Loss of terrestrial biodiversity in Australia: Magnitude, causation, and response

Abstract

Australia’s biota is species rich, with high rates of endemism. This natural legacy has rapidly diminished since European colonization. The impacts of invasive species, habitat loss, altered fire regimes, and changed water flows are now compounded by climate change, particularly through extreme drought, heat, wildfire, and flooding. Extinction rates, already far exceeding the global average for mammals, are predicted to escalate across all taxa, and ecosystems are collapsing. These losses are symptomatic of shortcomings in resourcing, law, policy, and management. Informed by examples of advances in conservation practice from invasive species control, Indigenous land management, and citizen science, we describe interventions needed to enhance future resilience. Many characteristics of Australian biodiversity loss are globally relevant, with recovery requiring society to reframe its relationship with the environment.

Integrating soil microbial communities into fundamental ecology, conservation, and restoration: examples from Australia

“…At the same time, Australia has high endemism of native plants that rely on belowground fungal and bacterial communities to acquire nutrients and water they need. Australia's native plant diversity is rapidly decreasing due to competition with invasive plants and global climate change (Legge et al ., 2023). Our ability to translate fundamental ecological plant–soil research into applied solutions for conservation, restoration, and management of Australia's unique ecosystems as well as agroecosystems has never been more urgent.…”

“…Additionally, Australia has globally distinct geographic patterns of mycorrhizal type dominance (AM or EM) in forests (Steidinger et al ., 2019) and is also a diversity hub for ectomycorrhizal plants (Brundrett & Tedersoo, 2018). The harsh climatic conditions of Australia, including scarce water and extreme events such as fire and drought, play a central role in shaping the composition of both plants and microbial communities above and belowground (Eldridge et al ., 2018; Egidi et al ., 2019; Legge et al ., 2023). These peculiar features make comparison with ecosystems from other ecoregions of the world difficult, highlighting the need for studies addressing challenges specific to the Australian continent.…”

“…These peculiar features make comparison with ecosystems from other ecoregions of the world difficult, highlighting the need for studies addressing challenges specific to the Australian continent. A recent review on the loss of terrestrial biodiversity in Australia found that species extinction rates are predicted to escalate across all taxa assessed (Legge et al ., 2023); however, similar assessments are lacking for soil microbial diversity (Birnbaum & Dearnaley, 2023).…”

“…Plant aboveground microbiomes have received considerably more attention; thus, there is considerable research required in the belowground space. Australia provides an opportunity for such investigations, particularly given the extensive vegetation clearing that has occurred over the past two centuries since European colonisation (Legge et al ., 2023).…”

To the future: An ecology of love, hope, and action

“…One such catastrophic event was the Australian Black Summer wildfires of 2019–2020. These caused detrimental impacts on at least 650 of Australia's threatened species (Legge et al, 2023) and the extinction of at least one invertebrate species, the sadly uncharismatic Banksia montana mealybug Pseudococcus markharveyi (Moir, 2021). The entire known range of nearly 400 invertebrate species was burnt (Marsh et al, 2022).…”