SIMPSON DESERT
The Simpson Desert is in the centre of Australia, crossing over the boarders into the states of South Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland. It stretches almost 200 000km square. It is full of kilometre long sand dunes and grasses adapted to the extreme conditions.
HOW WAS IT FORMED:
The creation of the Simpson Desert began about 270 million years ago after all the glaciers in the area had melted. Sedimentary pieces of sand mud and small stones carried by the water and glaciers, landed in the depressions of the earth where the desert is and formed a layer, with freshwater lakes above it. This later became the seal over the Pedrika Basin. As the earth moved, the ground shifted and created a down warp. This then filled again with sedimentary layers and freshwater lakes, forming the Eromanga Basin 225 million years ago. The cycle continues over the millions of years, until a 200m layer of sediment became the base of the sand dunes we see now. About 1.8 million years ago, changes in climate dried up all the lakes and rivers making the arid environment of today.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
As the conditions of the Simpson Desert are so extreme, it has forced many plants and animals to adapt. This means it is full of animals and plants only found in Australia, in desert areas like this. Some of these include the Spinifex Hopping Mouse. It is descended from the regular mouse, but doesn’t need to drink water, as their food sources of roots and insects produce enough water for them to survive off. Their kidneys also seem to use as little water as possible and rich milk from mothers to babies limit their need to find extra water.
HOW WAS IT FORMED:
The creation of the Simpson Desert began about 270 million years ago after all the glaciers in the area had melted. Sedimentary pieces of sand mud and small stones carried by the water and glaciers, landed in the depressions of the earth where the desert is and formed a layer, with freshwater lakes above it. This later became the seal over the Pedrika Basin. As the earth moved, the ground shifted and created a down warp. This then filled again with sedimentary layers and freshwater lakes, forming the Eromanga Basin 225 million years ago. The cycle continues over the millions of years, until a 200m layer of sediment became the base of the sand dunes we see now. About 1.8 million years ago, changes in climate dried up all the lakes and rivers making the arid environment of today.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
As the conditions of the Simpson Desert are so extreme, it has forced many plants and animals to adapt. This means it is full of animals and plants only found in Australia, in desert areas like this. Some of these include the Spinifex Hopping Mouse. It is descended from the regular mouse, but doesn’t need to drink water, as their food sources of roots and insects produce enough water for them to survive off. Their kidneys also seem to use as little water as possible and rich milk from mothers to babies limit their need to find extra water.