Catchment to Reef Research Group, Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland 4811, Australia.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2012;65(4-9):267-79. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2011.12.011. Epub 2012 Jan 27.
We argue that the residence times of key pollutants exported to the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) are greater in the GBR lagoon than those of the water itself, in contradiction to some previous assumptions. Adverse effects of the pollutant discharge will be greater and longer lasting than previously considered, in turn requiring stronger or more urgent action to remediate land practices. Residence times of fine sediments, nitrogen and phosphorus, pesticides and trace metals are suggested to be from years to decades in the GBR lagoon and highly likely to be greater than the residence time of water, estimated at around 15-365days. The recovery of corals and seagrass in the central region of the GBR following current land-use remediation in the catchment depends on the residence time of these contaminants. Ecohydrological modeling suggests that this recovery may take decades even with adequate levels of improved land management practices.
我们认为，与之前的一些假设相反，被输出到大堡礁（GBR）的关键污染物在 GBR 泻湖中的停留时间比水本身的停留时间更长。污染物排放的不利影响将比之前认为的更大、更持久，这反过来又需要更强有力或更紧急的行动来补救土地做法。细沉积物、氮和磷、农药和痕量金属在 GBR 泻湖中的停留时间建议为数年到数十年，很可能大于水的停留时间，估计在 15-365 天左右。在集水区目前的土地利用整治之后，大堡礁中部珊瑚和海草的恢复取决于这些污染物的停留时间。生态水文学模型表明，即使有足够水平的改进土地管理措施，这种恢复也可能需要几十年的时间。
