Introduction to the Pilbara Biodiversity Survey, 2002–2007

Abstract

We describe the origins, relevance, aims, specifications and sampling strategy of a six-year biodiversity survey of Western Australia’s Pilbara biogeographic region (179,000 km2). During the project, 422 terrestrial sites were sampled for perennial and annual vascular plants, of which 304 were also sampled for small ground-dwelling mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs, ground-dwelling spiders, ants, beetles and scorpions. Ninety-eight sites on waterbodies were sampled for aquatic invertebrates, macro- and microphytes and the fringing riparian vegetation; 508 boreholes were sampled for stygofauna; 69 sites were sampled for microbats; and mammal bone material from 15 late Holocene deposits was identified. An introduction to literature on the region’s physical environments and recent land-use history is provided, along with descriptions of the Pilbara’s four sub-regions in terms of their different landforms and vegetations.