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Australia

Australia. Physical Geography SS6G12, SS6G13. Essential Questions . What are the physical features of Australia and where are they located? How has the geography of Australia impacted its population density?

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Australia

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  1. Australia Physical Geography SS6G12, SS6G13

  2. Essential Questions • What are the physical features of Australia and where are they located? • How has the geography of Australia impacted its population density? • How does the factors of location, climate, access to water and natural resources affect where Australians choose to live and work? How do these factors affect trade?

  3. Key Terms • Marsupial- an animal that carries its young in a body pouch • Coral- a rocklike material made up of the skeletons of tiny sea creatures • Geyser – A hot spring that ejects a column of water into the air. • Tectonic plate- a large piece of the Earth’s crust

  4. What does the location mean? • South of the Equator= seasons opposite of those in the U.S. • Far from large landmasses

  5. A Unique Environment • Plants & Animals unique to the region. • Biologically unique- Marsupials (Almost all mammals are marsupials in Australia) • Kiwi & Yellow-eyed Penguin

  6. Why So Unique?? • Tectonic Plates: • Australia & Oceania are part of the Indo-Australia plate. • Once part of large landmass that included Antarctica. • Moved NW in Pacific Ocean • Wild life slowly changed, - Islands are isolated these living things did not spread to other regions

  7. Where and Why do people live where they do? • Most Australians live along Australia’s East & SouthEast coasts. Why? • This plain has most fertile farmland & receives ample rain. Why?

  8. Moist winds from the Pacific Ocean bring rain & mild pleasant climate • Also, the presence of the Murray & Darling rivers • So where would most cities be located?

  9. Great Dividing Range • West of GDR is a rain shadow. • People depend on wells for fresh water • Outback= desert & grassland

  10. Great Barrier Reef • Tourism – The business of providing tours and services for tourists.

  11. World’s Largest Coral Reef • Located in the Coral Sea – NE Australia • Includes 2600 individual reefs, 900 islands, and an area of 133,000 square miles. • Became known to Europe 1770- Captain Cook • # 1 destination for tourism, especially scuba divers, some popular areas suffered major damage

  12. Environmental Concerns • Runoff • Several major cities along NE coast. • Large areas of coastal lands have been used for agricultural & pastoral purposes. • Sediment & chemical runoff from farming • Loss of coastal wetlands which are natural filter • Results in 400 of 3000 reefs are within risk zone were water quality has declined • Crown-of-Thorns starfish natural predator of corals, dramatic in species caused by water quality

  13. Environmental Concerns continued • Global Warming • Many corals living at upper edge of temp. tolerance. • This can lead to Coral Bleaching • Corals release photosynthesizing cells- turn white • If water doesn’t cool down w/in a month, coral dies • Also brings about more violent tropical storms So who takes care of GBR?

  14. GBR Marine Park Authority • Australian Government manages reef: zoning, management plans, permits, education used to conserve GBR • 1981 selected as World Heritage Site • 2004, GBR Marine Park became largest protected sea area in world. From 4.6% to 33.3%

  15. Review • What are the physical features of Australia and where are they located? • How has the geography of Australia impacted its population density? • How does the factors of location, climate, access to water and natural resources affect where Australians choose to live and work? How do these factors affect trade?

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