P. Larcombe et Kj. Woolfe, Increased sediment supply to the Great Barrier Reef will not increase sediment accumulation at most coral reefs, CORAL REEF, 18(2), 1999, pp. 163-169
The rate of terrigenous sediment supply to the central Great Barrier Reef (
GBR) coastline has probably increased in the last 200 years due to human im
pact on the catchments of central Queensland. This has led some researchers
and environmental managers to conclude that corals within the GBR are unde
r threat from increased turbidity and sedimentation. Using geological data
and information on sedimentary processes, we show that turbidity levels and
sediment accumulation rates at most coral reefs will not be increased, bec
ause these factors are not currently limited by sediment supply.