What is the Great Barrier Reef Known For, Check Here

The Big Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world. It extends over 2300 km along the coast of Queensland, Australia.

It consists of nearly 3,000 reefs and 900 islands and is a natural wonder filled with colorful corals, fish and marine life.

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The reef is important for many reasons. It supports thousands of species, helps protect the coastline, and is essential for scientific research. It also plays an important role in Australia’s tourism industry and attracts millions of tourists each year. People come to snorkel, dive and explore its amazing beauty.

The Great Barrier Reef is known for its amazing biodiversity and clear waters. However, it faces challenges such as climate change and coral bleaching that threaten its delicate ecosystem.

In this article, we will explore what the great obstacle reef is unique, its rich biodiversity, threats and how we contribute to it.

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What are coral reefs?

Coral reefs are complex underwater ecosystems, mainly formed by the colonies of small marine animals called coral polyps.

These polyps secrete calcium carbonate, forming a hard exterior bone accumulated over time, which leads to a large structure identified as a coral reef.

Features of coral reef

• Biological diversity: Coral reefs are usually called “marine rain forests” because they only occupy 0.1 % of the marine surface, but about 25 % of marine species, including fish, software, and various vertebrates.
• Location: Most reefs flourish in the warm, shallow waters of tropical and subtropical oceans, usually at depths less than 150 feet. However, some extend depths are 450 feet.
• Structure: The largest, the most famous coral reef system is Australia’s large barrier reef. It spans 1,500 miles (about 2,400 kilometers). Because of its huge size, it can be seen.

Coral reef type

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Coral reefs can be divided into three main types:

• Edge coral reef: These are usually shallowly connected to the shore.
• Obstacle reefs: These coral reefs are located far away from the coast and are separated by deep water, wider than the edge reef.
• Atolls: The circular reef surrounding the lagoon is often found in deep waters away from land.

Ecological importance

Coral reef plays a vital role in the marine ecosystem:

• They provide habitats and shelter for various marine creatures.
• They protect the coastline from erosion and storms.
• They contributed to the local economy through tourism and fishing, generating billions of dollars in revenue worldwide.

Symbiosis

A unique feature of coral reefs is the symbiotic relationship between coral polyps living in coral tissue and ZOOXANTHELLAE, and micro -algae.

This relationship is crucial to the health of the reef. Algae perform photosynthesis to provide energy to corals while benefiting from the nutrients produced by corals

What is the huge obstacle reef and where is it?

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef system, located in the Coral Sea near the northeastern coast of Australia.

It spans more than 2300 km (about 1,429 miles) and covers about 344,400 square kilometers (about 133,000 square miles).

Reefs are composed of more than 2,900 coral reefs and 900 islands, making it a complex and diverse marine ecosystem.

Place

• Coordinates: 16°24’S 145°48’E
• Geographical scope: The reef extends from the Torres Strait in the north to Mrs. Eliot Island in the south, with a width of 10 to 100 miles (16 to 160 kilometers).

The great obstacle reef is not only a natural miracle, but also the UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its excellent biodiversity and ecological significance. Due to its huge size and bright colors, it can usually be seen from the outer space.

Why is the great barrier reef so important?

The huge obstacle reef is very important, including several reasons, including ecology, economic and cultural dimensions.

Ecological

• Biodiversity: It is one of the most biodiversified ecosystems on the planet, with over 1,500 fish species, 400 coral species and 4,000 molluscs. This rich diversity supports a wide range of marine life and contributes to the overall health of marine ecosystems.
• Habitat: Reefs provide an essential habitat for countless marine species at various stages of life. It plays a vital role in the life cycle of many fish and other marine life, which is essential for maintaining marine life diversity.
• Climate regulation: Coral reefs help mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and protecting coastlines from erosion and storms. They act as natural obstacles, reducing the power of the wave force that hits the shore 35.

Economic importance

• Tourism: The Great Barrier Reef is a major tourist destination. It produces about $ 6.4 billion for the Australian economy each year and supports more than 60,000 jobs. It is mainly tourism -related departments.
• The beauty of the reef attracts millions of visitors each year, making it the cornerstone of Australia’s tourism industry.
• Fisheries: This is also important for commercial fishing and provides livelihoods for many local communities. The reefs maintain a variety of fish that are crucial to local consumption and international markets.

