1 COASTAL UPLAND SWAMPS IN THE SYDNEY BASIN BIOREGION: DRAFT 2 DESCRIPTION 3 4 Description 5 The Coastal Upland Swamps in the Sydney Basin Bioregion includes a range of vegetation and 6 fauna associated with periodically waterlogged soils on the Hawkesbury sandstone plateaus. 7 Vegetation types include open graminoid heath, sedgeland and tall scrub. This ecological 8 community, proposed for national listing under the Commonwealth Environment Protection 9 and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, is based on the NSW listed community of the same 10 name. Information regarding the NSW ecological community can be found at: 11 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/coastaluplandswampfd.htm 12 13 Name of the ecological community 14 Coastal Upland Swamps in the Sydney Basin Bioregion 15 16 Location and physical environment 17 The Coastal Upland Swamps in the Sydney Basin Bioregion ecological community is endemic 18 to NSW, within the eastern Sydney Basin. 19 In the south the community occurs on the Woronora plateau, in the north it occurs on the 20 Somersby-Hornsby plateaus. The southern part of this distribution is separated from the north 21 by an area of non-sandstone substrates, less rainfall and lower elevation, and by the urban 22 development of Sydney. 23 Geology 24 The community occurs primarily on impermeable sandstone plateaus in the headwater valleys 25 of streams and on sandstone benches with abundant seepage moisture (Buchanan, 1980; 26 Young, 1986; Keith and Myerscough, 1993; Keith et al. 2006 in NSW Scientific Committee, 27 2012). They are occasionally associated with weathered shale lenses and ironstone (Buchanan, 28 1980; Keith 1994 in NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). While the majority of swamps occur 29 within 200-450m above sea level, elevation varies from about 20m to around 600m. Soils are 30 acidic and vary from yellow or grey mineral sandy loams with shallow organic horizon to 31 highly organic spongy black peats with pallid subsoils (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 32 Hydrology 33 There are strong hydrological controls on the distribution of the Coastal Upland Swamps 34 ecological community, both regionally and locally. Development of the swamps is driven by 35 positive feedbacks that operate when there is significant excess of precipitation over 36 evaporation. This, along with high run-on from catchments and low rates of percolation and 37 run-off, promotes soil water logging (Young 1982, 1986 in NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 38 Lateral transportation and deposition of sediment via overland flows lead to the choking of 39 headwater valleys, impeding drainage. Higher levels of soil moisture lead to increased density 40 of ground cover, trapping more sediment, further impeding drainage and killing trees that are 41 unable to tolerate raised water tables (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 42 Climate 43 The ecological community shows a strong relationship to climatic gradient, reaching its 44 greatest development on the central portion of the Woronora plateau. The Illawarra escarpment 45 produces orographic rainfall and fogs (i.e. rainfall and fogs produced when moist air is lifted as 46 it moves over a mountain range), and enhanced cloud cover, which in turn reduces evaporation

