Coolgardie (biogeographic region)

The IBRA regions, with Coolgardie in red

Coolgardie is an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) region and a World Wildlife Fund ecoregion consisting of an area of low hills and plains of infertile sandy soil in Western Australia. ^{[1][2] [3]}

Location and description

This is a transition zone between the Mediterranean climate of Australia's south-west coast and the country's dry interior. The poor soil makes it unsuitable for agriculture but Coolgardie has been a gold and nickel mining area.

Flora

The low hills are home to woodland of endemic species of eucalyptus while the sand plains are covered in scrubland. The areas nearer the west coast have more protea flowers while the drier inland is home to acacia trees and kwongan heathland.

Fauna

Wildlife of the Coolgardie region includes birds such as Malleefowl, Laughing Kookaburra and the Barking Owl, and reptiles such as Thorny Devils and Desert Death Adders. Mammals include the egg-laying anteaters Echidna, and many marsupials, including the brushtail possum, red kangaroo, Eastern Wallaroo, and the bilby.

References

1. ^ Environment Australia. Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) and Development of Version 5.1 - Summary Report. Department of the Environment and Water Resources, Australian Government. Archived from the original on 2006-09-05. http://web.archive.org/web/20060905215218/http://www.deh.gov.au/parks/nrs/ibra/version5-1/summary-report/index.html. Retrieved 2007-01-31. 
2. ^ IBRA Version 6.1 data
3. ^ http://www.worldwildlife.org/wildworld/profiles/terrestrial/aa/aa1201_full.html

Further reading

• Thackway, R and I D Cresswell (1995) An interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia : a framework for setting priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program Version 4.0 Canberra : Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Reserve Systems Unit, 1995. ISBN 0642213712