Monitoring, evaluation and analysis

The only way to determine the status of species and the condition of ecological communities and ecosystems is to monitor them over time. The department monitors flora and fauna, species and populations - from the endangered to the most abundant species - in land, aquatic, estuarine, coastal and marine systems.

Monitoring comprises the collection and analysis of information on a regular basis in order to check performance against a baseline.

The department continues its work of many decades monitoring South Australia's metropolitan coast.

Deep sea habitats can be difficult to describe and monitor because they extend well below the sea surface. The department has developed reliable and cost-effective monitoring methodologies to show the extent of natural change in these communities and separate that from the effects of human activities.

The department collects data to monitor trends in the condition of soil and land in the state’s agricultural areas, to assess the impact of agricultural practices on the soil resource and the impact of improved land management technologies and practices, and to guide policy development for sustainable management of agricultural land.