Austral ark : the state of wildlife in Australia and New Zealand

1. A separate creation: diversity, distinctiveness and conservation of Australian wildlife / David A. Nipperess -- 2. New Zealand: a land apart / William G. Lee and Daphne E. Lee -- 3. The ecological consequences of habitat loss and fragmentation in New Zealand and Australia / Poppy Lakeman Fraser, Robert M. Ewers and Saul Cunningham -- 4. The impacts of climate change on Australian and New Zealand flora and fauna / Abigail Cabrelli, Linda Beaumont and Lesley Hughes -- 5. Unwelcome and unpredictable: the sorry saga of cane toads in Australia / Richard Shine and Benjamin L. Phillips -- 6. Invasive plants and invaded ecosystems in Australia: implications for biodiversity / Rachael V. Gallagher and Michelle R. Leishman -- 7. Environmental weeds in New Zealand: impacts and management / Margaret C. Stanley and Imogen E. Bassett -- 8. The insidious threat of invasive invertebrates / Darren F. Ward -- 9. Pollution by antibiotics and resistance genes: dissemination into Australian wildlife / Michael Gillings -- 10. Invasive vertebrates in Australia and New Zealand / Cheryl R. Krull, Josie A. Galbraith, Al S. Glen and Helen W. Nathan -- 11. Freshwaters in New Zealand / Mike J. Joy -- 12. A garden at the edge of the world; the diversity and conservation status of the New Zealand flora / Carlos A. Lehnebach -- 13. The evolutionary history of the Australian flora and its relevance to biodiversity conservation / Maurizio Rossetto -- 14. Protecting the small majority: insect conservation in Australia and New Zealand / Gregory I. Holwell and Nigel R. Andrew -- 15. Terrestrial mammal diversity, conservation and management in Australia / Mark D.B. Eldridge and Catherine A. Herbert.;Australia and New Zealand are home to a remarkable and unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Sadly though, by virtue of their long isolation, and a naïve and vulnerable biota, both countries have suffered substantial losses to biodiversity since European contact. Bringing together the contributions of leading conservation biologists, Austral Ark presents the special features and historical context of Austral biota, and explains what is being conserved and why. The threatening processes occurring worldwide are discussed, along with the unique conservation problems faced at regional level. At the same time, the book highlights many examples of conservation success resulting from the innovative solutions that have been developed to safeguard native species and habitats in both New Zealand and Australia. Austral Ark fills an important gap regarding wildlife gains and declines, and how best to take conservation forward to keep this extraordinary area of the world thriving.;16. Marine mammals, back from the brink? Contemporary conservation issues / Robert Harcourt, Helene Marsh, David Slip, Louise Chilvers, Mike Noad and Rebecca Dunlop -- 17. Australian reptiles and their conservation / Jonathan K. Webb, Peter S. Harlow and David A. Pike -- 18. New Zealand reptiles and their conservation / Nicola J. Nelson, Rod Hitchmough and Jo M. Monks -- 19. Isolation, invasion and innovation: forces of change in the conservation of New Zealand birds / Sarah Withers -- 20. Australian birds: current status and future prospects / Stephen T. Garnett, Judit K. Szabo and Donald C. Franklin -- 21. Austral amphibians: Gondwanan relicts in peril / Jean-Marc Hero, J. Dale Roberts, Conrad J. Hoskin, Katrin Lowe, Edward J. Narayan and Phillip J. Bishop -- 22. Predators in danger: shark conservation and management in Australia, New Zealand and their neighbours / Paolo Momigliano, Vanessa Flora Jaiteh and Conrad Speed -- 23. 