Abstract
Australia’s small alpine and subalpine zones, confined to the south east of the country, represent an extreme and harsh environment – and one that is also vulnerable to climate change, with forecasts of severe reduction in snow cover likely to occur over the next few decades as conditions warm. In addition to these projected changes, considerable human pressures exist with development of resorts and facilities, including improved access, for winter sports and, increasingly, for summer recreational tourism. Whilst some ambiguity may remain over the effects of climate change, commercial fears that it may indeed render the areas increasingly unsuitable for winter recreation are themselves pressure for more intensive short term developments. The region is thus regarded as one of the most vulnerable in Australia, but supports a considerable variety of characteristic animals and plants that are not found at lower elevations, and that in some way have adapted to thrive in the extreme cold environment with winter snow cover.
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Further Reading
Common IFB (1954) A study of the ecology of the adult Bogong moth, Agrotis infusa (Boisd.) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), with special reference to its behaviour during migration and aestivation. Aust J Zool 2:223–263
Green K, Osborne W (1994) Wildlife of the Australian snow-country. Reed Books, Chatswood (includes much background on alpine insects and their environments and adaptations)
McCormick B (2005) Bogong moths and Parliament House. Research Brief no 5, Department of Parliamentary Services, Canberra
New TR (2010) Butterfly conservation in south-eastern Australia: progress and prospects. Springer, Dordrecht (includes discussion of biology and conservation needs of alpine butterflies)
Rentz DCF, Lewis RC, Su YN, Upton MS (2003) A guide to Australian grasshoppers and locusts. Natural History Publications, Kota Kinabalu (excellent aid to identification, with substantial information on alpine species biology)
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© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
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New, T.R. (2011). Australia’s Alpine Insects. In: ‘In Considerable Variety’: Introducing the Diversity of Australia’s Insects. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1780-0_11
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1780-0_11
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