DOCSLIB.ORG

Index of the Rare Bits Newsletters

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Index of the Rare Bits Newsletters Index to the RARE BITS Newsletters about threatened species work Department of Conservation publications 2000-2004 (discontinued series) Vo Index to the Rare Bits Newsletters about Threatened Species Work Contents Section Page Introduction .............................................ii Summary of Main Points .........................ii 1. Predators...........................................1 2. Possum effects on biodiversity .........6 3. Threats to plant species ....................12 4. Threats to animal species .................21 5. Predator plagues ...............................26 6. Stoat trapping ...................................30 7. Rat trapping ......................................39 8. Cat control ........................................42 9. Possum trapping ...............................44 10. Mouse control ...................................46 11. Weasel trapping ................................48 12. Ferret trapping ..................................48 13. Hedgehog trapping ...........................49 14. Pig control .........................................50 15. Deer control ......................................50 16. Fish trapping .....................................50 17. Trap by-catch .....................................51 18. Plant caging/banding ........................52 19. Aerial poisoning ................................54 20. Delays due to poison use ..................60 21. Biodiversity loss ................................62 22. Translocations ...................................79 23. Risks to translocated animals ............97 24. Radio transmitters ............................102 25. Other interference ............................112 26. Kiwi management .............................120 27. Whio management ...........................136 28. Kakapo management ........................142 29. New species ......................................143 30. Dog uses ............................................144 31. Community involvement...................146 Vo Introduction From April 2000 to December 2004, quarterly newsletters (“Rare Bits”) on threatened species work with contributions from each regional conservancy were produced by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DoC). These newsletters provide an insight into the actions DoC was taking to conserve our rare species and the success or otherwise of those efforts. This Index of the Rare Bits newsletters is a collection of quotes from those documents which has been created to identify threats to native species, and management failures and successes, to help guide future conservation efforts. The newsletters contain compelling evidence that much of DoC’s management was having devastating effects on biodiversity, and was desperately lacking a science-based approach. Our remaining native species need all the genetic diversity they have if they are to survive forthcoming challenges such as drought, storms, disease and habitat modification, therefore they should be managed with extreme care. The newsletters also show that trapping pests (rather than poisoning) is entirely feasible, but that sudden alterations to the ecosystem are likely to have harmful and catastrophic results, especially if done in an unintelligent way, such as just removing stoats, or cats. Bait stations containing poison kill native species (see the Agency’s Appendix O in the Environmental Risk Management Authority’s review of 1080, 2007) and some traps do as well (see the “by-catch” section in the current document) so future efforts to control pests should record by-catch and continuously strive towards complete species-specificity. Summary of Main Points • Stoats, rats & cats are the no. 1 introduced killers of NZ native birds • Aerial 1080 is not effective in controlling stoats or rats on the mainland, in fact, its use is associated with rapid increases in numbers of stoats, rats and mice • Aerial poisoning operations incur a massive cost in time spent organising, & translocating & monitoring favoured species • Poisoning operations invariably delay pest control, allowing further genetic loss, while the operations are being organised • Intensive, constant, simultaneous control of predators (including stoats, rats & cats) is necessary to prevent species loss. Trapping to just remove stoats has been followed by rat plagues • Trapping is effective