Ocean and Coral Reefs

Australia is an island country which means the ocean has a big impact on this place. Coral reefs are a very important part of our ecosystem, providing a home for more than 25% of marine animals. Reefs provide a large fraction of Earth's biodiversity, they have been called "the rain forests of the seas". 

Coral reefs are very important because they re producing more than 65% of worlds oxygen.  Reefs also provide a lot of economic benefits like tourism, coastal protection and also a habitat for commercial local fisheries. They are also helping to protect coastlines from storm events and complex compounds found in coral reefs hold promise in modern medicine, they are irreplaceable for our planet. Corals are very important in many ways and we should find an effective way to save them. 

The largest coral reef in the world called the Great Barrier Reef is located in Australia. A lot of people say it is one of the most magical places in the world, you can undeniably feel the cleanness, life, and colourfulness from this place. It is 2300 kilometre long which makes him the largest in the whole world. But sadly in the last years since 1990 the coral calcification has declined 14,2% since 199 this large, rapid decline that hasn't been seen for 400 years. It is under pressure from multiple threats. The biggest threat is climate change. The reef health is decreasing due the poor water quality, and the impacts on climate change mostly anthropogenic, cyclones or warmer weather. 

We, as people, are mostly responsible for this major issue, we should be aware of the fact that we do not have impact only on coral reefs, but also other parts of ecosystems. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has spent the last two years discussing this issue that needs to be solved before it is too late. 

The Great Barrier Reef means home for 6 out of 7 world species of marine turtles, for more than 1 600 species of fishes, over 550 species of hard coral and soft coral and for whales and dolphins also. Millions of visitors visit the Great Barrier Reef every single year, during the exploration - whether snorkelling, scuba diving, or viewing this beauties from a boat, visitors needs to make sure to keep track of their progress as they attempt to catalog the reef's "Great Eight" - manta rays, whales, turtles, clownfish, potato cod, giant clams, maori wrasse and sharks. 

While the Great Barrier reef takes the spotlight mostly, it is definitely not the only incredible reef system you can find in Australia. Other coastlines have coral reefs too and they are only simply waiting to be explored, not destroyed.

Veronika Sudková 4.C