Peter Michael The Courier-Mail 8 Feb 11;
WORLD Heritage rainforest and surviving populations of endangered southern cassowaries and dugong were hit hard by Cyclone Yasi, scientists warn.
Some of Queensland's top tropical experts met for the first time yesterday to assess the ecological impact of the Category 5 cyclone described as "far worse and over a far greater geographical scale" than Cyclone Larry.
Researchers are yet to obtain satellite and aerial data showing the full extent of destruction to the world's oldest continuous surviving rainforest - up to 130 million years old - from Etty Bay south to Ingham.
Huge sections of ancient rainforest trees, stripped bare by the 300km/h winds near the eye of the cyclone near Mission Beach, stand like dried stalks in the once-thick green foliage.
Virtually none of Queensland has been untouched by destructive weather in the past month.
Experts believe hundreds of kilometres of the Great Barrier Reef, too, will take up to 10 years to recover from the effects of Cyclone Yasi.
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority is yet to send divers for underwater assessments. But broken coral from the fragile reef ecosystem and floating islands of seagrass torn off the shallow ocean floor are being washed ashore along the hardest hit parts of the coastline.
Professor Paul Gadek, a highly respected tropical scientist, said the coastal and mountain rainforests had been decimated in a natural cycle doubtless replayed over countless thousands of years.
"Cyclones are part of the natural order," said the James Cook University professor. "But when you see the loss of canopy, the loss of large trees, the loss of habitant and the extent of area it covers, it beggars belief as to how it can possibly recover."
He said projects comparing data obtained post-Larry will study the impact on the flora, insects, birds and mammals.
"What does happen to butterflies in a cyclone?" he said.
Wet Tropics Management Authority chief Andrew Maclean said up to $10 million of federal funding was needed, with an urgent priority on the impact on the endangered cassowaries.
"There is still a human impact - we have to be sensitive to getting roofs over the heads of affected families," said Mr Maclean.
"But the food of the cassowary has been thrown on to the forest floor and within a week will begin to rot."
The diverse rainforests around Tully and Mission Beach contain a large proportion of Australia's plant species, including 65 per cent of fern species.
They provide habitat for more than half the nation's bird species, 60 per cent of the butterflies and 36 per cent of mammals.
It is also home to the endangered southern cassowary.
GBRMPA chief Russell Reichelt said the progress the reef has made since Cyclone Larry will now be destroyed.
Mr Reichelt said the cyclone and storm surge would have smashed coral beds and moved coral boulders, sand and rubble.
He warned any loss of important sea grass beds, disturbed by the cyclone, will have a drastic impact on animals like dugongs.
Hinchinbrook Island, off Cardwell, has one of Australia's biggest known populations of dugong.
