Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia

Alica Artis Daniel Velazquez We are undergraduates who made this project for our Geography 5 class at UCLA. We chose this topic to learn more about tropical savannas in northern Australia and share our research with you.

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Steps to Maintaining Positive Impacts

Photo by Jean-Charles Perquin

As previously stated, the major impacts that affect the tropical savannas of northern Australia are the interference of fire regimes and the increasing presence of weeds that are starting to out-compete the native vegetation¹ ³. With any problem dealing with natural fires and human interference there are three possible solutions. The first is to do nothing and let the fires run there natural course. This course of action does not seem ideal for this ecosystem since the amount of litter and fuel that builds up in these savannah reach their maximum potential after only a few years. Knowing this, the effects of a natural fire would be disastrous. Another way of dealing with fires is thinning out the ecosystem to decrease the effect of fires. However, unlike most forests, savannas do not have dense groups of trees so thinning is unnecessary. Although the infestation of weeds does add to the intense fire problem and the removal of then can aide in this conservation effort¹. This brings us to our last method which also deals with the weed problem--controlled fires. When done properly during the wet season, controlled fires can limit the damage of later fires in the dry season and help reduce the presence of weeds².

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Weeds and Fire in the Tropical Savannas.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. “Seasonal Changes in Fire Behavior in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia.” International Journal of Wildland Fire 8.4 (1998): 227-39. CSIRO Publishing. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., G.D. Cook, A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. “Fire Regime, Fire Intensity and Tree Survival in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia.” Austral Ecology 24.1 (1999): 50-59. Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Posted by Daniel Velazquez

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Likely Future Prospects for Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia

(O'Donnell 2013)

With the growing environmental interests in sustainability, climate change, and conservation I feel that the future of savannas can be positive. One major concern, however, is the interference with fire regimes in this area. By limiting the natural fires that occur within this ecosystem, great destruction can cause economic and social unrest for this area³. For one, the grazing industry limits controlled fires in order to capitalize on their economic growth which can cause a build up in litter and fuel for intense fires⁴. Also, the presence of weeds also add to the build up that can also cause fires. These weeds encroach on the native plants and change the makeup of this ecosystem. Without the fires that naturally occur in the dry season, these weeds may eventually overrun this region and decrease the amount of native plant species within the savannas². These factors along with human activity can lead to the endangerment of native plants and animals indigenous to this region and limit the biodiversity present in northern Australia¹. For these reasons, I believe that the tropical savannas of northern Australia are destined for major habitat loss, decreased biodiversity, and decreased presence of native plant species so long as current human activity does not change.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Fire in Australia's Tropical Savannas.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Weeds and Fire in the Tropical Savannas.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. “Seasonal Changes in Fire Behavior in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia.” International Journal of Wildland Fire 8.4 (1998): 227-39. CSIRO Publishing. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., G.D. Cook, A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. “Fire Regime, Fire Intensity and Tree Survival in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia.” Austral Ecology 24.1 (1999): 50-59. Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Posted by Alica Artis

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Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia are used by Australian Defense Forces as a training area

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

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Current Human Impacts on Tropical Savannas in Northern Australia

People use the tropical savannas of northern Australia in many ways: grazing, national parks, tourism, Australian Defense Force training, mining, and Aboriginal land use. All of these have affected this ecosystem. The Australian savannas are home to one of the largest grazing industries in the world. The vast land and minimal urban development make it ideal for large cattle stations to flourish and provide economic prosperity. These savannas are also a site for conservation efforts that are protected by national parks that allows tourists to appreciate the generally unaltered ecosystem. The Aboriginal people, although scarce in the overall population of Australia, make up a majority of the population in the tropical savannas. This is why many of the Aboriginal people take part in many aspect of northern territory land use¹. Recently, the Australian Defense Force makes use of this large area of land by designating some of this area for training which results in the decrease in grazing land⁴. Also, many efforts to preserve the land for tourists, grazing, and conservation efforts have resulted disruption of fire regimes and allowed the increased growth of weeds within the area². The suppression of fires that occur naturally within this area--as well as the presence of weeds--puts the tropical savannas at an increased risk of intense fires³.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Weeds and Fire in the Tropical Savannas.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., G.D. Cook, A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. "Fire Regime, Fire Intensity and Tree Survival in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia." Austral Ecology 24.1 (1999): 50-59. Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Woinarski, J.C.Z., and A.J. Ash. "Responses of Vertebrates to Pastoralism, Military Land Use and Landscape Position in an Australian Tropical Savanna." Austral Ecology 27.3 (2002): 311-23. Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Posted by Daniel Velazquez

