Great Barrier Reef Size:800 x 600 straddling the Northern Territory and

straddling the Northern Territory and Western Australia

this quiet stretch of coast is defined by its intertidal flats—vast expanses of mud and sand exposed at low tide

back up and flood the low-lying terrain behind the coastal fringe

and skies made thick with heat

The lake and the many braided arms of the Cooper form oases in an otherwise arid expanse

Great Barrier Reef Size:800 x 600 straddling the Northern Territory andGreat Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia 5208 The Great Barrier Reef is the worlds largest coral reef system a 2,300 kilometre network of more than 3,000 reefs shaped by biology, geology, and ocean chemistry. At its core are coral polyps, tiny animals that build limestone structures and rely on symbiotic algae (Symbiodiniaceae) for energy through photosynthesis. This partnership allows corals to thrive in nutrient poor tropical waters and supports an