Biodiversity Hotspots: Southwest Australia
Myers, Norman, et al. "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities."Nature 403.6772 (2000): 853-858. Biodiversity is the variety of different species who live in different biomes and make up the Earth's ecosystem. Biodiversity is important because without it life would not be sustainable enough for the planet to function properly. On the planet, there are specific areas called biodiversity hotspots. A biodiversity hotspot is when there are a large group of different species within the same geological zone that could be destroyed if not conserved correctly. Our group chose the Southwest Australia hotspot. This is classified as a biodiversity hotspot because of the high levels of biodiversity within the small area that Southwest Australia is.
Southwest Australia occupies the lower tip of Australia. Australia is a wide country that has many differing and unique species of animals that exist within their own specific biomes. Within Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, that house many different aquatic species. Australia's population takes different actions to protect its environment such as educating those who live there on how and why to protect the environment of Australia. Southwest Australia is a Savanna Biome. On the left is the detailed food web for Southwest Australia. "Food Web." The Savanna Biome. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
The NPP (for the world), as you can see, was around 6.5 during September 2015. "Net Primary Productivity : Global Maps." Net Primary Productivity : Global Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
The Southwest Australian hotspot is home to many species that cannot be found anywhere else on the Earth. This has created an ecosystem that is solely based on animals that can only survive within that region. Some of these include the Kiwi bird and the Quokka (labeled the cutest animal in australia, they even have their own island for tourism) However, a problem has arisen in that area, which is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture by humans. The regional, cultural, political, and economic implications that are a cause for this is the chance of increasing the income of money through creating agricultural land for production of goods. The global economic factor that influences this is supply and demand, demand being higher than supply thus causing clearing of native species for agriculture to meet those demands. This is causing invasions of species such as the Red Fox (right) to threaten native species such as Numbat. (below) "Red Fox." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015. "Numbat." (Myrmecobius Fasciatus). N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
The list of endangered and threatened species have now increased seeing that only 30% of the original vegetation remains, and that more animal species have been moved to the categories of being endangered or threatened. While this stands many of the previous endangered and threatened species have ceased to exist. What now is being done to protect this area is reserving of the land/area and using conservation recovery programs to save certain species that are on the verge of extinction or that are threatened.
So while the Southwest Australian Hotspot is in need of help it is receiving some much needed help. Although agriculture is still threatening the biodiversity and ecosystem of Southwest Australia efforts are being made to help recover the lost of the native species.
Citations
Myers, Norman, et al. "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities."Nature 403.6772 (2000): 853-858.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/27064182/tourists-charged-with-quokka-cruelty/
Southwest Australia occupies the lower tip of Australia. Australia is a wide country that has many differing and unique species of animals that exist within their own specific biomes. Within Australia is the Great Barrier Reef, that house many different aquatic species. Australia's population takes different actions to protect its environment such as educating those who live there on how and why to protect the environment of Australia. Southwest Australia is a Savanna Biome. On the left is the detailed food web for Southwest Australia. "Food Web." The Savanna Biome. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
The NPP (for the world), as you can see, was around 6.5 during September 2015. "Net Primary Productivity : Global Maps." Net Primary Productivity : Global Maps. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015.
The Southwest Australian hotspot is home to many species that cannot be found anywhere else on the Earth. This has created an ecosystem that is solely based on animals that can only survive within that region. Some of these include the Kiwi bird and the Quokka (labeled the cutest animal in australia, they even have their own island for tourism) However, a problem has arisen in that area, which is the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture by humans. The regional, cultural, political, and economic implications that are a cause for this is the chance of increasing the income of money through creating agricultural land for production of goods. The global economic factor that influences this is supply and demand, demand being higher than supply thus causing clearing of native species for agriculture to meet those demands. This is causing invasions of species such as the Red Fox (right) to threaten native species such as Numbat. (below) "Red Fox." Wikipedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015. "Numbat." (Myrmecobius Fasciatus). N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Dec. 2015. |
The list of endangered and threatened species have now increased seeing that only 30% of the original vegetation remains, and that more animal species have been moved to the categories of being endangered or threatened. While this stands many of the previous endangered and threatened species have ceased to exist. What now is being done to protect this area is reserving of the land/area and using conservation recovery programs to save certain species that are on the verge of extinction or that are threatened.
So while the Southwest Australian Hotspot is in need of help it is receiving some much needed help. Although agriculture is still threatening the biodiversity and ecosystem of Southwest Australia efforts are being made to help recover the lost of the native species.
Citations
Myers, Norman, et al. "Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities."Nature 403.6772 (2000): 853-858.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/wa/a/27064182/tourists-charged-with-quokka-cruelty/
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