1.7 Australia’s Unique Flora & Fauna

1. Many of Australia’s plants and animals are unique because Australia has been a separate continent for 50 million years. Because of this, Australia has evolved separately from the rest of the world.

2. Many species in Australia have survived for millions of years due to the stability of the continent.

3. Endemic refers to species that are found nowhere else in the world.

4. In Australia, 89% of reptiles are thought to be endemic.

5. Three areas in Australia with great biodiversity include:

·         The Great Barrier Reef

·         The Tropical Rainforests of Queensland

·         The South-West Botanical Province of Western Australia

 6. The richest insect fauna can be found in the Tropical Rainforests of Australia.

7. Marsupials are animals which carry their young in a pouch. E.g. A Kangaroo.

8. Monotremes are mammals which lay eggs. E.g. The Duck-Billed Platypus.

9. The difference between a kangaroo and a wallaby is the fact that wallabies are generally smaller and prefer more rugged terrain. Kangaroos are larger and are found on grassy plains.

10. The Duck-Billed Platypus is about 50cm long and weighs 1-2kg depending on their sex. They have very dark brown waterproof fur in three layers to help withstand cold temperatures. Their tail is used as a rudder and to move soil when burrowing. Their main purpose is to store fat when food is low. They store their food in cheek pouches and grind their body weight of food in 24 hours using grinding pads in their mouths.

The Duck-Billed Platypus has a grey bill with two nostrils used to detect prey. They also close their ears when they dive and have small, beady eyes sensitive to movement which also close under water. Their back feet are partially webbed and have curved claws to help steer when swimming. These fold back when on land to reveal sharp claws used to dig. For males, spurs become poisonous in breeding season and are they only venomous furry animal. The Duck-Billed Platypus’s front feet have large webs of skin to help propel through the water.

11. The Plant Banksia is generally a shrub and is about 4 metres but can grow taller. The leaves are broad with toothed margins. The conspicuous flowers are fairly squat in comparison with other Banksias and bright orange/red in colour. The spikes are about 100mm wide by a similar length and are held terminally on the stems. They are seen in late winter through to early summer, from June to January. The seeds are enclosed in follicles attached to a woody cone and are generally retained within the cone until burnt.
The plant is fire-sensitive in that it does not have lignotuber for vegetative regeneration after bushfires. The species relies on seed for regeneration.

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The first Graph shows the biodiversity of The Great Barrier Reef. This graph shows approximately how many of the 8 species there are living in the Reef. Molluscs and Fish have the most species. The second Graph shows the biodiversity of The Tropical Rainforest. It shows what percentage of Australia’s organisms thrive there. Most of the Fern and Butterfly Species inhabit that area.