Mainland Australia description, relief, climate, flora and fauna. Course work flora and fauna of Australia Exotic flora and fauna of Australia

Australia is home to almost 10% of the Earth's biodiversity, making it one of 17 countries in the world with exceptionally rich flora and fauna. About 80% of the animal species found in Australia are endemic and are not found anywhere else in the world.

The continent's marine life is as diverse as its land life - off the northeastern coast of Australia there is the largest coral reef on the planet (with an area of ​​more than 344 thousand sq. km), as well as a huge variety of species of mangroves and seaweed. These habitats provide refuge for a variety of fish and iconic marine life such as dugongs and sea turtles.

However, climate change is fragmenting habitats for development Agriculture, as well as invasive species, put the animal in a threatening position. Local conservation organizations work with communities and indigenous peoples to develop and implement conservation strategies unique fauna continent.

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This article provides a grouped list of some of Australia's most amazing animals.

Mammals

Australian echidna

The Australian echidna is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus. Her body is covered with fur and thorns. The echidna has an elongated snout and a specialized tongue that it uses to catch insects at high speed. Like other modern monotremes, the Australian echidna lays eggs; monotremes are the only group of mammals that are born in this way.

The Australian echidna has extremely strong forelimbs and claws that allow it to quickly burrow underground. Their spines do not serve as weapons, but they can scare away predators. The echidna can swim if necessary.

Asian buffalo

The Asiatic buffalo appeared in Australia in the 19th century and spread throughout the northern part of the continent. These are large animals that prefer to live near bodies of water where the water is standing or with a slow flow. These are herbivores; aquatic plants make up up to 70% of their diet. The horns of males are larger than those of females and are up to 2 m long. Buffaloes can reach about 2 meters at the withers, 3 meters in length and weigh 1200 kg. These introduced animals have become so well adapted to the Australian environment that they are causing significant damage to the local ecosystem. The lifespan of the Asian buffalo is about 25 years.

Camel

Camels were introduced to Australia in the 19th century and adapted well to its climatic conditions. On this moment, the camel population is more than 50 thousand individuals.

The average lifespan of a camel ranges from 40 to 50 years. Adults reach a height of 1.85 meters at the withers, and 2.15 meters at the hump. Camels can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h. Their humps are filled with fatty tissue, which is distributed throughout the body and helps the animal survive in hot climates. These animals have a number of physiological adaptations that allow them to survive without water for long periods of time.

Of the two camel species, Australia is home to dromedary camels or dromedaries.

Dingo

The dingo is an Australian wild dog. It is the largest carnivore in Australia. It is called a wild dog, but it is a semi-domesticated animal from South Asia, a subspecies of the gray wolf. There is some controversy as to whether the dingo is native to the continent or not. The reason may be that, unlike other Australian animals that have existed on the continent for millions of years, the dingo arrived in Australia about 4,000 years ago.

Although they were domesticated from time to time by Australian Aborigines, dingoes remained wild animals. The height at the withers is about 60 cm, and the weight is up to 25 kg. They have a stronger skull with larger teeth than domesticated dogs. The color of the coat depends on the habitat and varies from red to white. Dingoes usually live on their own or in a small family group. It eats almost anything it can find, from kangaroos and wallabies to rats, mice, frogs, lizards and even fruit. The dingo does not bark, it squeals and howls like a wolf, especially at night, to communicate and defend its territory. Dingoes can live in any part of Australia, provided there is access to drinking water.

Kangaroo

The largest representative of the kangaroo family can reach a weight of about 90 kg and a body length of 1.3 meters. They have short fur that varies from orange-brown to gray or dark brown. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, males are larger than females. As marsupials, females have a pouch on their abdomen in which they carry their young. Most distinctive feature Kangaroos are characterized by their upright body position, thanks to two disproportionately large hind limbs, small forelimbs and a large, thick tail. Kangaroos can live from 6 to 27 years. Surprisingly, these marsupials spend most of their lives in dry, arid areas, but are also good swimmers. Kangaroos live and move in small social groups.

The quokka is one of the smallest representatives of the kangaroo family. They have: thick and tough gray-brown fur; short, round and fluffy ears; a long tail(24-31 cm); shorter hind limbs than other kangaroos. The body weight is 2.7-4.2 kg and the body length is 40-54 cm. They are herbivores and feed on grass, leaves, bark and various plants.

Koala

A plush, stocky, herbivorous animal that lives in the crowns of eucalyptus trees. Koalas have gray fur, a large black nose and large fluffy ears. With the help of sharp claws, she clings to branches. This animal spends almost its entire life in trees and descends to the ground to move from one tree to another.

