Subterranean Biology Reports

Departmental resources | Updated 3 months ago

Christmas Island

This following list contain links to download the report "Assessment of the ecological values and management options for cave use on Christmas Island" (1998) by W.F. Humphreys and Stefan M. Eberhard.

Executive Summary

Following a brief from Parks Australia North, a survey was conducted to detennine the existence, affInities, significance and management implications of any subterranean fauna on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). The authors spent three weeks on Christmas Island in April 1998 examining a selection of the known access points to the subterranean environment such as caves, boreholes and springs. These were sampled using visual searching, trapping, haul netting and fixed nets, and some basic physico-chemical environmental parameters were measured.

The subterranean environment of Christmas Island is diverse and includes freshwater, marine, anchialine, and terrestrial habitats. Previously poorly known, the cave fauna is shown to be a significant component of the island's biodiversity, and a significant cave fauna province in an international context. The cave fauna comprises swiftlets, and a diverse assemblage of invertebrates, both terrestrial and aquatic, which includes a number of rare and endemic species of high conservation significance. At least twelve species which are endemic to Christmas Island are probably restricted to subterranean habitats which ranks Christmas Island significant in term of its subterranean fauna.

The cave fauna and habitats are sensitive to disturbance from a number of threatening processes, including pollution, deforestation, mining, and human visitors. Management recommendations are given for each of these threats. The major internal threat to cave fauna and habitats is human visitors. Public education, habitat protection and monitoring are recommended for managing human visitors. For other, external threatening processes, survey and assessment of impacts on subterranean biota is required.

Cape Range coastal plain

This following list contains a link to download the report: Humphreys, W.F., 1994. The subterranean fauna of the Cape Range coastal plain, northwestern Australia. Report to the Australian Heritage Commission and the Western Australian Heritage Committee. 202 pp. Western Australian Museum, unpublished report.

Kimberley, Western Australia

This following list contains a link to download the report: Humphreys, W.F., 1995. Limestone of the east Kimberley, Western Australia —karst and cave fauna. Report to the Australian Heritage Commission and the Western Australian Heritage Committee. 190 pp.+ xix. Unpublished Report.

To request an accessible version of either pdf please email reception@museum.wa.gov.au

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Humphreys 1995_Limestone E Kimberey_OCR.pdf81.86 MB