Project progress report: Systematic biodiversity monitoring of “Hill View”, Morawa – spring 2014 InSight Ecology, Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant and Spineless Wonders for Carbon Neutral Charitable Fund December 2014 1. Background This report presents the results of a spring 2014 targeted biodiversity survey undertaken on “Hill View”, a property owned by AusCarbon Pty Ltd near Morawa in Western Australia’s northern wheatbelt (Figure 1). Only 1.6% of the northern wheatbelt is protected within the formal conservation reserve system (Jenny Borger pers. comm.). Less than 12% of the remnant native vegetation of this region is left (InSight Ecology 2009). This highlights the importance of conserving and enhancing remnant native vegetation on privately owned lands such as “Hill View”. There is also a need to establish and maintain patches of revegetation to help re- connect often isolated remnants in this landscape. This is the first of two targeted biodiversity sampling programs scheduled for “Hill View”, the second being in autumn 2015. The work is being undertaken by a team of three ecologists for the client Carbon Neutral Charitable Fund – InSight Ecology (avifauna and project management), Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant (flora) and Spineless Wonders (macroinvertebrates). This project is supported by Carbon Neutral Charitable Fund through funding from the Australian Government. A full description of the project is available (InSight Ecology and Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant 2014). A detailed project report will be provided following the completion of the autumn survey and analysis of all results obtained. Figure 1: Location of “Hill View” showing sites surveyed for birds, flora and invertebrates in spring 2014. Red lines depict property and study area boundaries, blue lines indicate the approximate location of sites surveyed in remnants, green lines represent sites surveyed in revegetation, and small white lines are flora monitoring sites along the edges of remnant native vegetation. There are 6 numbered sites surveyed in remnants and 6 in revegetation, as shown. Image: Google earth 2014. 1 6 2 5 3 1 4A 3 4 2 5 4B 0 1.49 km 2. Project aims and outcomes This project evaluates the performance of planted and remnant native vegetation for beneficial biodiversity conservation and ecological restoration outcomes in a farming and mining landscape. Key attributes being sampled are avian species richness, relative abundance and Spring 2014 “Hill View” Project progress report: 1 InSight Ecology, Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant and Spineless Wonders – December 2014 habitat use, flora species presence and diversity, changes in plant species composition across remnant-paddock edges, composition of the Moonagin System Threatened Ecological Community (MTEC), and composition of the macroinvertebrate community. Changes in habitat condition and interactions between invertebrates, plants and avifauna are also being monitoring. A significant amount of the data being obtained is baseline – some of this information is new for the region and, in the case of the invertebrate results, potentially new to science. Project outcomes will include increased knowledge of the role and performance of revegetation in providing new habitat for biodiversity in highly fragmented landscapes, improved understanding of relationships between insect and bird pollinators and herbivores of plants used for revegetation, and provision of a framework for the ongoing monitoring of revegetation in ecological restoration projects. The project will hopefully help seed further work in the future across the district. The use of “Hill View” as a model site for ecological restoration in other parts of the northern wheatbelt is a desired outcome of the project. 3. Methods 3.1 Flora surveying and monitoring Methods used to sample remnant and planted native vegetation in spring 2014 in the study area have been detailed in the project proposal (InSight Ecology and Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant 2014). Appendix 1 (spring 2014 flora survey report – Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant 2014) describes the location, number and results obtained from the flora monitoring quadrats and transects and edge monitoring sites in remnants and revegetation. Site-specific information is also provided in this report. 