national assessment and report card for biodiversity.
The overall assessment of biodiversity found that the north and north-west regions are in very good condition. This is also a result of being closer to the recently discussed Coral Triangle. The east and south-west regions are in good condition and although the south-east region is in poor condition, it is bordering towards good.
Detailed Habitat Quality Description:
South-west region: Whilst the habitats of the south-west region are overall in a good condition, there are a number of particular coastal areas of historical heavy impact where the effects remain—these include pollution and dredging of seagrass beds in Cockburn Sound, Perth; pollution-induced losses of seagrasses in Gulf St Vincent, Adelaide; and pollution of Albany harbours in Western Australia. Away from areas of coastal development or river run-off, many habitats remain in good condition.
North-west region: Much of this region is very remote and, it Is because of this that many habitats are considered to be very good and in nearly perfect condition. These include the large gulfs and bays, fringing coral reefs, and seagrass and algal bed systems of the Kimberley, and most of the offshore shoals and islands, canyons and shelf-break ecosystems of the region. Some of the world’s most extensive untouched tropical and subtropical habitats occur in the shallow waters of the Kimberley, Ningaloo Reef, Roebuck Bay and Shark Bay. In spite that, there are particular areas where the habitats are in very poor condition, such as near Dampier, Port Hedland and Onslow, where ports and shipping activities have heavily impacted coral and mangrove habitats. Offshore habitats are generally in good condition, although the deep water corals and sponges of
the North West Shelf are still considered to be heavily degraded and only slowly recovering from the extensive impacts of historical trawling, and some offshore islands have been heavily impacted by foreign fishing.
North region: Like the north-west, the habitats of the north region are also remote and pristine tropical habitats, and most are considered to be in very good condition. These include the near shore shallow-water marine systems, the extensive shoreline wetlands, and the bays and gulfs of the region. However, the pressures of coastal development are seen in some areas, such as Darwin Harbour and Melville Bay where a biologically dead area has been created by mining wastes. Most of the rivers are substantially unmodified. Exceptions are the Ord River, which is heavily modified by the Ord River Dam, resulting in substantial impacts on the estuarine habitats of the delta in Cambridge Gulf; and the Macarthur River, which is modified by mining.
East region: This region includes the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, the Coral Sea plateau and islands, Fraser Island, Sydney Harbour, Jervis Bay, and the many smaller islands, bays and estuaries of the NSW coast. Habitats of the northern part of the region are considered to be in good condition overall, despite considerable pressure from land-based sources of pollution. However, the habitats of the central and southern part of the region are more degraded, and many are considered to be poor. This is mainly the result of population pressures in coastal areas, beach modifications, loss of major areas of seagrass and corals, historical effects of heavy trawling on the continental shelf, and major modification of rivers, some of which (such as the Tweed River) have significantly modified catchments for agriculture and altered freshwater flow regimes feeding to the estuaries and bays. Herbicides have been found in all water sampling sites in the inshore waters of the Great Barrier Reef and, in
some places, are approaching levels that may have significant impacts on coral and other marine life.
South-east region: Where the overall quality is poor. The pressures of population, shipping, fishing and development in many places have degraded habitats of inshore waters, bays and estuaries. This is the only region where a habitat type has been made functionally extinct by human activities—the oyster reef beds that formerly dominated a number of the estuaries and small bays were exterminated by mining and
fishing practices by the end of the 1800s. This has had a significant impact on ecological systems, reducing habitat for many other species and probably greatly affecting the overall water filtering (purification) capacity of these affected areas and their capacity to assimilate nutrient inputs.
Although Australia's rank of Marine Biodiversity overall is alright, there is always room for improvement, and improvement in necessary to sustain our marine life and functions for the future.
there is loss right at our doorstep. A good quality habitat is essential to support the species populations within the ecosystem and to allow natural ecological processes to occur and is the boundaries for a healthy ecosystem survival.