'Ragged mountain ranges, droughts and flooding rains': the evolutionary history and conservation of Australian freshwater fishes / Leanne Faulks, Dean Gilligan and Luciano B. Beheregaray -- 24. Down under Down Under: Austral groundwater life / Grant C. Hose, Maria G. Asmyhr, Steven J.B. Cooper and William F. Humphreys -- 25. Fire and biodiversity in Australia / John C.Z. Woinarski, Allan H. Burbidge, Sarah Comer, Dan Harley, Sarah Legge, David B. Lindenmayer and Thalie B. Partridge -- 26. Terrestrial protected areas of Australia / Ian D. Craigie, Alana Grech, Robert L. Pressey, Vanessa M. Adams, Marc Hockings, Martin Taylor and Megan Barnes -- 27. Australian marine protected areas / Alana Grech, Graham J. Edgar, Peter Fairweather, Robert L. Pressey and Trevor J. Ward -- 28. Marine reserves in New Zealand: ecological responses to protection and network design / Nick Shears and Hannah L. Thomas -- 29. Conclusion: conservation onboard Austral Ark needs all hands on deck / Adam Stow. Cover 1 Half-title page 3 Title page 5 Copyright page 6 Contents 7 Contributors 9 Foreword 15 Introduction 17 Chapter 1 A separate creation: diversity, distinctiveness and conservation of Australian wildlife 19 Chapter 2 New Zealand – a land apart 42 Chapter 3 The ecological consequences of habitat loss and fragmentation in New Zealand and Australia 63 Chapter 4 The impacts of climate change on Australian and New Zealand flora and fauna 83 Chapter 5 Unwelcome and unpredictable: the sorry saga of cane toads in Australia 101 Chapter 6 Invasive plants and invaded ecosystems in Australia: implications for biodiversity 123 Chapter 7 Environmental weeds in New Zealand: impacts and management 152 Chapter 8 The insidious threat of invasive invertebrates 180 Chapter 9 Pollution by antibiotics and resistance genes: dissemination into Australian wildlife 204 Chapter 10 Invasive vertebrates in Australia and New Zealand 215 Chapter 11 Freshwaters in New Zealand 245 Chapter 12 A garden at the edge of the world; the diversity and conservation status of the New Zealand flora 258 Chapter 13 The evolutionary history of the Australian flora and its relevance to biodiversity conservation 277 Chapter 14 Protecting the small majority: insect conservation in Australia and New Zealand 296 Chapter 15 Terrestrial mammal diversity, conservation and management in Australia 316 Chapter 16 Marine mammals, back from the brink? Contemporary conservation issues 340 Chapter 17 Australian reptiles and their conservation 372 Chapter 18 New Zealand reptiles and their conservation 400 Chapter 19 Isolation, invasion and innovation: forces of change in the conservation of New Zealand birds 423 Chapter 20 Australian birds: current status and future prospects 440 Chapter 21 Austral amphibians – Gondwanan relicts in peril 458 Chapter 22 Predators in danger: shark conservation and management in Australia, New Zealand and their neighbours 485 Chapter 23 ‘Ragged mountain ranges, droughts and flooding rains’: the evolutionary history and conservation of Australian freshwater fishes 510 Chapter 24 Down under Down Under: Austral groundwater life 530 Chapter 25 Fire and biodiversity in Australia 555 Chapter 26 Terrestrial protected areas of Australia 578 Chapter 27 Australian marine protected areas 600 Chapter 28 Marine reserves in New Zealand: ecological responses to protection and network design 618 Chapter 29 Conclusion: conservation onboard Austral Ark needs all hands on deck 642 Index 646 Plate 657 "Australia and New Zealand are home to a remarkable and unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Sadly though, by virtue of their long isolation, and a naive and vulnerable biota, both countries have suffered substantial losses to biodiversity since European contact. Bringing together the contributions of leading conservation biologists, Austral Ark presents the special features and historical context of Austral biota, and explains what is being conserved and why. The threatening processes occurring worldwide are discussed, along with the unique conservation problems faced at regional level. At the same time, the book highlights many examples of conservation success resulting from the innovative solutions that have been developed to safeguard native species and habitats in both New Zealand and Australia. Austral Ark fills an important gap regarding wildlife gains and declines, and how best to take conservation forward to keep this extraordinary area of the world thriving."--Back cover Australia and NZ are home to a remarkable and unique assemblage of flora and fauna. Sadly though, by virtue of their long isolation, and a naive and vulnerable biota, both countries have suffered substantial losses to biodiversity since European contact. Stow Macquarie Uni; Holwell University of Auckland