BUTTON WRINKLEWORT RUTIDOSIS LEPTORHYNCHOIDES

ACTION PLAN

158 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan

PREAMBLE The Button Wrinklewort (Rutidosis leptorhynchoides F.Muell) was declared an endangered species on 15 April 1996 (Determination No. DI1996-29 under the Nature Conservation Act 1980). Under section 101 of the Nature Conservation Act 2014, the Conservator of Flora and Fauna is responsible for preparing a draft action plan for listed species. The first action plan for this species was prepared in 1998 (ACT Government 1998). This revised edition supersedes all previous editions. This action plan includes the ACT Native Grassland Conservation Strategy set out in schedule 1 to the ‘Nature Conservation (Native Grassland) Action Plans 2017’, to the extent it is relevant. Measures proposed in this action plan complement those proposed in the action plans for Natural Temperate Grassland, Yellow Box/Red Gum Grassy Woodland, and component threatened species such as the Striped Legless Lizard (Delma impar), Grassland Earless Dragon (Tympanocryptis pinguicolla) and the Golden Sun Moth (Synemon plana).

CONSERVATION STATUS New South Wales Rutidosis leptorhynchoides is recognised as a Endangered – Threatened Species Conservation threatened species in the following sources: Act 1995.

National / International Victoria Endangered – Australian and New Zealand Threatened taxon – Schedule 2 of the Flora and Environment and Conservation Council Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. (ANZECC) Endangered Flora Network (1998). Endangered – Rare or Threatened Australian CONSERVATION OBJECTIVES Plant (ROTAP) (1996). The overall objective of this action plan is to Endangered – Part 1, Schedule 1 of the preserve R. leptorhynchoides in perpetuity in Environment Protection and Biodiversity the wild across its natural geographic range in Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). the ACT. This includes the need to maintain The species is also the subject of a National natural evolutionary processes. Recovery Plan (NSW OEH 2012) and Action Specific objectives of the action plan: Statement No. 28, prepared by the Victorian Department of Conservation and Environment. • Conserve all large and medium size The National Recovery Plan identifies all populations in the ACT. Protect small populations of more than 10 plants and the populations from unintended impacts habitat they occupy as critical to the survival of (unintended impacts are those not already the species due to the small area of total considered through an environmental occupancy and the small proportion of the total assessment or other statutory process). population outside formal conservation • Manage the species and its habitat to reserves, and the threat of weed invasion at maintain the potential for evolutionary most sites. development in the wild. Australian Capital Territory • Enhance the long-term viability of Endangered – Nature Conservation Act 2014. populations through management of

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 159 adjacent grassland to increase habitat area, populations occur in grasslands and woodlands and by establishing new populations. on partially modified and lightly grazed land, including a travelling stock reserve and sites on

Department of Defence land. SPECIES DESCRIPTION AND In the ACT region, R. leptorhynchoides occurs at ECOLOGY 11 sites in the suburbs just south of Lake Burley Griffin (Barton, Kingston, Yarralumla, Red Hill), DESCRIPTION the Majura Valley, the Jerrabomberra Valley The Button Wrinklewort Rutidosis (ACT and NSW) and at Crace Nature Reserve in leptorhynchoides (Figure on the opposite page) Gungahlin. The largest populations are in is an erect perennial forb in the daisy family woodland at Stirling Park, Barton (about 49,000 (Asteraceae). In spring and summer it produces plants) and in grassland at the Defence-owned multiple, mostly-unbranched flowering stems Majura Training Area (about 27,000 plants) 20–35 cm tall. The stems are hairless above and (NSW OEH 2012). The ACT woolly towards the base, and die back to the Jerrabomberra/Fyshwick sites are small and woody rootstock in late summer or autumn. A fragmented, but are adjacent to larger NSW new basal rosette of upright leaves appears in populations at Queanbeyan Nature Reserve and early winter, and new stems arise from buds at nearby ‘The Poplars’ (rural property). the soil surface. The stem leaves are narrow, While there are large populations in Red Hill dark green ageing to yellow-green, usually 1.5– Nature Reserve (>3000 plants) and Crace 3.5 cm long, 0.5–1.5 mm wide, mostly hairless Grassland Reserve (about 5000 plants), the and with the edges rolled under. The yellow flat- other ACT sites contain 80 to 2000 plants. The topped hemispherical flower-heads are 8–15 species appears to have been lost from two mm in diameter, and develop at or near the top small sites in recent years. of the stems. Each flower-head is made up of a cluster of many small florets surrounded by The most up-to-date distribution data for this rows of greenish bracts. The individual fruits are species is publicly available on the ACT small and dark brown, each topped with whitish Government’s mapping portal (Visit the scales. ACTmapi website).

