Simpson+Desert

Q.1 What are the main plant species found in your desert area? List and describe 5 types of plant/tree or shrub in you desert. IE Tall, spiky, flowers.
1.Georgina gidgee is the only tree in the Simpson desert it is a small twisted tree that has greenish brown leaves.During the rare desert rains the tree lets out a unpleasant oder.

2.Sandhill canegrass grows on the sand dunes and provides a home for many wild animals that live in the Simpson desert.Only going though a rare rain full though summer it will be green but then for the rest of the year it will appear to be died.

3.Narrow-leaved hopbush is very common in the dune fields, and has very thin leaves and they are very sticky that attract ants. The shrub produces fruit that dries on the plant and turns an attractive pink color and it attract ants.

4.tumbleweed are blown around the entire desert.A tumbleweed breaks away from it's roots and then it dries up and blows around and while it is going around it is dropping little seeds around as it goes.

5.A cacti can store water in their stems, and have a waxy skin to stop moisture from leaving and the cacti barley lets out water to the air and can grow up to 18 meters high and can weigh up to ten tones.

Q.2 Describe ways that your 5 chosen plant/tree/shrub adapt or survive in desert conditions. IE They are able to retain water, they don't require much water, they have deep root systems.
1.Georgina gidgee uses the rain that rarely falls to store away and use that to keep them alive and they release this nasty oder and that is from inside.

2.Sandhill canegrass don't need as much water as others so they can stay without any water for a long time but they will have to get water sooner or later.

3.Narrow-leaved hop-bush have very long roots and so they can easily get water from around and doesn't need to store lots.

4.The Tumbleweed doesn't need any water because it dries up and spreads around without actually using any roots for long.

5.A cacti stores water very well and it only ever lets out a little bit of water out of it's spines.It can store Lots of water.

geologist: - Cody

Q.1 List and describe the type of terrain found in your desert. IE rock, sand, stone, mountainous, flat, icy? The Simpson desert covers over 100,000 square km of mainly flat ans masive sand and some rocky mountains in central Australia. Q.2 What are the key landforms found in your desert area? Provide a description of each. (Chapter 8.3 of your textbook may be helpful for this) The main land forms are sand dunes with not many plants and there are about 23 different sorts of animals

Species' that are found in the Simpson desert are: Mulgara, Eryean Grasswren, Sand-Sliding Skinks, Water-Holding Frogs, Spinifex Hopping mouse, Bilby, Kangaroo, Dingo, Marsupial Mole, Quokka, Rabbit-Eared Bandicoot, Perentie, Yellow-Faced Whip Snake, Kowri, Thorny devil, Arabian Camel, Rattle Snake, many species of Monitor (lizard) and many species of Dragon.

Sand-Sliding Skink Build: Often mistaken for snakes because of their long slender bodies and barely visable lags. Length: Up to 13 cm long Tail Length: 26 cm long Body: Thin, shiny, grayish/white bodies with a light red colour tan Belly: Yellow scales Leg’s: Smooth creamy coloured legs.

Thorny Devil Build: Long body and short legs both coverd in spikes with a lump of fat on the back of it’s neck. Length: 16 to 20cm Diet: Insect’s, birds, mice, lizards and rattle snakes. Predator’s: Man and Bustards (large bird) Adaptions: Has a lump of fat on the neck, rainwater is conveyed through a capillary system to it's neck.

Mulgara Build: Look’s a lot like a large mouse Length: 12 to 22cm long Tail Length: 7 to 13cm Diet: Mostly insects, some lizards and newborn snakes

Rattle Snake Size: uo to 2.5m long Diet: Birds, amphibians, mice and rats Predators: King Snake, roadrunner, birds of prey and man. Adaptions: Picks up animal scents with its forked tongue, shakes its tail to warn enemies.

Red Kangaroo Description: Pointed ears and a squared muzzle Male: Short red/brown fur fading to a paler colour underneath and on the limbs, can be up to 3m tall and weigh 90kg Female: Smaller than the males with a blue/grey fur with a brown tingewith a light grey underneath and on limbs, ca be up to 1.1 metres tall and 35kg. Tails: Can be between 0.9 and 1m long. Diet: Shrubs and other greenery Adaption: Lick's paws and legs to keep cool, burrows in sand to keep cool during the day.

Threats to the animals in the Simpson desert are us as humans because as our society continues to expand out towards the deserts we begin to destroy the animals homes and habitat. Climate change can also affect them because as it gets hotter in the deserts the little bit of moisture they were able to get becomes less and less.