JCU Events

TESS seminars feature international, Australian, and local JCU researchers whose work falls within Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Sciences.

Nature conservation compromised by agricultural interests in Australia

Australia is a global leader in land-clearing and biodiversity loss. The overwhelming majority of land clearing within Australia and globally, is driven by conversion to productive lands, including agricultural and pastoral uses. Bias towards productive land uses in land-use planning also leads to residual conservation of unproductive landscapes, which might act as marginal or sink habitats for many species. Using an integrated agricultural suitability map and high-quality species range maps, we analyze the influence of agricultural suitability on habitat loss and protection rates for Australia’s plant and animal species. We additionally assess how agricultural suitability determines which parts of a species range receives protection. Finally, using the agricultural suitability map we identify regions of Australia at-risk of future land-clearing, and the species likely to bear the brunt of the impacts.

About  Jayden Engert

Jayden Engert is an applied ecologist with a particular interest in human impacts, ecological restoration, and forest conservation. He completed a Bachelors in Zoology and a Masters in Protected Area Management at James Cook University, including a research component on tropical forest restoration. He has spent years working as a Geospatial Technician on various land management and conservation research projects. Jayden is a currently a PhD candidate at JCU where he aims to predict the environmental impacts of proposed large-scale infrastructure development projects across the Asia-Pacific region.

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