Abstract
The Australian freshwater turtle fauna is dominated by species in the family Chelidae. The extant fauna comprises a series of distinct lineages, each of considerable antiquity, relicts of a more extensive and perhaps diverse fauna that existed when wetter climes prevailed. Several phylogenetically distinctive species are restricted to single, often small, drainage basins, which presents challenges for their conservation. Specific threats include water resource development, which alters the magnitude, frequency, and timing of flows and converts lentic to lotic habitat via dams and weirs, fragmentation of habitat, sedimentation, nutrification, and a reduction in the frequency and extent of floodplain flooding. Drainage of wetlands and altered land use are of particular concern for some species that are now very restricted in range and critically endangered. The introduced European red fox is a devastatingly efficient predator of turtle nests and can have a major impact on recruitment. In the north, species such as the northern snake-necked turtle are heavily depredated by feral pigs. Other invasive animals and aquatic weeds dramatically alter freshwater habitats, with consequential impacts on freshwater turtles. Novel pathogens such as viruses have brought at least one species to the brink of extinction. Species that routinely migrate across land are impacted by structural simplification of habitat, reduction in availability of terrestrial refugia, fencing (including conservation fencing), and in some areas, by high levels of road mortality. We report on the listing process and challenges for listing freshwater turtles under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, summarize the state of knowledge relevant to listing decisions, identify the key threatening processes impacting turtles, and identify key knowledge gaps that impede the setting of priorities. We also focus on how to best incorporate First Nations Knowledge into decisions on listing and discuss opportunities to engage Indigenous communities in on-ground work to achieve conservation outcomes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1603-1656 |
| Number of pages | 54 |
| Journal | Austral Ecology |
| Volume | 48 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Early online date | Aug 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Thank you to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, in particular Leonie Brettell, Lee-Anne Shepherd, Nick Stubbs, and Niboddhri Christie for their guidance and facilitation of the Species Expert Assessment Program. Thank you also to Katrina Daniels and Ethan Broom from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water for their comments and feedback on the draft Conservation Advice documents. Thank you to Traditional Owners and First Nations knowledge holders, including the Arafura Swamp Rangers, Barada Barna Aboriginal Corporation, Barada Kabalbara Yetimarala People, Bidjara People, Gaangalu Nation People, Gangalidda and Garawa Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (GGNTAC), Gubbi Gubbi Dyungungoo Group Inc, Jawoyn Rangers, Ken Peters Dodd First Nation Widi Birri Sovereign Representative, Leanne Watson Redpath Darug Corporation, Njanjma Rangers, Port Curtis Coral Trust for the Bailai, Gurung, Gooreng Gooreng, Taribelang Bunda Peoples Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (PCCC), Wadja People, Wagiman Rangers, Wardaman Rangers and Wardekken Rangers, who generously gave their time in providing us with invaluable knowledge on species cultural and ecological significance for inclusion in the Conservation Advice documents. Thank you to species experts, in particular Andrew Burbidge, Hamish Campbell, Mariana Campbell, John Cann, Bruce Chessman, Natalie Clark, Marilyn Connell, Martin Dillon, Tim Faulkner, Bruno Ferronato, Darren Fielder, Craig Franklin, Alastair Freeman, Katie Howard, Gerald Kuchling, Col Limpus, Donald McKnight, Greg Miles, Kate Parish, Shane Ruming, Ross Sadlier, Claudia Santori, Anthony Santoro, Jason Schaffer, Phil Spark, Andrew Steed, Louise Streeting, Dane Trembath, Dion Wedd, Sam Washusen, and Matthew Young for their expertise, contribution of information and point data, and overall feedback on the Conservation Advice documents and listing process. Open access publishing facilitated by University of Canberra, as part of the Wiley - University of Canberra agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians.
Funding Information:
This work arose from funding for a Species Expert Assessment Project (SEAP) awarded by tender to Biomatix Pty Ltd (Canberra) and serviced by authors AG (lead), KP, RJS, DB, CCE, SS and HT. Additional information included in the manuscript was generated with partial funding from ARC Linkage Grant awarded to JUVD (lead), RJS and DB.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Austral Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Ecological Society of Australia.
