Williams-Climate-change-refugia-for-terrestrial-biodiversity_0

Within each sub-region, potential ecosystem greenspots were identified, at a range of
thresholds, based on an index derived from: the mean and coefficient of variance
(COV) of fPAR over the 10-year time series; the minimum mean annual fPAR; and the
COV of the 12 values of mean monthly fPAR. We calculated and mapped the
greenspot index using the following percentiles: 10 th , 25 th , 50 th , 75 th , 90 th and 95 th . The
10 th greenspot percentile class represent those 250 m cells which over the time series
had the highest and most constant fpar values. The 95 th greenspot percentile class
corresponds with those grid cells with the lowest and most variable fpar values.
We then intersected the greenspot index map with the boundaries of protected areas
that comprise the Australian National Reserve System (DSEWPaC 2010) and
calculated the area and percentage of each greenspot percentile class that falls within
a protected area. These statistics were calculated for each IBRA sub-region and then
aggregated for all of monsoonal Australia.
6.4 Results and outputs
Figure 58 shows the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) regions
that were used to define the boundary of monsoonal Australia for this study. As noted
above, the greenspot index was calculated for each of the IBRA sub-bioregions. Figure
59 shows a map of greenspot index percentile classes for monsoonal Australia and
and Table 6 provides a statistical summary of the results. These values are based on
the aggregation of the sub-regional analyses. Table 6 also provides estimates of the
area and percentage of each greenspot percentile class found within the protected
areas of the National Reserve System. Table 8 shows these statistics for one subregion,
Gulf Fall & Uplands. Table 7 provides a statistical summary of the results.
Figure 61: The Australian bioregions (IBRA) selected for the greenspot analysis
of monsoonal Australia.
98 Climate change refugia for terrestrial biodiversity