A series of national biodiversity hotspots have been
identified by the Australian Government. These are strongholds for
large numbers of Australia's unique plants and animals under
immediate threat from impacts such as land clearing, weeds, feral
animals and salinity. The hotspots are home to 'endemic' species,
native flora and fauna that are mostly restricted to one geographic
locality. Three areas within the region have been identified as a
'hot spot' of national significance.
Einasleigh
Einasleigh’s basalt lava flows and lava tunnels provide
habitat for threatened and geographically restricted plants and
animals. Water enters the Great Artesian Basin aquifers here and
important artesian spring complexes contain endemic plants, snails
and fish including the Edgbaston goby and the salt
pipewort plant. Ecologically and geologically important
wetlands include Lake Buchanan and Lake Galilee.
Desert Uplands
The high ranges and plateaus of Einasleigh contrast sharply with
the plains and low ranges of the Desert Uplands. In the Desert
Uplands alone there are 22 rare or threatened animals, including
the Masked Owl and the Julia Creek dunnart, and 29 rare or
threatened plants.
Current threats come from unsustainable grazing pressure, feral
animals and, in some areas, tree clearing. Changing fire regimes
and exotic weeds which accompany more intensive grazing have the
potential to affect bird species such as the endangered
buff-breasted botton-quail, now restricted to only a few
sites.
Brigalow Belt North
The inland plains of the Brigalow belt originally supported vast
vegetation communities dominated by brigalow. On the western slopes
of the Great Dividing Range there are large tracts of eucalypt
woodlands and the hotspot is also a stronghold for large numbers of
endemic invertebrates.
This hotspot includes populations of the endangered bridled
nail-tail wallaby and the only remaining wild population of
the endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat, now limited to around
110 individuals.
The area contains important habitat for rare and threatened
species including the bulloak, the jewel butterfly, brigalow
scaly-foot, glossy black cockatoo, greater large-eared
horseshoe bat, large pied bat, eastern long-eared bat, and the
threatened community of semi evergreen vine thickets. The hotspot
provides important habitat for star finches and golden tailed
geckos.
