Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve

One of the most remote areas on Earth, the Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve is ecologically significant.  Heard Island and McDonald Island contain the only two active volcanoes in Australia. They are surrounded by the deep sea ecosystems of the Keregulen Plateau. Because the islands are rarely visited, they provide a unique opportunity to study isolated species with less genetic diversity. Furthermore, Heard Island and McDonald Islands Marine Reserve provides scientists the ability to research the effects of this isolation and the pressure that it applies to both terrestrial and aquatic species (Constable et al., 2024, p. 6-8)