This allows for cities such as Cairns and Mourilyn to have active seaports, and not rely on southern cities like Brisbane for their exports. .
The Great Barrier Reef is one of the oldest reef formations in the world, and scientists believe that some of the older formations of the reef began to grow over two million years ago, but the majority of it didn't begin to form until about 500,000 years ago, with the current growth period beginning about 8,000 years ago (Encarta). Another unique characteristic of the Great Barrier Reef is its ability to be seen form space. No other reef formation on the planet has this distinction, and the great barrier reef actually makes up about 13% of the worlds coral deposit (Encarta).
Australia's location allows for a diverse blend of aquatic life. Whereas the majority of the reef, from Cape York, down to about Rockhampton is a definitively tropical area, south of this area is below the Tropic of Capricorn. This creates a cooler water temperature, and is more suited for stony corals, rather than the soft corals, which prefer the warmer northern waters (Cotes). The East Australian Current, made famous by the children's movie "Finding Nemo", is key for the survival of the reef. During winter months, the current brings in nutrients from the Indian Ocean, and then from the pacific during the summer.
Tortorici 3.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to a multitude of different species of both corals, as well as fish, plant, and other marine life. Over 350 different species of stony corals have been identified in the Great Barrier Reef, along with numerous other soft corals. However, not all of these fish and other marine dwellers are as kind as they are beautiful, the corals themselves may cause severe infection if they puncture your skin. .
There are many other deadly inhabitants of the Great Barrier Reef, even those that may seem harmless. A good example of this is the cone shell, which has a fatal sting.
