State and trends of species populations and groups

Coasts
State and trends
Biodiversity: Threatened species
State and trends of species populations and groups
Component
Summary
Grade
Very poor Poor Good Very good
Confidence
In Grade In Trend
Comparability
To previous years

Shorebird species

In severe decline due to loss of critical habitat in Australia and overseas.

Year(s): 
2016
1
Deteriorating
Confidence (in grade): 
Somewhat adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Shorebird species

2016
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Crocodiles - Saltwater

This component has changed from 2011.

  • 'Crocodiles' has been moved from Marine environment to Coasts
  • 'Crocodiles' has been split into 'Crocodiles - Freshwater' and 'Crocodiles - Saltwater'

The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.

Populations are healthy and growing under protection from hunting, particularly in the Northern Territory.

Year(s): 
2016
3
Improving
Confidence (in grade): 
Somewhat adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Somewhat adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Somewhat comparable

Crocodiles - Saltwater

20162011
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Populations increasing

Year(s): 
2011
4
Improving
Confidence (in grade): 
Adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Topics

Crocodiles - Freshwater

This component has changed from 2011.

  • 'Crocodiles' has been moved from Marine environment to Coasts
  • 'Crocodiles' has been split into 'Crocodiles - Freshwater' and 'Crocodiles - Saltwater'

The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.

Major populations in the Northern Territory are declining because of impacts of cane toads

Year(s): 
2016
2
Deteriorating
Confidence (in grade): 
Somewhat adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Somewhat adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Somewhat comparable

Crocodiles - Freshwater

20162011
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Populations increasing

Year(s): 
2011
4
Improving
Confidence (in grade): 
Adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Topics

Dugongs

This component has changed from 2011.

  • The component has been moved from Marine environment to Coasts

The original 2011 summary, grade, trend and confidence levels have been replicated here to assist comparison of changes between reporting cycles.

Good in Torres Strait, and likely good in most of the remote regions of northern Australia, with the likely exception of the northern Great Barrier Reef. Poor and deteriorating in the southern Great Barrier Reef region (south of Cooktown). Stable in south-east Queensland. Declines because of habitat loss, gill netting and extreme weather events in past 5 years.

Year(s): 
2016
3
Deteriorating
Confidence (in grade): 
Somewhat adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Somewhat adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Somewhat comparable

Dugongs

20162011
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available. .

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

East in poor condition

Year(s): 
2011
4
Stable
Confidence (in grade): 
Limited
Confidence (in trend): 
Limited
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Topics

Estuarine fish species

Species composition and abundance are altered in some estuaries due to fishing, nutrient addition (leading to eutrophication), reduced freshwater input, and increased marine influence.

Year(s): 
2016
2
Stable
Confidence (in grade): 
Somewhat adequate
Confidence (in trend): 
Somewhat adequate
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Estuarine fish species

2016
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Estuarine invertebrate species

Modified by human activities including invasive species, contamination and disease, although the direction of change is variable.

Year(s): 
2016
2
Deteriorating
Confidence (in grade): 
Limited
Confidence (in trend): 
Limited
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Estuarine invertebrate species

2016
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Crab species

Data poor, but believed to be in good and stable condition in areas away from major human settlements.

Year(s): 
2016
3
Stable
Confidence (in grade): 
Very limited
Confidence (in trend): 
Very limited
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Crab species

2016
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Shellfish species

Suffered from historical overexploitation, but are currently stable and restoration trials are underway. At threat from disease in some regions.

Year(s): 
2016
2
Stable
Confidence (in grade): 
Limited
Confidence (in trend): 
Limited
Comparability (to previous reports): 
Not assessed

Shellfish species

2016
Coasts
State and trends

Approach/Process

This assessment summary is the result of consultation with three or more independent subject-matter experts. Each expert was asked to provide scores for the state and trend of the topic, the confidence in their scores, and supporting information to explain their reasoning. Consensus scores were determined after considering responses from all experts in the light of supporting information, and in conjunction with other data sources where they were available.

Data/Information sources

Combined input from three or more independent experts (see Approach/Process above), together with the literature and data sources cited in the report text.

 

Comments

Nil.

Topics

Assessment Summary Key

Grades

Very good

Human activities or declining environmental conditions have had no or only minor impacts on habitats, species/taxa groups, physical, biogeochemical, biological or ecological processes.

Good

Human activities or declining environmental conditions have had some significant impacts on habitats, species/taxa groups, physical, biogeochemical, biological or ecological processes, but effects are not persistent or substantial on overall habitats, species/taxa groups or processes.

Poor

Human activities or declining environmental conditions have caused substantial changes to habitats, species/taxa groups, physical, biogeochemical, biological or ecological processes, resulting in persistent and substantial effects on habitats, species groups or processes.

Very poor

Human activities or declining environmental conditions have caused widespread changes to habitats, species or processes resulting in loss of habitat, species/taxa groups and ecosystem functioning.

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

Clark GF, Johnston EL (2016). Coasts: State and trends of species populations and groups. In: Australia state of the environment 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy, Canberra, https://soe.environment.gov.au/assessment-summary/coasts/state-and-trends-species-populations-and-groups, DOI 10.4226/94/58b659bdc758b