Swan Coastal Plain

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Swan Coastal Plain as viewed from Darling Scarp
Swan Coastal Plain in the IBRA system

The Swan Coastal Plain (German: Swan coastal plain ) in Western Australia is a geographical area - a geological and biological region that the Interim Biogeographic Regionalization for Australia is counted (IBRA). The plain is also part of the West Australian Shield .

location

The plain forms a 30 km wide strip that lies west of the Darling Scarp , to the Indian Ocean and from Cape Naturaliste in the south to Perth . The sandy area formed dunes on the coast. The coastal plain is traversed from east to west by numerous rivers, such as the Swan River and Canning River with their tributaries, which also formed wetlands.

There is a mild Mediterranean climate on the coast of this landscape area .

geology

The sandy deposits in the Perth Basin , which formed in the Tertiary , contain travertine and sand-lime stones with shells. Perth was built on sand dunes that were formed in the Pleistocene during the last ice age. The sand dune system extends into the ocean, in which there are partially deposits of eroded limestone and sand-lime stones and also reefs.

Flora and fauna

Southwest Australia has a rich flora with around 8,000 species, a quarter of which is on the coast. The flora on the dunes as well as on the plain was formed by bushes and in the river valleys, where there are better soils, eucalyptus grow , in the forests banksia and other tree species. In the wetlands there is an important ecology with numerous different plants.

The western gray kangaroo and the small Southwestern pygmy possum and mouse-like honeybuck live in the coastal plain ; on the islands off the coast the Derby Wallaby and the Quokka , this especially on Rottnest Island .

history

Before the British colonization, the Aborigines of the Yued, Whadjuk , Binjareb and Wardandi, a clan of the Noongar who lived there as hunters and gatherers , lived in this area .

The Europeans who invaded this area displaced and settled the Aborigines and drained numerous wetlands. They use it as farmland, created parks and created land areas for those seeking relaxation.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ deh.gov.au ( Memento of September 5, 2006 in the Internet Archive ): Department of the Environment and Water Resources (Ed.): Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalization for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 - Summery
  2. ↑ Department of the Environment and Water Resources (Ed.): Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalization for Australia (IBRA) and Development - Version 5.1 ( Memento of September 5, 2006 in the Internet Archive )

Web links

Commons : Swan Coastal Plain  - Collection of images, videos and audio files