Situational Analysis: Frogs in the Bega Valley
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Situational Analysis Frogs in the Bega Valley A report prepared for Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority JANUARY 2011 Author: Steve Sass Report No. ER 213 Acknowledgements As the author of this report and Principal Ecologist of EnviroKey, I wish to take this opportunity to thank the following people and organisations for their discussions and assistance: • Don McPhee, Justin Gouvernat, Helen Davies and the Local Management Team of the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority. • David Hunter, George Malolakis and Max Beukers of the Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water. • All contributors of spatial data including Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority, DECCW Atlas of NSW Wildlife, DECCW Spatial Data Unit and the Australian Museum collection database. • Peter Kambouris and Dr Trent Penman of Forests NSW. • Dr Glenn Shea for information on the Southern Bell Frog Citation EnviroKey (2011) Situational Analysis: Frogs in the Bega Valley. A report prepared by S. Sass of EnviroKey for Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority. Report No. ER 213. Final Version. 27th January 2011. Commercial In Confidence All intellectual property rights, including copyright, in documents created by EnviroKey remain the property of EnviroKey. The information contained within this document is confidential. It may only be used by the person to whom it is provided for the stated purpose for which it is provided. The document must not be imparted to any third person without the prior written approval of EnviroKey. Disclaimer The scope of work for this report was defined by time and budgetary constraints and the availability of other reports and data. EnviroKey accept no liability or responsibility for or in respect of any use of or reliance upon this report and its supporting material in whole or in part by any third party. Information in this report is not intended to be a substitute for site specific assessment or legal advice in relation to any matter. Front Cover Photos Left: Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea). Photo copyright and courtesy of Riona Twomey. Right: Male Lesueur’s Frog (Litoria lesueurii) in breeding colouration. Photo copyright Steve Sass. PO Box 7231 Tathra NSW 2550 t 02 6494 5422 www.envirokey.com.au [email protected] ABN 35255478680 Executive Summary The Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority (SRCMA) along with the Local Management Team and community members are developing a long term strategy to engage and support people to manage frog habitat to secure all the existing frog species in the Bega Valley. One of the strategic objectives is to understand the technical scope of frog management in the area and the first action of this objective is to understand the status and trend of all frog species, populations and their habitat. EnviroKey were engaged by the Southern Rivers Catchment Management Authority to complete a Situational Analysis of Frogs in the Bega Valley that will underpin the long term strategy being developed and provide direction to future projects including management, restoration and rehabilitation strategies and priorities. Extensive data compilation resulted in the identification of 26 frog species that have been recorded in the Bega Valley. Six threatened frog species are included that are listed under both NSW and Commonwealth threatened species legislation. Two frog species are considered to have been translocated to the region, resulting in the number of local frog species being revised to 24. Summaries of previous frog surveys, studies, scientific manuscripts and environmental reports that are known, are included. Data is presented on species records, numbers of individuals reported, potential associations with vegetation communities and historical trends. Potential frog ‘hot spots’ and knowledge gaps are proposed. Ten threatening processes listed under threatened species legislation have the potential to significantly impact on local frog communities. The final chapter is devoted to “What’s next”? Nine statements or points of need have been formulated relating to information gathered during the Situational Analysis. Future projects that could be supported that are designed to address knowledge gaps and are likely to improve the knowledge and management of frogs and their habitats in the Bega Valley. Steve Sass Principal Ecologist / Herpetologist B.App.Sci (Env.Sci) (Hons) Adjunct Associate, Ecology & Biodiversity Group, Institute of Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University Member, Australian Society of Herpetologists PO Box 7231 Tathra NSW 2550 t 02 6494 5422 www.envirokey.com.au [email protected] ABN 35255478680 Situational Analysis: Frogs in the Bega Valley. Report ER 213 Table of Contents 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 2 METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 2 2.1 STUDY AREA ....................................................................................................... 2 2.2 DATA COMPILATION ........................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Database Searches ....................................................................................... 4 2.2.2 Scientific manuscripts and previous surveys .................................................. 4 2.2.3 Correspondence ............................................................................................ 5 2.3 GIS AND DATA ANALYSIS ................................................................................... 5 2.4 NOMENCLATURE ................................................................................................ 5 2.5 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE OF PERSONNEL .................................... 5 3 DATA COMPILATION .................................................................................. 6 3.1 DECCW ATLAS OF NSW WILDLIFE .................................................................... 6 3.2 AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM COLLECTION ................................................................ 7 3.3 FORESTS NSW VIA DECCW ATLAS OF NSW WILDLIFE ................................... 8 3.4 OTHER DATA ....................................................................................................... 9 3.4.1 Lunney & Barker (1986) ................................................................................. 9 3.4.2 Wellington & Wells (1994) ............................................................................. 9 3.4.3 Lemckert et al. (1997) .................................................................................... 9 3.4.4 Daly (1998) ...................................................................................................10 3.4.5 Lemckert et al. (1998) ...................................................................................10 3.4.6 Daly & Senior (2001) ....................................................................................10 3.4.7 Hunter (2001) ...............................................................................................11 3.4.8 Daly et al. (2002) ..........................................................................................11 3.4.9 Daly & Senior (2003) ....................................................................................11 3.4.10 Penman (2005) .........................................................................................11 3.4.11 Sydney Morning Herald (2005) .................................................................12 3.4.12 Bega Environment Network (2006) ...........................................................12 3.4.13 NGH Environmental (2006) .......................................................................13 3.4.14 Daly (2007) ...............................................................................................13 3.4.15 Miles (2007) ..............................................................................................13 3.4.16 Daly et al. (2008) ......................................................................................13 January 2011 i Situational Analysis: Frogs in the Bega Valley. Report ER 213 3.4.17 Forests NSW (2008) .................................................................................13 3.4.18 Lesryk (2008) ............................................................................................14 3.4.19 NGH Environmental (2008) .......................................................................14 3.4.20 NGH Environmental (2010) .......................................................................14 3.4.21 Yurangalo Inc. (2010) ...............................................................................14 3.4.22 EnviroKey (2011) ......................................................................................14 4 DATA ANALYSIS ....................................................................................... 15 4.1 SPECIES DIVERSITY ..........................................................................................15 4.2 SPECIES ABUNDANCE.......................................................................................16 4.3 THREATENED SPECIES .....................................................................................18 4.4 LIKELY TRANSLOCATIONS ................................................................................19 4.5 DISTRIBUTIONAL TRENDS ................................................................................19 4.6 HISTORICAL