The Great Barrier Reef’s Living Web

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the most complex and diverse ecosystems on Earth. Its health and resilience rely on a vast web of ecological and biological processes — from coral growth and reproduction to nutrient cycling and species interactions. These natural systems have been in motion for thousands of years.

The Reef includes a wide variety of tropical marine habitats:

• Coral reefs
• Seagrass meadows
• Mangroves
• Intertidal and estuarine zones
• Deep reef slopes and lagoons

Together, these habitats support an incredible diversity of life — including thousands of species of fish, soft and hard corals, sponges, mollusks, sea turtles, seabirds, and marine mammals.

Strong ecological connections between habitats help maintain this biodiversity. These dynamic processes are the reason the Reef is so vibrant — and why protecting every part of the system matters.

• Algae
  Grows quickly on coral surfaces and if left unchecked, can smother coral.
• Herbivorous Fish
  Graze on algae, keeping coral surfaces clean and healthy, allowing coral to grow.
• Crown of Thorns Starfish
  Coral predator that can damage reefs during outbreaks if not controlled.
• Triton Snail
  One of the few predators of Crown of Thorns Starfish, helping keep populations in check.