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

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.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 and Robert M. Ewers; 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, Kate G. McAlpine 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 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; 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. Austral ark chapter - 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 Phil 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, Steve J. B. Cooper and William F. Humphreys; 25. Fire and biodiversity in Australia John C. Z. Woinarski, Allan H. Burbidge, Sarah Comer, D. 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 Edgar, Peter Fairweather, Robert L. Pressey and Trevor Ward; 28. Marine reserves in New Zealand: ecological responses to protection and network design Nick Sh.637 page(s