The reef actually consists of some 2,100 individual reefs and some 800 fringing reefs (formed around islands or bordering coastlines). Many are
dry or barely awash at low tide
; some have islands of coral sand, or cays; and others fringe high islands or the mainland coast.
What is the physical significance of the Great Barrier Reef?
It contains
the world's largest collection of coral reefs
, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (‘sea cow') and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.
What are the features of the Great Barrier Reef?
- covers 344,400 km
2
in area. - includes the world's largest coral reef ecosystem.
- includes some 3000 coral reefs, 600 continental islands, 300 coral cays and about 150 inshore mangrove islands.
What are the physical features of coral reefs?
Natural pigments in coral tissue produce a
range of colors including white, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple
. Colored calcareous spicules (needle-shaped structures) give some octocorallians their colors. Algae that live within the tissues of some corals may make the coral appear brown, green, or orange.
What are 5 facts about the Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is
the largest living thing on Earth and is visible from outer space
! This incredible eco-system is 2,300km long. There are thousands of reefs and hundreds of islands. There are 600 types of hard and soft coral.
What is the biggest threat to Great Barrier Reef?
- Water quality. Increasing sediment, nutrients and contaminants, combined with rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification are damaging the Reef.
- Crown of Thorns Starfish. …
- Coastal development.
What are 3 facts about the Great Barrier Reef?
- It's the only place on earth where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites meet. …
- It's bigger than Tasmania and Victoria, combined. …
- You'll find a third of the world's coral here. …
- And it's home to nearly 5,000 marine and mammal species. …
- You can volunteer on the Great Barrier Reef.
Why is it called Great Barrier Reef?
Although the reef is called the Great Barrier Reef, it is actually made up of around 2600 different reefs. … The reef is called the ‘Barrier' Reef
because it is an outer reef, situated along the Australian continental shelf with the channel between the coastline and the reef reaching a depth of about 60m
.
How do we protect the Great Barrier Reef?
Protective legislation
The reef is protected by two complementary pieces of federal legislation:
the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 oversees activities in the marine park
.
What defines a barrier reef?
Barrier reef, a coral reef (q.v.)
roughly parallel to a shore and separated from it by a lagoon or other body of water
. A barrier reef is usually pierced by several channels that give access to the lagoon and the island or continent beyond it.
Do coral reefs produce oxygen?
Most corals, like other cnidarians, contain a symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae, within their gastrodermal cells. … In return,
the algae produce oxygen
and help the coral to remove wastes.
Why are coral reefs in danger?
Increased ocean temperatures and changing ocean chemistry
are the greatest global threats to coral reef ecosystems. These threats are caused by warmer atmospheric temperatures and increasing levels of carbon dioxide in seawater. As atmospheric temperatures rise, so do seawater temperatures.
Why is coral reefs important?
Coral reefs
protect coastlines from storms and erosion
, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation. They are also are a source of food and new medicines. Over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection.
What is the Great Barrier Reef made of kids?
Here is an interesting tidbit about the Great Barrier Reef for kids: even though they are hard as rocks, corals are actually alive! They are made up of tiny marine animals called
coral polyps
.
Who found the Great Barrier Reef?
European exploration of the reef began in 1770, when the
British explorer Capt. James Cook
ran his ship aground on it. The work of charting channels and passages through the maze of reefs, begun by Cook, continued during the 19th century.
What animals live in the Great Barrier Reef?
The Great Barrier Reef is a refuge for many species of conservation concern. These species of conservation concern include
inshore dolphins, whales, dugongs, sawfish, sea snakes, marine turtles and some fish and sharks
.