DISTRIBUTION HABITAT AND ECOLOGY Rutidosis leptorhynchoides appears to have In the ACT, R. leptorhynchoides occurs on the been formerly widespread in south-eastern margins of stands of Yellow Box/Red Gum Australia, with disjunct populations in New Grassy Woodland with a ground layer of various South Wales and on grassy plains in Victoria. In native grasses and other forbs, in secondary south-eastern NSW and the ACT it occurs from grasslands derived from that community, and in the Michelago and Canberra/Queanbeyan Natural Temperate Grassland. Soils are usually districts to the Goulburn area. In Victoria it is shallow stony red-brown clay loams. found across the western plains. Herbarium Apple Box (Eucalyptus bridgesiana) is also records show a reduction in the number and occasionally present at sites. Rutidosis R. leptorhynchoides size of populations as the leptorhynchoides prefers an open habitat and is species’ grassland and woodland habitat was a poor competitor amongst tall, dense, sward- converted to grazing (Scarlett and Parsons forming grasses. It is found where the soil is too 1990). Nationally, 29 known extant populations shallow to support the growth of plants that occupy a total of about 13.4 hectares (ha), with may rapidly overtop it and on deeper soils a further 11 populations having become extinct where the vegetation is kept short by regular in recent times. Many populations have fewer disturbance (Scarlett and Parsons 1990). It may than ten plants, and only eight contain 5000 or also be adapted to the sparser growth of more plants (NSW OEH 2012). Some are Themeda grass found under trees in woodlands restricted to small, scattered refugia that have (Morgan 1995a). escaped grazing, ploughing and the application of fertilisers, including road margins, railway In Victoria, intermittent burning is prescribed to easements and cemeteries (Young 1997). Larger maintain floristic diversity and habitat structure

160 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan at some R. leptorhynchoides sites (DSE 2003). In population size can reduce the number of self- NSW and the ACT maintenance of habitat incompatibility alleles leading to a reduction in structure appears to be less dependent on mate availability and reduced fertilisation burning, possibly because poorer soils and/or success. This has been demonstrated in competition from trees restrict groundcover laboratory and field studies of plants from R. density and maintain inter-tussock spaces leptorhynchoides populations of varying sizes (Morgan 1997, NSW OEH 2012). (Pickup and Young 2008, Young and Pickup 2010). Rutidosis leptorhynchoides flowers between December and April in the ACT. The florets are Seed set appears to be influenced by population insect-pollinated, and most of the wind- density, with sparsely distributed plants dispersed seed falls within one metre of the producing less seed than plants in denser parent plant (Morgan 1995a, 1995b; Wells and groups in both natural and planted populations Young 2002). The scales at the top of the fruit of various sizes (Morgan 1995a, Morgan and could facilitate wider dispersal by vertebrates Scacco 2006). This may reflect the presence of (Scarlett and Parsons 1990). The seeds are fewer pollinators or less pollen being picked up short-lived in the soil, only remaining viable for and transferred among sparsely distributed up to 18 months, so recruitment depends on plants. Other research has shown reduced seed seeds from the previous year and therefore on set in small populations (<200 plants) compared the survival and reproductive success of the to large populations (>1000 plants), despite the standing population (Morgan, 1995a, 1995b). maintenance of pollinator service as measured by the number of pollen grains deposited on Seeds germinate after autumn rains, and open-pollinated stigmas (Young and Pickup seedling mortality is usually high. In Victoria, 2010). recruitment may be limited by high summer mortality of seedlings in open microsites and by Research into the genetics and demographics of deep shading in dense, unburnt grasslands R. leptorhynchoides has led to the development (Morgan 1995b, 1997). Studies of germination of a computer model that can be used to predict under field conditions showed that emergence population trends and the effects of changes in was greatest in larger inter-tussock gaps (30– demographic parameters. The model shows a 100 cm), and seedling survival was greatest in clear relationship between the amount of the largest gaps. Rutidosis leptorhynchoides genetic diversity in a population and how grows slowly and few or no seedlings flower in quickly it is likely to go extinct. The model their first year (Morgan 1995b, 1997). Time suggests that diploid populations with fewer from recruitment to first flowering is usually than 50 mature individuals will become extinct two or three years (ACT Government 1998; faster than those with more than 200 plants, Young et al. 2000b). Established plants are and that long-term viability requires more than believed to live longer than 10 years under field 400 reproductive plants with at least 20 self- conditions (Scarlett and Parsons 1990). incompatibility alleles (Young et al. 2000b; Young, unpublished data, in NSW OEH 2012). There are two main chromosomal races of R. leptorhynchoides, diploid and tetraploid. All populations in the ACT and NSW that have been tested are diploid, though both diploid and PREVIOUS AND CURRENT tetraploid populations occur in Victoria (Murray MANAGEMENT and Young 2001, NSW OEH 2012). The species EX-SITU CONSERVATION AND has a sporophytic self-incompatibility mechanism that prevents self-pollination or TRANSLOCATION crosses between related plants that share self- Since the 1980s there have been several incompatibility alleles. Self-crosses of R. attempts to establish new populations of R. leptorhynchoides generally result in no fruit, and leptorhynchoides at a number of Victorian sites, crosses between unrelated plants produce up to by planting of tubestock and direct seeding into twice as many fruits as those between plants areas where the topsoil had been removed. A which share one parent (Young et al. 2000a). number of such populations died out without Self-incompatibility systems function to prevent producing a second generation of plants, inbreeding and are an advantage in large, despite testing of seed from five re-established genetically diverse populations, but decreasing populations showing no reduction in

