Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for March 22, 2008

Fish Key to Reef Survival

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A healthy fish population could be the key to ensuring coral reefs survive the impacts of climate change, pollution, overfishing and other threats.

Australian scientists found that some fish act as “lawnmowers”, keeping coral free of kelp and unwanted algae.

The Great Barrier Reef is worth about six billion Australian dollars (US$5.5bn; £2.8bn) to the national economy, primarily through tourism and fishing.

BBC Website: ‘Fish key to reef climate survival ‘

Climate Change, Growing Populations and Political Concerns are Prompting a Fresh Look at Desalination

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Water has always been a volatile topic in Australia, the world’s driest inhabited continent, but the political row that broke out last week was perhaps surprising. Protesters are complaining that a planned desalination facility outside Melbourne, Victoria, will generate too much freshwater.

As Neil Rankine ( a spokesman for protest group Your Water Your Say) and his supporters gear up for a new round of protests, Melbourne could do worse than look west to the city of Perth. Its US$329-million desalination plant, which opened in 2006, has won grudging approval. In fact, a second, US$811-million plant is now planned. The secret: renewable energy — the power comes mainly from a wind farm, and up to 90% of it can be recycled by energy-recovery devices.

From Nature News, 19th March: ‘Water: Purification with a pinch of salt’