Report on the flora and fauna of Australia. Fauna of Australia - list, characteristics and photos of representatives of the fauna of the mainland. Quolla - marsupial cat
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 position
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. The temperature ranges 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 is about 300 mm, but it is distributed very unevenly.
Subtropical
The climatic conditions of the belt are not the same. The southeastern region 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 | Almost all types of soils are present in this zone: 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 source 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 on land more often.
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.
Ecological problems
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.
Vegetation and precipitation
Obviously, the distribution of individual plant groups depends on microclimate and soils, but the distribution of large plant zones in Australia (at the level of formation types) reveals a close relationship with average annual precipitation. A striking feature of the Australian climate is the presence of an arid center of the continent, from which the amount of precipitation consistently increases towards the periphery. Vegetation changes accordingly.
1. Average annual precipitation is less than 125 mm. Sandy deserts are developed. Stiff-leaved perennial grasses of the genera Triodia and Spinifex dominate.
2. Average annual precipitation is 125–250 mm. These are semiarid regions with two main types of vegetation. a) Shrub semi-desert – open areas with a predominance of representatives of the genera Atriplex (quinoa) and Kochia (witweed). Native plants are exceptionally drought-resistant. The area is used for sheep pasture. b) Arid scrub on sandy plains or on bedrock outcrops on remnant hills. These are dense thickets of low-growing trees and shrubs with a predominance of various types of acacias. The most widely used mulga scrub is made with veinless acacia (Acacia aneura). Both types of vegetation are characterized by vigorous development of annual plants after infrequent rainfall.
3. Average annual precipitation is 250–500 mm. There are two main types of vegetation here. In the south, where precipitation occurs only in the winter months, the mallee scrub is common. These are dense thickets dominated by various bushy eucalyptus trees, forming several trunks (arising from one underground root) and tufts of leaves at the ends of the branches. In the north and east of Australia, where rainfall occurs mainly in the summer, grasslands are common with a predominance of representatives of the genera Astrebla and Iseilema.
4. Average annual precipitation is 500–750 mm. Here you can see savannas - open park landscapes with eucalyptus trees and a grass-forb lower layer. These areas were intensively used for grazing and growing wheat. Grass savannas are found in places on more fertile soils and in the zone of sclerophyllous (hard-leaved) forests.
5. Average annual precipitation is 750–1250 mm. Sclerophyllous forests are typical for this climatic zone. They are dominated by different species of eucalyptus, forming a closed tree stand, and a dense undergrowth of hard-leaved shrubs is developed, and the grass cover is sparse. On the more arid edge of this zone, forests give way to savanna woodlands, and on the more humid edge, to tropical rainforests. Relatively dry sclerophyllous forests have the highest concentrations of typical Australian species. These forests are an important source of hardwood timber.
6. Average annual precipitation is over 1250 mm. Tropical rainforests are confined to areas with high rainfall and soils usually developed on basaltic rocks. The species composition of trees is very diverse, without clearly defined dominants. Characterized by an abundance of vines and dense undergrowth. These forests are dominated by species of Indo-Melanesian origin. In more southern temperate-humid forests, the role of the Antarctic element of the flora increases (see below).
Floristic analysis
In Australia, approx. 15 thousand species of flowering plants, and about 3/4 of them are indigenous. Even J. D. Hooker, in his Introduction to the Flora of Tasmania (J.D. Hooker, Introductory Essay to the Flora of Tasmania, 1860), pointed out that three main elements played a decisive role in the development of the Australian flora: Antarctic, Indo-Melanesian and local Australian.
Antarctic element
This category includes groups of species common to southeastern Australia, New Zealand, the subantarctic islands and the southern Andes of South America. Examples of genera with such ranges are Nothofagus, Drimys, Lomatia, Araucaria, Gunnera and Acaena. Their representatives were also found in fossil remains of Paleogene age on the now ice-covered Seymour Island and on Graham Land (Antarctic Peninsula). Such plants are not found anywhere else. It is believed that they or their ancestors arose at a time when Australia was part of Gondwana. When this supercontinent split into parts that moved to their current positions, the ranges of representatives of the Antarctic flora turned out to be greatly separated. However, it is obvious that these plants were widespread in Australia in the Paleogene, since Nothofagus and Lomatia were found in the Oligocene deposits of South Australia and Victoria, along with such Australian genera as Eucalyptus, Banksia and Hakea. Currently, this element of the flora is best represented in temperate humid forests. The term "Antarctic element" is sometimes used to designate larger groups of plants now found only in the Southern Hemisphere and common to South Africa and Australia, such as the genera Caesia, Bulbine, Helichrysum and Restio. However, Australia's ties with South Africa appear to be more distant than those with South America. It is believed that closely related plants found in the first two regions descended from common ancestors who migrated there from the south.
Indo-Melanesian element
These are plants common to Australia, the Indo-Malayan region and Melanesia. Floristic analysis reveals two clearly defined groups: one of Indo-Malay origin, the other of Melanesian origin. In Australia, this element includes paleotropical representatives of many families, especially the tropical plexifalates, and reveals a close relationship with the flora of the Asian continent, especially India, the Malacca Peninsula and the Malay Archipelago.