The diet consists mainly of eucalyptus leaves. These leaves are very poisonous, difficult to digest, with very low nutrients for most other animals. The koala gets all the moisture it needs from the leaves and rarely drinks water.

Flying foxes

Flying foxes have very thin skin on their wings, thanks to which they are able to fly. They hunt insects at night and use their ears as radar to find their prey. When resting, these mammals lie upside down and wrap their wings around their body. Any place where it is warm and humid is suitable for relaxation.

The flying fox is one of two placental mammals found in Australia. They migrated to the continent from neighboring islands.

Nambat

Numbat or marsupial anteater - small marsupial mammal. These are territorial and solitary animals that are active only during daylight hours.

The marsupial anteater weighs from 400 to 700 grams and has a body length of 20-27 cm. It has a reddish-brown head, shoulders and upper body that gradually fades to black with white stripes back. The tail is silver-gray and fluffy, about 17 cm long. The muzzle is pointed, with an elongated sticky tongue. Unlike other anteaters that feed on termites, the marsupial anteater does not have powerful claws.

Common fox

Foxes are omnivorous placental mammals from the canid family, which also includes wolves, coyotes and domestic dogs. They are native to Europe, North America and Asia.

Foxes were introduced to Australia in 1855 by European settlers.

Marsupial mice

Marsupial mice are very similar to ordinary mice, but with a long, pointed nose. Most active at night. The body length is up to 120 mm, and the weight is up to 170 g. The hair on the head is gray, and the sides, belly and legs are orange. Marsupial mice feed on insects, flowers and nectar, but may also eat small birds and mice. They are found mainly along the east coast of Australia.

Insects

Danaid monarch

The monarch butterfly is quite common in the cities of the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria (rare), South Australia. There is no information about these butterflies on the mainland before 1871.

The color of the wings includes dark stripes (veins) on an orange background and white spots along the edges. The wingspan ranges from 8.9 to 10.2 cm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, females are smaller than males and have a darker color.

Red fire ant

The homeland of this ant is South America. This insect accidentally appeared in Australia in 2001.

Red fire ant - dangerous look insects, which have a strong sting and toxic poison that can lead to the death of a person with allergies. The body size of red fire ants varies from 2 to 4 mm. Males are black in color, while females are reddish-brown. They can live in various environments.

Fleas

Fleas are blood-sucking insects that often transmit various diseases to humans and animals. Body length ranges from 1-5 mm and depends on the species. Their body is flattened on the sides, thanks to which they can move freely in the fur and feathers of their owners, and the bristles and tongs prevent them from falling.

In Australia there are fleas from various families, namely: Lycopsyllidae, Macropsyllidae, Pulicidae, Pygiopsyllidae, Stephanocircidae, Stivaliidae.

Reptiles

Giant lizards

Giant lizards come in a variety of sizes and colors, but they all have distinctive blue tongues that serve as a defense mechanism. When the lizard is threatened, it sticks out its tongue and hisses loudly to scare away predators. This is usually enough for the predator to think she is dangerous. In fact, it is completely harmless.

Crocodiles

There are two species of crocodiles in Australia: the Australian narrow-snouted crocodile (freshwater) and saltwater crocodile(nautical).

The saltwater crocodile is the largest living representative of the reptile class and is found in the northern regions of Australia and throughout Asia. It can swim long distances, but prefers warm climates. Despite the fact that it is adapted for life in sea ​​water, the saltwater crocodile lives in coastal areas and rivers. The saltwater crocodile can grow up to 7 meters in length and weigh more than 1 ton. It has a large head and many sharp teeth. Crocodiles eat fish, turtles, birds and other animals. They are not afraid of people and will gladly eat you for dinner if you are stupid enough to approach them. In fact, in the last 20 years, only 12 people have been eaten by these crocodiles.

The Australian narrow-snouted crocodile is a relatively small species of crocodiles, with a body length of 2.3-3 m, and a weight of 40-70 kg. These reptiles are quite shy and also have a narrower muzzle and smaller teeth than the saltwater crocodile. Their diet consists of fish, mammals, amphibians and prins. The Australian narrow-snouted crocodile is considered harmless to humans, but can cause serious injury if it feels threatened.

frilled lizard

Frilled lizard lives in northern Australia. She has a noticeable fold of skin around her neck that resembles a collar. When she is frightened, she stands on her hind legs and opens her mouth wide, while her collar looks like an open umbrella. If such defense does not frighten the attacker, the lizard turns its tail and runs away at high speed. Although it is harmless, it can bite if there is a reason for this.

