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The Great Barrier Reef. Joshua Volkan. Location. In the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of Australia 347,800 Kilometers in size That’s bigger than the UK, Holland, and Switzerland combined 2,300 Kilometers long Big enough to be seen from outer space. Interesting Numbers.
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The Great Barrier Reef Joshua Volkan
Location • In the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of Australia • 347,800 Kilometers in size • That’s bigger than the UK, Holland, and Switzerland combined • 2,300 Kilometers long • Big enough to be seen from outer space
Interesting Numbers • 2900 different reefs comprise to make The Great Barrier Reef • 1500 different species of fish • 4000 species of mollusks • 500 species of sea weed • 215 different types of birds • 6 different types of sea turtles
Coral Bleaching • Zooxanthellae (tiny algae) live in tissue of coral • These Zooxanthellae give the coral its color and energy to grow • When water temperatures get too warm, coral release the Zooxanthellae • The result is a bleached coral
Global Warming • As the world overall temperature over the next several years is predicted to rise more and more coral reefs will die • It has been said that humans are a great cause on global warming and indirectly killing beautiful reefs • If temperatures continue to increase at the rate they are, all the coral in the world, as we know it, will likely perish.