1 (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). The orographic climatic effects rapidly diminish with 2 distance inland from the escarpment and the occurrence of swamps is much reduced on the 3 western third of the plateau (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 4 5 Vegetation 6 The Coastal Upland Swamps ecological community is characterised by highly diverse and 7 variable mosaics of vegetation depending on soil condition, size of the site, recent rainfall 8 conditions, fire regimes and disturbance history (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). More than 9 170 species of vascular species were recorded by Keith and Myerscough (1993) within 10 the Coastal Upland Swamps within the O’Hares Creek catchment alone, with the total for the 11 community likely to exceed 200 species (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). An indicative list 12 of vascular species is included at Table 1. The community also includes micro-organisms, 13 fungi, and cryptogamic plants (i.e. plants such as ferns, mosses and algae that reproduce with 14 spores rather than flowers and seeds) (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 15 Larger swamps may include a range of structural forms which include tall open scrubs, tall 16 closed scrubs, closed heaths, open graminoid (grassy) heaths, sedgelands and fernlands. 17 Smaller swamps are more typically characterised by open graminoid heaths and/or sedgelands, 18 but may include tall scrubs (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 19 20 Table 1: Characteristic plant species (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012) Vegetation Listing status Scientific name Common name type EPBC NSW herb Actinotus minor Lesser Flannel-flower shrub Almaleea paludosa shrub Baeckea imbricata shrub Baeckea linifolia Swamp Baeckea shrub Banksia ericifolia Golden Banksia, Heath-leaved Banksia, Heath Banksia shrub Banksia oblongifolia Dwarf Banksia, Fern-leaved Banksia, Wallum Banksia shrub Banksia robur Eastern Swamp Banksia, Swamp Banksia, Broad-leaved Banksia, Large-leaf Banksia, Large-leaved Wallum shrub Bauera microphylla Dog Rose sedge Baumea acuta sedge Baumea teretifolia Twigrush herb nobilis Christmas Bells herb or low Boronia parviflora Swamp Boronia, Small Boronia, Tiny shrub Boronia, Small-flowered Boronia herb Burchardia umbellata Milkmaids twiner Cassytha glabella Dodder Laurel, Devil's Twine, Dodder sedge Chorizandra Roundhead Bristle-sedge sphaerocephala shrub Cryptandra ericoides subshrub Dampiera stricta shrub Dillwynia floribunda Showy Parrot Pea herb binata Forked Sundew herb Drosera spathulata sedge Empodisma minus Spreading Rope Rush grass Entolasia stricta Wiry Panic shrub Epacris microphylla Coral Heath shrub Epacris obtusifolia shrub Epacris paludosa Swamp Heath

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Vegetation Listing status Scientific name Common name type EPBC NSW herb Eurychorda complanata sedge Gahnia sieberiana Sword Grass, Sawsedge fern Gleichenia microphylla Scrambling Coral-fern, Coral-fern, Umbrella Fern herb Gonocarpus micranthus Creeping Raspwort herb Gonocarpus salsoloides herb Gonocarpus tetragynus herb Goodenia dimorpha shrub Grevillea oleoides Red spider flower shrub Grevillea parviflora Small-flower Grevillea sedge Gymnoschoenus sphaerocephalus herb Haemodorum Bloodroot corymbosum shrub Hakea teretifolia Dagger Hakea, Narrow-fruited Needlebush shrub Hibbertia serpyllifolia Hairy Guinea Flower herb Leptocarpus tenax sedge Lepidosperma limicolum grass Lepidosperma neesii shrub Leptospermum Mountain Tea-tree, Woolly Tea-tree grandiflorum shrub Leptospermum Prickly Tea-tree, Juniperinum Tea-tree juniperinum shrub Leptospermum Pink Teatree, Peach Blossom Teatree squarrosum herb Lepyrodia scariosa fern Lindsaea linearis Screw Fern, Necklace Fern shrub or Melaleuca squarrosa Scented Paperbark small tree shrub Mirbelia rubiifolia Heathy Mirbelia herb Mitrasacme polymorpha subshrub Opercularia varia Variable Stinkweed shrub Petrophile pulchella Conesticks grass Plinthanthesis Wiry Wallaby-grass paradoxa grass Ptilothrix deusta shrub Pultenaea aristata Bearded Bush-pea v v sedge brevifolius Zig-zag Bog-rush sedge Schoenus lepidosperma Slender Bog Sedge subsp.pachylepis sedge Schoenus paludosus herb Selaginella uliginosa Swamp Selaginella, Swamp Clubmoss herb Sowerbaea juncea Rush Lily, Vanilla Plant, Chocolate Flower, Chocolate Lily shrub Sphaerolobium Leafless Globe-pea vimineum shrub Sprengelia incarnata Pink Swamp-heath herb Stackhousia nuda herb Stylidium lineare Narrow-leaved Triggerplant subshrub Symphionema paludosum grass Tetraria capillaris grass Tetrarrhena turfosa herb Thysanotus juncifolius Branching Fringe Lily shrub Viminaria juncea Golden Spray, Native Broom 3

