DOCSLIB.ORG

Terrestrial and Freshwater Flora and Fauna Impact Assessment

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Terrestrial and Freshwater Flora and Fauna Impact Assessment TERRESTRIAL AND FRESHWATER FLORA AND FAUNA IMPACT ASSESSMENT ELLA BAY INTEGRATED RESORT PROJECT, INNISFAIL Report prepared for Ella Bay Developments Pty Ltd Prepared by: Paula Boosamra, Chris Schell, Mark Sanders, Checked by: Paulette Jones Date: February, 2007 File no: 0096-003 Biodiversity Assessment and Management Pty Ltd 38 Middle Street CLEVELAND 4163 TERRESTRIAL AND FRESHWATER FLORA AND FAUNA IMPACT ASSESSMENT ELLA BAY INTEGRATED RESORT PROJECT, INNISFAIL Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................1 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED ACTION............................................................2 2.1 LOCATION ........................................................................................................ 2 2.2 PROPOSED ACTIVITIES...................................................................................... 2 2.3 RELEVANT LEGISLATION AND POLICY REQUIREMENTS.................................... 7 2.3.1 Commonwealth Matters of National Environmental Significance.................. 7 2.3.2 State Legislation.............................................................................................. 9 2.3.3 Johnstone Shire Council Statutory Planning Framework............................. 10 3.0 VEGETATION AND FLORA ................................................................................12 3.1 BASELINE INVESTIGATIONS............................................................................ 12 3.1.1 Regional Ecosystems ..................................................................................... 12 3.1.2 Flora Species of Significance ........................................................................ 16 3.1.3 Weed Species ................................................................................................. 20 3.1.3.1 Pond Apple (Annona squamosa)............................................................... 20 3.1.3.2 Hymenachne (Hymenachne amplexicaulis) .............................................. 20 3.1.3.3 Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia).................................................................... 20 3.1.3.4 Other Weed Species.................................................................................. 21 3.2 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES........................................ 22 3.2.1 Rehabilitation and Landscaping.................................................................... 29 3.2.2 Golf Course Development ............................................................................. 29 3.2.3 Weeds............................................................................................................. 31 4.0 TERRESTRIAL FAUNA ........................................................................................32 4.1 BASELINE INVESTIGATIONS............................................................................ 32 4.1.1 Fauna Survey Results: Listed Species under the Commonwealth’s EPBC and Queensland’s NCA ........................................................................................ 32 4.1.2 Macropus agilis (Agile Wallaby)................................................................... 35 4.1.3 Exotic Fauna ................................................................................................. 35 4.2 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES........................................ 35 4.2.1 Casuarius casuarius (Southern Cassowary) ................................................. 36 4.2.1.1 Presence on the Subject Site...................................................................... 36 4.2.1.2 Essential Habitat under the VMA.............................................................. 39 4.2.1.3 Potential Direct, Indirect and Cumulative Impacts ................................... 39 4.2.1.4 Impact Assessment Methodology ............................................................. 40 4.2.1.5 Mitigation Strategies................................................................................. 43 BAAM Pty Ltd Page i File: 0096-003 Terrestrial and Freshwater Flora and Fauna Impact Assessment Ella Bay Integrated Resort Project, Innisfail for Ella Bay Developments Pty Ltd 4.2.2 Litoria rheocola (Common Mountain Mist Frog) and Nyctimystes dayi (Australian Lacelid)....................................................................................... 49 4.2.3 Pteropus conspicillatus (Spectacled Flying-fox)........................................... 50 4.2.4 Chelonia mydas (Green Turtle)..................................................................... 51 4.2.5 Hypochrysops apollo (Apollo Jewel)............................................................. 51 4.2.6 Cophixalus infacetus ..................................................................................... 52 4.2.7 Coeranoscincus frontalis............................................................................... 53 4.2.8 Eulamprus tigrinus ........................................................................................ 54 4.2.9 Esacus neglectus (Beach Stone-curlew)........................................................ 55 4.2.10 Accipiter novaehollandiae (Grey Goshawk) ................................................. 55 4.2.11 Cyclopsitta diophthalma macleayana (Macleay’s Fig-parrot or Double-eyed Fig-parrot)..................................................................................................... 