Evidence over the last decade has shown that ecological change in response to climate change is unavoidable, widespread and substantial. Our ability to manage biodiversity through these changes depends on understanding what the nature of the change might be and where the potential for future persistence of biodiversity may be greatest.

To support the development of this understanding, we suggest a new way to view the magnitude, extent and type of changes in biodiversity. We also provide examples of how this information can be used to support specific tasks in planning. We hope this will encourage planners to develop their own approaches to biodiversity planning through these practical suggestions.

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What to expect

This Module of the National NRM Impacts and Adaptation project delivers a series of projections about the potential for broad shifts in biodiversity in response to climate change. The Module consists of three components: the Implications of Climate Change for Biodiversity Guide (PDF) this website, featuring key messages from this Guide maps and spatial datasets of […]

Black headed python. Source: Steven Mallett

How we estimate change in biodiversity

Our modelling approach provides spatial information on the potential effects of climate change on key groups of organisms, such as plants or mammals, at a collective or ‘community’ level. This approach enables a ‘whole of biodiversity’ perspective in planning. Species-based models are particularly useful for species of special concern. But the sheer number of species […]

Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby. Photographer: Steven Mallett

Measures of ecological change

Using ecological similarity, we generated a series of data layers with different calculations and modes of comparison between baseline and future climates. This produces several specific measures which address different questions about the magnitude and nature of likely change in biodiversity. To learn about these measures choose from the menu of questions on the right-hand side. For each […]

Eggs and bacon flowers

Planning examples

Viewing biodiversity planning through an adaptation lens suggests that adaptation planning may look very different when compared with traditional approaches to planning of assets, managing or eliminating threats, or even managing resilience of systems as they are today. Assessment will need to incorporate assessment of potential change in biodiversity and the nature of the changes, including […]

Scarlet-sided Pobblebonk. Source: Steven Mallett

Implications for Biodiversity Campus

In this section we provide a summary of the resources used in the Implications for Biodiversity Guide. To find out more about definitions of key measures, technical information and the references, click on the topics below. For more information about data available on CSIRO’s Data Access Portal, click the menu on the right hand side. […]