NATSC13 HF22 Faisal Alonto Jr.

1. Sydney, Australia Wilhelm U Aquino NATSC13 Mid-Term PBL Project

2. Located in the Eastern corner of the Australian continent.

3. Australia has 3 parts (ecologically speaking) divided into three parts according to the dominant Biome each part has. The middle part is a Desert, the inner core has a Savanna biome, and the outer part, where Sydney is located, has a Tropical Biome.

4. General Climate Information Precipitation/year: 0-10inches Temperate Climate Coolest: 46-61⁰F Warmest: 113.5⁰F Rainfall is spread throughout the year, giving a cold feel to the dominant climate of this grassland biome part of Australia.

5. Fauna Fairy Penguin (Eudyptual Minor) FF: These cute little birds live only has an average lifespan of seven (7) years. Red Kangaroo (Macropus Rufus) FF: They are the most hated animals by farm owners in Australia ‘coz they obliterate them when they feed on them. Koala (PhasclarctasCinereus) FF: Koalas, when frightened, make loud, annoying noise.

6. Fauna Banded Hare Wallaby (LagostrophusFasciatus) FF: Mother wallabies have extra pouches in case a friend wallaby dies (and takes the offspring wallaby into her pouch). Amputa (DasycercusHillieri) FF: They hate the summer sun and come out only during the warm winter days. Eastern Barred Bandicoot (PeramelesGunnii) FF: These animals go on a diet with feeding preferences such as moths and beetles.

7. Flora Desert Oak (AllocasuarinaDecaisneana) FF: This tree houses the Australian Princess Parrot (most of them are housed by one nest). Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Spp) FF: Few animals feed on this because when they do so it releases a gooey sap. Cabbage Palms (LivistonaMariae) FF: It is the official City Tree of Florida and South Carolina.

8. Flora Pencil Pine (AthrotaxisCupreeoides) FF: Although it seems like it, Pencils are not made from these. Bunya Pine (Araucaria Bidwillii) FF: When seen from atop, resembles Pineapples. Boab (AdansoniaGregorii) FF: During the 1890s in Australia some used these to imprison slaves.

9. Importance? In my opinion, the Grassland is the most important kind of Biome in our Ecosystem. Grassland houses the most # of species of plants and animals in our ecosystem. If the Grassland biome is neglected and gets obliterated, a lot of earthly species will come to extinction and will eventually affect a lot of food webs. Knowing this, not only the organisms in a grassland will vanish, but other organisms (not included in Grasslands) which require these organisms to live. Grassland biomes, in my opinion, also houses the best atmosphere (weather/climate) all year round. Their summer are not so hot, and personally, I like their really cool winters. Basically, the Grassland biome symbolizes the Earth itself, the grassland biome symbolizes Life at its peak, where a lot of different organisms communicate/meet with one another and approve the next generation of living organisms.

10. References http://www.musc.edu/cando/ausdwnun/biom.html http://www.australianfauna.com/ http://www.australianexplorer.com/australian_flora.htm