The Great Barrier The Great Barrier ReefReef

by: Dawn Nby: Dawn N

LocationLocation

The Great Barrier The Great Barrier Reef is on the Reef is on the north-east coast north-east coast of Australia. of Australia.

WeatherWeather

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8989 8888 8787 8484 8181 7878 7878 7979 8282 8585 8787 8989

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8.98.9 3.63.6 2.22.2 1.31.3 1.21.2 1.01.0 1.31.3 2.72.7 5.05.0

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LandformLandform

There are 600 islands that make up the Great Barrier Reef.

AnimalsAnimals NudibranchNudibranch

– Nudibranchs live on sea Nudibranchs live on sea squirts, sponges, and other squirts, sponges, and other poisonous animals. They poisonous animals. They recycle the toxins for their recycle the toxins for their own defense. own defense.

– They are called solar-They are called solar-powered because they eat powered because they eat soft corals, which generally soft corals, which generally have algae living in their have algae living in their tissues. They don’t digest the tissues. They don’t digest the algae, instead they keep the algae, instead they keep the algae in their skin. The algae algae in their skin. The algae continue photosynthesizing, continue photosynthesizing, making food for themselves making food for themselves and the nudibranchs.and the nudibranchs.

Hard Coral that is no bigger than a Hard Coral that is no bigger than a fingernail. They only grow about a fingernail. They only grow about a half inch a year. half inch a year.

Cone snailsCone snails have a tubelike siphon called a have a tubelike siphon called a proboscis, for sniffing out worms and other prey proboscis, for sniffing out worms and other prey on the seafloor. The cone snail injects poison on the seafloor. The cone snail injects poison that causes muscle spasms and death. It can that causes muscle spasms and death. It can also poison a human, although deaths are rare.also poison a human, although deaths are rare.

PlantsPlants

MangroveMangrove SpongeSponge

SeagrasSeagrasss

ThreatsThreats

Human expansion is one of the Human expansion is one of the biggest threats to coral reefs. As biggest threats to coral reefs. As we change the landscape, the we change the landscape, the amount of freshwater runoff amount of freshwater runoff increases. increases.

Pollution also damages the reef. Pollution also damages the reef.

Questions & Questions & AnswersAnswers

The Great Barrier Reef has a collection of over The Great Barrier Reef has a collection of over ______ types coral reefs.______ types coral reefs.

400400

1,500 different species of ______ live here.1,500 different species of ______ live here. fish fish

There are _____ kinds of mollusc. There are _____ kinds of mollusc. 4,0004,000

_________________ is the habitat of some _________________ is the habitat of some threatened species like the dugong ('sea cow') threatened species like the dugong ('sea cow') and the large green turtle.and the large green turtle.

The Great Barrier ReefThe Great Barrier Reef

Sources:Sources:

Great Barrier Reef @ Great Barrier Reef @ www.nationalgeographic.comwww.nationalgeographic.com

World Heritage Great Barrier World Heritage Great Barrier Reef.htm Reef.htm

http://www.crystalinks.com/greatbhttp://www.crystalinks.com/greatbarriereef.htmlarriereef.html

http://www.divethereef.com/http://www.divethereef.com/Guides/SeasonsF.aspGuides/SeasonsF.asp