The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: Dimensions and Regional Patterns

A mapping programme of all reefs of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park area and compilation of a computer‐based gazetteer containing locational and morphological data have permitted the first comprehensive spatial and morphometric analysis of the Great Barrier Reef. As previously suspected the analysis shows that a degree of organisation exists in the complexity of the Reef and clear regional and latitudinal patterns are recognised Reasons for this, particularly in relation to regional structure and the influence of the pre‐Holocene foundations of the modem reef, are discussed The usefulness of a morphometric approach is suggested and an example related to Acanthaster planci outbreaks presented