Australian element
It includes genera and species that are found only in Australia or are most widespread there; There are few endemic families, and their role is insignificant. Typical Australian flora is concentrated in the southwest and southeast of the mainland. The south-west is rich in distinctive Australian families, with about 6/7 of them best represented in this region, and the remainder in the south-east. Whether this element actually formed locally or whether it originates from older paleotropical or Antarctic migrants is difficult to determine. In any case, it is clear that some groups of modern plants are found exclusively in Australia.
The importance of native plant species to humans has only recently become recognized, although many of them have been consumed by indigenous peoples of Australia for thousands of years. For example, Macadamia ternifolia has been widely cultivated in Australia for its tasty nuts since the 1890s (it is cultivated on an even larger scale in Hawaii and is known as the Queensland nut). Gradually in Australia, the cultivation of plants such as the local species of ficus (Ficus platypoda), Santalum (Santalum acuminatum, S. 1anceolatum), desert lime (Eremocitrus glauca), Australian capers (Capparis sp.), various so on began to be established. n. “desert tomatoes” from the nightshade genus (Solanum sp.), small-flowered basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), a local species of mint (Prostanthera rotundifolia) and many other cereals, root vegetables, fruits, berries and herbaceous plants.
Australia forms the bulk of the Australasian zoogeographic region, which also includes Tasmania, New Zealand, New Guinea and the adjacent islands of Melanesia and the Malay Archipelago west of the Wallace Line. This imaginary line, limiting the distribution of typical Australian fauna, runs north between the islands of Bali and Lombok, then along the Makassar Strait between the islands of Kalimantan and Sulawesi, then turns northeast, passing between the Sarangani Islands in the Philippine archipelago and Miangas Island. At the same time, it serves as the eastern border of the Indo-Malayan zoogeographic region.
Mammals
There are 230 known species of mammals in Australia. Three of them are monotreme oviparous, about 120 are marsupials, bearing their young in “pockets” on the abdomen, the rest are placental, in which embryonic development is completed in the uterus.
The most primitive order of mammals currently existing is the monotremes (Monotremata), which are not found in other parts of the world. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus), with a duck-like beak, is covered in fur, lays eggs and feeds the hatchlings with milk. Thanks to the efforts of Australian conservationists, this species is relatively abundant. Its closest relative, the echidna (Tachyglossus), is similar to the porcupine, but also lays eggs. The platypus is found only in Australia and Tasmania, while the echidna and the closely related proechidna (Zaglossus) are also found in New Guinea.
The kangaroo, a well-known symbol of Australia, is far from a typical representative of marsupials. Animals of this order of mammals are characterized by the birth of immature cubs, which are placed in a special bag, where they are born until they can take care of themselves.
The fact that marsupials have long lived in Australia is evidenced by the fossil remains of the giant wombat (Diprotodon) and the carnivorous marsupial “lion” (Thylacoleo). In general, less adaptable groups of mammals were slowly pushed to the southern continents as more aggressive groups appeared. As soon as monotremes and marsupials retreated to Australia, the region’s connection with the Asian continent was severed, and both groups were spared from competition with placentals better adapted to the struggle for survival.
Isolated from competitors, marsupials divided into many taxa, differing in animal size, habitats and methods of adaptation. This differentiation occurred largely parallel to the evolution of placentals on the northern continents. Some of the Australian marsupials are similar in appearance to carnivores, others to insectivores, rodents, herbivores, etc. With the exception of the American possums (Didelphidae) and the peculiar South American caenolesidae (Caenolesidae), marsupials are found only in Australasia.
Carnivorous marsupials (Dasyuridae) and bandicoots (Peramelidae) with 2-3 low incisors on each side of the jaw belong to the group of multi-incisors. The first family includes marsupial martens (Dasyurus), devil marsupial (Sarcophilus) and arboreal brush-tailed marsupial rats (Phascogale), feeding on insects, etc. The latter genus is widespread throughout Australasia. A close relative of carnivorous marsupials is the marsupial wolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus), which was widespread in Tasmania at the beginning of European settlement, but is found nowhere else, although there is evidence of its presence in prehistoric times in Australia and New Guinea. Despite problematic sightings in some areas, most experts consider the species to be extinct because it was hunted to extinction and the last individual died in captivity in 1936. The marsupial anteater (Myrmecobius) and the marsupial mole (Notoryctes), living in northern and central Australia, originated from a group combining predatory marsupials and the marsupial wolf. The bandicoot family (Peramelidae), distributed throughout Australasia, occupies the same ecological niche as insectivores (Insectivora) on the northern continents.
Two-incisor marsupials, distinguished by the presence of only one pair of low incisors, are known more widely than multi-incisor marsupials. Their distribution is limited to Australasia. Among them are the family of climbing marsupials (Phalangeridae), which includes the cuzu, or brushtails (Trichosurus); dwarf cuscus (Burramyidae), including the dwarf flying cuscus (Acrobates pygmaeus), which can glide between trees and fly up to 20 m, and marsupial flying squirrels (Petauridae), of which there are several species. The beloved koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), which looks like a funny miniature bear cub and was chosen as the emblem of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, belongs to the family of the same name. The wombat family (Vombatidae) includes two genera - long-haired and short-haired wombats. These are quite large animals, similar in appearance to beavers and found only in Australia. Kangaroos and wallabies, belonging to the kangaroo family (Macropodidae), are common throughout Australasia. The great gray or forest kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the most numerous member of this family, lives in open woodlands, while the red giant kangaroo (M. rufus) is common on the plains in the interior of Australia. Open habitats are characteristic of rock kangaroos (Petrogale sp.) and dwarf rock kangaroos (Peradorcas sp.). Interesting are tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus), whose limbs are adapted for both climbing trees and jumping.
