Expedition Witjira
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uX61 Scientific Expedition Group with National Parks and Wildlife and Department for Environmentand Heritage E EXPEDITIONWITJIRA INTERIM REPORT 12TH 26TH July 2003 A biodiversity surveyof the mound springs and surrounding area. Photo D Noack Pogona viticeps enjoying the view Scientific Expedition Group(SEG) with National Parks and Wildlife(NPWS) and Department of Environmentand Heritage (DEH) EXPEDITIONWITJIRA Interim Report 12TH 26TH July 2003 EditorsJanet Furler andRichard Willing expeditions to placesof scientific interestin South The Scientific ExpeditionGroup organises work under the offer training and experiencein scientific field Australia. Expeditions In addition to training,expeditions supervision of scientistsand experienced fieldworkers. For further information,visit our website at: aim to produce resultsof scientific interest. www.community webs .org/ScientificExpeditionGroup/ environmentand heritage WESTERN MINING ARID AREAS CATCHMENT WATER CORPORATION MANAGEMENT BOARD For copies of thisreport contact SEG Secretary, PO Box 501, Unley5061, Email segcomms @telstra.corn ISBN 09588508 -5 -2 Copyright ScientificExpedition Group July2006. Material in thisreport may be quoted andused for databases withacknowledgementsto SEG. Summary Group major collaboration betweenthe Scientific Expedition Expedition Witjira 2003 was a Parks and Wildlife Environment and Heritage(DEH) and National (SEG), Department for conduct a biodiversity surveyof the area, Service (NPWS). Themain objective was to differences betweensprings with original particularly the moundsprings, to observe any objectives were to feral date palms areinvading the springs. Other vegetation and those where feral animals. Base camp Kowari and MarsupialMoles and survey for search for rare rodents, spring in WitjiraNational Park in was near theRanger's quarters close tothe Dalhousie main the Far North of SouthAustralia. involved mapping of fivesprings affected by datepalms (Phoenix Vegetation monitoring - B2 springs mound spring complex.Vegetation in the B1 and dactylifera) in the Kingfisher spike -rush, near themain pool was measured. Mapping ofEleocarus geniculata, a was also visitor impact. undertaken to see if thiswould be suitable to monitor mound springs - 135Elliot traps were setalong the Kingfisher Vertebrate monitoring at Many house mice (Mus and Dalhousie mainsprings for four nights. complex, B1 and B2, numbers of nativessuch as Plague Rat musculus) were caughtand despatched, significant (Planigale gilesi) and anattractive skink (Ctenotis (Rattus villosissimus),Paucident Planigale saxitilis) were alsotrapped. A previously set upRare Rodent site nearMt Crispe was Rare rodent monitoring Stripe -faced Dunnart (Smint dins reviewed.200 Elliot traps set in agrid pattern caught (Sminthopsis crassicaudata),Forrest Mouse (Legg macroura), Fat- tailed Dunnart traps were set (Pseudomys australis).10km long lines of Elliott forrestii), and a Plains Rat searching for evidenceof Kowari up on gibberpavement country eastand west of the camp (Dasycercus byrnie). hillieri) were seen. Twentyfour pits Other animals - A fewtracks of Ampurta (Dasycercus Desert revealed tracksof the Marsupial dug at four sites in thesand of the western Simpson A mist net caught oneCave Bat(Vespadflus finlaysoni). Mole (Notoryctes typhlops). sites for 20 minutes atthe Kingfisher and other Bird surveys - Surveysof the regular trapping sightings in the area. springs took place aswell as opportunistic invertebrates in of the Kingfisher complexinvolved searching for Invertebrate monitoring sampling of the water including cutting transectsthrough the phragmites, the spring and tail, malaise traps and pan trapsfor invertebrates, as and the benthic layer,setting pitfall traps, from date palm roots. well as counting fishnumbers near and away mound springs - atdifferent times of the day,turbidity, dissolved Physical properties of both in springs and downthe tails oxygen content,pH, temperature,conductivity and shading were measured. had decreased to such an management - rabbitpopulation in the area Total grazing pressure outside the exclosures. extent that there was agreat regenerationof native vegetation even from feral camels,donkeys and horses, There was stillconsiderable grazing pressure Simpson Desert. particularly for 25 km aroundPurni Bore in the western monitoring of feral animals wastimed to Monitoring of feral animalsAn ongoing aerial and donkeys weresighted giving an coincide with the expedition.Plenty of feral camels in the park despitereduction in indication that there is stillconsiderable grazing pressure rabbit numbers. estimated as well as abathymetric survey Visitor impact Theusual physical properties were Grab samples of the benthiclayer had many sieving to assess the