Approved Conservation Advice for Polyscia Bellendenkerensis
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This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 16/12/2008 Approved Conservation Advice (s266B of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) Approved Conservation Advice for Polyscias bellendenkerensis This Conservation Advice has been developed based on the best available information at the time this Conservation Advice was approved; this includes existing plans, records or management prescriptions for this species. Description Polyscias bellendenkerensis, Family Araliaceae, is a tall shrub or small tree growing to 4–8 m height with greyish bark. Branches are ascending to erect, branchlets initially rusty-hairy. Leaves are up to 10 cm long, crowded near the ends of branches, bipinnate (divided into leaflets arranged in opposite pairs along an axis). Leaflets are also divided and up to 4 cm long. Flowers are small, white or cream, borne on stalks in clusters which are arranged in branched inflorescences, often profuse. Fruit are up to about 0.8 cm long, 0.7 cm wide, black, egg-shaped, attached to the stalk at the narrow end. Flowering occurs in October (Elliot & Jones, 1997, p. 418). Conservation Status Polyscias bellendenkerensis is listed as vulnerable. This species is eligible for listing as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act) as, prior to the commencement of the EPBC Act, it was listed as vulnerable under Schedule 1 of the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 (Cwlth). Polyscias bellendenkerensis is also listed as rare under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Queensland). Distribution and Habitat Polyscias bellendenkerensis is known from north-east Queensland, occurring in mountain rainforest (Elliot & Jones, 1997). The Queensland Herbarium has 14 specimens of the species, collected between 1904 and 1997 from Mount Bartle Frere, Mount Bellenden Ker, Mossman Bluff and the upper reaches of Saltwater Creek, north-west of Mossman, at altitudes of 1100 to 1600 m (BRI collection records, n.d.). The population size and extent of occurrence of this species are unknown. Collecting notes for herbarium specimens record the species as common south-east of South Peak, Mount Bartle Frere, in 1997; common at the summit of Centre Peak, Mount Bellenden Ker, in 1972; and occasional at Mossman Bluff in 1989. The species has been recorded as growing in microphyll vine/fern thickets, notophyll vine forest and stunted shrublands on granite substrates (BRI collection records, n.d). It is reserved in Wooroonooran National Park (NP) and Daintree NP (BRI collection records, n.d.), within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. This species occurs within the Wet Tropics (Queensland) Natural Resource Management Region. The distribution of this species is not known to overlap with any EPBC Act-listed threatened ecological community. Threats The main potential threat to Polyscias bellendenkerensis is dieback caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi. The fungus is present and has been associated with dieback in the high altitude rainforest of Mount Bartle Frere and Mount Bellenden Ker (Worboys, 2006). The species was listed as susceptible in a monitoring study of dieback at Mount Bartle Frere (Worboys, 2006). Polyscias bellendenkerensis Conservation Advice - Page 1 of 3 This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 16/12/2008 Research Priorities Research priorities that would inform future regional and local priority actions include: Design and implement a monitoring program or, if appropriate, support and enhance existing programs. More precisely assess population size, distribution, ecological requirements and the relative impacts of threatening processes. Undertake survey work in suitable habitat and potential habitat to locate any additional populations/occurrences/remnants. Undertake seed germination and/or vegetative propagation trials to determine the requirements for successful establishment. Undertake research to assess this species’ degree of vulnerability to dieback caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi. Regional and Local Priority Actions The following regional and local priority recovery and threat abatement actions can be done to support the recovery of P. bellendenkerensis. Habitat Loss, Disturbance and Modification Monitor known populations to identify key threats. Monitor the progress of recovery, including the effectiveness of management actions and the need to adapt them if necessary. Identify populations of high conservation priority. Ensure infrastructure or development activities involving substrate or vegetation disturbance in areas where P. bellendenkerensis occurs do not adversely impact on known populations. Control access routes to suitably constrain public access to known sites on public land. Diseases, Fungi and Parasites Develop and implement suitable hygiene protocols to protect known sites from further outbreaks of dieback caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi (EA, 2001; Worboys, 2006). Conservation Information Raise awareness of P. bellendenkerensis within the local community. Educate walkers about the need to avoid spreading Phytophthora cinnamomi from walking tracks at Mount Bellenden Ker and Mount Bartle Frere (Worboys, 2006). Enable Recovery of Additional Sites and/or Populations Undertake appropriate seed collection and storage. Investigate options for linking, enhancing or establishing additional populations. Implement national translocation protocols (Vallee et al., 2004) if establishing additional populations is considered necessary and feasible. This list does not necessarily encompass all actions that may be of benefit to P. bellendenkerensis, but highlights those that are considered to be of highest priority at the time of preparing the conservation advice. Existing Plans/Management Prescriptions that are Relevant to the Species Threat Abatement Plan for Dieback Caused by the Root-Rot Fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi (EA, 2001). This prescription was current at the time of publishing; please refer to the relevant agency’s website for any updated versions. Polyscias bellendenkerensis Conservation Advice - Page 2 of 3 This Conservation Advice was approved by the Minister / Delegate of the Minister on: 16/12/2008 Information Sources: BRI Collection Records (undated), Queensland Herbarium specimens. Elliot, WR & Jones, DL 1997, Encyclopaedia of Australian Plants Suitable for Cultivation, vol. 7, Thomas C Lothian Pty Ltd, Port Melbourne. Environment Australia (EA) 2001, Threat Abatement Plan For Dieback caused by the root-rot fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi, Environment Australia, viewed 9 July 2008, <http://www.environment.gov.au/ biodiversity/threatened/publications/tap/phytophthora/pubs/phytophthora.pdf>. Vallee, L, Hogbin, T, Monks, L, Makinson, B, Matthes, M & Rossetto, M 2004, Guidelines for the Translocation of Threatened Plants in Australia (2nd ed.), Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Canberra. Worboys, SJ 2006, Rainforest Dieback Mapping and Assessment: 2004 Monitoring Report Including an Assessment of Dieback in High Altitude Rainforests, Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management, Rainforest CRC, Cairns. Polyscias bellendenkerensis Conservation Advice - Page 3 of 3 .