The fact that marsupials have long lived in Australia is confirmed by the findings here of the fossil remains of the giant wombat (Diprotodon) and the predatory “marsupial lion” (Thylacoleo).
Before the arrival of Europeans, placental mammals were represented in Australia by chiropterans and small rodents, which probably entered there from the north. The former include numerous genera of both fruit bats (Megachiroptera) and bats (Microchiroptera); Flying foxes (Pteropus) are especially noteworthy. Rodents, including Anisomys, Conilurus, Crossomys, and Hydromys, were probably carried across the sea on fins. Humans and dingoes (Canis dingo) were the only large placentals, with dingoes most likely introduced to Australia by humans around 40,000 years ago.
Australia's ecological balance was greatly disrupted by the introduction of exotic placental mammals following the arrival of Europeans. Rabbits, accidentally introduced in the 1850s, and livestock began to decimate native vegetation across much of Australia, supported - albeit on a smaller scale - by wild boar, goats, buffalo, horses and donkeys. Foxes, cats and dogs competed with local animals and often hunted them, which led to their extermination in various areas of the mainland.
The avifauna of Australia includes many very valuable and interesting species. Flightless birds include the emu (Dromiceius novaehollandiae) and the cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), which is native to northern Queensland. The Australian mainland abounds in different species of ducks (Casarca, Biziura, etc.). Birds of prey include the wedge-tailed eagle (Uroaetus audax), the Australian kite (Haliastur sphenurus), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the Australian hawk (Astur fasciatus). Weed chickens (Leipoa) are very peculiar, constructing mounds-“incubators”; bush bigfoot (Alectura); bowers (Ailuroedus, Prionodura) and birds of paradise (Paradisaeidae), honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), lyrebirds (Menura). There is a great variety of parrots, pigeons and ducks, but vultures and woodpeckers are completely absent.
Reptiles
Australia is home to a variety of reptiles, including snakes, crocodiles, lizards and turtles. There are almost 170 species of snakes alone. The largest of the poisonous snakes is the taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus), and the Queensland python (Python amethystinus) reaches a length of about 6 m. Crocodiles are represented by two species - the combed one (Crocodilus porosus), which attacks and kills people, and the Australian narrow-snouted (C .johnsoni); both of them live in northern Australia and New Guinea. There are about 10 species of turtles - from the genera Chelodina and Emydura. Among the more than 520 species of Australian lizards, legless lizards (Pygopodidae), found in Australia and New Guinea, and large monitor lizards (Varanidae), reaching a length of 2.1 m, are noteworthy.
The fauna of Australia is characterized by the complete absence of tailed amphibians (Urodela) and the diversity of frogs and toads. Among the Australian toads of the subfamily Criniinae, morphologically the most primitive of the true toads, the genera Crinia, Mixophyes and Helioporus are typical, and a total of 16 of them live in the region.
In Australia approx. 230 species of native freshwater fish, but no carp, carp, salmon, and few catfish. Most representatives of the freshwater ichthyofauna descended from marine ancestors - cods (Oligorus), perches (Percalates, Plectoplites, Macquaria), terapons (Therapon), herrings (Potamalosa), half-snouts (Hemirhamphus) and gobies (Gobiomorphus, Carassiops). There are, however, two notable exceptions - the lungtooth (Neoceratodus) and the bone-lingual Scleropages. Australia and New Zealand are home to a number of Galaxias species, as well as Gadopsis.
Invertebrates
The invertebrate fauna of Australia includes at least 65 thousand species of insects, some of which are very unique.
Bibliography
To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://www.krugosvet.ru/
The differences between the areas of relict and young endemics are illustrated by the diagram: An indispensable condition for the existence and preservation of endemism is isolation. And the longer the isolation remains, the higher the degree of endemism in the flora and fauna, the more unique the biota. Therefore, the share of endemism on the islands and in the high altitude zones of the mountains is understandable: Caucasus - 25% Mountains of Central Asia -30% Japan - 37% Canary Islands -45% ...
The waters are home to a large number of aquatic inhabitants that are dangerous to humans. One of the most dangerous is, perhaps, the geographic cone1. 13. Sports and cultural events in Australia Australia's tourist attractions also include sporting events. Adelaide hosts the annual Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix; Australian Open Championship in Melbourne...
Orogenesis, uplift of platforms and regression of the sea occurred. In some areas the climate became drier, but still remained warm and mild, even in high latitudes. The Mesozoic stage of the development of life on Earth and the evolution of the biosphere ended with the Cretaceous period. It was during this period that one of the most extensive transgressions of the Phanerozoic occurred. The maximum development of transgression occurred approximately...
Species, including hare, hare, wild rabbit, tolai, Manchurian hare. Some species are adapted to fast running, digging, swimming, and climbing. Distributed everywhere, with the exception of the island of Madagascar, the southern regions of South America and Antarctica. Lead an active, solitary lifestyle; They do not have permanent shelters. They reproduce up to 4 times a year. There are 2-8 (up to 15) cubs in a litter. Cubs appear on...