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 161 reproductive fitness (Morgan 2000). Gibson-Roy from four populations of R. leptorhynchoides in (2011) reported 90% survival at 12 months for the ACT, with some seed used to grow tubestock planted into newly constructed tubestock (by Greening Australia) and some grasslands in Victoria, with widespread and seed retained for direct seeding at the site. In consistent emergence from direct seeding. autumn 2010 planting of tubestock and direct seeding took place in six plots that had been There have been several attempts to establish prepared by weeding and grass reduction, with new populations of R. leptorhynchoides in the further plantings around the same plots in 2011. ACT. An early translocation of plants onto a site Monitoring in 2012 showed survival of 33% and near Stirling Park appears to have failed. This 45% of tubestock planted in 2010 and 2011, but may have involved replanting of mature plants very few plants were produced from direct removed from the site of the new Parliament seeding. Almost all (93%) of plants from House in the 1980s (NCA, unpublished data in tubestock were flowering in 2012, while few of Rowell 2007a). Three groups of plants were the plants derived from direct seeding were translocated into a fenced woodland block in flowering and fewer flowers were produced by Yarralumla, but the site became densely these plants. There was no evidence of covered in woody weeds and eucalypt recruitment from either treatment at this early regeneration. Six plants from one group were stage of the trial. located in 1995, but after weed control in 2007 only one plant remained. In 2011 this plant was The interim conclusion is that planting of seen again, but no seedlings have been tubestock is the preferred method of re- recorded on the block (Rowell 2007a, Rowell establishing populations in the ACT, due to the unpublished data 2011). Between 1994 and rapid result and the reduced impact of seed 1998, 1705 seedlings were planted at three collection on ex-situ populations (Conservation locations on Red Hill. By 2007 only 14 plants Planning and Research, unpublished data 2012). remained, and no recruitment was recorded The density of the vegetation surrounding the from the plantings (M Mulvaney, pers. comm. in trial site may need to be reduced regularly to NSW OEH 2012). enhance R. leptorhynchoides survival, germination and recruitment, due to its location Recent research has shown that to maximise in an (ungrazed) kangaroo exclusion area. progeny fitness, seed for R. leptorhynchoides restoration projects should be sourced from large genetically diverse populations (Pickup et al. 2013). Because most R. leptorhynchoides CONTROLLED AND EXPERIMENTAL seed is deposited close to the parent plant, seed BURNING should be collected from multiple non-adjacent In some Victorian populations burning at a plants to maximise diversity (especially of self- frequency of 2–5 years is used to control incompatibility alleles). herbage mass. Adult plants are reported to be To maximise pollen transfer and therefore seed rarely killed by fire (NSW OEH 2012). In the ACT, production in new populations, plants should be an experimental spring burn before a dry placed in groups. Because mixing of ploidy levels summer in 2000 killed 40–50% of adult plants, may result in the production of infertile while many fewer died on unburnt control plots offspring, diploid races should not be mixed (pers. comm. S Sharp and G Baines in NSW OEH with tetraploid races. As a precaution, ACT 2012). In 1995 an autumn burn of a small site restoration projects should use seed sourced containing a group of seven R. leptorhynchoides from ACT populations for which the plants resulted in all the plants surviving the chromosome number is known. In the ACT, burn and most flowering in the next summer; chromosome number has not been confirmed however, the population died out because no for populations at Woods Lane, Tennant Street, seedlings were produced, despite some seed Baptist Church, Campbell Park, Crace Nature collected from the site being re-introduced after Reserve and HMAS Harman (NSW OEH 2012). the fire (Rowell 1996a, 2007b). The ACT Parks and Conservation Service (PCS) A fuel reduction burn was carried out at the St began a translocation trial in a fenced Mark’s site in Barton in 2009, with no reported (kangaroo) exclosure at Jerrabomberra East ill effects on R. leptorhynchoides plants Nature Reserve in 2010. Seed was collected (Conservation Planning and Research

