This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 3/07/2008 Approved Conservation Advice (s266B of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) Approved Conservation Advice for Micromyrtus minutiflora
This Conservation Advice has been developed based on the best available information at the time this conservation advice was approved.
Description Micromyrtus minutiflora, Family Myrtaceae, previously known as Thryptomene minutiflora, is a slender spreading shrub to 2 m high. Leaves are 1–4 mm long and 0.5–1 mm wide with ciliate margins. The flowers are solitary on a peduncle (stalk) 0.5 mm long and sometimes forming small terminal clusters. The petals are white and fruit are non-opening nuts that are only slightly enlarged from the flower (Wilson, 2002; DECC, 2005a).
Conservation Status Micromyrtus minutiflora is listed as vulnerable. This species is eligible for listing as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act) as, prior to the commencement of the EPBC Act, it was listed as vulnerable under Schedule 1 of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 (Cwlth). Micromyrtus minutiflora is also listed as endangered under Schedule 1 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW).
Distribution and Habitat Micromyrtus minutiflora is endemic to the western parts of the Cumberland Plain in the Richmond-Castlereagh area of the Sydney Region, NSW (DECC, 2005a). There are 11 sites with a total of 1800 individuals across the Blacktown, Hawkesbury and Penrith Local Government Areas. Only one population of fewer than 50 plants is conserved within the Castlereagh Nature Reserve (DECC, 2002). There are over 1160 individuals in the Australian Defence Industries site and 500 individuals in Marsden Park (James, 1997). Micromyrtus minutiflora occurs on sandy clay or gravelly soils of Tertiary alluvium (Benson & McDougall, 1998). This species occurs within the Hawkesbury–Nepean (NSW) Natural Resource Management Region. The distribution of this species overlaps with the “Cumberland Plain Woodlands” EPBC Act- listed threatened ecological community.
Threats The main identified threats to M. minutiflora are habitat loss through vegetation clearing for urban development, frequent fire, and habitat degradation through weed invasion, arson, grazing, trail bike riding and rubbish dumping (DECC, 2002; 2005a).
Research Priorities Research priorities that would inform future regional and local priority actions include: • More precisely assess population size, distribution, ecological requirements and the relative impacts of threatening processes (DECC, 2005b). • Undertake survey work in suitable habitat and potential habitat to locate any additional populations/occurrences (DECC, 2005b). • Undertake seed germination and vegetative propagation trials to determine the requirements for successful establishment.
Micromyrtus minutiflora Conservation Advice - Page 1 of 3 This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 3/07/2008 • Conduct genetic studies to assess importance of small groups of individuals and determine genetically distinct populations (DECC, 2005b).
Regional and Local Priority Actions The following regional and local priority recovery and threat abatement actions can be done to support the recovery of M. minutiflora. Habitat Loss, Disturbance and Modification • Monitor known populations to identify key threats. • Monitor the progress of recovery, including the effectiveness of management actions and the need to adapt them if necessary (DECC, 2005b). • Identify populations of high conservation priority. • Manage threats to areas of vegetation that contain populations/occurrences/remnants of M. minutiflora. • Ensure road widening and maintenance activities (or other infrastructure or development activities involving substrate or vegetation disturbance) in areas where M. minutiflora occurs do not adversely impact on known populations. • Control access routes to suitably constrain public access to known sites on public land. • Minimise adverse impacts from land use, including dumping and trail bike riding, at known sites. • Investigate formal conservation arrangements such as the use of covenants, conservation agreements or inclusion in reserve tenure (DECC, 2005b). Trampling, Browsing or Grazing • Prevent grazing pressure at known sites on leased crown land through exclusion fencing or other barriers. Fire • Develop and implement a suitable fire management strategy for M. minutiflora. • Provide maps of known occurrences to local and state rural fire services and seek inclusion of mitigative measures in bush fire risk management plans, risk register and/or operation maps. Conservation Information • Raise awareness of M. minutiflora within the local community, particularly landowners (DECC, 2005b). Invasive Weeds • Manage sites to prevent introduction of invasive weeds, which could become a threat to M. minutiflora, using appropriate methods. Enable Recovery of Additional Sites and/or Populations • Undertake appropriate seed collection and storage. • Investigate options for linking, enhancing or establishing additional populations. • Implement national translocation protocols (Vallee et al., 2004) if establishing additional populations is considered necessary and feasible.
This list does not necessarily encompass all actions that may be of benefit to M. minutiflora, but highlights those that are considered to be of highest priority at the time of preparing the conservation advice.
Existing Plans/Management Prescriptions that are Relevant to the Species • NSW Priority Action Statement for M. minutiflora (DECC, 2005b).
Micromyrtus minutiflora Conservation Advice - Page 2 of 3 This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 3/07/2008 This prescription was current at the time of publishing; please refer to the relevant agency’s website for any updated versions.
Information Sources: Benson, D & McDougall, L 1998, ‘Ecology of Sydney plant species: Part 6 Dicotyledon family Myrtaceae’, Cunninghamia, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 809-987. Department of Environment & Climate Change New South Wales, formerly Department of Environment & Conservation New South Wales (DECC) 2002, Micromyrtus minutiflora (a shrub) – Endangered species determination - final, viewed 25 March 2008,
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