Features of the flora and fauna of Australia. Natural features of 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 the Indian Ocean.

3) The southernmost point of Australia is Cape South Point, which washes the Tasman Sea.

4) And finally, the easternmost point of the mainland is Cape Byron.

Relief of Australia

Mainland Australia is dominated by plains. More than 90% of the continent's total land mass does not exceed 600 meters above sea level. There are also mountain ranges in Australia, which usually do not exceed a height of 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

By inland waters this continent is characterized as the poorest continent in terms of rivers. The most long river on the mainland 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 big amount precipitation. This climate is formed due to the action of southeastern winds, which are saturated with moisture from the Pacific Ocean.

A tropical dry climate is typical for the central and western parts of the continent. The hottest climate is in the north-west of the mainland - in summer the temperature rises to 35 degrees Celsius, and in winter it drops very slightly to 20 degrees Celsius. It is worth noting the city of Alice Springs, which is located in the central part of the continent, where temperatures during the day can rise to 45 degrees and at night drop to -6 degrees Celsius below zero. At the same time, precipitation may not fall in some places for years, and then the annual norm of precipitation may fall in a matter of hours. In this case, moisture is very quickly absorbed by the ground or evaporates.

The subequatorial climate on the Australian mainland is characterized by stable temperatures throughout the year (23 degrees Celsius) and high rainfall.

Flora and fauna of Australia

Due to the fact that the continent is isolated from other continents, the flora of this continent is very diverse. At the same time, there are plants and animals that live only on this continent and are not found anywhere else. And due to the peculiarities of the dry climate on the continent, dry-loving plants predominate among plants. For example, eucalyptus, acacia and others. In the north of the mainland you can find tropical forests.

The area of ​​the mainland covered by forests is only 5%. Over time, many trees and plants were introduced from other continents that took root well in Australia, for example, grains, grapevines, and some types of fruits and vegetables.

But the variety of animals on the mainland is not so diverse. In total, there are just over 230 species of mammals living on the mainland, more than 700 species of birds and more than 120 species of amphibians. But most of these animals exist only on the mainland and will not survive anywhere else, since they feed on plants that also exist only on the Australian mainland. This is such a unique world that is worth seeing with your own eyes.

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Australia. The capital is Canberra. Area – 7682 thousand square meters. km. Share of land area globe- 5%. Population – 19.73 million people (2003). Population density – 2.5 people per 1 sq. km. The share of the world population is 0.3%. The highest point is Mount Kosciuszko (2228 m above sea level), the lowest is Lake. Eyre (16 m below sea level). The length of the coastline is 36,700 km (including Tasmania). The northernmost point is Cape York. The southernmost point is Cape South-East. The easternmost point is Cape Byron. The westernmost point is Steep Point. Administrative division: 6 states and 2 territories. National holiday - Australia Day, January 26. National Anthem: "Go Awesome Australia"

Mainland Australia is separated by the 240 km wide Bass Strait from the island. Tasmania in the southeast and the Torres Strait 145 km wide from the island. New Guinea in the northeast. The shortest distance from Australia to Indonesia via the Timor Sea is 480 km, and to New Zealand via the Tasman Sea is 1930 km.

Australia extends 3180 km from north to south and 4000 km from east to west, or from 10°41 to 43°39 S. and from 113°9 to 153°39 E. This is the smallest continent: its total area, including the island of Tasmania, is 7682.3 thousand square meters. km. Length coastline 36,700 km. In the north, the Gulf of Carpentaria juts deep into the land, and in the south is the Great Australian Bight.

Although the Australian continent is one of the oldest in the world, it long time was isolated from other landmasses and therefore retained many unique animals, including various marsupials (such as kangaroos and koalas) and oviparous animals (platypus and echidna).

Probably, the first settlers of Australia migrated from the north 40–60 thousand years ago. Europeans discovered this continent only at the beginning of the 17th century. England declared it a colony in 1770. The first English settlement was founded in 1788.

The descendants of the indigenous people were moved during the colonial period to special areas - reservations, and their number currently amounts to approx. 375 thousand people, or 2% of the total population of the country. Currently, almost 19 million people live in Australia, of which 72% are Anglo-Celtic, 17% are other Europeans and 6% are Asian. About 21% of current Australian residents are not native to this country, and a further 21% are descendants of second-generation immigrants with at least one non-born parent.

Australia has a high level of development Agriculture and mining industry and is one of the main suppliers of coal, gold, wheat and iron ore to the world market. The manufacturing industry is also very developed, but is focused primarily on the domestic market. Australia imports a lot of cars, equipment (computers, communications equipment and other chemical industry products).

Australia has a federal system of government. A national government was created in 1901 based on an agreement to form a federation of six states. Among them are New South Wales (area 801.6 thousand sq. km; population 6.3 million people), Victoria (227.6 thousand sq. km and 4.6 million people), Queensland (1727.2 thousand sq. km and 3.4 million people), South Australia (984 thousand sq. km and 1.5 million people), Western Australia (2525.5 thousand sq. km and 1.8 million people ) and Tasmania (67.8 thousand sq. km and 0.5 million people). There are also two territories which, according to the constitution, are under the jurisdiction of the central government, but are acquiring increasing rights of self-government, approaching the state level. These are the Northern Territory (1346.2 thousand sq. km and 0.2 million people) and the Australian Capital Territory (2.4 thousand sq. km and 0.3 million people), where the city of Canberra is located - the capital of the country and seat of government.

Australia owns the Cocos Islands and Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and the Coral Sea Islands in the Pacific Ocean, and Heard and McDonald Islands in Antarctic waters. Australia owned the south-eastern part of New Guinea (Papua territory) and administered northeastern part of this island (UN Trust Territory New Guinea) until 1975, when both territories became the independent state of Papua New Guinea. Australia claims land in Antarctica with a total area of ​​6,120 thousand square meters. km, which, however, is not recognized by the parties to the Antarctic Treaty of 1961.

Australia is an unusually compact landmass. Because mountain building processes were not as active there during the last few geological periods as on many other continents, the mountains formed during earlier periods were subject to severe weathering and erosion. 75% of the continent's territory is located in the altitude range from 150 to 460 m above sea level. and only 7% are elevated to more than 600 m. The total altitude range ranges from 16 m below sea level. at Lake Eyre up to 2228 m above sea level. at Kosciuszko in the Snowy Mountains in south-eastern New South Wales.

Geological history.

Many facts convince us that for most of the geological history Australia, along with South America, Africa, Antarctica and India, was part of the large “supercontinent” Gondwana. About 160 million years ago, Gondwana split into pieces, and its fragments, which became continents, “moved” to their current positions. Thus, during a long early period, the evolution of the continent proceeded in full accordance with the development of other land masses in the Southern Hemisphere.

The western part of the Australian continent is composed of one of the six ancient stable shields of the Earth, formed at the end of the Precambrian (more than 570 million years). It contains igneous and metamorphic rocks of Precambrian age, partially overlain by younger sandstones, shales and limestones. At the end of the Precambrian eastern outskirts The shield formed a long trough - the Adelaide geosyncline, where sediments were discharged during the early Paleozoic. In Precambrian times, gold-bearing, uranium, manganese, iron and other ores were deposited.

