This research helped to identify priority areas and actions for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity in Northern Australia. It included a number of sub projects that generated new knowledge on; the distribution of freshwater species across northern Australia; estuarine fish in Kakadu National Park; and how freshwater fish would respond to a number of threats including climate change. It also developed new approaches to improve planning for freshwater ecosystems.
Northern Australian rivers, wetlands and estuaries support a unique and diverse array of aquatic plants and animals that are highly valued by people. The high conservation values of northern Australia’s tropical rivers, even in protected areas, are under increasing threat from feral animals, weeds, overgrazing, catchment clearing, fire, increased development and climate change.
Knowledge on how aquatic biodiversity is distributed across the landscape and on the processes that sustain it is vital for effective conservation and management. An effective framework is needed to bring together complex information on what actions to undertake and where to undertake them for the greatest conservation benefit of the resources invested.
The project has delivered a better understanding of the environmental and evolutionary processes that sustain aquatic biodiversity. It has improved data, tools and approaches for effective and efficient freshwater conservation prioritization. This has included:
Field work was undertaken within Kakadu National Park and in the Daly River catchment in the Northern Territory. Models of freshwater fish species distributions were prepared for across Northern Australia. The tools and framework developed are relevant across northern Australia.
The project was led by Dr Mark Kennard from Griffith University. The team included researchers from Griffith University and the University of Western Australia.
The team would like to acknowledge the support of park managers and Traditional Owners in undertaking field work within Kakadu National Park and also the support of Daly River Traditional Owners and NT Fisheries in undertaking field work within the Daly River.
Project Leader:
Associate Prof Mark Kennard
Griffith University
[email protected]
07 3735 7401