Australia’s landscapes are shaped by ancient forces: fire, water, and time. Hidden within these forces are two ecosystems that quietly hold the country together — mangroves, the coastal forests that lace the shoreline, and tussock grasslands, resilient inland plains with deep historical roots.
Both ecosystems may appear modest, but they represent living frontiers between land and sea, drought and flood, and past and future. Understanding them means understanding the story of resilience, cultural connection, and the science of climate buffering.
Mangroves: Saltwater Architects
Australia is home to about 41 mangrove species, making it one of the world’s most diverse mangrove regions (Duke et al.,2016). From the Kimberley coast in Western Australia to Moreton Bay near Brisbane, mangroves stretch across roughly 11,000 km² of tidal shoreline. What makes mangroves remarkable isn’t just their twisting roots. It’s their role as ecological infrastructure. Their roots slow down waves, catching sediment that builds new land. They absorb and store massive quantities of carbon dioxide — estimates suggest mangroves can sequester up to four times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests (Alongi, 2014).
Mangroves also underpin fisheries worth millions annually. Juvenile barramundi, prawns, mud crabs, and other commercial species spend early life stages sheltered among mangrove roots. Destroying these forests would mean a cascading effect on both ecology and local economies.
Pressures and Climate Change Risks
Mangroves have survived cyclones and floods for millennia, but today face new threats:
Coastal development and port expansions fragment forests.Pollution, including excess nutrients, triggers algae blooms and stress.
Climate change brings extreme heatwaves and sea-level rise.
A stark reminder came in 2015–16, when more than 7,400 hectares of mangroves died back in the Gulf of Carpentaria after a severe drought reduced freshwater flows (Duke et al., 2017). Researchers called it the world’s largest recorded mangrove dieback event linked to climate.
Tussock Grasslands: Inland Guardians
Travel inland, and the landscape changes to rolling plains dotted with tussock grasses like Poa labillardierei and Themeda triandra. Though less famous than rainforests or eucalyptus woodlands, these grasslands stretch across millions of hectares, from Victoria and Tasmania to parts of New South Wales and Queensland.
Tussock grasses evolved to thrive under harsh Australian conditions.
Their deep, clumping roots store moisture and carbon, helping soils remain fertile and reducing erosion. Many endemic animals — such as the striped legless lizard (Delma impar) and the plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) — depend on these grasslands for shelter and hunting.
Fire, Farming, and Fragmentation
Historically, Indigenous Australians used controlled burns to rejuvenate grasslands. Fire promoted new growth, kept woody plants at bay, and maintained open landscapes suited to grazing animals.
Since European settlement, grasslands have been heavily converted for agriculture. Today, less than 1% of original temperate native grasslands remain intact in southeastern Australia (Environment Australia, 2000). Overgrazing, invasive weeds like serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma), and loss of traditional fire management continue to degrade these ecosystems.
Hidden Value: Carbon and Water
Beyond biodiversity, both mangroves and grasslands quietly help fight climate change.
Mangroves store blue carbon in waterlogged soils, which can lock away carbon for thousands of years.
Tussock grasslands store carbon in deep root systems and promote water infiltration, reducing runoff and improving water quality downstream.
A CSIRO report (2018) estimated that restoring 2,000 km² of mangroves could offset about 2 million tonnes of CO₂ per year — equivalent to taking hundreds of thousands of cars off the road.
Indigenous Knowledge and New Science
Conservation isn’t only about fences and reserves. Across Australia, projects blend traditional ecological knowledge with modern research:
On the Tiwi Islands, Indigenous rangers monitor mangrove health, using drones to track dieback.
In Victoria, partnerships with Traditional Owners are restoring native grasslands by reintroducing cultural burns — controlled fires timed with seasonal cycles.
These collaborations recognize that landscapes are cultural landscapes, and living knowledge matters as much as data.
Future Frontiers
Looking ahead, scientists emphasize connectivity and restoration:
Reconnecting fragmented mangrove forests improves resilience against sea-level rise.
Expanding grassland reserves and managing grazing can protect rare species.
Supporting local communities, including farmers, to adopt regenerative grazing or wetland restoration can create economic and environmental wins.
Why This Matters for Everyone?
Australia’s mangroves and tussock grasslands may seem worlds apart, but they share a story: both are natural buffers, biodiversity havens, and carbon stores critical to fighting climate change.
Protecting them isn’t nostalgia — it’s investing in future resilience. As climate extremes worsen, these ecosystems act as nature’s insurance policy, absorbing shocks that would otherwise devastate coasts and farmlands alike.
Whether it’s a tangle of mangrove roots holding a shoreline or a golden tussock catching morning dew on a dry plain, these living borders remind us of nature’s quiet strength — and our shared responsibility to keep them alive.
