The origin of suspended particulate matter in the Great Barrier Reef

River run-off has long been regarded as the largest source of organic-rich suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), contributing to high turbidity, pollutant exposure and increasing vulnerability of coral reef to climate change. However, the terrestrial versus marine origin of the SPM in the GBR is uncertain. Here we provide multiple lines of evidence (13C NMR, isotopic and genetic fingerprints) to unravel that a considerable proportion of the terrestrially-derived SPM is degraded in the riverine and estuarine mixing zones before it is transported further offshore. The fingerprints of SPM in the marine environment were completely different from those of terrestrial origin but more consistent with that formed by marine phytoplankton. This result indicates that the SPM in the GBR may not have terrestrial origin but produced locally in the marine environment, which has significant implications on developing better-targeted management practices for improving water quality in the GBR. This multidisciplinary fingerprinting study, using isotopic, structural and genetic fingerprints, has shown that the suspended particulate matter in the Great Barrier Reef does not have terrestrial origin but produced locally by marine phytoplankton

Automated summary

River run-off is considered to be a major source of organic-rich suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), but the origin of this SPM remains uncertain. Through multiple lines of evidence, it has been found that a significant portion of the land-derived SPM is degraded in the mixing zones of rivers and estuaries before being transported offshore. The fingerprints of SPM in the marine environment are different from those of terrestrial origin and more consistent with those formed by marine phytoplankton. This suggests that the SPM in the GBR may be produced locally in the marine environment.