Indicators of Catchment Condition in the Intensive Land Use Zone of Australia – Human population density

\n\nIt should be noted that this data is now somwhat dated!\n\nHuman population density is a surrogate indicator of the extent of human\npressures on the surrounding landscapes.\n\nAreas with high population density are associated with higher levels of stream\npollution and water diversion through sewers and drains. City and urban\nenvironments are substantially changed from their pre-European condition but a\nchanged condition is not of itself necessarily poor by societal standards. It\nis the impacts such as polluted run-off to waterways, air pollution, sewage\ndisposal, household water use and predation of wildlife by pets that confer\nimpacts on catchment condition. Human population centres have an impact well\nbeyond the built environment.\n\nThe impact of major population centres is well expressed in the AWRC map, but\nis best displayed in the 500 map. The main areas of impact are the major\ncoastal and capital cities and suburbs, including popular beachside tourist\ndestinations. Elsewhere, the impact of population density appears to be\nconfined to the Murray and other major river valleys.\n\nThe Australian Bureau of Statistics compiles population statistics by sampling\nstatistical local areas (SLAas) through the national census. These data can be\nconverted to a per catchment basis.\n\nInterpretation of the indicator is largely unequivocal, although there are\nland-uses/activities (e.g. mining) where population density is not a good\nindicator of the degree of habitat decline. This indicator has not been\nvalidated relative to habitat decline. This indicator is easy to understand.\n\nData are available as:\n\n * continental maps at 5km (0.05 deg) cell resolution for the ILZ;\n * spatial averages over CRES defined catchments (CRES, 2000) in the ILZ;\n * spatial averages over the AWRC river basins in the ILZ.\n\nSee [further metadata](http://data.daff.gov.au/anrdl/metadata_files/pa_iccilr9ab\n__06121axx.xml) for more detail.\n\n