Biodiversity

South Australia has many important and endemic species. Biodiversity is critical to human life, helping to regulate air and water quality, control erosion and pests, pollinate plants, and contribute resources for food, fibre, fuel and medicines.

The state’s biodiversity has been greatly altered and affected by historic human activities, including large-scale clearance of vegetation for settlement and farming. Remaining native vegetation is in fair to moderate condition but declining. Less revegetation was undertaken during this reporting period than the previous one and illegal clearing increased. The area of land under some form of formal protection increased about 10%. Soil erosion decreased through improved farming techniques (no-till sowing) and soil condition remained stable except for some increase in soil acidification. Dryland salinity and depth to groundwater is variable, with most trends positive and some negative (DEWNR 2012).

The trend in status of 20 indicator species is variable to positive (SASP Audit Committee 2012) and there has been an increase in the number of recovery plans and actions. However, the status of threatened species and ecological communities remains poor and is declining, with the number of threatened species and ecological communities increasing (EPBC Act 2012). Good progress has been made with trials by the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists to develop regionally based environmental accounts in 56 regions across Australia, including one on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. The trials include standards for more consistent long-term measurement of changes in the condition of environmental assets (Wentworth 2008).

There has been an increase in the number, distribution and abundance of most pest plants, animals and diseases, with nine confirmed detections of new weeds and pest animals since 2008 (Biosecurity SA 2013).

The changing climate is impacting biodiversity by affecting gene pools, species ranges, biological patterns and ecosystem dynamics, such as increased acidity and temperature of the ocean and changes in major currents (Hughes et al. 2010). Climate change is likely to magnify the effects of existing pressures on biodiversity—for example, the influence of climate change on newly arrived pests and diseases has the potential to create greater and more widespread problems.

In summary

Component	Summary	Assessment grade				Confidence
		Very poor	Poor	Good	Very good	In grade	In trend
Recent Trend Improving Stable Deteriorating Unclear Level of confidence Evidence and consensus too low to make an assessment Limited evidence or limited consensus Adequate high-quality evidence and high level of consensus Grades Very Poor Poor Good Very Good
Native vegetation	Native vegetation extent and condition is fair to moderate and declining. There has been an increase of about 10% in the area under some form of protected status since 2008. There has been an increase in illegal clearing. There has been a decrease in the area of revegetation since 2008.
Threatened species and ecological communities	There has been an increase in recovery plans and actions. There is a variable to positive trend in the status of 20 indicator species. The status of threatened species and ecological communities is poor and declining. There has been a net increase in the number of endangered and vulnerable species and ecological communities since 2008. Climate change has altered fire regimes.
Soil and land management	There has been a steady increase in cropping land protected from erosion. Soil condition in production areas is fair to moderate and stable. There has been an increase in crop area using no-till sowing methods. There has been an increase in the area and rate of soil acidification. There is a variable trend in dryland salinity and depth to groundwater, with most measures declining or stable (positive), and some rising (negative).
Introduced species	There has been an increase in number, distribution and abundance of most pest plants, animals and diseases. Only a few have decreased. For key established pests and diseases: rabbits, feral goats, European fanworm, oriental weatherloach, silverleaf nightshade, Phytophthora cinnamomi and sarcoptic mange of wombats have increased in distribution and abundance feral deer, European carp, bridal creeper and opuntioid cacti are steady in distribution and abundance feral camels, Caulerpa taxifolia and gorse are decreasing in distribution and abundance chytridiomycosis is unknown in distribution and abundance. For new pests and diseases: the numbers of weeds, marine pests, aquatic pests and native plant diseases are increasing the number of terrestrial vertebrate pests is steady the number of wildlife diseases is unknown. There have been six confirmed detections of new vertebrate pest incursions since 2008.

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