Fragile Eco-systems
The Great Barrier Reef by Rahul
Classification of the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most popular, diverse and largest structure ever to be built by living creatures. This imitable assembly of living organisms has the highest concentration of fauna and flora species in the world, ranging from: the infamous Great White Shark to the peaceful coral; and as a result of that it is the most important and prominent tourism source for the Australian economy. But it has a significant amount of threats or dangers whichmake it one of the most famous fragile eco-systems in the world. The name of the Great Barrier Reef comes from being the world's most enormous coral barrier reef. The Great Barrier Reef isn't one reef like it name implies, it is made up of approximately 2,900 individual reefs. it is 500,000 years old yet its modern structure formed only 8000 years old.
Location of the Great Barrier Reef
The location of the Great Barrier Reef is 15-150km off the North-Eastern coat of Queensland in the Coral Sea. It is approximately 344,000km^2 (133,000miles^2), about the size of 70 million football fields. It streches from cape York Pensula to Lady Elliot Island, a distance of over 3000km down the shoreline. The co-ordinates range from 10° 40' 55"S, 145° 00' 04"E at the upper-most tip to 29° 29' 54"S, 154° 00' 04"E at the bottom-most base. The Great Barrier Reef has 3 regions; they include: The Northern Region which is deeper than 30m, the Central Region which is 30-60m deep and the Southern Region which is less than 60m deep.
The Flora of the Great Barrier Reef
The Flora of the Great Barrier Reef is the most unique and bio-diverse. This rich assortment of flora ranges from fasinating mangroves to extraordinary seagrass to vital algae. The seagrass in the Great Barrier Reef are found in the coastal, estaurine and deep waters. Usually the seagrass lies 10m deep but some have been sighted to have been 60m deep. Seagrass takes up approximately 13% of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area which amounts to 6000km^2 of shallow-water seagrass and 40000km^2 of deep-water seagrass. The most common species of seagrass are: Halophila and Halodule. From Cape York to Cairns, the Halophila species are the most common; from Cairns to Bowen the species Halodule and Halophila are the most common; from Bowen to Yeppoon, the species Zostera is the most common and the area south of Yeppoon, the species Zostera, Halophila and Halodule are the most common. The seagrass that have adapted to deep-water need to adapt to different water clarity, propagule dispersal, nutrient supply and water currents. The deep-water seagrass are usually located between Princess Charlotte Bay and Cairns. These seagrass are a food source for a variety of animals such as the Green Turtle and the Dugong. The seagrass is vital for the dugong's survival; it needs to be kept at exactly the right quality and quantity. Although the seagrass is seemingly irrelevant, it is actually one of the most important parts in the reef as is marine algae.
Fauna of the Great Barrier Reef
Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef
Threats or Dangers to the Great Barrier Reef
Coral Bleaching from 1998 to 2002
Interesting Facts about the Great Barrier Reef
Conclusion
Bibliography
- Australian Encyclopedia
- www.greatadventures.com.au
- www.hamiltonisland.com.au
- Britannica micropaedia
- www.cairnsdiveadventures.com
- www.geography.about.com
- www.livescience.com
- www.reefed.edu.au
- www.reefcrc.org.au
- time magazine
- www.gbrmpa.gov.au/outlook-for-the-reef/great-barrier-reef-outlook-report
- Barney's Barrier Reef (tv show)
- www.greatbarrierreef.org/tourism-overview.php
- www.australia.com/explore/icons/great-barrier-reef.aspx
- www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/great-barrier-reef
- www.divingcairns.com.au/reef_tourism
- www.gbrmpa.gov.au/visit-the-reef/visitor-contribution/gbr_visitation/numbers
- National Geographic Magazine
- www.australia.gov.au
- www.abc.net.au