Biotic Factors |
One animal that I find interesting from the Great Barrier Reef is an Octopus. There is a specific type of octopus called the mimic octopus that I find extremely interesting. This type of octopus not only has the ability to to change color and shape to camouflage themselves, but they can also impersonate other animals to keep predators away. They can make their bodies and long, striped arms look—and swim—like other sea life, including lionfish, sole and banded sea snakes that are less-desirable to predators.They affect the Great Barrier Reef because they contribute to all the sea life living in the Great Barrier Reef.
Another animal I find interning is the dugong, or sea cow. They are the only marine mammals in Australia that live by eating mostly plants.The dugong is important to the great barrier reef because they graze on seagrass, and play an important ecological role in coastal marine ecosystems. A type of plant found in that Great Barrier Reef I find interesting is brain coral. Brain coral is found in shallow warm-water coral reefs. Brain corals extend their tentacles to catch food during the night. During the day, they use their tentacles for protection by wrapping them around themselves. They contribute to the ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef by forming the reef along with many other types of coral to become home to many other species. Another plant species found in the Great Barrier reef is anemone coral, specifically, Green Anemone Coral. I find green anemone coral interesting because they have the ability to sting and immobilize their prey. Some fish have developed resistance to the green anemone's sting by covering themselves with mucus. The green anemone plays an important role in the Great Barrier reef because they help keep the small fish, mussel, crab, and sea urchin population at where it should be since that is what consists of their diet. |