Vegetation Listing status Scientific name Common name type EPBC NSW grass-tree Xanthorrhoea resinosa subshrub Xanthosia tridentata Rock Xanthosia herb Xyris gracilis subsp. laxa herb Xyris juncea Dwarf Yellow-eye herb Xyris operculata Tall Yellow-eye 1 v: vulnerable. 2 3 Fauna 4 The ecological community provides habitat to a wide variety of birds, mammals, amphibians, 5 reptiles and invertebrates (Table 2). The Australian crayfish, hairy crayfish and Sydney crayfish 6 are abundant (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). Stygofauna (fauna that live in groundwater 7 systems or aquifers) are abundant and exhibit high levels of local endemism (Hose 2008, 2009 8 in NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). A number of threatened frogs have been recorded as 9 occurring within the community including the nationally threatened green and gold bell frog 10 (Litora aurea) and the giant burrowing frog (Heleiporus australiacus) (NSW Scientific 11 Committee, 2012). The community also provides habitat for the NSW listed giant dragonfly 12 (Petalura gigantean), which is now uncommon in coastal regions (NSW Scientific Committee, 13 2012). 14 Table 2: Typical species found in Coastal Upland Swamp habitat. (NSW Scientific 15 Committee, 2012) Scientific name Common name Listing status EPBC NSW mammals Wallabia bicolor Swamp wallaby Antechinus stuartii Brown antechinus Rattus lutreolus Swamp rat birds Phylidonyris New Holland honeyeater novaehollandiae Stipiturus malachurus Southern Emu-wren Rhipidura albiscarpa Grey fantail Stagonopleura bella Beautiful firetail Pezoporus wallicus Eastern ground parrot v wallicus amphibians Heleiporus australiacus Giant burrowing frog v v Pseudophryne austalis Red-crowned toadlet v Varanus rosenbergi Rosenberg’s goanna v Litora aurea Green and gold bell frog v e invertebrates Euastacus australasiensis Australian crayfish Euastacus hirsutus Hairy crayfish Euactacus spinifer Sydney crayfish Petalura gigantea Giant dragonfly e 16 e: endangered. v: vulnerable. 17

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1 Key diagnostic characteristics 2 The formation of swamps and wetlands are dependent on a range of factors including location 3 in the landscape, underlying geology, and climate. These play an important role in determining 4 the level of water-logging and sedimentation levels in the swamps. Swamp vegetation can be 5 highly variable depending on water flows, substrates, rainfall and altitude. Fire history also 6 plays an important role in the development and persistence of swamp boundaries. 7 The ecological community is the assemblage of organisms including and associated with 8 coastal upland swamps in the Sydney Basin. Key diagnostic characteristics for describing the 9 the Coastal Upland Swamps in the Sydney Basin Bioregion ecological community are that it: 10  is confined to the Sydney Basin Bioregion, from the Somersby district in the north, to the 11 Robertson district in the south; 12  occurs on the Hawkesbury sandstone plateaus with shallow groundwater aquifers in the 13 headwaters and impeded drainage lines of streams, and on sandstone benches with 14 abundant seepage moisture; 15  includes open graminoid heath, sedgeland and tall scrub associated with periodically water- 16 logged soils, larger swamps may comprise a complex of these forms; 17  is generally associated with soils that are acidic and vary from yellow or grey mineral 18 sandy loams with a shallow organic horizon to highly organic spongy black peat soils with 19 pallid subsoils; and 20  occur in elevations from 20 m to around 600 m above sea level, although the majority of 21 swamps occur between 200-450 m. 22 23 Surrounding environment and national context 24 The Coastal Upland Swamps of the Sydney Basin Bioregion ecological community is endemic 25 to New South Wales, being restricted to the Hawkesbury sandstone plateaus of the Sydney 26 Basin Bioregion (IBRA 7). The Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of (IBRA) 27 divides the Australian continent into bioregions and sub-regions. IBRA is endorsed by all levels 28 of government as a key tool for identifying land for conservation. More information regarding 29 IBRA, including maps are available at: http://www.environment.gov.au/topics/land/nrs/science- 30 maps-and-data/-bioregions-ibra. 31 32 Defining a patch 33 Coastal Upland Swamps are characterised by a diverse assemblage of vegetation and are 34 essentially treeless, although trees may be present as scattered individuals or isolated clumps of 35 mallee or eucalypts (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). Many plant species within the swamps 36 are absent from or uncommon in the surrounding landscape, making swamps distinctive and 37 recognisable (Keith et al., 2013). Boundaries between Coastal Upland Swamps and adjacent 38 communities can be quite distinct across distances of a few metres or more diffuse transitions 39 across tens of metres, and may not follow tree lines precisely (D. Keith pers comm. 2011 in 40 NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). Substantial shifts may occur in swamp and adjoining 41 woodland boundaries over decadal time scales (Keith et al., 2010). 42 Swamps are naturally small, with approximately 42% of those mapped being less than 1 ha. 43 The largest 5% of swamps (>14 ha) account for just under half of the total area of the 44 community (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012).

