The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef (Great Barrier Reef in English) is the largest coral reef in the world. comprising more than 2,900 reefs individualsi 900 islands in a strip of more than 3,000 kilometers over an area of approximately 348,000 square kilometers. The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northeastern Australia. The Great Barrier Reef supports a wide diversity of life, and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Among the reefs there are over 1,500 species of fish and shellfish. CNN has been classified as one of the seven wonders of the world, and the Queensland National Trust has considered a state icon of Queensland. The Great Wall is the foundation of a great diversity of life, including many vulnerable or endangered species, some of which may be endemic to the reef system. Thirty species of whales, dolphins and porpoises have been inventoried in the Great Barrier Reef, including minke whales, dolphins Sousa, and the Humpback Whale. There are also large populations of dugong live. Six species of sea turtle come to the reef to breed -; the Green turtle, Leatherback Turtle, Carey turtle, loggerhead turtle, flatback turtle, the turtle and the Gulf. The green sea turtles in the Great Barrier Reef have two clear genetic populations, one in the north of the reef and the other south. [32] Fifteen species of vegetation seabed attracts dugongs and turtles, [30] and provides a habitat for fish. [33] The most common species are Halophila and Halodule. The Great Barrier Reef stretches from Torres Strait (between Bramble Cay, the northernmost island, and the south coast of Papua New Guinea) north of the unnamed passage that is between Lady Elliot Island (the its southernmost island) and Fraser Island to the south. Lady Elliot Island is located 1915 km southeast of Bramble Cay. [11] Australia is moving northwards at a speed of 7 cm per year since the Cenozoic. [12] Eastern Australia experienced a period of tectonic elevation, making the move laderiva mainland Queensland 400 km inland. At this time, Queensland experienced volcanic eruptions with significant flows of basalt. [13] Some of these outcrops of granite have become major islands. [14] After the formation of the Coral Sea lagoon, the coral reefs began to grow inside her, until about 25 million years. The North Queensland was still temperate waters, but south of the tropics was too cold for the development of coral.

Australia: The Great Barrier Reef :