ABSTRACT The increasing intensity and impacts of human activities in the global oceans pose significant threats to the extensive repository of marine species, habitats and ecosystems in the vast marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ). This article examines the scope of these threats and the role of areas based management mechanisms such as marine protected areas (MPAs) in addressing those threats. It discusses the law and policy rationale for establishing MPAs in ABNJ and some regional examples of MPA designation in the North East Atlantic, the Mediterranean, Antarctica and the Sargasso Sea. Finally it reviews global initiatives in the United Nations to develop a more integrated and cross sectoral framework for conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in ABNJ including the designation of a representative network of MPAs in these largely neglected areas of the ocean.

ABSTRACT Nomadic birds move around the landscape in complex, irregular patterns, making it difficult for conservation managers and planners to decide where and how to act to mitigate threatening processes. Because of this uncertainty, nomadic species are poorly represented in protected areas in Australia. We outline approaches to discover nomadic species distributions, their dynamics and their consequent vulnerability to extinction. Using citizen science initiatives like eBird Australia and the BirdLife Australia Atlas, combined with new ways of applying species distribution modelling that take into account temporal patterns of movement driven by weather and productivity, we demonstrate how to map and predict the key sites for conservation action for nomadic species. We explore recent advancements in decision–support tools to incorporate species movements into systematic conservation planning, and highlight challenges in traditional approaches for protected area designation for conserving nomads. Due to the spatio–temporal dynamism of nomadic species distributions, the projected costs of managing nomads across Australia using traditional, static, protected areas are prohibitive. Landholders, including graziers and indigenous landholders, will play a key role in safeguarding these species on pastoral lands into the future, and future conservation efforts should be focussed on these stakeholders, through a combination of community engagement, market–based incentives (such as biodiversity farming or payments for artificial water source and ephemeral wetland management), cross–boundary and cross– agency collaboration policies, and new legislative instruments. Accounting for the movements of nomadic species and incorporating new approaches to integrated land management will help design conservation solutions that are effective, cost–efficient, and robust to uncertainty in this rapidly changing world.

ABSTRACT Many invasive species have had negative effects on the Australian environment, including the introduced Sambar Deer (Rusa unicolor) . However, there is a paucity of information on the factors influencing the fine scale distribution and abundance patterns of Sambar Deer in south-eastern Australia. We present the results of a field survey of Sambar Deer in the Critically Endangered Mountain Ash ( Eucalyptus regnans ) forests of the Central Highlands, Victoria. Our key question was: What factors influence detections of Sambar deer (based on scat counts) within the Mountain Ash forests of the Victorian Central Highlands? We surveyed 86 long-term field sites and detected a total of 245 groups of Sambar Deer pellets on 42% of these sites. Negative binomial regression modelling identified three factors associated with the occurrence of deer pellets. We recorded more pellets: (1) in 30 and 80 year old forest that remained unburned in fires that occurred in 2009, (2) on sites within closed National Parks relative to sites in State Forest, and (3) close to streams.

Our aim in this study is to provide the first ever quantitative, historical and map–based information of what fauna has been studied and recorded both outside and inside the protected areas of New South Wales (NSW), which are principally National Parks and Nature Reserves. Our objective was to consider the value of National Parks and Nature Reserves for fauna research and biodiversity conservation, and gauge the extent and limits of our knowledge of the fauna of NSW. We compared the increase in the area of parks and reserves in NSW with the expansion of the fauna records in the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Atlas of NSW Wildlife, and analysed the use of Scientific Licences issued by OEH for fauna research for 3.5 years to mid–2014. We found that the distribution and the number of Scientific Licences within protected areas show a heavy bias to the eastern strip of the State, with a greater clustering for the area around Sydney and the north coast, but it is evident that researchers make considerable use of protected areas. The 6,070,769 Atlas fauna records were divided by tenure type: National Parks held 1,118,204 records (21.4 records/km 2 ), while Nature Reserves held 386,755 records (40.6 records/km 2 ). The off–park records total was 4,407,486 representing 72.6% of all records, with a density of 6.0 records per km 2 . Of the grand total of all the fauna records, 7% were of threatened species. Birds and mammals comprise 81% of all fauna records in the Atlas. The greatest number of records are of birds (n = 4,913,511), followed by mammals (n = 832,361, of which 321,721, or 39%, were from WildCount). Given the success of the growth of the number, area and distribution of parks and reserves in NSW, the idea that they can carry the heavy load of the aspiration to conserve the biodiversity of NSW now seems feasible, even desirable, especially given the increasing intensity of land use from never–ending population growth and its impacts, such as land clearing, roading, logging, water use, alien invasive species and climate change. However, this study has also revealed that we have a very poor understanding of some faunal groups, in particular invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians. Fauna accumulation curves of both records and of species match closely the growth in the area of parks and reserves since the formation of the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in 1967. Thus, the greater the area of parks and reserves, the greater the number of fauna records and of species. We took the historical view so that research is encouraged and the trajectory of the acquisition of new protected areas can be maintained. This study shows the ever–increasing value of protected areas to fauna conservation, and that it is vital to uphold the protected areas concept as a principal way to conserve our fauna. It should also be a guide to help recognise the importance of sustaining the effort to study our native fauna.

The Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea is an unusual endangered frog species. It has a high public profile as many populations occur in areas affected by human activities. As a result, there has been considerable recent scientific and popular interest in the species. Despite the interest and large volume of documented information there has been no general review of the biology of the species. Litoria aurea is not typical of other endangered species. It has many attributes of a “weedy” or “colonizing” species. Like other such species, it is characterised by occurrence in disturbed or newly created sites, high fecundity and high dispersal ability. However, unlike many “colonizing” species that are very common, L. aurea is considered to be endangered. Though the decline of L. aurea is continuing as a result of ongoing threats, it should be possible to promote some recovery of the species through such strategies as increased legislative protection, conservation agreements, habitat manipulation, and control of the impacts of the introduced Plague Minnow Gambusia holbrooki . As in many similar situations, further research will be essential to provide the necessary information-base for the threats to be arrested and the opportunities to be pursued. In this paper we review all available published information with regard to the biology of L. aurea , and include some previously unpublished field observations. We consider the implications of this review in terms of recovery and/or management of the species and the extent of further research on L. aurea that could benefit the recovery process.