52. Great Western Woodlands

Organised by Suzanne Prober of CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems and Kevin Thiele of Dept of Environment and Conservation, WA, to be held at CSIRO Floreat, Perth. First meeting 18 - 20 November 2008

PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE Suzanne Prober - CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Kevin Thiele - Dept Environment and Conservation, WA Alexander Watson - The Wilderness Society Sandy Berry - Australian National U Barry Traill - Pew Environment Group Kerrie Wilson - U Queensland Phil Rundel - U California LA, USA Harry Recher - Edith Cowan U Paul Flemons - Australian Museum Paula Deegan - Gondwana Link Tom Lyons, Murdoch University Grant Wardell-Johnson, Curtin University John Scott, CSIRO Entomology Craig McFarlane, CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems Les Christidis, Australian Museum Paul Bowers, Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts Ian Herford, Department of Environment and Conservation Colin Yates, Department of Environment and Conservation

GOAL

The Implications of Climate Change for Australia’s National Reserve System report released recently by CSIRO (Dunlop & Brown 2008) concluded that land managers across Australia need to facilitate adjustment of ecosystems and species to predicted changes in climate. Development of frameworks or protocols for adaptation of biodiversity management in a changing climate, however, has received little research attention. Many studies aim to predict or detect changes in species distributions, but relatively few studies attempt to understand likely responses and adaptive management at site and landscape scales. Such studies are necessary to help managers respond on the ground.

Climate change biodiversity research is characterised by cascading uncertainties, with predictions of changes to species distributions built upon uncertain models of climate change and species environmental niches. As a result, management decisions based on average climate predictions are tenuous at best. An alternative management approach is to focus on building ecosystem resilience and adaptability, and determining ecological thresholds. Key interventions that help maintain ecosystem resilience and adaptability to climate change are likely to include restoring or conserving species diversity and ecosystem complexity, ensuring optimal ecological condition and fire management, and enhancing connectivity at landscape scales (Dunlop & Brown 2008).

This working group seeks to develop a collaborative research protocol that addresses key questions facing managers of reserves and non-reserved ecosystems in the southern Australian wheatbelt. We propose a research program built around a unique opportunity to compare climate-related issues in the fragmented vegetation of the WA wheatbelt and the adjacent, intact Great Western Woodlands.

Last Updated August 2008