Australia’s Natural Resources Natural Resources Vegetation Flora and Fauna © Karen Devine 2010.

Australia’s Australia’s Natural Natural

ResourcesResourcesNatural ResourcesNatural Resources

VegetationVegetation

Flora and FaunaFlora and Fauna

© Karen Devine 2010

Australia’s Natural ResourcesAustralia’s Natural Resources

The natural The natural resources of resources of Australia include:Australia include:

a)a) rocks and mineral rocks and mineral oresores

b)b) waterwaterc)c) soilssoilsd)d) forestsforestse)e) florafloraf)f) fauna.fauna.


Australia’s Natural ResourcesAustralia’s Natural Resources

Australia is Australia is richly endowed richly endowed with natural with natural resources, resources, especially especially energy energy resources.resources.


Energy ResourcesEnergy Resources

Australia’s key Australia’s key energy resources energy resources include:include:

a)a) coalcoal

b)b) uraniumuranium

c)c) natural gas.natural gas.



The main coal The main coal areas are found areas are found at:at:

a)a) Hunter Valley Hunter Valley NSWNSW

b)b) Bowen Basin QLDBowen Basin QLD

c)c) La Trobe Valley La Trobe Valley VIC.VIC.



The main natural The main natural gas resources are gas resources are located off the located off the North West Shelf.North West Shelf.Uranium resources Uranium resources are constantly are constantly being explored and being explored and discovered in WA discovered in WA and NT.and NT.


Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources

The mineral wealth of The mineral wealth of Australia consists of:Australia consists of:

a)a) iron oreiron oreb)b) silversilverc)c) bauxitebauxited)d) goldgolde)e) coppercopperf)f) leadleadg)g) diamondsdiamondsh)h) mineral sandsmineral sandsi)i) zinc.zinc.


Mineral ResourcesMineral Resources

Australia’s Australia’s businesses businesses include the 2 include the 2 largest mining largest mining exporters in the exporters in the world:world:

a)a) BHPBHP

b)b) Rio Tinto.Rio Tinto.


SoilsSoils

Soils in Australia are Soils in Australia are known to be:known to be:

a)a) low in nutrientslow in nutrients

b)b) often high in salt often high in salt (especially in desert (especially in desert areas)areas)

c)c) impermeableimpermeable

d)d) often only suitable for often only suitable for grazing stock.grazing stock.


Patterns of VegetationPatterns of Vegetation

Australia is relatively Australia is relatively unforested.unforested.The main vegetation The main vegetation is:is:

a)a) woodlandwoodlandb)b) shrublandshrublandc)c) rainforest.rainforest.



Many of these forest Many of these forest areas have declined areas have declined significantly since significantly since British settlement in British settlement in 1788.1788.

There are now only a There are now only a small percentage of small percentage of forests remaining.forests remaining.



The forests are The forests are dominated by eucalypts.dominated by eucalypts.

Most forests are found Most forests are found along the east coast of along the east coast of Australia which is Australia which is wetter.wetter.

Yet, many forests still Yet, many forests still experience the natural experience the natural disaster of bushfire.disaster of bushfire.


Patterns in Flora and FaunaPatterns in Flora and Fauna

Australia is diverse Australia is diverse in unique plant and in unique plant and animal life.animal life.

There are over 1 There are over 1 million different million different species living on species living on the continent.the continent.



Most flora is:Most flora is:

a)a)drought resistantdrought resistant

b)b)endemic (native) to endemic (native) to AustraliaAustralia

c)c)influenced by influenced by climateclimate

d)d)prone to bushfires.prone to bushfires.



Australia’s unique Australia’s unique fauna consists of:fauna consists of:

a)a) marsupials marsupials (kangaroos) (kangaroos)

b)b) placentals (bats)placentals (bats)

c)c) montremes montremes (Echidnas, (Echidnas, platypus).platypus).



Australia’s fauna Australia’s fauna has declined due has declined due to habitat loss to habitat loss resulting from:resulting from:

a)a) land clearingland clearing

b)b) land degradationland degradation

c)c) natural disasters natural disasters Eg: Bushfires.Eg: Bushfires.


Question Time?Question Time?

Discuss why Discuss why Australia’s unique Australia’s unique fauna (kangaroos) fauna (kangaroos) are sold as meat are sold as meat and culled by and culled by farmers.farmers.


Australia’s Natural Resources Natural Resources Vegetation Flora and Fauna © Karen Devine 2010.

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Transcript of Australia’s Natural Resources Natural Resources Vegetation Flora and Fauna © Karen Devine 2010.