Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
This community can be found growing on fertile soils in low-lying parts of the
landscape (coinciding with prime agricultural areas). The understorey often
supports a diverse range of native grasses and wildflowers such as lilies, orchids
and everlasting daisies. On heavier clay soils towards the Riverina plains, Box-Gum
woodland intergrades with an open woodland dominated by Grey Box
E.
microcarpa
and White Cypress Pine
Callitris glaucophylla
, and on the less fertile
slopes and ridges, Box-Gum woodland merges with a shrubby type of woodland
community dominated by Long-leaved Box
E. goniocalyx
, Red Box
E. polyanthemos
and a variety of small shrubs.
Why is conserving biodiversity on farms beneficial and
important?
Almost all farmers are interested in biodiversity. Of
Australia's 150 000 farms, 94% have voluntarily
undertaken some form of natural resource management
activity, citing increased productivity (89%), increased
sustainability (88%), protection of the environment
(75%) and improved risk management
(6 4%).
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Nevertheless, some land managers in Australia
consider the conservation of biodiversity to be an
impediment - something that stops them doing what
they want to do on their land. The maintenance of biodiversity on a farm and
throughout agricultural landscapes is a benefit, however, not a disadvantage. An
increasing number of people around the world believe that biodiversity
conservation needs to be an integral part of ecologically sustainable land
management and agricultural production. In the remainder of this section, we
explain some of the reasons why conserving biodiversity on farms is beneficial and
important. The key benefits we touch on are that:
Biodiversity is the variety of
life and includes not only
species and their genetic
variation, but also the key
ecological processes that
underpin the functioning of
productive ecosystems
biodiversity is critical for the maintenance of important ecological processes in
woodland ecosystems
●
biodiversity conservation can have financial benefits for farming enterprises
●
there are regional, national and global heritage values associated with the
conservation of Australian plants and animals
●
biodiversity conservation can provide opportunities for improving human lives
in the future through medical science.
●
Setting goals is
fundamental to all
successful management
activities on a farm
Ecosystem function benefits
Ecosystems provide the fundamental resources on which
humans depend - food and fibre, water and clean air.
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