Global biodiversity hotspots
Australia is one of seventeen countries described as being 'megadiverse'. This group of countries has less than 10% of the global surface, but support more than 70% of the biological diversity on earth.
The concept was first developed by Russell Mittermeier in 1988, as a way to prioritise conservation action.
National biodiversity hotspots
The Australian Government announced 15 national biodiversity hotspots
in October 2003. Whilst international biodiversity hotspots have been
identified for some time, this was the first attempt to identify
biodiversity hotspots at the national scale.
These 15 areas are examples of locations that contain particularly
high levels of biodiversity under threat.
The dominant vegetation of this area includes woodlands of Wandoo,
York Gum, Salmon Gum, Casuarina and some areas of proteaceous scrub
heaths. The woodlands contain many of Western Australia's threatened
plants and birds.
The area is particularly rich in endemic plants -
Grevilleas, Hakeas, Eucalypts, Acacias, Eriostemons, and the Asteracea
family - and invertebrates, particularly ground-dwelling spiders.
Most of the native vegetation has been cleared for agriculture and
grazing, leading to extensive salinity problems over one-third of the
area. Remnant vegetation, wetlands, river systems, populations of
species and ecosystems are in poor condition, and the fragmentation of
vegetation means an increased threat of weeds, fire, and feral animals.
Sedimentation, salination and other pressures such as water
diversion and water pollution threaten the area's nationally important
wetlands.
For detailed info on the flora and fauna of the Avon Wheatbelt IBRA Region visit the Biodiversity Programs resources page.
For more information about Biodiversity Hotspots visit this link, or contact Wheatbelt NRM on info@wheatbeltNRM.org.au
No comments:
Post a Comment