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Millennium Ecosystem AssessmentMillennium Ecosystem Assessment
Northern Australia floodplain andNorthern Australia floodplain andcoastal wetlandscoastal wetlands
Max FinlaysonMax Finlayson
National Centre for Tropical Wetland Research
Darwin, NT
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Northern Australia floodplain andNorthern Australia floodplain andcoastal wetlandscoastal wetlands
AimParticipation
Geographic Region / LocationData sources / Scale
ComponentsNext steps
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AimAim
Provide information on the floodplain and coastal ecosystems and their services at multiple scales and taking into account multiple pressures
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Geographic Region / LocationGeographic Region / Location
Northern Australia – east of DarwinCoastal biogeographic regionAlligator Rivers – 28 000 km2
Catchments of three riversKakadu National Park – World Heritage
& Ramsar listed
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Geographic Region / LocationGeographic Region / Location
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ParticipationParticipation
Discussed through existing panels, boards
• Biophysical scientists• Social scientists• Management agencies• Local community / indigenous• Private sector
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Data sourcesData sources
• Information derived from current or planned projects
• Biophysical features – extensive; ready access
• Social/cultural features – extensive; discuss access
• Floodplain services – variable; derived from biophysical data and managers
• Pressures – extensive analyses; risk assessments underway
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ScaleScale
• Biogeographical or catchment scale 1:100 000 to 1:250 000
• Catchment scales 1:50 000 to 1:100 000
• Habitats / river reaches 1:10 000
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ComponentsComponents
• Inventory/mapping – GIS multiple scale• Floodplain services – indigenous,
biodiversity, tourism, recreation (fish stocks, mitigation of climate change, cattle grazing)
• Risk assessment of major pressures – invasive species, water pollution, infrastructure, burning, climate change
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10Basic (“Core”) dataset
stored in Database with GIS Interface
Location; physico-chemical and biological features (ecologicalcharacter); land tenure; land use; management issues and threats...
Level 4
Wetland habitat
Location; altitude; area;land systems; climate; hydrology;
vegetation
Level 2
Wetland region1:250 000
Location; physico-chemical and biological features; classification; jurisdiction; ecosystem
services
Level 3Wetland complex
1:50 000
Hierarchical approach to wetland inventory
Geology; climate;
landcover
Level 1
River basin or island
1:1 000 000
Scale (nominal)
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The Risk The Risk Assessment Assessment FrameworkFramework(modified from van Dam et al. 1999; Ramsar 2000)
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Major pressuresMajor pressures
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Major pressures – insidious effects of Major pressures – insidious effects of climate changeclimate change
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Next stepsNext steps
Further consultation – with participants, advisors and stakeholders
Collation / analysis – based on previous and current projects
Communication – discussing and finalising analyses and outcomes
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Thank youThank you