Research

CRUCIAL

adjective

- Decisive or critical, especially in the success or failure of something

- Of great importance

Coral reefs are of great importance to our oceans. Their survival determines the success of all of the other organisms that depend on it. We will dive into how the ecosystem of the great barrier reef and discuss how corals work, but for now let's visualize how critical the largest coral reef is. The sheer size of the great barrier reef reflects its importance.

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the largest coral reef system on the planet. Since it is the largest natural feature on Earth, the GBR is the only living structure you can see from space.

The GBR lines almost the entire coast of Australia’s Queensland area. In addition to the animal coral reefs that are the foundation of this unique aquatic ecosystem, there are also 600 continental islands and 300 coral keys. Known as cays or cayes, coral keys look like continental islands from a distance, but keys are sandy islands that form onto of a coral reef.

ECOSYSTEM

noun

- In Ecology, a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment

- In general use, a complex network or interconnected system

The name great barrier reef refers to all of the organisms, both the interacting and environmental, that thrive within the largest living structure on the planet. The great barrier reef truly us a complex network of interconnected species all tracing back to the coral. Some animals use the corals as shelter, some eat live, baby, or dead corals, and those who do not hide among or eat the corals directly live in the ecosystem to hunt their prey who do. Learn about how many different species contribute to this ecosystem below.

With this 1,600 mile area, there are 600 islands and thousands of animals. Thousands of corals create this reef ecosystem which is home to fish, sharks, rays, whales, dolphins, dugongs, mollusks, jellyfish, marine turtles, sea snakes, sponges and echinoderms (sea cumbers, starfish, etc.). Often other animals, such as saltwater crocodiles, native to Australia’s swamps, estuaries, or mangroves will make their way to the great barrier reef as well.

Some other interesting GBR statistics not shown on the right include:
- There are over 100 species of jelly fish

- There are over 5,000 species of sponges

- Marine biologists believe there is anywhere from 5,000-10,000 mollusk species

- There are around 40 species of sea anemones (as pictured above)

The Great Barrier Reef has roughly the same area as

Italy

Japan

Germany

Malaysia

VIBRANT

adjective

- Full of energy and enthusiasm

- Of color, bright and striking

- Of sound, strong and resonating

Corals are responsible for the the colorful, energetic, and abundant life within the great barrier reef. Corals are the key to this ecosystem, so lets learn more about these vibrant animals.

Organ pipe coral

Tubipora musica

Size: Up to 1m across

Flowerpot coral

Alveopora sp.

Size:
Polyps can grow up to 10cm long and 2cm wide

Smooth cauliflower coral

Stylophora pistillata

Size: Up to 30cm across

Honeycomb coral

Diploastraea sp.

Size: Domes of 1m or more

Finger coral

Montipora digitata

Size: Up to 40cm across

Common mushroom coral

Fungia fungites

Size: Up to 28 cm across

Beautiful illustrations by Brittney Klein

BLEACH

NOUN:
— A chemical used to whiten or sterilize materials. The chemical is typically a solution of sodium hypochlorite or hydrogen peroxide.

VERB: (with object)
- Whiten by exposure to sunlight or by a chemical process (as adjective bleached)
- Clean and sterilize

noun & verb

Unfortunately, the great barrier reef's corals are losing their vibrant colors and dying off in a process called Coral Bleaching.

Zooxanthellae, the algae the corals depend on, are very sensitive. When oceanic temperatures and acidity levels rise, the algae become stressed. If the water is only raised by a couple degrees, the relationship between coral and their vital algae becomes strained.

Bleached coral, the bone-like white coral, are not died, but close to it. Bleached corals are the result of their zooxanthellae disappearing. This leaves the coral vulnerable without it’s main food source and becomes more susceptible to disease. If the corals never regain the zooxanthellae it depends on, the coral will die due to starvation or disease. Once died, the coral’s tissue disappears and it’s skeleton is consumed by algae.

Of the 798 species of known corals in our ocean, more than 600 are found in the great barrier reef.

All of the animals who call reefs their home are dependent on corals, who themselves are animals. Corals are responsible for the vibrant colors and diverse life of the reef ecosystem, but this is also thanks to another organism—algae. Corals depend on zooxanthellae, a type of microscopic algae that live within the coral’s tissues. These algae are not only the coral’s main food source, but also responsible for the coral’s color. If the corals and zooxanthellae are thriving, it is believed that corals can live for a few thousand of years, making them the longest living animals on the planet.

DELICATE

adjective

ONE:
very fine in texture or structure; of intricate workmanship or quality
- (of a color or a scent) subtle and subdued
- (of food or drink) subtly and pleasantly flavored

TWO:
easily broken or damaged; fragile: delicate china.
- (of a person, animal, or plant) susceptible to illness or adverse conditions
- (of a state or condition) easily upset or damaged

THREE:
requiring sensitive or careful handling
- (of a person or an action) tactful and considerate
- skillful and finely judged
- (of an instrument) highly sensitive.

We know that coral reefs are intricate animals that provide the structure of the great barrier reef, but coral bleaching proves that these animals are sensitive. In order to save the GBR, we must carefully care for the corals and aggressively fight the forces that are killing corals. Below, discover what is causing coral bleaching and how much humans rely on the great barrier reef.

Many things are threatening The Great Barrier Reef. Most of it’s threats are the main ones caused by climate change and environmental harm that is effecting the entire planet. There is a lot that can be said about these threats to the coral reef, so I will list them out here and dive into them later on.

- The Great Barrier Reefs threats include:
- Increased ocean temperatures
- Increased Ocean acidification
- Pollution
- An influx of thorn starfish (which eat coral)
- Development on Queensland’s coast
- Other general climate change issues

Aside from being a beautiful and vital ecosystem to our natural world, there are many human centric reasons to save The Great Barrier Reef and the many other reefs like it.

64,000 jobs depend on the reef. Every year, 2 million people visit the GBR and support the local Queensland economy along the way. The GRB alone is responsible for $6.4 billion in Australia’s national economic contributions. The reef is valued at $56 billion. In addition to economic benefits, corals reefs in general have safety benefits. For instance, coral reefs can act as marine barrier during oceanic natural disasters, protecting their coastal communities. Also, many important components in modern medicine can be traced back to marine animals who live in the coral reefs.