Exploring Quality Habitat with Children: Protecting Australia's Threatened Species
When teaching children about habitats, it's crucial to emphasise not just the importance of a habitat but the quality of it. Quality habitats are essential for the survival of threatened species, and interestingly, the quality is often tied to the size of the habitat.
Australia's diverse range of habitats supports a wide variety of animals and plants, some of which are more threatened than others. Just as animals can be endangered, so too can plant communities.
To help children think critically about habitats, we can encourage them to consider what makes a habitat high-quality and why protecting these habitats is vital for preserving some of Australia’s most endangered wildlife. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of ecological balance and the specific needs of different species within their environments.
How Children Can Think Critically About Habitat
How can we engage children in thinking critically about the importance of habitats, especially the need to protect high-quality habitats that sustain some of Australia's most threatened plants and animals?
I firmly believe that children can grasp complex concepts if presented appropriately. By exploring both simple and complex ideas, we can help young learners understand what constitutes a quality habitat, identify the processes that threaten these habitats, and discuss actions we can take to protect and restore our unique ecosystems. This approach not only educates them about ecological balance but also empowers them to contribute to conservation efforts from a young age.
The Importance of Diverse Habitats
In terms of habitat quality, diversity begets diversity. The greater the variety of habitats we safeguard, the more species we can support. It's crucial to understand the specific habitat needs of a species to ensure its protection effectively. Interestingly, many of Australia's recently extinct mammals originated from arid and semi-arid environments, which are sometimes overlooked in conservation efforts that favour lush environments such as rainforests. These areas fit the stereotype of what many consider a valuable ecosystem, leading to a skewed focus in preservation activities.
Understanding ecological niches
As an educator, I find butterflies and moths excellent examples for teaching about ecological niches. Most butterfly and moth larvae require very specific host plants to survive, and without these plants, these insects would cease to exist. For instance, rare species like the Golden Sun Moth and the Richmond Birdwing Butterfly depend critically on particular host plants for their survival.
Age and habitat complexity
Some habitats grow more complex as they age. One clear indicator of this complexity and the quality of a habitat is the presence of hollow-bearing trees. These tree hollows, which can take centuries to develop, signify the maturity of a forest or woodland. This maturity is crucial for providing high-quality habitats for species that depend on these hollows, such as greater gliders, owls, and cockatoos, which rely on them for nesting and shelter.
Understanding resilience and tipping points
At the same time, nature exhibits remarkable resilience. For instance, when a tree falls in a rainforest, it allows sunlight to reach the forest floor, promoting the growth of other plants. Ecosystems are generally capable of withstanding minor disruptions. However, when multiple disturbances occur simultaneously or too frequently without sufficient recovery time, ecosystems can reach a tipping point, beyond which they may struggle to recover.
The Importance of Habitat Size
Size does matter in conservation. The smaller a remaining patch of habitat, the more challenging it becomes for many species to survive. This difficulty arises from a lack of genetic diversity in these fragments and the absence of refuge when these environments face ecological shocks. Smaller habitats are also more vulnerable to invasion by weeds and other invasive species. Additionally, the impact of hunting by cats and other pets allowed to roam freely is likely to be greater in urban remnants. In these small patches of bushland, a species may be represented by very few animals, meaning hunting pressure from domestic pets can render some animal populations unviable in urban areas.
Mitigating the Impacts of Habitat Fragmentation
The negative impacts on biodiversity caused by habitat fragmentation can be mitigated through the use of wildlife corridors. These corridors enable animal (and sometimes plant) populations, otherwise isolated, to travel between patches of bushland. This connectivity allows animals to find mates, promoting genetic diversity, and provides a means of escape to safety in the event of a disaster. For a child-friendly exploration of wildlife corridors, I recommend the excellent children’s book "Creature Corridors," written by Billie Rooney and illustrated by Anke Noack, published by CSIRO Publishing.
Australia’s Extinction Crisis
Australia holds the unfortunate distinction of having the highest modern-day mammal extinction rate in the world. This alarming title was initially earned through the extensive loss of small to medium-sized ground-dwelling mammals in arid and semi-arid environments. Remarkably, these environments hadn't changed much in terms of habitat, meaning the primary causes of extinction were the introduction of predators such as cats and red foxes, and competition from introduced rabbits, rather than habitat loss.
Those mammals that have managed to survive, albeit narrowly escaping extinction, now flourish in areas protected by predator-proof fencing or on islands free from cats and foxes. This indicates that a quality habitat can also be defined as one that is either free from feral animals or where feral animal populations are effectively managed.
Access to Fresh Water
Just like humans, most animals require access to fresh water. Certain animals that typically derive sufficient moisture from their diet might need to actively seek water after experiencing several consecutive hot days or nights. With the increasing frequency of warmer weather, this need is becoming more common. The quality of a habitat can often be measured by how easily animals can access water and how well-protected these water sources are.
Overlooked Freshwater Species
Freshwater species, including fish and turtles, often inhabit specific river systems or catchments and cannot easily move between different water bodies. Environmental changes such as the introduction of feral species or large-scale water extraction can lead to their extinction. In Australia, it's likely that some freshwater species have become extinct before they were even formally recognised by science or before the impact of these changes was understood.
Cultural and Educational Shifts in Perspective
While extinction is fundamentally a biological process, it can be significantly influenced by social, political, and economic factors. In Australia, we are continually learning about our continent's diverse habitats. The narratives we grew up with often depicted European landscapes and wildlife, and the television shows our children watch tend to foster connections with environments from other parts of the world rather than our own. This cultural conditioning affects how we perceive and manage our ecological landscapes as adults.
Australia's unique ecosystems have been shaped by fire and flood. Our native plants and animals possess unique adaptations that are tailored to the harsh Australian environment; these species not only survive but also rely on these conditions to reproduce and flourish. If we persist in viewing our ecosystems through a European perspective, we risk losing more species. Engaging with First Nations perspectives and promoting Australian ecological research from a young age are crucial steps toward better understanding and preserving our unique environment.
Addressing Shifting Baseline Syndrome
Because many of us are only just beginning to understand our land, we are particularly susceptible to shifting baseline syndrome. Without a grasp of historical conditions, we risk viewing our current environmental circumstances as normal. This perception can obstruct efforts to address and reverse environmental decline, as diminished expectations set a new baseline for what is considered a healthy ecosystem. Education is key in helping us avoid the pitfalls of shifting baseline syndrome.
Understanding Localised Extinction
Due to the vast expanse of the Australian continent, the significant reduction in animal and plant populations and their distribution can often be overlooked. Focusing only on extinction at a state or nationwide level might lead us to ignore the disappearance of species at a local level. This perspective can also cause us to shirk responsibility for localised extinctions, treating the protection of endangered species as an issue that happens "over there" and not within our own communities.
For this reason, I find it beneficial to explain the concept of extinction to both adults and children by focusing on localised extinction rather than viewing it through a broader lens.
Compelling research utilising sub-fossils (to extract DNA samples from the period at or just before European settlement) helps identify which animals were present then compared to now. These studies provide a stark reminder of how much we have lost from our local ecosystems, highlighting the urgent need for focused conservation efforts.
Education is key
Teaching children about the importance of habitat quality to support biodiversity is crucial for helping them understand and appreciate the ecological challenges unique to Australia. By introducing them to the complexities of habitats, the resilience of ecosystems, and the specific needs of different species, we can inspire a new generation to value and actively engage in conservation efforts. It's important to highlight how each species depends on certain types of food, shelter, and breeding conditions that are unique to their native habitats.