Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) Categories Approved by Recommendation 4.7, As Amended by Resolution VIII.13 of the Conference of the Contracting Parties
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Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS) Categories approved by Recommendation 4.7, as amended by Resolution VIII.13 of the Conference of the Contracting Parties. 1. Name and address of the compiler of this form: FOR OFFICE USE ONLY. Updated by Dr Christine Semeniuk on behalf of the Department of Environment and Conservation in 2008 DD MM YY Roger Jaensch, Wetlands International – Oceania, on behalf of the Western Australian Department of Conservation & Land Management (DCLM), in 1998 Designation date Site Reference Number (Ramsar listed in 2001). Updated by DCLM staff in 2000 and 2003. All inquiries should be directed to Michael Coote, DEC, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia, (Tel: +61-8-9334-0479; Fax: +61-8-9334-0199; email: [email protected]). 2. Date this sheet was completed/updated: May 2008 3. Country: Australia 4. Name of the Ramsar site: Becher Point Wetlands, Western Australia 5. Map of site included: Refer to Annex III of the Explanatory Note and Guidelines, for detailed guidance on provision of suitable maps. a) hard copy (required for inclusion of site in the Ramsar List): yes b) digital (electronic) format (optional): yes 6. Geographical coordinates (latitude/longitude): Latitude: 32° 23’ S Longitude: 115° 44’ E. 7. General location: Include in which part of the country and which large administrative region(s), and the location of the nearest large town. The Becher Point Wetlands are in the City of Rockingham (local authority) in the State of Western Australia (population ca. 1.95 million in 2003). The Becher Point Wetlands are 9 km south of the city of Rockingham (population ca. 74,000 in 2003). The Becher Point Wetlands Ramsar Site comprises the entire area of Nature Reserve 44077. It includes a substantial part of the suite of approximately 200 discrete, very small wetlands located between Becher Point (Indian Ocean coast) and the Perth-Mandurah Road. 8. Elevation: (average and/or max. & min.) 9. Area: (in hectares) A few metres above sea level. 677 ha (of which less than 10% is wetland). 10. Overview: Provide a short paragraph giving a summary description of the principal ecological characteristics and importance of the wetland. The Site comprises a substantial portion of the system of inter-dunal wetlands associated with Becher Point, on the coast of South-Western Australia. The series of wetlands within the Site exhibits a continuum of development in geomorphology, hydrology and vegetation and is considered by researchers to be a unique wetland system in Western Australia and one of the youngest wetland systems on the Swan Coastal Plain. The sedgelands that occur within the linear wetland depressions of the Site are listed as a threatened ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). The listing is recorded as “Sedgelands in Holocene dune swales of the southern Swan Coastal Plain”. 11. Ramsar Criteria: Circle or underline each Criterion applied to the designation of the Ramsar site. See Annex II of the Explanatory Notes and Guidelines for the Criteria and guidelines for their application (adopted by Resolution VII.11). 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 12. Justification for the application of each Criterion listed in 11. above: Provide justification for each Criterion in turn, clearly identifying to which Criterion the justification applies (see Annex II for guidance on acceptable forms of justification). 1 The Becher Point Wetlands are an example of shrub swamps and seasonal marshes that have formed in an extensive sequence of inter-dunal depressions that have arisen from seaward advancement of the coastline over recent millennia. This type of wetland system is rare in South-Western Australia. Examples of this type of geomorphological sequence in equally good condition and within a protected area are rare world-wide. 2 The sedgelands that occur within the linear wetland depressions of the Site are listed as a threatened ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). The listing is recorded as “Sedgelands in Holocene dune swales of the southern Swan Coastal Plain”. 