CONTENT
| Introduction…………………………………………………………………...... | 3 |
| 1 Flora of Australia……………………………………………………. .. | 6 |
| 1.1 Vegetation and precipitation…………………………………………….... | 6 |
| 1.2 Floristic analysis……………………………………………. | 7 |
| 1.3 Botanical rarities............................................................... ..... ...................... | 8 |
| 1.4 Plants: endemics and cosmopolitans | 10 |
| 2 Characteristics of fauna......... .................................. ....... .................... |
12 |
| 2.1 Species of animals living in Australia..................................................... | 12 |
| 2.2 Poisonous and dangerous invertebrates of Australia.................................... | 15 |
| 2.3 Dangerous fauna of Australia........................................................... ..... ................ | 22 |
| 2.4 Endemic fauna of Australia | 23 |
| 2.5 Protection and conservation of Australian plants and animals | 25 |
| Conclusion.................... ............................. .............................................. |
27 |
| Bibliography | |
| Application |
Introduction
Australia is the only country in the world that occupies the entire continent. James Cook was the first to describe it, he also drew up the first map and declared these lands the property of Her Royal Majesty. Australia is famous for its extraordinary natural beauty. Amazing landscapes here are combined with unique wildlife. Only in Australia can you see the platypus, the echidna, the world's largest rodent - the wombat, not to mention koalas, kangaroos, emus and a huge number of parrots. The fauna of Australia is so amazing that even the Australians chose images of emus and kangaroos for their coat of arms.
The primitive nature of Australia and its fauna have changed beyond recognition since the arrival of Europeans there. In the most populous New South Wales, half of the mainland's marsupial species have become extinct or very rare, and 11 marsupial species have disappeared completely. Hundreds of species of European plants and animals have been introduced here over the past 200 years. Along with monotremes and marsupials, such as the platypus, echidna or various kangaroos, we now meet here our rats and mice, starlings, thrushes and common sparrows.
Australia is located 11° from the equator and is divided into almost equal parts by the Tropic of South. Thus, its territory is located within the tropical zone, and the southernmost points on the island of Tasmania extend beyond the 42nd parallel. This latitude determines Australia's tropical and subtropical climate. Frosts occur in June only in Tasmania (down to -7°C), in the mountains and on mountain plateaus (down to -20°C).
Due to the small indentation of the continent's coasts and their elevation, especially in the east, the influence of the surrounding seas weakly penetrates into the interior of Australia. Therefore, the climate in a significant part of it is sharply continental.
The nature of Australia is far from monotonous, which is determined by the climate. The island world and the northern coasts are warm and humid places, and in the center of the mainland there are real deserts. In general, the continent is low, about half of its territory rises 200-300 m above sea level, but there are also mountains with the highest point, Mount Kosciuszko, rising 2230 m above the sea.
According to natural conditions, the continent is divided into three large parts. In the west there is a peneplain - a plateau located at an altitude of 300-500 m. The space from the northern Gulf of Carpentaria to the southern coast is occupied by lowlands, and in the east of Australia mountains rise along the entire coast - the Great Dividing Range.
Australia is adjacent to many islands. Some of them are nothing more than the remains of the ancient continent - New Guinea, New Zealand, New Caledonia and even the most remote islands of Fiji. Other islands are of volcanic origin - Hawaiian, Marquesas, Tahiti, etc. These islands are smaller. And finally, the smallest islands are atolls, islets formed due to overgrown corals.
The distribution of birds across the continent depends primarily on vegetation. As we move from the coast of Australia to its center, tropical and subtropical rainforests are replaced by dry and light eucalyptus forests with hard foliage of an unusual gray-bluish or greenish-gray color. These forests do not form a continuous forest tent; they are sparse. Then there are savannas, and in the very center of Australia there are deserts and semi-deserts with shrubby vegetation. Vast areas of inland Australia are occupied by the so-called scrub, consisting of thorny, intertwined and, at times, completely impenetrable bushes. And finally, the sands and rocks of deserts, in which only cushions of yellow grasses are found.
- Characteristics of biophylotic kingdoms and regions
Australia with adjacent islands, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Solomon, New Caledonia, New Hebrides and Fiji Islands.
The formation of the biophylote of this kingdom dates back to the time of the separation of Gondwana (240–70 million years ago). Australia has had a long connection with Antarctica, and through it with South America. This connection persisted until the Eocene, and only 60–50 million years ago, as a result of drift, Australia separated. But this break was accompanied by such a sharp change in climatic conditions (glaciation of Antarctica) that it completely eliminated the connection between the Neotropical and Australian biophylotes after the Miocene (30 million years ago or less). Australia’s advance to the north (15° latitude over 50 million years) brought it into quasi-continental contact with Southeast Asia. Island bridges ensured widespread interpenetration of elements of the Oriental and Australian biophylotes (Wallace's line: for reptiles on some islands, for birds on others; the “Wallace zone” is distinguished between Kalimantan and New Guinea). There are four regions within the Australian kingdom: Mainland, New Guinea, Fijian and New Caledonian. The mainland is the largest and most complex. New Guinea in flora gravitates towards the Oriental kingdom, and in fauna - towards the Australian one. Due to their significant isolation, the Fijian and New Caledonian regions have relatively weak connections with other regions of the Australian kingdom. The process of internal differentiation of the Continental region was influenced by the long-term separation of the western and eastern parts of the continent as a result of extensive marine transgression in the Cretaceous period (137–66 million years ago). Flora The Australian kingdom has a high degree and depth of endemism. This is natural for island regions. But even for the Mainland region, species endemism is very high (75%; 9,000 species out of 12,000). In the New Guinea region - 85% (5800 out of 6870). New Caledonian - 80% and Fijian - 50%. At the level of genera (depth of endemism), there are more than 500 endemic genera in the Mainland region, about 100 in the New Guinea region, more than 100 in the New Caledonian region, and only 15 in the Fiji region.