Cultural value

• Indigenous Meaning: The Great Barrier Reef has a profound cultural importance to Aboriginal Australians living in harmony with their ecosystems.

• There are over 70 traditional trustee groups that have spiritual connections to the reef, emphasizing their cultural heritage and significance.

Research opportunities

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Reefs are the natural laboratories for scientists who study marine biology, ecology, and climate change. Research conducted in this area helps us understand global environmental issues and helps inform conservation efforts.

The biggest threat to the big obstacle reef

The Great Barrier Reef faces several major threats, mainly driven by human activities and environmental changes. This is the main threat:

1. Climate change

• Temperature rise: Climate change is the most critical threat to coral reefs, leading to rising sea temperatures.
• This can lead to coral bleaching, which is a phenomenon. The coral driving except Zooxanthellae, which provides them with nutrition and leads to death.
• Due to heat stress, the reef experienced four large-scale bleaching events in just seven years.
• Oceanic acidization: The increase in the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can cause higher carbon absorption of marine absorption, which will cause acidification to adversely affect the growth and elasticity of corals.

2. Water quality

• Pollution and runoff: Poor water quality from land-based sources, including sediment runoff, agrochemicals and pollutants, has severely affected coral health. Increasing nutritional ingredients can cause algae reproduction, leaving corals from space and resources.

3. Thorns crowned starfish burst

When the number of starfish in these corals increases, especially when other factors emphasize corals, they destroy coral populations. The outbreak is related to the nutritional water that promotes its breeding.

4. Coastal development

With the increase of the population of Queensland and the increase in coastal development, the habitat is damaged and further pollution. This development will destroy natural processes and ecosystems that are vital to reef health.

5. Overfishing and illegal fishing

Unsustainable fishing practices threaten key species that maintain ecological balance within reefs. Overfishing can lead to increased algae growth due to the depletion of herbivorous fish that are usually grazed on algae.

6. Extreme weather events

Due to climate change, the frequency and intensity of storms and whirlwinds increased, causing physical damage to the reef structure. Incidents such as severe tropical cyclones can affect the large area of ​​the reef ecosystem.

How do we protect the big obstacle reef?

Protective obstacle reefs are essential for retaining their ecological integrity and ensuring its survival in various threats. Here are the key strategies and actions that can protect this important ecosystem:

1. Regulatory management

• Division plan: The Grand Barrier Reef Ocean Park Management Bureau (GBRMPA) formulated a partition plan to designate a specific field of various activities to balance protection and tourism and fishing.
• These areas determine the occurrence of activities such as fishing, diving and boating, helping to minimize human impact on sensitive areas.
• Legislative and Agreement: Implementing and implementing environmental regulations, such as coral reef water quality protection plans, and traditional use of the Marine Resources Agreement (TUMRAS), which helps to manage human activities while respecting indigenous practice.

2. Water quality improvement

• Pollution Control: Reducing runoff in agricultural practices is crucial. Implementing better land management practices can help keep pollutants away from reef waters.
• Community participation: plans such as coral reef guardians enable local communities to participate in the protection work and promote the sustainable practice of farmers, fishermen and tourist operators.

3. Fighting climate change

• Mitigation: It is crucial to address climate change through global measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Local actions, such as promoting renewable energy and energy efficiency, can also contribute.
• Resilience construction: Research and projects are committed to enhancing the resilience of coral species to heat stress and acidification, which is crucial to adapt to changing conditions.

4. Community participation

• Public awareness campaign: Education to the public the importance of reefs and how to help them is crucial. Activities such as creating a reef-free petition aimed at reducing harmful fishing habits.
• Volunteer Program: Opportunities to engage in volunteer coral reef conservation allow individuals to contribute directly to restoration efforts and habitat conservation.

5. Research and monitoring

Continuing scientific research is necessary to monitor reef health and assess the effectiveness of management strategies. GBRMPA conducts regular assessments through reports such as the Big Barrier Outlook Report.

6. Sustainable tourism practice

Promoting environmental tourism practice can ensure that tourists have made positive contributions to the protection of coral reefs. This includes responsible diving guidelines to prevent damage to the coral structure.

Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
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