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Text SizeWhat is Biodiversity?
Internationally and nationally, the term biodiversity - or biological diversity - is used to describe the variety of all life forms. Biodiversity is considered at three levels: the different plants, animals and microorganisms (species diversity), the genes they contain (genetic diversity), and the ecosystems of which they form a part (ecosystem diversity).
Biodiversity is constantly changing; it is increased by genetic change and evolutionary processes and reduced by habitat degradation, population decline and extinction. It emphasises the interrelatedness of the biological world, and covers terrestrial, marine and other aquatic environments.
What we do
- Assist the North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) with biodiversity related matters in its role and functions.
- Ensure achievement of RCS's biodiversity outcomes is integrated into the work of other North Central CMA teams and staff.
- Assist our partner agencies and the broader community to achieve our desired biodiversity outcomes.
- Manage the implementation of biodiversity related actions specified in the RCS.
- Lead the development of systems and procedures for monitoring change in the condition of biodiversity assets.
Why do we care?
Globally, human activities are breaking down our life-support services (known as ecosystem services) provided by natural ecosystems. Without these services, our civilizations will decline as they have done in the past when natural resources were over committed. This time though, the breakdown threatens global processes as well as smaller scale ones.
North Central Victoria is both a contributor to and a victim of this breakdown.
It is in our interest then to conserve native plants and animals of all sizes - down to the tiniest microorganism - in their habitats because this helps sustain ecosystem services. Our welfare can be enhanced via better stewardship of the environment.
North Central Victoria has an abundance of plant and animal species and habitats. There are around 2,000 native plant species, more than 400 native vertebrate animal species (mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs and fish.) plus unknown thousands of invertebrate species found across more than a 100 native vegetation habitat types called Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs).
North Central Victoria's history of over commitment of natural resources for human use means many of these species and vegetation types are now threatened with extinction. Unless we take conservation action, regional extinctions are inevitable.
Both locally and globally, protecting, repairing and rebuilding native vegetation is the best known way to conserve most indigenous biodiversity and thereby ensure our own survival.
How is native vegetation faring in north central Victoria?
EVCs occur in characteristic patterns across the landscape. In Victoria, these patterns are mapped as Bioregions and are used to set priorities for biodiversity conservation planning based on the status (see below) of the species or EVC in that bioregion.
We have 8 bioregions mapped in north central Victoria.
 Murray Mallee |
 Wimmera |
 Victorian Volcanic Plain |
 Victorian Riverina |
 Murray Fans |
 Goldfields |
 Central Victorian Uplands |
 Northern Inland Slopes |
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| Bioregions of the North Central CMA region |
The status of native vegetation is assessed by understanding its extent and condition (composition, structure and function) and the threats it faces.
Status
As a result of the reduced extent, degraded condition and continuing threats, all but twelve of the region's 174 bioregion EVC combinations are threatened with extinction to some degree.
Within the Goldfields and Riverina bioregions alone, over 200 native plant and animal species have been listed as having rare or higher conservation status. A total of almost 260 indigenous flora and fauna species found in the region have Victorian rare or threatened species status.
For more information see the Regional Vegetation Plan
Ecosystem services
The fundamental life-support services provided by natural ecosystems, without which human civilization would cease to thrive.
- OR -
The end products of nature that yield human wellbeing.
The ecosystem services that nature provides:
- boost productivity by maintaining the foundations of a healthy and sustainable environment - healthy soils, clean air, clean water
- ease potentially devastating and costly environmental problems, including salinity and erosion
- purify air and water
- lessen the effects of flood and drought
- detoxify waste and aid decomposition
- generate and renew soil and soil fertility
- pollinate crops and native vegetation
- help control agricultural pests
- disperse seeds and nutrients
- protect us from ultraviolet rays
- regulate climate
- moderate temperature extremes and the forces of wind and waves.
How much is left?
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| Big Hill - Bendigo |
Retained vegetation cover varies from less than 0.5% of its pre-European colonisation distribution for the Murray Mallee and Wimmera bioregions to 31% for the Central Victorian Uplands.
How much do we need?
Scientific research tells us that having less than 30% of native vegetation cover is a problem. Having less than this level means species and communities go extinct even faster. Researchers also tell us that some ecosystem services can't be maintained with less than 30% of native vegetation cover.
What condition is it in?
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| Photo - Chris King |
What threats does it face?
Some of the continuing threats to biodiversity in our region include:
- 'Clearing' of native vegetation
- Invasive plants and animals
- Excessive grazing pressures
- Changed fire regimes
- Increased salinity
- Altered hydrology and water quality decline
- Intensifying land uses
- Inappropriate recreation practices
Vegetation Best Management Practice
Restoration of habitat through revegetation is a key implementation activity across most NRM projects including biodiversity, salinity and river health.
Revegetation aims to improve the viability of existing assets (e.g. threatened EVCs) by increasing extent and connectivity, and reducing groundwater recharge (thereby protecting vegetation lower in the landscape). These actions are of fundamental importance to the realisation of improved water quality, reduction of saline watertables and reduced salt loads in streams.
Implementing best management practice will ensure alignment of revegetation activities to optimise salinity and water quality outcomes. Strategic revegetation also provides habitat quality for a range of threatened species.
This project supports the acceleration of large-scale revegetation establishment/enhancement effort in the region.
The project will support the bioregional and landscape scale approach to implementation of remnant vegetation management, conservation of threatened species and revegetation that will provide better natural resource management outcomes and contribute to the social and economic sustainability of rural communities.
Although retention of existing native vegetation is the most cost effective and highest priority action, many parts of our region have already lost much of its native vegetation cover and suffer as a result. Only through strategic revegetation can this issue be overcome.
Revegetation is also an important tool for the management of areas that still retain some native vegetation. The cumulative benefit for biodiversity, ecosystem processes and a sustainable landscape will only be maximised if revegetation is strategically planned and the targets set are achieved in a coordinated manner.
Newly planted vegetation provides a range of ecosystem goods and services including flora and fauna habitat, enhancement of farm production through shelterbelts and pest control, direct farm production, erosion control, reduction of soil acidification, waterlogging, salinisation and weed invasion.
The project will contribute to:
- reduction of mobilised salt, lower watertables and improved water quality - a reversal across the regional landscape of the long term decline in the quality and extent of native vegetation;
- ensuring that ecological processes are maintained and enhanced across the region
- ensuring the present diversity of species and ecological communities and their viability is maintained or improved across each bioregion;
- ensuring that there is no further preventable decline in the viability of rare or threatened species or ecological communities.
A stand alone website has been created to help deliver improved standards of native vegetation management and revegetation. Go to the Victorian Best Practice Native Vegetation Management.
Birds As Environmental Indicators
Birds are often considered to be outstanding indicators of the health of the overall environment. Rather like the proverbial canary in the coalmine, they are readily affected by physical and chemical impacts on their ecosystems.
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Because many species of birds have become specialised to occupy certain niches and together they inhabit almost every conceivable habitat, they are responsive to a wide variety of environmental changes and can reflect diversity and trends in other animals and plants with which they coexist.
By looking after the birds of Australia we are also looking after the environment as a whole.
Unlike some other groups of animals that are also good environmental indicators, such as frogs, birds are usually relatively easy to observe and identify, and most are active during the day.
In short, birds tell us lots about changes to the environment, they are easy to see and there are plenty of people to go out looking for them.
To discover more information about our native birds, including their conservation needs, current research programs and how to participate in volunteer projects go to www.birdsaustralia.com.au