AUSTRALIA

The continent of Australia is located between the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean with a total area of 7,686,850 sq km.

Besides, the coastline of Australia stretches for 25,760 kilometers and the continent / country has claim to an Exclusive Economic Zone of

8,148,250 sq km.

CLIMATE:The climate of Australia varies widely, but by far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid – 40% of the landmass is covered by sand dunes. Only the south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate and moderately fertile soil. The northern part of the country has a tropical climate, varied between tropical rainforests, grasslands, part desert.Seasonal high and lows can be great with temperatures ranging from above 50 ° Celsius to well below zero. Minimum temperatures are moderated by the lack of mountains and the influence of surrounding oceans.

CLIMATE/AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION

AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION:The rainfall patterns across Australia are highly seasonal. Compared to the Earth's other continental landmasses

Australia is very dry. More than 80 percent of the continent has an

annual rainfall of less than 600 millimetres (24 in); only 

Antarctica receives less rainfall than Australia.[4] From one extreme to another, parts of the far North

Queensland coast annually average over 4,000 millimetres (160 in), with the Australian annual record being

12,461 millimetres (490.6 in), set at the summit of Mount Bellenden Ker in

2000

FLORA OF AUSTRALIA

•The flora of Australia comprises a vast assemblage of plant species estimated to over 20,000 vascular and 14,000 non-vascular plants, 250,000 species of fungi and over 3,000 lichens.

•The flora has strong affinities with the flora of Gondwana, and below the family level has a highly endemic angiosperm flora whose diversity was shaped by the effects of continental drift and climate change since the Cretaceous. 

•The prominent features of the Australian flora are adaptations to aridity and fire which include scleromorphyand serotiny. These are common in species from the large and well-known families Proteaceae (Banksia), Myrtaceae (Eucalyptus - gum trees), and Fabaceae (Acacia - wattle).

Fauna of Australia

•The fauna of Australia consists of a huge variety of animals. There are 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 90% of fish and insects and 93% of amphibians.

•The unique feature of Australia's fauna is the relative scarcity of native placental mammals

•the marsupials—a group of mammals that raise their young in a pouch, including themacropods, possums and dasyuromorphs, occupies many of the ecological niches placental animals in the world.

•Acacia belongs to the family of fabaceae. •The word acacia is derived from the word akakia, the name is given by a Greek botanist.

Acacia

•It is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae.•These popular flowers are easily to recognized by their characteristic flower spikes and fruiting "cones" and heads.•Sizes of leaves ary from the narrow, 1–1½ centimetre long up to 45 centimetres long

Banksias(Banksia spp)

•It is used in the sapling stage as a houseplant in many areas•It grows to heights of 30 m (100 feet) or more•The bark is smooth, thick and has a brown-gray color.•Its leaves are incurved, flattened, dark green spines that are arranged in a spiral configuration

Bunya Pine(Araucaria bidwillii)

Common name: kangarooScientific

name:Macropus Giganteus

Facts: Kangaroos are the largest marsupial

mammals. They belong to the  Macropodidae

family.It moves by hopping on its hind legs using

its tail for steering and balancing while

hopping at speed up to 40mph/60kmh

Description: it is a creatures that had

heads like deer (without antlers), stood upright like men, and

hopped like frogs. 

Common name: koalaScientific name:

Phascolarctos cinereusFacts: Size: 70 - 90cm

(27 - 36 inch)Weight: 4 - 9kg (9 - 20 lb)

The males are larger than females.

Koalas can live as long as 17 years.

Description: broadly similar in appearance to

the wombat. It has a thicker coat, much larger

ears and longer limbs. than the wombat

Common name: platypusScientific name:

Ornithorhynchus AnatinusFacts : the name platypus is derived from the greek

words platys meaning flat, and pous meaning foot.it is a carnivore: it feeds on insects, small fish and larvae found in the water.Description: The body and the broad, flat tail of the

platypus are covered with dense brown fur that traps a layer of insulating air to

keep the animal warm

Bats kookaburra eagleFruits

from the trees

Example of food chain in Australia

significance or importance

The importance of this biome in my course is that, it gives us a friendly environment if we take good care of it. As a shrim student, it is important to me because it gives a good surroundings in my restaurant in the near future. Ecosystems are the foundation of sustainable development. It will sustain my business a good and fresh foods that the ecosystem provides.

SOURCES: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Australia#Precipitation http://www.asiarooms.com/en/travel-guide/australia/australia-over

view/australia-geography.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flora_of_Australia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_Australia http://www.buzzle.com/articles/acacia-tree-facts.html http://www.australianexplorer.com/australian_flora.htm http://people.hws.edu/fieldguide/show.asp?ID=162 http://www.giftlog.com/pictures/kangaroo_facts.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo#Description http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koala#Physical_description http://www.giftlog.com/pictures/koala_fact.htm http://www.buzzle.com/articles/platypus-facts.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platypus#Description http://www.gondwananet.com/tropical-rainforest-food-chain.html