The body length is about a meter in length and the weight is 0.5 kg. Males and females look the same, but males are slightly larger. The frilled lizard uses the collar to regulate its body temperature. The lifespan of this species is about 20 years.

Black snake

Black snake - poisonous snake a medium-sized species from eastern Australia, but its venom does not pose a threat to human life. It got its name from the black coloring of its upper body. On the sides the color is bright red or crimson, and the lower part of the body is noticeably lighter. The total body length is 1.5-2 m. The black snake prefers a nocturnal lifestyle. Its diet consists of frogs, lizards, snakes, insects and other invertebrates.

Amphibians

Toad-aha

The aga toad was introduced to Australia in 1935 to protect Queensland sugar cane from pests. However, these amphibians turned out to be ineffective against pests and spread almost throughout the continent, and also became a serious threat to the biological diversity of the mainland.

The aga toad is poisonous and is considered one of the largest toads, reaching a weight of more than a kilogram and a body length of 24 cm, with males slightly smaller than females.

Birds

Gould's finch

Gould's finch has a body length of about 13 cm. The color of the back is green, the neck is colored, the feathers on the chest are purple, and the belly is yellow. While there is only one species of this bird, there are three variants of their head color: black (75% of the population), red (25%), and yellow - which is extremely rare. Males are more brightly colored than females. Gould's finch lives about 5 years in the wild.

Helmeted cassowary

The helmeted cassowary is the second largest bird in the world, after the ostrich. It is also the most dangerous bird on the planet. If he feels threatened, he will attack with powerful legs equipped with sharp claws. The helmeted cassowary is a solitary animal that lives in the rainforests of northern Queensland. Only 1,200 individuals remain in the wild and the species is critically endangered.

The cassowary can grow to almost 2 meters and weigh up to 60 kilograms. Females and males are very similar in appearance. They have long blue and purple plumage. The cassowary has dangling wattles on its neck and growths on its head. The color of the head and neck can change depending on the bird's mood. The exact nature of these colors and their meaning have not yet been studied.

Cassowaries are quite flexible and fast, capable of accelerating up to 50 km/h even in dense forests, jumping to a height of 2 meters and even swimming. Life expectancy in wildlife about 40 years, and in captivity up to 60 years.

Cockatoo

The cockatoo is a very large parrot that is widespread in Australia. It can grow up to 38 cm in length. Cockatoos mostly white, but there are some species with pink or black plumage. They have long feathers on their heads. Their beaks are very strong, large and curved, and are used for crushing nuts and seeds. They also eat roots and grubs. Life expectancy is up to 50 years. Some individuals are able to speak, but this is not connected speech, but only a few memorized words.

Kookaburra

There are two species of kookaburras in Australia: the blue-winged kookaburra and the laughing kookaburra. The kookaburra is a stocky and carnivorous bird, with a large head and a long beak, measuring up to 45 cm in length and weighing up to 0.5 kg. Their diet consists of: small reptiles, insects, small rodents and birds, as well as freshwater crustaceans.

Black Swan

The black swan is Australia's largest aquatic bird. As the name suggests, this swan has black plumage. It was once thought that all swans were white and western world was shocked when these birds were first discovered. Its beak is red, with a white spot at the tip. Body length varies between 110-142 cm, and weight - 3.7-9 kg. The wingspan ranges from 1.6 to 2 m. Males and females are similar in appearance, however males are slightly larger and their beak is longer and smoother. Life expectancy is up to 40 years.

Emu

Emus are large flightless birds with strong, powerful legs and three toes on each foot. They have small wings and a body covered with greyish-brown feathers. Emus have bluish skin on their head and neck. The weight is 30-45 kg, and the length is from 1.6 to 1.9 m. They can reach a speed of 48 km/h.

Emus live in small groups, but can form flocks of thousands of individuals when migrating. They are omnivores and eat leaves, fruits, flowers, as well as insects.

Fish

Australian bull shark

It lives in the Pacific and Indian oceans, off the coast of Australia, at a depth of no more than 275 m. It can grow to a body length of 1.67 m. The head of this shark is large and blunt, with a convex forehead. There are brown stripes on the body. This is a migratory species, heading south in summer and returning north in winter to breed.