56 4.2.12 Ninox rufus queenslandica (Rufous Owl)...................................................... 56 4.2.13 Collocalia spodiopygius (White-rumped Swiftlet)......................................... 56 4.2.14 Neochmia phaeton (Crimson Finch) ............................................................. 57 4.2.15 Taphozous australis (Coastal Sheathtail Bat)............................................... 57 4.2.16 Crocodylus porosus (Saltwater Crocodile)................................................... 57 4.2.17 Macropus agilis (Agile Wallaby)................................................................... 58 4.2.18 Movement Corridors ..................................................................................... 58 4.2.19 Golf Course Development ............................................................................. 62 5.0 AQUATIC FAUNA ..................................................................................................64 5.1 BASELINE INVESTIGATIONS............................................................................ 64 5.2 POTENTIAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURES........................................ 64 6.0 NATURAL HERITAGE VALUES ........................................................................66 7.0 ACCESS ROUTE CORRIDOR OPTIONS...........................................................68 7.1 ACCESS ROAD ALTERNATIVES ....................................................................... 68 7.2 PREFERRED ACCESS ....................................................................................... 69 7.3 ALTERNATIVES THROUGH FLYING FISH POINT............................................... 69 7.3.1 Option descriptions ....................................................................................... 69 7.3.2 Vegetation and Flora..................................................................................... 69 7.3.3 Fauna (Cassowaries) .................................................................................... 75 7.3.4 Fauna (General)............................................................................................ 76 8.0 COLLABORATION WITH RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS .........................79 9.0 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................79 9.1 VEGETATION AND FLORA RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................. 79 9.2 FAUNA RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................... 81 9.3 AQUATIC FAUNA RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................... 85 9.4 NATURAL HERITAGE RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................... 85 9.5 ACCESS ROAD RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................... 85 10.0 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................87 BAAM Pty Ltd Page ii File: 0096-003 Terrestrial and Freshwater Flora and Fauna Impact Assessment Ella Bay Integrated Resort Project, Innisfail for Ella Bay Developments Pty Ltd List of Figures Figure 2.1: Subject Site Location Figure2.2: World Heritage Areas: Wet Tropics and Great Barrier Reef Figure 2.3: Proposed Development Concept Plan Figure 2.4: Proposed Road Route Options Figure2.5: Wet Tropics Management Authority Zoning Figure2.6: Johnstone Shire Zoning for Subject Site Figure 3.1: NRW Certified Regional Ecosystems of the Development Site Figure 3.2: 3D Environmental Regional Ecosystems of the Development Site Figure 3.3: 3D Environmental Regional Ecosystems for Access Road Corridor Options Figure 3.4: Known significant flora habitat on the Subject Site Figure 3.5: Potential Significant flora habitat on the Subject Site Figure3.6: Potential habitat for significant flora species traversed by the access road corridor options Figure 3.7: Draft Development Footprint and Certified NRW RE Mapping Figure 3.8: Draft Development Footprint and 3D Environmental RE mapping Figure 4.1: Locations of Listed Significant Species Listed under the Commonwealth’s EPBC and Queensland’s NCA Figure
Load more

Recommended publications
  • ARAZPA YOTF Infopack.Pdf
    ARAZPA 2008 Year of the Frog Campaign Information pack ARAZPA 2008 Year of the Frog Campaign Printing: The ARAZPA 2008 Year of the Frog Campaign pack was generously supported by Madman Printing Phone: +61 3 9244 0100 Email: [email protected] Front cover design: Patrick Crawley, www.creepycrawleycartoons.com Mobile: 0401 316 827 Email: [email protected] Front cover photo: Pseudophryne pengilleyi, Northern Corroboree Frog. Photo courtesy of Lydia Fucsko. Printed on 100% recycled stock 2 ARAZPA 2008 Year of the Frog Campaign Contents Foreword.........................................................................................................................................5 Foreword part II ………………………………………………………………………………………… ...6 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................9 Section 1: Why A Campaign?....................................................................................................11 The Connection Between Man and Nature........................................................................11 Man’s Effect on Nature ......................................................................................................11 Frogs Matter ......................................................................................................................11 The Problem ......................................................................................................................12 The Reason
