Great Barrier Reef in Groundwater Pollution: Ecological Crisis Looms

Nearly one-third of the dissolved inorganic nitrogen and two-thirds of the dissolved inorganic phosphorus in the waters of the Great Barrier Reef come from groundwater at unprecedented levels, according to a study in the international journal Environmental Science & Technology. These pollutants have been transported over decades from the ground to the aquifer and then to the Great Barrier Reef through springs near the coast. This has a detrimental effect on the Great Barrier Reef’s ecosystem, potentially leading to algal blooms, a dramatic increase in the number of starfish feeding on coral, and fish diseases. UN experts believe that if water quality is not effectively improved, the Great Barrier Reef is likely to be placed on the list of World Heritage in Danger.