The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands
Scientific observations have demonstrated massive changes in tall tussock and megaherb cover on Macquarie Island, substantial colonisation of bare ground by native vegetation on Heard Island, expansion of the range of Poa annua on Heard Island, and local changes in vegetation associated with changes...
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Royal Society of Tasmania
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:60879 2023-05-15T13:35:38+02:00 The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands Kirkpatrick, JB 2009 application/pdf http://ecite.utas.edu.au/60879 en eng Royal Society of Tasmania http://ecite.utas.edu.au/60879/2/Subantarctic veg dynamics Roy Soc[1].pdf Kirkpatrick, JB, The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands, Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 143, (1) pp. 25-32. ISSN 0080-4703 (2009) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/60879 Biological Sciences Ecology Terrestrial Ecology Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2009 ftunivtasecite 2019-12-13T21:31:35Z Scientific observations have demonstrated massive changes in tall tussock and megaherb cover on Macquarie Island, substantial colonisation of bare ground by native vegetation on Heard Island, expansion of the range of Poa annua on Heard Island, and local changes in vegetation associated with changes in the locations of animal aggregations. Suggested recent declines in Sphagnum and Azorella on Macquarie Island may have occurred but are yet to be proven. Climate change seems certain to have been responsible for vegetation expansion on Heard Island, but its role on Macquarie Island is less clear. The role of variation in rabbit populations on Macquarie Island in causing changes in the areas of vegetation dominated by tall tussocks and megaherbs is scientifically well-established. However, the relative contribution of variation in cat populations, variation in the effectiveness of the Myxoma virus and climate change on variation in rabbit populations has been the subject of unresolvable differences in scientific opinion. While science has been generally productive in determining needs for vegetation management and its appropriate course when needed, the bureaucratic separation of managers and scientists within Tasmania, and an emphasis on peer review and strategic research within the Australian Antarctic Division, have contributed to some fracturing of management-related science in the twenty-first century, and have resulted in scientific publication and publicity that has criticised, rather than supported, appropriate conservation management. Long-term involvement of individual scientists in both research and management planning seems to have been a key driver of good nature conservation. A renewed focus on the integration of science and management is recommended. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Australian Antarctic Division Heard Island Macquarie Island eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Antarctic Heard Island |
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English |
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Biological Sciences Ecology Terrestrial Ecology |
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Biological Sciences Ecology Terrestrial Ecology Kirkpatrick, JB The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands |
topic_facet |
Biological Sciences Ecology Terrestrial Ecology |
description |
Scientific observations have demonstrated massive changes in tall tussock and megaherb cover on Macquarie Island, substantial colonisation of bare ground by native vegetation on Heard Island, expansion of the range of Poa annua on Heard Island, and local changes in vegetation associated with changes in the locations of animal aggregations. Suggested recent declines in Sphagnum and Azorella on Macquarie Island may have occurred but are yet to be proven. Climate change seems certain to have been responsible for vegetation expansion on Heard Island, but its role on Macquarie Island is less clear. The role of variation in rabbit populations on Macquarie Island in causing changes in the areas of vegetation dominated by tall tussocks and megaherbs is scientifically well-established. However, the relative contribution of variation in cat populations, variation in the effectiveness of the Myxoma virus and climate change on variation in rabbit populations has been the subject of unresolvable differences in scientific opinion. While science has been generally productive in determining needs for vegetation management and its appropriate course when needed, the bureaucratic separation of managers and scientists within Tasmania, and an emphasis on peer review and strategic research within the Australian Antarctic Division, have contributed to some fracturing of management-related science in the twenty-first century, and have resulted in scientific publication and publicity that has criticised, rather than supported, appropriate conservation management. Long-term involvement of individual scientists in both research and management planning seems to have been a key driver of good nature conservation. A renewed focus on the integration of science and management is recommended. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Kirkpatrick, JB |
author_facet |
Kirkpatrick, JB |
author_sort |
Kirkpatrick, JB |
title |
The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands |
title_short |
The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands |
title_full |
The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands |
title_fullStr |
The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands |
title_full_unstemmed |
The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands |
title_sort |
importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on macquarie and heard islands |
publisher |
Royal Society of Tasmania |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/60879 |
geographic |
Antarctic Heard Island |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Heard Island |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Australian Antarctic Division Heard Island Macquarie Island |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Australian Antarctic Division Heard Island Macquarie Island |
op_relation |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/60879/2/Subantarctic veg dynamics Roy Soc[1].pdf Kirkpatrick, JB, The importance of integrating science and management: lessons from terrestrial vegetation change on Macquarie and Heard Islands, Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 143, (1) pp. 25-32. ISSN 0080-4703 (2009) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/60879 |
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1766068185723830272 |