Data

Herbicides: a new threat to the Great Barrier Reef

James Cook University
Lewis, Stephen ; Brodie, Jon ; Bainbridge, Zoe ; Davis, Aaron ; Maughan, Mirjam ; Devlin, Michelle
Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]
ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2FANDS&rft_id=https://researchdata.jcu.edu.au//published/6a9e901bfd4a43308cd5383d2e7c1601&rft.title=Herbicides: a new threat to the Great Barrier Reef&rft.identifier=https://researchdata.jcu.edu.au//published/6a9e901bfd4a43308cd5383d2e7c1601&rft.publisher=James Cook Univeristy&rft.description=The runoff of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) from agricultural lands is a key concern for the health of the iconic Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Relatively low levels of herbicide residues can reduce the productivity of marine plants and corals. However, the risk of these residues to Great Barrier Reef ecosystems has been poorly quantified due to a lack of large-scale datasets. Here we present results of a study tracing pesticide residues from rivers and creeks in three catchment regions to the adjacent marine environment. Several pesticides (mainly herbicides) were detected in both freshwater and coastal marine waters and were attributed to specific land uses in the catchment. Elevated herbicide concentrations were particularly associated with sugar cane cultivation in the adjacent catchment. We demonstrate that herbicides reach the Great Barrier Reef lagoon and may disturb sensitive marine ecosystems already affected by other pressures such as climate change.&rft.creator=Lewis, Stephen &rft.creator=Brodie, Jon &rft.creator=Bainbridge, Zoe &rft.creator=Davis, Aaron &rft.creator=Maughan, Mirjam &rft.creator=Devlin, Michelle &rft.date=2011&rft.relation=http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/5106/&rft.coverage=141.597313123,-9.5637960296896 151.792625622,-10.6021789898 153.550438121,-26.535352498 141.948875623,-26.3779806163 141.597313123,-9.5637960296896&rft_rights=&rft_subject=diuron&rft_subject=atrazine&rft_subject=pesticides&rft_subject=great barrier reef&rft_subject=herbicides&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data

Access:

Open view details

Open: free access under license

Full description

The runoff of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides and fungicides) from agricultural lands is a key concern for the health of the iconic Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Relatively low levels of herbicide residues can reduce the productivity of marine plants and corals. However, the risk of these residues to Great Barrier Reef ecosystems has been poorly quantified due to a lack of large-scale datasets. Here we present results of a study tracing pesticide residues from rivers and creeks in three catchment regions to the adjacent marine environment. Several pesticides (mainly herbicides) were detected in both freshwater and coastal marine waters and were attributed to specific land uses in the catchment. Elevated herbicide concentrations were particularly associated with sugar cane cultivation in the adjacent catchment. We demonstrate that herbicides reach the Great Barrier Reef lagoon and may disturb sensitive marine ecosystems already affected by other pressures such as climate change.

Created: 2011-12-09

Data time period: 2008 to 2009

This dataset is part of a larger collection

Click to explore relationships graph

141.59731,-9.5638 151.79263,-10.60218 153.55044,-26.53535 141.94888,-26.37798 141.59731,-9.5638

147.573875622,-18.049574263845

Subjects

User Contributed Tags    

Login to tag this record with meaningful keywords to make it easier to discover

Identifiers
  • Local : researchdata.jcu.edu.au//published/6a9e901bfd4a43308cd5383d2e7c1601
  • Local : jcu.edu.au/tdh/collection/5e71a090-8343-4979-b0b9-1cc292e51fe4
  • Local : 88aa3dac255fccb4ce837158ea8029a0