Scientists say a failure of national management means excessive amounts of harmful chemicals—many now banned in other countries such as the EU, USA and Canada—are damaging the nation’s waterways and the Great Barrier Reef.
Scientists say a failure of national management means excessive amounts of harmful chemicals—many now banned in other countries such as the EU, USA and Canada—are damaging the nation’s waterways and the Great Barrier Reef.
The new study was led by Dr Jon Brodie from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University (Coral CoE at JCU).
Dr Brodie says pesticides found at concentrations exceeding the nation’s own water quality guidelines have the potential to seriously damage aquatic plants and animals. Insecticides affect prawns in freshwater streams, and herbicides affect marine species such as seagrass.
“The notorious insecticide imidacloprid—now banned for its effects on bees across Europe, the USA and soon to be banned in Canada—is found in many freshwater streams and estuaries in the Great Barrier Reef and also Queensland more broadly,” Dr Brodie said.
Read more at ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Photo Credit: steinchen via Pixabay
