degradation of coastal ecosystems and found in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Climate Change and the Great direct use. Authority’s Barrier Reef A Vulnerability Assessment. 19 – While avoiding disturbance to estuaries should Efforts by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park always be the first consideration, where it Authority are primarily aimed at understanding cannot be avoided, environmental offsets the vulnerability of the ecosystems, Reef’s should be required and applied to reduce other including estuaries. These efforts focus on threats to estuaries. maintaining them in a healthy state, which builds resilience to climate change in the In response to the emerging threat of broader Reef ecosystem and the communities accelerating sea level rise, developers should and industries that depend on it. consider the potential for shoreline retreat and the need for the subsequent movement of There should be continued focus on actions estuarine habitat landward. This should be that protect or improve the existing condition factored into all planning schemes to ensure and function of estuaries, and hence the the long-term viability of these habitats. resilience of high-risk habitats and species to climate change threats. Specific adaptive Understanding status and trends and management measures that will facilitate requirements for ecosystem health species and habitat adaption to new environmental conditions, particularly those It is important to ensure management of associated with elevated sea levels and altered estuaries is based on good science and catchment run-off are also critical. underpinned by an effective research and monitoring program. Almost all the current estuarine monitoring is in close proximity to ports. Despite this focus, the limits and tolerance of estuarine ecosystems to various threats, such as increased nutrients and changes to hydrology, are still not well understood. Very little is known about the population status, ecological roles and/or pressures and impact thresholds for estuarine flora and fauna, nor their reliance on adjacent ecosystems. Information is required at regional (basin) scales on key connectivity and hydrological mechanisms (especially groundwater recharge, discharge and extraction). There is also a need to use such knowledge to better manage cumulative impacts on estuaries. Climate change Broad national and global initiatives required to address climate change are not considered here. Information on cumulative impacts can be
degradation of coastal ecosystems and direct use. While avoiding disturbance to estuaries should always be the first consideration, where it cannot be avoided, environmental offsets should be required and applied to reduce other threats to estuaries. In response to the emerging threat of accelerating sea level rise, developers should consider the potential for shoreline retreat and the need for the subsequent movement of estuarine habitat landward. This should be factored into all planning schemes to ensure the long-term viability of these habitats. Understanding status and trends and requirements for ecosystem health It is important to ensure management of estuaries is based on good science and underpinned by an effective research and monitoring program. Almost all the current estuarine monitoring is in close proximity to ports. Despite this focus, the limits and tolerance of estuarine ecosystems to various threats, such as increased nutrients and changes to hydrology, are still not well understood. Very little is known about the population status, ecological roles and/or pressures and impact thresholds for estuarine flora and fauna, nor their reliance on adjacent ecosystems. Information is required at regional (basin) scales on key connectivity and hydrological mechanisms (especially groundwater recharge, discharge and extraction). There is also a need to use such knowledge to better manage cumulative impacts on estuaries. Climate change Broad national and global initiatives required to address climate change are not considered here. Information on cumulative impacts can be found in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s Climate Change and the Great Barrier Reef – A Vulnerability Assessment. 19 Efforts by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority are primarily aimed at understanding the vulnerability of the Reef’s ecosystems, including estuaries. These efforts focus on maintaining them in a healthy state, which builds resilience to climate change in the broader Reef ecosystem and the communities and industries that depend on it. There should be continued focus on actions that protect or improve the existing condition and function of estuaries, and hence the resilience of high-risk habitats and species to climate change threats. Specific adaptive management measures that will facilitate species and habitat adaption to new environmental conditions, particularly those associated with elevated sea levels and altered catchment run-off are also critical.
Vulnerability-Assessment-Estuaries-2016.docx