Região das Montanhas Azuis, Austrália

A região das Montanhas azuis cobre 1,03 milhões de hectares formados por mesetas calcárias, gargantas e escarpas, onde predominam os eucaliptos de zona temperada.

 O sítio, compreendendo oito áreas protegidas, é representativo da adaptação e diversificação evolutivas dos eucaliptos ao continente australiano, no período de isolamento posterior à sua separação de Gondwana.

A Região das Montanhas Azuis conta com 91 categorias taxonómicas de eucalipto, e notabiliza-se pela diversidade estrutural e ecológica dos seus eucaliptos e por uma vasta gama de habitats.  A região é ilustrativa da diversidade biológica da Austrália e contém cerca de 10% da flora vascular do país, bem grande número de espécies raras ou ameaçadas, compreendendo espécies endémicas e relictas, como o pinheiro Wollemi  que subsiste em espaços muito confinados.

FR:

La région des montagnes Bleues couvre 1,03 million d’hectares formés de plateaux calcaires, de gorges et d’escarpements dominés par des forêts d’eucalyptus de zone tempérée. Le site, qui comprend huit aires protégées, se distingue par sa représentation de l’adaptation et de la diversification évolutionnaires des eucalyptus sur le continent australien dans l’isolement post-Gondwana. La région des montagnes Bleues qui compte 91 taxons d’eucalyptus, est aussi remarquable par l’exceptionnelle diversité structurelle et écologique de ses eucalyptus associée à un large éventail d’habitats. Le site offre une bonne illustration de la diversité biologique de l’Australie avec 10 % de sa flore vasculaire et un grand nombre d’espèces rares ou menacées, y compris des espèces endémiques et reliques, comme le pin Wollemi (wollemia noblis), qui subsistent dans des microsites extrêmement restreints.

EN:

The Greater Blue Mountains Area consists of 1.03 million ha of sandstone plateaux, escarpments and gorges dominated by temperate eucalypt forest. The site, comprised of eight protected areas, is noted for its representation of the evolutionary adaptation and diversification of the eucalypts in post-Gondwana isolation on the Australian continent. Ninety-one eucalypt taxa occur within the Greater Blue Mountains Area which is also outstanding for its exceptional expression of the structural and ecological diversity of the eucalypts associated with its wide range of habitats. The site provides significant representation of Australia's biodiversity with ten percent of the vascular flora as well as significant numbers of rare or threatened species, including endemic and evolutionary relict species, such as the Wollemi pine, which have persisted in highly-restricted microsites.

Outstanding Universal Value

Criterion (ix): The Greater Blue Mountains include outstanding and representative examples in a relatively small area of the evolution and adaptation of the genus Eucalyptus and eucalypt-dominated vegetation on the Australian continent.  The site contains a wide and balanced representation of eucalypt habitats including wet and dry sclerophyll forests and mallee heathlands, as well as localised swamps, wetlands and grassland.  It is a centre of diversification for the Australian scleromorphic flora, including significant aspects of eucalypt evolution and radiation. Representative examples of the dynamic processes in its eucalypt-dominated ecosystems cover the full range of interactions between eucalypts, understorey, fauna, environment and fire.  The site includes primitive species of outstanding significance to the evolution of the earth’s plant life, such as the highly restricted Wollemi pine (Wollemia nobilis) and the Blue Mountains pine (Pherosphaera fitzgeraldii).  These are examples of ancient, relict species with Gondwanan affinities that have survived past climatic changes and demonstrate the highly unusual juxtaposition of Gondwanan taxa with the diverse scleromorphic flora.

Criterion (x): The site includes an outstanding diversity of habitats and plant communities that support its globally significant species and ecosystem diversity (152 plant families, 484 genera and c. 1,500 species).  A significant proportion of the Australian continent’s biodiversity, especially its scleromorphic flora, occur in the area.  Plant families represented by exceptionally high levels of species diversity here include Myrtaceae (150 species), Fabaceae (149 species), and Proteaeceae (77 species).  Eucalypts (Eucalyptus, Angophora and Corymbia, all in the family Myrtaceae) which dominate the Australian continent are well represented by more than 90 species (13% of the global total).  The genus Acacia (in the family Fabaceae) is represented by 64 species.  The site includes primitive and relictual species with Gondwanan affinities (Wollemia, Pherosphaera, Lomatia, Dracophyllum,Acrophyllum, Podocarpus and Atkinsonia) and supports many plants of conservation significance including 114 endemic species and 177threatened species.

The diverse plant communities and habitats support more than 400 vertebrate taxa (of which 40 are threatened), comprising some 52 mammal, 63 reptile, over 30 frog and about one third (265 species) of Australia’s bird species.  Charismatic vertebrates such as the platypus and echidna occur in the area.  Although invertebrates are still poorly known, the area supports an estimated 120 butterfly and 4,000 moth species, and a rich cave invertebrate fauna (67 taxa).

UNESCO site: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/917  »  texts in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish and  Japanese.