Growing concerns over environmental degradation, climate change and migrations, made graduates of geographical courses highly in demand in different sectors. In Australia for example, individuals with deep understanding of the country’s geographical history and make-up, played important professions in improving the quality of the country’s land surface. After all, geography is one of the most relevant courses that provide companies with R&D information used in advancing land-improvement technologies.
Companies have for years been in the business of rendering foundation underpinning services used as remedies for soil strengthening and improvement necessary in construction projects.
Examples of Important Geographical Information to Learn About Australia
Australia and other islands in the Pacific region like New Zealand and New Guinea have highlands or mountain ranges as core features. These three regions have similar highland compositions but have different physical features. Australia has the Great Dividing Range, New Guinea has the New Guinea Highlands while New Zealand has 2, namely: the Southern Alps and the North Island Volcanic Plateau.
Based on geographical studies, these highlands are tectonic plates squeezed together which cause the land to push upwards and create “fold mountains.” Yet, New Zealand and New Guinea’s fold mountains have volcanic features. Their tectonic activities have resulted in different environmental processes that gave the regions their own distinct physical features.
It should be understood that “fold mountains” are landforms filled with rocks and debris that had folded and warped into becoming mountain ranges, rocky mountains, hills, or limestone formations.
Due to Australia’s location in the dry Tropic of Capricorn, the country has large inland plains consisting of deserts and semi-arid soil surfaces. That is why Australia’s landscape is often described as overshadowed by the Outbacks.
Unlike New Zealand, this country’s highland elevation and proximity to cold, moisture-filled winds, form glaciers that form part of Zealandia’s landscape.
New Guinea is also different because its highland consists of rain forests because of its location directly underneath the warm Equator and exposure to moisture-bearing winds.
Origins of Australia’s Flora and Fauna
The flora and fauna across the islands of Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea are mostly from Southern Asia, which arrived after the migrations during the last glacial period. The animals later evolved into becoming unique species after sea levels began rising, which changed the environment of communities in the region. However not all animals were able to evolve and survive and had instead gone into extinction.
Australia has more than 110 species of birds including a host of many seabirds that moved from island to island. That being the case, seed dispersal activities have allowed plant growth despite the country’s semi-arid landscape.