    [Show full text]
  • (2008) Nocturnal Noise Levels and Edge Impacts on Amphibian
    Nocturnal noise levels and edge impacts on amphibian habitats adjacent to Kuranda Range Road Miriam Goosem, Conrad Hoskin and Gregory Dawe School of Earth and Environmental Sciences James Cook University, Cairns Supported by the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility Project 4.9.3: Impacts of urbanisation on North Queensland environments: management and remediation © James Cook University ISBN 9781921359194 This report should be cited as: Goosem, M., Hoskin, C. and Dawe, G. (2007) Nocturnal noise levels and edge impacts on amphibian habitats adjacent to Kuranda Range Road. Report to the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns (87pp.). Published by the Reef and Rainforest Research Centre on behalf of the Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility. The Australian Government’s Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF) supports world-class, public good research. The MTSRF is a major initiative of the Australian Government, designed to ensure that Australia’s environmental challenges are addressed in an innovative, collaborative and sustainable way. The MTSRF investment is managed by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (DEWHA), and is supplemented by substantial cash and in-kind investments from research providers and interested third parties. The Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited (RRRC) is contracted by DEWHA to provide program management and communications services for the MTSRF. This publication is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, information or educational purposes subject to inclusion of a sufficient acknowledgement of the source. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government or the Minister for the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
    [Show full text]
  • Ella Bay Fauna Survey November 2008 Volume 6.3A
    6.3 a Fauna Survey Report Nov 2008 BAAM Ella Bay Integrated Resort Development SEIS Submission Response Volume 6 Consultant and Ella Bay Reports ELLA BAY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT NOVEMBER 2008 FAUNA SURVEY RESULTS Report prepared for Satori Resorts Pty Ltd FAUNA AND HABITAT SPECIALISTS Document Control Sheet File Number: 0209-002 Version 0 Project Manager: Paulette Jones Client: Satori Resorts Pty Ltd Project Title: Ella Bay Integrated Resort Development, Innisfail Project Author/s: Terry Reis and Brett Taylor Project Summary: Report on the November 2008 Fauna Survey of the Ella Bay Integrated Resort (EBIR) Site and Access Road and integration of the EBIR Site November 2008 and October 2006 survey results. Draft Preparation History Draft No. Date of Issue Checked by Issued by 0209-002 Draft A 09/12/08 Paulette Jones Terry Reis 0209-002 Draft B 14/01/09 Terry Reis Paulette Jones 0209-002 Draft C 09/03/09 Terry Reis Paulette Jones Revision/ Checking History Track Version Date of Issue Checked by Issued by 0209-002 Version 0 06/05/11 Paulette Jones Paulette Jones Document Distribution Destination 1 Date 2 Date 3 Date 4 Date Dispatched Dispatched Dispatched Dispatched Client Copy 1 - A 09/12/08 B 22/01/09 C 09/03/09 0 06/05/11 digital Client Copy 1 - hard copy PDF - server A 09/12/08 B 22/01/09 09/03/09 0 06/05/11 PDF – backup – A 09/12/08 B 22/01/09 09/03/09 0 06/05/11 archived Disk/tape Hard Copy -library BAAM Pty Ltd File No: 0209-002 Version 0 NOTICE TO USERS OF THIS REPORT Copyright and reproduction This report and all indexes, schedules, annexures or appendices are subject to copyright pursuant to the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth).
    [Show full text]
  • Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria Aurea (Lesson 1829) Recovery Plan
    Draft Recovery Plan Green and Golden Bell Frog Litoria aurea (Lesson 1829) Recovery Plan draft for public comment February 2005 © Department of Environment and Conservation NSW (DEC), 2005. This work is copyright, however material presented in this plan may be copied for personal use or published for educational purposes, providing that any extracts are fully acknowledged. Apart from this, and any other use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without prior written permission from DEC. Requests for information or comments regarding Green and Golden Bell Frog Recovery Plan should be directed to:- The Director-General, Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) c/o Green and Golden Bell Frog Recovery Program Coordinator Conservation Programs and Planning, Metropolitan Region Environment Protection and Regulation Division Department of Environment and Conservation PO Box 1967 HURSTVILLE NSW 2220 Phone: (02) 9585 6678 Fax: 02 95856442 www.npws.nsw.gov.au Cover photograph: Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea) Photographer: Carl Hensel Plan co-ordinator: Tania Duratovic This plan should be cited as follows: Department of Environment and Conservation NSW ( 2005) Draft Recovery Plan for the Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea). DEC NSW, Hurstville, NSW. ISBN: 0 7313 6866 5 Your comments on this Draft Recovery Plan may contain information that is defined as “personal information” under the NSW Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and which identifies you. Following consideration of submissions and finalisation of the Draft Recovery Plan, copies of all submissions will be available for inspection at the DEC Office at 43 Bridge Street, Hurstville 2220 (ph: 02 9585 6444).
