According to one version of scientists, Australia is the most ancient continent on our planet. The flora, fauna, relief and all other natural features began to form here about 3 billion years ago. Paradoxically, people discovered these lands relatively recently, which is why the local nature still remains much more original and unique than in other parts of the Earth. Well, let's find out in more detail what it is, the flora and fauna of Australia, what are its features, and much more.
Geographic location
Australia itself is the smallest mainland in the world. It is located in the Southern Hemisphere, in the Eastern part of the World, washed by the waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The coastline of the mainland is heavily indented by bays, in which numerous seas are formed. The Tasmanovo, Coral and Arafura Seas are located in the Pacific Ocean.
In the waters of the Indian Ocean, the most famous sea is Timor. Australia is surrounded by various islands, among which there are two very large ones - Tasmania and New Guinea. Also next to the smallest continent is the world's largest coral reef called the Great Barrier Reef.
Weather conditions
For centuries, the climatic zones of Australia have had a great influence on the formation of flora and fauna. Despite its small size, the mainland is located in three main zones at once. Here you can find areas of equatorial climate, tropical and temperate. They are separated by transitional zones: subtropics, deserts and semi-deserts. The air temperature here is greatly influenced by ocean currents - the dipoles of the Indian Ocean and El Niño. Thanks to them, cyclones are formed with dry and gusty winds that dominate most of the territory.
Because the climatic zones of Australia are so diverse, the weather in different parts of the continent is peculiar. The tropical zone dominates in the northern and northeastern parts. In summer, moderate precipitation is observed here, and drought prevails in winter. Deserts and semi-deserts stretch from the center of the mainland and closer to the west - an area of \u200b\u200bthe equatorial climate. The southwestern shores are continuous subtropics, and the southeastern part, including the island of Tasmania, is already temperate zones.
The main attraction of the local landscapes is the desert
Australia's deserts cover about 45 percent of the areamainland. They are located in the Northwest, in the tropical and subtropical zone. A feature of the Australian deserts is that there are brown and reddish soils. Thanks to this, all the sands have a coral hue, which is not found anywhere else in the world.
So, the main deserts of Australia are:
- Great Sandy Desert. It is covered with the same red sands, in which acacias and eucalyptus trees are occasionally found.
- Victoria Desert. The most extensive sandy zone of the mainland. It has the driest climate, so plants are not found at all.
- The Gibson Desert is a place covered in gravel and rubble. Distinguished from others by its high hills.
- Simpson Desert. A vast area covered with red sands. Only low-growing plants such as shrubs are found here.
- The Pinnacles. Extraordinary desert, which is covered with yellow sand. On such a flat area, pointed stones literally grow about 2 meters high.
Relief and its features
Australia is the flattest continent in the world. For centuries, the wind literally inflated all its rocks, because the area consists mainly of plateaus and lowlands. Nevertheless, the mountains of Australia are now presented in the form of a single range, which is called the Great Dividing Range. They are located in the east of the continent, and due to the fact that they are not too high, they are covered with trees, shrubs and other plants. The highest point is Mount Kosciuszko, whose height is 2228meters.
Note, however, that these are not the only mountains in Australia. Elevations on the continent are found in all coastal zones. But they are so insignificant that geographers do not ascribe to them the status of full-fledged ridges, but classify them as hills.
Plant symbol of the country
Now, finally, consider what kind of wildlife Australia is characterized by. The flora of these lands has its own symbol - eucalyptus. This tree is adapted to the most severe weather conditions, can live for a long time without water and endures gusty monsoons and trade winds.
The fact is that the eucalyptus has a very large root system, which is often larger than the ground part of the tree. Thus, the plant reaches underground branches to swamps, rivers and other sources from which it draws moisture. Eucalyptus grows in all parts of Australia, regardless of the terrain and weather conditions.
South and Eastern Australia: flora
In these areas we meet the zone of the most humid climate for this continent. Rain falls here throughout the year, because the soil is quite fertile and soft. In the east of Australia, bamboo thickets are most common. They form a whole jungle that stretches from the sea coast and ends at the foot of the Dividing Mountains. Toward the south, bamboo gives way to the so-called bottle tree. For local residents, this plant is a real find. Histhe fruits are shaped like a bottle, which always contains clean water suitable for drinking and cooking.
Northern flora
This area of the mainland is located, as mentioned above, in the tropics. Here is the most lush vegetation, which occupies a vast territory, and forms an impenetrable jungle. Among the trees of the North of Australia there are pandanuses, acacias, mangroves and palm thickets. More low-lying plants are ferns of various kinds and horsetail. The closer to the south, the more deserted the territory becomes. The landscapes of the northwest are covered with herbs and medicinal flowers only in spring, and in summer the land dries up, leaving only hills and sand dunes.
Meet the kangaroo - a symbol of the fauna of Australia
The flora and fauna of Australia are closely linked. Endemic trees and shrubs are found here, and along with them there are animals that you will not find anywhere else. The most striking representative of the Australian fauna is the marsupial kangaroo. This animal is divided into 17 genera, among which more than 50 species are distinguished.
There are kangaroos no more than 25 cm tall - these are the tiniest. The tallest reach a height of 170 cm and are considered the most rare. Kangaroo rats, derby kangaroos and many other species of these animals also live here.
All fauna lives above ground
Studying the fauna of Australia, you can see that almost all mammals live here either in the air or on the branches of tropical trees. Koalas, opossums, wombats constantly climb along eucalyptus trunks. The Australian squirrel is unique - it is flying, and like a bird, flits from one branch to another. Here even foxes have wings, which look very bloodthirsty, but are actually harmless, as they feed on the nectar of flowers. Much more dangerous are bats, which have a wingspan of one and a half meters and can cause great damage to the he alth of their prey.
Land dwellers
The flat expanses that distinguish wild Australia are surfed by funny platypuses. This is the indigenous animal of this continent, which lives near water bodies. Along with him, frilled lizards crawl here, which are harmless, and crocodiles, which you can’t say the same about. It is noteworthy that there are practically no predators on the continent. Almost the only predatory mammal species found here is the wild dog Dingo.
Conclusion
Well, in short, we looked at what wild Australia is like. Flora, animals and reptiles, landscapes and climate of this continent are all unique. Only in Australia you can find red deserts, which abound at the same time with eucalyptus trees. Only here are marsupial kangaroos, giant and tiny. Foxes and squirrels with wings are found here, extraordinary lizards and opossums crawl. And most importantly, this world is not at all dangerous for humans.
