大堡礁培训教案.pptVIP

* Great Barrier Reef The reef is located in the Coral sea, off the coast of Queensland in north-east Australia.The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is the worlds 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. CNN labeled it one of the seven natural wonders in the world. The Queensland National Trust named it a state icon of Queensland. 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 beaching, and cyclic population outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns-starfish. The Great Barrier Reef has long been known to and used by the Aboriginal Australia and Torres strait Island 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 Island and Cairns regions. Tourism is an important economic activity for the region, generating $1?billion per year. *