The main feature of Australian animals. Fauna of Australia
The smallest continent on planet Earth is Australia. With a territory of 7,659,861 km2 (with islands 7,692,024 km2), it occupies only 5% of the planet's total land area. At the same time, the size of the continent, when viewed from north to south, will be 3.7 thousand kilometers, and from west to east approximately 4,000 kilometers. In this case, the length of all the coasts of the continent will be approximately 35,877 kilometers.
The continent is located in the southern hemisphere of the planet. From the north, south and west, mainland Australia is washed by the Indian Ocean, and from the east it is washed by the Tasman and Coral Seas. Australia is also famous for the largest coral reef in the world (more than 2000 km), which is located on the northeastern coast of the continent.
The entire territory of the mainland belongs to one state, which is called Australia. Officially, this state is called the Commonwealth of Australia.
Extreme points of mainland Australia
There are four extreme points that are located on the Australian mainland:
1) The most extreme point in the north is Cape York, which is washed by the Coral and Arafura seas.
2) The westernmost point of the mainland is Cape Steep Point, which is washed by the Indian Ocean.
3) The southernmost point of Australia is Cape South Point, which washes the Tasman Sea.
4) And finally, the easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Byron.
Relief of Australia
Mainland Australia is dominated by plains. More than 90% of the continent's total land mass does not exceed 600 meters above sea level. There are also mountain ranges in Australia, which usually do not exceed a height of 1,500 kilometers. The highest mountains in Australia are the Australian Alps, the highest mountain of which Kosciuszko reaches an altitude of 2230 meters above sea level. Also in Australia there are the Musgrave Mountains, the Western Australian Tablelands, the Kimberley Plateau, the Darling Range and Mount Lofty.
The entire territory of the continent of Australia is located on the Australian Plate, which includes the mainland of Australia and part of the adjacent ocean.
Australian inland waters
In terms of internal waters, this continent is characterized as the poorest continent in terms of rivers. The longest river on the mainland, the Murray, originates from the area of Australia's highest mountain, Kosciuszko, and reaches a length of 2375 km.
The rivers are fed mainly by rain or melt water. The rivers are at their fullest at the beginning of summer, and then they begin to shallow, and in some places turn into standing reservoirs.
Just like rivers, lakes on the mainland are also fed by rainwater. Such lakes do not have a constant level and flow. In summer, they can dry out completely and turn into depressions, the bottom of which is covered with salt. The thickness of salt at the bottom of dry lakes can reach up to 1.5 meters. Quite large lakes in Australia can be swamps for most of the year. There is a hypothesis that the south of the continent continues to rise from the ocean.
Climate of mainland Australia
Mainland Australia is located in three climatic zones at once - the subtropical zone, the tropical zone and the subequatorial zone.
The subtropical zone of the continent of Australia includes three climates - subtropical continental, subtropical humid and Mediterranean.
The Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry and hot summers, but warm and humid winters. There are slight fluctuations between the seasons (in summer the temperature rises to 27 degrees Celsius, and in winter the air temperature drops to 12 degrees Celsius) and there is quite a lot of precipitation. This climate is typical for the southwestern part of Australia.
The subtropical humid climate is characterized by large temperature differences between different periods of the year (in summer the temperature rises to +24 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops to -10 degrees Celsius below zero) and significant precipitation. This climate is typical for the entire state of Victoria and part of the state of New South Wales, which is located in the southwest.
The subtropical continental climate is characterized by low precipitation and large temperature differences and is characteristic of southern Australia.
The tropical zone is formed from tropical dry and tropical wet climates.
The tropical humid climate is located in the east of the mainland and is characterized by little precipitation. This climate is formed due to the action of southeastern winds, which are saturated with moisture from the Pacific Ocean.
A tropical dry climate is typical for the central and western parts of the continent. The hottest climate is in the north-west of the mainland - in summer the temperature rises to 35 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops very slightly to 20 degrees Celsius. It is worth noting the city of Alice Springs, which is located in the central part of the continent, where temperatures during the day can rise to 45 degrees and at night drop to -6 degrees Celsius below zero. At the same time, precipitation may not fall in some places for years, and then the annual norm of precipitation may fall in a matter of hours. In this case, moisture is very quickly absorbed by the ground or evaporates.
The subequatorial climate on the Australian mainland is characterized by stable temperatures throughout the year (23 degrees Celsius) and high rainfall.
Flora and fauna of Australia
Due to the fact that the continent is isolated from other continents, the flora of this continent is very diverse. At the same time, there are plants and animals that live only on this continent and are not found anywhere else. And due to the peculiarities of the dry climate on the continent, dry-loving plants predominate among plants. For example, eucalyptus, acacia and others. In the north of the mainland you can find tropical forests.
The area of the mainland covered by forests is only 5%. Over time, many trees and plants were introduced from other continents that took root well in Australia, for example, grains, grapevines, and some types of fruits and vegetables.
