The threats to Australia’s imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response

Since European occupation of Australia, human activities have caused the dramatic decline and sometimes extinction of many of the continent’s unique species. Here we provide a comprehensive review of threats to species listed as threatened under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Following accepted global categories of threat, we find that invasive species affect the largest number of listed species (1257 species, or 82% of all threatened species); ecosystem modifications (e.g. fire) (74% of listed species) and agricultural activity (57%) are also important. The ranking of threats was largely consistent across taxonomic groups and the degree of species’ endangerment. These results were significantly different (P &lt; 0.01) from recent analyses of threats to threatened species globally, which highlighted overexploitation, agriculture and urban development as major causes of decline. Australia is distinct not only in the biodiversity it contains but also in the extent and mixture of processes that threaten the survival of these species. Notably, the IUCN threat classification scheme separates the numerous threats (e.g. urban development, agriculture, mining) that cause habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation, hence further research is required to quantify the net impact of these types of habitat change. We provide feasible suggestions for a more coordinated national approach to threatened species conservation, which could provide decision makers and managers at all levels with improved resources and information on threats and management. Adequate policy, legislative support and funding are critical for ensuring that on-ground management is successful in halting the decline of Australia’s threatened species.

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Details

Published: Sep 17, 2018
Vol/Issue: 25(3)
Pages: 231-244
License: View

Authors

S

Stephen G. Kearney

ASchool of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Steele Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.; JCorresponding author. Email: stephen.kearney@uq.edu.au

J

Josie Carwardine

BCSIRO Land and Water, Box 2583, Brisbane, Qld 4001, Australia.

A

April E. Reside

CSchool of Biological Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

D

Diana O. Fisher

CSchool of Biological Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

M

Martine Maron

ASchool of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Steele Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

T

Tim S. Doherty

DCentre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic. 3125, Australia.

S

Sarah Legge

ENESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.; FFenner School of the Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2602, Australia.

J

Jennifer Silcock

ENESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

J

John C. Z. Woinarski

GNESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909, Australia.

S

Stephen T. Garnett

GNESP Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909, Australia.

B

Brendan A. Wintle

HSchool of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3010, Australia.

J

James E. M. Watson

ASchool of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Steele Building, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.; IWildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York, USA.

Cite This Article

Stephen G. Kearney, Josie Carwardine, April E. Reside, et al. (2018). The threats to Australia’s imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response. Pacific Conservation Biology, 25(3), 231-244. https://doi.org/10.1071/pc18024

The threats to Australia’s imperilled species and implications for a national conservation response

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