Holocene vertebrate fossils aid the management and restoration of Australian ecosystems

Summary European‐settlement‐related impacts over the past 200 years pose many challenges for the conservation and restoration of Australia's ecosystems. Landscape modification, associated habitat loss and the introduction of exotic species have caused the extinction and mainland extirpation of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecological management & restoration 2014-01, Vol.15 (1), p.58-63
Main Author: McDowell, Matthew C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
baseline
baseline shift
biodiversity
conservation management
Environmental restoration
Fossils
holocene
Paleoecology
subfossil
Vertebrates
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Summary:Summary European‐settlement‐related impacts over the past 200 years pose many challenges for the conservation and restoration of Australia's ecosystems. Landscape modification, associated habitat loss and the introduction of exotic species have caused the extinction and mainland extirpation of numerous vertebrates. This process happened so quickly that many species became locally or functionally extinct before their presence was documented. A growing body of research on Holocene fossil accumulations is providing insights into the composition and biogeography of Australian ecosystems prior to European settlement. This review explores the similarities between palaeo‐ and neo‐ecology and how Holocene (last 10,000 years) assemblages can be used by neo‐ecologists, conservation managers and policy makers to identify and fill gaps in knowledge and contribute to the management and restoration of Australia's degraded ecosystems.
ISSN:1442-7001
1442-8903
DOI:10.1111/emr.12075