But the variety of animals on the mainland is not so diverse. In total, there are just over 230 species of mammals living on the mainland, more than 700 species of birds and more than 120 species of amphibians. But most of these animals exist only on the mainland and will not survive anywhere else, since they feed on plants that also exist only on the Australian mainland. This is such a unique world that is worth seeing with your own eyes.
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Australia is an amazing continent. According to scientists, this is the oldest continent on our planet, lying on the Precamberian platform, which was formed more than 3 billion years ago.
Due to the fact that Australia was discovered to the world much later than other continents, the nature here is better preserved. The continent itself is located in three climatic zones: tropical in the central part of the continent, subtropical in the southern part and subequatorial in the northern part. From the north, from the equator, winds and waters of the Indian Ocean bring heat to the shores of Australia. Cold winds often blow from the south, bringing frost from the shores of Antarctica.
The uniqueness of Australian nature is also explained by its landscape: the coastal areas are drowned in the greenery of trees, the center of the continent is a zone of semi-deserts and savannas, occasionally interspersed with islands of vegetation in the deep lowlands and along the floodplains of rivers. However, Australia receives little rainfall, which is why there are few rivers and lakes.
Mountains are located in the east and southwest. But the mountains are low, not exceeding 1300 m above sea level, despite their sonorous name - the Australian Alps.
There are currently more than 1,000 wildlife sanctuaries in Australia.
Flora of Australia
The unique climatic conditions and location of Australia determined the originality of its flora and fauna.
Eucalyptus is considered the plant symbol of Australia. The huge tree has powerful roots that go 20 or even 30 meters into the ground! This amazing tree has adapted to the arid Australian climate. Eucalyptus trees growing near swamps are able to draw water from a reservoir and thereby drain the swamp. In this way, for example, the marshy land of Colchis on the Caucasus coast was drained. In addition, eucalyptus has narrow leaves that are turned edge-on towards the sun. Just imagine a huge eucalyptus forest, and there is practically no shade in it!
The east coast of Australia, where it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, is surrounded by bamboo thickets. Closer to the south there are bottle trees, the fruits of which resemble a bottle in shape. The Aborigines extract rainwater from them.
In the north there are dense subtropical forests. Here you can see huge palm trees and mangroves. The entire northern coast, where precipitation falls the most, grows acacias and pandanuses, horsetail and ferns. Towards the south the forest thins out. The savannah zone begins, which in the spring is a lush carpet of tall grasses, and by summer it dries out, burns out and turns into a soulless desert. Central Australia is a grassland area.
But cultivated plants were brought to Australia by Europeans. Only after the colonization of the mainland began to grow cotton, flax, wheat, vegetables and fruits characteristic of European flora.
Australian fauna
The fauna of Australia is very rich and diverse. The first feature of the animal world: Australia is home to a huge number of endemic animals, that is, animals that are not found anywhere else on the planet. These are, of course, kangaroos and koalas, which are recognized as symbols of the southern continent. There are 17 genera and more than 50 species of kangaroos alone. The smallest of them are only 20-23 cm tall, and the largest reach a height of 160 cm. Did you know that there are kangaroo rats, rock and tree kangaroos and even derby kangaroos? However, in Australia itself, the word “kangaroo” is used to describe only two representatives of this genus of marsupials: the gray giant and the red one. The rest are called wallabies.
There are also amazing platypuses, brave flying squirrels that flutter from tree to tree, creepy echidnas, and funny frilled lizards that can walk on two legs. Wombats and possums live in the Australian forests and are prized for their fur. Flying foxes look very bloodthirsty, although they feed on nectar and flowers. But the truly terrifying ones are the huge Australian bats. The wingspan of these animals can reach 1.5 meters, and their weight can reach 1 kg!
There are also many birds that have lived on these lands from time immemorial. These are powerful emu ostriches, huge cockatoo parrots, resounding with their screams in the forests of Australia. These are lyre birds, whose twittering resembles the sound of a musical instrument and crowned doves. Walking through the forests of Australia you can hear sounds similar to human laughter. These are the kookaburras, amazing Australian birds that live in tree holes, chirping. Many birds are brightly colored.
In the south you can meet penguins, which are brought here from Antarctica. The waters are roamed by huge whales, which migrate north towards Africa with the onset of cold weather. There are dolphins and bloodthirsty sharks. The rivers of Australia have become home to huge crocodiles. The Great Barrier Reef is the kingdom of corals and polyps, moray eels and stingrays.
The second feature of Australia: there are no mammals from the class of predators, with the exception of the only representative of this species: wild dogs Dingo.
Europeans also brought domestic animals to Australia. Since the time of colonization, fat herds of sheep began to roam the expanses of the Australian savannah. Goats, cows and horses, dogs and cats appeared.
