A new pilot tool is helping decision makers identify where key threats to biodiversity occur across Australia. It also shows which threatened native species may be affected.
The Threats Spatial Planning Tool includes information on invasive pests, weeds and diseases. These are recognised as Key Threatening Processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
Using maps, the tool shows:
- where 9 key threats to biodiversity occur across Australia
- which EPBC Act-listed species may be affected
- how vulnerable species may be to each threat
- areas with a greater number of susceptible species.
How the tool works
The tool uses a new method developed with experts from Australian universities.
The method looks at species traits such as body size, diet, reproduction and habitat. It uses these traits to estimate how threats may affect native species.
The tool currently covers 9 threats:
- European red fox
- feral pig
- feral deer
- yellow crazy ant
- Mission grass including perennial mission grass and annual mission grass
- Olive hymenachne
- Phytophthora dieback
- myrtle rust
- amphibian chytrid fungus.
The Australian Government invested $2 million through the Saving Native Species program to develop the tool.
