Regional and landscape-scale pressures affecting the land environment

Land (2016, 2011)

Regional and landscape-scale pressures affecting the land environment

Bushfire

The incidence of bushfires continues to increase, with more fires and increasing frequency of return. Funding initiatives to support controlled fires earlier in the season, including fires for ecological purposes or Indigenous management practices, may reduce extent and intensity, but may also increase return times in some northern areas. In the south, infrastructure and residential developments continue to complicate fire management opportunities.

Year(s):

2016

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Comparable

Bushfire

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (those referenced in the text) and information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Current and recent bushfires determined by remote sensing are available through the Western Australian government’s Landgate – FireWatch map service (http://srss.landgate.wa.gov.au/fire.php )

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Bushfire

Bushfire is an inherent component of many Australian ecosystems. Fire regimes have a pervasive impact on environmental values. The extent, frequency and intensity of bushfires are expected to increase as temperature increases due to climate change

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Bushfire

Land clearing

Land clearing, although declining, is still a significant cause of environmental disturbance across Australia, particularly in Queensland

Year(s):

2016

Stable

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Comparable

Land clearing

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (those referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Clearing and habitat modification was given as the most important significant threat to biodiversity (i.e. ranked first) in 56% of responses to a survey conducted for SoE 2016 at the Ecological Society of Australia’s 2015 annual conference.

Annual forest clearing activity is analysed and reported each year as part of the Australian Government’s National Inventory Report (https://www.environment.gov.au/climate-change/greenhouse-gas-measurement/publications/national-inventory-report-2014-revised).

Comments

The impacts of land clearing and its consequences are also discussed in the Biodiversity chapter.

This assessment generated considerable debate among representatives of state agencies, representatives of Australian Government departments and researchers. There is some ongoing contention about definitions of clearing, regrowth and land condition.

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Land clearing

Although land clearing is now balanced by the extent of regrowth, both its immediate and legacy effects continue to threaten environmental values

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Land clearing

Invasive species - diseases

Although many of the world’s worst diseases have been excluded from Australia to date, several fungal pathogens continue to have very significant impacts on native flora and fauna, with knock-on effects on native vegetation and managed systems

Year(s):

2016

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Comparable

Invasive species - diseases

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (those referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Invasive species

Both long-established and newly introduced plant diseases threaten the composition of Australian vegetation communities and the survival of particular species

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Limited

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Invasive species

Invasive species - animals

The review of the Australian Pest Animal Strategy and other studies suggest that the challenges and impacts created by pest animals are as pertinent today as they were in 2007 when the strategy was released. We are still facing new incursions of invasive animals, and expansion of the range of existing pest animal species

Year(s):

2016

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Comparable

Invasive species - animals

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (those referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Comments

The impact of invasive species on biodiversity is also discussed in the Biodiversity chapter.

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Invasive species

Pest animals are widespread; many are well established and difficult to control. New pest species are becoming established

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Invasive species

Invasive species - plants

Expansion of the list of Weeds of National Significance, recognition that some national eradication targets are now unachievable, and an enormous naturalised species pool from which new weeds may emerge as environmental conditions change suggest no diminution of the threat posed to agriculture or the environment

Year(s):

2016

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Comparable

Invasive species - plants

20162011

Land

Pressures

Approach/Process

Assessment grades and trends were determined by the authors through a qualitative assessment of data and information from publicly available or published reports and scientific papers (those referenced in the text), information obtained from jurisdictional State of Environment reporting and/or information supplied directly from the jurisdictions.

Data/Information sources

References cited in text.

Comments

The impact of invasive species on biodiversity is also discussed in the Biodiversity chapter.

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Invasive species

Weeds are ubiquitous across the Australian landscape, and have major impacts on environmental values

Year(s):

2011

Deteriorating

Confidence (in grade):

Adequate

Confidence (in trend):

Adequate

Comparability (to previous reports):

Not assessed

Topics

Regional and landscape-scale pressures: Invasive species

Assessment Summary Key

Grades

Very low impact

There are few or negligible impacts on land environmental values

Low impact

Current and expected impacts are not widespread, and may affect only a small number of land environmental values

High impact

Current and expected impacts are widespread, and may irreversibly affect land environmental values

Very high impact

Current and expected impacts are widespread, and will irreversibly affect land environmental values

Recent Trends

Improving
Stable
Deteriorating
Unclear

Confidence

Adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence and high level of consensus
Somewhat adequate: Adequate high-quality evidence or high level of consensus
Limited: Limited evidence or limited consensus
Very limited: Limited evidence and limited consensus
Low: Evidence and consensus too low to make an assessment

Comparability

Comparable: Grade and trend are comparable to the previous assessment
Somewhat comparable: Grade and trend are somewhat comparable to the previous assessment
Not comparable: Grade and trend are not comparable to the previous assessment
Not previously assessed

Metcalfe D, Bui E (2016). Land: Regional and landscape-scale pressures affecting the land environment. In: Australia state of the environment 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/assessment-summary-56-regional-and-landscape-scale-pressures-affecting-land-environment, DOI 10.4226/94/58b6585f94911

The assessment summaries in State of the Environment reporting provide snapshots of key information, and focus on identifying areas for continued or more concentrated attention on strengthening environmental systems to cope with pressures in the future. Assessment summaries are provided for state and trend, pressures and management responses in each of the themes. The summary text in the assessment tables should be read in conjunction with the explanatory text in each section of the theme chapters.

The authors have indicated the strength of the evidence for assessments with a ‘level of confidence’. If adequate high-quality data were available or consensus was high, confidence is indicated as high. If there were only limited data or consensus to determine grades, confidence is indicated as low. Where data are insufficient to attempt scores, this is also indicated, and the component remains on the list to remind readers that it is still an important aspect of the Australian environment, and that more information is needed to improve our understanding and capacity to respond to environmental challenges.

Regional and landscape-scale pressures affecting the land environment