Science Division Annual Research Activity Report 2006 – 2007
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Department of Environment and Conservation Science Division annual research activity report 2006 – 2007 DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE This report provides a concise summary of the research activities of, and the progress made by, the Science Division of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) for the fiscal year 2006/2007. Following a restructuring of DEC’s Marine Conservation Branch in 2005, the activities of the Marine Science Program are included for the first time in this reporting period. Over this period staff produced 269 publications, were active on 166 science project plans and a range of core functions, assisted or supervised 69 mostly PhD students and developed some 94 significant research partnerships with external agencies. In addition, they provided advice, gave presentations and assisted with numerous enquiries from other departmental staff, colleagues and the broader community. Progress achieved in the performance of core functions is also documented. Our research activities included all 9 administrative regions of the State as recognized by the Department. In terms of the 26 IBRA bioregions included in Western Australia, staff were involved actively in research projects in each one. The distribution of effort was as follows: DEC Region No. IBRA Bioregion No. IBRA No. IMCRA Region No. Projects Projects Bioregion Projects Projects * ** *** Warren 74 Avon Wheatbelt 55 Jarrah forest 71 Central West 1 Coast Swan 70 Carnarvon 28 Little Sandy 27 Ningaloo 9 Desert South West 69 Central Kimberley 32 Mallee 42 Offshore Oceanic 2 Shoals South Coast 66 Coolgardie 35 Murchison 32 Pilbara onshore 4 Midwest 62 Central Ranges 26 Northern 32 Pilbara offshore 5 Kimberley Wheatbelt 61 Dampierland 31 Nullarbor 27 Pilbara 57 Esperance Plains 52 Ord Victoria 28 All State Marine 7 Plain Waters Kimberley 52 Gascoyne 29 Pilbara 31 Goldfields 45 Gibson Desert 26 Swan Coastal 49 Plain Geraldton 43 Tanami 25 Sandplains Great Sandy 25 Victoria 30 Desert Bonaparte Great Victoria 26 Warren 53 Desert Hampton 26 Yalgoo 32 * 30 of these projects were relevant to all DEC regions. ** 24 of these projects were relevant to all IBRA bioregions. *** 7 of these projects were relevant to all IMCRA regions. If more information is required on any of the topics listed, I encourage you to contact the relevant project team leader or refer to the Division’s Business Plan and Operations Plan accessible at http://www.naturebase.net/science/science.html 2 In previous annual research activity reports, I have briefly outlined the contribution of Science Division in terms of its breadth and variety of projects, as well as the high profile enjoyed by some publications by staff. This year I would like to include a few comments about the general ouputs and outcomes expected from public good scientific research conducted by public service scientists and technical officers. Unlike a research group in a commercial company, we don't contribute to underlying profit, share dividend, or capital return of the business enterprise. In contrast, our strategic focus is to deliver long term benefits to our 'shareholders' – the public of Western Australia - in the form of improved understanding of how the natural world of Western Australia is put together, works, and has changed and is changing. Other divisions of DEC manage Western Australia's surviving elements of this natural world – the national parks, nature reserves, marine parks, conservation parks and State forests. How well the public servants charged with managing the threats that these protected areas face depends to a very large extent on the facts gathered from objective scientific research and the judicious advice that scientists can provide to underpin the formulation of sound policy and effective land and conservation management. For as long as adequate science-based information undergirds the business of DEC, the outlook for the conservation of Western Australia's species, ecological assemblages, and ecosystem processes remains positive. This year the Science Division has put in place greater effort to provide equal opportunity for honours, masters and doctoral students and staff of the 5 Western Australian universities to work in partnership with DEC. Program Leaders have been assigned to be more proactive in forging links with staff and students. We are also developing a list of projects of an urgent nature that DEC cannot commence because of full commitment to higher priority projects. The Science Division will offer 'top up' payments to students to assist with the expense involved in carrying out research in the field, often remote from metropolitan Perth. For an overview of the contribution of the Science Division to DEC's major predecessor, the Department of Conservation and Land Management, since its formation in 1984, please see the foreword to the Annual Research Activity Report for July 2005-June 2006. In December 2006 we commenced revising our Strategic Plan 2008-2017. A draft was circulated to all Divisional staff for comment. After further revision this was approved by DEC's Corporate Executive in June 2007 will be posted online at http://www.naturebase.net. Our key strategic goals and actions for the next 10 years are also included in this document. Users of this document should contact me at [email protected] if they have any suggestions for improving the presentation of subsequent reports. Dr Neil Burrows Director, Science Division September 2007 3 CONTENTS VISION ..........................................................................................................................................................9 FOCUS AND PURPOSE....................................................................................................................................9 ROLE ..........................................................................................................................................................9 SERVICE DELIVERY STRUCTURE...................................................................................................................10 PUBLICATIONS ....................................................................................................................................11 CURRENT COLLABORATION WITH ACADEMIA (Student Projects) ..................................................................23 EXTERNAL PARTNERSHIPS...........................................................................................................................28 SUMMARY OF RESEARCH PROJECTS BY DEC AND NRM REGIONS ................................................................34 SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS ANTICIPATED FOR 2007/08........................................................40 KEY STRATEGIC ASPIRATIONAL GOALS AND ACTIONS 2008-2017................................................................43 RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.................................................................................................................................47 BIOGEOGRAPHY ..........................................................................................................................................47 Pilbara regional survey.....................................................................................................................47 Kimberley islands biological survey..................................................................................................48 Floristic survey of the banded ironstone formations (BIF) and greenstone ranges of the Yilgarn and Ravensthorpe Range...............................................................................................49 Biological survey of the agricultural zone (SAP survey)...................................................................50 Floristic survey of the remnant heaths and woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain .........................51 Ecomorphological clues to community structure, bat echolocation studies.....................................52 Conservation of Western Australia’s vegetation assemblages ........................................................53 Interim framework for developing a CAR reserve system for WA....................................................53 Land-use and vegetation mapping...................................................................................................53 Identifying land with high nature conservation values in the Gascoyne Murchison strategy area ...............................................................................................................................54 Biodiversity Audit..............................................................................................................................55 National reserve system working group ...........................................................................................56 Provision of biogeographical information for DEC management plans, NRM advice scientific liaison and membership of scientific advisory committees ..........................................56 De-commission the Pilbara Regional Herbarium .............................................................................57 Kimberley Nature Conservation output liaison, including submissions to acquire funding support for Kimberley islands biodiversity survey.......................................................................58 FAUNA CONSERVATION................................................................................................................................60 Development of effective