Refugia for biological diversity in arid and semi-arid Australia
Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4
S.R. Morton, J. Short and R.D. Barker, with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce
Biodiversity Unit
Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, 1995
4. Foci of biological diversity in Western Australia (continued)
4.7. Gibson Desert
Area
155,530 km².
Primary land-use
Aboriginal use, mining exploration.
National Parks and Nature Reserves
Gibson Desert Nature Reserve; proposed Baker Lake area.
Management problems
At Baker Lake, house mice (uncommon), rabbit, camel.
ANZECC-listed species
Mulgara Dasycercus cristicauda (V) remains were recorded near Gahnda Rockhole at Baker Lake; previously collected from this site in 1931 (Burbidge et al. 1976).
Species that are regionally endemic
No information.
Relict populations
No information.
Other significant populations
Sminthopsis longicaudata and Pseudomys desertor were present in the Baker Lake area in 1975 (Burbidge and McKenzie 1976; Burbidge et al. 1976).
The striated grass wren Amytornis striatus striatus (Garnett 1992, pp. 119-20) may still be declining. Reid and Fleming (1992) considered the bush thick-knee Burhinus grallarius to be declining in this Region.
Wetland sites
Small pools along Cooper Creek, 8 km south of Baker Lake area with some waterbirds (Burbidge et al. 1976).
Refugia
None identified.