Conserving Biodiversity found in the Great Western Woodlands
This paper examines biodiversity found in the largest remaining temperate woodland and heathland mosaic left on Earth. The Great Western Woodlands covers almost 16 million hectares in the southwest of Western Australia. Although the southwest is internationally recognised as a biodiversity hotspot, very little is known of the trends in biodiversity across the Woodlands. In this research, biogeographic analysis was conducted on approximately 5 million hectares to assess both patterns of species diversity (alpha and beta) and surrogacy among different taxa. This analysis involved collating all plant, bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian records within 41 cells that were each 0.5 x 0.5 degrees in size. It was revealed that there is enormous heterogeneity across the landscape for all taxa, with very little surrogacy among taxa. Species recognised as requiring conservation management by State and Federal Governments are found across the study site. We believe traditional approaches to conservation, such as designing a “Comprehensive Adequate and Representative” reserve system, will not adequately protect the biodiversity across the region. We suggest a new, whole of landscape conservation approach for the Great Western Woodlands, one that manages the ecological processes that provided the platform for the evolution of a spectacular biodiversity.