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Amphibian, Reptile & Mammal Vulnerability Assessments Assessing the vulnerability of native vertebrate fauna under climate change, to inform wetland and floodplain management of the River Murray in South Australia: Amphibian, Reptile & Mammal Vulnerability Assessments Attachment (3) to the Final Report June 2011 Citation: Gonzalez, D., Scott, A. & Miles, M. (2011) Amphibian, reptile & mammal vulnerability assessments-Attachment (3) to ‘Assessing the vulnerability of native vertebrate fauna under climate change to inform wetland and floodplain management of the River Murray in South Australia’. Report prepared for the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board. For further information please contact: Department of Environment and Natural Resources Phone Information Line (08) 8204 1910, or see SA White Pages for your local Department of Environment and Natural Resources office. Online information available at: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au Permissive Licence © State of South Australia through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. You may copy, distribute, display, download and otherwise freely deal with this publication for any purpose subject to the conditions that you (1) attribute the Department as the copyright owner of this publication and that (2) you obtain the prior written consent of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources if you wish to modify the work or offer the publication for sale or otherwise use it or any part of it for a commercial purpose. Written requests for permission should be addressed to: Design and Production Manager Department of Environment and Natural Resources GPO Box 1047 Adelaide SA 5001 Disclaimer While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the contents of this publication are factually correct, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources makes no representations and accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fitness for any particular purpose of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of or reliance on the contents of this publication. Reference to any company, product or service in this publication should not be taken as a Departmental endorsement of the company, product or service. Photography: © Department of Environment and Natural Resources ISBN Amphibian, Reptile & Mammal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments Page 2 Table of Contents Scientific Name Common Name Page Crinia parinsignifera Murray Valley Froglet 4 Crinia signifera Common Froglet 8 Limnodynastes dumerili Eastern Banjo Frog 12 Limnodynastes fletcheri Long-thumbed Frog 16 Limnodynastes tasmaniensis Spotted Grass Frog 20 Litoria ewingi Brown Tree Frog 25 Litoria peronii Peron’s Tree Frog 29 Litoria raniformis Southern Bell Frog 32 Neobatrachus pictus & N. sudelli Burrowing/ Sudell’s Frog 37 FROG REFERENCES 41 Chelodina expansa Broad-shelled Turtle 43 Chelodina longicollis Common Long-necked Turtle 49 Emydura macquarii Murray Short-necked Turtle 53 Eulamprus quoyii Eastern (Golden) Water Skink 58 Eulamprus tympanum Southern Water Skink 61 Morelia spilota Carpet (Diamond) Python 64 Notechis scutatus (Eastern /Black /Krefft’s) Tiger Snake 68 Pseudechis porphyriacus Red-bellied Black Snake 72 Varanus varius Lace Monitor (Tree Goanna) 76 REPTILE REFERENCES 80 Hydromys chrysogaster Water Rat 85 Myotis macropus Southern Myotis; Large-Footed Myotis 88 Planigale gilesi Giles Planigale (Paucident Planigale) 93 Trichosurus vulpecular Common Brushtail Possum 97 MAMMAL REFERENCES 108 Amphibian, Reptile & Mammal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments Page 3 Scientific Name: Crinia parinsignifera Common Name: Murray Valley Froglet/ Eastern Sign-bearing Froglet Question Comments/ Reference Vul Rating To what extent does habitat preference Broad range of breeding habitats (Hazell et al 2004); Highly adaptable, occurring in rain fed L limit the ability of the regional population depressions, ditches, semi-permanent wetlands, oxbow lagoons, creeks and rivers, farm dams, of the species to tolerate climate change irrigation canals and urban ponds (Wassens 2011); Usually breed in temporary water bodies but can also use shallow permanent sites with abundant vegetation (Wassens & Maher 2010). ‘The lack of a landscape-type effect may reflect a much-winnowed fauna, in which only the most ‘I would say a Low, they have good resilient of species (the Crinia species and Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) have persisted through the breeding success in both flood and rain many changes wrought over the past 200 years (McNally et al 2009)’. fed wetlands (S. Wassens pers. comm. 2011)’. Though has a preference for breeding sites with diverse aquatic vegetation or submerged grasses, these can be inundated