© The Pew Environment Group Authors: Carol Booth & Barry Traill Published 2008 Cover photo: By Kerry Trapnell, McIllwraith Range, Cape York Peninsula For further information on this study, contact: Dr. Barry Traill, Director, Wild Australia Program, Pew Environment Group, 2 Treehaven Way, Maleny Qld. Australia 4552 Email: [email protected] CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................................... 9 AIMS OF THIS PAPER ................................................................................................................................................ 9 ORIGINS & AIMS OF THE WILD AUSTRALIA PROGRAM .................................................................................................... 9 PROTECTION OF LARGE NATURAL AREAS .................................................................................................................... 11 Gaps and ommissions ................................................................................................................................... 12 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .............................................................................................................................................. 12 METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................................................................. 13 SELECTION OF FOCUS AREAS ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Biogeographic units for selection ................................................................................................................. 13 Selection criteria ........................................................................................................................................... 14 DESCRIPTION OF FOCUS AREAS ................................................................................................................................. 15 Description of biomes ................................................................................................................................... 15 General Description ...................................................................................................................................... 15 Conservation Values ..................................................................................................................................... 15 Ecological processes ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Major Threats ............................................................................................................................................... 17 Existing conservation activities ..................................................................................................................... 17 Conservation capacity ................................................................................................................................... 18 SELECTION OF FOCUS AREAS ......................................................................................................................... 19 BIOME INTRODUCTION: TROPICAL SAVANNAS .............................................................................................. 23 BIOLOGICAL HISTORY .............................................................................................................................................. 23 ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES .......................................................................................................................................... 25 Critical species .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Long distance biological movement ............................................................................................................. 25 Disturbance ................................................................................................................................................... 26 Climate Change & Variability ........................................................................................................................ 27 Hydroecology ................................................................................................................................................ 28 Coastal zone fluxes ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Spatially dependent evolutionary processes ................................................................................................. 28 CAPE YORK PENSINSULA TROPICAL SAVANNA ............................................................................................... 30 GENERAL DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................................... 30 Brief biophysical description ......................................................................................................................... 30 Land uses, people & institutions ................................................................................................................... 31 CONSERVATION VALUES .......................................................................................................................................... 31 Landscape condition ..................................................................................................................................... 31 Biodiversity values ........................................................................................................................................ 32 Significant refugia/landscape features ......................................................................................................... 34 ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES .......................................................................................................................................... 35 THREATS .............................................................................................................................................................. 35 EXISTING CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................................... 37 Protected areas ............................................................................................................................................. 37 Policies, plans & programs ............................................................................................................................ 37 CONSERVATION CAPACITY ........................................................................................................................................ 38 Adequacy of information .............................................................................................................................. 38 DALY BASIN-ARNHEM LAND TROPICAL SAVANNA ......................................................................................... 39 GENERAL DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................................................... 39 Brief biophysical description ......................................................................................................................... 39 Land uses, people & institutions ................................................................................................................... 40 CONSERVATION VALUES .......................................................................................................................................... 41 Landscape condition ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Biodiversity values ........................................................................................................................................ 42 Significant refugia & landscape features ...................................................................................................... 44 ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES .......................................................................................................................................... 44 THREATS .............................................................................................................................................................. 45 EXISTING CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................................... 47 Protected areas ............................................................................................................................................. 47 Policies, plans & programs ............................................................................................................................ 47 CONSERVATION CAPACITY ........................................................................................................................................ 48 Adequacy of information .............................................................................................................................