    [Show full text]
  • Ongoing Declines, Stabilizations and Recoveries in Amphibians Afflicted by Chytridiomycosis Authors
    After the epidemic: Ongoing declines, stabilizations and recoveries in amphibians afflicted by chytridiomycosis Author Scheele, Ben C, Skerratt, Lee F, Grogan, Laura F, Hunter, David A, Clemann, Nick, McFadden, Michael, Newell, David, Hoskin, Conrad J, Gillespie, Graeme R, Heard, Geoffrey W, Brannelly, Laura, Roberts, Alexandra A, Berger, Lee Published 2017 Journal Title Biological Conservation Version Accepted Manuscript (AM) DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.12.010 Copyright Statement © 2017 Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- NoDerivatives 4.0 International (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, providing that the work is properly cited. Downloaded from http://hdl.handle.net/10072/337820 Griffith Research Online https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au 1 Title: After the epidemic: ongoing declines, stabilizations and recoveries in amphibians afflicted by chytridiomycosis Authors: Ben C. Scheele a †, Lee F. Skerratt a, Laura F. Grogan b, David A. Hunter c, Nick Clemann d, Michael McFadden e, David Newell f, Conrad J. Hoskin g, Graeme R. Gillespie h, Geoffrey W. Heard h Laura Brannelly a, Alexandra A. Roberts a, and Lee Berger a a One Health Research Group, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, 4811, Australia. b Griffith Wildlife Disease Ecology Group, Environmental Futures Research Institute, School of Environment, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia. c NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Albury, NSW, 2640, Australia. d Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg, Victoria, 3084, Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • Common Mist Frog)
    Consultation Document on Listing Eligibility and Conservation Actions Litoria rheocola (common mist frog) You are invited to provide your views and supporting reasons related to: 1) the eligibility of Litoria rheocola (common mist frog) for inclusion on the EPBC Act threatened species list; and 2) the necessary conservation actions for the above species. Evidence provided by experts, stakeholders and the general public are welcome. Responses can be provided by any interested person. Anyone may nominate a native species, ecological community or threatening process for listing under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) or for a transfer of an item already on the list to a new listing category. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Committee) undertakes the assessment of species to determine eligibility for inclusion in the list of threatened species and provides its recommendation to the Australian Government Minister for the Environment. Responses are to be provided in writing either by email to: [email protected] or by mail to: The Director Marine and Freshwater Species Conservation Section Wildlife, Heritage and Marine Division Department of the Environment PO Box 787 Canberra ACT 2601 Responses are required to be submitted by 2 March 2018. Contents of this information package Page General background information about listing threatened species 2 Information about this consultation process 2 Draft information about the species and its eligibility for listing 4 Conservation actions for the species 9 References cited 11 Consultation questions 13 Litoria rheocola (common mist frog) consultation Page 1 of 14 General background information about listing threatened species The Australian Government helps protect species at risk of extinction by listing them as threatened under Part 13 of the EPBC Act.
