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Publications

Refugia for Biological Diversity in Arid and Semi-arid Australia

Biodiversity Series, Paper No. 4
Biodiversity Unit

S.R. Morton, J. Short and R.D. Barker
with an Appendix by G.F. Griffin and G. Pearce


4.14. Mallee

Area

79,874 km2.

Primary land-use

Agriculture.

National Parks and Nature Reserves

Frank Hann National Park and Peak Charles National Park.

Management problems

Loss of habitat through habitat fragmentation (Noble et al. 1990).

ANZECC-listed species

Leigh et al. (1984) listed the plants Boronia revoluta (V) (p. 314), Eremophila inflata (V) (pp. 256-7), E.racemosa (V) (p. 257), and Eucalyptus steedmanii (V) (pp. 275-6).

Species that are regionally endemic

Reptiles: The skink Ctenotus xenopleura is endemic (Dell et al. 1985; Cogger 1992). The elapid snake Echiopsis atriceps is known only from Lake Cronin (How et al. 1988; Cogger 1992).

Plants: How et al. (1988) recorded 20 undescribed plant species and 79 rarely-collected species.

Relict populations

No information.

Other significant populations

The Region represents an important interzone between arid and mesic components of the south-western Australian biota. Leigh et al. (1984) recorded the rare plant Eremophila serpens (pp. 257-8).

Wetland sites

No information.

Refugia

None identified.

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