13. Biogeography (required when Criteria 1 and/or 3 and /or certain applications of Criterion 2 are applied to the designation): Name the relevant biogeographic region that includes the Ramsar site, and identify the biogeographic regionalisation system that has been applied. a) biogeographic region: Swan Coastal Plain b) biogeographic regionalisation scheme (include reference citation): Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA) Version 5.1 (Cummings and Hardy 2000) 14. Physical features of the site: Describe, as appropriate, the geology, geomorphology; origins - natural or artificial; hydrology; soil type; water quality; water depth, water permanence; fluctuations in water level; tidal variations; downstream area; general climate, etc. The Site is located on the beach ridge plain that forms the Quaternary surface of the Becher cuspate foreland. The Site’s wetlands are within 0.2-1.5 km of the Indian Ocean. The wetlands comprise chains of microscale linear, ovoid or irregular basins arranged in about 10 groups roughly parallel to the coast, separated by sand ridges. The Site’s wetlands are seasonal: there is usually no surface water in summer-autumn. The fresh surface water of winter is derived primarily from groundwater flow and direct precipitation and generally is less than 0.3 m deep. 15. Physical features of the catchment area: Describe the surface area, general geology and geomorphological features, general soil types, general land use, and climate (including climate type). The Site is situated in the Perth Basin, in the Quindalup Dunes formation. Median and mean annual rainfall at Rockingham are 818 mm and 826 mm respectively, mostly falling in May- August. Annual evaporation is about 1900 mm (Semeniuk 1991). 16. Hydrological values: Describe the functions and values of the wetland in groundwater recharge, flood control, sediment trapping, shoreline stabilization, etc. Wetlands display a variety of hydrological mechanisms and features: throughflow, short term perching, groundwater rise and fall, seasonal upwelling, mounding, depressions or troughs, and reverse gradients. 17. Wetland Types a) presence: Circle or underline the applicable codes for the wetland types of the Ramsar “Classification System for Wetland Type” present in the Ramsar site. Descriptions of each wetland type code are provided in Annex I of the Explanatory Notes & Guidelines. Marine/coastal: A • B • C • D • E • F • G • H • I • J • K • Zk(a) Inland: L • M • N • O • P • Q • R • Sp • Ss • Tp Ts • U • Va • Vt • W • Xf • Xp • Y • Zg • Zk(b) Human-made: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • Zk(c) b) dominance: List the wetland types identified in a) above in order of their dominance (by area) in the Ramsar site, starting with the wetland type with the largest area. W, Ts 18. General ecological features: Provide further description, as appropriate, of the main habitats, vegetation types, plant and animal communities present in the Ramsar site. The swamps support sedgeland, herblands, open-shrubland and/or low open-forest in various spatial arrangements. The sedgeland is dominated by Baumea articulata, B. juncea, and Lepidosperma gladiatum. Schoenoplectus validus, Isolepis nodosa and Juncus kraussii also occur. Herblands comprise Centella asiatica and grasslands comprise Sporobolus virginicus. The forest/woodland is dominated by Melaleuca rhaphiophylla with some M. cuticularis, and the open shrubland comprises M. hamulosa and M. teretifolia (Semeniuk 1991, 2007). Surrounding areas support mainly open-heathland. 19. Noteworthy flora: Provide additional information on particular species and why they are noteworthy (expanding as necessary on information provided in 12. Justification for the application of the Criteria) indicating, e.g., which species/communities are unique, rare, endangered or biogeographically important, etc. Do not include here taxonomic lists of species present – these may be supplied as supplementary information to the RIS. The sedgelands that occur within the linear wetland depressions of the Site are listed as a threatened ecological community under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). The listing is recorded as “Sedgelands in Holocene dune swales of the southern Swan Coastal Plain”. 20. Noteworthy fauna: Provide additional information on particular species and why they are noteworthy (expanding as necessary on information provided in 12. Justification for the application of the Criteria) indicating, e.g., which species/communities are unique, rare, endangered or biogeographically important, etc., including count data. Do not include here taxonomic lists of species present – these may be supplied as supplementary information to the RIS. Noteworthy native fauna of the Site includes the quenda (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer), carpet python (Morelia spilota imbricata), Perth lined lerista (Lerista lineata) and black-striped snake (Neelaps calanotus). At least four species of amphibians and 21 species of reptiles have been recorded. 21. Social and cultural values: e.g., fisheries production, forestry, religious importance, archaeological sites, social relations with the wetland, etc. Distinguish between historical/archaeological/religious significance and current socio-economic values. There is strong community support for protection of the