shapeand depth of the pool. in spike -rush wasmapped. mud on the shore. An increase heading south west of the camp,kept Bushwalking A bushwalk nearthe end of the survey, four energetic membersoccupied for three days. Acknowledgements Expedition Witjira 2003 was a major collaboration betweenthe Scientific Expedition (SEG), Department forEnvironment and Heritage Group (DUI) and NationalParks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). Thiswas a happy symbiosis that was obviously of benefitto all involved. We recordour sincere gratitude to our sponsors, WMC ResourcesLtd and Arid Areas Catchment Water ManagementBoard, for financial Environment and Heritage, support, and the Departmentof for substantial departmentalresources in materials and This support has madeit possible to staff time. run this expedition ata cost that would otherwise have been prohibitive formost of the participants. These the work that organizations have practicalinterests in was done and we think that theresults of the expedition investment in it andtheir expectations. will justify their Thanks are due alsoto George Lucey, Ashford depot, Belair Fruit and Constructions for theuse of the Mile End Veg, Belair Butcher,Belair Bread Supplies, and Blackwood Hire Collinswood Foodland for the trailer obtainedat short notice. Thanks are due to Mr. Bob Lewis for additionalmaterial and at Dalhousie as ayoung man. comments about his father'sstay The contents of theHandbook were painstakingly prior to the survey. accumulated and producedby John Love GeoffAxford and RichardWilling workedon this project for two fruition. Thanks years before it came to are due to the participants, particularlythe leaders and scientists much time andenergy in setting up the various who devoted people to perform worthwhile projects, and used theirskills to educate scientific tasks. TrentPorter won everybody's class catering and logistic vote for a high- act, and Trent and GraemeOats are thanked for in Adelaide tosqueeze the load into a determined effort a much smaller volume thanappeared possible. Rangers of NPWS were always helpful and cheerful,and Dean Ah Chee kindly have tents closeto his house for agreed to a fortnight so that camperscould easilyuse existing facilities. Thanks are also dueto the members of SEG who were the `foot- soldiers' of the expedition. The work -loadwas much larger than expected, all had a great everybody rose to theoccasion splendidlyand sense of achievement at the endof it. The Lions Club of Coober Pedy provided welcomemeals and accommodation journeys to and from on the Witjira, and arrangedentertainment for thetravellers. Thank you to the busy professionals who hadto balance writingup results for this report with the work for which theyare employed. Finally, many thanks are due to Janet Furler who tookover as editor of this report, that has kept her busyfor some time. a decision Table of Contents Author Page 1. Introduction D Ah Chee 1 1.1 Kwatye T Gotch 5 1.2 Great ArtesianBasin 2. The Expedition R Willing 6 2.1 SEG Leader's Report 8 2.2 The Participants 10 2.3 The Study Sites 3. Results 3.1 Vegetation 14 Kingfisher Springs D Noack 3.1.1 Mapping Date Palms at 16 geniculata D Noack 3.1.2 Monitoring of Eleocharis 18 3.1.3 Vegetation at Vertebratemonitoring sites 3.2 Invertebrates AndWater Quality T Gotch 20 3.2.1 Invertebrate Survey T Gotch 23 3.2.2 Main Pool Bathymetry M Birrell 26 3.2.3 Physical Properties 3.3 Vertebrates K-J Kovac 29 3.3.1 ComparativeVertebrate Study K-J Kovac 30 3.3.2 Bird Surveys atDalhousie Springs K-J Kovac 31 3.3.3 Mount Crispe RareRodent Survey R Brandie, S Pilman 32 3.3.4 Kowari Search R Brandie, S Pilman 35 3.3.5 Track Transects R Brandie, S Pilman 36 3.3.6 Marsupial Mole Survey 37 3.3.7 Opportunistic Capturesand Sightings B Lay 3.4 Total Grazing Pressures 38 3.4.1 Dalhousie Exclosures(DCC009) 39 3.4.2 Relocation of oldphotopoints 39 3.4.3 Establishment of newmonitoring sites Purni Bore and Simpson Desert. Memory Bore area Impacts of Acacia farnesianaand Cenchrus ciliaris (BuffetGrass) 4. Additional Contributions A Zepf 44 4.1 Removal of Date Palms 45 Style. G Oats 4.2 Bushwalking - Witjira 49 4.3 Coober Pedy Newsclippings J Mack 50 4.4 Mack's Musings Anon 52 4.5 Dalhousie Rap Anon 53 4.6 The Quartermaster 5. Appendices 54 5.1 Summary of vegetation atfauna monitoring sites Plant Vouchers - July 2003 55 5.2, Dalhousie Springs 56 5.5 %iaa}housie Insectsr, brate Families 57 5.4 A t>OVerv3i 58 5.5 InvertebrateTraps At Da ousie Mound Springs -MW .. +, .í.i},L+ Dalhousie ruins and view of surrounding country Photo R. Willing What a differencewater makes. Photo G. Oats 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 KWATYE in the Great ArtesianBasin. Indigenous people'sconnection with kwatye (water) By Dean Ah Chee, SeniorRanger, Witjira NationalPark the far north of Witjira National