In the Mainland region, ferns, flowering plants (legumes, myrtaceae), and orchids are very diverse. Reptiles demonstrate endemism already at the family level, and at the genus level - 80–85%. Endemism is even greater in birds. The mammals of the Australian kingdom are unique (subclass of oviparous, family of platypuses and echidnas). The order of marsupials is represented by 7 endemic families. Carnivores (dingoes) entered along with primitive man.
In the Australian kingdom there are three clearly defined floristic regions.
North East Australian region
The region covers the northern, eastern and south-eastern forested and partly savannah regions of Australia, along with the coastal islands and islands. Tasmania. The flora of the region includes 5 endemic families (Austrobaileyaceae, Tetracarpaeaceae, Petermanniaceae, Idiospermaceae and Akaniaceae) and more than 150 endemic genera. Tasmania has 14 endemic genera, including the conifers Athrotaxis, Diselma and Microcachrys and the flowering plants Tetracarpaea, Prionotes, Isophysis.
South West Australian region
The flora of the region includes 3 endemic families (Cephalotaceae, Eremosynaceae and Emblingiaceae) and about 125 endemic genera (including Dryandra, Nuytsia, Stirlingia, etc.). Species endemism is very high (75% or more).
Central Australian, or Eremey, region.
The region covers the northern and eastern savanna regions, central deserts and South Australia.
There are no endemic families in the flora of the region, but there are about 40 endemic genera, many of which belong to the families Chenoceae, Cruciferae and Asteraceae.
1 Flora of Australia
- Vegetation and precipitation
1. Average annual precipitation is less than 125 mm. Sandy deserts are developed. Stiff-leaved perennial grasses of the genera Triodia and Spinifex dominate.
2. Average annual precipitation is 125–250 mm. These are semiarid regions with two main types of vegetation. a) Shrub semi-desert – open areas with a predominance of representatives of the genera Atriplex (quinoa) and Kochia (witweed). Native plants are exceptionally drought-resistant. The area is used for sheep pasture. b) Arid scrub on sandy plains or on bedrock outcrops on remnant hills. These are dense thickets of low-growing trees and shrubs with a predominance of various types of acacias. The most widely used mulga scrub is made with veinless acacia (Acacia aneura). Both types of vegetation are characterized by vigorous development of annual plants after infrequent rainfall.
3. Average annual precipitation is 250–500 mm. There are two main types of vegetation here. In the south, where precipitation occurs only in the winter months, the mallee scrub is common. These are dense thickets dominated by various bushy eucalyptus trees, forming several trunks (arising from one underground root) and tufts of leaves at the ends of the branches. In the north and east of Australia, where rainfall occurs mainly in the summer, grasslands are common with a predominance of representatives of the genera Astrebla and Iseilema.
4. Average annual precipitation is 500–750 mm. Here you can see savannas - open park landscapes with eucalyptus trees and a grass-forb lower layer. These areas were intensively used for grazing and growing wheat. Grass savannas are found in places on more fertile soils and in the zone of sclerophyllous (hard-leaved) forests.
5. Average annual precipitation is 750–1250 mm. Sclerophyllous forests are typical for this climatic zone. They are dominated by different species of eucalyptus, forming a closed tree stand, and a dense undergrowth of hard-leaved shrubs is developed, and the grass cover is sparse. On the more arid edge of this zone, forests give way to savanna woodlands, and on the more humid edge, to tropical rainforests. Relatively dry sclerophyllous forests have the highest concentrations of typical Australian species. These forests are an important source of hardwood timber.