Australia is a highly developed and wealthy country that is part of the British Commonwealth. This state is the only one in the world that occupies the territory of an entire continent. The abundance of natural resources has allowed the country to occupy one of the leading positions in the world in various areas of economic activity.
Geographical location
The entire continent lies south of the equator and in the eastern hemisphere. Occupies an intermediate position between the Pacific and Indian oceans. In addition to the mainland, it includes numerous small islands and the larger southern island of Tasmania. The total area is more than 7.6 million km2, which is almost 2.5% of the planet’s land area.
The northern border is located at Cape York (10°41`21 S and 142°31`50 E). The extreme point in the south is Cape Site Point (39°08`20 S and 146°22`26 E). The eastern edge (Cape Byron) has coordinates 28°38`15 S. w and 153°38`14 in. Western edge - Cape Steep Point (26°09`05 S and 113°09`18 E).
The length of the continent from the northern to the southern borders is 3,200 kilometers, and from west to east - almost 4 thousand km. The coastline is 35.877 thousand km.
The surface of the continent is mostly flat. The plains occupy 95% of the continent's territory. The average height is 350 m. In the west is the Western Australian Plateau, where the height of some areas reaches 600 m. In the eastern part are the MacDonnell Range (1511 m) and the Musgrave Mountains (1440 m). The southeast of the continent is occupied by the Mount Lofty Mountains. The low Kimberley plateau lies to the north, and the western territories are occupied by the flat-topped Hamersley mountain range (1251 m). The highest point of the continent (2230 m) is located in the Australian Alps on Mount Kosciuszko. Australia's lowest area reaches 16 meters below sea level and is located in the Lake Eyre North region.
Natural zones and climate
The formation of climate and the formation of natural zones determined the geographical position of the continent.
Australia is located within the warm zones of the southern part of the Earth. There are several types of climate on the mainland.
Subequatorial
The northern and northeastern areas are under its influence. It is characterized by slight temperature fluctuations (+23-25°C) and high seasonal humidity. Monsoon air currents coming from the northwest bring large amounts of precipitation (from 1500 to 2000 mm). Most of them fall in the summer. In winter it rarely rains. During this period, hot continental winds dominate here, causing drought.
Tropical
The belt occupies almost 40% of the entire surface of the continent and is divided into two types:
- Wet tropics. They occupy the extreme eastern lands, where humid Pacific trade winds predominate. The annual precipitation reaches 1500 mm. There is no sharp division into seasons. Temperatures range from +22 to +25°C almost all year round. Only in the coldest months does it drop to +13 - +15°C.
- Dry tropics. Characteristic of central and western territories. Temperatures in the summer months rise to +30°C (and higher). In winter it drops to +10 - +15°C. Australia's largest deserts are found in the dry tropics. They experience sharp temperature fluctuations throughout the day (from +35 during the day to -4°C). Precipitation amounts to about 300 mm, but it is distributed very unevenly.
Subtropical
The climatic conditions of the belt are not the same. The southeastern area is influenced by the Mediterranean climate. The summer months are dominated by dryness and heat. It gets humid in winter. The difference in temperature depending on the time of year is insignificant: from +23 to +25°C in summer and +12 - +15°C in winter. Precipitation is moderate - 500-1000 mm per year.
A subtropical continental climate dominates the coast of the Great Australian Bight, spreading to the east. It is characterized by low precipitation and large temperature differences throughout the year.
The humid subtropical zone includes Victoria and the foothills of southwestern New South Wales. Mild weather conditions prevail. Precipitation is 500-600 mm. The bulk of the moisture falls on coastal lands. They contract as they move inland.
Moderate
The climate is present only on the island of Tasmania (in the central and southern parts). The ocean has a special influence here. In the temperate zone there is heavy rainfall and the change of seasons is clearly visible. In summer the air warms up to +10°C, in winter - to +15 - +17°C.
Natural belts
The formation of natural zones is determined by climatic conditions, topography and soil characteristics.
Several belts are distinguishable on the mainland:
- Savanna and woodland zone. It is located in a subequatorial and tropical climate. They pass in an arc through the flat lands of Carpentaria and the Central Lowland.
- Deserts and semi-deserts. They occupy large areas of the tropics and subtropics. Covers part of the Western Australian Tablelands, the southern Nullarbor Plain and lands in the Murray-Darling Lowlands.
- Forest areas occupy a number of climatic zones (tropics and subtropics, subequatorial and temperate) and are divided into several types. Variably humid conditions are common in the mountainous areas of the Great Dividing Range. Tropical evergreens run through the southern terrain and eastern coastal area of the Cape York Peninsula. In the extreme southwestern lands there are dry, hard-leaved shrubs and forests.
Soils
The Australian continent is a territory of relict and contrasting soils. There are both highly moist and arid soils here. Arid zones and arid sandstones occupy almost 1/3 of the entire area of Australia.
Almost all types of soils that are characteristic of various natural zones of the continent are common on the continent.