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Projected Changed in Streamflow by 2030

Australia. Department of the Environment. Climate Adaptation Outlook: A Proposed National Adaptation Assessment Framework. Commonwealth of Australia: n.p., 2013. Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

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Human Impact and Usage of Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia

O'Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. "Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region." Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

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References

Australia. Department of the Environment. Climate Adaptation Outlook: A Proposed National Adaptation Assessment Framework. Commonwealth of Australia: n.p., 2013. Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Berg, Linda R., Hager, Mary Catherine, and Hassenzahl, David M. “Ecosystems and Evolution.” Visualizing Environmental Science. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. 140. Print.

Bradshaw, Corey J. A. “Little Left to Lose: Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Australia Since European Colonization.” Journal of Plant Ecology 5.1 (2012): 109-20. Oxford Journals. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

C, Alix. “Australian Tropical Savanna.” Blue Planet Biomes. Blue Panet Biomes, 2001. Web. 24 Nov. 2013.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Climate Change.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Fire in Australia's Tropical Savannas.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

O’Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. “Weeds and Fire in the Tropical Savannas.” Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 19 Nov. 2013

"Tropical Savannahs of North Australia." Savannah Guides. Savannah Guides Limited, n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. “Seasonal Changes in Fire Behavior in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia.” International Journal of Wildland Fire 8.4 (1998): 227-39. CSIRO Publishing. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Williams, R.J., G.D. Cook, A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. “Fire Regime, Fire Intensity and Tree Survival in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia.” Austral Ecology 24.1 (1999): 50-59. Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Woinarski, J.C.Z., and A.J. Ash. “Responses of Vertebrates to Pastoralism, Military Land Use and Landscape Position in an Australian Tropical Savanna.” Austral Ecology 27.3 (2002): 311-23. Wiley Online Library. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

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Forest clearance of northern territory (NT) is significantly less than the other areas of Australia

top panel: proportional forest clearance rates by state and year from 1995 to 2005 relative to total land area (data from Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009). Bottom panel: total proportional land clearance by state from 1995 to 2005 (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2009). Numbers above bars indicate total clearance in hectares.

Bradshaw, Corey J. A. "Little Left to Lose: Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Australia Since European Colonization." Journal of Plant Ecology 5.1 (2012): 109-20. Oxford Journals. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

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Historical State of Tropical Savannas in Northern Australia

  Photo by CSIRO

Tropical savannas are defined as "tropical grasslands with widely scattered trees or clumps of trees" that are adapted to fire. They are characterized by wet and dry seasons or little rainfall that accommodate large animals¹. However, the savannas of northern Australia are distinctive in that they do not have large animals in comparison to the tropical savannas of Africa. Historically, mega fauna such as giant wombats and kangaroos use to inhabit this are until they went extinct. There is much speculation about the cause of this. Many scholars attribute the extinction to climate change and others to excessive hunting by the Aborigines, but it is possible that it was due to a combination of the two. The tropical savannas of northern Australia are high in biodiversity and rich in culture³. This particular area has dry and wet season in contrast to Africa and are therefore adapted to the fires that arise in the dry season⁴. Due to the small human population, poor soil, and unfavorable weather, there is little vegetation clearing for development in comparison to the other parts of Australia. However, this does not mean that the state of this ecosystem is without concern². 

1. Berg, Linda R., Hager, Mary Catherine, and Hassenzahl, David M. "Ecosystems and Evolution." Visualizing Environmental Science. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2011. 140. Print.

2. Bradshaw, Corey J. A. "Little Left to Lose: Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Australia Since European Colonization." Journal of Plant Ecology 5.1 (2012): 109-20. Oxford Journals. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

3. O'Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. "Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region." Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2011.

4. Williams, R.J., A.M. Gill, and P.H.R. Moore. "Seasonal Changes in Fire Behavior in a Tropical Savanna in Northern Australia." International Journal of Wildland Fire 8.4 (1998): 227-39. CSIRO Publishing. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

Posted by Alica Artis

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The pastoral industry has a great presence in the tropical savannas and is one major use for the land in Northern Australia.

O'Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. "Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region." Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

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Study Area: Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia

O'Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. "The Population of Savanna Australia." Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

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Study Area: Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia

O'Donnell, Kate, Peter Jacklyn, and Emma Woodward. "Tropical Savannas: A Unique Region." Savanna Explorer. Tropical Savanna CRC, 2008. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.