The Great Barrier Reef

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The Great Barrier Reef

• A Natural Wonder of the World

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Coral Reefs What are they?

• Coral a tiny marine polyp that makes up the
  living part of the coral reef they give the reef
  its colourful, swaying appearance
• Coral Reef a build-up of the skeletons of dead
  coral living coral roots itself on the dead
  coral dead coral is a white colour because it
  has calcified over time and has built up over
  hundreds and thousands of years

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A Coral Reefs Demands

• Warm, shallow, and clean salt water
• 17?c
• Water no deeper than 27m
• Easily killed by pollution (bleached)
• Need lots of sunlight and plankton
• Feed on minute plankton and invertebrate life
  forms

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What is the Great Barrier Reef?

• It is the worlds largest coral reef
• Over 2000km long (about the distance from here to
  Nova Scotia)
• It stretches along the eastern coast of
  Queensland
• It is made up of 2,900 individual coral reefs
  that are very close to one another

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So, whats the big deal?

• The Great Barrier Reef attracts about 1.5 million
  tourists every year and generates 1 billion
  annually but why?
• Superb weather
• White sandy beaches
• Lush rainforest islands
• Clear blue, green, and turquoise ocean waters
• Attractions include scuba diving, snorkelling,
  swimming, surfing, sailing, bird watching, etc.

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Scuba Diving theGreat Barrier Reef

• Scuba diving is the greatest attraction
  enthusiasts travel from all over the world\
• Life on the Great Barrier Reef
• 1,500 species of fish
• 400 different types of coral (fan, brain)
• 400 types of mollusks (clams, sea slugs)
• 500 species of seaweed
• 215 species of birds
• 16 species of sea snakes
• 6 species of sea turtles
• Winter migration ground for whales

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Increased Tourism Increased Damage

• Increased tourist activity has had negative
  environmental effects
• How can we damage the reefs?
• Trample and kill the coral (walking on it)
• Scrape and bang the coral, making it vulnerable
  to disease (dragging diving gear, dropping
  anchors, dragging nets)
• Removal of coral (souvenirs very illegal)
• Pollution (oil spills, pesticides, sewage
  dumping, fertilizers, boat fuel,)
• Accelerates seaweed growth, which blocks out
  sunlight
• Accelerates algae growth, which smothers the
  coral
• Global warming

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Conservation and Protection Initiatives

• The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority has
  introduced park zoning (1975)
• Is a way to minimize negative impacts of tourism
• Reserves some areas of the Great Barrier Reef for
  enjoyment by the public, while others are
  preserved for their natural states and are left
  undisturbed (except for scientific research)
• Was designated a World Heritage Site by the
  United Nations (1981)
• Permanent dock built to avoid anchor damage
• Education program targeted toward tour boat
  owners and tourists