162 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan unpublished data 2011), though it is not certain approach of burning no more than once every the plants were in the area burnt. five years has therefore been recommended until further research determines whether fire is The National Capital Authority’s fire hazard beneficial at some sites, and the preferred management plan for Stirling Park requires season and frequency of burning (NSW OEH occasional prescribed burns in some areas for 2012). fuel reduction. Past mapping of R. leptorhynchoides at Stirling Park has shown changes in the density of trees, eucalypt regeneration and woody weeds, and suggested OTHER SITE-SPECIFIC that increased shading has had a deleterious MANAGEMENT ACTIONS effect on R. leptorhynchoides (Wittmark et al. Sites on Territory Land: 1984, Rowell 1996b, Muyt and Watson 2006). In • 2011 a study was undertaken of the effects of a Conservation Research (ACT Government) controlled autumn burn at Stirling Park. inspects most sites on Territory land every Measurements were taken before and after the 2–3 years. Reports are prepared on plant burn of R. leptorhynchoides, weeds, grasses, numbers and condition, area of occupancy, bare ground, litter and shade in burnt and site condition, threats and suggested unburnt plots (Ross 2011, Ross and Macris management actions. 2012), with further monitoring of the same plots • Conservation Research communicates with in spring 2012 (C Ross, unpublished data) and site owners/managers regarding issues spring 2014 (Matthews 2014). The immediate identified during monitoring. post-burn data showed no evidence of R. Sites on National Capital Authority Land: leptorhynchoides mortality as a result of the fire, and there was an increase in bare ground and a • An updated management plan has been decrease in native grass and weed cover, prepared and implemented for Stirling Park changes which could favour establishment of R. and associated woodlands (Sharp 2016). leptorhynchoides seedlings. Major work has included removal of planted Monitoring in spring 2011 recorded more eucalypts, controlled burns and weed seedlings in burnt plots, but results were patchy. control. By spring 2012 the number of R. • Friends of Grasslands and other volunteers leptorhynchoides had declined, but by the same have assisted NCA at Stirling Park with amount on burnt and control plots. Monitoring woody weed removal, spraying of in spring 2014 recorded a large number of herbaceous weeds and monitoring of the seedlings on some plots, and few or none at effects of controlled burning. others, though this did not appear to be related to the fire treatment (Matthews 2014). In 2014, Sites on Defence Land: numbers of established (non-seedling) plants • Annual weed control is undertaken following had declined across all treatments, with the strict environmental prescriptions. decline being greatest on heavily burnt plots • and least on unburnt plots. Rutidosis leptorhynchoides populations at Majura Training Area, Campbell Park and However, the 2014 results did not meet criteria Harman are monitored and mapped every for meaningful statistical analysis, so further two years on average. Monitoring includes research is required on the effect of fire on R. counting or sub-sampling populations, leptorhynchoides populations in the ACT. Fuel measuring area of occupancy, plant size, reduction burning at Stirling Park will provide reproductive status and size/age structure of further opportunities for monitoring. subpopulations. Population modelling for R. leptorhynchoides • Herbage mass in some subpopulations is has shown that a 20–30 fold increase in seedling managed by occasional high slashing if recruitment would be required to offset a 3–5% recommended by consultants monitoring the loss of reproductive plants, such as may occur populations. following fire (Young, unpublished data in NSW OEH 2012). Where fire is used to reduce The size structure of the subpopulations on biomass in ACT populations, a precautionary Defence sites is measured by recording the number of plants with stem numbers in the

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 163 following classes: single stem, 2–5, 6–20, >20. advantageous to ACT populations of the species Research on R. leptorhynchoides has shown is inconclusive at this stage. there is a significant relationship between the Shading and competition from eucalypt and number of stems and biomass (M. Pickup pers. shrub regeneration is a threat at woodland sites comm. 2014), and that plant size is associated such as Stirling Park and Red Hill. with survival in natural populations (A. G. Young unpublished data in Pickup et al. 2012). New The species disappears under heavy grazing germinants are also counted, being single- because it is palatable to stock, though there is stemmed vegetative plants less than 5 cm in some evidence to suggest that intermittent height. This monitoring has shown significant grazing in late summer may not be detrimental. differences between sub-populations separated Some of the larger surviving national by only 50 to 200 metres (Harman, four sub- populations had a prior history of sheep rather populations; Campbell Park, two sub- than cattle grazing, suggesting that light to populations). At Campbell Park no new moderate sheep grazing may not be detrimental germinants were found in the eastern sub- whereas cattle grazing may be (NSW OEH 2012). population in 2010 and 2013, while the western Erosion of genetic diversity and increased population had large numbers of single- inbreeding may compromise both short and stemmed plants in 2013. This difference may long-term population viability by reducing have been associated with increased biomass individual fitness and limiting the gene pool on and weed cover in the eastern population which selection can act in the future. This between monitoring events. At Harman a applies to populations of fewer than 200 plants. reduction of plants in the lower stem classes was noted in two sub-populations where grass More frequent drought in south-eastern or woody weed cover had increased between Australia is one of the predicted effects of monitoring events, while subpopulations that climate change. This may adversely affect some had been slashed and had woody weeds R. leptorhynchoides populations, particularly removed showed an increase in numbers of through reduced germinant survival due to dry small plants over the same period (AECOM conditions and/or increasing intervals between 2014). rain events.

