Deserts and semi-deserts of Australia


The natural zone of tropical deserts and semi-deserts occupies 65% of Australia’s area and is located mainly in the west, in the center and south of the mainland in a tropical and subtropical continental climate. Soils are tropical desert, very saline and have a red color, which gives them iron oxide.

Unlike the African deserts, significant areas of Australia’s natural zone are covered with thickets of thorny acacia and eucalyptus, called scrab. It is distributed mainly in the south-west and south of the continent, mainly on the watersheds. The earth under the scrab is covered with sparse bundles of drought-resistant grasses. The relative wealth of the vegetation cover of the Australian deserts is explained by the proximity to the surface of the groundwater.

Life in deserts and semi-deserts awakens during short rains. Here there are marsupial mole, earthen hare, mice, large red kangaroos, lizards, termites, and also a dingo dog. Dingo probably got to Australia with people 40 thousand years ago. This is the largest predator on the mainland. Many birds fly into the desert.


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Deserts and semi-deserts of Australia