Australian Tropical Savanna

Stretching across vast expanses of Australia's northern regions, the Australian Tropical Savanna is known for its sweeping grasslands and diverse wildlife. "[T]he vegetation of the region is dominated by mixed Eucalyptus forest and woodland with a grassy understory . . . These savannas are home to a vast array of plant and animal species . . . More than 400 bird and 100 mammal species", including kangaroos, wallabies, emus "call the region home, along with invertebrates such as moths, butterflies, ants and termites, and spiders ." However, the Australian Tropical Savanna faces various threats. "Fire-promoting weeds such as gamba grass, widely sown until very recently as fodder for cattle, are transforming habitats from diverse woodlands to burnt-out, low-diversity grasslands. Indeed, the fires themselves . . . are now thought to be a primary driver of species loss . . . Added pressures include [mining], forestry and cattle grazing." Climate change is another threat to the region, "which among other effects may bring less predictable wet seasons, more frequent and intense storms (cyclones) and fires, and hotter, longer dry seasons."