Conservation Science W. Aust. 7 (2) : 377–389 (2009) Flora and vegetation of banded iron formations of the Yilgarn Craton: Mount Forrest – Mount Richardson Range RACHEL MEISSNER1, GAYNOR OWEN1 & BEN BAYLISS1,2 1 Science Division, Department of Environment and Conservation, PO Box 51, Wanneroo, Western Australia, 6946. Email: [email protected] 2 Current Address: Avon Natural Diversity Alliance (ANDA), Department of Environment and Conservation, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983. ABSTRACT A study of the flora and plant communities of the banded ironstone range of Mount Forrest – Mount Richardson found 114 taxa, with a single introduced taxon. Four priority taxa and 5 taxa with significant range extensions (> 100km) were found. Fifty one quadrats were established to cover the major geographical, geomorphological and floristic variation across the range. Data from 51 of these quadrats were used to define seven community types. Differences in communities were strongly correlated with soil fertility, landform and underlying geology. The communities described were not similar to those found on nearby ironstone ranges. None of the plant communities found on the Mount Forrest – Mt Richardson are currently in secure conservation reserves. INTRODUCTION section of the Illaara Greenstone Belt, which extends southwest approximately 100 km. The ranges are Regional surveys of the eastern goldfields (Milewski & characterized by strike ridges and subrounded hills, with Dell, 1992; Keighery et al. 1995) and previous studies on prominent ridges of banded iron formations and chert the Archaean ironstone and greenstone ranges in the (Chen 2004, Cassidy et al. 2006). Mt Forrest and Mt Goldfields area of the Yilgarn Craton have found patterns Richardson have the thickest unit of banded iron formation of high plant endemism and restricted plant communities and are the highest points in the belt, at 596 and 554 m (Gibson et al. 1997; Gibson & Lyons 1998a, 1998b; above sea level respectively (Stewart et al. 1983). In Gibson & Lyons 2001a, 2001b; Gibson 2004a, 2004b). addition, the banded iron formation is often intercalated More recent surveys of the banded iron formation ranges with tuffaceous mafic and ultramafic rocks (Stewart et al. of the northern Yilgarn Craton have also shown these 1983). patterns (Markey & Dillon, 2008a, 2008b; Meissner & The climate of the region is semi-desert Mediterranean Caruso, 2008a, 2008b, 2008c). These ancient ranges are with mild wet winter and hot dry summers (Beard 1990). also of significant interest for base metals and recent Mean annual rainfall at Cashmere Downs Station (ca. growth in iron ore exports to China has resulted in an 30km west of the range) is 252.9 mm, with moderate increase in exploration and mining activities on these seasonal variation over the 83 years of record (1919–2002: ranges. decile 1, 128.5 mm; decile 9, 426.9 mm). Mean rainfall This study covers the Mount Forrest - Mt Richardson is spread throughout the year, with little difference ironstone range, partly located in the proposed Ida Valley between winter and summer. The highest maximum - Mt Forrest Conservation Park, and formerly a part of temperatures occur during summer, with January as the the Bulga Downs pastoral lease. The proposed hottest month (mean maximum temperature 36 °C and Conservation Park is approximately 84 000 ha and located mean 6.2 days above 40°C). Winters are mild with lowest about 100 km southeast of Sandstone within the mean maximum temperatures recorded for July of 17.5°C. Murchison Bioregion (Interim Biogeographic Temperatures occasionally fall below 0 °C in winter (a Regionalisation of Australia - IBRA); Department of the mean 0.9 days below 0°C), with a mean minimum of 5.9° Environment and Water Resources 2004). In addition, C in July. the proposed park currently includes active exploration Floristic surveys in the eastern goldfield have leases. described the vegetation of the ironstone ranges at a very The Mount Forrest - Mount Richardson ranges occur coarse scale. Beard (1976) mapped the range, as well as on the Youanmi Terrane and are part of the northern several other ironstone ranges in the region, as shrublands of mulga and Acacia quadrimarginea scrub at a scale of 1:1 000 000. At a scale of 1:500 000, Payne et al. (1998) © The Government of Western Australia, 2009 described the Mount Forrest - Mount Richardson range 378 R. Meissner et al. as part of the Brooking Land system. This system was 2007). A total of 118 taxa were recorded in this July survey. composed mainly of ridges, hill slopes and stony plains of This study also includes an analysis of the composition of stony ironstone Mulga shrublands, composed of Acacia presence/absence data of 30 quadrats sampling all