Taxonomic groups assessed under 'Back on Track'
The aim of 'Back on Track' is to assess all species native to Queensland. To date, technical experts have assessed the following taxonomic groups during species assessment workshops.
Southern cassowary
© Environmental Protection Agency
- Freshwater fish
- Mammals
- Birds (marine and terrestrial)
- Reptiles (freshwater, marine and terrestrial)
- Whales and dolphins (marine mammals)
- Sharks and rays
Due to time constraints, not all animals will be assessed in the first year of 'Back on Track'. However, particular groups of species face common threats (e.g. over-collection) and need to be prioritised for conservation management. Therefore, the following taxonomic groups have been covered by preliminary assessments:
- Butterflies
- Trapdoor/tarantula spiders
- Frogs
- Some marine fish (e.g. Anemone fish, Hawkfish, Angelfish, Pipefish and Seahorses)
- 25 insects identified by the Queensland Museum to be at risk from over-collection
Whistling spider © Robert Raven
The assessment of plant species also poses a formidable challenge to ‘Back on Track’, with over 8000 native plant species known to occur in Queensland. As a start, over 1700 plant species will be assessed in species assessment workshops by January 2007. This will include all plant species currently listed as threatened under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, as well as other plant species considered to be threatened, but not listed. The species assessment workshops for plants undertaken so far have been based on a variety of taxonomic, ecosystem or regional themes:
- Grasses
- Orchids
- Rainforest plants
- Plants of northern Queensland
- Palms and pandanus
- Sedges
- Cycads
- Eucalypts
- Plants of southeast Queensland
- Brigalow Belt plants
- Plants of Coastal Heaths (Wallum)
- Plants of the New England Tablelands
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Last updated: 04 January 2007
