Salinity threatens extinctions in Western Australia
A research scientist from Western Australia has warned the threat to biodiversity by dryland salinity has been overlooked and says up to 1,000 West Australian plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction.
Dr Keighery, a botanist and program leader at Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM), said a systematic survey of the agricultural zone of Western Australia has never before been carried out and the research team has already found the plant biodiversity of the region to be far higher previously thought.
"Of the four thousand species of vascular plants which occur in the Agricultural zone, nearly half live in the lower parts of the landscape, such as river valleys, which are particularly vulnerable to salinisation", Dr Keighery said. "Many of these don't occur anywhere outside the zone, and these are in real danger of becoming extinct."
"We have had horrifying estimates of what salinity will mean to agricultural production and the pollution of river systems, (but) we are only beginning to appreciate the possible consequences of dryland salinity on the plants and animals which share our agricultural zones." said Keighery.
Dr Keighery said the biological survey team plans to identify six to ten natural biodiversity 'recovery catchments' by 2001.
"These special areas will target very highly bio-diverse and especially threatened areas. They will be carefully managed so as to reduce the threat of salinity."