Fragile�ecosystems
NSW National Parks Education
NSW National Parks Education | Fragile ecosystems
Fragile ecosystems are ecological communities with unique features which are extremely sensitive to environmental changes or outside influences such as human impacts, climate change and bushfires.
Unique features and geographic locations make many fragile ecosystems niche habitats for native plants and animals.
Fragile ecosystems occur in deserts, semi-arid areas, mountains, wetlands, small islands and coastal areas.
What are fragile ecosystems?
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Features of fragile ecosystems
Fragile ecosystems:
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Why are fragile ecosystems important?
Ecosystem fragility and the impacts of environmental change create a diverse range of unique habitats for rare and protected species.
Some fragile ecosystems are windows into Australia’s natural and cultural history. They preserve prehistoric plant and animal communities, or contain important connections to Aboriginal culture and heritage.
Many of these ecosystems have key environmental functions – such as providing barriers to bushfires or floods.
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Where are fragile ecosystems found �in NSW?
Fragile ecosystems can be found all over NSW �from coastal areas, to mountains, to wetlands �and to deserts.
Many national parks are established to protect �these special ecosystems and the plants and �animals within.
Some fragile ecosystems are limited to specific geographic areas or conditions that aren’t �found elsewhere.
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Fragile ecosystem �example 1: Blue gum �forest
The Sydney Basin Blue Gum High Forest is a tall open woodland of blue gum trees towering over 30 metres, with a diverse ground layer of plants underneath.
It is home to a range of species including some that �are critically endangered. There aren’t many geographic locations suited to or containing Sydney Blue Gum Forest, making it a rare and vulnerable ecosystem.
Key threats to the forest include weeds and invasive species, human impacts, urban runoff, inappropriate �fire regimes and pathogen invasion.
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Fragile ecosystem example 2: Alpine environments
Alpine environments (cold and high altitude) provide habitat for a number of endemic and threatened plants and animals that would die if these unique ecosystems were to change too much.
They also store and control water flow into surrounding environments.
Some key threats to these ecosystems include climate change, fire regime changes, invasive species and human impacts.
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Fragile ecosystem
example 3: Wetlands
Many different types of wetlands occur in coastal and inland locations across NSW. Each is unique and critical to the survival of plants and animals.
Wetlands regulate water quality for surrounding environments. They help to store groundwater or protect areas from flooding. These areas are also important to Aboriginal communities, providing food, resources and connections to Country.
Key threats to wetlands include invasive species, pollution, inappropriate fire and flood regimes and human impacts.
NSW National Parks Education | Fragile ecosystems
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Threatened species classification
There are almost 1,000 threatened plant and animal species listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016.
Did you know that ecological communities can also be listed as threatened too?
As of May 2021, there are 111 ecological communities listed as vulnerable, endangered, �or critically endangered. Many of these are �fragile ecosystems.
NSW National Parks Education | Fragile ecosystems
Threatened species classification
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What is a fragile ecosystem?
Why are they important?
Where are they found?
Summary
NSW National Parks Education | Understanding climate change
A fragile ecosystem is a unique part of the natural environment that is vulnerable to external environmental change. It contains niche plants and animals, usually endemic to the area.
Fragile ecosystems provide special habitats for plants and animals, including rare and threatened species.
They play key environmental functions, such as feeding grounds, protection from bushfires or water storage.
Many national parks contain and protect fragile ecosystems.
They are found all across NSW, usually in unique geographic conditions.
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References
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