Quantifying inputs of pesticides to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park - Acase study in the Herbert river catchment of north-east Queensland

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is an ecosystem whose ecological features are recognized internationally. There is a need to evaluate the i mpacts of historical and contemporary changes in land use on the GBRMP. Thi s paper quantifies pesticide inputs in the Herbert River catchment of North Queensland in the context of changes in land use over the last 100 years. We show that three major phases of rural land use and land cover change hav e occurred, with large areas of native vegetation converted to agricultural production. The increase in agricultural land has seen a corresponding inc rease in the area receiving pesticides, We present data showing application histories for organochlorine, organophosphate, phenoxy, triazine, urea, me rcurial and azole group pesticides. While the fate of these pesticides in a quatic and marine systems is largely unknown, these trends pose a significa nt challenge for agricultural industries in complying with the principles o f ecologically sustainable development (ESD). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.