protection . The msPAF risk metric estimates the fraction of species affected by the temporal exposure to mixtures of pesticides during the principal exposure period ( i . e . the wet season ).
NRM region : There are six natural resource management ( NRM ) regions covering the Great Barrier Reef catchments . Each region groups and represents catchments with similar climate and bioregional setting , with boundaries extending into the adjacent marine area . The regions are Cape York , Wet Tropics , Burdekin , Mackay Whitsunday , Fitzroy and Burnett Mary .
Nutrients : Nutrients are the natural chemical elements and compounds that plants and animals need to grow . Carbon , hydrogen and oxygen are abundant nutrients in nature , but nitrogen and phosphorus are not always so freely available , and therefore affect plant growth . Nitrogen and phosphorus are transported in run-off as tiny particles ( particulates ) and dissolved in water . The dissolved nutrients are immediately available for biological uptake , and particulate nutrients may also become biologically available .
Other pollutants : Includes contaminants such as antifouling paints , coal particles , metals and metalloids , marine debris / microplastics , personal care products , petroleum hydrocarbons , and pharmaceuticals . In addition , contaminants such as nanomaterials , perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid may be present , but no monitoring information is available for the Great Barrier Reef lagoon .
Pesticides : Pesticides , including herbicides , insecticides and fungicides , are used for protecting agriculture against pest organisms ( e . g . weeds and insects ). Pesticides have been detected in sediments and waters of rivers , creeks , wetlands , estuaries , and the inshore parts of the Great Barrier Reef lagoon . The types and concentrations of pesticides in the fresh , estuarine and marine ecosystems vary between catchments and regions , reflecting the main land use in each area .
Pollutants : Pollution means the introduction by humans , directly or indirectly , of substances or energy into the environment resulting in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources , hazards to human health , hindrance to aquatic activities including fishing , impairment of quality for use of water and reduction of amenities . This document refers to suspended ( fine ) sediments , nutrients ( nitrogen , phosphorus ) and pesticides as pollutants . Within this report , we explicitly mean enhanced concentrations of or exposures to these pollutants , which are derived ( directly or indirectly ) from human activities in the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem or adjoining systems ( e . g . river catchments ). Suspended sediments and nutrients naturally occur in the environment ; all living things in ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef require nutrients , and many have evolved to live in or on sediment . The natural concentrations of these materials in Great Barrier Reef waters and inflowing rivers can vary , at least episodically , over considerable ranges . Most pesticides do not naturally occur in the environment .
Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan : The Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan , or Reef 2050 Plan , is a joint commitment of the Australian and Queensland governments ( released in March 2015 ) and is the overarching framework for protecting and managing the Great Barrier Reef until 2050 . It defines actions , targets , objectives and outcomes to drive and guide the short , medium and long-term management of the Great Barrier Reef . The Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan ( see below ) aligns with and is nested within the Reef 2050 Plan .
Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan : The Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022 ( Reef 2050 WQIP ) is a joint commitment of the Australian and Queensland governments that seeks to improve the quality of water flowing from the catchments adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef . It defines actions , targets , objectives and a long-term outcome to drive and guide management of activities influencing water quality in the Great Barrier Reef .
RUSLE : The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation ( RUSLE ) is used to describe soil erosion processes . The equation is used to predict the long-term average annual soil loss . The equation includes the rainfall erosivity factor , the soil erodibility factor , the topographic factors and the land management factors .
2017 Scientific Consensus Statement : The 2017 Scientific Consensus Statement : Land use impacts on Great Barrier Reef water quality and ecosystem condition is a foundational document which provides the scientific understanding underpinning the Reef 2050 Water Quality Improvement Plan 2017-2022 . It was collated by a multidisciplinary group of scientists , with oversight from the Independent Science Panel . The 2017 Scientific Consensus Statement provides an update to the last statement published in 2013 .
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