Nitrogen and phosphorus are found either attached to other particles, such as sediment, or dissolved in the water. Particulate nutrients are generally heavier and sink out of the water close to the coast, while dissolved nutrients are rapidly taken up into the reef’s ecosystem.
Run-off of sediments, nutrients and pesticides is one of the main pressures on the inshore waters of the Great Barrier Reef. It puts stress on coral reef and seagrass ecosystems, affecting their health and ability to recover from disturbances like coral bleaching and cyclones.
AIMS has monitored water quality in the Great Barrier Reef since the 1980s. We continue to run several large, long-term studies of inshore water quality.
Ocean acidification is the change in seawater chemistry due to the absorption of increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air from fossil fuels and deforestation. Globally, ocean acidity has already increased by 30% compared with pre-industrial times over 200 years ago. However, ocean acidification conditions are more variable along the coast and on coral reefs than in the open ocean.
The National Sea Simulator, or SeaSim, gives AIMS researchers and their collaborators the edge in delivering world-leading coral reef science.
Using SeaSim’s large seawater tanks, scientists can research the impact of complex environmental changes on corals and other tropical marine organisms with large, long-term experiments.
The facility allows researchers to manipulate key environmental factors, including light, temperature, acidity, carbon dioxide, salinity, sediments and contaminants.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science is a world leader in tropical marine research, expanding our nation’s knowledge hidden below the surface. We are a strategy-led organisation with research aligned to the nation’s evolving science priorities to develop globally relevant and innovative research solutions.
At AIMS, we offer challenging and rewarding careers to our staff with a focus on creating safe and productive workplaces.
Over 50 years, AIMS has built both the science excellence and infrastructure to attract a wide range of national and international collaborators.
We collaborate with more than 60 Australian and 75 international organisations across more than 25 countries.
Our Australian partnerships include leadership roles in national marine policy development, major national and international collaborative frameworks, research and development collaborations, and memorandums of understanding.
The Australian Institute of Marine Science is committed to working with industry partners to generate the baseline research, knowledge and tools to tackle the marine science issues they face, now and into the future.
Our goal is to help them achieve sustainability, reduce environmental risk and increase the value and viability of their business by meeting these challenges head on.