Natural area | Soils |
Deserts and semi-deserts | Saline gray soils, acidic red-brown, desert-steppe soils predominate. Sandy, rocky lands are characteristic of the low-lying areas of the Central Australian Trench. |
Humid and variable-humid forests | In this zone there are almost all types of soils: red, yellow, brown, brown. |
Savannas and woodlands | In large areas of the shroud, red-brown and black soils. Gray-brown and chestnut are characteristic of drier areas of savannas. |
Dry hard-leaved forests and shrub forests | The main soil of the zone is red-brown. |
The importance of soil resources is quite high. Their composition and fertility influence the formation of huge natural complexes. The level of moisture and humus content determines their suitability for various areas of economic activity.
Thus, large fields of wheat are grown on fertile red, brown and brown soils with a high content of organic matter and mineral elements. Fruit crops and forage grasses are grown on gray soils. The gray-brown soils of the tree-shrub zone are less fertile. Areas with this type of soil serve as pastures for livestock.
Plants of Australia
Australian nature is incredibly beautiful. This is a colorful world of amazing plants and rare animals. More than 12 thousand species of flora and fauna have settled on its lands. Of these, about nine thousand are endemic species. The climate and soil characteristics determined the spread of a certain type of vegetation.
Eucalyptus
The eucalyptus tree is a characteristic representative of the flora. More than five hundred varieties grow here (from tropical to alpine). Among them there are giants up to 80 m high, as well as low-growing shrubs. The distribution is influenced by the degree of moisture, temperature and soil type.
Eucalyptus trees dominate the southern and eastern forests. Smaller shrubby varieties are common in dry savannah areas. You cannot find eucalyptus on mountain tops, inland deserts, or tropical rainforests.
The most striking representatives of eucalyptus trees - karri and jarrah trees - are found in the southwestern forests of Western Australia. The Camaldulian eucalyptus is the most widespread. It grows along the banks of rivers and various reservoirs.
Acacia
The southern lands abound in acacias. These exquisite and hardy plants occupy large continental areas. The spreading, brightly flowering tree has found application in landscaping in various areas. The most common is golden acacia, which has become the national symbol of the state. Bright inflorescences with a golden yellow color give the tree sophistication and exoticism.
Forests
Forest zones occupy 16.2% of the total area of the continent. Most are located on the east coast. Small plots are located in the northern part.
Woodlands are divided into several main types, distributed in different zones of Australia:
- Wet evergreen tropical forests. The largest territories (1.1 million hectares) belong to them. Found in parts of the Great Dividing Range and parts of Queensland. The tropics have become a natural habitat for a variety of vines, nettles and stinging trees.
- Variably moist deciduous tropical forests occupy the northern lands and small areas in the northeast. They include palm trees, ficus, bamboo, cypress, and camphor wood.
- Mangroves. They occupy the north of the mainland. Today, these forests are on the verge of extinction due to changing climate conditions;
- Subantarctic broadleaf and coniferous species. Most common on the island of Tasmania. Represented by globular eucalyptus, southern beech, and callitris oblongata.
- Dry forests and woodlands. Formed in low humidity conditions. Dry forests and shrubs occupy zones of tropical deserts, savannas and subtropics.
Meadows
Meadowlands replace forest lands as they move inland. They serve as an excellent food supply for wild and domestic animals. Astrebla grows almost everywhere, spinifex grows in arid areas, and kangaroo grass grows in the southern meadows.
Other representatives of the flora
Among the general diversity of the flora of Australia, there are unique plants that grow only in this area: boab tree, macrosamia, macadamia nut.
Quite interesting species are also known:
- caustis is a herbaceous plant that has twisting stems instead of leaves;
- kingia is a thick-trunked tree with a top resembling porcupine spines;
- evergreen beech;
- sundew;
- ferns.
Rare and extinct species
Human activity and other factors have led to the extinction of more than eighty plant species on the continent. More than two hundred species are at risk of extinction. Australian aborigines used plant components in medicine and used them as food. Nuts, berries, tubers and even flower nectar often served as food for local residents.
The destructive effects of natural factors and humans have made many plants rare. Among them are Araucaria, Bidwilla biblis, Eucalyptus pinkiflora (rainbow), Richea paniculata, Cephalotus sacculata. Bennett's eupomathy is an endangered species.
Animal world
The Australian animal community consists of 200 thousand species (including mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, insects, amphibians).
The peculiarity of the Australian fauna is that there are practically no large predators, an abundance of ruminants, monkeys, but only unique endemic animals live here. Each Australian region is inhabited by unique fauna. The most common are marsupials, bats and rodents.
Kangaroo
An animal that has become a symbol of Australia. There are more than fifty species of kangaroos found on the mainland. Among them are kangaroo rats, rock and tree kangaroos. The smallest representatives are 20-23 cm tall, and the largest ones can reach 160 cm. Interestingly, the large representatives of the genus are called kangaroos, and the small ones are called wallabies.