for catching multiple pest species (including stoats, ferrets, weasels, rats, cats, possums, hedgehogs & mice) • Some traps (leghold, Elliot, Easiset and Fenn) harm native species including birds, lizards and giant weta • Possums are mainly herbivores, with strong preferences for Dactylanthus & mistletoe plants, but these plants often co-exist with possums, and possum numbers have to be extremely low to prevent visible damage • Herbivore browsing helps to keep mistletoe from killing its host plant, is natural in NZ & can enhance species diversity • DoC has poisoned nearly all of our offshore Islands, with unknown consequences for our unique species Vo Summary of Main Points (continued) • DoC has carried out a huge number of translocations of species, with unknown ecological & genetic consequences • Translocated birds frequently die from predation & misadventure, starvation, suffer social stress, and wander far and wide, sometimes even managing to return home • Kakapo, on the brink of extinction, have been subjected to multiple translocations • Radio transmitters with an aerial, attached to a harness, have been routinely fitted to our rare birds (including blue duck, takahe and kiwi), many of which have died rapidly from predation, entanglement or starvation/hypothermia or become lost with their harnesses on. This equipment has been shown to increase energy requirements • Breeding of rare birds has been prevented, and failure of nests increased, by DoC harassment (intensively monitoring nests, banding chicks, attaching transmitters, stealing & swapping eggs and chicks, hand-feeding) Operation Nest Egg, in which eggs are taken from kiwi & blue duck nests for artificial rearing, has been responsible for massive animal stress & genetic loss through broken and dead eggs, dying chicks, failure to learn appropriate feeding & sheltering behaviour, wandering birds being killed & translocation/mixing of genetics. Studies indicate that kiwis (like many other birds) naturally stay near their home, often with their parents helping to raise chicks. One male kiwi appears to have had 5 successive eggs removed. • Major threats to NZ species include poisoning, introduced species, intensive monitoring, translocation, livestock (feral and farm) damage, drought, flooding, storms and road, hydro & other development • Dogs have enormous potential to help with biodiversity protection, with claims that DoC dogs can find specific animal pest species (including stoats, cats and rats), and specific plants • Community involvement can enhance biodiversity – where rare biodiversity gains were recorded during 2000-2004, volunteers had assisted (e.g. trapping, searching for species, planting, fencing, weeding & caging plants) • New species are regularly discovered in NZ, making nonsense of claims that DoC knows what it’s doing with poisoning operations • DoC has consistently failed to scientifically monitor the ecological outcomes of its actions • Massive biodiversity loss has occurred under DoC management, through poisoning, translocations, intensive monitoring of favourite rare species, weeds, neglect and habitat loss. Vol., Date Page Conservancy Predator 1. Predation Quotes New Zealand dotterel: The early season nest predation was most likely from aerial predators and ceased when nests were 44 Apr-02 6 Waikato birds covered. Chatham Island oystercatcher: predation events..recorded on video..2 clutches of eggs were predated by a cat and 1 clutch 37 Jun -00 13 Wellington cats, weka of eggs predated by a weka. Rakiura (Stewart Island): the hoiho may slowly be disappearing from Rakiura. Cats are suspected of playing a role here, 51 Dec -03 17 Southland cats possibly killing chicks before they leave the nest. To date we have lost eight of the 38 birds from the pateke release at Port Charles. Autopsy has confirmed that four were 51 Dec -03 3 Waikato cats, dogs killed by cat(s)..one was killed by a dog North Island weka: Of the four dead birds, three were predated by stoats and the other was either predated or scavenged East Coast/ by a cat. From the Motu area, three juveniles are still alive. Of the other two birds, one had wandered two kilometres 44 Apr-02 9 Hawke's Bay cats, stoats beyond the trapped area and was predated by a stoat. 40 Mar-01 6 Wellington cats, weka Chatham Island oystercatchers: Predation by cats and weka, and stock trampling were the main causes of failure. An adult kiwi and chick died as a result of a dog attack in northern Taranaki. This is the latest in a series of deaths as a result 53 Jun -04 9 Wanganui dogs of dog predation 50 Sep -03 4 Waikato dogs, cats pateke: Four birds have been lost to predation: one likely to a dog, and the others to a cat(s). 55 Dec -04 3 Northland dogs, mustelids pateke: suffered losses to dogs, mustelids and unknown causes weka on Te Peka Karara in Lake Wanaka.. of the 30 birds bought over from the Chathams..one was killed by a falcon...Nine 49 Jun -03 20 Otago falcons, weka other chicks were killed near the aviary by other weka. East Coast/ 38 Sep -00 6 Hawke's Bay ferrets, pigs kiwi: Mount Ruapehu: at least three deaths (ferret, pig & misadventure) Tongariro/ 55 Dec -04 9 Taupo ferrets Two kiwi were
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Invertebrate Survey of the A30 and A38 Road Verges in Area 1 (Cornwall and Devon) Steven Falk Mark Tunmore October 2015
    Inspiring change for Important Invertebrate Areas in the UK Invertebrate Survey of the A30 and A38 road verges in Area 1 (Cornwall and Devon) 11th September 2014 Susan Thompson - Grants & Trusts Officer Steven Falk Mark Tunmore Saving the small things that run the planet October 2015 1 Executive summary Between late May and late August 2015, Buglife Services carried out an invertebrate survey of the A30 and A38 in Devon and Cornwall. 41 visits to 23 sample points were undertaken on the A30 and 25 visits to 18 sampling points were undertaken on the A38, and a range of invertebrate groups were targeted. 866 taxa were recorded, the list being dominated by flies (361), beetles (177), butterflies & moths (109), bugs (82), bees, ants & aculeate wasps (53), spiders & harvestmen (50), grasshoppers & crickets (11) and dragonflies & damselflies (11). Pitfall trapping (not permitted) would have extended the beetle and bug lists greatly. The list included a number of rare and scarce species (notably the tachinid fly Policheta unicolor and lygaeid bug Trapezonotus ullrichi) and seemingly the first SW England record for the Southern oak bush-cricket (Meconema meridionalis) which is a recent British colonist. The list reveals the tremendous variety of life cycle strategies and other ecological relationships associated with road verge invertebrates. Pollinators are very well represented within the species list. The list and sample sizes reveal the strong influence of surrounding habitat, geographic location, altitude and underlying geology/ground conditions. There is a discernible ‘Bodmin Moor effect’ (decreased abundance and diversity of thermophilic invertebrates with altitude) and a strong ‘Dartmoor effect’ (increased abundance and diversity of thermophilic invertebrates on the A38 east of Dartmoor).
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation Strategies for Species/Populations Occurring Outside Protected Areas
    ES_CWR_30-11 30/11/10 14:33 Page 253 Chapter 11 Conservation Strategies for Species/Populations Occurring Outside Protected Areas More than 90 per cent of the terrestrial surface of the earth is not covered by any form of protected area category. If this situation does not change, there will be severe loss of biological wealth in the next few decades (Halladay and Gilmour, 1995). Aims and purpose Given that national parks and other conservation areas cover only 12 to 13 per cent of the earth’s surface in total, it is clear that these areas alone will not ensure the survival of species and ecological communities, even without the impacts of accelerated global change. It is crucial, therefore, that lands outside national reserve networks be managed in ways that allow as much biodiversity as possible to be maintained. The in situ conservation of species outside protected areas, where the majority of them occur, is a seriously neglected aspect of biodiversity conservation and in the face of global change it must demand much further atten- tion from governments and conservation agencies.This approach is also known as off-reserve management (Hale and Lamb, 1997). This approach should also be seen within the context of integrating protected areas within wider landscapes, seascapes and natural resource policies (Ervin et al, 2010), one of the benefits being to achieve additional conservation benefits outside of protected areas (Box 11.1). Other reasons for paying more attention to the conservation of resources in land outside protected areas are given by Torquebiau and Taylor (2009): • Farming and land management practices strongly influence available natural resources and biodiversity.
    [Show full text]
  • ' Victoria's Biodiversity: – Directions in Management'
    ' Victoria's Biodiversity: – Directions in Management' _ Crown (State of Victoria) 1997 Copyright in photographs and fine art remains with the photographers and artists unless otherwise stated Published by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne 3002, Victoria This document in conjunction with 'Victoria's Biodiversity — Our Living Wealth' and 'Victoria's Biodiversity — Sustaining Our Living Wealth' comprise the Strategy required under Section 17 of the 'Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act' 1988. Produced by the Secretary, Department of Natural Resources and Environment. This publication is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for private study, research, criticism or review allowed under the Copyright Act 1968, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder. ISBN 0 7306 6763 4 Project co-ordination — David Meagher Design & production — O2 Design Film & printing — D & D Printing Printed on recycled paper to help conserve our natural environment 2 Victorian Biodiversity in the Year 2020: A History of the Future Throughout the world, Victoria has been recognised for over a decade as the premier state in Australia for the protection and enhancement of its biodiversity assets. It has the nation's most comprehensive reserve system forming the cornerstone for the sustainable use of Victoria's terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. In 2020, these 'jewels in Victoria's crown' are highly valued by the local community and international visitors. As our understanding of the biodiversity of Victoria increased many 'conservation' issues were resolved because there was an increased awareness of what each component added to the health of the environment.
    [Show full text]
  • Mitchell Shire Council
    ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING UNDER SEPARATE COVER ATTACHMENTS 21 MARCH 2016 MITCHELL SHIRE COUNCIL Council Meeting Attachment ENGINEERING AND INFRASTRUCTURE 21 MARCH 2016 9.1 DRAFT RURAL ROADSIDE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN 2016-2026 Attachment No: 1 Draft Rural Roadside Environmental Management Plan 2016-2026 MITCHELL SHIRE COUNCIL Page 1 Table of Contents Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Aim .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Objectives ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Council’s Responsibility for Roadsides .................................................................................................... 5 Scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 5 What is a Roadside? ............................................................................................................................ 6 The Maintenance Envelope ................................................................................................................ 6 VicRoads Controlled Roads ................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Developing a National Framework for Monitoring the Grey-Faced Petrel (Pterodroma Gouldi) As an Indicator Species
    Developing a national framework for monitoring the grey-faced petrel (Pterodroma gouldi) as an indicator species J.C. Russell, J.R. Welch, S. Dromzée, K. Bourgeois, J. Thoresen, R. Earl, B. Greene, I. Westbrooke and K. McNutt DOC RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SERIES 350 Contributors: JR, KM, BG and JW wrote the manuscript JR, KM, BG and IW designed the study JW and IW analysed the data JW, KB, SD and JT undertook fieldwork RE drew the maps DOC Research & Development Series is a published record of scientific research carried out, or advice given, by Department of Conservation staff or external contractors funded by DOC. It comprises reports and short communications that are peer-reviewed. This report is available from the departmental website in pdf form. Titles are listed in our catalogue on the website, refer www.doc.govt.nz under Publications, then Series. © Copyright December 2017, New Zealand Department of Conservation ISSN 1177–9306 (web PDF) ISBN 978–1–98–478–851445–1 (web PDF) This report was prepared for publication by the Publishing Team; editing by Amanda Todd and Lynette Clelland; layout by Lynette Clelland. Publication was approved by the Director, Planning and Support Unit, Biodiversity Group, Department of Conservation, Wellington, New Zealand. Published by Publishing Team, Department of Conservation, PO Box 10420, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, New Zealand. In the interest of forest conservation, we support paperless electronic publishing. CONTENTS Abstract 1 1. Introduction 2 1.1 Grey-faced petrel as an indicator species 2 1.1.1 Natural history 2 1.1.2 Population regulation 3 1.1.3 Measures of population size 4 1.1.4 Survey methods 4 1.2 Objectives 5 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byway Plan
    Corridor Management Plan for the US 15 Catoctin Mountain Scenic Byway April 2004 Prepared for: Prepared by: Frederick County, Maryland Lardner/Klein Landscape Architects, P.C. as part of in association with the State of Maryland Scenic Byway Program Daniel Consultants, Inc. John Milner Associates Bay Area Economics Watson Heritage Strategies Shelley Mastran Advisory Committee Marcel Aillery, Carollton Manor Land Trust Sister Joan Angermari, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine Robert Black, Catoctin Mountain Orchard Nancy Bodmer, President, Carrollton Manor Land Trust Don Briggs, President, Emmitsburg Business & Professional Association G. Bernard Callan, Jr., Fredrick County Historic Preservation Commission Sam Castleman, Resident Joy Clem, Resident Colin Clevenger, Curator, Children’s Museum of Rose Hill Manor Ray Compton, Frederick County Historic Trust John Concannon, Maryland State Highway Administration District 7 Dean Considine, Central Maryland Heritage League Judy Crum, Resident, Frederick County *Janet Davis, Frederick County Division of Planning Tim Davis, City of Frederick Jennifer Dougherty, Mayor, City of Frederick Dale Dowling, Architectural & Cultural Historian Sister Carol Durkin, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine Cynthia Ecker, Park Manager, Cunningham Falls State Park Richard Fairley, Headmaster, Director Of Development, Prospect Hall Mansion Doug Faris, Superintendent, C&O Canal National Hisotrical Park *John Fieseler, Executive Director, Tourism Council of Frederick County, Inc. Dean Fitzgerald, President, Frederick County
    [Show full text]
  • Island Restoration: Seabirds, Predators, and the Importance of History
    AvailableBellingham on-line et al.: at: Island http://www.newzealandecology.org/nzje/ restoration 115 special issue: Feathers to Fur The ecological transformation of Aotearoa/New Zealand New Zealand island restoration: seabirds, predators, and the importance of history Peter J. Bellingham1*, David R. Towns2, Ewen K. Cameron3, Joe J. Davis4, David A. Wardle1, 5, Janet M. Wilmshurst1 and Christa P.H. Mulder6 1Landcare Research, PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand 2Department of Conservation, Private Bag 68-908, Auckland, New Zealand 3Auckland Museum, Private Bag 92018, Auckland, New Zealand 4Ngāti Hei Trust, PO Box 250, Whitianga, New Zealand 5Department of Forest Vegetation Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S 901 83 Umeå, Sweden 6Department of Biology and Wildlife & Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA *Author for correspondence (Email: [email protected]) Published online: 6 October 2009 Abstract: New Zealand’s offshore and outlying islands have long been a focus of conservation biology as sites of local endemism and as last refuges for many species. During the c. 730 years since New Zealand has been settled by people, mammalian predators have invaded many islands and caused local and global extinctions. New Zealand has led international efforts in island restoration. By the late 1980s, translocations of threatened birds to predator-free islands were well under way to safeguard against extinction. Non-native herbivores and predators, such as goats and cats, had been eradicated from some islands. A significant development in island restoration in the mid-1980s was the eradication of rats from small forested islands. This eradication technology has been refined and currently at least 65 islands, including large and remote Campbell (11 216 ha) and Raoul (2938 ha) Islands, have been successfully cleared of rats.
    [Show full text]
  • Linkages in the Landscape
    >GJ=KL =;GKQKL=EK ;GFK=JNAF? /LQNDJHVLQWKH/DQGVFDSH 7KH5ROHRI&RUULGRUVDQG&RQQHFWLYLW\ LQ:LOGOLIH&RQVHUYDWLRQ $QGUHZ)%HQQHWW ,8&1)RUHVW&RQVHUYDWLRQ3URJUDPPH &RQVHUYLQJ)RUHVW(FRV\VWHPV6HULHV1R 7KH:RUOG&RQVHUYDWLRQ8QLRQ Linkages in theLinkages in the Landscape Landscape IUCN’S FOREST CONSERVATION PROGRAMME IUCN’s Forest Conservation Programme coordinates and supports the activities of the IUCN Secretariat and members working with forest ecosystems. The goal of forest conservation is achieved through promoting protection, restoration and sustainable use of forest resources, so that forests provide the full potential range of goods and services. The programme makes contributions to policy at various levels and uses field projects to derive lessons to feed into the policy debate. The principles of Caring for the Earth, published jointly by IUCN, WWF and UNEP in 1991, are applied to these projects, which combine the needs of conservation and those of local communities. One major activity is to develop coherent and informed policies on forest conservation in order to advocate the translation of policies into effective actions. IUCN frequently advises major development institutions on forest issues, to ensure that conservation priorities are adequately addressed in their projects and programmes. The Forest Conservation Programme receives generous financial support from the Government of the Netherlands. The IUCN Forest Conservation Programme Linkages in the Landscape The Role of Corridors and Connectivity in Wildlife Conservation Andrew F. Bennett School of Ecology and Environment Deakin University – Melbourne Campus, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia IUCN – The World Conservation Union 2003 The designation of geographical entities in this book, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of IUCN or Environment Australia concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Members of the Land Conservation Council
    LAND CONSERVATION COUNCIL SOUTH GIPPSLAND AREA DISTRICT 2 FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS November 1982 This text is a facsimile of the former Land Conservation Council’s South Gippsland Area District 2 Final Recommendations. It has been edited to incorporate Government decisions on the recommendations made by Order in Council dated 26 June 1984, and formal amendments and revocations. Subsequent changes may not have been incorporated. Added text is shown underlined; deleted text is shown struck through. Annotations [in brackets] explain the origin of changes. MEMBERS OF THE LAND CONSERVATION COUNCIL S.G. McL. Dimmick, B.A., B.Com., Dip.Soc.Stud. (Chairman) A. Mitchell, M.Agr.Sc., D.D.A.; Chairman, Soil Conservation Authority (Deputy Chairman) J.R. Ashworth, E.D., Dip.C.E., M.I.E.Aust.; Secretary For Lands C. N. Austin, C.B.E. T.H. Gunnersen, B.com., M.SC. J. Lindros, Ph.C. J.S. Rogerson, B.C.E., E.W.S., F.I.E. Aust.; Deputy Chairman, State Rivers and Water Supply Commission D.S. Saunders, B.Agr.Sc., M.A.I.A.S.; Director of National Parks D.F. Smith, B.Agr.Sc., M.Agr.Sc., Ph.D., Dip.Ed., M.ed.Admin.; Director General of Agriculture D. Spencer-Jones, B.Sc., Ph.D.; Deputy Secretary for Minerals and Energy G.L. Swartz, B.Agr. Sc., M. Agr. Sc.; Director of Fisheries and Wildlife A.J. Threader, B.Sc.F., Dip.For. (Cres.), M.I.F.A.; Chairman, Forests Commission, Victoria CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 4 A. PARKS AND MARINE RESERVES 8 B. REFERENCE AREAS 22 C.
    [Show full text]
  • Public Perception and Sustainable Roadside Vegetation Management Strategies
    PUBLIC PERCEPTION AND SUSTAINABLE ROADSIDE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Anne Lucey Plant and Soil Sciences University of Delaware Newark DE 19716 Telephone: 302-740-1979 [email protected] (Corresponding Author) Susan Barton, Ph.D. Plant and Soil Sciences University of Delaware Newark, DE 19716 Telephone: 302-831-1375 [email protected] October 29, 2010 6,184 words (Abstract: 248, Manuscript: 4904, References: 1032) + 4 figures (4 x 250words) = 7,184 words ABSTRACT Sustainable roadside vegetation management strategies limit the amount of non-native turf grass and include meadows of native warm season grasses and/or flowering perennials, and masses of native shrubs and trees. Sustainably managed roadsides can contribute to a matrix of economically conservative, environmentally responsible and aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Implementation of sustainable strategies may result in cost savings, better water quality and hydraulic conductivity, improved safety measures, increased biodiversity, benefits to the socioeconomic health of the state and conformity to state and federal legislation. Sustainable strategies only provide optimal cost savings and enhancemen t of environmental stewardship when implemented consistently. Aesthetically, sustainable landscapes often represent a departure from the traditional expectation of how a roadside landscape should appear. Lacking an awareness of the inherent values present in sustainably managed roadsides, the public is often hesitant to accept this atypical, and oftentimes less manicured aesthetic, causing many Department’s of Transportation (DOTs) to revert to traditional management regimes. Many state DOTs maintain active ties to the public and political communities of their state and acquiesce to the wishes of these communities when appropriate. Because they are often called upon to defend their design, management and operating procedures, DOTs have a new role in raising awareness, assessing perception and informing the public about the benefits associated with sustainable roadside vegetation management strategies.
