In this Where Is? title, kids can explore the Great Barrier Reef—big enough to be seen from space but made up of billions of tiny living organisms. The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia, is the world's largest coral reef system. Stretching more than 1,400 miles, it provides a home to a wide diversity of creatures. Designated a World Heritage Site, the reef is suffering from the effects of climate change but this fascinating book shows this spectacular part of our planet.

As the largest coral reef system on the globe and home to 1,500 species of fish and other diverse marine life, Australia's Great Barrier reef is unquestionably one of the great wonders of the natural world. Unfortunately, it is also in grave danger of dying. Recent annual back-to-back coral bleaching events have drastically accelerated the already existing damage to the Great Barrier Reef and its rich biodiversity. The reef is under threat from numerous other pressures, both natural and man-made. These threats include over-fishing, coastal development, agriculture, mining, tourism, and the ravaging ecological impacts of climate change. How is Australia sustainably managing the reef and the land-based and sea life it supports? What conservation threats are being effectively addressed, before it is too late to save the Great Barrier Reef?

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is 344 400 square kilometres in size and is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. This comprehensive guide describes the organisms and ecosystems of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as the biological, chemical and physical processes that influence them. Contemporary pressing issues such as climate change, coral bleaching, coral disease and the challenges of coral reef fisheries are also discussed. In addition,the book includes a field guide that will help people to identify the common animals and plants on the reef, then to delve into the book to learn more about the roles the biota play. Beautifully illustrated and with contributions from 33 international experts, The Great Barrier Reef is a must-read for the interested reef tourist, student, researcher and environmental manager. While it has an Australian focus, it can equally be used as a baseline text for most Indo-Pacific coral reefs. Winner of a Whitley Certificate of Commendation for 2009.

Australia's Great Barrier Reef is the only living structure on Earth visible from the moon; at 348,700 square kilometers (238,899 square miles), it's bigger than the United Kingdom. It stretches over 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and is home to some 1,500 kinds of fish, 400 species of corals, 4,000 kinds of clams and snails, and who knows how many sponges, worms, starfish, and sea urchins. In short, the Great Barrier Reef is the Eighth Wonder of the World. Frommer's Portable Australia's Great Barrier Reef gives you the lowdown on some of the best sites to snorkel and dive this magnificent piece of nature and tips on how to make the most of your experience. We tell you about the top dive and snorkel sites, as well as some remote beauties that are rarely explored by travelers. We walk you through everything from how to choose a gateway to the Reef to how to pick a dive course. We recommend the best boats for exploring the Reef, from day-trip vessels to dedicated live-aboard dive boats. We tell you about some of the wonderful creatures you will see (and the few scary ones to avoid!). We recommend places to stay, from inexpensive B&B's to glamorous Great Barrier Reef island resorts. And recognizing that even die-hard snorkelers and divers want to take a break from fishes once in a while, we cover the best stuff to do on dry land, such as taking a four-wheel drive safari into World Heritage-listed rain forest or visiting a to turtle rookery.

Like many coral specialists fifteen years ago, J. E. N. Veron thought Australia's Great Barrier Reef was impervious to climate change. "Owned by a prosperous country and accorded the protection it deserves, it would surely not go the way of the Amazon rain forest or the parklands of Africa, but would endure forever. That is what I thought once, but I think it no longer." This book is Veron's Silent Spring for the world's coral reefs. Veron presents the geological history of the reef, the biology of coral reef ecosystems, and a primer on what we know about climate change. He concludes that the Great Barrier Reef and, indeed, most coral reefs will be dead from mass bleaching and irreversible acidification within the coming century unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed. If we don't have the political will to confront the plight of the world's reefs, he argues, current processes already in motion will become unstoppable, bringing on a mass extinction the world has not seen for 65 million years. Our species has cracked its own genetic code and sent representatives of its kind to the moon--we can certainly save the world's reefs if we want to. But to achieve this goal, we must devote scientific expertise and political muscle to the development of green technologies that will dramatically reduce greenhouse emissions and reverse acidification of the oceans.

It's a trip "Down Under" for Christina, 10, Grant, 7, and their mystery-writing grandmother Mimi! Lots of surprises and mysterious activities unfold as the group travels through the Outback, Queensland, and finally to the Great Barrier Reef. During a glass-bottom boat ride, they discover more than coral and fish under the water_scuba divers and flesh-tearing moray eel lurk beneath their boat! They shudder at the eerie screech of the Tasmanian devil and brave the awesome Australian Outback (and Aborigines!) at night. Watch and wonder as Grant ends up in the Camel Cup camel race_ will he make it to the finish line? Don't miss a moment of excitement in Christina and Grant's Australian adventure! This mystery incorporates history, geography, culture and cliffhanger chapters that keep kids begging for more! This mystery includes SAT words, educational facts, fun and humor, Built-In Book Club and activities. This Carole Marsh Mystery also has an Accelerated Reader quiz, a Lexile Level, a Fountas & Pinnell guided reading level and a Developmental Reading Assessment. LOOK what's in this mystery - people, places, history, and more! Places: Alice Springs - Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park - Uluru, or Ayers Rock - Kata Tjuta, or The Olgas - The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Queensland - Sydney Opera House - Woolloomooloo, Sydney, Australia - Sails in the Desert Hotel in the Yulara Resort - Sydney Harbor Bridge Educational Items: Australian vocabulary - Legend of the Loch Ness Monster - AustraliaÍs geography during the Jurassic Period - History of the Australian Aboriginal people - History of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) - The Great Barrier Reef; Definition of a reef; How the Great Barrier Reef formed; Sea life in the Reef\Geography of the Reef - Equipment used in and description of experience of scuba diving - Differences between America and Australia (e.g. seasons are opposite) - AnimalsÍ use of camouflage - Aboriginal music and instruments - Use of camels in the Outback - Quick facts about Australia including its size, native plant life, geography, etc. - History of Sydney - Australian animal life Below is the Reading Levels Guide for this book: Grade Levels: 3-6 Accelerated Reader Reading Level: 5.0 Accelerated Reader Points: 2 Accelerated Reader Quiz Number: 111601 Lexile Measure: 740 Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level: Q Developmental Assessment Level: 40

Discusses the land and underwater vegetation and wildlife of Australia's Great Barrier Reef.