Unravelling the history of nitrogen cycling within the central Great Barrier Reef

该项目旨在利用珊瑚骨骼地球化学分析来确定大堡礁（GBR）泻湖中心近岸区域氮循环是否、何时以及如何发生变化。增加人为氮排放到沿海沃茨可能会导致GBR生态系统的衰退，GBR是澳大利亚最敏感和最具经济价值的自然环境之一。然而，由于缺乏长期连续的记录，人为氮的全部影响尚不清楚。该项目将揭开自19世纪中期以来GBR氮循环的历史，这对管理这个珊瑚礁系统至关重要。

This project aims to use coral skeleton geochemical analysis to establish if, when, and how nitrogen cycling changed along the central inshore region of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon. Increasing anthropogenic nitrogen discharge to coastal waters could drive ecosystem decline in the GBR, one of Australia’s most sensitive and economically valuable natural environments. However, the full effect of anthropogenic nitrogen is unclear due to a lack of long, continuous records. This project will unravel the history of nitrogen cycling in the GBR since the mid-1800s, knowledge crucial for managing this reef system.