Some parts of northern Australia get a lot of rain in summer but little rain during winter. People call the summer here "the wet" because of the heavy rain, and they call winter "the dry". This kind of climate is called monsoonal.
Life in this region must adapt to two very different seasons. One season is wet, humid and hot. The other season is dry and hot. Plants and animals must cope with times when there is too much water and times when there is not enough.
Along the coast of the monsoonal areas are beaches, cliffs and mud flats. In many places mangrove trees line the shores.
Many rivers and streams flow quickly into the sea during the wet.
Animals that live in coastal monsoon areas have
- plenty of water in "the wet" months
- not much water in "the dry" months
- lots of salt in some places but not much in others.
Port
Douglas. |
 Vegetation
Back from the coast, this region is characterised by a low dense canopy of trees and thick vine growth. Large trees can be deciduous, shedding their leaves for the long dry season to reduce moisture loss. Growing in mud along sections of the coast and river outlets are different types of mangrove forests. Pandanus plants with stilted roots grow along the edges of sandy beaches. |