THREATS Rutidosis leptorhynchoides is at risk from habitat CONSERVATION ISSUES AND loss throughout its range due to agricultural and INTENDED MANAGEMENT urban development. Stirling Park is a possible ACTIONS future site for a new Prime Minister’s residence and Tennant Street Fyshwick could be affected PROTECTION by future expansion of the industrial area. Small The long term conservation of R. sites are more vulnerable to incidental damage leptorhynchoides depends on the retention of associated with human activity, such as roadside its native grassy habitat, which in the ACT region maintenance, dumping of waste, inappropriate is Natural Temperate Grassland and Yellow mowing and parking of vehicles. Box/Red Gum Grassy Woodland. Both of these Weed invasion poses a risk at many sites. On ecological communities have been declared formerly grazed sites, agricultural weeds are of endangered in the ACT and management most concern, and small sites can be invaded by principles for each are set out in the respective weeds that thrive in disturbed areas. Woodland action plans and strategies. In the ACT the sites are also vulnerable to invasion by woody species occurs on a range of land tenures; weeds. Territory land (land owned and managed by the ACT Government and leasehold rural land), Competition with other understorey vegetation National Capital Authority land (Commonwealth presents a disadvantage to the species at some land controlled and managed by the National sites. In Victoria, ’intermittent’ burning of some Capital Authority) and Defence land grassland communities is recommended to (Commonwealth land controlled and managed maintain floristic diversity (McDougall 1987, by the Department of Defence). The ACT Lunt 1990), but whether burning is

164 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan Government will liaise with the National Capital Database, some of the threatened species have Authority and the Department of Defence to special offset requirements to ensure encourage continued protection and appropriate protection. The Button Wrinklewort management of populations of R. does not have any special offset requirements. leptorhynchoides on their land, in particular,

Stirling Ridge and the Majura Field Firing Range. Demographic modelling suggests that SURVEY, MONITORING AND populations of R. leptorhynchoides need to have RESEARCH at least 200 plants to avoid the deleterious While it is possible some small populations of R. consequences of incompatible genes that result leptorhynchoides remain undetected in the ACT, in low reproductive (seed) viability. it is likely that all medium and large populations Populations of 200 or more plants are likely to have been discovered. Knowledge of the be viable in the longer-term and sites where distribution and abundance of the species in the they occur should be protected by formal legal ACT will be refined from data collected during measures. The National Recovery Plan for R. surveys for other plant species or from leptorhynchoides (NSW OEH 2012) states that all opportunistic observations from naturalists and populations of ten or more plants are important other interested persons. for the survival of the species and to maintain Populations of R. leptorhynchoides will need to genetic diversity. Consistent with the National be monitored to determine overall abundance Recovery Plan (NSW OEH 2012), any loss of trends. A representative set of sites should be plants from populations of ten or more monitored to evaluate the effects of individuals should be offset by achieving management. Intermittent and ad hoc improved long-term protection and management of a suitable currently unreserved Button Wrinklewort (E. Cook) population or other compensatory arrangements. The ACT contains some of the largest and most viable (in the long term) remaining populations of R. leptorhynchoides and their conservation is likely to be critical to the survival of the species; only a small number of viable populations remain in NSW and Victoria. Each site contributes to the overall genetic diversity of the species, because R. leptorhynchoides plants are likely to be genetically distinct between sites. Conservation effort should focus on protecting populations that are large (> 1000 plants) and medium-sized (200–1000 plants) as a cluster of sites. Small populations (< 200 plants) should be protected from unintended impacts and efforts directed to increasing their size (and hence viability) to 200 or more plants. ENVIRONMENTAL OFFSET REQUIREMENTS Environmental offset requirements for species and ecological communities in the ACT are outlined in the ACT Environmental Offsets Policy and associated documents such as the ACT Environmental Offsets Assessment Methodology and the Significant Species Database. In the Assessment Methodology and