At the beginning of the Paleozoic era (570–225 million years), a chain of mountains formed on the site of the Adelaide geosyncline - the core of the Flinders Range, and on the site of the mountains of Eastern Australia, a much larger Tasmanian geosyncline formed. In this trough, thick strata accumulated in the Paleozoic various precipitation, although sedimentation was sometimes interrupted by local mountain building, accompanied by volcanism. Some parts of the shield were also sometimes subject to marine transgressions. The Permian period (280–225 million years) was of particular importance because it accumulated thick coal seams in the Bowen and Sydney basins and formed most of the ore deposits of Eastern Australia containing gold, tin, silver, lead and copper.

During the Mesozoic era (225–65 million years), the mountains of Eastern Australia rose in place of the Paleozoic sea basins. Between this elevated land in the east and the shield in the west - where the Central Lowlands are now located - there was a wide sea strait in which thick strata of interbedded sandstones and shales were deposited. Slight rise in Jurassic period(190–135 million years) led to the creation of a number of separate basins such as Carpentaria, Great Artesian, Murray and Gippsland. In the Cretaceous period (135–65 million years), these lowlands and some parts of the shield were flooded by shallow sea basins. The Mesozoic Era played an important role as sandstone strata accumulated during this time to become the aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin and, in other areas, reservoirs for oil and natural gas; At the same time, layers of bituminous coal formed in the basins in the east of the continent.

In Cenozoic times (the last 65 million years), the main contours of the continent took shape, although the Central Lowlands remained partially flooded by the sea until the end of the Paleogene (about 25 million years). At this time, volcanic eruptions occurred in a chain from Bass Strait to northern Queensland, and as a result, huge masses of basaltic lava poured out over large parts of Eastern Australia. Due to a slight uplift at the end of the Paleogene, the development of marine transgressions on the mainland ceased, and the latter acquired a connection with New Guinea and Tasmania. Further changes earth's surface in the Neogene, they predetermined the current appearance of the continent; basalt outpourings occurred in the state of Victoria and in the east of Queensland; some manifestations of volcanic activity continued into the Quaternary period, which began ca. 1.8 million years ago.

The most important events of this period are associated with fluctuations in sea level, caused by changes in the volume of ice sheets in other parts of the world. The sea level dropped so much that land bridges were established between Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. He reached current situation approximately 5000–6000 years ago. As the level of the World Ocean rose, the valleys of many coastal rivers were flooded, and subsequently the best ports of Australia were created there. The Quaternary also created the world's largest Great Barrier Reef, stretching 2,000 km north to south from Cape York along the east coast of Queensland. The lignite deposits of south-eastern Victoria and the thick bauxite deposits were formed in the Tertiary period.

Natural areas.

The appearance of Australia's landscapes is mainly determined by vast monotonous plains and plateaus, less common undulating hills and dissected mesas, as well as swampy river valleys, which often dry up completely. As a result of geological development, Australia was clearly divided into three unequal physiographic regions. More than half of the entire area of ​​the continent is occupied by the Western Plateau with a leveled surface, produced mainly in ancient granite and metamorphic rocks. The mountains of Eastern Australia, covering one-sixth of the continent's area, have the most varied and rugged terrain. Between these two areas are the Central Lowlands, a wide open corridor of approx. 2.6 million sq. km, stretching from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Spencer Gulf.

Western Plateau, sometimes called the Australian Shield, it includes all of Western Australia, almost all of the Northern Territory and more than half of South Australia. It is home to most of the deserts and salt lakes, mysterious rocks and bizarre hills, as well as many mines. This region is sparsely populated. Its most striking feature is the monotonous nature of the relief - the result of long-term weathering and erosion. Most of the plateau is located at altitudes from 300 to 900 m above sea level, and many peaks are isolated outcrops, remnants of denuded strata. The highest point is Mount Zeal (1510 m) in the MacDonnell Mountains. Coastal plains are discontinuous and usually not wide. At least half of this vast area receives less than 250 mm of rainfall per year, with only the northern and southwestern edges receiving more than 635 mm of rainfall. Due to the paucity of precipitation and the general flatness of the topography, there are very few rivers in the interior parts of the region and even those that exist do not reach the sea. The numerous lakes shown on maps are usually dry salt marshes or mudcakes, the centers of inland drainage basins. Most rivers, even those located on the outskirts of the mainland, dry up and are characterized by significant seasonal fluctuations in flow.

The interior of the area is predominantly flat or slightly undulating, occasionally interrupted by rocky ridges and outcrops. The four most deserted areas stand out: the Great Sandy Desert, the Tanami Desert, the Gibson Desert and the Great Victoria Desert. There are thousands of parallel ridges of red sand with a height of 9 to 15 m and a length of up to 160 km. The most significant landforms in the interior of the region are the MacDonnell Mountains in Alice Springs and the Musgrave Mountains on the border of the Northern Territory and South Australia. The most famous peaks located to the west and northwest of the Musgrave Mountains are Olga, Ayers Rock and Conner. In most of the Western Plateau, the vegetation cover is sparse and consists mainly of grasses, tree-like acacias and desert shrubs; after rain, herbaceous vegetation begins to grow for a short time.

The southern margin of the plateau is the Nullarbor Plain, composed of thick strata of almost horizontally occurring marine limestones up to 245 m thick. Steep, often vertical limestone ledges with a relative height of up to 60 m begin near Fowler's Point in South Australia and extend to the west for more than 965 km. This plain extends inland for 240 km, gradually rising to almost 300 m. The flat nature of the surface of the Nullarbor Plain can be traced along the route of the transcontinental railway, which is perfectly straight for 480 km. The area receives only 200 mm of rain per year, which easily seeps into the limestones. There are no lakes or surface runoff, but thanks to underground runoff, bizarre labyrinths of caves and underground galleries have been formed, furrowing the limestone. Due to lack of water and scarcity of vegetation, the Nullarbor Plain is one of the most deserted parts of the mainland. Located within the Northern Territory, the Barkley Plateau with an area of ​​129.5 thousand square meters. km is another significant leveled surface, at least in some places underlain by limestone. In fact, it is a wide open, gently undulating plain with an average height of 260 m. Approx. 380 mm of precipitation. This is enough for the existence of natural pastures - the basis of extensive livestock farming.

The most dissected relief within the shield is the Kimberley region in the north of Western Australia, where high ridges, intensely folded, receive more than 750 mm of precipitation per year. The Arnhem Land Peninsula (Northern Territory), an uplifted block broken by unusually long and straightened cracks, is also highly dissected, although most of it is located at altitudes less than 300 m. The vegetation in both areas is eucalyptus forests interspersed with extensive savannas.

There are two areas on the Western Plateau that have important economic importance. The southwestern margin is the only part of the shield where the climate and soils are favorable for the development of agriculture. Sheep are raised there and wheat, fruits, grapes and vegetables are grown. It supplies agricultural products to Perth, the only major city on the entire plateau. The Pilbara, located away from the coastal settlements of Dampier and Port Hedland, is an elevated, highly dissected part of the plateau with average heights of about 750 m. Huge reserves of high-quality iron ore are concentrated here.

