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Box BIO10 Ongoing declines of Christmas Island reptiles
2016 Case StudyAustralia has a long-term trend of declining rainfall
2016 Key Finding2016 Australian rainfall has been largely variable in the past 100 years, particularly the past 40 years. The millennium drought (2000–10) was followed by the wettest 2-year period on record (2010 and 2011). After that, drought re-emerged across large areas of southern and eastern...
Australia’s biodiversity is continuing to decline (with some exceptions noted in SoE 2016 thematic reports), and new approaches are needed to prevent accelerating decline in many species.
2016 Key Finding2016Australia’s biodiversity is continuing to decline (with some exceptions noted in SoE 2016 thematic reports), and new approaches are needed to prevent accelerating decline in many species.
Box WAT6 Groundwater-dependent ecosystem risk assessment for declining groundwater levels
2016 Case StudyThe National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility has developed a risk assessment framework for groundwater-dependent ecosystems under conditions of declining groundwater levels (Chambers et al. 2013). The framework was developed by a multidisciplinary team of ecologists,...
Some government initiatives for biodiversity discovery and management have ceased, while new activities have begun, but they have not been able to halt overall decline
2016 Key Finding2016In 2011–16, overall funding for several major government initiatives changed, with funding for landcare significantly reduced, and new programs such as the Green Army and the Biodiversity Fund introduced. Funding for climate adaptation research has declined significantly since 2011.
State and trends of soil acidification
2016, 2011 Assessment summaryLand State and trends Soil: Salinity and acidification Year...
Coastal and marine species and ecosystems
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends Murray Darling North East Coast Tasmania Greater Darwin Greater Hobart...
Box HER20 IUCN World Heritage outlook 2014
2016 Case StudyTerrestrial plant and animal species: Birds
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends Tasmania Photo by David Westcott Pale-yellow robin (Tregallasia capito), Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, Queensland...
Terrestrial plant and animal species: Reptiles and amphibians
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends Reptiles and amphibians As was the case in SoE 2011, there has been little improvement in the status of listed reptile and amphibian taxa at the national level. However, some species...
Activities associated with the built environment consume significant natural resources, but the efficiency of use of energy and water has improved recently
2016 Key Finding2016In recent years, we have seen reduced per-person use of greenfield land, cars and energy, and reduced per-person waste to landfill. Apart from waste to landfill, these changes are not yet enough to cause absolute declines in impact. Policies will need to accelerate the per-person...
State and trends of soil carbon
2016, 2011 Assessment summaryLand State and trends Soil: Carbon dynamics Year...
Water abstraction and interception
2016 Report Content2016 Inland water Risks Three factors contribute to the risk posed by increasing water abstraction and interception: the demands of a growing population increases in per-person water consumption for this population...
Box HER22 Second National Indigenous Languages Survey—key findings
2016 Case StudyState and trends of quality of habitat-forming species
2016 Assessment summaryCoasts State and trends Biodiversity: Habitat-forming speciesCoastal waterways Year...
Executive Summary - Biodiversity
2016 Executive SummaryBiodiversity 2016The value of Australia’s biodiversity is difficult to measure, but biodiversity is a key part of Australia’s national identity, and is integral to subsistence and cultural activity for Indigenous Australians. It is also fundamentally important...
Box LAN3 Bees—pressures and impacts
2016 Case StudyState and trends of biodiversity
2016, 2011 Assessment summaryBiodiversity State and trends Coastal and marine species and ecosystemsFreshwater species and ecosystemsTerrestrial plant and animal species: Threatened species listsTerrestrial ecosystems and communitiesGenetic and species...
State and trends of species populations and groups
2016 Assessment summaryCoasts State and trends Biodiversity: Threatened species Year...
State and trends of the built environment 2016
2016 At a glanceAt a glanceAustralian cities are generally characterised as low density, with a high proportion of detached homes, and with good amenity in terms of access to commercial and community services, and green space. Although considered generally good, the delivery of amenity in growth areas in...
Box HER11 Great Eastern Ranges Initiative
2016 Case StudyBox WAT3 Great Barrier Reef catchments: best management practices
2016 Case StudyFarming practices in reef catchments have received significant attention in recent years as part of an initiative to improve reef water quality, and to slow or stop declines in the condition of coral reefs and seagrass meadows. The Queensland and Australian governments are...
Outlook under a business-as-usual scenario
2016 Report Content2016 Outlook It is clear from SoE 2016 that some parts of Australia’s environment are not yet being managed sustainably. Although some uncertainties exist, assuming current trends continue and policies or management arrangements are not changed...
Effectiveness of biodiversity management 2016
2016 At a glanceAt a glanceThis report has documented the widespread lack of consistent long-term data for assessing the effectiveness of investments in biodiversity management in Australia. Although it is reasonable to assume that there are many program-related examples that link investment to positive...
Interactions among pressures
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity Pressures Few of the pressures documented in this section occur in isolation. Rather, pressures interact in complex ways, often compounding the threat to biodiversity. For example, land clearing...
Overview of state and trends of biodiversity
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends What has changed since 2011? The list of nationally threatened species and ecological communities has increased, with the addition of 30 new ecological communities, and 44 animal and...
Outlook for Australia's air quality
2016 At a glanceAt a glanceThe outlook for Australia’s urban air quality is generally good. However, there is strong evidence that periods of poor urban air quality can have serious adverse long-term and short-term impacts on human health (particularly on the health of susceptible individuals). Although...
Introduction 2016
2016 At a glanceAustralia has always been a land of extremes. In a single year, we can experience heatwaves, floods, fires, cyclones and drought. Australia’s highly variable climate is influenced year to year by large-scale drivers in the atmosphere and ocean, such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO...
State and trends of biodiversity 2016
2016 At a glanceAt a glanceUnderstanding of the state and trends of the vast majority of individual species in Australia is limited. The lack of effective monitoring data for understanding state and trends, even for threatened species, is highlighted by every jurisdiction and all previous state of the...
Figure HER6 Net overall change in state heritage register listings, 2011–12 to 2015–16
2016 GraphTotal change to state and territory heritage register listings, 2011–12 to 2015–16 Total change to state and territory heritage register listings, 2011–12 to 2015–16 Net change heritage listings 2012 to 2016 Australian Capital Territory63 New South Wales107...