Biodiversity in suburbs needs space:
Understanding varying levels of biodiversity within suburbs is pivotal to protect it in the face of global urbanisation. In the early stages of urban ecology studies on intra-urban biodiversity focused on the urban rural gradient, representing a broad generalisation of features of the urban landscape. Increasingly, studies classify the urban landscape in more detail, quantifying separately the effects of individual urban features on biodiversity levels. However, while separate factors influencing biodiversity variation among suburbs worldwide have recently been analysed, a global analysis on the factors influencing biodiversity levels within suburbs is still lacking.
Results show that patch area and wildlife corridors have the strongest positive effects on biodiversity, complemented by vegetation structure. Local, biotic and management habitat variables were significantly more important than landscape, abiotic or design variables. Large sites greater than 30 ha are necessary to prevent a rapid loss of area-sensitive species. This indicates that, despite positive impacts of biodiversity-friendly management, increasing the area of habitat patches and creating a network of wildlife corridors is the most important strategy to maintain high levels of urban biodiversity.
Understanding varying levels of biodiversity within suburbs is pivotal to protect it in the face of global urbanisation. In the early stages of urban ecology studies on intra-urban biodiversity focused on the urban rural gradient, representing a broad generalisation of features of the urban landscape. Increasingly, studies classify the urban landscape in more detail, quantifying separately the effects of individual urban features on biodiversity levels. However, while separate factors influencing biodiversity variation among suburbs worldwide have recently been analysed, a global analysis on the factors influencing biodiversity levels within suburbs is still lacking.
Results show that patch area and wildlife corridors have the strongest positive effects on biodiversity, complemented by vegetation structure. Local, biotic and management habitat variables were significantly more important than landscape, abiotic or design variables. Large sites greater than 30 ha are necessary to prevent a rapid loss of area-sensitive species. This indicates that, despite positive impacts of biodiversity-friendly management, increasing the area of habitat patches and creating a network of wildlife corridors is the most important strategy to maintain high levels of urban biodiversity.
Biodiversity conservation
The Australian Government recognizes the importance of biodiversity conservation and, in collaboration with states and territories, has set a national framework for biodiversity conservation over the next decade.
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the variety of all species on earth. It is the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes, and the terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems of which they are a part.
Biodiversity is both essential for our existence and intrinsically valuable in its own right.
This is because biodiversity provides the fundamental building blocks for the many goods and services a healthy environment provides. These include things that are fundamental to our health, like clean air, fresh water and food products, as well as the many other products such as timber and fiber.
Other important services provided by our biodiversity include recreational, cultural and spiritual nourishment that maintain our personal and social well-being.
Looking after our biodiversity is vital task for all people who care
Over the last 200 years Australia has suffered the largest documented decline in biodiversity of any continent. Despite efforts to manage threats and pressures to biodiversity in Australia, it is still in decline.
One of the main problems is loss of crucial habitat. That is why we are requesting the Powers to be , The Ministers of Parliament and
The Threatened Species Commissioner in Canberra to show some leadership and
Ban development in Sydney's Wildlife Corridors
The Australian Government recognizes the importance of biodiversity conservation and, in collaboration with states and territories, has set a national framework for biodiversity conservation over the next decade.
Biodiversity, or biological diversity, is the variety of all species on earth. It is the different plants, animals and micro-organisms, their genes, and the terrestrial, marine and freshwater ecosystems of which they are a part.
Biodiversity is both essential for our existence and intrinsically valuable in its own right.
This is because biodiversity provides the fundamental building blocks for the many goods and services a healthy environment provides. These include things that are fundamental to our health, like clean air, fresh water and food products, as well as the many other products such as timber and fiber.
Other important services provided by our biodiversity include recreational, cultural and spiritual nourishment that maintain our personal and social well-being.
Looking after our biodiversity is vital task for all people who care
Over the last 200 years Australia has suffered the largest documented decline in biodiversity of any continent. Despite efforts to manage threats and pressures to biodiversity in Australia, it is still in decline.
One of the main problems is loss of crucial habitat. That is why we are requesting the Powers to be , The Ministers of Parliament and
The Threatened Species Commissioner in Canberra to show some leadership and
Ban development in Sydney's Wildlife Corridors
DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY OUR FLOOD-PRONE
SUBURB IS NOT RIDDEN WITH MOSSIES ?
In Australia there are 6 families of microbats and many live around Sydney.
Most microbats eat flying insects and will catch up to 500 in an hour, eating up to half of their body weight each night . For this reason, bats are very important in Bayview as they are great at keeping down the mosquito population.
Microbats are amazing and wonderful animals. They've been unfairly maligned due to their being creatures of the night and relatively unknown. Horror movies haven't helped bats' public image, either. In fact, they're gentle, intelligent, extremely beneficial animals.
Many species of microbat may be found in tree hollows, cracks and culverts. Microbats have completely unique facial features, with wide extended ears and unusually shaped nostrils.
Many Microbats have been sighted & recorded by professional researchers , on the proposed development site at 52 Cabbage Tree Road Bayview Microbats do not relocate easily to another area once they have established themselves in a particular area. Therefore the removal of their habitat by building development will remove the colony of microbats that exist today in Bayview.
University of NSW honours student Rochelle Basham used echolocation detectors to record bats in Pittwater , including around
Katandra Bushland Sanctuary, Angophora Reserve and McKay Reserve.
In all, 8 Microbat species were recorded:
Rochelle has written a thesis on Microbats in Urban Sydney. It contains fantastic information on the factors influencing the survival of Microbats in our suburb. The Environmental Impact Study should have at least covered these wonderful little creatures.. Sure it didn't?
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