6. Average annual precipitation is over 1250 mm. Tropical rainforests are confined to areas with high rainfall and soils usually developed on basaltic rocks. The species composition of trees is very diverse, without clearly defined dominants. Characterized by an abundance of vines and dense undergrowth. These forests are dominated by species of Indo-Melanesian origin. In more southern temperate humid
1.2 Floristic analysis
In Australia, approx. 15 thousand species of flowering plants, and about 3/4 of them are indigenous. Even J. D. Hooker, in his Introduction to the Flora of Tasmania (J.D. Hooker, Introductory Essay to the Flora of Tasmania, 1860), pointed out that three main elements played a decisive role in the development of the Australian flora: Antarctic, Indo-Melanesian and local Australian.Antarctic element. This category includes groups of species common to southeastern Australia, New Zealand, the subantarctic islands and the southern Andes of South America. Examples of genera with such ranges are Nothofagus, Drimys, Lomatia, Araucaria, Gunnera and Acaena. Their representatives were also found in fossil remains of Paleogene age on the now ice-covered Seymour Island and on Graham Land (Antarctic Peninsula). Such plants are not found anywhere else. It is believed that they or their ancestors arose at a time when Australia was part of Gondwana. When this supercontinent split into parts that moved to their current positions, the ranges of representatives of the Antarctic flora turned out to be greatly separated. However, it is obvious that these plants were widespread in Australia in the Paleogene, since Nothofagus and Lomatia were found in the Oligocene deposits of South Australia and Victoria, along with such Australian genera as Eucalyptus, Banksia and Hakea. Currently, this element of the flora is best represented in temperate humid forests. The term "Antarctic element" is sometimes used to designate larger groups of plants now found only in the Southern Hemisphere and common to South Africa and Australia, such as the genera Caesia, Bulbine, Helichrysum and Restio. However, Australia's ties with South Africa appear to be more distant than those with South America. It is believed that closely related plants found in the first two regions descended from common ancestors who migrated there from the south.
Indo-Melanesian element. These are plants common to Australia, the Indo-Malayan region and Melanesia. Floristic analysis reveals two clearly defined groups: one of Indo-Malay origin, the other of Melanesian origin. In Australia, this element includes paleotropical representatives of many families, especially the tropical plexifalates, and reveals a close relationship with the flora of the Asian continent, especially India, the Malacca Peninsula and the Malay Archipelago.
The Australian element includes genera and species that are found only in Australia or are most widespread there; There are few endemic families, and their role is insignificant. Typical Australian flora is concentrated in the southwest and southeast of the mainland. The south-west is rich in distinctive Australian families, with about 6/7 of them best represented in this region, and the remainder in the south-east. Whether this element actually formed locally or whether it originates from older paleotropical or Antarctic migrants is difficult to determine. In any case, it is clear that some groups of modern plants are found exclusively in Australia.
The importance of native plant species to humans has only recently become recognized, although many of them have been consumed by indigenous peoples of Australia for thousands of years. For example, Macadamia ternifolia has been widely cultivated in Australia for its tasty nuts since the 1890s (it is cultivated on an even larger scale in Hawaii and is known as the Queensland nut). Gradually in Australia, the cultivation of plants such as the local species of ficus (Ficus platypoda), Santalum (Santalum acuminatum, S. 1anceolatum), desert lime (Eremocitrus glauca), Australian capers (Capparis sp.), various so on began to be established. n. “desert tomatoes” from the nightshade genus (Solanum sp.), small-flowered basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), a local species of mint (Prostanthera rotundifolia) and many other cereals, root vegetables, fruits, berries and herbaceous plants.
1.3 Botanical rarities
The Australian eucalyptus, the tallest plant in the world, is the most common in Australia. 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 100m. There are cases when trees grew 150-170m (very rare). Eucalyptus grows incredibly quickly. It is reliably known that in the south of Europe, blue eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) grew 20 m in 9 years - a huge (by European standards) tree with a trunk diameter of 1 m. Moreover, eucalyptus wood is very dense, heavy (sinks in water), does not rot, and is used for the manufacture of telegraph poles, ship cladding, and in the construction of bridges. 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. Specially planted “pump trees” very quickly drain swamps, which helps the development of new lands. Eucalyptus leaves contain 3-5% aromatic essential oil that kills bacteria. This oil is used for colds and pneumonia. For all the amazing properties of these trees in Australia, the homeland of eucalyptus, local residents call them “miracle trees”, “diamonds of the forests”.
In the eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia, various species of doreanthes grow - large perennial grasses with thick underground stems. During drought, the roots of Doreanthes contract and pull the plant into the ground.
The bottle tree is common in Australia. This plant is very well adapted to heat, drought and lack of water. From a distance it looks like a giant bottle. Moisture accumulates in the trunk and is used up during drought.
Casuarina is another plant most common to Australia. This is a strange-looking tree or shrub with thin, drooping shoots and no leaves. In appearance it resembles horsetail, and in the shape of the crown it is similar to spruce. It is called the “Christmas tree”. The thin shoots of casuarinas resemble the hair-like fine feathers of cassowaries, the large running birds that live near casuarinas. Casuarina is also called “iron tree” because of its very durable wood of bright red color.
The emblem of the state of Western Australia is the kangaroo paw plant, which is also found nowhere else in the world. The bizarre shape of the velvety flower really resembles an animal's paw.
Caustis, a tall grass up to more than a meter, has no leaves at all. Its stems are so twisted that it seems like a hairdresser worked on these curls for a long time. These curly stems can be seen on the sandy beaches of Australia, in light eucalyptus forests.
Only in the southwest of Australia, where there is enough moisture, does the Australian kingia grow. Thick, up to 9 m high, the trunk of kingia is crowned with a rosette of dense leaves up to a meter long. The leaves fall down, the top of the plant is like a crown decorates a whole bouquet of inflorescences-balls on long stems.1.4 Plants: endemics and cosmopolitans
The habitats of different plant species can vary significantly: species that are distributed everywhere (cosmopolitan plants), on many continents, are usually called cosmopolitans, and those growing in a small area (endemic plants) (island, mountain) are called enlemics.