Koala
An equally striking representative of the animal world, living in the eucalyptus forests of the continent.
Wombat
A medium-sized animal, its appearance resembles a mixture of a large hamster and a bear. A burrow dweller who builds underground labyrinths. The length of the tunnels can reach 30 m.
Platypus
An oviparous mammal with an interesting appearance. They are excellent swimmers, but are accustomed to living more often on land.
The lands of Australia have become home to many amazing animals. You can often find the Australian echidna, flying foxes, nambat (marsupial anteater), and marsupial mice.
The rarest representatives of the local animal community are the spotted-tailed marsupial marten, the wild dog dingo, wallabies, tree kangaroos, and rabbit bandicoot. All of them are listed in the Red Book, in sections for species that are (or may be) threatened with extinction.
Environmental issues
The environmental problems of the Australian continent are quite specific. The most noticeable among them are depletion of land reserves and soil erosion. The main reason is the mining industry. By extracting valuable metals, coal and other minerals, people destroy the structure of the earth, making it unsuitable for use.
An equally significant problem is the lack of fresh water. Since colonization, the number of water sources has decreased by 60%. The growing population is aggravating the environmental condition of the country. 65% of the continent's area is populated, but the bulk of the continent is occupied by deserts. Because of this, Australia's population density is very high. Human economic activity leads to environmental pollution, destruction of forest lands and, as a result, the disappearance of many species of flora and fauna. Every Australian should protect nature, thereby saving it from pollution.
The presented video tells about the nature of Australia.
Some interesting facts about Australia:
- Australian landmark - Anna Creek South Grassland. The largest pasture in the world, larger than Belgium.
- There are more sheep than people in Australia. The sheep herds collectively include more than one hundred million heads, and the human population is just over 24 million.
- In the mountainous areas of Australia there is more snow cover than in the Swiss Alps, and mountain tourism is very well developed.
Video
From the presented video you will learn more about Australia.
The vegetation of Australia and Oceania is very unique.
This is especially true of Australia, which over a long period of geological history developed in isolation from other parts of the globe.
The Australian flora is dominated by elements not found in other parts of the world.
The geological features of the development of the Australian flora determined its main features: antiquity and a high degree of endemism. In terms of the number of endemic plants, the Australian region has no equal on the globe - 75% of the species growing within its borders are endemic.
Main types of vegetation in Australia
Remote sensing maps of Australia's vegetation show that the dominant vegetation types in Australia are turfgrass steppe (occupying 18% of the area), eucalyptus woodland (12%) and acathic grassland (11%).
The five largest non-forest vegetation types by area are steppes, shrubs, scrublands and savannas.
Over the past 200 years, eucalyptus woodlands have reduced their area the most due to anthropogenic pressure.
Other vegetation types that have declined are woodland and mallee scrub, eucalyptus lightwood and acacia woodland and woodland. Vegetation types occupying the smallest area (less than 2% all together) are rain forests and vines, tall eucalyptus light forests, forests and open woodlands or cypress pine, closed low-growing forests and closed tall shrubs, mangroves, low eucalyptus open forests.
To give a general idea of the distribution of vegetation, here is a rough diagram of the vegetation of Australia.
1 – woodlands and mallee scrapes
2 – urban development zones
3 – shrub communities of different types
4 – fields and improved pastures
5 – savannas
6 – cleared and closed forests
7 – mangroves
8 – turf steppes and meadows
9 – deserted steppes with sparse shrub savannas
Eucalyptus is a tree of miracles.
What other tree could have grown on the amazing land of the Green Continent? Eucalyptus trees are special in that they can adapt to the conditions of frequent fires in Australia (they recover quickly).
Eucalyptus trees are able to disinfect the air, grow quickly and drain wetlands. In the humid eastern regions of Australia you can see the regal eucalyptus. These are very tall trees: eucalyptus at the age of 350-400 years reaches a height of 100 meters.
Eucalyptus wood is very dense, heavy (sinks in water) and does not rot. Eucalyptus absorbs and evaporates 320 liters of moisture from the soil per day (for comparison, birch - 40 liters).
It is always light in eucalyptus forests because the leaves of this tree turn parallel to the falling rays of the sun. This helps the tree retain moisture. It’s easy to breathe in the eucalyptus forest - the air is filled with the fresh smell of essential oils. And they are known to kill various harmful bacteria.
Australians also respect eucalyptus for its extraordinary love of life - frequent fires that occur in the country's dry climate are not capable of destroying green spaces. Eucalyptus trees crack in the fire, and after a few days shoots begin to grow wildly from the cracks.
Eucalyptus trees have a weapon against pests: their leaves contain a cocktail of odorous monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and formylated phloroglucinol derivatives. And, as it turned out, the proportion between the components of the odorous mixture in the tree differs in different branches and in different leaves; the tree had a genetic mosaic. That is, in different parts of it, different genes worked to produce a working mixture. So, even if insects almost completely destroyed the leaves, the tree still had resources to continue photosynthesis, growth and reproduction.
