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Lmportance of coral reefs

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Importance of healthy ecosystems:
Reducing biodiversity through the extinction of species inevitably leads to the breakdown in
ecosystem health and function. Healthy ecosystems are essential to provide us with:
natural resources, such as foods and drugs
services we depend upon, such as recycling and purification of water and air, the creation of soil, and the
break-down of pollutants
social, cultural and recreational activities, such as those found in our many unique National Parks,
World Heritage Areas and the other special places we like to visit
high species diversity.
A diverse range of species provides a larger gene pool, giving natural
communities survival options when environmental conditions and climates change. Species
evolve over time as natural selection favors the ‘best’ of these survival options. Therefore,
extinction poses a greater threat to species for which there is limited diversity.
Existing species need to be conserved for scientists do not know everything there is to know
about all species. A species may play a crucial role in an ecosystem and if it is removed, all
organisms in that community may feel the impact. The greater the number of species and hence
genetic diversity in an ecosystem, the lesser will be the impact of removing individual species.
The health, management and conservation of biodiversity, is a fundamental issue facing
humankind, presenting a real challenge to biology today. The major factors that affect the health
and function of our Great Barrier Reef are climate change and pollution. As Queenslanders, it is
important that we develop strategies to protect our reef.

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Importance of healthy ecosystems: Reducing biodiversity through the extinction of species inevitably leads to the breakdown in ecosystem health and function. Healthy ecosystems are essential to provide us with: • natural resources, such as foods and drugs • services we depend upon, such as recyc ...
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