Natural Environment Blog

A couple of days ago I wrote about the new report for the Great Barrier Reef. In that article, I spoke about the Queensland and Australian governments agreeing to update their plan for protecting the Great Barrier Reef.

Well, the Queensland Farmers Federation (QFF) have now accused the state government of overreaction. 

The QFF are concerned that the government will try to regulate the farming industry to protect the reef. QFF spokesman, John Cherry, believes that this isn’t necessary (yet). Mr Cherry says:

Efforts are being made by a whole range of bodies up the coast and well-funded by the Federal Government are underway. None of that is occurring from the State Government and I think the State Government is a group here who hasn’t done anything else but talk about it.

Ms Bligh has indicated that the current arrangement - voluntary land management improvements - are not working. She says that there may need to be regulation of farm and mine run-off. Ms Bligh says:

Not enough is happening and not quickly enough … we are already seeing irreparable damage to our reef, so the time to act is now.

It’s nice to think that some farmers and mining companies are making voluntary changes in order to protect the reef. I’d be interested to know how many farmers and mining companies are actually voluntarily improving their land management practices - just for the reef? 

Farmers are in business. So are the mining companies. Not many are going to change their practices unless it’s financially viable to do so. If it makes sense financially, then I’m sure we’ll see some results. 

When it boils down to it, the government has three choices:

1. Raise the financial incentive for improving land management practices
2. Regulate farm and mine run-off
3. Come up with something better…

Australian scientists have made an exciting discovery in the oceans, just off southern Australia.

The CSIRO scientists have discovered 338 marine species previously unknown to science in the southern ocean, just off southern Australia. 

They also found 86 species previously unknown in Australian waters and 242 previously studied species.

The discovery resulted from a project to monitor the Commonwealth Marine Reserve Network off southern Tasmania, Australia. 

The CSIRO scientists worked with Geoscience Australia, Museum Victoria, and the Queensland Museum to analyze the findings.

The research also resulted in the discovery of a further 80 seamounts (underwater mountains). This brings the total number of known seamounts in the region to 144, which makes it the highest concentration of seamounts in Australian waters.

Most of the seamounts are actually extinct volcanoes. Some are up to 25 kilometers across at the base, and rise 200 to 500 meters from the seabed.

They also discovered 145 under sea canyons, bringing the total in the region to at least 276.

So, in summary, they discovered:

• 338 marine species previously unknown to science
• 86 species previously unknown in Australian waters
• 80 previously undiscovered seamounts
• 145 under sea canyons

The discovery is a result of seafloor sampling, taken in November 2006 and April 2007, as well as two surveys undertaken using multibeam sonar and underwater video transects.

The largest natural feature on earth is so large, that it can be seen from space!

Earth’s largest natural feature is the Great Barrier Reef.

The Great Barrier Reef is a massive collection of coral reefs located along the north eastern side of Australia. It is the world’s most extensive coral reef system and is one of the world’s richest areas in terms of faunal diversity.

The reef is part of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, which at 35 million hectares, is the world’s largest World Heritage Area. About 98 percent of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area is located in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which was declared in 1975 with the purpose of preserving the area’s outstanding biodiversity whilst providing for reasonable use.

Here are some interesting facts about the Great Barrier Reef:

• There are more than 2900 coral reefs
• 600 continental islands
• 71 coral islands
• 300 coral cays
• 1500 species of fish
• 4000 species of molluscs
• 500 species of seaweed
• 350 types of starfish and various echinoderms
• More than 215 species of birds
• 1.9 million tourists visit the Great Barrier Reef each year
• The Great Barrier Reef is over 12,000 years old
• The reef itself stretches more than 2300 km from the northern tip of Australia’s Queensland to just south of Bundaberg (also in the state of Queensland)
• The Great Barrier Marine Park covers 348,000 square kilometers - that’s larger than the whole of the UK and Ireland combined!

The Great Barrier Reef is Under Threat

Unfortunately, the Great Barrier Reef is under threat from overfishing, land-based pollution and coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is exacerbated by increased sea temperatures due to global warming. As a result of public campaigning and pressure from WWF, the Australian Government has committed to protecting 33% of the reef where it can (previously, only 4% had been protected).

Regarding the impact of global warming on the reef, it’s not just affecting the Great Barrier Reef. To date, 10% of all reefs around the world have been destroyed due to coral bleaching. At the current rate, 70% of the world’s reefs will be destroyed over the next 40 years.

As hopeless as this may sound, there are things we can do to help. By developing greener habits, we can all do our part in reducing global warming. For example, here are 5 ways to reduce greenhouse gases. And here are some simple steps you can take to live sustainably.

New Scientist has just published an article regarding a study of fish living in the tropical waters of Australia. The study has found that there is an increasing number of fish being born deaf, with misshapen ear bones. This in turn, increases the likelihood that they will become lost and die.

Newly born reef fish tend to spend a few weeks out in the open seas before returning home. When they return home, it appears that they rely on sound to help guide them. The sounds include other sea creatures (such as sea urchins, shrimp, and other fish) as well as crashing waves in the distance. If they are deaf, they are less likely to be able to find their way back home.

