BETA
Chapter 1
The architecture of the reef
Chapter 2
The bustling underwater metropolis
Chapter 3
First Nations custodianship
Chapter 4
The modern battle for survival
Ch 4 · The modern battle for survival
matilda Clear ocean debris and plant corals to discover how scientists restore the Great Barrier Reef.
matilda Small Actions for the Reef
We trace the coral from a screen at home (right from home), to map the reef where the sea turtles roam (yeah, they roam)
matilda Prolonged heat stress causes corals to expel zooxanthellae, leading to starvation and death if the water fails to cool down.
Quiz
What primary environmental stressor triggers mass coral bleaching events on the Great Barrier Reef?
matilda The venomous crown-of-thorns starfish feeds exclusively on the living polyps of reef-building corals.
Quiz
Which giant marine snail is one of the few natural predators capable of eating the venomous crown-of-thorns starfish?
Fun Fact
Heat-resistant corals: Scientists are identifying and breeding 'super corals' that have naturally survived severe marine heatwaves to help seed future reefs.
Quiz
Where are the harvested coral eggs and sperm grown into larvae during the Coral IVF process?
Quiz
Who pioneered the groundbreaking 'Coral IVF' larval reseeding technique on the Great Barrier Reef?
Glossary
coral bleaching (noun)
A process whereby stressed corals expel their symbiotic algae, causing them to turn completely white. The Great Barrier Reef experienced its first recorded mass bleaching event in 1998 due to extreme heat.
A process whereby stressed corals expel their symbiotic algae, causing them to turn completely white. The Great Barrier Reef experienced its first recorded mass bleaching event in 1998 due to extreme heat.
Quiz
Why are tourists encouraged to use 'reef-safe' sunscreen when swimming near corals?
Quiz
How does planting trees along rivers on the mainland help protect the distant Great Barrier Reef?