Balancing conservation and development in freshwater ecosystems: can we retain biodiversity in a flagship species?

Loss of biodiversity is one of our most serious environmental issues. To understand and mitigate this loss requires knowledge of the biodiversity we have, and where it resides. At present, such knowledge is needed to understand the impacts of water development on an undescribed species of freshwater turtle, Elseya sp., found in three rivers in Queensland. This project will use DNA analyses to determine the extent of genetic interchange among populations, and the extent to which this species has diverged from its sister species. This information will be combined with morphological analyses to describe the species and to provide a framework for determining appropriate mitigation measures.