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 165 monitoring has shown a decline in a few In particular, research is required to identify populations and increases in others. appropriate grazing, slashing and fire regimes (including intensity, frequency and season). In A protocol for two-yearly monitoring would addition to providing the basis for a slashing, involve measuring all plants for smaller grazing or fire management regime, this populations and an appropriate sampling information is relevant to the management of method for large and medium-sized other native grassland and woodland populations, recording: communities. • Number of plants (total or samples). Ongoing fuel reduction burning at Stirling Park • Area occupied. provides a starting point for fire regime research, and any results from experimental • Reproductive status (vegetative or flowering, burning or fuel reduction burning in adjacent number of flowers). NSW populations could also provide relevant • Population size structure e.g. height, data. A secondary priority for research is the stems/plant (1, 2–5, 6–10, 11–20, >20 etc.). development of techniques to establish new populations that have at least 200 plants. • Number of new germinants (<5cm, single stem, vegetative). Recording new germinants The Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research separately from established plants is (CSIRO Division of Plant Industry) is conducting desirable to monitor germination and ongoing research into aspects of the population recruitment, and to explain large variations biology of R. leptorhynchoides, including the in population numbers that may be caused effects of inbreeding and outbreeding by flushes of germination followed by depression, hybridisation, loss of self- mortality of seedlings. incompatibility alleles, local adaptation, pollinator limitation, and reproductive success • Surrounding herbage mass. and mortality in small and large populations. • Weed cover. The results of the research are being used to develop models to predict the outcome for • Management history. populations of various sizes under a range of Seedling establishment: Monitoring is required management conditions. This information is to show whether the relative paucity of relevant to the maintenance of existing seedlings in areas of denser vegetation leads to populations and to the establishment of new a long-term decline in the number of adult populations. plants present. This should be undertaken in conjunction with monitoring of small experimental burning/slashing plots in some of the larger populations. The results of any accidental burning should also be monitored. MANAGEMENT Site inspection for damage: Sites with medium Management actions for R. leptorhynchoides or large populations should be inspected should focus on conserving it as a component of quarterly, or as appropriate, for deliberate or the grassland or woodland ecological accidental damage. This includes unauthorised community. Management actions need to take grazing, mowing, burning or planting; access by into account the need to maintain species cars, trail bikes or other motor vehicles; diversity in the community, including the trampling; rock, soil, wood or plant removal; requirements of other sensitive species present. and dumping of rubbish. Fences/barriers and A key management aim should be to increase signs should be installed or upgraded where the number of plants in small (< 200 plants) necessary. populations to improve long-term population viability. A priority for research is the identification of appropriate management actions to conserve Specific management issues relating to existing populations, ensuring they remain conservation of the species: viable over the long term, and developing Woody weed control: This is most important on techniques to increase the size of small the woodland sites; older woody weeds should populations so they contain at least 200 plants. be cut and removed, and the stumps dabbed

166 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan with herbicide. Seedlings and suckers should be establishment) are likely to outweigh the costs controlled annually by hand-pulling and spot- (mortality of adult plants). spraying with herbicide (spot spraying of Population modelling and analysis of data from herbicide should not be conducted within 2 monitoring of populations in the ACT region metres of any R. leptorhynchoides plant). indicates that the maintenance of reproductive Regeneration of native trees and shrubs: Non- plants should be given priority over intervention indigenous native trees (e.g. Acacia baileyana, aimed at increasing germination and seedling A. cultriformis) and shrubs should be treated as establishment, as a large increase in woody weeds. In the absence of fire, slashing or germination would be required to offset the grazing, regeneration of eucalypts and some small increase in the mortality of adult plants native shrubs such as Cassinia quinquefaria, which might follow treatments such as autumn Bitter Pea (Daviesia mimosoides), Silver Wattle burning (A. Young pers. comm.). (Acacia dealbata) and Green Wattle (A. Management prescriptions also need to address mearnsii) may shade out R. leptorhynchoides. a general concern about the survival of small Where necessary, a selection of these should be remnant populations, namely the increased removed (cut and dabbed) annually to maintain random fluctuations in demographic parameters an open mixed-age/species woodland. such as seedling mortality, genetic erosion Herbaceous weed control: Priority should be owing to genetic drift and inbreeding depression given to weeds that can be invasive in native (Young 1997). Demographic and genetic grassland/woodland, such as St John’s Wort simulation modelling shows that diploid (Hypericum perforatum), African Lovegrass populations with fewer than 50 mature (Eragrostis curvula), Serrated Tussock (Nassella individuals will become extinct significantly trichotoma) and Chilean Needlegrass (Nassella faster than those with more than 200 plants neesiana). Control methods should take account (Young et al. 2000b). A potential recovery action of the characteristics of each site, and proximity for small populations with reduced fertilisation to R. leptorhynchoides plants. success due to mate limitation is to increase genetic diversity by introducing seed, pollen or Understorey competition: Intervention may be nursery-grown plants from larger, more necessary where monitoring shows a continuing genetically diverse populations. Research has lack of seedling establishment around adult shown that fertilisation success increases in plants in dense understorey vegetation, and/or crosses between populations, and that small deterioration in the quality of the community. In populations would gain the greatest benefit some local populations (Campbell Park, Crace from this ‘genetic rescue’ (Pickup and Young Nature Reserve, Red Hill Nature Reserve, Majura 2008, Pickup et al. 2013). Small re-established Training Area and Jerrabomberra East populations appear to suffer the same translocation site) kangaroo grazing will affect constraints as small remnant populations, so grass biomass as kangaroos eat grasses in management should aim to maintain population preference to forbs. Recruitment of R. size above 200 plants to avoid the effects of loss leptorhynchoides should be taken into account of self-incompatibility alleles, and re- when determining the desirable level of establishment projects should source seed kangaroo grazing at a site. Stock grazing may broadly for the same reasons (Young et al. have an adverse effect on R. leptorhynchoides 2000b). and its habitat, although the specieds has persisted for many years on sites with long A study of local adaptation in relation to histories of grazing. Any application of this form population characteristics in R. leptorhynchoides of grazing should be closely monitored. also suggested that selecting seed from large, Occasional careful slashing in late summer may genetically diverse populations from be used on sites where other factors (e.g. fire environments similar to candidate sites is likely risk to property) make burning undesirable. to provide the most appropriate seed sources Patch burning may be appropriate on other sites for restoration (Pickup et al. 2012). Suitable but its effects should be monitored. Burning candidate populations for this type of genetic should not be used as a broad-scale enhancement would be small to medium sized management tool on R. leptorhynchoides sites in populations (<1000 plants) showing poor seed the ACT until it has been established by set and seedling establishment below experimentation that the benefits (seedling replacement rate on sites containing habitat

