Fact file

Survival kit

• Shallow waters• Enough sunlight for

photosynthesis• Algae for food• Warm (but not hot) waters• Clear water

A coral reef provides one of the most important natural habitats in the world. more than 25 percent of all fish biodiversity on the planet Earth is associated with the coral reef ecosystem

Focus 1: You must explain 3 threats in detail and explained why they are human or physical. You must also evaluate which is the most destructive and why.

Shipping Accidents• Debris and other foreign objects from ships enter the water and remain there for a long

period of time.

• How could this damage the reef?

Over-fishing• The fishing industry earns over $1 billion per year to Australia. • Trawling inevitably leads to other species getting caught in the nets. But how could this

cause damage?

• The nets themselves can also damage the ocean floor, but how?

Coral bleaching• Corals are given their vibrant colours as a result of the algae who inhabit them.• When the water temperature rises, the warmer waters kill off the algae• The reef can recover from bleaching if the water temperature returns to normal quickly.

• Why else is the algae so important?

Focus 1: You must explain 3 threats in detail and explained why they are human or physical. You must also evaluate which is the most destructive and why.

Checklist Have you explained 3 threats? Have you extended your

sentences (use prompts on the board)?

Have you stated which ones are human and which are physical

Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of them both?

Have you chosen which threat is the most destructive and given at least 2 reasons why?

Checklist Have you explained 3 threats? Have you extended your

sentences (use prompts on the board)?

Have you stated which ones are human and which are physical

Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of them both?

Have you chosen which threat is the most destructive and given at least 2 reasons why?

Focus 1: You must explain 3 threats in detail and explained why they are human or physical. You must also evaluate which is the most destructive and why.

Checklist Have you explained 3 threats? Have you extended your

sentences (use prompts on the board)?

Have you stated which ones are human and which are physical

Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of them both?

Have you chosen which threat is the most destructive and given at least 2 reasons why?

Checklist Have you explained 3 threats? Have you extended your

sentences (use prompts on the board)?

Have you stated which ones are human and which are physical

Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of them both?

Have you chosen which threat is the most destructive and given at least 2 reasons why?

Focus 1: You must explain 3 threats in detail and explained why they are human or physical. You must also evaluate which is the most destructive and why.

Sentence starters:

There are many threats that all together would cause the Great Barrier Reef’s worst nightmare.

Overfishing is considered a threat to the Great Barrier Reef. This is when (tell me what overfishing is)… It is a human/physical threat because…. The reason it is considered a threat is because…

Sentence starters for the evaluation:

Overall the worst threat is_________________. Firstly because…secondly because…

Focus 2: Analyse 3 threats in detail and show how that threat may create knock on effects.

Oil SpillsExperts believe the reef may take up to 10 to 20 years to recover from an incident. To date, 283 total oil spills have occurred over the waters of the Great Barrier Reef since 1987.

TourismChemicals in suncreamSouvenirsSnorkelingMan-made pollution

How might these damage the reef?

StarfishThe Crown of Thorns starfish feeds on the coral, releasing neurotoxins to absorb the tissue of the coral and quite literally “sucking the life” out of the reef’s backbone. If there are few predators (such as the Giant Triton) around, the Crown of Thorns can destroy parts of the reef.

Climate changeHow might these

damage the reef?

Focus 2: Analyse 3 threats in detail and show how that threat may create knock on effects.

Checklist Have you analysed 3 threats and thought about how severe and likely each one

is? Have you extended your sentences (use prompts on the board)? Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of

them both? Have you shown the knock on effects for all of your threats?

Checklist Have you analysed 3 threats and thought about how severe and likely each one

is? Have you extended your sentences (use prompts on the board)? Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of

them both? Have you shown the knock on effects for all of your threats?

Focus 2: Analyse 3 threats in detail and show how that threat may create knock on effects.

Checklist Have you analysed 3 threats and thought about how severe and likely each one

is? Have you extended your sentences (use prompts on the board)? Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of

them both? Have you shown the knock on effects for all of your threats?

Checklist Have you analysed 3 threats and thought about how severe and likely each one

is? Have you extended your sentences (use prompts on the board)? Have you explained how you know they are human or physical? Are any of

them both? Have you shown the knock on effects for all of your threats?

• Focus 3: Analyse 3 threats in detail explaining how they can be caused by both human and physical reasons. Create suitable solutions to these threats.

Oil SpillsExperts believe the reef may take up to 10 to 20 years to recover from an incident.

Coral Reefs are exposed to oil through different ways: direct contact and subsurface oiling

Direct Contact – caused when coral near the water surface come in contact with surface oil. How might this happen?

Subsurface oiling – occurs when oil mixes with sediment material. What would happen to sediment that is suspended if it is covered in oil?

TourismWhy is tourism good and bad for the coral? Think about the chemicals from suncream and how else the coral is damaged.

StarfishThe Crown of Thorns starfish feeds on the coral, releasing neurotoxins to absorb the tissue of the coral and quite literally “sucking the life” out of the reef’s backbone. If there are few predators (such as the Giant Triton) around, the Crown of Thorns can destroy parts of the reef. Many researchers believe that the current abundance of Crown of Thorns starfish could be a result of agricultural runoff which increases the amount of algae which serve as food for the starfish

Key WordsThreats, social, economic, environmental, regulations, coral bleachingsustainable

Climate change

• Focus 3: Analyse 3 threats in detail explaining how they can be caused by both human and physical reasons. Create suitable solutions to these threats.

ChecklistHave you analysed 3 threats and thought about how severe and likely each one

is?Have you shown the knock on effects for all of your threats?Have you explained how you know they could be human and physical?Have you thought about the government could reduce or solve these problems?

CHALLENGE: Explain why the solutions may be difficult to implement.

• Focus 3: Analyse 3 threats in detail explaining how they can be caused by both human and physical reasons. Create suitable solutions to these threats.

ChecklistHave you analysed 3 threats and thought about how severe and likely each one

is?Have you shown the knock on effects for all of your threats?Have you explained how you know they could be human and physical?Have you thought about the government could reduce or solve these problems?

CHALLENGE: Explain why the solutions may be difficult to implement.