moulting of swans are all helpful indicators that the seasons are changing. The first permanent European settlement in the region was in 1826 near present-day Albany. European settlers mostly dispossessed the Aboriginal inhabitants, and established extensive agriculture, including wheat, barley, canola, lupins, and oats. They also introduced sheep and cattle to the region. European settlement also changed the fire regime established by the Aboriginal inhabitants of the land. Protected areas 109,445 km2, or 22.13%, of Southwest Australia's land area is in protected areas. See also South West, Western Australia South West Seismic Zone References Further reading Thackway, R and I D Cresswell (1995) An interim biogeographic regionalisation for Australia : a framework for setting priorities in the National Reserves System Cooperative Program Version 4.0 Canberra : Australian Nature Conservation Agency, Reserve Systems Unit, 1995. External links Biodiversityhotspots.org: Conservation International − Southwest Australia) Biogeography of Western Australia Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub in Australia Floristic provinces Mallee Woodlands and Shrublands Regions of Western Australia South West (Western Australia) Freshwater ecoregions Vegetation of Australia Endemic Bird Areas