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 167 suitable for expansion of the population. The conservation of a threatened species or National Recovery Plan nominates St Marks community. (Barton) and Capital Hill as suitable recipient • Collaboration with universities, CSIRO, populations in the ACT (NSW OEH 2012). Australian National Botanic Gardens and Given the significant problems faced by other research institutions to facilitate and populations with less than about 200 plants, the undertake required research. priority for management and research should be • Collaboration with non-government to increase the size of extant small (< 200 organisations, such as Greening Australia, to plants) populations. undertake on-ground actions. IMPLEMENTATION • Engagement with the community, where Implementation of this action plan and the ACT relevant, to assist with monitoring and other Native Grassland Conservation Strategy will on-ground actions, and to help raise require: community awareness of conservation issues. • Land planning and land management areas of the ACT Government to take into account the conservation of threatened species. • Allocation of adequate resources to undertake the actions specified in the strategy and action plans. • Liaison with other jurisdictions (particularly NSW) and other land holders (Commonwealth Government and Canberra Airport) with responsibility for the

168 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan OBJECTIVES, ACTIONS AND INDICATORS Table 1. Objectives, Actions and Indicators

Objective Action Indicator

1. Conserve all large and Apply formal measures to protect All large and medium size medium size all large and medium size populations are protected by populations in the ACT. populations on Territory-owned appropriate formal measures. land. Encourage formal protection Protect small ACT of all large and medium size populations from populations on land owned by unintended impacts other jurisdictions. (unintended impacts are those not already Protect all small populations on All sites with small populations considered through an Territory-owned land from are protected by appropriate environmental unintended impacts. Encourage measures from unintended assessment or other other jurisdictions to protect all impacts. statutory process). small populations from unintended impacts.

Ensure protection measures Protection measures include require site management to requirement for conservation conserve the species on Territory- management. owned land. Encourage other jurisdictions to require site management to conserve the species on thier land.

Identify other extant populations Vegetation surveys in suitable by maintaining alertness to the habitat also aim to detect the possible presence of the species species. while conducting vegetation surveys in suitable habitat.

2. Manage the species Monitor populations and the Trends in abundance are known. and its habitat to effects of management actions. Management actions are maintain the potential recorded. for evolutionary development in the Manage habitat to maintain its Suitable habitat conditions are wild. suitablilty for the species. maintained by site management. Potential threats (e.g. weeds) are avoided or managed. Populations are stable or increasing.

3. Enhance the long-term Undertake or facilitate research Research and trials have been viability of populations and trials into techniques for undertaken to increase the size of through management increasing the size of small (<200 small populations. Small of adjacent grassland plants) populations. population(s) have increased in to facilitate expansion size.

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 169 Objective Action Indicator

of populations into Undertake or facilitate research Research and trials have been suitable habitat. and trials into establishing new undertaken to establish new Establish new populations. populations. New population(s) populations. established.

4. Improved Undertake or facilitate research Research undertaken and understanding of the on appropriate methods for reported and where appropriate species’ ecology, managing the species and its applied to the conservation habitat and threats. habitat (slashing/grazing/ burning management of the species. etc.), lifecycle, germination, recruitment and genetics.

5. Promote a greater Undertake or facilitate Engagement and awareness awareness of, and stakeholder and community activities and promotion strengthen stakeholder engagement and awareness undertaken and reported. and community activities and promotions. engagement in the conservation of the species.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ERM 2011. ACT Threatened Species Monitoring and Management. For Spotless Services and Alison Rowell contributed to the preparation of Department of Defence (Environmental this action plan. This action plan draws on Resources Management Aust. Pty Ltd, research work undertaken by Dr Andrew Young, Canberra). Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research (CSIRO). The illustration of the species on the cover page Gibson-Roy P 2011. Reconstructing new was prepared for the ACT Government by John populations of the endangered Rutidosis Pratt. leptorhynchoides (Button Wrinklewort) at two sites in south western Victoria. Australasian Plant Conservation 19(3): 13-14. REFERENCES Lunt ID 1990. Floristic survey of the Derrimut Grassland Reserve, Melbourne, Victoria, ACT Government 1998. Button Wrinklewort Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria (Rutidosis leptorhynchoides): An endangered 102(1): 41-52. species. Action Plan No. 8. (Environment ACT, Canberra). McDougall KM 1987. Sites of Botanical Significance in the Western Region AECOM 2011. Threatened Species Monitoring (Department of Geography, University of and Management 2010. Majura Training Melbourne, Melbourne). Area, ACT. Prepared for Spotless and Department of Defence (AECOM Australia Morgan JW 1995a. Ecological studies of the Pty Ltd, Canberra). endangered Rutidosis leptorhynchoides I. Seed production, soil seed bank dynamics, AECOM 2014. 2013-2014 ACT Threatened population density and their effects on Species Monitoring. Report prepared for recruitment. Australian Journal of Botany Spotless Services and Department of 43(1):1-11. Defence (AECOM Australia Pty Ltd, Canberra). Morgan JW 1995b. Ecological studies of the endangered Rutidosis leptorhynchoides II. Patterns of seedling emergence and survival

