that extend for hundreds of kilometres along the outer shelf at between 40 and 70 metres depth. Area has been exposed and The deepwater reefs are providing flooded by at least four glacial and interglacial cycles, and valuable records of past coral reef  ↔ GBR over the past 18,000 years responses to climate and sea level reefs have grown on the change. continental shelf The Great Barrier Reef remains the Today, the Great Barrier Reef world’s largest coral reef ecosystem and, forms the world’s largest while its condition has deteriorated, it  ↓ coral reef ecosystem... GBR remains one of the world’s most healthy Including examples of all reef systems, including examples of all stages of reef development stages of reef development. Processes of geological and Geomorphological features and geomorphological evolution processes are well represented. Most ◐ ↓ are well represented, linking remain in good condition but some GBR continental islands, coral cays processes are declining, especially in the and reefs inshore southern two-thirds. The varied seascapes and landscapes that occur today The impacts of modern climate change have been moulded by ◐ are beginning to have effects on ↓ changing climates and sea GBR seascapes; for example, through reduced levels, and the erosive power reef building. of wind and water, over long time periods One-third of the Great Barrier Evidence of cold water coral communities Reef lies beyond the seaward has been found on deepwater knolls edge of the shallower reefs ◐ along the edge of the Great Barrier Reef GBR — (and) comprises continental at depths of more than 1000 metres, but slope and deep oceanic these deep areas are hardly known. waters and abyssal plains c) outstanding examples Ecological and biological processes (previously criterion (ii) now criterion (ix)): representing significant ongoing geological processes, biological evolution and man’s interaction with his natural environment
that extend for hundreds of kilometres along the outer shelf at between 40 and 70 metres depth. Area has been exposed and flooded by at least four glacial and interglacial cycles, and over the past 18,000 years reefs have grown on the continental shelf The deepwater reefs are providing valuable records of past coral reef responses to climate and sea level change. GBR ↔  Today, the Great Barrier Reef forms the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem... Including examples of all stages of reef development The Great Barrier Reef remains the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem and, while its condition has deteriorated, it remains one of the world’s most healthy reef systems, including examples of all stages of reef development. GBR ↓  Processes of geological and geomorphological evolution are well represented, linking continental islands, coral cays and reefs Geomorphological features and processes are well represented. Most remain in good condition but some processes are declining, especially in the inshore southern two-thirds. GBR ↓ ◐ The varied seascapes and landscapes that occur today have been moulded by changing climates and sea levels, and the erosive power of wind and water, over long time periods The impacts of modern climate change are beginning to have effects on seascapes; for example, through reduced reef building. GBR ↓ ◐ One-third of the Great Barrier Reef lies beyond the seaward edge of the shallower reefs (and) comprises continental slope and deep oceanic waters and abyssal plains Evidence of cold water coral communities has been found on deepwater knolls along the edge of the Great Barrier Reef at depths of more than 1000 metres, but these deep areas are hardly known. GBR — ◐ c) Ecological and biological processes (previously criterion (ii) now criterion (ix)): outstanding examples representing significant ongoing geological processes, biological evolution and man’s interaction with his natural environment