Trees with thickened trunks in which moisture accumulates, represented by several species of the genus Strecularia, the so-called “bottle trees,” are also very common.
bottle tree
(Latin name Brachychiton rupestris) are trees native to Australia. Their distribution area covers the entire central and northern parts of the continent.
The height of the bottle tree rarely exceeds 15 meters. In soil, the diameter of the trunk is one and a half to two meters. The trunk begins to branch high above the ground. Externally, the tree trunk resembles a bottle or flask. The foliage of the bottle tree litters its few branches quite densely. The leaf is small, only 8 centimeters in length.
But it is not the external resemblance to a bottle that gave the plant its name; the fact is that inside the trunk the bottle tree has two chambers. One of them (located closer to the root system) is filled with water, which the root absorbs during the rainy season. The second chamber (located above the first) is filled with juice, which in its consistency resembles thick syrup. This sweet juice is quite edible and tasty. The plant uses the accumulated water during hot and dry periods.
Eucalyptus savannas characterized by large distances between trees, so that steppe or shrub vegetation types dominate the landscape. They are found mainly in arid areas on plains and foothills, sometimes on rocky slopes. In southern Australia, many savannas have been cleared for fields or pastures. In northern Australia, eucalyptus savannas are used for grazing by livestock. Most of these savannas are located on the lands of traditional environmental management of aboriginal communities and are therefore in good condition.
Desertified spinifex steppe formed by perennial grasses that form cushion-shaped clumps - triodia Triodia spp. and spinifex Plechrachne spp. (both are often called spinifex).
Spinifexes are evergreen perennial, holly-leaved, tough grasses that grow on loose sand and rocky soils, forming sparse but dense bushy turfs. After seasonal or cyclone rains, numerous colorful annual plants, ephemeral and short-lived, appear between the spinifexes (and growing through the cushions). Steppes run along rolling or gently undulating plains on sandy or skeletal soils in semi-arid and arid regions of Australia, but not only inland: for example, they are common on the limestones of Barrow Island in Western Australia.
Vegetation of the tropical deserts of Western and South Australia
Surface Great Sandy Desertraised above sea level to a height of 500–700 m.
The usual form of relief is latitudinal sand ridges running from east or southeast to west.
The Great Sandy Desert is characterized by red sandy desert soils. They are developed on aeolian ridges of red sands.
Coarse and medium-grained sands with the inclusion of coarse gravel and crushed stone predominate.
The region is characterized by steppes dominated by Triodia basedowii. Large areas are covered with open woodlands and savannas, mainly eucalyptus with an admixture of Acacia aneura.
Spinifex, or Basedow's triodia Triodia basedowii is a common grass of the deserts of Australia, forming desert steppes and ground cover in savannas and woodlands.
Old individuals form rings with a diameter of up to 20 m. Triodia, growing on loose sand, secure them.
The so-called “Giles Corridor” runs across the entire Victoria Desert - a narrow strip of akatniks, the only continuous contour of bushes here. This corridor connects the Pilbara region of Western Australia with the Central Ranges, passing through the Lakes region. Carnegie in the Victoria Desert and the southern Gibson Desert.
One of the desert acacias, Acacia tetragonophylla, grows in the upper reaches of dry riverbeds and on the slopes of quartzite hills.
It is a shrub or tree 2–3 m tall with phyllodes instead of true leaves, which have long, sharp, spiny ends.
This acacia got its local name “finish” from the fact that it is the last species eaten by animals during drought - it is too thorny.
Sclerolaena divaricata is another shrub from the family. Chenopodiaceae, very spiny and common in the desert.
Many species of this family are rich in mineral salts.
Its leaves are succulent, glabrous, and its fruits are yellowish. Succulents (from Latin succulentus, “succulent”) are plants that have special tissues for storing water. As a rule, they grow in places with arid climates.
Leaf succulents retain moisture in their thick leaves.
Savannas and woodlands of northern Australia
The tropical savanna region of the Arnhem Land Peninsula is a geographical landmark of northern Australia, determining the entire structure of the peninsula's ecosystems. Rivers flowing from the mountains to the coast are flooded during the summer monsoon, and have carved out vast floodplains in the sandstones.
Most of the peninsula is covered with wet savannas, combined with fragments of rain forests and shrubs on the ledges of the sandstone massif. The sandstone massif is home to highly endemic biota, including many rare plant species.
Southern Cordyline (lat. Cordyline australis) is a New Zealand species of woody plants. Endemic to New Zealand. Grows on rocky open slopes and damp plains. James Cook called it the "cabbage tree."
Young leaves are used for food. The juice of the plant has anti-infective properties.
Southern Cordyline is high in carbohydrates and, after cooking, becomes edible. It has been an important source of food for the Maori for eight centuries.
