What is the Great Barrier Reef made of?

Answer 1

The Great Barrier Reef was built by natural means, with years and years of living coral building upon the skeletons of other coral, but in conjunction with a particular type of algae.

The corals that build reefs are not single animals. Coral is made up of colonies comprised of many individual animals called polyps, which join together. Coral polyps are a little like sea anemones, having tentacles that extend outwards, but they are not actually anemones.

Corals which create coral reefs have a symbiotic relationship with algae known as zooxanthellae. This algae, which lives within the tissues of the coral, causes a photosynthetic reaction which enables the polyps to make skeletons about three times faster in the light than in the dark. This means the corals deposit skeletons faster than the environment can remove it, and these skeletons build upon each other over time, creating a coral reef.

Answer 2

When people say "reef", they imply "coral reef." Corals, and other things like coralline algae, are what form reefs. Corals are Cnidarians, the same phylum as anemones and jellyfish. Being a Cnidarian, a coral contains nematocysts to sting and capture prey in their tentacles. Many corals, such as the reef-building ones, have symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that provide them with additional food from photosynthesis. However, unlike jellyfish and anemones, "scleractinian" or stony corals form a calcium carbonate skeleton that is left when the coral dies. This gradual buildup of corals to the surface and other organisms forming calcified remains is what makes a coral reef.

Answer 3

The Skeletons of Millions of Coral
small skeletons of sea animals called polyps.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

No one built the Great Barrier Reef. It formed by nature. Hope it helps!

Answer 6

Over thousands of years coral and other matter have died and built up creating a giant reef housing many types of fish. Same as any other coral reef

Answer 7

The Great Barrier Reef is made up of coral reefs.

Answer 8

lots and lots of coral