Scientists have identified a growing problem in the Great Barrier Reef that is likely, they say, to be a cause for concern when considering the region’s health. A new study has uncovered a hitherto unknown impact on the reef’s health: groundwater. Researchers used radium isotope tracing to monitor nutrient proportions along the Great Barrier Reef. Radium occurs naturally in sediments and makes a good foundation for building a model to track flows of nutrients into the Reef via groundwater discharge.
Groundwater contamination big problem from Great Barrier Reef
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