Great Barrier Reef
Australia's underwater wonder
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, stretching along the northeast coast of Australia.
It comprises thousands of individual reefs and hundreds of islands, visible from space and home to extraordinary marine biodiversity.
The reef serves as shorthand for vulnerable natural wonders threatened by climate change: Rising ocean temperatures are bleaching the Great Barrier Reef.
Australia's northeastern state
- CairnsNortheastern Australian coastal city
- WhitsundaysAustralian island chain
- TownsvilleAustralian northeastern port city
- continental shelfSubmerged perimeter of landmass
Surface swimming with breathing tube
- scubaPortable underwater breathing gear
- underwaterBelow the surface
- visibilityRange of clear sight
- dive sitePlace for underwater exploration
liveaboard · glass-bottom boat · mask · fins · wetsuit · buoyancy · descent · night dive
Striped reef fish, anemone symbiont
- sea turtleOcean-dwelling shelled reptile
- manta rayBroad flat cartilaginous fish
- giant clamLargest bivalve species
- parrotfishBeak-jawed coral-eating fish
moray eel · dugong · humpback whale · nudibranch · sea cucumber · starfish · octopus · stingray
Range of life forms
- food webInterconnected predator-prey relationships
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- planktonDrifting marine microlife
- algaePrimitive aquatic photosynthesizers
seagrass · spawning grounds · nursery · trophic · symbiosis · keystone species · endemic species · interconnection
Fleshy membrane projection
- bleachingChemical color removal
- branchingSplitting into separate directions
- staghornBranching cervid headgear
- brain coralRidged colonial sea animal
soft coral · spawning · calcification · coral garden · coral cay · anemone · symbiosis · colony
Chemical color removal
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
- acidificationIncrease in hydrogen ions
- cycloneRotating low-pressure storm system
- pollutionEnvironmental harm from waste
runoff · overfishing · sedimentation · agricultural runoff · plastic · shipping · dredging · coastal development
Aquatic animal exhibit facility
- protected zonesAreas with legal safeguards
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- research stationSite for scientific investigation
- sustainabilityCapacity to endure indefinitely
Queensland
Australia's northeastern state
- CairnsNortheastern Australian coastal city
- WhitsundaysAustralian island chain
- TownsvilleAustralian northeastern port city
snorkeling
Surface swimming with breathing tube
- scubaPortable underwater breathing gear
- underwaterBelow the surface
- visibilityRange of clear sight
dive site · liveaboard · glass-bottom boat · mask · fins · wetsuit · buoyancy · descent · night dive · pontoon
clownfish
Striped reef fish, anemone symbiont
- sea turtleOcean-dwelling shelled reptile
- manta rayBroad flat cartilaginous fish
- giant clamLargest bivalve species
parrotfish · moray eel · dugong · humpback whale · nudibranch · sea cucumber · starfish · octopus · stingray · barracuda
biodiversity
Range of life forms
- food webInterconnected predator-prey relationships
- habitatOrganism's natural environment
- planktonDrifting marine microlife
algae · seagrass · spawning grounds · nursery · trophic · symbiosis · keystone species · endemic species · interconnection · nutrient cycle
polyp
Fleshy membrane projection
- bleachingChemical color removal
- branchingSplitting into separate directions
- staghornBranching cervid headgear
brain coral · soft coral · spawning · calcification · coral garden · coral cay · anemone · symbiosis · colony · limestone
bleaching
Chemical color removal
- climate changePlanetary atmospheric transformation
- acidificationIncrease in hydrogen ions
- cycloneRotating low-pressure storm system
pollution · runoff · overfishing · sedimentation · agricultural runoff · plastic · shipping · dredging · coastal development
marine park
Aquatic animal exhibit facility
- protected zonesAreas with legal safeguards
- monitoringOngoing observation of something
- research stationSite for scientific investigation
sustainability · ecotourism · citizen science · marine sanctuary
- Australianakangaroo, Vegemite, boomerang, koala, didgeridoo
- Pacific LandmarksSydney Opera House, Uluru, Bora Bora, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Ayers Rock
- underwater placesunderwater cave, underwater canyon, underwater tunnel, ocean floor, seabed
- Australasian WatersCoral Sea, Tasman Sea, Sydney Harbour, Snowy River, Botany Bay
- Australian CoastBondi Beach, Cairns, Torquay, Palm Beach, Bronte
- Australian ecologyeucalyptus forests, bushland, tropical ecosystems, bushfires, wildlife conservation