Australian Natural Resources Atlas

Natural Resource Topics

Australian Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002

Paul Sattler and Colin Creighton
National Land and Water Resources Audit, 2002
ISBN 0 642 3713

2. Scope of the Assessment

Introduction

Diverse wildflower heaths of south-west Western Australia have been extensively cleared

Diverse wildflower heaths of south-west Western Australia have been extensively cleared

Photo: P. Sattler

A range of conservation measures—both on and off reserves—are needed to conserve and manage biodiversity in Australia. This assessment examined biodiversity conservation in terms of three complementary strategies:

These strategies mirror key actions identified in The National Strategy for the Conservation of Australian Biological Diversity (ANZECC 1996). Assessment of their effectiveness in terms of contribution to biodiversity conservation can be used to review progress and return on investment and to identify priorities for further action.

The focus of this assessment is on terrestrial biodiversity, with some elements of freshwater aquatic systems included. This is not intended to downplay the importance of biodiversity and its conservation in freshwater and marine systems, but reflects the resources and time available and complements the Audit's assessment of rivers and estuaries.

Reporting Framework

The Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment has used 85 bioregions (Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia 5.1, Environment Australia 2000) and their 384 component subregions as the reporting framework. The biogeographic regionalisation was developed in collaboration between the Commonwealth and all States and Territories.

Bioregions represent broad landscape patterns that are the result of the interplay between factors including geology, climate and biota.

Subregions represent relatively homogenous units within bioregions and are principally based on geology, geomorphology, or finer climatic differences (Morgan & Terrey 1990). The hierarchical framework, enabling biodiversity to be examined from continental to local scales, had its genesis in a biogeographic regionalisation for Queensland (Stanton & Morgan 1977) and has been demonstrated as a very useful tool for planning biodiversity conservation (e.g. Sattler & Williams 1999). This framework has been the cornerstone in the development of the National Reserve System and bioregional planning more generally (Ahern et al. 2001).

Data on invertebrates is patchy: conclusions cannot be drawn at the Australia-wide scale

Data on invertebrates is patchy: conclusions cannot be drawn at the Australia-wide scale

Photo: R. Lawson

Ecosystems have been delineated for bioregions based on an integrated description of vegetation, landform and geology/soils. The ecosystem level of biodiversity has been specifically assessed as it is highly suitable for addressing biodiversity management needs at a landscape scale. Because ecosystem and vegetation mapping across Australia is at different scales, the information presented in this assessment varies in detail. Nevertheless, the information presented provides an important benchmark for monitoring condition and trend of ecosystems and of landscapes in general, as well as determining priorities for consolidating the protected area system for off-reserve conservation.

Much of the planning for the National Action Plan for Water Quality and Salinity and the extension of the Natural Heritage Trust programs is being undertaken on a catchment basis. Information collated in this assessment can be spatially related to catchment or other administrative planning frameworks. Figure 2.1 illustrates the relationships between the biogeographic regionalisation used in this assesssment and major river basins.

The Landscape Health in Australia Assessment (NLWRA 2001a) developed and collated the subregions for Australia and was the first Australiawide assessment to use subregions as a reporting unit. The Landscape Health Assessment has underpinned much of this assessment by providing a continental classification of the health of regional landscapes from a nature conservation perspective (Figure 2.2). Continental landscape stress was determined for each of the subregions using a decision tree that determined the relative importance of key attributes including:

Figure 2.1 River Basins and IBRA 5.1 regions and subregions
Note: In the hard copy version of this report, the River Basins map is printed on translucent paper to allow it to be overlain on the full-colour IBRA map to assist the user in exploring the relationship between the two planning frameworks. Click on the links below to see the web versions of these maps and their legends.

Collating Biodiversity Information

Biodiversity information collated in the Biodiversity Assessment includes:

The scope of the Biodiversity Assessment was agreed to by all States and Territories as representing a range of key attributes for reporting on the condition and trend of biodiversity. These attributes were recognised as being particularly relevant for input into regional planning and management.

The assessment has involved a mix of quantitative analysis and the collation of expert opinion drawing upon scientists and field staff within conservation agencies and research institutions across Australia.

