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Genetic and species diversity
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends Photo by David Westcott Hibiscus harlequin bug (Tectocoris diophthalmus) nymph feeding on a beach almond (Terminalia catappa) fruit, Hope Island near...
Figure BIO7 Phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism for (a) vascular plants, (b) mammals, (c) passerine birds, (d) snakes and lizards, (e) myobatrachid frogs and (f) hylid frogs
2016 MapInteract with mapDownload as pngDownload dataset Source: Australian Natural Heritage Assessment Tool, 2016, Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy Figure BIO7 Phylogenetic diversity and phylogenetic endemism for (a) vascular plants, (b) mammals, (c...
Box BIO12 Getting to know a whole new world of animals living underground
2016 Case StudyDuring the past 2 decades, it has become apparent that there are many animal species living within rock spaces deep underground, as well as in shallow unconfined aquifers associated with rivers. Subterranean fauna have persisted and diversified in their relatively buffered...
Box HER20 IUCN World Heritage outlook 2014
2016 Case StudyOf significant concern: The Great Barrier Reef is subject to very high threats, with several values declining, mostly from human activities such as fishing, coastal development, ports and shipping, but also from other pressures such as climate change. ...
Box BIO10 Ongoing declines of Christmas Island reptiles
2016 Case StudyChristmas Island covers an area of about 135 square kilometres, consisting of a large central plateau surrounded by a series of steep cliffs, terraces and slopes. Five native terrestrial reptile species occur on the island, 4 of which are endemic. A sixth species that was endemic...
Importance of biodiversity
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity Introduction Tasmania Great Barrier Reef Biodiversity is important to humans for many reasons. Biodiversity is also considered by many to have...
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...
Box BIO4 The fight against Tasmanian devil facial tumour disease
2016 Case StudyTasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) are iconic marsupial carnivores that are endemic to Tasmania. Devil facial tumour disease (DFTD) is a relatively new disease that is having a devastating effect on Tasmanian devils. DFTD is a very rare transmissible cancer, and can be...
Marine regions
2016 Report Content2016 Marine environment Introduction Tasmania Marine Temperate East Marine South West Great Barrier Reef Marine North...
Freshwater species and ecosystems
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends Murray Darling Tasmania Great Barrier Reef Australian Capital Territory Lake Eyre...
Box HER18 Bush Blitz
2016 Case StudyAustralia is home to about 150,000 identified native species, with more known endemic species than any other country. However, it has been estimated that approximately 75 per cent of Australia’s biodiversity is still unknown to science; most of these are invertebrates and...
Box BIO8 The central rock-rat
2016 Case StudyThe central rock-rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus) is a medium-sized (body mass 70–150 grams) native rodent (family Muridae) that is endemic to the mountain ranges and adjacent foothills of arid central Australia. The action plan for Australian mammals 2012 recommends an upgrade to its...
Box ANT6 Rapid collapse of an alpine ecosystem through dieback
2016 Case StudyOld-growth cushion plants and mosses on subantarctic Macquarie Island are being decimated by recent climate change, with rapid, progressive and widespread death across the island. Endemic Macquarie cushions (Azorella macquariensis), estimated to be hundreds of years old in some...
The natural environment
2016 Report Content2016 Antarctic environment Introduction Antarctica The Antarctic environment comprises diverse habitats and ecosystems that include: ice-covered areas ice-free vegetated areas and rocks...
Evidence of past resilience
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity Resilience Much of Australia’s biodiversity is renowned for its ability to deal with massive ecosystem shocks (e.g. fire, extended periods of dry or wet, extreme weather events such as cyclones)....
Land: 2011–16 in context
2016 Report Content2016 Land Introduction North East Coast Tasmania Lake Eyre The past 5 years has seen an ongoing relaxation of the effects of the millennium...
The living environment: Marine and terrestrial
2016 Report Content2016 Antarctic environment State and trends Antarctica Given its extreme conditions, the Antarctic has a surprising diversity of ecosystems. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest and...
Factors affecting resilience capacity
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity Resilience Murray Darling Tasmania Multiple factors acting at various levels of organisation, from species to landscapes, will interact to determine...
Terrestrial plant and animal species: Mammals
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity State and trends Great Barrier Reef Mammals The state and trend of mammals varies considerably. In 2014, The action plan for Australian mammals 2012 (Woinarski et al. 2014)...
Resilience of the Antarctic environment 2016
2016 At a glanceAt a glanceAlthough organisms living in Antarctica have evolved to cope with severe events, it is challenging to measure their level of resilience and to predict how future climate change will affect Antarctic ecosystems. This is largely because our understanding of key parameters is still...
Pressures affecting the Antarctic terrestrial environment
2016, 2011 Assessment summaryAntarctic environment Pressures Pressures on the terrestrial environment Antarctica Year...
Types of heritage
2016 Report Content2016 Heritage Introduction South Australian Gulf Murray Darling Greater Melbourne Greater Sydney Natural heritage Natural...
Resistance to change
2016 Report Content2016 Coasts Resilience Great Barrier Reef For ecological habitats, species and processes, strong resistance to change is often related to high biodiversity and healthy ecosystem function. High...
Pest species and pathogens
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity Pressures Murray Darling Tasmania Australian Capital Territory Pest plants, pest animals and pathogens have been identified by...
Condition and Integrity: Listing Jurisdictions
2016 Report Content2016 Heritage State and trends South Coast South East Coast South Australian Gulf North East Coast Tasmania...
Consumption and extraction of natural resources
2016 Report Content2016 Biodiversity Pressures Murray Darling Tasmania Harvesting of species The impact of harvesting is considered a potential threat to 30 per cent of listed threatened...
Coastal land
2016 Report Content2016 Coasts State and trends North East Coast Marine Temperate East Great Barrier Reef Cocos Christmas Marine North...
Biodiversity: Habitat-forming species
2016 Report Content2016 Coasts State and trends South West Coast South Australian Gulf North East Coast Tasmania Greater Darwin...
Biodiversity: Ecological processes
2016 Report Content2016 Coasts State and trends Tasmania Greater Brisbane Great Barrier Reef East Coast Connectivity Connectivity among...
The living environment: Vertebrate populations
2016 Report Content2016 Antarctic environment State and trends Antarctica Vertebrate populations Antarctic vertebrates encompass a variety of flying seabirds and penguins, several seals and whales, and numerous...