Cosmopolitan plants usually spread easily. Among them there are both unpretentious species capable of covering a wide variety of territories, and capricious species that are demanding of environmental conditions, but have sufficient opportunities for settlement. Spore-bearing plants, such as silver moss and Marshania liver moss, are widespread throughout the world and are found in moist, nitrogen-rich areas. Among ferns, the “classic” smopolitan is the common bracken, although it is not at all indifferent to living conditions and prefers to grow on acidic, well-moistened soils. TOMopolitans include many aquatic plants: common reed, small plantain duckweed, pondweed, etc.
Those plants that have spread everywhere thanks to humans are called anthropogenic cosmopolitans. These include the well-known white pigweed, shepherd's purse, stinging and stinging nettle, chickweed (mokria), large plantain, annual bluegrass, bird's-eye buckwheat, etc. They can be called eternal wanderers: like faithful companions of man, they have traveled almost the entire Earth . True, for this, anthropogenic cosmopolitansthere are all possibilities. Thus, the shepherd's purse is surprisingly prolific. In temperate latitudes, where it is not always possible to get one full-fledged harvest in the fields, it produces three, throwing out 70 thousand seeds from one plant.
Any method is suitable for moving the seeds of the shepherd's purse, but the best way is with mud on the hooves of animals, wheels of cars and carts, on boots and boots. Dirt has a double benefit: when wet, it sticks together with the seeds to the “transport”, and where it has fallen off, the seeds have grains of “their” soil in which they can comfortably germinate.
Regular garden cabbage sometimes also behaves like a weed. In 1773, Captain Fournet sowed cabbage seeds on a small plot of land in New Zealand. When James Cook visited there a little later, he saw that cabbage had spread along the entire coast. Local plants were unable to fight back, and long-tailed parrots, collecting pods, carried the seeds to neighboring islands. Quinoa - an inconspicuous wasteland plant and a malicious weed - has conquered all continents except Antarctica, and has not yet penetrated only into the humid tropics. Her tricks for such an attack are well known: a huge number of seeds that everyone loves - birds, ants, horses, sheep... Moreover, they can be stored for an incredibly long time. During archaeological excavations in places of ancient human settlements, quinoa seeds are found that have not lost their germination.
Endemics - the exact opposite of cosmopolitans - are found in a small, often isolated area.
The originality of the flora and fauna of Australia is also associated with the early isolation of this continent. Marsupial mammals, which have become extinct on other continents, are widespread here. In the process of evolution, marsupials occupied most ecological niches and developed life forms similar to higher mammals. Marsupial moles and marsupial wolves live here, and various species of kangaroos have taken the place of ungulates in the communities.
Scientists suggest that each species appeared on the planet only once and at one geographical point - the center of origin. So, most likely, the center of origin of marsupial mammals was Antarctica (then not yet covered by an ice shell), and the homeland of partially toothed mammals - armadillos and anteaters - was South America. As the species or group of organisms reproduced, they spread from the center of origin to other places suitable for their life until they encountered any obstacles on their way (mountains, seas, rivers, deserts).
2 Characteristics of fauna
2.1 Species of animals living in Australia
One of the main reasons for the increasing popularity of Australia among foreign tourists is the uniqueness of its fauna and flora. Endemic (that is, unique to Australia) species include 82% of Australian mammals, 90% of frogs and reptiles (by the way, the most poisonous in the world) and 45% of birds. This uniqueness of Australian nature is reflected in local genographic names. There are islands here: Shark Island, Crocodile Island, Kangaroo Island, Snake Island, Wild Duck Island, Seal Island and Great Palm Island; villages: Penguin, Camel Creek, Coockatoo, Palm Beach, Swan Bay, Seal Bay, Cod Bay and Sea Elephant Bay); Mount Emu; Swan River; Capes: Turtle Point and Mosquito Point.Mammals. There are 230 known species of mammals in Australia. Three of them are monotreme oviparous, about 120 are marsupials, bearing their young in “pockets” on the abdomen, the rest are placental, in which embryonic development is completed in the uterus.
The most primitive order of mammals currently existing is the monotremes (Monotremata), which are not found in other parts of the world. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus), with a duck-like beak, is covered in fur, lays eggs and feeds the hatchlings with milk. Thanks to the efforts of Australian conservationists, this species is relatively abundant. The platypus is armed with a poisonous spine, which it hides on the inner surface of its hind legs. When pricked, this thorn can cause unbearable pain and local swelling. The affected limb should be splinted for several days.
Its closest relative, the echidna (Tachyglossus), is similar to the porcupine, but also lays eggs. The platypus is found only in Australia and Tasmania, while the echidna and the closely related proechidna (Zaglossus) are also found in New Guinea.
The kangaroo, a well-known symbol of Australia, is far from a typical representative of marsupials. Animals of this order of mammals are characterized by the birth of immature cubs, which are placed in a special bag, where they are born until they can take care of themselves.
The fact that marsupials have long lived in Australia is evidenced by the fossil remains of the giant wombat (Diprotodon) and the carnivorous marsupial “lion” (Thylacoleo). In general, less adaptable groups of mammals were slowly pushed to the southern continents as more aggressive groups appeared. As soon as monotremes and marsupials retreated to Australia, the region’s connection with the Asian continent was severed, and both groups were spared from competition with placentals better adapted to the struggle for survival.