Mountains of Eastern Australia.

Along the eastern coast of Australia from Cape York to central Victoria and further to Tasmania inclusive, there is an elevated strip with a width of 80 to 445 km and an area of ​​1295 thousand square meters. km. The traditional name - the Great Dividing Range - does not correspond to reality, because there is no continuous ridge, only occasionally forms similar to ridges are found, and there are no truly significant heights anywhere. Although in fact it is in this area that the main watershed of the continent is located, which has a submeridional extension, in many places it is poorly expressed in relief. With the exception of Cape York Peninsula, the area's bedrock is derived from sediments deposited in the Tasmanian Geosyncline from the Early Paleozoic to the Cretaceous and overlain by thick volcanic strata.

Within the mountains of Eastern Australia, altitudes vary greatly and are lowest on the coastal plain, which continuously borders the eastern and south-eastern coasts. The width of these plains everywhere, except for the river mouth areas, does not exceed 16 km. Low hills often rise above the surface, and between the plain and the steep seaward slopes that mark the edge of the mountains there is often a zone of hills several kilometers wide. The outer mountain slopes are much steeper than the slopes facing inland, and in some places such side spurs come very close to the Pacific coast, ending in steep headlands. In the north, the highest points are on the eastern edge of the Atherton Plateau, where the summit of Bartle Freer reaches 1622 m. However, south of these places as far as Brisbane there are very few altitudes above 600 m above sea level, and the average background elevation does not exceed 300 m. Then altitudes increase again to approximately 1500 m in the New England Range and are approximately 750 m in the Blue Mountains, reaching 2228 m in the Snowy Mountains, the highest on the mainland.

The mountains of Eastern Australia have two distinct drainage systems. Most rivers flowing to the ocean have a constant flow. Many of them begin to the west of the axial zone of the mountains, and their drainage basins have a complex configuration. Some rivers have carved out deep gorges, and there are favorable opportunities for the construction of reservoirs and power plants. South of Toowoomba, on the opposite side of the mountains, west-flowing rivers form part of the mainland's largest Murray and Darling catchment. They begin less than 160 km from the eastern coast, and many of them have a constant flow only in the upper reaches.

On the Cape York Peninsula, the northernmost part of the mountainous region of Eastern Australia, the watershed is located at a distance of 25–30 km from the eastern coast at absolute heights of 500–600 m. The vegetation is mainly closed eucalyptus forests, interspersed with dense tropical rainforests.

The northernmost leveled surface of the mountainous region, the Atherton Plateau with an area of ​​31 thousand square meters. km, rises west of Cairns. The transition from the plateau surface with elevations of 900–1200 m to the tropical coastal plain is characterized by steep slopes, and moisture-carrying winds blowing from the ocean bring quite a lot of rainfall to the area. On its dissected surface, fertile volcanic soils are developed, on which dense rain forests. To this day, areas of forests made of valuable deciduous trees have been preserved here. However, most of them have been cut down, and the surface of the plateau is cultivated.

South of the Atherton Tableland the watershed deviates inland, but its average heights are only ca. 600m up to the Hughenden area, where any resemblance to the highlands is lost. Then, at over 800 km, the watershed is furthest from the east coast of Australia (more than 400 km). The Bowen Basin contains large reserves of coking coal. To the west of Toowoomba, the fertile volcanic soils of the gently rolling Darling Downs support crop production. It is Queensland's most developed agricultural region.

Over the 525 km between Toowoomba and the Hunter Valley, the eastern Australian mountains widen and rise in height. Here is the New England Plateau, the largest and most dissected of the plateau-like uplifts in the mountain strip. Its area is approx. 41.4 thousand sq. km. The flattened hilly surface in some places rises to 1600 m above sea level. Within the plateau, the watershed is 70–130 km from the eastern shore, and the distance from the highest points to the sea does not exceed 32 km. The descent to the narrow and often hilly coastal plain is steep, and the slopes are covered with moderately humid forest. Most of the primary eucalyptus forests and grasslands have been cleared for pasture.

The Blue Mountains, with their steep eastern slopes, dominate the Cumberland coastal plain west of Sydney. Erosion from the Shoalhaven and Hawkesbury rivers has created picturesque gorges and waterfalls. This area, still largely covered by dense eucalyptus forests, is of great recreational importance. The main part of the mountains is 1200–1350 m above sea level. It is located 160 km from the coast and is concentrated around the city of Bathurst, which occupies a wide basin. Further south, the lower mountains are centered around the city of Goulburn. Canberra is located on the southern edge of a hilly plateau, much of which is used for sheep pasture.

The highest part of the Eastern Australian Mountains forms a 290 km arc south and southwest of Canberra. Although this region is called the Australian Alps, even its highest peaks, rising above 1850 m, are simply the remains of ancient structures that rise above the steps of highly dissected plateaus. However, in some places the surface is very rugged. The Snowy Mountains are the only area of ​​the mainland that experiences significant snowfall every year. It is home to the Snowy Mountains Waterworks System, which supplies water for power generation and irrigation in the Murray and Murrumbidgee Valleys. On the inland slopes of the mountains, the forests of the lower belt have been cut down, and the vacated lands are widely used for sheep pastures, while in the upper mountain zone and on the steep slopes facing the sea, dense eucalyptus forests still remain. The upper limit of the forest here reaches 1850 m above sea level, alpine meadows spread above. South of Victoria's main mountain range is the Gippsland region, a highly dissected area of ​​foothills once covered with dense temperate forest. Much of this area is now used for arable land and pasture. Nevertheless, the sawmill industry is still developed here. In Victoria, a belt of mountains stretches from east to west almost to the border with the state of South Australia, with altitudes throughout being about 900 m. It is a prosperous area for livestock and wheat growing.

Tasmania, along with the large islands in Bass Strait, is an extension of the mountain range of Eastern Australia. This is a hilly plateau with average heights from 900 to 1200 m, above which individual peaks rise another 150–395 m. The plateau contains several large shallow lakes and many small ones, some of the lakes are used for hydroelectric purposes. The central plateau is surrounded by dissected terrain, cut by rivers that originate in the interior; individual southwestern areas have been almost unexplored. Dense temperate forests grow in the west and south, but have been cleared along the north coast and in the low-lying corridor between Launceston and Hobart. The island grows fruit, mainly apples, and raises sheep.

Central lowlands.

Approximately one third of Australia's total area is occupied by the Central Lowlands, forming a wide open corridor between the mountains of Eastern Australia and the Western Plateau. Structurally, it is a system of depressions filled with sedimentary strata that overlie deeply submerged crystalline basement rocks. Along the periphery of the lowlands, and in some places within the lowlands themselves, are the Mount Lofty, Flinders and Great Dividing ranges. These are the remains of ancient mountain structures, around which younger sediments were deposited. The flattened relief and lack of precipitation are the most striking features of the lowlands. They very rarely rise above 300 m above sea level, and in many places they do not even reach 150 m. The highest areas are where the lowlands approach the Flinders Range and the mountains of Eastern Australia. An area of ​​about 10.4 thousand square meters. km around Lake Eyre, including the lake itself, is located below sea level. The surface of the lowland is mostly monotonous and slightly undulating; Above it, only flat-topped and steeply sloped erosional remnants rise several tens of meters. Much of the region receives less than 380 mm of rainfall annually, and in Australia's driest region, around Lake Eyre, the average annual rainfall does not exceed 125 mm. Low watersheds divide the lowlands into three main basins. In central Queensland, a vaguely defined watershed range stretches from the mountains of Eastern Australia to the Western Plateau, separating the plain off the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria from the Lake Eyre basin. Further east, an equally low watershed ridge separates the Murray and Darling basins.

