There is a strong need to map the relative importance of areas for nature conservation both inside and outside reserves, given increasing development pressures and ongoing threats to biodiversity. Nature conservation importance has typically been established using iterative or optimising systems which select areas to achieve explicit targets. Irreplaceability has been a concept used in many of these analyses. We calculated rarity-weighted richness values (irreplaceability scores) from reliable distributional data for all vascular plant species of conservation importance in one square kilometre grid cells covering the State of Tasmania, Australia. The spatial patterns of scores on the irreplaceability index were not strongly related to data collection intensity. Thus, our scores were reliable for most parts of the State, irrespective of survey effort, except where there were no or little survey data. Irreplaceability scores were high in places with concentrations of local endemics, on mountains with persistent snow cover, along the northern part of the coast and on the Bass Strait islands.
History
Publication title
Papers and Proceedings Royal Society of Tasmania
Volume
151
Pagination
59-64
ISSN
0080-4703
Department/School
School of Geography, Planning and Spatial Sciences
Publisher
Royal Society of Tasmania
Place of publication
Australia
Rights statement
Copyright 2017 The Royal Society of Tasmania
Repository Status
Restricted
Socio-economic Objectives
Other environmental management not elsewhere classified