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Year 9 NSW
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Geography
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Australia's physical environment
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Physical characteristics of Australia
Topic : Physical characteristics of Australia
In this topic you will learn...
Chapter 1 :
Patterns of climate
Climate is the study of weather over time
Precipitation patterns in Australia are seasonal in nature
Temperature patterns in Australia depend on the latitude of a location
High pressure systems are common over Australia, causing low rainfall
Since Australia is relatively flat, it experiences little orographic rainfall
Cold ocean currents off the coast of Western Australia inhibit rainfall
El Niņo causes droughts because it encourages formation of high pressure systems
La Niņa causes higher rainfall because it encourages formation of low pressure systems
Chapter 2 :
Major physical features
Australia is a relatively flat landscape
The Eastern Highlands are made up of some smaller ranges such as the Snowy Mountains
The tallest mountain in Australia is Mount Kosciuszko in the Eastern Highlands
The Central Lowlands are home to the Simpson Desert and the Flinders Range
The Nullarbor Plain in the Western Plateau is an ancient seabed
There are many deserts in the Western Plateau, such as the Great Sandy and Great Victoria
Uluru is a monolith that is a stronger rock that has had weaker rock around it eroded away
There are some mountain ranges and plateaux in the Western Plateau
Chapter 3 :
Natural resources
Australia has mineral, energy and land resources
Australia is among the world's largest producers of minerals
Minerals mined in Australia include bauxite, gold, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, diamonds and mineral sands
Most of the minerals mined in Australia are exported
Australia has extensive deposits of coal, two-thirds of which is shipped overseas
Natural gas is also abundant in Australia
Australia has two-thirds of the world's uranium deposits
Australia's land itself can be considered a resource
Chapter 4 :
Flora and fauna
Flora refers to plants, while fauna refers to animals
The flora and fauna in Australia are unique among plants and animals around the world
About 80 percent of Australian plant species are endemic to Australia
Eucalypts are the most common plant in Australia
Eucalypts and many other Australian trees are sclerophylls
Australia has a high number of endemic animal species
Monotremes and marsupials are primitive mammals that are found in Australia
Australia is home to many endemic reptiles, amphibians and birds
Australia has many endemic species because they have been geographically isolated
Chapter 5 :
Rainforests
Even though Australia is mostly arid, there are a few pockets of rainforests
Tropical rainforests are found in northern Queensland
Sub-tropical rainforests are found in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales
Temperate rainforests are found in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania
Rainforests have many layers
Tropical and sub-tropical rainforests are highly diverse
Temperate rainforests are slightly less diverse, but they still have many living organisms
Australian rainforests are remnants of rainforests once found all over Australia and Antarctica
Chapter 6 :
The Great Barrier Reef
The world`s largest coral reef system is the Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is home to a large number of species
The Great Barrier Reef is a system of 2900 smaller reefs, 618 continental islands and 300 cays
The reef is built on a foundation of coral
Scientists believe the Great Barrier Reef has existed for over 18 million years
There are many organisms living in the coral reefs
Damage to one part of the coral reef ecosystem can cause damage to other parts of the reef
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5 flash animations
1 final exam
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