GEORGIA'S+OCEAN+BIOME+PAGE

= __THE GREAT BARRIER REEF__ =


 * DEFINITIONS:

 Ecosystem:  The complex interactions between biotic and abiotic features in an area. Ecology: ** The study of science that studies the interaction between different organisms both biotic and abiotic and the environment they live in.
 * Biome: ** A biotic community charachterised by flora and fauna, habitats such as the rainforest.
 * Abiotic Factors: ** An abiotic factor is something to do with non living things.
 * Biotic Factors: ** Biotic Factors is something to do with living things.
 * Habitat: ** A habitat is something where an animal lives or something where it is found.
 * Predator: ** A predator is an animal that hunts for another animal.
 * Prey: ** A prey is something that is the food for another animal.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">Herbivore: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">A herbivore is something that has a diet of greens and plants.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">Carnivore: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">A carnivore is something that has a diet of meat and other animals.
 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">Omnivore: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">A omivore is something that has a diet of both meat, animals, greens and plants **<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">. **

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">**INTRODUCTION:**

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"> I have chosen the Ocean biome as my project it to research a biome. I have chosen a specific ocean biome the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef ecosystem. The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea area, but a bit closer to the land and is off the East Coast of Australia.

<span style="color: rgb(0,0,0);">**<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">ANIMALS, PLANTS AND MICROBES THAT LIVE THERE: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"> Many animals, plants and microbes live in the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef is known to have the largest coral reef system in the world and has a huge number of species for all different types animals.

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">__There are many underwater animals like:__ **
 * **<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">whales, **
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">dolphins,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">dugons,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">sea turtles,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">salt water crocodiles,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">many types of fish,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">sharks,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">stingrays
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">starfish
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">seahorses
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">crill
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">shrimp
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">lobsters
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">sea otters
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">sea lions
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">wullresses
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">seals
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">cone snails and many more different types of underwater creatures.
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">There are also land and shore animals like: **
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">eagles,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">terns,
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">seaguls and there are over 215 species of other birds. Which also includes 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds.
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">PLANTS AND MICROBES: (commonly found) **
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Turbinaria White Coral
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Favia Coral
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Gonipora Coral
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Hydnophora Coral
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Echinophyllia Coral
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Tubinaria Vase Coral
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Acropora Staghorn Coral and hundreds more of many different types and species.
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">ALGEE: **
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Blue-green algae
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">red algae
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">brown algae
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">green algae
 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">golden algae

__**<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">DIFFERENT HABITATS FOUND THERE: **__ <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"> There are many habitats in the Great Barrier Reef and here are just some of them:
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">CORAL: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">There would be many different animals that live in the coral for all different reasons. Some fish also use the coral to scratch them and also use it for hiding places. Many fish also feed off the coral as lots of little particles and small living creatures also hide in the coral which provides food for some bigger fish and other marine animals.
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">SANDY OCEAN FLOOR: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">The sandy ocean floor also provides homes for all different creatures as some stingrays also hide beneath the sand to camoflaugue them selves from their prey and also predators. Some other marine animals like fish and crabs hide and live on the sea floor as the can find small schools of fish and also small particles that hide themselves.
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">ROCKS: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Some marine animals use rocks to protect themselves from predators and also to find their food. Some small animals like crabs hide between rocks which also provide food for other animals and bigger fish.
 * **<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">PLANTS: ** <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">Some small fish hide themselves between plants to feed off algae and also small living creatures that stick to the sea plants. Fish also lay their eggs between plants so that they can be protected and uneasy to see for predators.

__**<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">FOUR ANIMALS FROM THE GREAT BARRIER REEF: **__


 * <span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">__SEA TURTLE__ **: The habitat for the adult Sea Turtle is in shallow, coastal waters, bays, lagoons, and the shallow parts of rivers. Some also venture into the open sea. Juveniles of some species may be found in bays and river mouths and well as the sea. The diet of a Sea Turtle varies because some might be carnivores (meat eating), herbivores (plant eating) or omnivores (eating both meat and plants). The natural predators for the Adult Sea Turtles are mostly large sharks, tiger sharks which are known to eat sea turtles. Killer Whales have been known to prey on Leatherback turtles.


 * __<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">DUGONG __** : <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">The Dugong is an Australian marine animal that swim in the coastal waters of northern australia where they find protection from large waves and storms. Dugongs never go onto the land as they only come up to the surface for air. They like to live in large herds but the are now found in a smaller group (family). Dugongs are sometimes called seacows as they graze on seagrasses. Seagrass looks like grass growing on the sandy sea floor in shallow warm water. The dugongs have very few natural predators although they are sometimes attacked by large sharks.They gather in herds and can defend them selves against most attacks with the large male protecting the female and their baby calves.


