The Australian Outback Food Web

The Australian Outback

Mostly deserts

Sparsely populated region

Introduction

Price, C. (2022) What is the australian outback desert?, Quora. Available at: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-Australian-outback-desert (Accessed: October 5, 2022).

Eucalyptus Tree (Eucalyptus globulus)

• Producer
• Autotroph
• Conducts photosynthesis to produce food
• Native to Australia
• Leaves are eaten by Koalas

Eucalyptus tree

Mulga Tree (Acacia Aneura)

Mulga Tree

• Producer
• Autotroph
• Conducts photosynthesis to produce food
• Leaves eaten by Kangaroos in times of drought

True Grass (Poaceae)

True Grass

• Producer
• Autotroph
• Conducts photosynthesis to produce food
• Very common plant

Marigold (Tagetes)

Marigold

• Producer
• Autotroph
• Conducts photosynthesis to produce food
• Eaten by Emu, Princess Parrot, Red Kangaroo and Bull Ant

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Koala

• Primary consumer
• Heterotroph
• Herbivore
• Fun fact: most time is spent in eucalyptus trees sleeping and feeding
• Main Diet: Tree leaves

Red Kangaroo (Macropus Rufus)

Red Kangaroo

• Primary consumer
• Heterotroph
• Herbivore
• Fun fact: Largest Marsupial in the world
• Main Diet: grass and tree leaves

Princess Parrot (Polytelis Alexandre)

• Primary consumer
• Heterotroph
• Herbivore
• Fun fact: They can talk
• Main Diet: flower seeds and tree leaves

Princess Parrot

Inchman Bull Ant (Myrmecia Esuriens)

Inchman Bull Ant

• Primary consumer
• Heterotroph
• Herbivore
• Main Diet: Leaves and nectar
• Fun fact: They are very venomous

Emu (Dromaius Novaehollandiae)

Emu

• Secondary consumer
• Omnivore
• Heterotroph
• Fun fact: They are flightless
• Main Diet: Plants and insects

Thorny Devil (Moloch Horridus)

Thorny Devil

• Secondary consumer
• Heterotroph
• Carnivore/insectivore
• Fun Fact: They puff themselves to appear bigger
• Main Diet: Ants

Dingo (Canis Lupus Dingo)

Dingo

• Tertiary consumer
• Carnivore
• Heterotroph
• Fun Fact: They hunt in packs
• Main Diet: small to medium sized animals

Wedge-Tailed Eagle (Aquila Audax)

Wedge-Tailed Eagle

• Tertiary consumer
• Heterotroph
• Carnivore
• Behavior: They are solitary until they find a partner
• Main Diet: Rabbits and sometimes larger animals

References

Kalman, B. and Dyer, H. (2007) Australian Outback Food Chains. Google. https://books.google.com.hk/books?id=RL98sJ9nnMsC&lpg=PA4&ots=1DmY4y-Uwx&dq=+food+web+australia+outback&lr&pg=PA25#v=onepage&q=food%20web%20australia%20outback&f=false

bocken, stephane (2005) Mac donnell range, TrekEarth. https://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Oceania/Australia/West/Northern_Territory/Mac_Donnell_Range/photo172717.htm

Irlbeck, N.A. and Hume, I.D. (2003) The role of acacia in the diets of Australian marsupials ? A review. Csiro Publishing. https://www.publish.csiro.au/AM/AM03121#:~:text=Acacia%20foliage%20is%20generally%20high,in%20dry%20seasons%20and%20drought).

Carter, L. (2022, April 21). Red Kangaroo. Australian Museum. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/red-kangarooCarter,

(2022, April 21). Koala. The Australian Museum. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/mammals/koala/.

(2022) Wedge-tailed eagle The Animal Facts. https://www.theanimalfacts.com/birds/wedge-tailed-eagle/

(2022) Thorny Devil - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio. Animalia.bio. https://animalia.bio/thorny-devil.

Silcocks, A. (2022). Princess Parrot | BirdLife. Birdlife.org.au. https://www.birdlife.org.au/projects/woodland-birds-for-biodiversity/princess-parrot.

Peters, D. (2016). Roger the musclebound kangaroo poses for an another intimidating photo. Daily Mail. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3434736/Come-bro-Roger-musclebound-kangaroo-looks-like-s-hitting-weights.html

(2022, March 24) Koala facts. Environment | Department of Environment and Science, Queensland. https://environment.des.qld.gov.au/wildlife/animals/living-with/koalas/facts#:~:text=Koalas%20are%20well%2Dknown%20for,the%20palms%20of%20their%20paws.

(2020) Princess Parrot - eBird. Ebird.org. https://ebird.org/species/alepar1.

Rafferty, J. (2022, September 1). emu | Description, Habitat, Diet, Height, Speed, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/emu.

Boles, W. (2020, December 10). Emu. The Australian Museum. https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/emu/.

Lariviere, S. (2022, September 5). dingo | Diet, Habitat, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/dingo-mammal.

References