To facilitate collation, extrapolation and consistent recording of biodiversity information, a standardised database template was distributed to the agency with primary responsibilty for nature conservation in each State and Territory. The individual databases were combined to derive the summary information and create the tables that are accessible from the Atlas.

Where a subregion crossed a jurisdictional boundary, it was the responsibility of the agency within the State or Territory with the largest proportion of the subregion to consult with their cross-border colleagues. Similar consultation was necessary to assess the status of threatened ecosystems within bioregions that crossed State boundaries. Where data was unavailable in time to complete this cross-border reconciliation, the data from the State with the majority of the subregion is reported.

Natural values were recorded in each subregion at a range of scales. For example, rare landscape features such as lava tubes, rare ecosystems and rare species were recorded along with centres of endemism, refugia and areas with high levels of species or ecosystem richness.

A summary report for each bioregion is available on the Atlas. Each report covers natural values, wetlands, riparian zones, ecosystems at risk, species at risk, eucalypts and acacias, birds, mammals, reserve consolidation, off-park conservation, integrated natural resource management and information gaps. In addition, 14 case studies describe in detail the range of biodiversity management challenges facing Australia, the range of methods used to develop bioregional strategies, and the management responses needed. The complete case study reports are available on the Atlas.

Figure 2.2: Continental landscape stress.

Figure 2.2: Continental landscape stress.

Note: Data used are assumed to be correct from the data suppliers.

Map Data Source: Landscape Health in Australia Database 2002. ©Commonwealth of Australia 2002.

Assessment Criteria

Australia-wide datasets such as the one for birds were used in this assessment

Australia-wide datasets such as the one for birds were used in this assessment

Photo: QEPA

To achieve the broad scope of this Biodiversity Assessment, rapid assessment criteria were agreed to by States and Territories. This included agreed categories for the assessment of condition and trend for wetlands and riparian zones (Figure 2.3). Trend was also recorded for threatened ecosystems and species. Threatening processes were recorded as per a specific list (Figure 2.4) to facilitate overall compilation.

The reliability of a number of assessments was recorded including: wetlands of regional significance; riparian zones; the identification of threatened ecosystems; and trend of threatened species (Figure 2.5).

The standard of management of protected areas across bioregions was categorised into four classes—poor, fair, good, and very good (Figure 8.1, Reserves chapter).

Opportunities for species and ecosystem recovery and for integrated natural resource management were categorised across subregions into five classes ranging from 'major constraints' to 'off-park measures significantly in place' or 'well integrated into production' (Figure 9.1, Conservation across the Wider Landscape chapter).

Figure 2.3: Categories used to assess the condition and trend of wetlands, riparian zones, and the trend of species at risk and ecosystems at risk. For riparian zones, the condition assessment is an average across the subregion.The median value was used for subregional scale assessments of condition and trend.
Condition Trend in status/condition
1. Degraded (Recovery unlikely in medium term)
2. Fair (Recovery requires significant management intervention)
3. Good (Recovery would occur in short term with minimum intervention)
4. Near pristine		 1. Extinction e.g. targeted research has not observed species in recent times or no record in last 20 years
2. Status/condition rapidly declining e.g. less than 10 year time frame
3. Status/condition declining
4. Status/condition static5. Status/condition improving
6. Unknown
Figure 2.4 Threatening processes for nationally important wetlands, wetlands of regional
significance, riparian zones and species and ecosystems at risk. Threatening processes are
those that are currently operating, not those that have occurred in the past.
1. Vegetation clearing
2. Increasing fragmentation, loss of remnants and lack of recruitment
3. Firewood collection
4. Grazing pressure
5. Feral animals
6. Exotic weeds
7. Changed fire regimes
8. Pathogens
9. Changed hydrology—dryland salinity and salt water intrusion
10. Changed hydrology—other such as altered flow regimes affecting riparian vegetation
11. Pollution
12. Other—described
Figure 2.5 Categories for the reliability of data used for assessments of wetlands of regional significance, riparian zones, the identification of ecosystems at risk, and trend of species at risk.
1. Anecdotal
2. Qualitative
3. Quantitative and qualitative
4. Quantitative

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