Sea Life
The Great Barrier Reefis home to over 1500 species of fish, about 400 species of corals, 4,000 species of molluscs, 215 species of birds, 6 species of sea turtles and a host of sponges, anemones, worms, crustaceans, shells, sea stars, urchins. The producers in this biome include phytoplankton, coral, sponges, algae, and seaweed. The job of these producers is to transform energy from the sun into complex organic compounds that can be used by primary consumers through the process of photosynthesis. This means these organisms are autotrophs, meaning that they can make their own food. The next level up is consumers, such as turtles, fish, molluscs, and sharks. These organisms feed on producers or other consumers in order to obtain energy because they are heterotrophs, meaning that they cannot produce their own food and must get it by other means. The next level is the decomposers, which in coral reefs, are mainly bacteria or scavengers such as crustaceans and worms. Decomposers break down the
Endangered Species
The Great Barrier Reef is home to three endangered species: the Blue Whale, the Dugong, and the Sea Turtle.