    [Show full text]
  • Berger, Lee (2001) Diseases in Australian Frogs. Phd Thesis, James Cook University
    This file is part of the following reference: Berger, Lee (2001) Diseases in Australian frogs. PhD thesis, James Cook University. Access to this file is available from: http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/17586 CHAPTERl Aims and scope of thesis 1.1 Overview of the project The initial aims of this project were to investigate diseases of Australian frogs and to find the infectious cause of the mass mortalities associated with declining frog populations in Queensland. Pathological studies had commenced after a mass die-off was detected in 1993 at Big Tableland, near Cooktown, north Queensland and carcasses were collected for the first time in Australia (Laurance et ai., 1996). The large mortality caused a drastic population decline and it appeared that the cause of this event was likely to be the same as in previous population declines that had been occurring since 1979 in mountains to the south in eastern Queensland. The rapid population crashes in previous declines suggested mass mortality of adults was occurring, and the epidemiology suggested the cause was the introduction of an infectious disease that was spreading from south to north Queensland (Laurance et aI., 1996; Chap 2). Initial diagnostic investigations involved histopathology, bacteriology and virology but the cause of death was not determined (Speare, 1995). Rick Speare was convinced the deaths were due to a primary infectious agent that was not bacterial. Although attempts were made to isolate ranavirus, no viruses were cultured. A range of opportunistic bacteria was isolated and histopathology showed minor non-specific acute degenerative changes in some organs (Speare, 1995). An unidentified protist occurred in the skin of some of these frogs without causing severe skin lesions, but was not considered to be significant.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report and State of the Wet Tropics Report 2003–2004
    Annual Report and State of the Wet Tropics Report 2003–2004 The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area enjoyed, protected and treasured now and forever. 17 September 2004 Senator The Honourable Ian Campbell Minister for Environment and Heritage Suite MG60 Parliament House PO Box 155 CANBERRA ACT 2600 Dear Minister, I have pleasure in submitting the Wet Tropics Management Authority’s annual report for 2003–2004. Under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Conservation Act 1994, section 10 (1) ‘annual report’ means a report given to the Australian Government under section 63 of the Act. Section 10 (2) requires you as the Minister to cause a copy of the annual report to be laid before each House of Parliament within 15 sitting days after the report is given to the Australian Government. In submitting this report to you today the Authority is fulfilling its responsibilities under Australian Government legislation. Yours sincerely JC Grey AC Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Chair 17 September 2004 The Honourable Desley Boyle MP Chair, Wet Tropics Ministerial Council, Minister for Environment PO Box 155 BRISBANE ALBERT STREET 4002 Dear Minister, I have pleasure in submitting the Wet Tropics Management Authority’s annual report for 2003–2004. Under the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993 section 63 (1) the Authority must, within three months after the end of the financial year, give an annual report to the Minister and the Australian Government. In submitting this report to you today the Authority is complying with this requirement. Section 63 (2) requires you to lay a copy of this report before the Legislative Assembly within 14 sitting days of your receiving it.
    [Show full text]
  • Litoria Rheocola
    THREATENED SPECIES SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The Minister deleted this species from the Endangered category effective from 11/12/2020 Listing Advice Litoria rheocola (Common Mistfrog) Taxonomy Conventionally accepted as Litoria rheocola (Liem 1974). Summary of assessment Conservation status Litoria rheocola was listed in the Endangered category effective from 16 July 2000. The assessment has determined that the species is no longer eligible for inclusion in any category of the list and is eligible for deletion. The Committee noted that no adverse effects were to be expected by delisting the species as the Common Mist Frog occupies extensive habitat within protected areas in Queensland (Wet Tropics World Heritage Area), the population appears to be relatively stable and is showing recovery at some high-altitude sites. Delisting the species is not expected to result in the loss of any recovery actions that could result in it becoming eligible for re-listing in the future. Species can be listed as threatened under state and territory legislation. For information on the listing status of this species under relevant state or territory legislation, see http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/sprat.pl Reason for conservation assessment by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee This advice follows assessment of new information provided to the Committee. Public consultation Notice of the proposed amendment and a consultation document was made available for public comment for 31 business days between 17 January 2018 and 2 March 2018. Any comments received that were relevant to the survival of the species were considered by the Committee as part of the assessment process.
