The Nullarbor Plain Desert Ecosystem
Lars Hunt
Location:
The Nullarbor Plains Desert spans Western and Southern Australia, between approximately 30°S-32°S, 121°E-134°E (figure 1) (Ref 1). The Nullarbor plain is bordered by the arid salt lakes region of Western Australia, arid plains of Southern Australia, and North by the Great Victoria Desert. It is bordered on the south by the Great Australian Bight seacoast (Ref 2).
Figure 1 - Location of Nullarbor Plain
Biome:
The Nullarbor Plain, whose name in Latin means "no trees", belongs to the Desert and Xeric Shrubland biome, characterized by semi-arid climate with little precipitation and extreme temperature variation. Typically, deserts may see less than 250 mm of precipitation annually and extreme temperatures may range between 0°C and 50°C.(3). Hot deserts occur mostly into belts in the northern and southern hemisphere, between 15° and 35° latitude. (Ref 4) Characteristics of semi-arid and arid hot deserts include extreme summer temperatures, and …show more content…
The limestone that makes up the Nullarbor plain is a former seabed, made up of calcaneous skeletons of sea animals and red algae which were uplifted from the combination of continental uplift and lower sea levels, 15 MYA. (21) With the development of the Karst limestone plains, a thin clay soil layer formed. This was followed by a general drying of the climate which prevented significant erosion of the surface. A wet phase 5-3 MYA led to the formation of the Nullarbor caves as the limestone dissolved and stalagmites and stalactites of calcite grew. Caverns continue to enlarge as salt crystals corrode rock walls. (12) During the Miocene period (23 – 5 MYA), these events led to flora and fauna which were tolerant of heat, lack of water and alkaline soil due to calcium carbonate (limestone) and limited the diversity of species seen in other biomes.
Lars Hunt
Location:
The Nullarbor Plains Desert spans Western and Southern Australia, between approximately 30°S-32°S, 121°E-134°E (figure 1) (Ref 1). The Nullarbor plain is bordered by the arid salt lakes region of Western Australia, arid plains of Southern Australia, and North by the Great Victoria Desert. It is bordered on the south by the Great Australian Bight seacoast (Ref 2).
Figure 1 - Location of Nullarbor Plain
Biome:
The Nullarbor Plain, whose name in Latin means "no trees", belongs to the Desert and Xeric Shrubland biome, characterized by semi-arid climate with little precipitation and extreme temperature variation. Typically, deserts may see less than 250 mm of precipitation annually and extreme temperatures may range between 0°C and 50°C.(3). Hot deserts occur mostly into belts in the northern and southern hemisphere, between 15° and 35° latitude. (Ref 4) Characteristics of semi-arid and arid hot deserts include extreme summer temperatures, and …show more content…
The limestone that makes up the Nullarbor plain is a former seabed, made up of calcaneous skeletons of sea animals and red algae which were uplifted from the combination of continental uplift and lower sea levels, 15 MYA. (21) With the development of the Karst limestone plains, a thin clay soil layer formed. This was followed by a general drying of the climate which prevented significant erosion of the surface. A wet phase 5-3 MYA led to the formation of the Nullarbor caves as the limestone dissolved and stalagmites and stalactites of calcite grew. Caverns continue to enlarge as salt crystals corrode rock walls. (12) During the Miocene period (23 – 5 MYA), these events led to flora and fauna which were tolerant of heat, lack of water and alkaline soil due to calcium carbonate (limestone) and limited the diversity of species seen in other biomes.