PublishedAbrs Publications, January 2000 |
ISBN9780642568083 |
FormatSoftcover, 398 pages |
The seasonally inundated, coastal floodplains of the Northern Territory are the largest of their kind in Australia. They are a haven and breeding ground for numerous bird species and a home to crocodiles and other reptiles, they support a range of mammals, and their waters teem with an array of fish.
This book is primarily an identification tool for the floodplain flora, which provides shelter and is the primary food source for the rich animal diversity. To place this important ecosystem of the Top End in perspective there is an introductory overview of the natural history, ethnobiology and management and conservation issues of the floodplains. This book provides the first comprehensive account of the plants of the coastal floodplains and will be invaluable to naturalists, biodiversity managers, biologists and all visitors to the Top End - that part of the Northern Territory north of about Mataranka. It will also be useful in adjacent parts of Queensland and Western Australia. The main part of the volume consists of descriptions, illustrations and keys to enable identification of the more than 300 conspicuous species of plants that grow on the floodplains. Nearly every species is i