Biggest Structure made by living organisms

Great Barrier Reef

Great Barrier Reef if the only and the biggest structure made by living organisms that can be seen from outer space. It consists of about 3000 individual reefs around 900 islands stretched for over 2600 kilometers. This reef structure is composed of billions of tiny organisms known as coral polyps. Apart from these a wide variety of other aquatic animals are also supported by this reef system as it provides them food, and place to live and also provide the bigger animals, better chance to hunt.it is situated in coral sea, in the off coast of Queensland, Australia.
Significance
Great Barrier Reef is a well noted site and has been declared as World Heritage Site in 1981. Queensland National Trust also named it as state Icon of Queensland and is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. In Whitsunday islands, Great Barrier Reef plays a major role in economy as it attracts large masses of tourists.
Environmental values
Sea plants that grow in reef system carry out the photosynthesis, in this way, the largest part of carbon dioxide is absorbed by oceans. Being the largest coral system, Great Barrier Reef plays a vital role in cleaning the atmosphere. It also supports a large variety of aquatic life acting as home for sea animals including endangered species. Animals like jellyfish, octopus, sea snakes, green sea turtle, whales like dwarf minke whale, humpback whale, humpback dolphins, porpoises, dugongs, clown fish, red bass, red throat emperor, mass spawn, snapper, coral trout, many species of seagrass, stingray, shark, skates, chimaera, saltwater crocodile, thousands of species of mollusk, pipefish, seahorse, frogs, etc. live under the reef system.
Coral depletion
Great Barrier Reef is now facing a large number of threats and it has recorded a decline of more than half of its corals from 1985 to 2012 of which most have occurred after 1998. Following are the reasons for this depletion-
Fishing-
Overfishing disturbs the food chain of the system thus threatening coral life. Pollution from fishing boats is also harmful.
Shipping-
Shipping accidents in this area is bad as it pollute the water.
Pollution-
Rivers from north eastern Australia pollute the reef during floods and deplete water quality since floods bring chemical fertilizers and pesticides with them which are very harmful as waste.
Global warming-
It is the greatest threat to the reef system as corals fail to cope with the increased ocean temperature and die. It increases biological waste leading to increase in BOD of the water in the region hence resulting in further coral bleaching.

Apart from these, there are several species off fishes that feed on coral polyp, when outbreak in large number, destroy the reefs of the region.
Credits: Image Source- Google Images

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