Research priorities for the management of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park and the World Heritage Area 2001

Abstract

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, comprising a huge complex of approximately 2900 reefs, 900 islands and other ecosystems (including estuaries, seagrass beds, and soft bottom communities). The GBR supports a high degree of biological diversity due to the variety of ecosystems present and the huge size of the area (>343 500km2). Due to its national and international importance, the Great Barrier Reef is also the world’s largest Marine Park and World Heritage Area.