Why are plants threatened?
In over 200 years of European occupation there have been significant changes to the way native vegetation is managed. Clearing for agriculture and urban development, altered fire and grazing patterns, changed drought and flood patterns, and the introduction of weeds, feral animals and diseases have affected the survival of many plant species. More than 60 Australian plant species are now thought to be extinct, and over 1180 are threatened. The depletion and degradation of native vegetation communities threatens the long-term health of Australian landscapes. Increasing fragmentation makes it harder for plants to reproduce and makes populations more susceptible to disturbance. Changes to drought and flood patterns have threatened the survival of many plant species. Fire is a natural event in the Australian environment. However, changes to the frequency and intensity of fires, and to the seasons in which they occur, affect the abundance of plants and the composition of plant communities.
