Capacity of natural coastal ecosystems to provide ecological functions for Sequesters carbon H L M L H H the Great Cycles carbon L H H M L H H H H Barrier Decomposition Source of Dissolved Organic Matter H H H Reef44 Oxidation-reduction Biochar source H H Oxygenates water H H L H high – Oxygenates sediments M L capacity for Regulation pH regulation M H this system to processes PASS management H H provide this Salinity regulation service, M – Hardness regulation H medium capacity for Regulates temperature ML this system to Chemicals/heavy Biogeochemically modifies chemicals/heavy L M H provide this metal modification metals service, L – Flocculates heavy metals H low capacity Biological processes (processes that for this system maintain animal/plant populations) to provide this Survival/reproduction Habitat/refugia for aquatic species with reef H M L H H H service, N no – connections capacity for Habitat for terrestrial species with connections H H this system to to the reef provide this Food source H H service, X – Habitat for ecologically important animals H H L H not applicable, Dispersal/ migration/ Replenishment of ecosystems colonisation H H M H H – service is – regeneration (source/sink) provided but Pathway for migratory fish H capacity unknown. Pollination Boxes with no Recruitment Habitat contributes significantly to recruitment H H H H H H data indicate a lack of information available. Note that the capacity shown for modified systems assumes periods of low hydrological flow.
Sequesters carbon H L M L H H Cycles carbon L H H M L H H H H Decomposition Source of Dissolved Organic Matter H H H Oxidation-reduction Biochar source H H Oxygenates water H H L Oxygenates sediments M L Regulation processes pH regulation M H PASS management H H Salinity regulation Hardness regulation H Regulates temperature ML Chemicals/heavy metal modification Biogeochemically modifies chemicals/heavy metals L M H Flocculates heavy metals H Biological processes (processes that maintain animal/plant populations) Survival/reproduction Habitat/refugia for aquatic species with reef connections H M L H H H Habitat for terrestrial species with connections to the reef H H Food source H H Habitat for ecologically important animals H H L H Dispersal/ migration/ regeneration Replenishment of ecosystems – colonisation (source/sink) H H M H H Pathway for migratory fish H Pollination Recruitment Habitat contributes significantly to recruitment H H H H H H Capacity of natural coastal ecosystems to provide ecological functions for the Great Barrier Reef44 H – high capacity for this system to provide this service, M – medium capacity for this system to provide this service, L – low capacity for this system to provide this service, N – no capacity for this system to provide this service, X – not applicable, – service is provided but capacity unknown. Boxes with no data indicate a lack of information available. Note that the capacity shown for modified systems assumes periods of low hydrological flow.
Don-basin-assessment-2013.docx