November 07, 2019

Pesticides In The Great Barrier Reef

2 minutes

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the greatest natural wonders in the world and it has been under siege by warming waters and ocean acidification. Widespread coral bleaching has damaged or destroyed large portions of the 1,400-mile long coral reef system. But the effects of climate change are not the only threat to the reef. Pesticides found in waterways that flow into the Great Barrier Reef are another serious problem.

According to a new study by the University of Queensland, the combined

toxicity of 22 of the most common pesticides that flow into the Reef are not

meeting pollution reduction targets.

Different pesticides affect different organisms. Herbicides affect organisms that

photosynthesize such as seagrass, corals, mangroves, and algae. Insecticides affect insect larvae in

freshwater, and crustaceans such as crabs, prawns, and lobsters. Previous assessments have only examined

individual pesticides and only for limited times. The new study has utilized a methodology that

estimates the combined toxicity of multiple pesticides found in the waterways

that discharge into the Reef and does it for the entire wet season.

The research revealed that the pesticide reduction target set in the

Australian Government’s Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan is not

being met. Only one natural resource

management region – the Cape York region – was found to be meeting its target.

By having estimates of the risk posed by pesticides in the various

regions and individual waterways, governments, farmers, and conservationists

can see which areas pose the greatest risk and where to maximize efforts. Stakeholders have to come together to reduce

pesticide concentrations through better management practices and by using less

toxic pesticides.

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High pesticide concentrations continue to enter Great Barrier Reef

Photo, posted July 29, 2010, courtesy of Kyle Taylor via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

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By Randy Simon

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