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12 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Which principle lands made up the super continent "Gondwana"?
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South America, Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Antarctica, New Caledonia. (Africa & India)
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The final Gondwana separation of Antarctica, Australia and South America occurred when?
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35 MYA
(Africa & India - 90 MYA) |
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Give an example of how Gondwanan tectonics could influence an organism's distribution.
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Ex. Nothofagus distribution is "circumpolar" or its fossil record exhibits Southern Pole Distribution (those continents which were once part of Gondwana)
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Plate Tectonics:
-Areas where new crust is being created from the upwelling of mantle in ocean basin are called? (involves paleomagnetism) |
-Mid oceanic ridges
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-Areas where old crust is being destroyed (one plate forces another down) are called?
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-Subduction Zones
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Why is Australia considered a geologically stable continent?
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Australia is in the middle of its plate; no active volcanoes, mountains being formed, earthquakes etc. Whereas New Zealand, New Guinea are located on plate margins and have geologic activity
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Give the significance of the three physiographic regions of Australia (Western Plateau, Interior Lowlands, Eastern Uplands)
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Western Plateau: oldest rocks in the world (also, inverted drainage leading to huge rock formations)
Interior Lowlands: flat basin formed by shallow inland seas (during Mesozoic time) Eastern Uplands: the main divide (edge between east and west flowing river catchments) the great escarpment (chain of cliffs and gorges) and extinct hot spot volcanoes |
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The basalt rock from the extinct hot spot volcanoes is important for what reason?
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It weathers to nutrient rich soils along the chain of volcanoes, leading to the development of rainforests along the eastern coast of Australia
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Australian vegetation has adapted to soil that is generally low in what two key nutrients?
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Nitrogen and Phosphorus
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Briefly describe the Rainshadow Effect.
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Mountains formed by extinct volcanoes intercept moisture heavy air moving in from the sea, causing rain on the coastal side of the mountains and a dry climate past them
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List the five factors of soil formation.
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Parent Rock, Topography, Climate, Organisms, & Age
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Soil composition in the outback mesas
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Skeletal soils with exposed rock, water run-off = bad conditions above
Relatively fertile soils below -"Old, stable, weathered, flat, infertile" |
