The Garnaut Climate Change Review summary

The draft Garnaut Climate Change Review was released on 4 July 2008 is mostly focussed on the building the case for a coherent mitigation policy response, but does summarise projected impacts on Australia. This includes a brief mention of invasive species impacts in its Ecosystems and biodiversity section (7.3.4, pg.182) where it notes that “the ultimate outcomes are expected to be declines in biodiversity favouring weed and pest species (a few native, most introduced) at the expense of the rich variety that has occurred naturally across Australia.” No mention was made of the impact of invasive herbivores, eg. rabbits and goats, in reducing the resilience of agricultural areas by continuing to exert significant grazing pressure on increasingly vulnerable agricultural landscapes.

The draft impacts chapter is on-line at: http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/pages/draft-report-chapter-7

The Garnaut Climate Change Review is supported by a number of supporting commissioned papers. The paper on ‘Biodiversity and climate change’ prepared by Monash University’s Australian Centre for Biodiversity identifies invasives as one of four biodiversity effect ‘currencies’ that will impact on biodiversity. The impact of invasives is considered in six climate change scenarios and the effect is projected to be very extreme for 2 scenarios, extreme for 1 scenario, high for 2 scenarios and moderate for 1 scenario. The worst case scenario for invasives effects is one characterised by a 1 degree temperature increase  and 15% increase in water availability.

Key steps to ameliorating adverse biodiversity change should be focussed on proactive investments now since they will be much more effective and more economical than delaying responses to climate change effects. Three major actions that will improve the nation’s capacity to buffer our biodiversity against climate change, including action to reduce and avoid ‘ over-engineering’ and ‘ over-management’ of all natural biological resources. Benefits include greater resilience to ecological surprises, including invasives (pg. 15)

The paper notes that warming is likely to promote expansion of existing invasive freshwater species, such as mosquito fish and weather loach (pg.8), that climate change will favour expansion of many current exotic invasives, but it will also create new invasives (pg.13), and that some existing, cool-adapted invasives (eg. carp) may be disadvantaged with temperature increases (pg.13).

The paper is on-line at: http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/WebObj/04Biodiversity/$File/04%20Biodiversity.pdf

The paper, ‘ Impact of climate change on Australia’s areas’ notes that global warming impacts on alpine precipitation and its impacts on the flora and fauna, and ecosystem functioning are expected to be among the first quantifiable indications of climate change (pg.3). Loss of native flora/fauna and an increase in feral species is identified as one implication of climate change in the alpine zone (pg.5), and a case study states that the warming of the alpine regions resulting in declining snow cover may have a major impact upon the faunal composition of the alpine/subalpine areas with far greater access by feral animals, reducing the competitive advantage of the higher altitude species. As such, while possibly increasing the numbers of species this process may reduce the biodiversity through the loss or serious reduction of populations of endemic species. Such a loss would be very significant at a local, regional, national and international scientific level (pg.20)

This paper is on-line at: http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/WebObj/01-JAlpineareas/$File/01-J%20Alpine%20areas.pdf

The paper, ‘Impacts of climate change on Australia’s World Heritage properties and their values’ identifies excessive human visitation, exotic pests and diseases as a potential impact of climate change on natural World Heritage values of ecological and biological significance (pg. 11),

Its four key recommendations include the need to reduce non-climatic stress factors, such as spread of alien species, to increase the resilience of Australia’s World Heritage values to climate change impacts. This will require the removal or eradication of introduced pest species and constant review of human access to World Heritage sites (pg.17).

The paper is on-line at: http://www.garnautreview.org.au/CA25734E0016A131/WebObj/01-KWorldHeritage/$File/01-K%20World%20Heritage.pdf

New Federal Government Department of Environment and Climate Change report

A Climate Change Primer for Regional Natural Resource Management Bodies.” The report recognises the key role that invasive species play in reducing ecosystem and landscape resilience and increasing the vulnerability of these systems, and states,  “Invasive species may be among the more important and least predictable impacts of climate change in Australia. A particular challenge in this area is the potential for “sleeper” weeds and ferals to beging to expand their range suddenly and dramatically in response to even moderate shifts in climate” (Campbell 2008, pg. vii)

Read the report here: http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/impacts/publications/nrm.html

CRC submission to hybrid cat review

Our submission has been tendered and is posted on our website.  To read, click [here].

