Creating sustainable future landscapes: a role for landscape ecology in the rangelands of Northern Australia
Diane Pearson A E F , Muhammad Nawaz B and Robert Wasson C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Environment, Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory 0909, Australia.
B Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, 1 Arts Link, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117570.
C College of Science and Technology, James Cook University, Smithfield, Qld 4878, Australia.
D Institute of Water Policy, National University of Singapore, 469A Bukit Timah Road, Tower Block, Singapore 259770.
E School of Agriculture and Environment, College of Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
F Corresponding author. Email: D.Pearson@massey.ac.nz
The Rangeland Journal 41(1) 13-21 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ18040
Submitted: 28 March 2018 Accepted: 7 November 2018 Published: 15 January 2019
Abstract
The principles and theory of landscape ecology can be used with careful spatial planning to maintain ecosystem function and services in the face of urbanisation and agricultural intensification of the rangelands. In the largely undisturbed catchment of Darwin harbour in Northern Australia, an area of cattle grazing, some agriculture and small urban areas, seasonally waterlogged grassy valley floors known as dambos are demonstrated to be of vital importance for the minimisation of fine sediment transport to the harbour. If the dambos are disturbed fine sediment from them will have potentially detrimental effects on the biodiversity of the upper harbour and may also add pollutants contained in the fine sediment. The incorporation of such important landscape features into landscape planning in rangelands worldwide is critical to the creation of sustainable future landscapes. Techniques that monitor condition and function of the landscape coupled with spatially informed design are able to assist in preserving the important ecosystem services that natural features can provide and thus have a significant contribution to make in landscape sustainability.
Additional keywords: dambos, geomorphological processes, landscape design, landscape function, landscape planning.
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