The nature of Northern Australia : natural values, ecological processes and future prospects / / authors, John Woinarski, Brendan Mackey, Henry Nix & Barry Triall

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910141773503321
• Autore: Woinarski J. C. Z (John Casimir Zichy), <1955-, >
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Canberra, ACT : , : ANU E Press, , [2007]; ©2007
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (vii, 127 pages) : colour illustrations, colour maps, photographs; digital file(s)
• Disciplina: 333.70994
• Soggetti: Environmental sciences - Australia, Northern; Human ecology - Australia, Northern; Social ecology - Australia, Northern; Human geography - Australia, Northern; Australia, Northern Economic conditions
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: "Project coordinated by Larelle McMillan & Barry Traill."; "Tropical Savannas CRC."; "Myer Foundation."; "Charles Darwin University."
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references and index.
• Nota di contenuto: 1. Introduction -- Objectives of this study -- The region -- Indigenous knowledge and values -- The structure of this study -- The authors -- 2. The land and its people -- The past: an Arafura inheritance -- The Northern landscape -- Climate -- Soils -- Landforms -- Environments -- Biodiversity -- People of Northern Australia -- Regions of the North -- Current land use and economies -- 3. How the landscape works -- Ecological functioning and linkages -- Hydro-ecology: the interdependence of water and landscape function -- Ecological disturbance -- Interconnections of ecological movements -- Other critical ecological processes and linkages -- 4. The natural values of Northern Australia -- Local values -- National and international values -- The state of Australia's woodlands -- The state of Australia's waterways -- The North and Australia's biodiversity -- 5. Problems in ; the landscape -- Why worry? -- Species decline -- Landscape change -- The causes of current decline -- Depopulation and lack of resources -- Climate change -- Solace -- 6. A sustainable future for Northern Australia -- Protecting the natural legacy -- Conservation planning -- Living in the land -- Stories from the land -- Economic activities -- Where to from here?.
• Sommario/riassunto: Northern Australia stands out as one of the largest natural areas remaining on Earth- alongside such global treasures as the Amazon rainforests, the boreal conifer forests of Alaska and Canada, and the polar wilderness of Antarctica. Nature remains in abundance in ‘the North.’ Its intact tropical savannas, rainforests, and free flowing rivers provide a basis for much of the economic activity and the quality of life for residents of the area. The Nature of Northern Australia details the latest science on the Northern environment. With increasing debate over the future of Australia’s often forgotten North, this is a timely examination of its environmental significance, the ecological processes that make it function, and the economies that are compatible with maintaining healthy communities and people and healthy country into the future. The authors, Dr. John Woinarski, Professor Brendan Mackey, Professor Henry Nix and Dr. Barry Traill, are leading experts on the environment of Northern Australia, and combined have many decades of experience on Northern ecology and land management.