170 Button Wrinklewort Action Plan in a native grassland. Australian Journal of Ross C 2011. Fire and the Button Wrinklewort. Botany 43(1):13-24. The short-term effects of fire on the endangered Button Wrinklewort (Rutidosis Morgan JW 1997. The effect of grassland gap leptorrhynchoides: Asteraceae) and its use in size on establishment, growth and flowering grassland and grassy woodland of the endangered Rutidosis management in the ACT. Student research leptorhynchoides (Asteraceae), Journal of project (Australian National University, Applied Ecology 34(3): 566-576. Canberra). Morgan JW 2000. Reproductive success in re- Ross C and Macris A 2012. Monitoring the established versus natural populations of a effects of fire on the Button Wrinklewort threatened grassland daisy (Rutidosis (Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides). Australasian leptorhynchoides), Conservation Biology Plant Conservation 20(4): 13-15. 14(3): 780-785. Rowell AM 1996a. Monitoring of Rutidosis Morgan JW and Scacco PJ 2006. Planting designs leptorrhynchoides site at West Block, Parkes, in ecological restoration: insights from the 1995-1996. Report prepared for National Button Wrinklewort, Ecological Management Capital Planning Authority (Canberra). and Restoration 7: 51-54. Rowell AM 1996b. Reassessment of distribution Murray BG and Young AG 2001. Widespread and abundance of Rutidosis chromosome variation in the endangered leptorrhynchoides at Stirling Ridge, ACT. grassland forb Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides F. Report to National Capital Planning Authority Muell. (Asteraceae: Gnaphalieae), Annals of (Canberra). Botany 87: 83-90. Rowell AM 2007a. Ecological values in Blocks 2, Muyt A and Watson K 2006. Stirling Ridge, 3 & 25, Section 44, Yarralumla. Report Yarralumla ACT: Vegetation survey methods, prepared for National Capital Authority management issues, flora and fauna species (Canberra). lists. Unpublished report to ACT Government (Canberra). Rowell AM 2007b. Assessment of native vegetation adjacent to West Block (part of Matthews L 2014. Follow up monitoring of the Section 23, Block 2, Parkes). Report prepared effects of fire on Button Wrinklewort in for National Capital Authority (Canberra). Stirling Park. Student research project (Canberra Institute of Technology, Canberra). Sharp S., 2016. Ecological Management Plan for National Capital Authority Conservation NSW Office of Environment and Heritage 2012. Areas. Report to the National Capital National Recovery Plan for Button Authority, Canberra, April 2016. Wrinklewort Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides (NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Wells GP and Young AG 2002. Effects of seed Hurstville, NSW). dispersal on spatial genetic structure in populations of Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides Pickup M, Field DL, Rowell DM and Young AG with different levels of correlated paternity. 2012. Predicting local adaptation in Genetical Research 79: 219-226. fragmented plant populations: implications for restoration genetics. Evolutionary Wittmark B, Goodwin C and Kendall P 1984. An Applications 5: 913–924. ecological study of the rare daisy Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides in the Canberra area Pickup M, Field DL, Rowell DM and Young AG (Environment Section, National Capital 2013. Source population characteristics Development Commission, Canberra). affect heterosis following genetic rescue of fragmented plant populations. Proceedings Young AG, Miller C, Gregory EA and Langston A of the Royal Society B 280(1750): 20122058 2000a. Sporophytic self-incompatibility in diploid and tetraploid races of Rutidosis Pickup M and Young AG 2008. Population size, leptorrhynchoides. Australian Journal of self-incompatibility and genetic rescue in Botany 48: 667-672. diploid and tetraploid races of Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides (Asteraceae), Heredity Young AG, Brown AHD, Murray BG, Thrall PH 100: 268–274. and Miller CH 2000b. Genetic erosion,

Button Wrinklewort Action Plan 171 restricted mating and reduced viability in fragmented populations of the endangered grassland herb: Rutidosis leptorrhynchoides, in Genetics, Demography and Viability of Fragmented Populations, eds AG Young and GM Clarke (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge): pp. 335-359. Young AG and Pickup M 2010. Low S-allele numbers limit mate availability, reduce seed set and skew fitness in small populations of a self-incompatible plant. Journal of Applied Ecology 47: 541–548.

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