Summary of Source: The status of Australia's rate of marine biodiversity has been assessed by examining marine habitat quality, the health of the species, the level of population and the ecological processes that support the species and populations. The result of these assessments of marine biodiversity are summarised for each region of Australia and aggregated into a single national assessment and report card for biodiversity.
The overall assessment of biodiversity found that the north and north-west regions are in very good condition. This is also a result of being closer to the recently discussed Coral Triangle. The east and south-west regions are in good condition and although the south-east region is in poor condition, it is bordering towards good.
Detailed Habitat Quality Description:
South-west region: Whilst the habitats of the south-west region are overall in a good condition, there are a number of particular coastal areas of historical heavy impact where the effects remain—these include pollution and dredging of seagrass beds in Cockburn Sound, Perth; pollution-induced losses of seagrasses in Gulf St Vincent, Adelaide; and pollution of Albany harbours in Western Australia. Away from areas of coastal development or river run-off, many habitats remain in good condition.
North-west region: Much of this region is very remote and, it Is because of this that many habitats are considered to be very good and in nearly perfect condition. These include the large gulfs and bays, fringing coral reefs, and seagrass and algal bed systems of the Kimberley, and most of the offshore shoals and islands, canyons and shelf-break ecosystems of the region. Some of the world’s most extensive untouched tropical and subtropical habitats occur in the shallow waters of the Kimberley, Ningaloo Reef, Roebuck Bay and Shark Bay. In spite that, there are particular areas where the habitats are in very poor condition, such as near Dampier, Port Hedland and Onslow, where ports and shipping activities have heavily impacted coral and mangrove habitats. Offshore habitats are generally in good condition, although the deep water corals and sponges of
the North West Shelf are still considered to be heavily degraded and only slowly recovering from the extensive impacts of historical trawling, and some offshore islands have been heavily impacted by foreign fishing.
North region: Like the north-west, the habitats of the north region are also remote and pristine tropical habitats, and most are considered to be in very good condition. These include the near shore shallow-water marine systems, the extensive shoreline wetlands, and the bays and gulfs of the region. However, the pressures of coastal development are seen in some areas, such as Darwin Harbour and Melville Bay where a biologically dead area has been created by mining wastes. Most of the rivers are substantially unmodified. Exceptions are the Ord River, which is heavily modified by the Ord River Dam, resulting in substantial impacts on the estuarine habitats of the delta in Cambridge Gulf; and the Macarthur River, which is modified by mining.
East region: This region includes the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, the Coral Sea plateau and islands, Fraser Island, Sydney Harbour, Jervis Bay, and the many smaller islands, bays and estuaries of the NSW coast. Habitats of the northern part of the region are considered to be in good condition overall, despite considerable pressure from land-based sources of pollution. However, the habitats of the central and southern part of the region are more degraded, and many are considered to be poor. This is mainly the result of population pressures in coastal areas, beach modifications, loss of major areas of seagrass and corals, historical effects of heavy trawling on the continental shelf, and major modification of rivers, some of which (such as the Tweed River) have significantly modified catchments for agriculture and altered freshwater flow regimes feeding to the estuaries and bays. Herbicides have been found in all water sampling sites in the inshore waters of the Great Barrier Reef and, in
some places, are approaching levels that may have significant impacts on coral and other marine life.
South-east region: Where the overall quality is poor. The pressures of population, shipping, fishing and development in many places have degraded habitats of inshore waters, bays and estuaries. This is the only region where a habitat type has been made functionally extinct by human activities—the oyster reef beds that formerly dominated a number of the estuaries and small bays were exterminated by mining and
fishing practices by the end of the 1800s. This has had a significant impact on ecological systems, reducing habitat for many other species and probably greatly affecting the overall water filtering (purification) capacity of these affected areas and their capacity to assimilate nutrient inputs.
Although Australia's rank of Marine Biodiversity overall is alright, there is always room for improvement, and improvement in necessary to sustain our marine life and functions for the future.
To find out about Australia's rank in ecological processes and populations of species and groups of species, please visit;