Explain the formation of the Great Barrier Reef
Answers
Answer:
Coral reefs form when pre-existing reefs release a burst of larva into the water. The larva will drift until they hit a hard surface such as submerged rocks, or edges of islands. ... The Great Barrier Reef is a barrier reef, which borders along the coast, separated from Australia by a lagoon of open water.
Answer:
The Great Barrier Reef is a barrier reef, which borders along the coast, separated from Australia by a lagoon of open water.
Coral reefs form when pre-existing reefs release a burst of larva into the water. The larva will drift until they hit a hard surface such as submerged rocks, or edges of islands. As the coral develops, it takes the form of one of the three main reef structures; fringing, barrier or atoll.
This reef is around 20 million years old, slowly developing into the largest reef system in existence. Due to its old age, the current reef is not the same as the original one, as sections continuously die and are replaced. This means the actual age of the current reef is only about 6,000 to 8,000 years old.