New paper out: Bomford et al

New paper: predicting establishment success for alien reptiles and amphibians - a role for climate matching

by Mary Bomford, Fred Kraus, Simon Barry and Emma Lawrence (2008)

Abstract  We examined data comprising 1,028 successful and 967 failed introduction records for 596 species of alien reptiles and amphibians around the world to test for factors influencing establishment success. We found significant variations between families and between genera. The number of jurisdictions where a species was introduced was a significant predictor of the probability the species had established in at least one jurisdiction. All species that had been introduced to more than 10 jurisdictions (34 species) had established at least one alien population. We also conducted more detailed quantitative comparisons for successful (69 species) and failed (116 species) introductions to three jurisdictions (Great Britain, California and Florida) to test for associations with climate match, geographic range size, and history of establishment success elsewhere. Relative to failed species, successful species had better climate matches between the jurisdiction where they were introduced and their geographic range elsewhere in the world. Successful species were also more likely to have high establishment success rates elsewhere in the world. Cross-validations indicated our full model correctly categorized establishment success with 78–80% accuracy. Our findings may guide risk assessments for the import of live alien reptiles and amphibians to reduce the rate new species establish in the wild.

For the full paper, go to Springer - click [ here] 

WA DAFF media release: emerging animal pests

The WA Department of Agriculture and Food has released a media statement announcing new alerts for emerging animal pests.  To read the announcement, click [ here].

Biosecurity Australia policy determination: zoo rodents

Biosecurity Australia have issued a policy determination on the importation of zoo rodents.  Click [ here] to view the policy.  For further enquiries go to animal@biosecurity.gov.au.

New deal for Murray-Darling Basin

Council of Australian Government signs Murray-Darling Basin reform deal

A $12 billion deal to secure the future of the Murray-Darling river system has been signed at the recent COAG meeting, despite initial opposition from Victoria.

COAG signed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) on Murray-Darling Basin Reform that establishes the new governance of the Murray-Darling Basin. Notably, the IGA includes arrangements for critical human needs, comprehensive and consistent trading arrangements across the Basin and the transition of the Murray Darling Basin Commission to the new Murray-Darling Basin Authority. This agreement cements the Memorandum of Understanding agreed in March.

Under the IGA, governments commit to a new culture and practice of Basin-wide management and planning, through new structures and partnerships. Key elements of the arrangements are the preparation of a whole of Basin Plan by an independent, expert Murray-Darling Basin Authority. Central to the Basin Plan will be sustainable diversion limits on water use in the Basin to ensure the long-term future health and prosperity of the Murray-Darling Basin and to safeguard the water needs of the communities that rely on its water resources.

The Commonwealth has agreed in principle to provide close to $3.7 billion for significant water projects in South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT, subject to a due diligence assessment of the social, economic, environmental, financial and technical aspects of the projects. These projects include the in-principle agreement in March to fund up to $1 billion of the Stage Two Food Bowl Project in Victoria, and provide a balanced response to the water infrastructure and reform needs of all the Murray-Darling Basin States.

Further information is available at www.coag.gov.au

Science positions vacant

The WA Department of Environment and Climate Change is advertising a pest animal officer position.  Details can be accessed at https://jobs.nsw.gov.au/Start.asp or click [ here] for some background information.

Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research position available: a postdoctoral vacancy exists in this New Zealand organisation.  Click [ here] for more information.

NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change position: a vacancy exists for a Project Officer, Carnivore pests position with this organisation.  Click [here] for more information.  This position closes on 25 July.

AMRRIC position vacancy - Darwin

A full-time Program Manager position (2.5 years with possibility of extension) is available.  For details click [here].

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