Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019-2020
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Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019-2020 Acknowledgements This report was prepared by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). For more information contact: Executive Director, Biodiversity and Conservation Science Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions 17 Dick Perry Avenue Kensington Western Australia 6151 Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre Western Australia 6983 Telephone (08) 9219 9943 dbca.wa.gov.au The recommended reference for this publication is: Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, 2020, Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019-20, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Perth. Images Front cover main photo: Mt Trio, Stirling Range National Park. Photo – Damien Rathbone Front cover top photos left to right: Swan Canning Riverpark. Photo – Kerry Trayler/DBCA Mollerin Rock reserve. Photo – Val English/DBCA Shark Bay bandicoot. Photo – Saul Cowen/DBCA Shark Bay seagrass. Photo – Luke Skinner/DBCA Back cover top photos left to right: Post fire monitoring. Photo – Lachie McCaw/DBCA Kalbarri yellow bells. Photo – Kelly Shepherd/DBCA Western grasswren. Photo – Saul Cowen/DBCA Dragon Rocks Kunzea. Photo – Kelly Shepherd/DBCA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Biodiversity and Conservation Science Annual Report 2019–2020 Director’s Message I am pleased to present our Biodiversity and Conservation Science report for 2019-20 as we continue to deliver on the government’s commitment to build and share biodiversity knowledge for Western Australia. Our Science Strategic Plan and Program Plans articulate how our work contributes to delivery of the biodiversity science priorities for the State as the knowledge generated by our science is essential to ensure we conserve and value add to the unique biodiversity we have around us. I acknowledge the start of 2020 presented unforeseen challenges due to the coronavirus global pandemic. While some field work was disrupted by the travel restrictions, we maintained delivery of a high level of quality science to inform conservation management. I thank all our Biodiversity and Conservation Science staff for their perseverance during this disrupted time. We have continued the renewal of our capability to provide innovative science that informs current and future conservation initiatives. The strength of Biodiversity and Conservation Science resides in our people, and in the past year we have welcomed new staff with expertise in ecosystem genomics, wetland ecology, community ecology, plant genetics, water monitoring, conservation policy and species management. 2020 is the 50th anniversary of our Herbarium journal Nuytsia and we are celebrating with the publication of names and descriptions for 50 new plant species throughout the year. Other highlights of our scientific research includes emergency actions and monitoring to manage the impacts of bush fire on western ground parrot in Cape Arid National Park and on threatened plants and ecological communities in the Stirling Range National Park, implementation of water quality monitoring in the Swan-Canning river system, a survey of Lake Carnegie to inform identification of conservation values, temporal analysis of seagrass extent and response to a marine heatwave for the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, analysis of long term thinning experiments to inform forest management, and the first bandicoot born on Dirk Hartog Island following translocation. The great science work we undertake is facilitated by the excellent support of our administration staff. As we continue to deliver excellent science to underpin effective biodiversity conservation in Western Australia we look to new opportunities. The Premier announced $7.7 million funding for the Biodiversity Information Office (BIO) to be established in DBCA and support the broader Environment Online initiative in partnership with the Commonwealth Digital Environmental Assessment Project. BIO will collate, curate, and make available biodiversity data to provide key information to support environmental management and conservation in Western Australia. I look forward to delivering on this exciting initiative in the coming years. We remain active in pursuing opportunities and seeking innovative ways for delivering science to support conservation, and we continue to communicate our scientific outputs and outcomes to a diverse range of audiences through a variety of avenues, including scientific papers, technical and popular articles, social media, conference talks, seminars and other presentations. I am pleased that we continue our effective partnerships with conservation staff in the Parks and