Role, importance and vulnerability of top predators on the Great Barrier Reef: a review

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to evaluate the ecological role of predators on the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), their vulnerability to human activities and their contribution to ecosystem and economic values. Marine systems around the world are under increasing pressure, from the localised anthropogenic impacts of fishing and terrestrial run-off to the global pressures of climate change. There is concern over exploitation and declining numbers and biomass of large marine predators, worldwide and on the GBR. Understanding the role of predation and the consequences of predator loss is a priority for managers. To better understand the link between the protection of exploited fish stocks, the enhancement of the GBR’s overall resilience and the maintenance of ecosystem structure and function, this review seeks to answer the following questions: