Ecology of Melbourne

Last updated

The ecology of Melbourne, Victoria, is a complex and dynamic system influenced by the city's geographical location, climate, and human activities. Melbourne's natural environment includes diverse ecosystems ranging from coastal heathlands to grassy woodlands, riparian forests, and wetlands. These ecosystems support a rich array of flora and fauna, many of which are unique to the region. However, urbanisation, habitat fragmentation, and the introduction of invasive species have significantly altered the city's ecological balance, leading to various conservation and restoration initiatives. [1] [2]

Contents

Climate and geography

Climate

Melbourne experiences a temperate oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification Cfb), characterised by warm summers, mild autumns, cool winters, and variable springs. [1] The city's weather is notably changeable, often attributed to its location at the intersection of hot inland areas and the cool Southern Ocean. Annual rainfall averages around 600 to 650 mm, with most of it falling during the cooler months. [2] The city's climate significantly influences its ecological processes, affecting vegetation patterns, water availability, and wildlife behaviour. [1]

Temperature variability

Melbourne's average summer temperatures range from 14 °C to 26 °C, with occasional heatwaves pushing temperatures above 40 °C. Winters are cooler, with temperatures ranging from 6 °C to 14 °C. This temperature variability influences plant phenology, wildlife activity, and the prevalence of bushfires, particularly in dry years. [1]

Rainfall patterns

Melbourne's rainfall is unevenly distributed, with the wettest months typically occurring in winter and spring. However, the city also experiences periods of drought, which can have profound effects on water resources, vegetation health, and agricultural productivity. [2]

Geography and topography

Melbourne is located on the northernmost point of Port Phillip Bay, extending inland towards the Dandenong Ranges and the Great Dividing Range. The city is built on a mixture of volcanic plains, sedimentary formations, and coastal dunes, contributing to its diverse soil types and landforms. [3]

Volcanic plains

The western suburbs of Melbourne are part of the Victorian Volcanic Plain, one of the world's largest basalt plains. This region features fertile but shallow soils, supporting a variety of grassland species. The plains are home to rare ecosystems such as the Western Basalt Plains Grassland, which is critically endangered due to urban development and agricultural use. [3] [4]

Coastal dunes and wetlands

Melbourne's coastline along Port Phillip Bay includes sandy beaches, coastal dunes, and significant wetland areas. These environments support diverse plant communities, such as salt-tolerant grasses and shrubs, and provide crucial habitats for migratory birds and marine life. [5]

Rivers and waterways

The Yarra River is the most significant waterway in Melbourne, flowing from the Yarra Ranges through the city to Port Phillip Bay. Alongside other rivers like the Maribyrnong and Werribee, the Yarra supports riparian vegetation and provides vital water resources for the city's ecosystems.

Flora

Melbourne's native flora is a product of its diverse climates, soils, and landforms. The region supports a range of ecosystems, from grasslands and woodlands to coastal heathlands and wetland environments. Despite urbanisation, the city still retains areas of native vegetation that are crucial for maintaining biodiversity. [6]

Woodlands

In areas such as the Yarra Ranges and Dandenong Ranges, native eucalypt woodlands are predominant. Species such as Eucalyptus regnans (Mountain Ash) and Eucalyptus obliqua (Messmate) are common. These woodlands provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, including marsupials, birds, and insects. [6]

Grasslands

The native grasslands of Melbourne, particularly those on the Western Basalt Plains, are among the most endangered ecosystems in Australia. Dominated by species such as Themeda triandra (Kangaroo Grass), these grasslands are home to several threatened species, including the Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar). [6]

Wetlands and riparian vegetation

Melbourne's wetlands, such as those found in the Western Port and Port Phillip regions, support a variety of aquatic plants and are important breeding grounds for waterbirds. Riparian zones along rivers like the Yarra feature species such as Melaleuca ericifolia (Swamp Paperbark) and Acacia dealbata (Silver Wattle). [6]

Fauna

Melbourne's fauna is diverse, with species adapted to its varied habitats. The region supports a mix of endemic and introduced species, with some native species thriving even in urban areas.

Mammals

Native mammals in Melbourne include species such as the Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), and the Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps). These species are commonly found in suburban areas, parks, and reserves.

