Weather Conditions Influence Conservation Success

Australia’s unique biodiversity and delicate ecosystems mean we are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. As temperatures continue to rise, seasonal conditions change and extreme weather events occur more often, Australia’s conservation management practices must adapt to ensure the protection of species, ecosystems and places.

Conditions impacting threat management operations include:

• Drought and dry conditions can negatively impact various terrestrial management activities including translocations, fire management, disease control and habitat restoration.
• Bushfires, wind, storms, cyclones and flooding can damage infrastructure, hinder access to sites, interfere with restoration activities and affect the survival and recruitment of translocated individuals.
• Heavy rainfall and flooding can have both positive and negative impacts on conservation actions, such as grazing management, control of feral herbivores and management of invasive predators.
• Extreme temperature changes can have context-specific effects on conservation activities. They can influence seedling germination, establishment and survival in restoration activities. Extreme temperatures can also effect disease treatments, the distribution of invasive species and the success of control measures.

Read more from our project Climate-effective management for threatened species and protected places