3.2 Fauna surveying and monitoring Avifaunal survey A total of 12 sites were surveyed diurnally over 5 field days (9-14 October 2014) for resident and migratory birds on “Hill View”. Six (6) sites were established in remnants and 6 in revegetation (Figure 1). Conditions were dry and mostly calm or with light winds during the survey period. The area-search method was deployed to actively survey birds in remnants and revegetation, with 100 metres maintained wherever possible between the paddock-remnant edge. Key attributes sampled included bird occurrence, relative abundance, species richness and habitat use (especially breeding). The movement of birds between remnants and planted areas was noted where possible. The location of each site was recorded via GPS and all bird and location records were entered into an XL database. A photographic library of over 1,400 images was commenced during the survey. Macroinvertebrate survey Insects and other invertebrates were surveyed in 4 remnants and 2 revegetation sites over the period 29 September-2 October, 2014 by David Knowles of Spineless Wonders. Diurnal and Spring 2014 “Hill View” Project progress report: 2 InSight Ecology, Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant and Spineless Wonders – December 2014 nocturnal sampling occurred with an electrical storm impacting on one evening session. Appendix 2 details survey methods used in this component of the project. The autumn survey will focus on pollinators and herbivores in providing ecosystem services to revegetation and remnant sites on “Hill View”. It will be preferably undertaken at the same time as the bird and flora surveys. 4. Results 4.1 Flora A total of approximately 136 plant species was recorded from 34 families and 68 genera at the “Hill View” sites. Most of these species were found in the remnants – only 9 species occurred in the revegetation sites. Plantings ranged in age from 4 months to 4 years and included Acacia and Eucalyptus species. An unseasonally dry winter and spring produced poorer than average flowering in especially the remnants. This impacted on results obtained in remnants and revegetation alike. The young age of planted sites was also a limitation to flowering results obtained. One Threatened Ecological Community – Plant Assemblages of the Moonagin System - was surveyed on “Hill View”. A total of 3 plant species of conservation significance were recorded on and adjacent to “Hill View” during the survey – the threatened species Eucalyptus synandra (T) and two Priority species – Melaleuca barlowii (P3) and Persoonia pentasticha (P3). A number of other conservation-significant plant species may also occur in the study area. These are listed in Appendix 1 which presents the results of the spring 2014 flora survey in more detail. 4.2 Macroinvertebrates A total of 140 macroinvertebrate species were recorded during the survey, many occurring in the sampled remnants. These included previously undescribed (new to science) moths and flies, some of which may be Short Range Endemics thus heightening their conservation significance. Of this total 130 species were insects, 6 were spiders, 1 was a centipede and another one a slater. Two lizards were also recorded during the survey. Appendix 2 provides more detail of the spring macroinvertebrate survey. The results of this work, like the flora survey, were constrained by the dryness of conditions and attenuated flowering period on site. 4.3 Avifauna This component of the project was less affected by dry site conditions than the flora and invertebrate efforts. However, honeyeaters were noticeably less in number and species richness than recorded by InSight Ecology during other spring surveys in the northern wheatbelt. A total of 41 bird species was recorded during the survey – most (36) of which occurred in the sampled remnants. These included 7 conservation-significant species. Five of these are members of a group of declining woodland and shrubland birds in the northern wheatbelt - Crested Bellbird, White-browed Babbler, Redthroat, Inland Thornbill and Grey Shrike-thrush. The other two species are significant because of their occurrence at or near the western edge of their range (Southern Whiteface) and past loss of numbers following their Spring 2014 “Hill View” Project progress report: 3 InSight Ecology, Jenny Borger Botanical Consultant and Spineless Wonders – December 2014 persecution by sheep farmers in the region (Wedge-tailed Eagle). The recent change from sheep farming to canola and other crops on a number of farms has probably aided the recovery of this large carnivore in the wheatbelt. A significant component of bird communities recorded in the remnants on “Hill View” was migratory and nomadic birds from inland and northern regions. These included Crimson Chat, White-winged Triller, Mulga Parrot, Zebra Finch, Black-eared Cuckoo, Tree Martin and Black- faced Woodswallow. A hilltop site in Remnant 2 was favoured as lookouts and breeding display/pursuit points for significant numbers of Crimson Chat, Black-faced Woodswallow, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike and White-winged Triller. Over 80% of all bird species recorded in the survey was observed breeding, mostly in the remnants but also in revegetation. Records of nests with