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S2 E12: Australia's Great Southern Reef: Kelp, Cuttlefish, and Climate Chaos with Stefan Andrews
Manage episode 484369000 series 3552171
The Great Southern Reef is an 8,000-kilometre stretch of temperate rocky reefs and kelp forests that hugs the southern coastline of Australia from Sydney to Perth. It’s home to incredible marine life like leafy sea dragons, giant cuttlefish, octopuses, and playful seals. It’s a $11.56 billion cornerstone of local economies and part of our way of life for millions of Aussies. But it’s also under serious threat.
Join us as we chat with Stefan Andrews, marine biologist, filmmaker, educator, and Co-Founder of the Great Southern Reef Foundation, who walks us through the rich biodiversity of this unsung natural wonder—and the climate challenges it now faces. From marine heatwaves and toxic algal blooms to kelp die-offs and urchin outbreaks, we uncover the alarming changes unfolding beneath the waves.
But it’s not all doom and gloom - there’s hope, and action we can take. This episode will open your eyes to a whole new world.
Learn More
- Got questions? Text us on 0437 835 937 or email [email protected]
- Sign the Petition, asking the Australian Government for stronger policies to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
- Support Word on the Reef on Patreon
- Follow @WordOnTheReefPodcast on Instagram
- If you'd like to ask a question, be a guest on the podcast or suggest a topic, contact: [email protected]
Chapters
1. S2 E12: Australia's Great Southern Reef: Kelp, Cuttlefish, and Climate Chaos with Stefan Andrews (00:00:00)
2. Introducing Stefan Andrews (00:06:19)
3. What is the Great Southern Reef and what's special about it? (00:08:30)
4. Seaweed: The under-appreciated super organism (00:12:57)
5. The Amazing Sponge Gardens of the GSR (00:15:15)
6. The incredible Giant Cuttlefish Aggregation (00:16:50)
7. The amazing Sea Dragons of the GSR (00:19:29)
8. The important mission of the GSR Foundation (00:23:46)
9. The Toxic Algal Bloom Outbreak Devastating South Australia's marine life (00:28:09)
10. Causes of the Algal Bloom (00:32:10)
11. More climate impacts on the GSR (00:34:54)
12. What it's like diving in the midst of an Algal Bloom Outbreak (00:37:08)
13. What will the long term impacts of this algal bloom be? (00:39:37)
14. Marine attractions to visit in South Australia which are still healthy (00:42:34)
15. How the algal bloom is impacting humans (00:44:16)
16. What action can we take regarding this algal bloom? (00:46:12)
17. Does the GSR need more funding and recognition? (00:48:08)
18. The sea urchin outbreak on the GSR - and the surprisingly tasty solution (00:49:19)
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