Recent climate-driven ecological change across a continent as perceived through local ecological knowledge

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224625
• Publication Date: 2019-11-22T18:28:12Z
• Authors: Suzanne M. Prober; Nat Raisbeck-Brown; Natasha B. Porter; Kristen J. Williams; Zoe Leviston; Fiona Dickson
• Keywords: Global Change; Terrestrial ecosystem

Documenting effects of climate change is an important step towards designing mitigation and adaptation responses. Impacts on terrestrial biodiversity ecosystems have been well-documented in the Northern Hemisphere, but long-term data to detect Southern Hemisphere are limited, some types generally difficult measure. Here we present a novel approach using local ecological knowledge facilitate continent-scale view impacts that people perceived Australia. We sought national web-based survey, targeting respondents with close links environment (e.g. farmers, ecologists), custom-built mapping tool ask describe attribute recent changes they had observed within area knew well. Results drawn from 326 showed already perceiving simple complex hundreds species across Australia, significantly extending detail previously reported for continent. While most trends attributions remain unsubstantiated, >35 anecdotes concurred examples literature, >20 were more than once. More generally, compatible expectations global impact frameworks, including spectrum organisms increased mortality >75 species), populations recruitment or abundance >100 species, phenological >50 >80 newly arriving disappearing), communities landscapes altered interactions). The overarching pattern indicated by suggests often noticing losers (typically native species) winners their areas, observations potential 'adaptation action' via compositional through arrivals range shifts (particularly birds exotic plants). A high proportion change-related also involved cumulative interactive land use. conclude targeted elicitation about can provide valuable complement data-derived knowledge, substantially volume explicit offering foundation further investigation.