Blob fish

The blobfish, which lives more than 1,000 meters deep off the ocean coast of Australia, has been voted the ugliest animal in the world. Due to the great depths at which it lives, no person has ever observed this fish in its natural habitat. All knowledge about it is based solely on a few dead fish caught in fishing nets and one rare underwater photograph.

The blob fish survives in icy water, without sunlight and with water pressure that is 100 times greater than on land. This pressure is so great that it can crush even the most powerful modern submarine. Under such pressure, a person will instantly turn into mush.

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 rainforests 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 Queensland Wet Tropics has been the subject of World Heritage UNESCO, because Many representatives of flora and fauna living in this territory are under threat of extinction. This rainforests stretch for four hundred and fifty kilometers and go around the north-eastern coast of Australia. The climate in this area varies from very humid to humid ( average temperature in summer thirty degrees Celsius, in winter about twenty-five with a plus sign). The flora and fauna of the Wet Tropics of Queensland is very diverse (about 400 plant species and more than a hundred animal species, 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. The bats They feed mainly on insects, but there are also 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 is known about koalas interesting facts. 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. Animal world The deserts of Australia are 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 take advantage of this and therefore kangaroo fights are very popular in Australia, where tourists and locals place bets on the betting.

Australia on the world map

The mainland of Australia, which contains the only state - the Commonwealth of Australia - is located entirely in the Southern Hemisphere. The area of ​​the mainland state is 7.6 million square meters. km.

The Union includes the large island of Tasmania, separated by Bass Strait, and a large number of small islands - Bathurst, Barrow, King, Kangaroo, etc.

The mainland is located on both sides of the Southern Tropic, with most of the mainland lying south of it. The Pacific Ocean and its two seas - Coral and Tasmanovo - wash the eastern shores of the mainland. The northern and western shores face the Indian Ocean directly or the Timor and Arafura seas. The shores of the mainland are very poorly indented, and there are few convenient bays for ships.

From north to south, the continent extends 3.1 thousand km, and from west to east – 4.4 thousand km. The mainland state is isolated geographically from other countries of the world, there are no land borders, and the closest ones are Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

This landmass is located on an ancient Precambrian platform, which is more than 3 billion years old.

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Over thousands of years, the nature of the continent has developed in its own way. The distance from other continents contributed to the formation of the uniqueness of the flora and fauna. The uniqueness of flora and fauna is main feature Australian nature.

The relief of Australia is represented mainly by plains, and mountainous areas occupy about 1/20 of the territory. East End The mainland is higher, here the East Australian Mountains or the Great Dividing Range stretch along the coast from north to south. The central part of the ridge is the widest, and the southern part is higher, called the Australian Alps. There is snow here all year round. The peak, Mount Kosciuszko (2230 m), is located in this part of the ridge.

The rest of the continent is occupied by the Central Plains, which contain areas located below sea level, for example, the Lake Eyre basin.

A continuation of the Great Dividing Range is the island of Tasmania, which was separated from the mainland by a large fault.

• subequatorial,
• tropical,
• subtropical.

Note 1

The southern part of the island of Tasmania alone lies in the temperate zone with cool summers and big amount precipitation.

Subequatorial climate is characterized by a small amplitude of annual temperature fluctuations and precipitation in summer.

Most of the continent lies in a tropical climate. The degree of its moisture is not uniform. Its eastern part belongs to the humid tropical region, and the central and West Side- This is an area of ​​desert tropical climate.

Subtropical climates are characterized by three types:

1. Mediterranean type in the southwest of the continent with dry, hot summers and humid, warm winters;
2. subtropical continental on the Great Australian Bight coast with cool winters and less rainfall;
3. subtropical humid - Victoria, areas of Sydney and Canberra, northern Tasmania.

Note 2

The hydrographic network is poorly developed; only 3/5 of the territory flows into the ocean. There are temporary watercourses called creeks.

Features of Australian flora

The Australian flora is unique in that it is dominated by elements that are not found in other parts of the world. Its main features are antiquity and a high degree of endemism, accounting for 75% of species.

The most popular are some types of eucalyptus and acacia trees. A significant part of the continent is covered with eucalyptus thickets, of which there are three thousand species. They perfectly disinfect the air, grow quickly and drain wetlands. Eucalyptus wood sinks in water, but does not rot.

Characteristic for Australia are bottle trees, growing in the central and northern part of the mainland. The tree received this name for its resemblance to a bottle. The inside of the trunk of this tree has two chambers. The chamber close to the root system is filled with water during the rainy season, the second, located above the first, is filled with juice, similar to a thick, sweet and edible syrup. The plant uses the accumulated water during periods of drought.

