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A Biological Survey of the Eyre Peninsula South Australia

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A Biological Survey of the Eyre Peninsula South Australia A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE EYRE PENINSULA SOUTH AUSTRALIA R Brandle Science Resource Centre Information, Science and Technology Directorate Department for Environment and Heritage South Australia 2010 Eyre Peninsula Biological Survey The Biological Survey of the Eyre Peninsula was an initiative of the Biological Survey and Monitoring Section for the South Australian Department for Environment and Heritage The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the State Government of South Australia. The report may be cited as: Brandle, R. (2010). A Biological Survey of the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. (Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia). Limited hard copies of the report were prepared, but it can also be accessed from the Internet on: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/biosurveys EDITOR R. Brandle – Science Resource Centre, Information Science & Technology, Department for Environment and Heritage. PO Box 1047 Adelaide 5001 AUTHORS R. Brandle, P. Lang, P. Canty, D. Armstrong – Science Resource Centre, Information Science & Technology, Department for Environment and Heritage. PO Box 1047 Adelaide 5001 G. Carpenter – Native Vegetation & Biodiversity Management Unit, Department of Water, Land & Biodiversity, GPO Box 2834. J. Cooper - PO Box 128, Port Lincoln SA. © Department for Environment and Heritage 2010 ISBN: 978-1-921466-42-7 Cover Photograph: A southern Eyre Peninsula view north from the Marble Range to South Block range. Photo: R Brandle ii Eyre Peninsula Biological Survey Abstract Specific objectives of the Biological Survey of the Eyre Peninsula Biogeographic Region were to collate the existing flora and fauna information and systematically sample the diversity of habitats present in the region for vertebrates. The fauna survey conducted across the region from 2001-2005 is the focus of this report, but it builds on a number of previous smaller regional surveys. Plant data from the 1696 visits to survey sites were collated from 22 separate surveys conducted between 1978 and 2008. Fauna data was used from a subset of 283 survey sites which were collated from six surveys conducted between 1990 and 2008. Survey sites across the Eyre Peninsula Study Area have sampled native vegetation communities in all environmental associations (Laut et al. 1977). The sampling effort within different landform types reflects the dominance of those types within the study area. Plains and dunes were dominant, most commonly with calcareous surface rock or strew and sandy soils. Fire history was known for 13% of sites. At least 1167 plant taxa from 85 Families were detected at the 1696 survey sites within the study area, of which 969 were indigenous natives. Plant species richness at sites ranged from 1 to 96 with hill landform types having the highest site species richness and tidal flats the lowest. Sandy soils were significantly less species rich than clay or loam soils. The most species rich floristic communities were woodland groups associated with moister more fertile hill environments. The surveys added an extra 17 new rated species to the SA Herbarium collection and 194 plant taxa have current Commonwealth or South Australian legislated conservation ratings. The surveys also recorded 198 introduced taxa with one or more present at 74% of the sites. Cluster analyses were used to define 95 floristic community groups which were broadly defined under 36 vegetation alliances including: coastal shrublands, mangrove forests, samphire low shrublands, grasslands, hummock grasslands, sedgelands, shrublands, mallee woodlands and true woodlands dominated by Eucalypts, Sheoaks or Native Pines. A number of floristic groups had limited representation in the study area of which 12 were considered to require some follow up assessment of status and potential conservation requirements. Vertebrate fauna information was collected for birds, mammals, reptiles, and to a lesser extent frogs. The specimen collection at the South Australian Museum confirms that 27 species of native mammal were known to occur on Eyre Peninsula since the arrival of Europeans. An extra 16 species have become extinct in the region over the last 5000 years with many likely to have disappeared since European settlement. The surveys detected 23 native mammal species at sample sites. This included one from jaw bones that was thought to be extinct, and two resulting from deliberate introductions. The survey also resulted in the addition of a new species to the State’s known mammal fauna. Three mammal species had South Australian Threatened species ratings of which two were also rated nationally. Of the six introduced mammal species that are widespread across the region, four have been have been listed nationally as threatening processes. The study area supports a high diversity of terrestrial bird species which reflects the variety of vegetation types and climatic zones in the region. Of the 171 species known to inhabit the study area, 150 were recorded at the 273 survey sites sampled for birds. The most species rich families were the raptors, parrots/cockatoos and honeyeaters. Only four species were recorded at more than 50% of sites. The study area supports eight species that are listed as threatened under the Commonwealth EPBC Act and an extra 27 as threatened or rare under the SA NPW Act. For three EPBC listed species the study area represents a significant proportion of the species’ distributions. Habitat analyses showed that Red Gum, Mallee Box, Eyre Peninsula Blue Gum and Sugar Gum woodlands supported the highest numbers of species per site whilst chenopod low shrublands the lowest. The survey also provides further evidence of the importance of Sugar Gum woodland as a unique bird habitat in SA. The specimen collection at the South Australian Museum confirms that three frog and 84 reptile species were known to occur on Eyre Peninsula since the arrival of Europeans. The survey detected three frog and 83 reptile species at survey sites. The Skinks were the most species rich of the nine families of reptiles represented by the species detected at sites. Only four species were detected at more than a quarter of the sites reflecting the diversity of habitat types and climatic range across the study area. No reptile or frog species occurring in the study area was rated as nationally threatened. Of the seven reptile species with a South Australian conservation rating only one was listed as threatened, the remainder being classed as rare. Five species were near endemic to the study area and 14 were identified as having populations that were significantly isolated from other regions. These species should be monitored to detect distributional declines before they become rare or vulnerable to extinction. The diversity of landforms and climatic range across the Eyre Peninsula biogeographic region provides for a diversity of plants and animals that make up the vegetation communities still represented in the region. Vegetation clearance and degradation has affected many of these, making conservation action critical for the continued survival of many species and communities. The surveys have been important in providing an overview of the distribution and habitat requirements for many species and provide a baseline for long term comparisons. iii Eyre Peninsula Biological Survey Contents Abstract .....................................................................................................................................................................iii Contents .....................................................................................................................................................................iv Figures .....................................................................................................................................................................vi Tables ...................................................................................................................................................................viii Appendices....................................................................................................................................................................x Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................................................xi INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................................1 Background and Aims..........................................................................................................................................2 THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ............................................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................................................3 METHODS ..................................................................................................................................................................3 RESULTS....................................................................................................................................................................5 Biogeographic Subregions and Environmental Associations ..............................................................................5
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