Birds

Melbourne is home to a variety of bird species, ranging from the ubiquitous Australian Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) to more specialised species like the Superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus). Wetland areas attract waterbirds such as the Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) and Royal spoonbill (Platalea regia).

Reptiles and amphibians

The region's reptiles include species like the Eastern blue-tongued lizard (Tiliqua scincoides) and the Eastern long-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis). Frogs, such as the Common eastern froglet (Crinia signifera) and Southern brown tree frog (Litoria ewingii), are also common in wetland areas and suburban gardens.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rangeland</span> Biomes which can be grazed by animals or livestock (grasslands, woodlands, prairies, etc)

Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that are grazed by domestic livestock or wild animals. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savannas, chaparrals, steppes, and tundras. Rangelands do not include forests lacking grazable understory vegetation, barren desert, farmland, or land covered by solid rock, concrete, or glaciers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greening Australia</span>

Greening Australia is an Australian environmental organisation, founded in 1982, the International Year of the Tree, to protect, restore and conserve Australia's native vegetation. Greening Australia was formed by the United Nations Association of Australia and the Nursery Industry Association of Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Gulf coastal grasslands</span> Subtropical grassland ecoregion of Mexico and the United States

The Western Gulf coastal grasslands are a subtropical grassland ecoregion of the southern United States and northeastern Mexico. It is known in Louisiana as the "Cajun Prairie", Texas as "Coastal Prairie," and as the Tamaulipan pastizal in Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mullum Mullum Creek</span> Creek in Victoria, Australia

Mullum Mullum Creek is a creek in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the main watercourse of the Mullum Mullum Valley, a tributary of the Yarra River and Yarra Valley. For tens of thousands of years it was used as a food and tool source sustainably by the Wurundjeri people, Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation, who spoke variations of the Woiwurrung language group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Riparian zone</span> Interface between land and a river or stream

A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. In some regions, the terms riparian woodland, riparian forest, riparian buffer zone, riparian corridor, and riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word riparian is derived from Latin ripa, meaning "river bank".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area</span> Military training area in Queensland, Australia

The Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area is a heritage-listed military installation at Byfield Road, Byfield, Shire of Livingstone, Queensland, Australia. It is a large, relatively undisturbed and intact natural system with a wide variety of coastal landforms and a high level of biodiversity. It contains a diverse range of marine and coastal wetland landscapes, vegetation types and ecosystems. It was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumberland Plain</span> Plain in Australia

The Cumberland Plain, also known as Cumberland Basin, is a relatively flat region lying to the west of Sydney CBD in New South Wales, Australia. An IBRA biogeographic region, Cumberland Basin is the preferred physiographic and geological term for the low-lying plain of the Permian-Triassic Sydney Basin found between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, and it is a structural sub-basin of the Sydney Basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serendip Sanctuary</span>

Serendip Sanctuary is a 250 ha protected area in Victoria, Australia, near the You Yangs and the town of Lara, some 22 km (14 mi) north of Geelong and 60 km (37 mi) south-west of Melbourne. Originally used for farming and other purposes, it was purchased in 1959 by the State Government of Victoria for wildlife research and the captive management and breeding of species threatened in Victoria, such as the brolga, magpie goose, Australian bustard, and bush stone-curlew. The sanctuary contains many different types of wetland and is home to many plant species as well, such as river red gums, tall spikerush, and tussock grass. Serendip now focuses more on environmental education about the flora and fauna of the wetlands and open grassy woodlands of the Volcanic Western Plains of Victoria. It was opened to the public in 1991 and is now managed by Parks Victoria.

Scottsdale Reserve is a 1,328-hectare (3,280-acre) nature reserve on the Murrumbidgee River in south-central New South Wales, Australia. It is 79 kilometres (49 mi) south of Canberra, and 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of Bredbo. It is owned and managed by Bush Heritage Australia (BHA), which purchased it in 2006. The purchase was supportive of projects aiming to connect existing fragmented remnant habitat such as K2C. Since the 1870s up until 2006, the land was used for agriculture – primarily sheep grazing with some minor cropping. A significant component of the Reserve has been cleared of native vegetation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coast Range (EPA ecoregion)</span> Coastal ecoregion in the Western United States

