The illusion of nature: perception and the reality of natural landscapes, as illustrated by vertebrate fauna in the Northern Territory, Australia

Abstract

SummaryBiomass figures are compared for common native vertebrate species and common non‐native vertebrate species (including fish, amphibian, reptile, bird and mammal species) across the Northern Territory, an area of ostensibly, largely unmodified natural system. The total biomass of the considered non‐native species very substantially surpasses that of the common native vertebrate species considered; hence, the perception that this is a largely intact natural system is, to some extent, an illusion. This preponderance of biomass of non‐native species may help explain the increasing evidence of ecosystem stress and decline of native species. An integrity index based on the relative biomass of native and non‐native species may provide insight into the status and trends of ecological systems across different regions.