terrestrial plants, and species is described as highly adaptable and resilient and requires only a very short hydro-period for tadpole development so is less reliant on river flooding and able to exploit highly ephemeral shallow rain fed sites. Habitat is expected to be a minor limitation on the ability of the regional population of the species to tolerate climate change. To what extent does mobility and dispersal It is not clear whether they burrow or move into newly flooded wetlands from the associated river H limit the ability of the regional population systems during flooding (Wassens 2011); Found not to be as widespread as some other species of the species to tolerate climate change through flooded or rain fed wetlands that that had been subject to extended drying (S. Wassens pers. comm.); During 2010-11 flooding within the study region C. parinsignifera was not one of the several ‘…not as widespread through flooded or species observed moving around/ dispersing in large numbers (A. Scott pers. obs.); More limited Ecology rain fed wetlands that had been subject dispersal (S. Wassens pers. comm. 2011). to extended drying…more limited dispersal (S. Wassens pers. comm. 2011). Mobility & Dispersal is expected to be a major limitation on the ability of the regional population of the species to tolerate climate change. To what extent does competition limit the Generally, smaller frogs consume smaller prey. Crinia signifera and C. parinsignifera in Victoria, found M ability of the regional population of the to eat mostly prey species that were considerably smaller than the frog’s mouth gape even though species to tolerate climate change? larger items were present and larger frogs often also eat large numbers of small prey (MacNally 1983) [therefore small frogs may have a more restricted prey choice]. Diet appears to be opportunistic and ‘Crinia sp. adults may be quite sensitive to non-selective dominated by representatives of the Insecta (e.g. Collembola, Coleoptera and predation by larger frogs so this might be Diptera)(SAAB 2001); ‘C. parinsignifera actively displaced males of C. signifera from preferred calling an impact particularly if larger species are sites, and advertisement calls may be an important mechanism for that displacement (Littlejohn et pushed into smaller areas of habitat or al)’; Tadpoles are bottom dwellers and are very well camouflaged [may reduce predation]. They are increasingly use rainfed waterbodies due not very active unless disturbed, when they dart under cover among leaf litter or vegetation (Anstis to reduced flooding; tadpoles are 2002). extremely cryptic however we have certainly seen spikes in recruitment when ‘Tadpoles are generalist detritivores and herbivores, feeding on biofilms, algae and detritus carp are removed which would indicate [generalist feeder] (Wassens 2011)’; Crinia adults may be quite sensitive to predation by larger frogs Amphibian, Reptile & Mammal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments Page 4 that competition/predation may also limit and spikes in recruitment seen when carp are removed indicate competition/ predation by carp tadpole recruitment in riverine/flood fed limits tadpole recruitment in riverine/ flood fed systems (S. Wassens pers. comm.). systems. I would keep it as a Medium (S. Wassens pers. comm. 2011)’. Small size = increased predation & restricted to eating small prey; generalist feeder; tadpoles cryptic & fast swimmers; short development time =can take advantage of highly ephemeral sites with reduced predators but indications are that carp are a limiting factor in flood fed systems. C. signifera can be displaced by C. parinsignifera and may be less competitive. Competition is expected to be a moderate/ unknown limitation on the ability of the regional population of the species to tolerate climate change. To what extent does survival limit the There is limited information on the capacity of these species to aestivate during dry conditions and it’s M ability of the regional population of the not clear whether they burrow or move into newly flooded wetlands from the associated river systems species to tolerate climate change? during flooding. During the 2009 winter watering of wetlands in the Lowbidgee floodplain. C. parasignifera was common in wetlands that had been dry since 2006 (Wassens 2011); Healy et al ‘…not as widespread through flooded or (1997) found positive association of adults with vegetation and along the River Murray in SA; Tyler rain fed wetlands that had been subject to (1994) found them to only occur among dense aquatic vegetation at the water's edge; Not as extended drying, short life span…might widespread [e.g. as some other species] through flooded or rain fed wetlands that had been subject increase sensitivity to severe drought (S. to extended drying and
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