three aneura occurring with other Acacia spp. (Acacia burkittii, major landforms and reported significant compositional A. quadrimarginea, Acacia ramulosa and difference between them. The resultant ordination shows Acacia tetragonophylla) over an understorey of Eremophila the sandplain units to be distinct but the difference spp. (Eremophila forrestii and Eremophila latrobei), between the stony plains and hill and the banded ironstone Rhagodia eremaea, Scaevola spinescens and Sida ridges is less clear. calyxhymenia. The aim of the current survey was to document further Recent more detailed vegetation mapping (c. 1:35 the flora and the plant communities that occur on the 000) in the Mt Forest – Mt Richardson area covering both ironstone range of Mount Forrest and Mount Richardson the ranges and the surrounding sandplain identified a area. This was done through compiling detailed flora lists number of structural units on the three major landforms, and community descriptions based upon 51 permanently sandplain (7 units), stony plains and low hills (6 units), established quadrats on the range. This survey is part of a band ironstone ridges (4 units) and two minor units continuing series investigating the flora and vegetation of associated with drainage lines (Outback Ecology Services banded iron formation ranges across the Yilgarn. Figure 1. Location of the study area and distribution of the 51 quadrats (V) on the Mount Forrest – Mount Richardson range. Mount Forrest is the highest peak (Δ) on the range. Shaded area represents the proposed conservation park. The 500m contour is shown. Flora and vegetation of Mount Forrest–Mount Richardson Range 379 METHODS Markey and Dillon 2008a, 2008b) as surveys in semi-arid regions can occur in years with below average rainfall The methodology employed in this survey follows the resulting in a patchy distribution of annuals (e.g. Gibson standard procedure used in previous vegetation surveys & Lyons 1998a). The quadrat and species classifications of other ironstone and greenstone ranges in Western were undertaken using the Bray - Curtis coefficient Australia (Gibson and Lyons 1998a, 1998b, 2001a, followed by Flexible UPGMA (Unweighted pair-group 2001b; Gibson 2004a, 2004b; Markey and Dillon 2008 mean average; β = –0.1; Belbin 1989) clustering. The Bray a, 2008b). Fifty one 20 x 20 m quadrats were established – Curtis coefficient is commonly used in ecological studies on the crests, slopes and foot slopes of Mount Forrest - especially in presence/ absence datasets (Belbin 1989; Mount Richardson ranges in August 2006 (Figure 1). Clarke et al. 2006) while Flexible UPGMA is an effective These quadrats were established strategically in the method of recovering true group structure (Belbin & vegetation on the BIF and adjacent geologies to cover McDonald 1993). PATN uses a beta value of -0.1 in the major geographical, geomorphological and floristic Flexible UPGMA to dilate and counteract the known variation found in the study area. Each quadrat was underestimation of larger association values (Belbin 1989; permanently marked with four steel fence droppers and Belbin et al. 1992). Indicator species and species their positions determined using a GPS unit. All vascular assemblages characterising each community were plants within the quadrat are recorded and collected for determined following Dufréne and Legendre (1997) using later identification at the Western Australian Herbarium INDVAL routine in PC-ORD (McCune and Mefford (PERTH). 1999). Quadrats were ordinated using SSH (semi-strong Data on topographical position, disturbance, hybrid multidimensional scaling), a non parametric abundance, size and shape of coarse fragments on surface, approach and does not presume any underlying model of the amount of exposed bedrock, cover of leaf litter and species response gradients. Correlations of environmental bare ground were recorded following McDonald et al. variables were determined using PCC (Principal (1990). Additionally, growth form, height and cover Component Correlation) routine and significance classes were recorded for dominant taxa in each stratum determined by MCAO (Monte Carlo Attributes in (tallest, mid- and lower). The quantitative data were used Ordination) routine in PATN (Belbin 1989). PCC uses to describe the plant communities following McDonald multiple linear regressions of variables in the three et al. (1990). dimensional ordination space (Belbin 1989). Statistical Twenty soil samples were collected from the upper 10 relationships between quadrat groups were tested using cm of the soil profile within each quadrat. The soil was Kruskal-Wallis non parametric analysis of variance (Siegel bulked and the 2 mm fraction extracted using the Mehlich 1956), followed by Dunn’s Multiple