Editing Great Barrier Reef (section)

=== Conservation Policy: Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan ===
The Great Barrier Reef contributes to the overall wellbeing of the marine biome.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Osborne |first1=Kate |last2=Dolman |first2=Andrew M. |last3=Burgess |first3=Scott C. |last4=Johns |first4=Kerryn A. |date=10 March 2011 |title=Disturbance and the Dynamics of Coral Cover on the Great Barrier Reef (1995–2009) |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=6 |issue=3 |pages=e17516 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0017516 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=3053361 |pmid=21423742 |bibcode=2011PLoSO...617516O |doi-access=free }}</ref>  Numerous species of aquatic plants, fish and megafauna use the reef for feeding, shelter and mating.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Brodie |first1=Jon |last2=Pearson |first2=Richard G. |date=20 December 2016 |title=Ecosystem health of the Great Barrier Reef: Time for effective management action based on evidence |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771416301469 |journal=Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science |series=Sustainability of Future Coasts and Estuaries |language=en |volume=183 |pages=438–451 |doi=10.1016/j.ecss.2016.05.008 |bibcode=2016ECSS..183..438B |issn=0272-7714 |access-date=18 May 2022 |archive-date=25 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925221100/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771416301469 |url-status=live }}</ref>  Threats such as [[ocean acidification]], pollution runoff and outbreaks of destructive species like the [[crown-of-thorns starfish]] have brought about the decline of this ecosystem.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Water Quality |url=https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/reef-trust-partnership/water-quality-improvement |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=Great Barrier Reef Foundation |language=en |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518004956/https://www.barrierreef.org/what-we-do/reef-trust-partnership/water-quality-improvement |url-status=live }}</ref> These threats to the reef are not only a danger to the organisms inhabiting it, but also the economy of this region, a large part of which relies on revenue from ecotourism of the Great Barrier Reef.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Biggs |first1=D. |last2=Ban |first2=N. C. |last3=Hall |first3=C. M. |date=December 2012 |title=Lifestyle values, resilience, and nature-based tourism's contribution to conservation on Australia's Great Barrier Reef |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-conservation/article/abs/lifestyle-values-resilience-and-naturebased-tourisms-contribution-to-conservation-on-australias-great-barrier-reef/771734FF5DEC61D8BD9E75D8F8D1E8B4 |journal=Environmental Conservation |language=en |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=370–379 |doi=10.1017/S0376892912000239 |bibcode=2012EnvCo..39..370B |s2cid=86525986 |issn=0376-8929 |access-date=18 May 2022 |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518195944/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/environmental-conservation/article/abs/lifestyle-values-resilience-and-naturebased-tourisms-contribution-to-conservation-on-australias-great-barrier-reef/771734FF5DEC61D8BD9E75D8F8D1E8B4 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Australian Government|Australian government]] has had the goal of protecting this World Heritage Site since 1972 when they created The Australian Institute of Marine Science.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Science and the Great Barrier Reef – DAWE |url=https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/publications/factsheet-science-and-great-barrier-reef |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=www.awe.gov.au |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518195944/https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/publications/factsheet-science-and-great-barrier-reef |url-status=live }}</ref> The Australian and Queensland governments have contributed about $142.5 million to their National Environmental Science Program which is how they've collected much of their data regarding threats to the Great Barrier Reef.<ref name=":02"/> In addition, the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan was announced in 2018 in order to help transition local communities, agricultural organizations and industries to more sustainable practices.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Managing and protecting the Great Barrier Reef – DAWE |url=https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/protecting-the-reef |access-date=18 May 2022 |website=www.awe.gov.au |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518004955/https://www.awe.gov.au/parks-heritage/great-barrier-reef/protecting-the-reef |url-status=live }}</ref>  This plan will join the Queensland government and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to manage the amounts of runoff that reach the Great Barrier Reef as well as mitigating crown-of-thorns starfish population flare-ups.<ref name=":3" />