    [Show full text]
  • Mechanisms Underlying Host Persistence Following Amphibian Disease Emergence Determine Appropriate Management Strategies
    Ecology Letters, (2020) doi: 10.1111/ele.13621 REVIEW AND SYNTHESIS Mechanisms underlying host persistence following amphibian disease emergence determine appropriate management strategies Abstract Laura A. Brannelly,1* Emerging infectious diseases have caused many species declines, changes in communities and even Hamish I. McCallum,2 extinctions. There are also many species that persist following devastating declines due to disease. Laura F. Grogan,2,3 The broad mechanisms that enable host persistence following declines include evolution of resis- Cheryl J. Briggs,4 tance or tolerance, changes in immunity and behaviour, compensatory recruitment, pathogen Maria P. Ribas,3,5 attenuation, environmental refugia, density-dependent transmission and changes in community Matthijs Hollanders,3 composition. Here we examine the case of chytridiomycosis, the most important wildlife disease 2 of the past century. We review the full breadth of mechanisms allowing host persistence, and syn- Thais Sasso, thesise research on host, pathogen, environmental and community factors driving persistence fol- Mariel Familiar Lopez, 6 lowing chytridiomycosis-related declines and overview the current evidence and the information David A. Newell3 and required to support each mechanism. We found that for most species the mechanisms facilitating Auston M. Kilpatrick7 persistence have not been identified. We illustrate how the mechanisms that drive long-term host population dynamics determine the most effective conservation management strategies. Therefore, understanding mechanisms of host persistence is important because many species continue to be threatened by disease, some of which will require intervention. The conceptual framework we describe is broadly applicable to other novel disease systems. Keywords Chytridiomycosis, compensatory recruitment, density-dependent transmission, environmental refu- gia, host–pathogen, management, population persistence, population recovery, resistance, tolerance.
    [Show full text]
  • Contrasting Population Responses of Ecologically-Similar Sympatric Species to Multiple Threatening Processes
    Contrasting population responses of ecologically-similar sympatric species to multiple threatening processes By MATTHEW WEST Bachelor of Science Masters of Reproductive Science This thesis is submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of BioSciences University of Melbourne Parkville, Victoria 3353 Produced on archival quality paper 23 December 2015 ii Abstract Understanding drivers of population change is crucial when species are declining. However, uncertainty about species declines and causal factors are pervasive problems hampering conservation efforts. This is because populations can naturally fluctuate and pre-decline population data are often insufficient to diagnose causes of decline which may be driven by multiple threats, environmental processes and possible interactions. Globally, amphibians are declining at a rate exceeding other assessed vertebrate taxa. Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) is a key threat that has caused rapid amphibian declines. However, species and population responses to chytrid can vary and may be influenced by interactions with sympatric species, climatic conditions or other threats. Understanding why species respond differently to chytrid is crucial as few options currently exist to manage the threat. I examined a case for the critically endangered Spotted Tree Frog (Litoria spenceri) and the non-threatened Lesueur’s Frog (Litoria lesueurii). Litoria spenceri has been recorded at 50 sites at elevations of 300 - 1110m asl in south-eastern Australia. Litoria lesueurii co-occurs at some sites but has a much broader distribution. Both are stream-breeding species that respond differently to introduced trout (Salmo trutta and Oncorhynchus mykiss) and were suspected to respond differently to chytrid. I constructed a two-species dynamic occupancy model to examine the historic and future changes in site occupancy of both frog species, and evaluated factors that influence their probabilities of local extinction and colonization.
    [Show full text]
  • Listing Advice Litoria Nannotis
    THREATENED SPECIES SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Established under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 The Minister deleted this species from the Endangered category effective from 11/12/2020 Listing Advice Litoria nannotis (Waterfall Frog) Taxonomy Conventionally accepted as Litoria nannotis (Andersson, 1916). Summary of assessment Conservation status Litoria nannotis was listed in the Endangered category effective from 16 July 2000. The assessment has determined that the species is no longer eligible for inclusion in any category of the list and is eligible for deletion. The Committee noted that no adverse effects were to be expected by delisting the species as the Waterfall Frog occupies extensive habitat within protected areas in Queensland (Wet Tropics World Heritage Area), the population appears to be relatively stable and has been found to be present in many upland streams from which it had previously disappeared. Delisting the species is not expected to result in the loss of any recovery actions that could result in it becoming eligible for re-listing in the future. Species can be listed as threatened under state and territory legislation. For information on the listing status of this species under relevant state or territory legislation, see http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/sprat.pl Reason for conservation assessment by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee This advice follows assessment of new information provided to the Committee. Public consultation Notice of the proposed amendment and a consultation document was made available for public comment for 31 business days between 17 January 2018 and 2 March 2018. Any comments received that were relevant to the survival of the species were considered by the Committee as part of the assessment process.
    [Show full text]