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1 The larger swamps are made up of distinctive mosaics of multiple sub-communities that can 2 include a number or structural forms including tall closed or open shrubland, closed heaths, 3 open graminoid heaths, sedgelands and fernlands (NSW Scientific Committee, 2012). 4 5 Area critical to the survival of the ecological community 6 The landscape distribution of swamp ecosystems is a function of local climate, landform and 7 substrate variables which influence hydrological regimes. Given the very specific set of 8 variables required for Coastal Upland Swamps to exist and persist, the areas currently occupied 9 are considered to be areas critical to the survival of the community. 10

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1 Bibliography 2 Buchanan RA (1980). The Lambert Peninsula, Ku-ring-gai Chase national Park, Physiography 3 and the distribution of podzols, shrublands and swamps, with details of the swamp vegetation 4 and sediments. Proceedings of the Linnean Society New South Wales 104, 73-94. 5 6 Keith DA (1994). Floristics, structure and diversity of natural vegetation in the O’Hares Creek 7 catchment, south of Sydney. Cunninghamia 3, 543-594. 8 9 Keith DA, Rodoreda S, Bedward M (2010). Decadal change in wetland-woodland boundaries 10 during the late 20th century reflects climatic trends. Global Change Biology 16, 2300-2306. 11 12 Keith DA, Rodoreda S, Holman L, Lemmon J (2006). Monitoring change in upland swamps in 13 Sydney’s water catchments: the roles of fire and rain. Department of Environment and 14 Conservation, Sydney. 15 16 Keith DA, Myerscough PJ (1993). Floristics and soil relations of upland swamp vegetation near 17 Sydney. Australian Journal of Ecology 18, 325-344. 18 19 Keith DA, Rodríguez JP, Rodríguez-Clark KM, Nicholson E, Aapala K, et al. (2013) Scientific 20 Foundations for an IUCN Red List of Ecosystems. PLoS ONE 8(5): e62111. 21 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0062111 22 23 NSW Scientific Committee (2012). Coastal Upland Swamp in the Sydney Basin Bioregion – 24 endangered ecological community listing – final determination. Accessed 3rd December 2013. 25 http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/coastaluplandswampfd.htm 26 27 Young ARM (1982). Upland Swamps (Dells) on the Woronora Plateau, NSW. PhD thesis, 28 University of Wollongong, NSW. 29 30 Young ARM (1986). The geomorphic development of dells (upland swamps) on the Woronora 31 plateau, N.S.S., Australia. Zeitschrift fur Geomorphologie 30, 317-327.

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