The flat and flat Carpentarian Lowland has a clear boundary in the west with the rugged Cloncurry-Mount Isa region, composed of highly mineralized basement rocks, and in the east with the mountains of Eastern Australia. At a distance of approximately 480 km south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, the southern border of the plain is a low watershed ridge. The Gilbert, Flinders, and Leickhardt rivers, which have gentle longitudinal profiles, flow into the bay. During floods, large areas of the plain are flooded. The soils of the area are favorable for the growth of eucalyptus woodlands and meadows. This plain receives the most rainfall of any other part of the Central Lowlands. At the same time, on the watershed the average annual precipitation is 380 mm, and on the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria - 970 mm. The coastal plain is primarily used for cattle pasture.

To the south of the watershed ridge, the lowlands cover southern Queensland and north-eastern South Australia. Their greatest length from north to south is approximately 1130 km, and from west to east – 1200 km. This entire vast territory is characterized by internal flow and is divided into several drainage basins. The largest of them is the Lake Eyre basin with an area of ​​1143.7 thousand square meters. km. It includes most of the Simpson Desert and is fed by numerous rivers that periodically dry up. The slopes here are so small that the rivers literally lie flat on the surface and then reappear, sometimes under a different name. In this way the Thomson and Barcoo, starting in the mountains of Eastern Australia, give rise to Cooper Creek, the Diamantina, with its main tributaries the Hamilton and the Georgina, becomes the Warburton. Rarely can runoff from the Western Plateau reach Lake Eyre via the Makamba and Neils rivers. Typically, these watercourses are a labyrinth of dry riverbeds bordered by thickets of eucalyptus trees. Occasional deep sections of riverbeds form valuable permanent drainage basins. Flow in such channels does not happen every year. But when this happens, there is no doubt the connection with tropical rainfall, sometimes very intense, falling in the elevated areas located to the north and east. The resulting floods are widely dispersed across the area, and it can take weeks for the water to flow downstream. Such floods cause abundant growth of grass on pastures, but this is only a temporary phenomenon that cannot be counted on. The lowlands, located at the junction of South Australia and Queensland, are used for grazing, while the area around Lake Eyre remains virtually in a natural state. A significant part of this area is part of the Great Artesian Basin, and there grazing is provided with water.

In the south-eastern part of the Central Lowlands is the Murray and Darling Basin, which is the largest drainage system on the mainland. It is a vast low-lying area drained by rivers with very irregular flows. Despite the large area of ​​drained land (1072.8 thousand sq. km) and the large length of the main rivers, the volume of flow in this system is small. The Murray and Darling Rivers, rising in the mountains of Eastern Australia, flow west and southwest through low-lying areas where rainfall is low and evaporation is high. These factors, combined with intensive meandering of channels, lead to a decrease in flow rates along most of the river course.

The area drained by the Darling River is mainly used for sheep pasture, but in the eastern parts sheep farming is combined with crop farming. The Riverine region, located between the Lachlan and Murray rivers, along with lands along the lower Murray and its tributaries in Victoria, is Australia's most important livestock and grain farming region. The topography and soils there are conducive to large-scale irrigation. The most significant tracts of irrigated land are concentrated between the Murrumbidgee and Lachlan rivers (Murrumbidgee irrigation system), in the part of the Murray basin located in New South Wales (Riverina irrigation system) and in Victoria (Goulburn-Campaspe-Loddon system). In addition, there are several small areas of irrigated land in the lower Murray. In these areas, cattle are raised and fruits, grapes and vegetables are grown. With the introduction of the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric system, additional flow transfer was carried out into the Murray and Murrumbidgee basin, and it was possible to expand the area of ​​irrigated land there. However, there is still not enough water to irrigate all the land.

Because much of the continent receives little rainfall and the main watershed is closer to the east coast, Australia's watersheds have an unusual configuration. This continent has a very small river flow. Most of Australia's rivers are drying up. Those that begin in the mountains of Eastern Australia, as well as the rivers of Tasmania, have a constant flow all year round, but many rivers flowing to the west dry up during the dry season. Slightly more than half of the entire continent belongs to inland drainage basins, and the flow there is insignificant, and the boundaries of the drainage basins are not clearly defined.

Rivers.

Australia's main river artery, the Murray, together with the large tributaries the Darling, Murrumbidgee and Goulburn, drains an area of ​​1,072.8 thousand square meters. km in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. The headwaters of large tributaries are located 200 km from the eastern coast and merge to form the main rivers, which flow in winding, often meandering channels to the sea. The Murray, which rises in the Snowy Mountains, flows into Encounter Bay in South Australia. Its total length is 2575 km, including the lower 970 km accessible for small ships. Sandbanks blocking the mouth of the river serve as an obstacle to the entry of sea vessels. The Murrumbidgee (1690 km long) begins at Cooma and flows into the Murray. The flow of the Murray and Murrumbidgee is controlled by the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric scheme. Tributaries of the Darling drain the entire western slopes of the Eastern Australian Mountains in northern New South Wales and parts of south-east Queensland. The main Darling River, 2,740 km long, flows into the Murray at Wentworth. Dams built on this river and several of its major tributaries regulate flows, except during periods of severe drought.

Slightly more than half of the continent has separate drainage or belongs to internal drainage basins. On the Western Plateau, the flow is isolated, and the streams that exist there function rarely and for a short time, and end in temporary lakes or swamps confined to drainless basins. Large territory in Queensland, Northern Territory and South Australia with an area of ​​1143.7 thousand square meters. km belongs to the Lake Eyre basin, one of the world's largest inland drainage basins. Large rivers In this basin, Georgina, Diamantina and Cooper Creeks are characterized by very low gradients and are usually labyrinths of dry interlacing channels, but after rains they can spread many kilometers in width. The waters of these rivers very rarely reach Lake Eyre: in 1950 its basin was filled for the first time since the colonization of the mainland by Europeans.

Because the flow of Australian rivers is extremely variable, their use is difficult. Sites suitable for the construction of dams are few, especially in the interior, and large reservoirs are needed to ensure a constant water supply. Water losses due to evaporation are also significant, especially in the most arid regions. Only in Tasmania is the flow fairly constant in all seasons.

Lakes.

Most of Australia's lakes are waterless basins covered with saline clays. On the rare occasions when they are filled with water, they are muddy, salty and shallow bodies of water. There are many such lakes on the Western Tablelands of Western Australia, but the largest are in South Australia: Lakes Eyre, Torrens, Gairdner and Frome. Along the southeastern coast of Australia there are numerous lagoons with brackish or salt water, separated from the sea by sandbanks and ridges. The largest freshwater lakes are in Tasmania, where some, including Great Lake, are used for hydroelectric power.

