“大堡礁”拥有全球最复杂的生态系统之一，囊括了全世界1.3万种海鱼种类中的1500种(略过10%)。光是在这片礁地一公顷的区域内就可能会发现多达200种不同鱼类。在全世界7种海龟中那里就占了6种，而且还有200种鸟类。那里还栖息着约1.4万只懦艮(比起鲸鱼、海豚等其它海洋哺乳动物，它们与大象的亲缘关系更近)以及125种鲨鱼和鳐鱼。那里充斥着许多怪异和神奇的生物——有一种生活在“大堡礁”的海参拥有一种惊人的能力，会在受到触摸后变成一种液态物质并在干扰过后还复原形。

    Environmental Threats 环境威胁

    Industrial Runoff 工业排放物

    Due to the range of human uses made of the watercatchment area adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef some 400of the 3000 reefs are within a risk zone where water qualityhas declined owing to sediment and chemical runofffrom farming, and to loss of coastal wetlands which are anatural filter. The principal agricultural activity is sugarcane farming in the wet tropics and cattle grazing in thedry tropics regions. Both are considered significant factorsaffecting water quality.

    由于人们将毗邻“大堡礁”的集水处用于多种目的 ......