Wildlife Service, Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth Zoo and the Rottnest Island Authority. We continue to engage with a wide range of external partners at universities, CSIRO, NGOs, WABSI, WAMSI and the NESP Threatened Species Recovery and Northern Australia Environmental Resources hubs. We continue to have a large number of active science partnerships and our scientists are involved in co-supervision of many Honours, Masters and PhD students. I look forward to continuing to work effectively with all our partners to deliver excellent science that informs con- servation and management of our diverse plants, animals and ecosystems, and supports effective management of our parks and reserves, delivery of our fire program and engagement of visitors with our natural attractions. Dr Margaret Byrne Executive Director, Biodiversity and Conservation Science November 2020 Contents Service Delivery Structure . 1 Animal Science . 3 Structured decision making for optimal feral herbivore management for biodiversity conservation in the Kimberley . 3 Structured decision making for translocation . 4 Conservation of the night parrot . 5 Understanding and reducing python predation of the endangered Gilbert’s potoroo . 6 South West Threatened Fauna Recovery Project: Southern Jarrah Forest . 7 Dirk Hartog Island National Park Ecological Restoration Project – fauna reconstruction . 8 Improved fauna recovery in the Pilbara – benefitting the endangered northern quoll through broad-scale feral cat baiting . 10 Monitoring of threatened birds on Dirk Hartog Island . 11 Improving the use of remote cameras as a survey and monitoring tool . 11 Decision support system for prioritising and implementing biosecurity on Western Australia’s islands . 13 Conservation and management of the bilby in the Pilbara . 14 Genetic assessment for conservation of rare and threatened fauna . 15 Genetic approaches for evaluating the contribution of the reserve system to fauna conservation 17 Barrow Island threatened and priority fauna species translocation program . 18 Rangelands restoration: reintroduction of native mammals to Matuwa (Lorna Glen) . 19 Feral cat control and numbat recovery in Dryandra Woodland and other sites . 20 Conservation of south coast threatened birds . 21 Ecology and management of the northern quoll in the Pilbara . 22 Conservation of the graceful sun-moth . 23 Impact of cane toads on biodiversity in the Kimberley . 24 Development of effective broad-scale aerial baiting strategies for the control of feral cats . 25 Gilbert’s potoroo recovery plan . 26 Plant Science and Herbarium . 28 Molecular characterisation of stinking passionflower (Passiflora foetida) . 28 Is restoration working? An ecological genetic assessment . 29 Interactive key and taxonomic studies of Myrtaceae tribe Chamelaucieae . 30 Strategic taxonomic studies in families including Amaranthaceae and Fabaceae (Ptilotus, Gom- phrena, Swainsona) and other plant groups . 31 The Western Australian Plant Census and Australian Plant Census . 32 The Western Australian Herbarium specimen database . 33 Herbarium collections management . 34 Biodiversity informatics at the Western Australian Herbarium . 36 Taxonomy of undescribed taxa in the Ericaceae subfamily Styphelioideae, with an emphasis on those of conservation concern . 37 Resolving the systematics and taxonomy of Tephrosia in Western Australia . 38 Taxonomy of selected families including legumes, grasses and lilies . 39 Systematics of the triggerplant genus Stylidium ........................... 41 Taxonomic review and floristic studies of the benthic marine algae of north-western Australian and floristic surveys of Western Australian marine benthic algae . 42 The Western Australian marine benthic algae online and an interactive key to the genera of Australian marine benthic algae . 43 iii Taxonomic resolution and description of new plant species, particularly priority flora from those areas subject to mining in Western Australia . 44 Genetic and ecological viability of plant populations in remnant vegetation . 44 Translocation of critically endangered plants . 45 Mating system variation, genetic diversity and viability of small fragmented populations of threat- ened flora, and other key plants of conservation importance . 46 The population ecology of critically endangered flora . 47 Seed biology, seedbank dynamics and collection and storage of seed of rare and threatened Western Australian taxa . 49 Genetics and biosystematics for the conservation, circumscription and management of the West- ern Australian flora . 50 Ecosystem Science . 53 Investigating the causes of change in forest condition . 53 Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? . 54 Hydrological function of critical ecosystems . 55 Responses of aquatic invertebrate communities to changing hydrology and