The Coast Range ecoregion is a Level III ecoregion designated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and California. It stretches along the Pacific Coast from the tip of the Olympic Peninsula in the north to the San Francisco Bay in the south, including Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, and the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington, the entire length of the Oregon Coast, and the Northern California Coast. Named for the Coast Range mountains, it encompasses the lower elevations of the Olympic Mountains, the Oregon Coast Range, the Californian North Coast Ranges, and surrounding lowlands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kimberley tropical savanna</span> Terrestrial ecoregion in Western Australia

The Kimberley tropical savanna is a tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northwestern Australia, covering portions of Western Australia and the Northern Territory south of the Timor Sea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Pacific coastal forests</span> Temperate coniferous forests ecoregion in Canada and the United States

The Central Pacific coastal forests is a temperate coniferous forest ecoregion located in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, as defined by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) categorization system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Australia temperate savanna</span>

The Southeast Australia temperate savanna ecoregion is a large area of grassland dotted with eucalyptus trees running north–south across central New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organ Pipes National Park</span> Protected area in Victoria, Australia

The Organ Pipes National Park, abbreviated as OPNP, is a national park located in the Central region of Victoria, Australia. The 121-hectare (300-acre) protected area was established with the focus on conservation of the native flora and fauna, and preservation of the geological features in the Jacksons Creek, a part of the Maribyrnong valley, north-west of Melbourne. It is situated in a deep gorge in the grassy, basalt Keilor Plains.

The Point Cook Coastal Park covers an area of 863 hectares and includes the Cheetham Wetlands. The park extends from the RAAF Williams Point Cook Base northeast along the coast to the Laverton creek which comprises its northern boundary. The park is approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Melbourne, Australia in a southwesterly direction along Port Phillip Bay. The park is adjoined by the Point Cook Marine Sanctuary, which extends around the point to the south and the east. The northwestern boundary to the park is residential housing.

Widgeon Valley National Wildlife Area is a National Wildlife Area located near the south end of Pitt Lake in British Columbia, Canada. The property was purchased by the Nature Trust of British Columbia in 1973 and declared a National Wildlife Area by the Canadian Wildlife Service in October of that year. The Widgeon Valley National Wildlife Area is a biologically diverse marsh wetland. It is the traditional territory of various First Nations groups. The Widgeon Valley Wildlife Area is a protected wildlife area that is home to a number of sensitive waterfowl and fish species. The public uses the channels through the Widgeon Valley National Wildlife Area for recreational canoeing, anywhere else within the protected area is strictly off-limits to the public. There are future plans to develop interpretive trails through the park and open it to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape York Peninsula tropical savanna</span> Region in Queensland, Australia

The Cape York Peninsula tropical savanna is a tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in northern Australia. It occupies the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, mainland Australia's northernmost point. It is coterminous with the Cape York Peninsula, an interim Australian bioregion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecology of Sydney</span> Geographic aspect of Sydney, Australia

The ecology of Sydney, located in the state of New South Wales, Australia, is diverse for its size, where it would mainly feature biomes such as grassy woodlands or savannas and some sclerophyll forests, with some pockets of mallee shrublands, riparian forests, heathlands, and wetlands, in addition to small temperate and subtropical rainforest fragments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Australia temperate forests</span> Terrestrial ecoregion in Australia

The Southeast Australia temperate forests is a temperate broadleaf and mixed forests ecoregion of south-eastern Australia. It includes the temperate lowland forests of southeastern Australia, at the southern end of the Great Dividing Range. Vegetation ranges from wet forests along the coast to dry forests and woodlands inland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plenty Gorge Park</span>

Plenty Gorge Park is a 1,350-hectare (3,300-acre) metropolitan regional park in the north-eastern Melbourne suburb of Bundoora.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Climate statistics for Australian locations". Australian Bureau of Meteorology. 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Water and environment | Melbourne Water". www.melbournewater.com.au. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  3. 1 2 Environment (8 August 2022). "Environment". Environment. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  4. Gullan, P (2017). The Victorian Volcanic Plains: An Ecological History. CSIRO Publishing.
  5. "Home". Ecology Australia. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Flora of Melbourne: A Guide to the Indigenous Plants of the Greater Melbourne Area. Hyland House Publishing. 2011.