An Australian Perspective on Plant Conservation Biology in Practice

Conservation biology has emerged as an important scientific discipline in Australia, reflected by the appearance of the new journal Pacific Conservation Biology, and the publication of a number of recent symposium volumes (e.g., Saunders et al. 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995; Saunders and Hobbs 1992; Moritz and Kikkawa 1994; Bradstock et al. 1995; Hopper et al. 1996). My purpose here is to provide an overview of current Australian plant conservation practice and the scientific knowledge that has delivered tangible outcomes. The emphasis on plants is deliberate because some exciting insights have recently unfolded.