Marine Ecosystems (AQA A Level Geography)

Figure 12 Information about coral reefs

Figure 12 shows information about coral reefs.

Using Figure 12 and your own knowledge, assess the implications of this information for the management of coral reefs.

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Figure 12a shows coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, in 2016.

Figure 12b shows estimated change in sea water pH caused by human-created CO2 between the 1700s and the 1990s.

Figure 12c shows the sea surface temperature anomaly for the Coral Sea, Australia, between 1900 and 2016.

Figure 12a – coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, in 2016

Note: When water is too warm, corals will expel the algae living in their tissues causing the coral to turn completely white. This is the process of coral bleaching.

Figure 12b – estimated change in sea water pH caused by human-created CO₂ between the 1700s and the 1990s

Figure 12c – sea surface temperature anomaly for the Coral Sea, Australia, between 1900 and 2016

Note: The anomaly is measured against the mean for the period 1960–1991.

Using Figures 12a, 12b, 12c and your own knowledge, assess the scale of the threat facing this coral reef.

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Evaluate the impact of human activity upon the future prospects for coral reefs.

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Where are coral reefs typically found?

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Assess the importance of global governance in securing the long-term health and survival of coral reefs.

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