In particular, Larval Ambon damselfish are more likely to be born deaf, with otolith asymmetry, if their parents are exposed to warmer, more acid seas. And this is exactly what’s happening around tropical waters such as Lizard Island and the Great Barrier Reef (where the study was undertaken). Increased acidification reduces the availability of calcium to be absorbed by fish to make bones.

However, Arthur Popper, director of the Aquatic Bioacoustics Laboratory at the University of Maryland, College Park, US points out that a direct link between otolith asymmetry and increased mortality hasn’t yet been proven. He also says that he’s not convinced that otolith asymmetry would affect a fish’s ability to locate a sound.

In any case, the study does demonstrate a strong link between warmer oceans and deaf fish - which is not a good thing.

Ever wonder what the age of the oldest tree in the world is? Hundreds of years old? Thousands? Or maybe even hundreds of thousands of years old?

As with most natural living things on this earth, there’s some debate about exactly which tree is deemed to be the oldest. Regardless of the debate, here’s a list of some quite special (and old) trees/bushes:

• UPDATE 20 April, 2008: Since posting this article, a new discovery has been made in Sweden. A tenacious spruce tree with a root system 9,550 years old.
• The most likely contender at this stage is a tree that goes by the name of “Methuselah“. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Methuselah, would now be 4,769 years old. Methuselah is a Bristlecone Pine located in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of California. Methuselah isn’t the only “oldie” in this forest. The other Bristlecone Pines in this forest are all over 4,000 years old too!
• A tree called Prometheus (also known as WPN-114) was thought to be around 4,900 years old (some reports claim 5,000 years old - until it was cut down for research purposes in 1964. Prometheus, also a Bristlecone Pine, grew at Wheeler in eastern Nevada, USA.
• A creosote bush called “King Clone” in the Mojave Desert is said to be 11,700 years old.
• In 2005, it was thought that another creosote bush in Palm Springs could be older than King Clone - as much as 20,000 years old. I’m not sure if this report was confirmed or not.
• In 1995, an extraordinary Huon pine tree was found in Tasmania, Australia. What was thought to be many trees covering 2.5 acres, appeared to be just one tree - a very old tree. Some media reports claimed it could be 30,000 to 40,000 years old. Scientists weren’t confirming this, but said that it was plausible that the trees could actually be one very old, underground tree.
• And… not exactly a living tree, but last year, scientists claimed to have found what could be the world’s oldest tree - in the form of a fossil. The tree, called Wattieza would have lived around 385 - 397 million years ago.

I’ve already posted about the tallest tree in the world. And I’ve posted about the top 15 tallest California redwood trees, which are the tallest known living trees today.

In this post, I’ll talk about the tallest tree ever recorded. Or maybe that should be, the tallest trees ever recorded.

Australia’s Eucalyptus regnans trees (also referred to as Eucalyptus trees) have been widely regarded as the tallest trees ever recorded.

Here’s a list of some of the tallest Eucalyptus trees ever recorded:

• Many sources have stated that the tallest tree ever recorded is the “Ferguson Tree” (measured by William Ferguson). On February 21, 1872, the fallen tree was measured at 132.6 meters (435 feet) - and that was after the top had broken off! The trunk, where it had broken off, was still a meter in diameter, and some estimated that the tree could have been taller than 152.4 meters (500 feet) tall.
• Another tall tree was the “Robinson Tree” (measured by G.W. Robinson) at Mount Baw Baw. In 1889, the Robinson Tree was found to be 143 meters (470 fee) tall.
• In 1867 another Eucalyptus tree was measured at 132.9 meters (436 feet)
• A Eucalytus tree known as T. Rolla Tree was measured at 124.9 meters (410 feet)
• The “David Boyle Tree” (measured by David Boyle) was located in the Dandenong Ranges (near Melbourne). In 1862 it was measured at 119 meters (390 feet), but it had fallen and had a broken top. David estimated that the tree would have been 128 meters (420 feet) if it’d kept it’s top.
• In 1888, the Menzies Creek tree was measured at 122 meters (400 feet) after it had fallen.
• In 1866, the C Walter tree was said to be 118.8 meters (390 feet)
• In 1880, the Cornthwaite tree was measured at 114 meters (374 feet) after it had been cut down. It was located in South Gippsland in the Thorpdale area.

Isn’t it a shame that the tallest trees always seem to get cut down?

After living in Sydney (Australia) for many years, I decided to do the big “sea change” and move to a smaller, more relaxed town (well “city” actually).

I got in my car and drove around 3,000 kilometers north to a relatively small city called Cairns. Cairns is a coastal city with a huge tourism trade. Much of the tourism centers around natural attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.

My drive north took just over a week. It’s possible to do the trip in about 3 days but I wanted to take my time. Some people take weeks, but I had a car full of belongings so I decided not to take too much time. A week gave me a good feel for many of the beautiful places along the way and I got some nice photos out of it too!

I’ve now been in Cairns for around 5 months and I love it! I can cycle most places I need to go and there are plenty of natural attractions to take advantage of. So far, this seachange has been perfect!

Check out my Sydney to Cairns photos.