The groundwater.

Water supply from groundwater is vital to many rural areas of Australia. total area basins with groundwater reserves exceed 3240 thousand square meters. km. These waters mostly contain dissolved solids that are harmful to plants, but in many cases the water is suitable for watering livestock.

The Great Artesian Basin, the largest in the world, covers an area of ​​1,751.5 thousand square meters in Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. km. Although the groundwater is often very warm and highly mineralized, the area's sheep industry depends on it. Smaller artesian basins are found in Western Australia and south-east Victoria.

Atmospheric circulation.

As a compact landmass, Australia is influenced by wind patterns, but the winds bring little rainfall. The continent is mainly located in the subtropical zone high pressure, whose axis runs approximately 30° S, and for most of the year dry winds blow from the center of the continent; this situation is most clearly manifested in winter (from May to September). Summer area low pressure developed over the Kimberley region in the northwest, where warm, moist winds called monsoons rush from the Timor and Arafura seas. However, in the northern regions of Australia, winds blow almost all year round, and it is one of the driest coastal regions on Earth. In winter, cyclones pass over the southern edges of the mainland and Tasmania. The east coast north of Newcastle finds itself in the path of the south-easterly trade winds, which bring humid air; When this air rises, heavy precipitation often occurs on the slopes of the mountains of Eastern Australia. Occasionally, tropical cyclones (hurricanes) from the northeast penetrate here, causing considerable disaster on the east coast between Cooktown and Brisbane. These fast-moving cyclone systems also affect the north-west coast between Derby and Port Hedland, where they are known as "willy-willys". In 1974, around Christmas, the city of Darwin was almost completely destroyed during the passage of Cyclone Tracy.

Precipitation.

Australia deservedly enjoys its reputation as an arid continent. Almost 40% of its area receives less than 250 mm of precipitation per year and about 70% less than 500 mm; the latter value usually denotes the limit below which crops cannot be grown without irrigation. The driest area is around Lake Eyre in South Australia, where an area of ​​several thousand square kilometers receives less than 125mm of rainfall each year. A much larger area of ​​central Australia may experience several years in a row without significant rainfall.

Areas that receive a lot of precipitation are small in area and are confined to places where moist air rises above orographic barriers. Record rainfall of 4,500mm per year is falling in a small area near Tully in Queensland, where moist air rises over the eastern slope of the Atherton Tablelands. Only coastal areas in the far north, east and southeast of the continent, its southwestern edge and Tasmania are provided with average annual precipitation of more than 500 mm. Snow falls regularly in only two areas: at altitudes above 1350 m in the Australian Alps in Victoria and New South Wales and at altitudes above 1050 m in the mountains of Tasmania. In some years there are snowfalls on the New England Plateau. Snowfalls in the Australian Alps are of great economic importance, as they contribute to the accumulation of water, which then enters the Snowy Mountains hydroelectric system, and serves as a basis for the development of tourism. There is a clear long-term trend towards a decrease in the thickness and duration of snow cover in the Australian Alps, which may be due to global climate change.

Much of Australia experiences significant seasonal variations in rainfall patterns. Throughout the region north of the Tropic of Capricorn, and along the entire east coast south to the Victorian border, most rainfall occurs in summer (December–March). In the far north of the continent, it happens that more than 85% of precipitation occurs in the first three months of the year. In southern Australia and on the west coast north of Exmouth Gulf, precipitation is clearly confined to the winter months. For example, in Perth, 85% of rainfall occurs between the beginning of May and the end of September. During the dry months there may indeed not be any rain.

Large parts of Australia also experience high variability in rainfall, i.e. V given year deviations from the statistical average in both directions can be significant. Deviations above normal may be associated with local flooding, and deviations below normal may be associated with natural disasters, especially where there is little overall annual rainfall. Catastrophic situations arise when amounts are below normal for several years in a row. Drought is widespread in inland Australia.

Temperatures.

Australia is generally considered a hot continent, but it is actually cooler than many other continents at similar latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. Seasonal temperature variations are generally small. Generally, the coast and mountains, especially in the southeast, are cooler than inland areas. The north and, in particular, the north-west coast is the hottest area.

In the summer, from December to March, average daily temperatures in Australia usually exceed 32° C and often reach 38° C. In inland areas they can sometimes remain above 41° C. Strong winds blowing from inland areas can bring very warm air to the southern and eastern coasts, and then it stands there for several days in a row hot weather. average temperature January in Darwin 29°C, Melbourne 20°C, Sydney 22°C, Alice Springs (in the center of the mainland) 28°C, Perth 23°C.

Although very low temperatures are unusual in Australia, few places experience frost-free winters, and in the south-east frosts affect the cultivation of crops and forage grasses. The main frost-free areas are the Northern Territory and Queensland north of the Tropic of Capricorn, and the entire coast north from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Brisbane on the east coast. Most of the continent experiences an average of 300 or more frost-free days. In the mountains of New South Wales and Victoria, the Australian Alps and much of Tasmania, frost occurs at any time of the year. Average July temperatures in the southeast are 9°C in Melbourne and 12°C in Sydney. In the north, this figure is 12°C in Darwin, and in the center of the mainland 25°C in Alice Springs.

Much of Australia's surface sediments are derived from Tertiary rocks. These deposits are ancient and lack many substances necessary for plant nutrition. The weathering products of these deposits supply the starting material for younger soils, which also inherit a deficiency of many nutrients. Climate, along with age, plays an important role in the development of Australian soils. Here, their general concentric distribution is obvious from the more humid areas of the east coast to the arid central areas. Much of Australia's soil is not particularly fertile due to extensive leaching. Phosphorus and nitrogen deficiencies are common, and in many areas, including those where there is regular heavy rainfall, even the microelements needed to nourish plants are insufficient. It was only through the application of fertilizers and the planting of leguminous plants that a significant part of the previously unproductive land acquired fertile soils.

Soils of the humid zone occupy about 9% of the continent's area. They are widely represented in the mountains of Eastern Australia, including Tasmania, up to the Queensland border in the north, in the coastal strip between Brisbane and Cairns, and throughout much of the Cape York Peninsula. The most common are leached podzolic soils. Although they are often deficient in nutrients, they are the most important class of Australian soils as they form where there is very high rainfall on a regular basis. They are widely used for high-quality pastures, and when nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are applied, for growing crops. There are very fertile krasnozems (red-colored soils). Despite their spotty distribution, they are widely used for the cultivation of sugar cane, fodder crops, groundnuts, vegetables, corn and other grain crops. The largest area of ​​red soil is located between Tully and Cooktown, where the main crop is sugarcane.

Soils formed in seasonally wet conditions occupy only 5% of the continent's area. They are developed within an arcuate zone ranging from 160 to 640 km from the eastern coast and extending from east-central Victoria to southern Queensland. These soils were formed under drier seasonal conditions than the soils of the humid zone. They are not as heavily leached and are usually fertile. The most large group soils - black soils of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland, characterized by dry winters. They are widely used for growing wheat, sorghum and maize in wetter areas (such as the Darling Downs) and for pasture in drier areas. Red-brown and brown soils are developed in areas with dry summers - in Victoria and southern New South Wales. These are the most suitable soils in Australia for growing cereal crops, especially wheat, and for quality pastures.

