Scientists discover Vast Reef Behind the Great Barrier Reef

by | Sep 5, 2016 | Reef, Science, Technology | 0 comments

James Cook University, University of Sydney, and Queensland University of Technology scientists working with laser data from the Royal Australian Navy have discovered a vast reef behind the familiar Great Barrier Reef. JCU’s Dr Robin Beaman says the high-resolution seafloor data provided by LiDAR-equipped aircraft have revealed great fields of unusual donut-shaped circular mounds, each 200-300 meters across and up to 10 meters deep at the center. Halimeda is a green macroalgae composed of calcified leaf-like segments.  As these plants die, these segments turn white and accumulate over thousands of years forming thick mounds called bioherms.  Where these plants have died, A living layer of Halimeda algae covers the bioherms and stretches across an area of 6095 km2 on the landward side of the reef. MORE

  • AquaNerd

    Our goal is to not only educate saltwater aquarium hobbyists, but also bring them aquarium related news, product information, equipment reviews, and livestock care tips. We cover industry related events and share hundreds of photos and videos of anything and everything related to this great hobby.

    View all posts

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *