TY - JOUR
T1 - A GIS-based decision-making structure for managing the impacts of feral camels in Australia
AU - Lamb, D
AU - Saalfeld, S
AU - McGregor, M
AU - Edwards, Glenn P
AU - Zeng, Benxiang
AU - Vaarzon-Morel, P
PY - 2010/3/23
Y1 - 2010/3/23
N2 - Feral camels have severe negative impacts on key environmental economic and social/cultural assets across a wide area in Australia and their population is increasing. In this paper we utilised Multicriteria Evaluation (MCE) within a Geographic Information System (GIS) to create a decision tool for their management. Six management methods which are currently used for managing feral camels and their impacts: aerial culling, ground culling, exclusion fencing, and commercial extraction for live export, pet meat, or human consumption, were considered in the development of the tool. The decision tool used GIS-based MCE to determine the suitability of each of the management methods across the range of feral camels in Australia. A range of method-dependent criteria and factors served as inputs to the GIS-based MCE, which produced a suitability map or surface for each of the management methods. The broad-scale nature, Australia wide, of the work resulted in the suitability maps generated being of limited value in identifying fine-scale priority locations for management. The suitability maps did serve to identify broad-scale, cross-jurisdictional management zones where one or more of the management methods may be applicable. Geographic Information System-based MCE was concluded to have the potential to identify the appropriate areas for the application of specific feral camel management methods. Four management zones were then defined within the area of Australia in which feral camels are present.
AB - Feral camels have severe negative impacts on key environmental economic and social/cultural assets across a wide area in Australia and their population is increasing. In this paper we utilised Multicriteria Evaluation (MCE) within a Geographic Information System (GIS) to create a decision tool for their management. Six management methods which are currently used for managing feral camels and their impacts: aerial culling, ground culling, exclusion fencing, and commercial extraction for live export, pet meat, or human consumption, were considered in the development of the tool. The decision tool used GIS-based MCE to determine the suitability of each of the management methods across the range of feral camels in Australia. A range of method-dependent criteria and factors served as inputs to the GIS-based MCE, which produced a suitability map or surface for each of the management methods. The broad-scale nature, Australia wide, of the work resulted in the suitability maps generated being of limited value in identifying fine-scale priority locations for management. The suitability maps did serve to identify broad-scale, cross-jurisdictional management zones where one or more of the management methods may be applicable. Geographic Information System-based MCE was concluded to have the potential to identify the appropriate areas for the application of specific feral camel management methods. Four management zones were then defined within the area of Australia in which feral camels are present.
KW - Camelidae
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77950132257&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/RJ09056
DO - 10.1071/RJ09056
M3 - Article
VL - 32
SP - 129
EP - 143
JO - The Rangeland Journal
JF - The Rangeland Journal
SN - 1036-9872
IS - 1
ER -