Three groups of soils in the semiarid zone occupy 18% of the continent's area. Gray and brown heavy soils form the largest group and are common in the famous wheat region of the Wimmera (western Victoria), the Riverine region of New South Wales, where low infiltration rates make the soils ideal for rice growing, in the upper parts of the Darling catchments (New South Wales). Wales) and Lake Eyre (central Queensland), where the soils support extensive sheep farming, and on the Barkly Tablelands, an important cattle breeding area. Brown soils occur in many large but marginally productive wheat areas in south-west New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Light brown soils occur in central New South Wales and the Norman River Basin in Queensland, and in patches in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Shrubs usually grow there. The soils are used mainly for pastures.

The largest group of soils in Australia is the soils of the arid zone, occupying 42% of the continent's area. They can only be used for pasture, mainly for cattle. The most productive are desert loamy areas covered with switchgrass and quinoa in South Australia and the north-west of New South Wales and arid red soils, widespread in the southern part of central Queensland, northern New South Wales and northern South Australia, where they are associated with dense thickets of acacias with grasses in the ground layer. Carbonate desert soils developed in wide belt, extending from Lake Frome across the Nullarbor Plain, and red-brown soils with compacted cemented interbeds in west-central Western Australia. Dense thickets of acacias, shrubs and ephemeral grasses grow on these soils. Such areas serve as pastures for sheep and cattle. The vast areas of rocky deserts, sand plains and sand ridges that form the basis of central Australia are very little or almost unused.

Some groups of soils in Australia have little or no connection with modern climate conditions. Among such soils, lateritic podzols are of greatest economic importance, since they are common where precipitation falls quite regularly. Initially, there was a lack of phosphorus and nitrogen in these soils, so when used for pastures, superphosphate and microelements were added, and clover was also sown. The largest group of soils considered (little related to climatic conditions) are skeletal soils (young and unweathered), most often found in the Pilbara, Kimberley and Arnhem Land Peninsula.

Soil erosion is a serious problem in many parts of Australia, mainly due to the rather delicate balance between land cover and erosion. This is especially evident in arid and semiarid regions, where the natural vegetation cover is very sparse and its restoration is slow. Under these conditions, overgrazing leads to powerful wind erosion and soil salinization. In the wetter southeastern regions, the cultivation of grain crops and the clearing of forests for grasslands contributed to significant development of planar and linear erosion. Over the past decades, the federal and state governments have taken measures to prevent erosion, but the positive effect has not been achieved everywhere.

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 quantity precipitation less than 125 mm. Sandy deserts are developed. Stiff-leaved perennial grasses of the genera dominate Triodia And Spinifex.

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 genera Atriplex(quinoa) and Kochia(twig). 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 with acacia 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 rain falls mainly in 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 ( cm. below).

Floristic analysis.

In Australia, approx. 15 thousand species of flowering plants, and about 3/4 of them are indigenous. More J. Hooker in 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 areas are: Nothofagus, Dreamys, 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 they were found in the Oligocene deposits of South Australia and Victoria Nothofagus And Lomatia along with such Australian genera as Eucalyptus, Banksia And Hakea. Currently, this element of the flora is best represented in temperate humid forests. Sometimes the term "Antarctic element" refers to larger groups of plants now found only in the Southern Hemisphere and shared by 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 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 trifoliate ( Macadamia ternifolia) has been widely cultivated in Australia since the 1890s for its tasty nuts (in the Hawaiian Islands it is cultivated on an even larger scale and is known as the "Queensland nut"). Gradually, the cultivation of plants such as the local species of ficus ( Ficus platypoda), Santalums ( Santalum acuminatum, S. anceolatum), eremocitrus glaucous, or desert lime ( Eremocitrus glauca), Australian capers ( Capparis sp.), various so-called "desert tomatoes" from the nightshade genus ( Solanum sp.), small-flowered basil ( Ocimum tenuiflorum), a local type of mint ( Prostanthera rotundifolia) and many other cereals, root crops, fruits, berries and herbaceous plants.

Australia forms the bulk of the Australasian zoogeographic region, which also includes Tasmania, New Zealand, New Guinea and adjacent islands of Melanesia and the Malay Archipelago west of the Wallace Line. This imaginary line limiting the spread of typical Australian fauna, goes north between the islands of Bali and Lombok, then along the Makassar Strait between the islands of Kalimantan and Sulawesi, then turns to the northeast, passing between the Sarangani islands in the Philippine archipelago and about. Miangas. 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 of the currently existing orders of mammals are monotremes ( Monotremata), which are not found in other parts of the world. Platypus ( Ornithorhynchus), with a duck-like beak, covered with fur, lays eggs and feeds the hatchlings with milk. Thanks to the efforts of Australian conservationists, this species is relatively abundant. Its closest relative is the echidna ( Tachyglossus) is similar to a porcupine, but also lays eggs. The platypus is found only in Australia and Tasmania, while the echidna and the closely related echidna ( Zaglossus) were 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 American possums ( Didelphidae) and peculiar South American caenolestaceae ( 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 multi-incisor group. The first family includes marsupial martens ( Dasyurus), marsupial devil ( Sarcophilus) and arboreal brush-tailed marsupial rats ( Phascogale), feeding on insects, etc. The latter genus is widespread throughout Australasia. A close relative of predatory marsupials is the marsupial wolf ( Thylacinus cynocephalus), which was widespread in Tasmania early in the era of European settlement, but is found nowhere else, although there is evidence of its presence in prehistoric time 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. Marsupial anteater ( Myrmecobius) and marsupial mole ( Notoryctes), living in northern and central Australia, descended from a group combining carnivorous marsupials and the marsupial wolf. Bandicoot family ( Peramelidae), distributed throughout Australasia, occupying 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 families of climbing marsupials ( Phalangeridae), which includes the kuzu, or brushtails ( Trichosurus); dwarf couscous ( Burramyidae), including the dwarf flying couscous ( Acrobates pygmaeus), which can slip between trees and rise up to 20 m, and marsupial flying squirrels ( Petauridae), numbering several species. Everyone's favorite koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus), similar to a funny miniature bear cub and chosen as an emblem Olympic Games 2000 in Sydney, belongs to the family of the same name. 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), distributed throughout Australasia. Great gray or forest kangaroo ( Macropus giganteus), the most numerous representative of this family, lives in open forests, while the giant red kangaroo ( M. rufus) is common in the plains of inland Australia. Open habitats are typical for rock kangaroos ( Petrogale sp.) and dwarf rock kangaroos ( Peradorcas sp.). Interesting 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 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 such as fruit bats ( Megachiroptera), and bats (Microchiroptera); Flying foxes are especially noteworthy ( Pteropus). Rodents, including anisolids ( Anisomys), rabbit rats ( Conilurus), earless rats ( Crossomys) and Australian water rats ( Hydromys), probably crossed the sea on driftwood. Man and Dingo ( Canis dingo) were the only large placentals, with dingoes most likely introduced to Australia by humans approximately 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.

