The Australian government has placed sensors in parts of the Great Barrier Reef to record water quality.
The Great Barrier Reef covers an area of approximately 344,000 square kilometers off the northeast coast of Australia. It contains hundreds of islands and thousands of natural structures called coral reefs.
The sensors measure levels of sediment and carbon material flowing from the Fitzroy River into Keppel Bay in Queensland. This area is located in the southern part of the Great Barrier Reef. These substances can harm marine life.
The program is administered by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), an Australian government agency. The agency said the work uses sensors and satellite data to measure changes in water quality.
The quality of Australia’s coastal and inland waterways is threatened by rising temperatures, urbanization, deforestation and pollution, experts say.
Alex Held hosts the program. He told VOA that the sediment could be harmful to marine life because it blocks sunlight from the seabed. Lack of sunlight can harm the growth of marine plants and other organisms. Sediment also settles on top of coral reefs, affecting the marine life there.
Sensors and satellites will be used to measure the effectiveness of programs aimed at reducing the flow or discharge of river sediment into the sea, Held said.
Held noted that the Australian government has implemented a number of programs aimed at reducing the impact of sediment on marine life. These include allowing plants to grow along riverbeds and other bodies of water to prevent sediment from entering.
Environmentalists warn that the Great Barrier Reef faces multiple threats. These include climate change, pollution and agricultural runoff. The reef extends for approximately 2,300 kilometers and has been on the United Nations World Heritage List since 1981.
Urbanization is the process by which more and more people leave rural areas and come to live in cities.
Post time: Jan-31-2024