Coral Reefs: A Passionate History
by Steven Ganas
The Reef: A Passionate History is about the history of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The author, Iain McCalman, is an award-winning professor at the University of Sydney. McCalman has written numerous scientific journal articles and books. His latest book was first published in 2013. McCalman has also written works on the history of events related to the Great Barrier Reef. The Reef: A Passionate History gives the reader insight into how the Great Barrier Reef played a role in twenty different individuals’ lives over two hundred years giving the reader a range of points of view and historic detail (McCalman). After experience on the BBC as a historical consultant, McCalman decided to start the book (McCalman). Throughout the text, he explains the challenges and advantages that the reef has posed throughout human history. The Great Barrier Reef was not always known for being a tourist attraction or focus of climate change. This book raised many questions. Firstly, how does The Reef: A Passionate History help us understand the Great Barrier Reef? Secondly, how has the Great Barrier Reef changed since the book was published in 2013? Finally, what might McCalman feel about these changes?
Modern thinking on the Great Barrier Reef considers its beauty, its tourist allure, and the fact that it is one of the ecosystems in the world most impacted by climate change. McCalman’s book goes into detail about the unknown history of the Great Barrier Reef. In the first part of the book, titled Terror, he explains how the first Western encounters earlier in human history were dangerous treks throughout the unknown. He starts with Captain Cook’s voyage through the reef which was fearful as the reef created unknown and at times untraversable conditions. In part two, titled Nurture, McCalman speaks about the lives of people that were forced to live off the reef such as castaways from society or the sea. These people experienced care and aid from the indigenous peoples that called the reef home. McCalman theorizes that the reason there was no romanticization of the Great Barrier Reef earlier is due to the British colonizer’s anti-Aboriginal sentiment and smearing of castaways and natives in a negative light. This created disdain for a region that we now revere as a wonder of the world. McCalman writes about Barbra Thompson who was castaway and taken in by a native Kaurareg family. She is known as the world’s first “professional reef scientist.” She wrote about her experiences and the potential of the reef throughout her stay. In part three, titled Wonder, McCalman touches on scientific and economic claims about the Great Barrier Reef in the 20th century. During this era, the world’s view on the ecosystem had started shifting. The media was covering a year-long expedition led by biologist Charles Maurice Yongue, intensifying the scientific image of the Great Barrier Reef. McCalman then follows the story of Charlie Veron who is described as a modern-day Charles Darwin. Charlie Veron predicted that the Coral Reef would be completely wiped out due to climate change by the year 2100 (Daly). McCalman has stated that the popularity of the Great Barrier Reef has helped control tourist pollution and overfishing of important fish species; however, the building of ports on or near reefs and the warming of greenhouse gases will cause outbreaks of coral bleaching and accelerate the acidification of these sacred lands which may not recover (McCalman).
Since the popularity of coral reefs is so high and they are the poster child for climate change in this era of global warming, there is a vast amount of research on these ecosystems. Coral reefs support the most species per unit area of any of Earth’s ecosystems and are some of the most extensive structures on the planet visible even from space (NOAA). Coral reefs have continued to change since the book was released. Coral bleaching has rapidly intensified since 2013. Coral bleaching is a process that occurs when there are outside stressors to coral such as freshwater exposure, disease, pollutants, UV radiation, and suboptimal water temperatures (Andrello). It is called bleaching because the coral changes color due to the loss of pigmentation in the animal’s tissue. Water temperature is the main factor in coral reef bleaching and destruction, but water pollution and fishing are the top two highest factors in non-climate pressures for coral reefs (Andrello). 63.1% of the world’s coral reefs are affected by this measure. Additionally, if global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are not curbed, further increases in global temperatures and acidification are expected beyond levels tolerable to corals and calcifying algae – the main reef builder (Ateweberhan). Acidification of water is a big threat as well. Higher CO2 levels cause a decrease in PH levels in the water. Coral reefs require calcification and under these changed conditions it proves hard or simply not possible (Ateweberhan). Through modern science, some coral populations may evolve and adapt to increasing seawater temperatures (Woesik). We are working on actively facilitating coral adaptations to ocean warming including assisted evolution or direct manipulation of the coral’s adaptive response forcing the species to adapt to changing temperatures (Woesik). Some studies suggest that mitigating climate change at the global scale is the only path to conserve coral reefs whereas other studies suggest that effective local management can also help sustain coral reefs. There is a third theory wherein multinational preserves can help mitigate the problem (Woesik). The more research conducted and the more advancements we have in science paired with our best efforts to help eliminate or curb CO2 production and clean up our waters, the better hope we have to save the coral reefs.
McCalman endorsed the statement that Coral reefs might be eliminated by the year 2100. However, modern scientific research, global eco-friendly strides, and new strategies to help the coral reefs adapt to change offer hope. When McCalman authored the book, all research pointed in that direction; however, the climate and the world’s reaction to this issue are difficult things to predict. We cannot even predict tomorrow’s weather 100% accurately. These ecosystems may benefit from advancements in understanding how the reefs react to Ph changes, rising temperatures, and water pollution as well as strategies to curb these problems along with new methods to help the species adapt to the conditions. Due to his passion and profound understanding of the Great Barrier Reef, McCalman would want to do everything in his power to help save the Great Barrier Reef. He would welcome public outcry about these ecosystems being destroyed and the new, emerging science about reef preservation.
The Reef: A Passionate History showcases an amazing amount of history about the reef. McCalman has an unwavering admiration and love for this ecosystem so close to his home and has empowered many to care about it half as much as he does. Humanity needs to hold all nations accountable to help curb the effects of global warming and climate change and to help preserve the beautiful world we live in. People like McCalman are very influential and important to this mindset as are all the scientific researchers that create models and find alternative ways to help nurture these ecosystems. Saving Coral Reefs is a global effort.
Works Cited
Andrello, M. (2021, December 28). A Global Map of Human Pressures on Tropical Coral Reefs. The Society of Conversation Biology. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12881
Ateweberhan, M., Feary, D. A., Keshavmurthy, S., Chen, A., Schleyer, M. H., & Sheppard, C. R. C. (2013, June 28). Climate Change Impacts on Coral Reefs: Synergies with Local Effects, Possibilities for Acclimation, and Management Implications. Marine Pollution Bulletin. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X13003020
Daly, B. (2022, October 31). Experts: Great Barrier Reef’s Biggest Threat Today is Coal. The Conversation. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://theconversation.com/experts-great-barrier-reefs-biggest-threat-today-is-coal-32135
McCalman, I. (2015). The Reef: A Passionate History: The Great Barrier Reef from Captain Cook to Climate Change. Scientific American / Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.
NOAA. (2022). Coral Reefs. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Woesik, R. (2022, April 27). Coral‐bleaching Responses to Climate Change … – Wiley Online Library. Wiley Online Library. Retrieved October 31, 2022, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.16192