Birds.

The avifauna of Australia includes many very valuable and interesting species. Of the flightless birds, emus are found here ( Dromiceius novaehollandiae) and the helmeted, or common, cassowary ( Casuarius casuarius), confined to northern Queensland. The Australian mainland is abundant different types ducks ( Casarca, Biziura and etc.). There are predator birds: wedge-tailed eagle ( Uroaetus audax), Australian kite ( Haliastur sphenurus), peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus) and Australian hawk ( Astur fasciatus). Weed chickens are very peculiar ( Leipoa), constructing mounds-“incubators”; bush bigfoot ( Alectura); gazebos ( 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 poisonous snakes– taipan ( Oxyuranus scutellatus), and the Queensland python ( Python amethystinus) reaches a length of about 6 m. Crocodiles are represented by two species - combed ( Сrocodilus porosus), which attacks and kills people, and the Australian narrow-snouted ( S. 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.

Amphibians.

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 are typical Crinia, Mixophyes And Helioporus, and in total there are 16 of them in the region.

Fish.

In Australia approx. 230 species of local freshwater fish, but there are no carp, carp, salmon and few catfish. Most representatives of freshwater ichthyofauna descended from marine ancestors - cods ( Oligorus), perch-like ( Percalates, Plectoplites, Macquaria), terapones ( Therapon), herring ( Potamalosa), half-snout ( Hemirhamphus) and gobies ( Gobiomoghus, Carassiops). There are, however, two notable exceptions - the double-breathing horntooth ( Neoceratodus) and bone-lingual Scleropages. Australia and New Zealand are home to a number of Galax species ( Galaxias), as well as gadops ( Gadopsis).

Invertebrates.

The invertebrate fauna of Australia includes at least 65 thousand species of insects, some of which are very unique.

When one thinks of Australia, kangaroos, koalas, wombats, platypuses, Ayers Rock and the Great Barrier Reef come to mind. For others, Australia is associated only with kangaroos and aborigines. And only a few know that Australia today is a highly developed state, which is among the top ten countries in terms of key development indicators, including living standards. It's no surprise that Australia is quickly on the radar of those thinking about immigration.

Australia is an amazing continent. According to scientists, this is the oldest continent on our planet, lying on the Precamberian platform, which was formed more than 3 billion years ago.

Due to the fact that Australia was discovered to the world much later than other continents, the nature here is better preserved. The continent itself is located in three climatic zones: tropical in the central part of the continent, subtropical in the southern part and subequatorial in the northern part. From the north, from the equator, winds and waters Indian Ocean bring warmth to the shores of Australia. Cold winds often blow from the south, bringing frost from the shores of Antarctica.

Uniqueness Australian nature is also explained by its landscape: the coastal areas are drowned in the greenery of trees, the center of the mainland is a zone of semi-deserts and savannas, occasionally interspersed with islands of vegetation in the deep lowlands and along the floodplains of rivers. However, Australia receives little rainfall, which is why there are few rivers and lakes.

Mountains are located in the east and southwest. But the mountains are low, not exceeding 1300 m above sea level, despite their sonorous name - the Australian Alps.

There are currently more than 1,000 wildlife sanctuaries in Australia.

Flora of Australia

Unique climatic conditions and the location of Australia determined the originality of its flora and fauna.

Eucalyptus is considered the plant symbol of Australia. Huge tree has powerful roots that go 20 or even 30 meters into the ground! Amazing tree adapted to the arid Australian climate. Eucalyptus trees growing near swamps are able to draw water from a reservoir and thereby drain the swamp. In this way, for example, the marshy land of Colchis on the Caucasus coast was drained. In addition, eucalyptus has narrow leaves that are turned edge-on towards the sun. Just imagine a huge eucalyptus forest, and there is practically no shade in it!

The east coast of Australia, where it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, is surrounded by bamboo thickets. Closer to the south there are bottle trees, the fruits of which resemble a bottle in shape. The Aborigines extract rainwater from them.

In the north there are dense subtropical forests. Here you can see huge palm trees and mangroves. The entire northern coast, where precipitation falls the most, grows acacias and pandanuses, horsetail and ferns. Towards the south the forest thins out. The savannah zone begins, which in the spring is a lush carpet of tall grasses, and by summer it dries out, burns out and turns into a soulless desert. Central Australia is a grassland area.

But cultivated plants were brought to Australia by Europeans. Only after the colonization of the mainland began to grow cotton, flax, wheat, vegetables and fruits characteristic of European flora.

Australian fauna

The fauna of Australia is very rich and diverse. The first feature of the animal world: Australia is home to a huge number of endemic animals, that is, animals that are not found anywhere else on the planet. These are, of course, kangaroos and koalas, which are recognized as symbols of the southern continent. There are 17 genera and more than 50 species of kangaroos alone. The smallest of them are only 20-23 cm tall, and the largest reach a height of 160 cm. Did you know that there are kangaroo rats, rock and tree kangaroos and even derby kangaroos? However, in Australia itself, the word “kangaroo” is used to describe only two representatives of this genus of marsupials: the gray giant and the red one. The rest are called wallabies.

There are also amazing platypuses, brave flying squirrels that flutter from tree to tree, creepy echidnas, and funny frilled lizards that can walk on two legs. Wombats and possums live in the Australian forests and are prized for their fur. Flying foxes look very bloodthirsty, although they feed on nectar and flowers. But who are truly terrible are the huge Australian the bats. The wingspan of these animals can reach 1.5 meters, and their weight can reach 1 kg!

There are also many birds that have lived on these lands from time immemorial. These are powerful emu ostriches, huge cockatoo parrots, resounding with their screams in the forests of Australia. These are lyre birds, whose twittering resembles the sound of a musical instrument and crowned doves. Walking through the forests of Australia you can hear sounds similar to human laughter. These are the kookaburras, amazing Australian birds that live in tree holes, chirping. Many birds are brightly colored.

In the south you can meet penguins, which are brought here from Antarctica. The waters are roamed by huge whales, which migrate north towards Africa with the onset of cold weather. There are dolphins and bloodthirsty sharks. The rivers of Australia have become home to huge crocodiles. The Great Barrier Reef is the kingdom of corals and polyps, moray eels and stingrays.

The second feature of Australia: there are no mammals from the class of predators, with the exception of the only representative of this species: wild dogs Dingo.

Europeans also brought domestic animals to Australia. Since colonization, fat herds of sheep began to roam the expanses of the Australian savannah. Goats, cows and horses, dogs and cats appeared.

Australia's wildlife is unique, as many flora and fauna are found only here. This is due to the isolation of the Green Continent and its significant distance from other continents. The most important difference in the nature of mainland Australia is that there are no predators among mammals. This mission was taken on by wild dogs, foxes and some other animals brought to the continent, which led to a decrease in the population of the main representatives of the fauna of Australia

Marsupials in Australia are represented by 180 various types, which differ from each other both in their lifestyle and methods of reproduction, but they are similar in one thing: on the stomach of these marsupials there is a deep fold, which is called a bag, in which they nurse their cubs after birth.

This is extremely necessary, since marsupials are born very weak and are not independent individuals for a long time. We will now tell you about some representatives of marsupial animals in Australia.