 * __<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">DWARF MINKE WHALE: __ The dwarf minke whales are very widespread and there are a lot of them. They tend to move around the sea and swim rather than stay in one particular spot. The Dwarf Minke Whale feed between the higher latitude and the lower latitude, they stay in tropical and subtropical waters an have very little apatite,like plankton, krill and small fish, sardines, anchovies, cod, herrin and capelin. The predators of the Dwarf Minke Whales predator unknown. **


 * __<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">WHITE BREASTED SEA EAGLE: __<span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"> The habitat for the white breasted sea eagle is found in Australia, New Gueniea, all of Southeast Asia, China and India, they are a common sight of coastal areas. They are often seen in a high perched tree or flying over waterways and adjacent land. The White Breasted Sea Eagle feeds mainly off aquatic animals, such as fish, turtles, and sea snakes. It can also prey on other birds and animals. In the Bismarck Archepeligeo it has been known for eating various types of possum. It is a skilled hunter and could attack prey up to the size of a swan. They can also feed on carrion, such as sheep and fish that are along the waterline. Sometimes they herass smaller birds forcing them to drop food they are carrying. The White Breasted Sea Eagle feeds alone, in pairs or in family groups. They do not dive underwater, however they keep within the 1km of shores as there are no thermals over water. The Predator for the White Breasted Sea Eagle is unknown. **

__**<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">ABIOTIC FACTORS SUCH AS TEMPRETAURE AND SOIL CONDITIONS: **__

<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);"> ABIOTIC FACTORS: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"> Abiotic factors are facts about an area that is non-living and some of the factsin my biome that are abiotic is sand, rocks, shels, water, dead animals, dead plants and pollution.. These factors are all non-living but they are a major part of my biome as they provide food and a home for many living animals.

<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);"> BIOTIC FACTORS: <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 255);"> Biotic factors are factors of an area that are living some of the factors are the plants, microbes and animals. All of these things are living but until they die they will be classified as abiotic.


 * <span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">__WHERE SIMILAR BIOMES EXIST IN THE WORLD:__

<span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">The most similar biome to the Great Barrier Reef that exists in the world is Tundra biome because it is made up of water and when the weather gets hot some of the ice turns into water and thats when fish and other marine animals live there. The Tundra biome which inlcudes some parts of water which allows many homes for different types and species of marine animals to live and to provide a defending spot from any or most predators. Having both a marine and tundra biome sharing one similar biome which they both have water and marine animals. That must mean that they are connected in a way.

<span style="color: rgb(0, 255, 255);">__THREATS TO THIS BIOME/MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY:__ <span style="font-weight: normal; color: rgb(255, 0, 255);">The threats of the Great Barrier Reef is pollution, endangered species. The Great Barrier Reef has many plants and animals of all kinds of species and types. Humans are visiting the reef and have brought some big changes, many things that we do on the Reef and on land have many things to do with the reefs fragile ecosystem. On the Great Barrier Reef, careful management has made sure that most of the activities involved in the reefs ecosystems dont threaten the long-term health for the ecosystem. Fishing on the reef is very strict and is managed by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and Queensland Department of Primary Industries, to make sure that it will be maintained for many generations to come. Overall the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef is the human activites that involve the reef and also are held on the land of the Great Barrier Reef. This includes hunting for animals for food and sadly humans hunt down animals that are not fully regenerated which means that they havent had enough time to mate and have babies. Which also means the population of the animals will decrease in time and will soon become extinct if humans keep hunting. Another threat to the Great Barrier Reef is also climate change. Mass coral bleeching events happen due to the rising ocean tempretaures occured in summer and coral bleaching will likely become an event that happens every year. Climate change has conclusions for other forms of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef as well as some fish prefer a different tempretaure range which leads them to look for new areas to live. Climate Change will also affect the population and habitat for sea turtles as they prefer a different tempretaure range. My biome is also getting destroyed from polution as some animals think it is food and when they eat it they choke and sadly die just because some one has littered instead of putting it into a bin. **

<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">__BIBLIOGRAPHY:__


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 * [|http://www.reef.crc.org.au/discover/plantsanimals/facts_plantanimal.ht]
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(Great Barrier Reef



Different types of biomes in other parts of the world.