Isolated from competitors, marsupials divided into many taxa, differing in animal size, habitats and methods of adaptation. This differentiation occurred largely parallel to the evolution of placentals on the northern continents. Some of the Australian marsupials are similar in appearance to carnivores, others to insectivores, rodents, herbivores, etc. With the exception of the American possums (Didelphidae) and the peculiar South American caenolesidae (Caenolesidae), marsupials are found only in Australasia.
Carnivorous marsupials (Dasyuridae) and bandicoots (Peramelidae) with 2-3 low incisors on each side of the jaw belong to the group of multi-incisors. The first family includes marsupial martens (Dasyurus), devil marsupial (Sarcophilus) and arboreal brush-tailed marsupial rats (Phascogale), feeding on insects, etc. The latter genus is widespread throughout Australasia. A close relative of carnivorous marsupials is the marsupial wolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus), which was widespread in Tasmania at the beginning of European settlement, but is found nowhere else, although there is evidence of its presence in prehistoric times in Australia and New Guinea. Despite problematic sightings in some areas, most experts consider the species to be extinct because it was hunted to extinction, with the last individual dying in captivity in 1936. The marsupial anteater (Myrmecobius) and the marsupial mole (Notoryctes), living in northern and central Australia, evolved from a group combining predatory marsupials and the marsupial wolf. The bandicoot family (Peramelidae), distributed throughout Australasia, occupies the same ecological niche as insectivores (Insectivora) on the northern continents.
Two-incisor marsupials, distinguished by the presence of only one pair of low incisors, are known more widely than multi-incisor marsupials. Their distribution is limited to Australasia. Among them are the family of climbing marsupials (Phalangeridae), which includes the cuzu, or brushtails (Trichosurus); dwarf cuscus (Burramyidae), including the dwarf flying cuscus (Acrobates pygmaeus), which can glide between trees and fly up to 20 m, and marsupial flying squirrels (Petauridae), of which there are several species. The beloved koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), which looks like a funny miniature bear cub and was chosen as the emblem of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, belongs to the family of the same name. The wombat family (Vombatidae) includes two genera - long-haired and short-haired wombats. These are quite large animals, similar in appearance to beavers and found only in Australia. Kangaroos and wallabies, belonging to the kangaroo family (Macropodidae), are common throughout Australasia. The great gray or forest kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the most numerous member of this family, lives in open woodlands, while the red giant kangaroo (M. rufus) is common on the plains in the interior of Australia. Open habitats are characteristic of rock kangaroos (Petrogale sp.) and dwarf rock kangaroos (Peradorcas sp.). Interesting are tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus), whose limbs are adapted for both climbing trees and jumping.
The fact that marsupials have long lived in Australia is confirmed by the findings here of the fossil remains of the giant wombat (Diprotodon) and the predatory “marsupial lion” (Thylacoleo).
Before the arrival of Europeans, placental mammals were represented in Australia by chiropterans and small rodents, which probably entered there from the north. The former include numerous genera of both fruit bats (Megachiroptera) and bats (Microchiroptera); Flying foxes (Pteropus) are especially noteworthy. Rodents, including Anisomys, Conilurus, Crossomys, and Hydromys, were probably carried across the sea on fins. Humans and dingoes (Canis dingo) were the only large placentals, with dingoes most likely introduced to Australia by humans around 40,000 years ago.
etc.................
Australia is a continent located in the Southern Hemisphere of our planet. The nature of Australia is diverse and unique. Here you can find the rarest species of flora and fauna.
Currently, there are about 1,000 thousand nature reserves operating in Australia. Unfortunately, every year more and more species of flora and fauna completely disappear.
General characteristics of Australian nature
Australia is considered the oldest land mass on Earth. The continent is located on an ancient Precambrian platform, which was formed more than 3 billion years ago.
Australia is located within the following climatic zones: tropical, subtropical, temperate and subequatorial. Australia's river network is rather poorly developed: the reason for this is the low amount of precipitation on this continent.
Flora of Australia
Since the Australian climate is particularly arid, mainly dry-loving plants grow here - eucalyptus, cereals, succulent trees, and umbrella acacias. Trees that grow on the mainland have a very strong root system.
Thus, the roots of some types of trees go 20 m deep. In Australia, it is very rare to find trees of a rich green color; most of them have a dull green-gray color.
In some areas of the north mother
Bamboo thickets grow along the Pacific coast. The center of Australia is a semi-desert inhabited by acacia and eucalyptus bushes, as well as tall grasses. Many plant species were introduced to Australia by European colonists.
Australia's climate is conducive to the cultivation of crops such as oats, barley, corn, wheat and cotton.
Fauna of Australia
The fauna of Australia is very rich. It is home to a large number of rare animals that cannot be found on any other continent. A characteristic feature of the fauna of Australia is that there is only one species of predatory mammals - the dingo.
The first Europeans who set foot on Australian soil were quite surprised by such animals as the platypus and kangaroo. Australia is also home to such unique animals as the koala, frilled lizards that walk on two legs, flying squirrels and echidnas.
The world of Australian birds is also amazing - emus, cockatoos, crowned pigeons, lyre birds. Many of them have very bright colors.
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. The 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. For eight centuries it was an important source of food for the Maori.
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 styliums.
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.