2001 Australia: Great Barrier Reef #2
This photo was taken on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, from a semi submersible craft one metre underwater. Apologies for the picture colour & sharpness, but I thought the pictures were interesting enough to post anyway.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi).
The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It is larger than the Great Wall of China.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.
It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem include runoff, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish. According to a study published in October 2012 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985.
The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over $3 billion per year.
Due to its vast biodiversity, warm clear waters and accessibility from the tourist boats called "live aboards", the reef is a very popular destination, especially for scuba divers. Tourism on the Great Barrier Reef is concentrated in the Whitsundays and Cairns due to their accessibility. These areas make up 7% of the Park's area.
Many cities along the Queensland coast offer daily boat trips. Several continental and coral cay islands are now resorts, including the pristine Lady Elliot Island. As of 1996, 27 islands on the Great Barrier Reef supported resorts.
Approximately two million people visit the Great Barrier Reef each year.
A variety of boat tours and cruises are offered, from single day trips, to longer voyages. Boat sizes range from dinghies to superyachts. Glass-bottomed boats and underwater observatories are also popular, as are helicopter flights. By far, the most popular tourist activities on the Great Barrier Reef are snorkelling and diving, for which pontoons are often used, and the area is often enclosed by nets. The outer part of the Great Barrier Reef is favoured for such activities, due to water quality.
Saltwater crocodiles live in mangrove and salt marshes on the coast near the reef.
Around 125 species of shark, stingray, skates or chimaera live on the reef.
Close to 5,000 species of mollusc have been recorded on the reef, including the giant clam.
49 species of pipefish and 9 species of seahorse have been recorded.
At least seven species of frog inhabit the islands.
215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands. 1.4 to 1.7 million birds use the area to breed.
30 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef.
Large populations of dugongs live there.
More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef.
As well as 17 species of sea snake.
The islands of the Great Barrier Reef also support 2,195 known plant species, the plants are propagated by birds.
400 coral species, both hard corals and soft corals inhabit the reef.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrier_Reef
2001 Australia: Great Barrier Reef #2
This photo was taken on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, from a semi submersible craft one metre underwater. Apologies for the picture colour & sharpness, but I thought the pictures were interesting enough to post anyway.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands stretching for over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi).
The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world. It is larger than the Great Wall of China.
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. This reef structure is composed of and built by billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps.
It supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use, such as fishing and tourism. Other environmental pressures on the reef and its ecosystem include runoff, climate change accompanied by mass coral bleaching, and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish. According to a study published in October 2012 by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985.
The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australian and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is an important part of local groups' cultures and spirituality. The reef is a very popular destination for tourists, especially in the Whitsunday Islands and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating over $3 billion per year.
Due to its vast biodiversity, warm clear waters and accessibility from the tourist boats called "live aboards", the reef is a very popular destination, especially for scuba divers. Tourism on the Great Barrier Reef is concentrated in the Whitsundays and Cairns due to their accessibility. These areas make up 7% of the Park's area.
Many cities along the Queensland coast offer daily boat trips. Several continental and coral cay islands are now resorts, including the pristine Lady Elliot Island. As of 1996, 27 islands on the Great Barrier Reef supported resorts.
Approximately two million people visit the Great Barrier Reef each year.
A variety of boat tours and cruises are offered, from single day trips, to longer voyages. Boat sizes range from dinghies to superyachts. Glass-bottomed boats and underwater observatories are also popular, as are helicopter flights. By far, the most popular tourist activities on the Great Barrier Reef are snorkelling and diving, for which pontoons are often used, and the area is often enclosed by nets. The outer part of the Great Barrier Reef is favoured for such activities, due to water quality.
Saltwater crocodiles live in mangrove and salt marshes on the coast near the reef.
Around 125 species of shark, stingray, skates or chimaera live on the reef.
Close to 5,000 species of mollusc have been recorded on the reef, including the giant clam.
49 species of pipefish and 9 species of seahorse have been recorded.
At least seven species of frog inhabit the islands.
215 species of birds (including 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds) visit the reef or nest or roost on the islands. 1.4 to 1.7 million birds use the area to breed.
30 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises have been recorded in the Great Barrier Reef.
Large populations of dugongs live there.
More than 1,500 fish species live on the reef.
As well as 17 species of sea snake.
The islands of the Great Barrier Reef also support 2,195 known plant species, the plants are propagated by birds.
400 coral species, both hard corals and soft corals inhabit the reef.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Barrier_Reef