What is the natural significance of the Great Barrier Reef?

It is the largest coral reef in the world and houses an enomous amount of sea life.

The environmental importance of the Reef coms from the fact that the health of the Reef points to the health of the ocean, and the creeks and rivers that feed into it, as well as signifying the general effects of pollution. It is of considerable concern that numbers of unique species such as dugong and loggerhead turtles have declined significantly since the 1960s, largely due to human intervention. The Reef shelters many endangered species