Nullarbor Plains Xeric Shrublands Current Image
http://www.wilderness.org.au/images/nullarbor-cocklebiddy-cave/image
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Spatial Scale
The Mediterranean scrub of Southwestern Australia. We
decided to focus on the ecoregion of Esperance mallee and the nullarbor plains
xeric shrublands in Southwestern Australia. “Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and
Scrub ecoregions are characterized by hot and dry summers, while winters tend
to be cool and moist. Most precipitation arrives during these months”
(“Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub Ecoregions”).
(http://www.eoearth.org/article/Nullarbor_Plains_xeric_shrublands)
Benefits of the Ecosystem
Government sponsored public work programs for agricultural
reasons now own Esperance mallee. The ecosystem now provides jobs and food to
the public domain of Australia, but the environment and helpless animals most suffer
because of it because the public is destroying the ecosystem in order to make
room for farms.
Transportation was a key development in the nullarbor plains
xeric shrublands . The Trans-Australian Railway was built in 1970 that crossed
through the nullarbor plains. In addition the Eyre Highway was carved into the
plains as well in 1941 as another form of transportation. Australia is visited
by millions of tourists every years so it is very important that they have an
easy form of transportation such as railroads and highways so they can see all
of beautiful Australia.
Trans-Australian Railway
Trans-Australian Railway
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=trans-australian+railway&um=1&hl=en&client=safari&sa=N&tbo=d&rls=en&biw=1024&bih=680&tbm=isch&tbnid=_Y3tUOgJePuBLM:&imgrefurl=http://www.southbank.qm.qld.gov.au/Events%2Band%2BExhibitions/Exhibitions/2009/11/Great%2Brailway%2Bjourneys%2Bof%2BAustralia&docid=vvO-xVlz7pi23M&imgurl=http://www.southbank.qm.qld.gov.au/Events%252Band%252BExhibitions/Exhibitions/2009/11/~/media/7894E1B7D843429EBADB863881A5207A.ashx%253Fw%253D400%2526h%253D267%2526as%253D1&w=400&h=267&ei=Lim8UPG2F-P9igKSnoHIDA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=546&vpy=133&dur=1605&hovh=183&hovw=275&tx=128&ty=143&sig=115233545970158140717&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=209&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:95
What The Ecosystem Should Look Like
Mallee “refers to any short tree with a large underground
stem fused with the main root, called a lingnotuber” ("Wildworld Ecoregion Profile"). Esperance
mallee has many small eucalyptus tress and shrubs because it is indeed a
scrubland. There is very little rainfall in this region of Australia and the
soil is not very fertile. Mallee covers a majority of this ecosystem that is
known is Esperance Mallee.
Historically the nullarbor plains xeric shrublands was “a
former shallow seabed, as indicated by the presence of bryozoans, foraminifera,
echinoids, and red algae calcareous skeletal that make up limestone. The theory
is that the whole area was uplifted by crustal movements in the Miocene, and
since then erosion by wind and rain has reduced its thickness” (Webb and
James).
http://awsassets.panda.org/img/l_leong_sw_oz_14_359739.jpg
People's Impact on the Region
Esperance mallee is a scrub that is mostly used for
agricultural reasons. “About one half of the land area of this ecoregion is
currently used for agriculture” (Hogan). The sad thing is that government
sponsored public work programs are funding agricultural projects in this region.
They are providing food and jobs for the public, but in the mean time they are
damaging the environment caused by farming and livestock grazing as well. Most
of the ecoregion is privately owned in terms of agricultural use, however
“over-irrigation, increased development, and habitat fragmentation” all pose
serious threats to the environment as well ("Wildworld
Ecoregion Profile"). As you
can probably tell, the human impact on Esperance mallee in southwestern Australia
is completely ugly because they have destroyed the original state of the
ecosystem for their own needs and the animal species as well as the environment
has suffered because of it.
Reference List
Reference List
http://www.garnautreview.org.au/pdf/Garnaut_Chapter6.pdf
C Michael Hogan (Lead Author);World Wildlife Fund (Contributing Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Nullarbor Plains xeric shrublands". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth July 1, 2012; Last revised Date August 20, 2012; Retrieved November 24, 2012 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Nullarbor_Plains_xeric_shrublands>
C Michael Hogan (Lead Author);World Wildlife Fund (Contributing Author);Peter Saundry (Topic Editor) "Esperance mallee". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth July 1, 2012; Last revised Date October 7, 2012; Retrieved November 25, 2012 <http://www.eoearth.org/article/Esperance_mallee?topic=49597>
Hogan,
Michael. "Ecoregions of Australia." The Encyclopedia of Earth .
World Wildlife Fund, 27 2012. Web. 30 Nov 2012.
<http://www.eoearth.org/article/Ecoregions_of_Australia?topic=49597
"Esperance
Mallee." Wildworld Ecoregion Profile. World Wildlife Fund. Web. 30
Nov 2012. <World Wildlife Fund (2001). "Esperance Mallee".
WildWorld Ecoregion Profile. National Geographic Society. <http://web.archive.org/web/20100308074603/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/aa/aa1202.html
John A. Webb & Julia M. James (2006). "Karst evolution of the
Nullarbor Plain, Australia". In Russell S. Harmon & Carol
M. Wicks (PDF). Perspectives on Karst
Geomorphology, Hydrology and Geochemistry - a Tribute Volume to Derek C. Ford
and William B. White. Geological Society of America
Special Paper 404. pp. 65–78. doi:10.1130/2006.2404(07). ISBN 978-0-8137-2404-1. <http://www.latrobe.edu.au/geosci/Downloads/pdfs/John%20Webb_Jan%2009/Geomorphology/Webb%20&%20James%202006.pdf
"Road links to the East". State
Library of Western Australia. <http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/federation/iss/078_road.html
"Mediterranean Forests,
Woodlands, and Scrub Ecoregions". WWF. <http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/selecting_terrestrial_ecoregions/habitat12.cfm
http://www.wilderness.org.au/images/nullarbor-cocklebiddy-cave/image
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