Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains Flora and Fauna Field Guide app for iPhone and iPad

The flora and fauna of the Western Volcanic Plains, Victoria, Australia is unique with many species endemic to ecosystems within this bioregion. Over 160 animals and over 250 plant species are comprehensively described, most with multiple images taken within the natural habitat of the species. Identifying animal calls are provided with distribution maps including both past and current sightings recorded by the Atlas of Living Australia.

This Field Guide app provides the opportunity for users to map and upload sightings of any of the listed species within the Western Volcanic Plains, to contribute to a growing database of sightings of both common and threatened grassland species. Sightings are mapped and displayed on the Ecolinc Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains website, which provides additional resources and learning objects relevant to the biodiversity of grassland ecosystems within this region. These are designed to be used by school students and community members.

The Conservation Status of each species is listed according to the current Department of Primary Industries and Environment (DEPI) Advisory Lists, the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (FFG) and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC). Action Statements are provided where available for all species listed as threatened under the FFG.

All plant species are listed within DEPI Life Form Groups with Life Form Codes relevant to particular Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs), identified within the Western Volcanic Plains. Current taxonomic details are provided for all species.

Ecolinc is a Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD) Science Specialist Centre. This Field Guide app is a component of an educational online outreach program entitled Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains.