Barmah-Millewa Understorey Vegetation Monitoring Project Has Been Undertaken (Raw Flow Data from MDBA 2016F)
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A Living Murray condition monitoring project for the Barmah-Millewa Icon Site Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest 2015-16 FINAL REPORT Consultant: Permits: Paula Ward (BSc) DELWP Research Permit 10007637 (valid 13/08/2015 – 30/07/2018) Ecologist OEH Purchase Order 4500609156 (valid spring 2015) 4 Eyre Court OEH Purchase Order 4500619302 (valid summer 2015-16) KIALLA VIC 3631 OEH Purchase Order 4500630617 (valid autumn-winter 2016) Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest: 2015-16 Final Report Copyright: © State of New South Wales 2016 through the Office of Environment & Heritage With the exception of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority logo, the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage logo, all photographs, graphics and trademarks, this publication is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.). It is preferred that you attribute this publication (and any material sourced from it) using the following wording: Publication title: Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest: 2015-16 - Final report Source: Licensed from NSW Office of Environment & Heritage under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia Licence. Disclaimer The information contained in this publication is intended for general use, to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the integrated and sustainable management of the Basin’s natural water resources. It may include general statements based on scientific research. Readers are advised that this information may be incomplete or unsuitable for use in specific situations. Before taking any action or decision based on the information in this publication, readers should seek expert professional, scientific and technical advice and form their own view of the applicability and correctness of the information. To the extent permitted by law, the Commonwealth of Australia, the Murray–Darling Basin Authority (including its employees and consultants), and the author of this publication do not assume liability of any kind whatsoever resulting from any person’s use or reliance upon the content of this publication.” This project was funded by The Living Murray initiative of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority via the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage. The Living Murray is a joint initiative funded by the New South Wales, Victorian, South Australian, Australian Capital Territory and Commonwealth governments, coordinated by the Murray–Darling Basin Authority. Report citation: Ward, P.A. (2016) Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest: 2015-16 – Final Report. Consultant report prepared as part of The Living Murray Condition Monitoring Program for the Barmah-Millewa Icon Site, managed by the NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, Moama, on behalf of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Canberra. 518pp. Acknowledgments: Appreciation is extended to Keith Ward for field assistance and to Rick Webster and Daniel Basham (NSW NPWS) for managing the contract as client. Note: All dates used in this report follow the format dd/mm/yyyy. Cover Photographs: Spring: Flower of Water Ribbons (Triglochin procera) at Top Island, Barmah Forest (18/10/2015). Summer: Woodland Swamp-daisy (Brachyscome basaltica) at Top Lake Q2.1, Barmah Forest (10/01/2016). One of the very few species extending above ground level as it was not grazed. Autumn: First observation of introduced Marsh Ludwigia (Ludwigia palustris) at Black Engine Lagoon, Millewa Forest (09/04/2016). Winter: Frost on Common Spike-sedge (Eleocharis acuta) at Algaboia Plain, Millewa Forest (13/06/2016). Page ii Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest: 2015-16 Final Report CONTENTS: 1. SUMMARY:...................................................................................................... 1 2. INTRODUCTION: ........................................................................................... 5 3. METHODS: .................................................................................................... 11 4. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: ......................................................................... 15 4.1 CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE 2015-16 MONITORING PERIOD: ................. 15 4.1.1 Meteorological Conditions: .............................................................................. 15 4.1.2 Hydrological Conditions: ................................................................................. 16 4.2 UNDERSTOREY VEGETATION MONITORING RESULTS FOR 2015-16: ................... 21 4.2.1 Summary of 2015-16 vegetation dataset: ......................................................... 21 4.2.2 Summary of vegetation response by season: .................................................... 24 4.2.3 Trends of vegetation response over the past ten years of monitoring: ............. 55 4.2.3 Other observations: .......................................................................................... 59 5. CONCLUSIONS:............................................................................................ 67 5.1 GENERAL: .......................................................................................................... 67 5.2 MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS: ................................................................ 69 6. ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST ORIGINAL STATED PROJECT OBJECTIVES:................................................................................................ 73 7. ACHIEVEMENTS AGAINST ORIGINAL STATED PROJECT OUTCOMES:.................................................................................................. 77 8. REFERENCES: .............................................................................................. 81 8.1 PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS:.......................................................................... 81 8.2 REPORTS: ..................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. APPENDIX 1: BARMAH-MILLEWA FOREST VEGETATION QUADRAT LOCATIONS .................................................................................................. 89 APPENDIX 2: 2015-16 QUADRAT DATA ......................................................................... 103 APPENDIX 3: LIST OF FLORA SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE 2015-16 MONITORING PERIOD, SEGREGATED BY SEASON OBSERVED (INCLUDING CONSERVATION STATUS) ..................... 163 APPENDIX 4: LIST OF FLORA SPECIES RECORDED DURING THE 2015-16 MONITORING PERIOD, SEGREGATED BY STUDY SITE OBSERVED .................................................................................................. 169 APPENDIX 5: QUADRAT PHOTO-POINTS IN 2015-16 COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS MONITORED SEASONS ...................................................... 175 APPENDIX 6: COMPARISON OF NEW 2015-16 QUADRAT VEGETATION DATA AGAINST ALL PRE-EXISTING DATA FOR THAT SITE ...... 393 APPENDIX 7: GRAPHICAL DISPLAY OF EACH QUADRAT’S CHANGE BETWEEN 2006 – 2016, BASED ON TOTAL SPECIES, TERRESTRIAL SPECIES, WETLAND SPECIES, PERCENTAGE WETLAND SPECIES AND PERCENTAGE NATIVENESS. ................ 465 Page iii Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest: 2015-16 Final Report APPENDIX 8: ECOLOGICAL VEGETATION CLASSES OF EACH BARMAH- MILLEWA UNDERSTOREY QUADRAT .............................................. 517 Page iv Monitoring understorey vegetation response to flooding in Barmah-Millewa Forest: 2015-16 Final Report 1. SUMMARY: This document represents the final report that summarises the activities and results of monitoring understorey vegetation at 11 sentinel wetlands within the Barmah-Millewa Forest during 2015-16 as part of the Murray Darling Basin Commission’s The Living Murray Initiative Condition Monitoring Program. The year’s program successfully re-monitored all transects that were established and monitored ten years previously (P.Ward 2007d, 2008a, 2009d, 2010d, 2011d, 2012d, 2013a, 2014d), some of which also included historic Barmah Forest transects established and surveyed between 1990-1993 (K.Ward 1991 & 1994). Comparisons of this year’s data (2015-16) to the previous monitoring data has been made in this report, although detailed statistical analysis is being performed by a linked project with Deakin University and the University of Canberra via ACEAS, and will be reported at a later date. The Barmah-Millewa Forest understorey vegetation community in 2015-16 experienced mostly much drier and warmer than average weather conditions where not otherwise influenced by late-winter floods and environmental water allocations throughout spring (with some sites also experiencing extended environmental flooding into late summer for waterbird breeding outcomes). The floodplain initially displayed a sharp demarcation line where abundant understorey vegetation grew under the influence of flooding compared to higher sites that remained dry with largely senesced understorey vegetation, although this weaned as flooding subsided and hot dry weather conditions dried the floodplain. However, a wet late-autumn break into early winter has transformed the broader floodplain into a bright green carpet of sprouting plants. Overall, a total of 162 species from 52 families were found during the monitoring program in 2015-16, with 63% being native species. The bulk of the diversity was from dicotyledonous species (67%), and those of terrestrial damp and terrestrial