Great Barrier Reef

By Shona 3/4C

A coral reef is an underwater structure formed by the skeletons of dead coral polyps. Most coral polyps live together in colonies.

What is A Coral Reef ?

A coral reef is formed by millions of tiny things called coral polyps. They then produce children called Planae . The Planae travels across the ocean and make that as their habitat. Once a coral polyp dies other coral polyps come and pile up on the dead skeletons which forms coral.

How are coral reefs built ?

The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, north-east Australia. It is located in the coral sea and you can see it from outer space but I don’t think you will be visiting space in any rush, in fact I don’t think you’ll be going to outer space no matter what!

Where is the Great Barrier Reef ?

There are lots creatures such as fish, sea snakes, sea turtles, reef sharks, octopi, crabs, lobsters, starfish, sea horses, sea anemones, maybe sea dragons, maybe also eels and of course, coral.

What types of sea creatures are there in the GBR?

0ne type of coral is the mushroom coral The second type is the stag horn coral.

Two types of coral

One way is snorkelling. Another is for research. Another is fishing but there is a limit!

Otherwise there wouldn’t be any fish left and almost everything will die off.

What are three ways we use the GBR?

Threats

Kids who are watching don’t do this to your nearby lake nor a barrier reef, fringing reef or atoll reef. Just don’t try it. You will now see some threats that are affecting the poor GBR

The crown of thorns starfish eats the beautiful coral in any coral reefs.

The predators include the giant triton snail, the hump head Maori wrasse, starry puffer fish and titan triggerfish. This can eat the Crown of thorns.

Crown of thorns starfish

Coral Bleaching

CORAL BLEACHING

When the water temperature on coral increases the algae in the coral leaves and the coral loses its colour and dies. This is what we call coral bleaching.

To try and prevent coral bleaching do things that are eco friendly like use less electronics and walk to school if you are close.

Logging

Logging is BAD

Logging near water can be very dangerous because once a tree is chopped near a water, the soil might erode into the ocean.

People are now no longer allowed to chop down trees near water.

I hope you enjoyed my slideshow!!!Take care!