    [Show full text]
  • Roadside Diversity in Relation to Age and Surrounding Source Habitat: Evidence for Long Time Lags in Valuable Green Infrastructure
    Received: 23 March 2020 Revised: 24 March 2020 Accepted: 24 March 2020 DOI: 10.1002/2688-8319.12005 RESEARCH ARTICLE Roadside diversity in relation to age and surrounding source habitat: evidence for long time lags in valuable green infrastructure Alistair G. Auffret1,2 Evelina Lindgren2 1Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden 2Biogeography and Geomatics, Department of Physical Geography, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden Correspondence Alistair G. Auffret, Department of Ecology, Abstract Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 1. The severe and ongoing decline in semi-natural grassland habitat during the past two Uppsala, Sweden. Email: [email protected] centuries means that it is important to consider how other, marginal grassland habitat elements can contribute to landscape-level biodiversity, and under what circumstances. Funding information Swedish Research Council Formas, Grant/Award 2. Toexamine how habitat age and the amount of core grassland habitat in the surround- Number: 2015-1065 ing landscape affect diversity in green infrastructure, we carried out inventories of 36 rural road verges that were either historical (pre-1901) or modern (established post- 1901 and before 1975), and were surrounded by relatively high (>15%) or low (<5%) levels of grassland habitat. We recorded the number of plant species, grassland special- ists, grassland conservation species and the fraction of the landscape’s species and spe- cialists found in the road verge. 3. Road verge communities were characterised by high levels of grassland specialist species (35% of the 161 species recorded), with road verge sites supporting 15–20% of the specialist species found in the surrounding 25 km2 landscape.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessing Roadsides: a Guide for Rating Conservation Value
    Assessing Roadsides: A guide for rating conservation value Compiled by Kate Jackson Published by the Western Australian Roadside Conservation Committee This work is copyright. Apart from any use under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the Roadside Conservation Committee Western Australia. Direct enquiries to the Executive Officer, Roadside Conservation Committee Western Australia, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery, Bentley, 6983 Western Australia. First published Dec 2002 National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication data: Roadside Conservation, Survey roadside vegetation and weeds 1st Edition ISBN 0 7307 58990 ©Roadside Conservation Committee, Western Australia 2002 Graphic Design and layout by Tim Harvey Front cover photo: Dr Ken Atkins Cartoons by Terry Roberts Printed by Advance Press Contents Part 1 – Introduction to Roadsides 1 The Value of Roadsides 2 Habitat Fragmentation 3 Wildlife Corridors 4 Rare and Threatened Species 5 Where are Roadside Corridors? 6 Why Survey Roadside Vegetation? 8 The Role of the Community 9 Definitions 10 Part 2 – Surveying Roadsides 13 Before You Start the Survey 14 Timing 14 Training 15 Gathering Information 15 Coordinating Your Survey 15 Survey Procedure 16 Changing Sections 17 Completing the Survey Sheet 19 Width of Road Reserve 19 Width of Vegetated Roadside 19 Native Vegetation on Roadside 20 Rare Flora 21 Extent of Native Vegetation Along Roadside 21 Number of Different Native Species 22 Weeds 22 Types of Weeds 23 Fauna Observed 24 Value as a Biological Corridor 26 Predominant Adjoining Landuse 27 Utilities/disturbances 28 Conservation Value 29 Landscape Value 30 General Comments 31 Part 1 Introduction to Roadsides The total length of Australian roads would circle the equator more than 40 times.
    [Show full text]