25 March 2009
A Monash University ecologist has called for a rethink on how climate-induced ecological change is measured, saying Australia's wilderness areas -- not urban and agricultural land can provide the most accurate picture.
Professor Jenny Davis said a true measure of the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems would best be achieved in wilderness areas, which have remained untouched for millions of years rather than urban or agricultural sites, which have undergone rapid, significant change.
"Increasing agricultural production and urban development driven by global population growth have resulted in major changes in land management and water management and this has an influence on the measurement of climate change impacts," Dr Davis said.
Dr Davis, a presenter at the Greenhouse 2009 conference in Perth this week, urged ecological researchers to re-focus their climate change studies on wilderness areas of Australia.
"Given the compounding effect of multiple influences on urban and agricultural areas we need to be clearer about climate change, separating other human impacts from climatic impacts on our environment. Therefore we need to focus on those where we are confident that the only major impact is climatic change," Dr Davis said.
Dr Davis said measurement of ecological climate change on aquatic systems includes the monitoring of river and stream depths, water quality, the health of the native bird and animal life, temperature variation and rainfall. Possible sites include the Franklin River and Central Plateau lakes in the Tasmanian World Heritage Wilderness Area, relict streams within the George Gill and West MacDonnell Ranges in central Australia, selected rivers and wetlands within protected areas in northern Australia (the Kimberley, Kakadu, Arnhem Land and Cape York regions), headwater streams in protected areas along the Great Dividing Range and dune lakes within protected coastal areas.
"We live on a continent that has already undergone massive long-term climatic change following the break up of Gondwana and the continent's ecosystem changed, but survived," Dr Davis said.
"Many Australian inland aquatic ecosystems including streams, rivers, shallow lakes and wetlands are described as 'boom and bust' systems. They are characterised by plants and animals which respond opportunistically to the 'good times' and cope when dry conditions return and these systems appear to be highly 'resilient' to climatic variability," Dr Davis said.
"Although a program to track climate-driven ecological change in inland waters will require new funding, the ultimate economic costs associated with not truly distinguishing climatic impacts from other stressors, will be far greater."
For more information, an interview or to obtain a copy of Dr Davis' paper and wilderness ecosystem images, contact Samantha Blair, Media and Communications + 61 3 9903 4841 or +61 439 013 951. | 
