Types and Characteristics of Different Environments

By Martin Eriksson

Student Activity

List down all the outdoor environments you have been to.Next to these briefly describe the main characteristics/features of these?

• Vegetation – tree types etc.• Terrain – rocky, hilly, flat • Weather – snow, hot, cold, wet, dry, windy

What type of environment would you consider this to be?

Factors of Natural Environments

GeologyClimatePosition and aspect

From OES VCE 1-4 (2002)

Geology

Type of soils and rocksHow much rock has eroded to become soilDrainage of soil and rocksTopography

Shape of the land

Climate

RainfallTemperatureWind patternsDaylight hoursEvaporationFrostsSnowcover

Position and Aspect

Aspect refers to the direction slopeEg. A southerly aspect faces south therefore having more shade than a northerly aspect. This may effect the vegetation that grows there.

Geographical locationEg. Queensland compared to Victoria

Some Different EnvironmentsAlpineDry Forests and WoodlandsWet forests and rainforestsGrasslandsHeathlandsCoastalMarineArid and semi-aridWetlands

Alpine

Alpine

The word alpine means ‘above the treeline’.Area where it is too cold for trees to survive.Often snow country is referred to as alpine.Main vegetation is grasses, flowers, heath and shrub.Snow cover is common, particularly in winter months.

Australian Alpine - Summer

Australian Alpine - Winter

Dry Forests and Woodlands

Dry Forests and WoodlandsConsisting often of tall trees.Support a variety of plants and animals.Much of Victorias dry forests and woodlands have been effected by:

clearing during gold rushminingtimber harvestingGrazing

Box-Ironbark forest at Rushworth, or Mt. Samaria

Wet Forests and Rainforests

Wet Forests and Rainforests

Forests with less sunlight due to canopy.The worlds largest flowering plant – Mountain Ash (up to 100m tall)Tall trees subject to timber harvesting.Lake Mountain, Wilsons Prom.

Grasslands

Grasslands

More open plains.Target for grazing and free to settlers.Less than 1% left today in small pockets under threat.Once extensive between the Murray Valley and the Great Dividing Range.

Heathlands

Heathlands

Low, shrubby with twisted trees.Exposed to dry winds.Close relationship with fire – hard woody seed pods open after fire.Over 80 species of birds inhabit this ecosystem in Victoria.Coastal areas up to Divide – Eg. Wilsons Promontory.

Coastal

Coastal

Area dividing land and ocean.Coastal weather generally more moderate than inland.Waters edge may be significantly eroded by wind and water.Intertidal wildlife require great adaptability to dry and wet conditions.

Wilsons Promontory

Marine

Marine

Seas and oceans.2/3’s of the worlds surface.Still largely unexplored and unknown.Great variety of wildlife.Ocean currents of warm and cold follow patterns from season to season.

Jarasite Reef

Arid/Semi Arid

Arid/DesertDry environment.Often sandy due to vast inland sea millions of years ago.Commonly low mallee scrub of eucalypts that withstand long periods of harsh conditions.Often considered uninhabitable and not interesting.Eg. Little Desert.

Little Desert

Wetlands

Wetlands

Rivers, creeks, lakes and swamps.Inland areas often flood during winter although this has changed with irrigation weirs and dams.A major function is water purification.Ideal for recreation.Eg. Barmah Lake, Gippsland Lakes.

Barmah State Forest