Mangroves, or mangrove forests
Where in the tropics the seashores are protected from huge surf waves by nearby islands or coral reefs, or where rivers flow into the seas and oceans, one of the most distinctive plant formations of this zone develops - mangroves, mangrove forests, or mangrove thickets. According to the descriptions of travelers, these are “trees growing in the sea”, in which during high tide only the crowns rise above the water, and at low tide the bizarre respiratory roots, different for different species of these plants, become visible.
Nepenthes, or pitcher plant (lat. Nepenthes) is the only genus of plants of the monotypic family Nepentaceae, which includes about 120 species. In the east - New Guinea, Northern Australia and New Caledonia - amazing Nepenthes (Nepenthes mirabilis) grows. Along with ordinary leaves, peculiar pitcher-shaped leaves are developed. In such leaves, the lower part of the petiole, closest to the stem, is flat, wide and green. Next, the petiole transforms into a thin, long tendril that wraps around the branch of the host tree. At its end, formed by a leaf blade, hangs a jug for catching insects, somewhat reminiscent of an unusual bright flower. Different types of Nepenthes have pitchers of different sizes, shapes and colors. Their length varies from 2.5 to 30 cm, and in some species it can reach 50 cm.
Grevillea parallela Grevillea cf. parallela is a tree from the Proteaceae family. State of Queensland, Australia.
Melaleuca Melaleuca bracteata is a plant of the family. Myrtaceae, Queensland, Australia.
Eremophila Fraser, tarpentine Eremophila fraseri - a shrub from the family. Myoporaceae (Myoporaceae). Eremophiles are extremely characteristic of the bush communities of western Australia.
Keraudrenia similar to Keraudrenia velutina is a shrub from the family. Sterculiaceae, common to southwest Australia.
During the flowering season, the desert grasslands and savannas of Australia are spread with colorful carpets of the ubiquitous daisies and other wildflowers. From June to September, more than 12,000 species of wildflowers bloom across Western Australia. From late August to mid-October, Kangaroo Island in South Australia is home to more than 100 varieties of wildflowers, many of which grow only here. As soon as the snow melts in the Australian Alps, the alpine meadows are covered with scatterings of silver and snow-white daisies, yellow daisies and pink stylidiums.
The unique Australian flora also boasts representatives of the Proteaceae family, such as banksia, grevillea and telopea. About 80 per cent of all plants, in particular all members of the Proteaceae family, growing in the south-west of Western Australia are found nowhere else in the world. The heathlands along Victoria's Great Ocean Road rival few areas in Australia for the abundance of orchids.
Esperance, Nullarbor and Coolgardie Plains in southwest Australia
Andersonia large-leaved Andersonia parvifolia is a low common shrub in Esperance, less than 1 m tall, from the family. Heathers (Ericaceae).
There are over 20 species in the genus. Under cultural conditions it can reach a height of 2 m or more. Characteristic of non-carbonate sands and pebbles throughout the Esperance Plain and Mallee zone.
Recovers quickly after fires (in the second to fifth year).
Blooms mainly from August to October.
Pink astro-flowered callithrix Calytrix duplistipulata is a common shrub of the Esperance family. Myrtaceae (Myrtaceae).
Characteristic of the Mount Ridley region and northern Esperance.
It usually forms compact clumps 1 m high, very often after clearing, felling or fires.
The bright pink flowers are about 2 cm in diameter.
Another type of callithrix, Calytrix leschenaultii, has blue, violet, lilac or purple flowers with bright yellow stamens, which turn red at maturity.
A common species in Western Australia, found mainly in non-forested (low shrub) communities, on non-carbonate sands or in the mallee zone.
The leaves of this shrub are so small (2 mm long) that not during the flowering period it is literally not visible in the vegetation. The height of the bush is 0.6–1 m.
Dodonaea lobulata is a shrub from the family. Sapindaceae up to 3 m in height, distributed over a 400 km radius around Kalgoorlie.
The species Dodonaea lobulata may be common in the Esperance region, but mainly on red loams around low-altitude granite outcrops (within a 20 m radius of them), and on small limestones slightly overlying granites. This type of ecotope is characteristic of the Mallee zone and the north-east of the Esperance Plain. Dodonea fruits, similar to hop fruits, are greenish-yellow at first, but quickly turn red and become scarlet as the fruit ripens.
Isopogon alcicornis is a strange-looking shrub from the family. Proteaceae with almost vertical olive-green long (up to 1.6 m long) leaves.
Animal world. Climate.Vegetation.
Australia is a country located on the continent of the same name. This is a continent that is washed by the Pacific and Indian oceans. The climate of Australia differs sharply depending on the region: in the north the climate is tropical, and in the south it is temperate. The flora and fauna of Australia is also diverse. The warmest months on this continent, oddly enough, are the months from November to January with temperatures from twenty to thirty-two degrees Celsius. In the central regions, temperatures can be observed much higher (from thirty-eight to forty-two degrees Celsius plus). In Australia, just like in the desert, after sunset it can become sharply cold by ten to fifteen degrees. And in June - August, on the contrary, it is very cool (plus fifteen to eighteen degrees Celsius), in the temperate zone it sometimes reaches zero degrees. Rain is common during these months.
