Estuarine and marine ecosystems assessment summary
You are viewing an archived copy of the 2017 report.
State
Key finding—Condition of estuarine ecosystem health
Queensland’s estuarine aquatic ecosystems vary significantly in condition. Some are in good to very good condition while others do not meet standards for water quality.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Report Card 2016 | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Wet Tropics Healthy Waterways Partnership report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Mackay-Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef partnership report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Fitzroy Partnership for River Health report card | No change to report card grade Overall grade applies to freshwater and estuarine ecosystem health only. | 100% | 100% |
Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership report card | No change to report card grade Overall grade applies to estuarine and marine ecosystem health only. | 100% | 100% |
Healthy Land and Water South East Queensland report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Condamine Catchment report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Bulloo | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Paroo | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Warrego | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Nebine | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Lake Eyre | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Archer | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Coleman | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Ducie | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Endeavour | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Holroyd | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Jacky Jacky | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Jardine | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Jeannie | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Lockhart | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Normanby | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Olive-Pascoe | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Stewart | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Wenlock | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Key finding—Condition of ecological processes
At a reef-wide scale, most ecological processes are considered to be in good condition; however the inshore southern two-thirds of the region are in decline.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Trend in report card | 50% | 50% |
Key finding—Condition of marine ecosystem health
Queensland’s marine environments vary significantly in condition. Some are in good to very good condition while others do not meet standards for water quality.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Report Card 2016 | Trend in report card | see report card | n/a |
Wet Tropics Healthy Waterways Partnership report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Mackay-Whitsunday Healthy Rivers to Reef Partnership report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Fitzroy Partnership for River Health report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Gladstone Healthy Harbour Partnership report card | Trend in report card Overall grade applies to estuarine and marine ecosystem health only. | 100% | 100% |
Healthy Land and Water South East Queensland report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Condamine Catchment report card | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Bulloo | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Paroo | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Warrego | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Nebine | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Lake Eyre | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Archer | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Coleman | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Ducie | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Endeavour | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Holroyd | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Jacky Jacky | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Jardine | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Jeannie | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Lockhart | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Normanby | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Olive Pascoe | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Stewart | n/a | n/a | n/a |
QCatchment Wenlock | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Pressure
Key finding—Climate change pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
At a reef-wide scale, climate related variables are already having an effect, and are predicted to continue to have far-reaching consequences for the reef ecosystem.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Trend in report card | 100% | 100% |
Key finding—Coastal development pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Changes to coastal habitat and reductions in connectivity are having an increasing effect on the region's ecosystem.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Trend in report card | 100% | 100% |
Key finding—Direct use pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
At a reef-wide scale, direct use of the region is a significant economic contributor and its impact on the region’s ecosystem is projected to increase with population growth.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Trend in report card | 50% | 50% |
Key finding—Land-based run-off pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Declining marine water quality is one of the most significant threats to the reef however agricultural practices are improving, resulting in reductions in land-based run-off entering the region.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Trend in report card | 100% | 100% |
Key finding—Crown-of-thorns starfish pressure on the Great Barrier Reef
Evidence suggests increased nutrient loads contribute to more frequent outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish — a major predator of coral — resulting in coral cover decline.
Report card | Assessment grade | Confidence in grade | Confidence in trend |
---|---|---|---|
Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report | Trend in report card | 50% | 50% |