A nocturnal marsupial that lives in trees

Many tourists are interested in the question of where the koala lives. The unusual animal spends most of its life in the trees, only occasionally descending to the ground.

When climbing trees, the animal's claws are locked into a strong lock, which allows it to stay on any trunk. The cubs also have exactly the same claws, which move by tenaciously grasping their mother’s fur.

These huge representatives of marsupials differ in their characteristics from other individuals of the same classification. But what’s so special about them, you ask, and in general, does a male kangaroo have a pouch? In fact, it is the prerogative of the mother to bear the baby in the most secluded place. The pocket, smooth from the inside, is framed by thick fluffy fur at the entrance. This way the baby is protected from any bad weather.

Kangaroos and emus have never been official symbols of Australia, but they are associated only with this state. The kangaroo and the emu cannot move backwards, which is why they ended up on the country’s coat of arms. These proud shield holders were called upon to express the federation's confident decision to always go forward! Kangaroos and emus live only here, as do the koala, platypus and the kookaburra bird, which has a roaring laugh. The platypus, as a symbol of Australia, is depicted on the Australian 20 cent coin

What kind of animals live in Australia - a small continent significantly removed from other continents? In our article you will find the answer to this question.

The flora and fauna of Australia amaze with their beauty and exoticism, and you can enjoy them not only away from cities and in specialized reserves, but also in numerous public gardens and parks, where nature is carefully protected and preserved.

Many of Australia's animals and plants are unique: about 12,000 species of wildlife and 550 species of eucalyptus trees are found nowhere else except on this amazing continent.

Interesting fact about Australia

Australia is the record continent for the number of poisonous animals

The secretive platypus lives on the banks of rivers and streams in Eastern and Southern Australia and Tasmania.

The platypus is an extremely peculiar animal that has adapted to extremely specific living conditions in aquatic environment. It has a smooth, streamlined body covered with short brown fur. Its front paws are equipped with membranes that facilitate movement in water and life in burrows.

Australia delights tourists with unique landscapes and partially untouched nature. Here the flora spreads across different climatic zones. Animals live that are found nowhere else except Australia. So, let's take a closer look at the flora and fauna on the Australian continent.

Flora of Australia

Australia has been separated from the rest of the world by oceans for over 200 million years. Thanks to this, a wide variety of plants and animals appeared. The fifth continent has very specific vegetation and contains about 22,000 plant species. Of these plant species, approximately 90% are found nowhere else.

Fascinating flora in tropical forests. Eucalyptus and acacia trees are part of the Australian vegetation, numbering about 600 species, found in many areas, even in hot and dry central Australia. IN flora Australia has three large zones, broken down as follows:

tropical zone

The tropical zone is located along the northern coast to the middle of the eastern coast. It falls in the monsoon climate region and is densely planted mainly deciduous trees. Ferns and palms thrive among the ash, oak, cedar and birch trees.

Temperate zone

The temperate zone runs through the south-eastern coastal plain and Tasmania and extends north along the east coast into the tropical zone. The temperate zone is famous for its many shrubs and low-growing plants.

In the Australian Alps and the mountain landscapes of Tasmania, predominantly alpine vegetation is found. There are pine reserves along the east coast to Tasmania. The latter are in second place after eucalyptus trees in terms of their economic importance.

Eucalyptus species predominate in wooded, warm, and well-watered areas of the southeast and southwest. Tasmania is famous for its beech forests.

Dry zone

The dry zone is located throughout the middle, arid zone and the west of the fifth continent. The vegetation here is adapted to the arid climate. These are mainly eucalyptus trees and acacia (500 species in total). IN Western Australia There are two species of eucalyptus, the so-called Jarra and Karri Eucalyptus. They are prized for their hard and durable wood.

There are approximately 2000 introduced plant species in Australia. Most of them came to the country with the development of agriculture, livestock farming and forestry. It is believed that before colonization by the first Europeans, a quarter of the country was covered with wooded savannah, shrubs and forests. Much of the native flora was destroyed to make way for colonization and agricultural use. This has led to the permanent extinction of more than 80 species of native plants. Today, another 840 species are threatened. That's why there are big ones in Australia nature reserves. About 12% of the area has been declared protected.

Fauna of Australia

The highlight of any trip to Australia is a special Live nature fifth continent. The peculiarity of the animals is that they live either only in Australia or in the zoo.

Kangaroo

The national animal of Australia is the kangaroo. This is the most famous marsupial subspecies. It is found in Sydney, Tasmania, New Guinea and other offshore islands in Australia.

Parrots

Found in almost all areas of Australia. They are only found on the coast of New South Wales and Tasmania. Only one sixth of Australia's native parrot species can be seen worldwide. The so-called lorikeets are very trusting. They eat bread straight from their hands. Cockatoos can be seen everywhere.

Mammals

Australia is home to six of the ten most venomous snakes in the world. The most dangerous is the taipan. In addition to it, Australia is inhabited by: tiger snake, brown snake, deadly viper and copper serpent. Due to their camouflage color, they are barely distinguishable.

Crocodiles

The world's largest crocodiles, the so-called saltwater crocodiles, are also found in Australia. Salmon crocodiles can grow up to 6 meters in length and are considered very aggressive and cunning. Therefore, you should never swim in rivers or lakes that are not developed. This can be deadly. Crocodiles live not only in salt water, but also in river mouths. Reptiles have been spotted even 300 km from the coast.

Koala

Australia is also home to koalas. They can be seen not only in zoos, but also in the open air. They mostly sit high in the crowns of eucalyptus trees. Koalas don't just jump from tree to tree, they also live on the ground. To return to their food source, leaves, they dig their claws into the bark and climb up the tree.

Sea turtle

Australia is home to about 20 species of turtles, six of which are marine. Appearance they have not changed for more than 200 years.

Whale shark

Reaches a length of up to 15 m and is not only the largest shark, but also the largest fish in the world. It is harmless to people, despite its enormous size. It feeds mainly on plankton and other microorganisms that it filters from the water.

Dangerous animals in the water

I wonder how many different dangerous animals live off the coast of Australia? Many of them look quite harmless, but some are deadly.

The reef shark, about 2 m long, is quite harmless to humans. According to statistics, more people die each year in Australia from coconuts than from shark attacks. The temperature of the water determines how many sharks will be off the coast.

The blue-eared octopus is one of the most poisonous animals in the world. The poison can kill an adult in a matter of minutes. There is currently no antidote; the only known treatments are cardiac massage and artificial respiration until the body processes the poison.

For swimmers, sea wasps are more dangerous than sharks. The sea wasp is a cube jellyfish, considered the most poisonous marine animal in the whole world. It has up to 15 tentacles up to three meters long, and the available venom is enough for 200 people. Every year, more people die from exposure to these jellyfish than from shark attacks.

The so-called stone fish, as the name suggests, looks more like a stone. She has about 70 spines distributed throughout her body. Of the 70 spines, 18 are poisonous. If treatment is not promptly initiated after exposure to stonefish, the venom can be fatal. Found mainly in the southern half of Australia. There, fish live on coral reefs, mainly near rocks or directly on rocks.