Australian Flora and Fauna
Australia’s Flora and Fauna
Using the internet and the websites provided, answer the following questions and complete the profile.
Questions
1. Define the terms: * Flora Plants * Fauna Animals * Monotreme A primitive mammal which lays eggs.
Marsupial A mammal of an order (Marsupialia) whose members are born incompletely developed and are typically carried and suckled in a pouch * Eucalyptus Fast-growing evergreen Australasian tree * Endemic (of a disease or condition) Regularly found among particular people or in a certain area Go to http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/flora_and_fauna.html and answer the following questions: 1. What percentage of Australia’s flowering plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia? More than 80% 1. Name the species of plant that is believed to have existed during the time of the dinosaurs. How old is this species? Wollemi Pine 1. What is the most common type of plant in Australia? What percentage of Australia’s total plant life does it make up? Why has it become the most common? Acacias, 23%, it’s a native species. 1. What are the two main types of macropods? What is the main difference between them?
Kangaroos and Wallabies. Size 1. Explain the reasons monotremes are considered to be unique. Name two monotremes. Platypus and Echidna. 1. Outline the reasons that Australia has such a unique biodiversity. (Provide a definition of biodiversity that you have researched) Australia’s has a unique biodiversity because of its geographic isolation, size, long term geographical variations in climate and its geology which is the oldest in the world. 2. To view an animation of the breakup of the continents go to: http://plone.itc.nl/gondwana/gondwana_gif.html 1. Create a profile on one of Australia’s unique flora or fauna. Your profile should include the following aspects: * Name of flora/fauna- common and scientific - Kangaroo * Habitat-
Using the internet and the websites provided, answer the following questions and complete the profile.
Questions
1. Define the terms: * Flora Plants * Fauna Animals * Monotreme A primitive mammal which lays eggs.
Marsupial A mammal of an order (Marsupialia) whose members are born incompletely developed and are typically carried and suckled in a pouch * Eucalyptus Fast-growing evergreen Australasian tree * Endemic (of a disease or condition) Regularly found among particular people or in a certain area Go to http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/flora_and_fauna.html and answer the following questions: 1. What percentage of Australia’s flowering plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia? More than 80% 1. Name the species of plant that is believed to have existed during the time of the dinosaurs. How old is this species? Wollemi Pine 1. What is the most common type of plant in Australia? What percentage of Australia’s total plant life does it make up? Why has it become the most common? Acacias, 23%, it’s a native species. 1. What are the two main types of macropods? What is the main difference between them?
Kangaroos and Wallabies. Size 1. Explain the reasons monotremes are considered to be unique. Name two monotremes. Platypus and Echidna. 1. Outline the reasons that Australia has such a unique biodiversity. (Provide a definition of biodiversity that you have researched) Australia’s has a unique biodiversity because of its geographic isolation, size, long term geographical variations in climate and its geology which is the oldest in the world. 2. To view an animation of the breakup of the continents go to: http://plone.itc.nl/gondwana/gondwana_gif.html 1. Create a profile on one of Australia’s unique flora or fauna. Your profile should include the following aspects: * Name of flora/fauna- common and scientific - Kangaroo * Habitat-