The Kakadu reg10n of northern Australia is swarming over the landscape with their meters steeped in cultural history and natural grandeur. and notebooks and a vast store of information Over the past few decades the rich cultural and was gathered. This book is a summary of the natural heritage of this fascinating region has immense amount of information collected on the become increasingly known to more and more geobotanic features of the region. The cultural people. At the same time as the natural heritage of heritage of the traditional Aboriginal inhabitants the region was being recognised by conser of the region and the diverse and populous fauna vationists and tourists alike the mineral wealth were also investigated. but both these subjects was being recognised by mining enterprises. warrant their own separate volumes and are not Almost inevitably, the mix of conservation and treated here. Throughout this period of intense scientific mining interests led to conflict that is still not completely resolved. However, much has hap interest the very nature of the region has changed. pened over the years and we now have a major Besides changes in human habitation the physical and biological environment has come under national park that is largely leased from the Aboriginal traditional owners under a manage challenge and even threat. We now have more weed species. We no longer have the large ment agreement.

Klappentext

This book combines the output of almost 15 years of research by biological and physical scientists in a unique World Heritage area in the isolated north of Australia. As such it represents a total update of past books on the region and concentrates on the scientific evidence accumulated by researchers covering most aspects of the vegetation and landscape features in a region that not only includes Kakadu National Park but also valuable mineral resources. The book covers the natural features and plant diversity of the region along with controversial subjects such as fire, feral animals and weeds. As such, it is required reading for scientists and conservationists interested in these issues across the monsoonal landscapes of Northern Australia and elsewhere.

Inhalt

1. The Kakadu region.- 2. Climate and hydrology.- 3. Landform evolution.- 4. Terrestrial vegetation.- 5. Wetland vegetation.- 6. Weed ecology.- 7. Plant-animal interactions.- 8. Impact of feral water buffalo.- 9. Fire ecology and management.- List of contributors.