Australian Desert by Brandon Williams JR https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9 en-us 2022-11-29 14:21:08 UTC 2025-12-21 17:54:46 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f3dc.png Characteristics brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402003699 Plants: Wildflowers, Paintbrushes, Phacelia, Trees and Shrubs, Joshua Tree's, Palo Verde Tree's, Yucca and agave. 



Animals: Feral Camels, Dingoes, Goannas, Lizards, birds, Red Dragons, Thorny Devils, Bearded Dragons and Red Kangaroos


Climate: = The Great Sandy Desert is a hot subtropical desert at low elevation.


Location: Lies between Kimberley and Pilbara regions in the north of western Australia.]]> 2022-11-29 14:34:09 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402003699 Oasis Water Source / Physical / Chemical Properties brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402031381 In the Australian Desert Oasis is an area made fertile by a source of freshwater
In an dry and arid region in the desert.  Its also irrigated by natural springs and other underground water sources.

Physical Properties/ Chemical Properties
The Desert soil is mostly sandy (90-95%) found in low rainfall regions. It has a low content of nitrogen and organic matter with very high calcium carbonate and phosphate thus making in infertile. The amount of calcium is 10 times higher in the lower layer than the topsoil.

]]> 2022-11-29 14:48:58 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402031381 Food Web brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402949449 Producers- Cactus, Grasses, Plants, Yucca.
Primary consumers- Insects, Mice, Rats, Turtles.  
Secondary consumers- Scorpions, Lizards, Fox Jackrabbit.
Tertiary Consumers- Rattlesnakes, Hawks, Eagles,  Desert Lion.
]]> 2022-11-30 03:30:16 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402949449 Keystone Species brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402953488 Indian vulture
scavengers may seem like unlikely candidates for keystone species, they can play a crucial role by removing rotting meat that would otherwise spread disease./

Desert Tortoises 
They disperse seeds from the native desert plants that they eat, which in turn repopulates the desert ecosystem. Thanks to these key components in their niche, desert tortoises can be considered a keystone species of the desert ecosystem.


]]> 2022-11-30 03:35:11 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402953488 Endemic Species brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402953958 Lotus Flowers
Most types of lotus require plenty of space and a full sun location to thrive. The non-native lotus species is very aggressive, The  lotus is not as aggressive but can also be planted in a container for ease of care but they are mostly found in the Desert where they can grow faster.

 Pierson's pincushion
The plants are in bloom between August and November. It is an endemic species that only grows in a small area of the Western Coast of the Desert in Australia.
]]> 2022-11-30 03:35:45 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2402953958 Invasive Species Buffelgrass brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405118339 Buffelgrass is a perennial grass from Africa that is invasive to the western desert in Australia and the Southwest deserts in California United States. Where it threatens desert ecosystems by out-competing native plants and altering fire risks. ]]> 2022-12-01 13:26:33 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405118339 Indicator Species brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405205564  Whitethorn acacia
Creosote bushes do spread themselves out rather evenly across the desert. This is most likely due to “water wars” between the roots of other Creosote bushes, rather than to inhibiting chemicals.  The leaves are small and coated with natural oils and wax to conserve water through slower evaporation. During dry periods, creosote leaves fold in half to cut their exposure to the sun. During severe drought periods, the creosote bush drops its leaves entirely and remains somewhat dormant until precipitation arrives]]> 2022-12-01 14:23:46 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405205564 Endangered species brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405214665  Bonytail Chub
Threats to the species include streamflow regulation, habitat modification, competition with and predation by nonnative fish species, hybridization, and pesticides and pollutants. The bonytail chub's population sizes are small, and continue to become even smaller. The depletion of the population is primarily due to the habitat alterations caused by dams and due to competition and predation by non-native fish.


]]> 2022-12-01 14:28:48 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405214665 Unique Plant/Animal Adaptation brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405221276 Plant Leaves and stems of many desert plants have a thick, waxy covering, keeping the plants cooler and reducing evaporative loss. Some plants, such as Ephedra (Mormon tea) and cacti, carry out most or all of their photosynthesis in their green stems

Animals The absence of sweat glands, and the concentration of urine are other physical adaptations made by desert animals. Because fat intensifies heat, a unique physical adaptation of some desert animals is the storage of fat in humps or tails, rather than throughout the entire body.]]> 2022-12-01 14:32:50 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2405221276 The Cycles brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2406142765 The Nitrogen Cycle Normally, nitrogen becomes available in dry environments, such as deserts, through the conversion of nitrogen in the atmosphere to a form that plants can use, a process called “nitrogen fixation.” These tasks are often performed by leguminous plants, like peas and beans, and microbes. 

The Carbon Cycle It involves the desert plants absorbing carbon dioxide together with sunlight and water in the process called photosynthesis, to make food and carbon rich compounds. When plants wither and die, they undergo decomposition. 

The Water Cycle Heat causes liquid and frozen water to evaporate into water vapor gas, which rises high in the sky to form clouds... clouds that move over the globe and drop rain and snow. This process is a large part of the water cycle. Even in a dry desert environment, the water cycle is taking place.]]> 2022-12-02 04:35:28 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2406142765 Biodiversity brandonwilliams22 https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2406147480  There are far fewer species supported by the extreme climate compared to other biomes. This is due to the high temperatures, low rainfall and a lack of available water.  Most of them are succulents, which mean that they store water. The great wealth of plant and animal life in desert areas are also an important source of local livelihoods. Many of the wild plants are an important source of food for local communities. Any change in climate will be further detrimental to the vast biodiversity of deserts. Therefore, there is need to implement ecosystem based management to protect desert biodiversity and other natural resources]]> 2022-12-02 04:42:34 UTC https://padlet.com/brandonwilliams22/6dz0v1l5hh7kdin9/wish/2406147480