Eucalyptus, bottle trees, and cereals do very well here.

Within the Mediterranean type of climate in the north-west of the continent there is more precipitation, so tropical forests grow here, in which you can again find eucalyptus trees, large-leaved ficus trees, and spreading palm trees. The rainforest is generally damp, dark and gloomy. The tropical coast, protected from the surf by coral reefs, causes the development of peculiar plant formations called mangrove forests or thickets - “trees growing in the sea” - as travelers describe them. During high tide, their crown rises above the water, and at low tide, their bizarre breathing roots are clearly visible.

In the central part of the continent, deserts have formed in the arid climate, so vegetable world represented by thorns and shrubs without leaves. Acacias and eucalyptus trees become stunted, in some places the plants disappear completely, and in some places they form impenetrable thickets - these are scrubs. Wild cereal crops grow here.

The eastern and southeastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range are covered with tropical and subtropical evergreen forests, again dominated by eucalyptus trees. Tree-like horsetails and ferns grow here, the height of which reaches 10-20 m. The top of the tree-like ferns is a crown of feathery leaves up to 2 meters long. Higher up the mountain slopes there is a mixture of damarra pine and beech.

Features of Australian fauna

Note 3

Due to the amazing diversity of the animal world, Australia is not accidentally singled out as a special zoogeographical region. The species composition, it must be said, is not rich, but in most cases it is endemic, which is one of the features of the animal world.

About 200 thousand species of animals live on the mainland, and 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 90% of fish and insects, and 93% of amphibians are indigenous.

Another feature Australian fauna There was a lack of indigenous predatory mammals, with the exception of the wild dog dingo, which was brought here by the Austronesians.

The mainland did not have its own pachyderms and ruminants. Some animals became extinct with the settlement of the continent by aborigines, including giant marsupials, and with the advent of Europeans, other animals, such as the marsupial wolf, disappeared.

The symbol of Australia has become the kangaroo, numbering 17 genera and more than 50 species, and the koala. These are representatives of marsupials, the presence of which is another feature of the continent’s fauna.

Among the kangaroos there are dwarfs, 20-23 cm tall, and giants, whose height can be more than 160 cm. There are kangaroo rats, rock and tree kangaroos, and derby kangaroos. It must be said that Australians consider only the gray giant and red kangaroos to be real kangaroos, while the rest are called wallabies.

Amazing platypuses and flying squirrels, echidnas, wombats and opossums.

Since ancient times, emu ostriches and huge cockatoo parrots have lived on this land. The sound of the musical instrument resembles the chirping of a lyre bird. Human laughter is produced by the amazing kookaburra birds.

In the south of the mainland there are penguins, and in the waters there are huge whales, dolphins and sharks. There are crocodiles in Australian rivers. The Australian Barrier Reef has become a kingdom of corals, polyps, moray eels and rays. With the advent of Europeans, domestic animals were brought to the continent - sheep, goats, cows, horses, dogs and cats.

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. Abundance natural resources allowed the country to take 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). Eastern outskirts(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. 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

Climate shaping and education natural areas determined geographical position mainland.

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 a large number 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:

1. Wet tropics. They occupy the extreme eastern lands, where humid Pacific trade winds predominate. Annual quantity 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.
2. 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°С. 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 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 areas is due to climatic conditions, relief and soil characteristics.

Several belts are distinguishable on the mainland:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
Wet and variable wet 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 directions economic activity.

Thus, on fertile red, brown and brown soils with a high content organic matter and mineral elements, large fields of wheat are grown. 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 regime 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 total area 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:

1. Wet evergreen tropical forests. The most large areas(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.
2. 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.
3. Mangroves. They occupy the north of the mainland. Today, these forests are on the verge of extinction due to changing climate conditions;
4. Subantarctic broadleaf and coniferous species. Most common on the island of Tasmania. Represented by globular eucalyptus, southern beech, and callitris oblongata.
5. 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 - herbaceous plant, which have 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 shortage fresh water. Since colonization, the number of water sources has decreased by 60%. The growing population is exacerbating ecological state countries. 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. Economic activity human leads to pollution environment, destruction of forest lands and, as a consequence, 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:

1. Australian landmark - Anna Creek South Grassland. The largest pasture in the world, larger than Belgium.
2. 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.
3. 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 smallest continent on planet Earth is Australia. With an area 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 to 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 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 1500 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 stagnant 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. Australia's fairly large lakes 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– this is sub tropical zone, tropical zone and 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 continent 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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