Natural areas of Australia:
1. Natural Zone Tropical(forty percent of the continent is in this area). The tropical rain forests of Australia are similar to African forests: the same layered structure and richness of life forms represented. On the north-eastern coast of mainland Australia there is an area called the Wet Tropics of Queensland (after the name of the occupied territory of the state of Queensland). The Wet Tropics of Queensland has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Many representatives of flora and fauna living in this territory are under threat of extinction. This tropical forest stretches for four hundred and fifty kilometers and skirts the north-eastern coast of Australia. The climate in this area varies from very humid to humid (average temperature in summer is thirty degrees Celsius, in winter about twenty-five plus). The flora and fauna of the Wet Tropics of Queensland is very diverse (about 400 species of plants and more than a hundred species of animals, many of which, as mentioned above, are on the verge of extinction).
Tropical Queensland
Wet tropics of Australia
The Daintree Forest is considered the oldest on earth. Its age is more than one hundred thirty-five million years. It is located in northern Queensland on the northeast coast of mainland Australia.
Daintree Forest
Daintree forest Australia
As mentioned above, the fauna of this zone is very rich and diverse. The tropics are inhabited mainly by marsupials (there are more than two hundred and fifty species). Some of them: koala, bat, possum, giant kangaroo. Bats feed mainly on insects, but there are also some representatives of mice that feed on birds, frogs, fish, which are abundant in the Wet Tropics, along with numerous species of reptiles and butterflies.
Moloch (thorny devil)
The history of the existence of the marsupial, the wolf, which until recently lived in the tropics, is very tragic. There is a theory that with the appearance of the European people on the territory of Australia, this animal was exterminated mercilessly. And when the number of marsupial wolves reached a critical state, the matter was aggravated by the sudden attack of canine plague. As a result, the last representative of this wolf species died in 1936 in a private zoo.
One of the most interesting animals living in Australia, you could call it a koala. Koalas are very similar to bears, but are separated into a separate family because... their life activity is unique. A lot of interesting facts are known about koalas. For example, that these wonderful bears eat only eucalyptus trees and hardly drink water, that the fingerprints of koalas are similar to human fingerprints, that the pregnancy of a female koala lasts no more than 35 days, and after that the child is carried to term in the mother’s pouch. The koala sleeps at least eighteen hours a day, and its height is sixty to eighty centimeters. Recently, the number of koalas has increased greatly, despite the fact that they often suffer from human diseases (sinusitis, conjunctivitis, cestitis).
2. Natural Area of Deserts and Semi-Deserts. Sixty percent (the entire central part of the continent) is in these zones. A subtropical and tropical continental climate prevails here. The Desert and Semi-Desert Natural Area extends across the south, central and western parts of Australia. The flora of this natural area is represented by eucalyptus trees and thorny acacias. Eucalyptus trees are the tallest trees in Australia. But in desert areas they predominate in the form of shrubs two to three meters high. They grow very quickly and gain a height of at least two meters per year. Eucalyptus trees are evergreens, but in desert areas they shed their leaves during dry periods. Under the leaves of eucalyptus trees in eucalyptus forests, acacia trees feel cozy and comfortable. The predominant species of desert acacias are Cambagi or Giji acacia and Dahlia acacia. There are six hundred and seventy-one species of acacia, 12 of which are endemic (unique and have no analogues in the world) and 33 species are disappearing from the face of the earth.
Since the soils of tropical deserts are very saline, drought-resistant grasses also predominate there.
Semi-desert in Australia
Acacia in Australia
Fauna life is most active during the short rainy season. The fauna of the deserts of Australia is represented by the dingo dog, the marsupial mole, large red kangaroos, the earth hare, foxes, birds of prey, termites, lizards, and mice. The Dingo dog is a wild dog that is found not only in Australia but also on other continents. These dogs are tan in color and have longer canine teeth and a flatter skull than regular dogs. The Dingo dog is a predator that hunts livestock, possums, kangaroos and other animals.
One of the brightest representatives of the fauna of Australia is the kangaroo. Kangaroo is a very mysterious and unusual animal. These animals have excellent hearing; they live in nests, burrows, as well as in holes, caves and rocks. A unique feature of kangaroos is that they can go without water for months. The kangaroo family includes large (wallaroos), medium-sized (wallabies) and small kangaroos (kangaroo rats). In general, there are more than fifty species and their size ranges from thirty centimeters to one and a half meters. For example, Wallaroo kangaroos are very pugnacious, people use this and therefore kangaroo fights are very popular in Australia, where tourists and locals place bets on the betting.