A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE MURRAY MALLEE SOUTH AUSTRALIA Editors J. N. Foulkes J. S. Gillen Biological Survey and Research Section Heritage and Biodiversity Division Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia 2000 The Biological Survey of the Murray Mallee, South Australia was carried out with the assistance of funds made available by the Commonwealth of Australia under the National Estate Grants Programs and the State Government of South Australia. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the Australian Heritage Commission or the State Government of South Australia. This report may be cited as: Foulkes, J. N. and Gillen, J. S. (Eds.) (2000). A Biological Survey of the Murray Mallee, South Australia (Biological Survey and Research, Department for Environment and Heritage and Geographic Analysis and Research Unit, Department for Transport, Urban Planning and the Arts). Copies of the report may be accessed in the library: Environment Australia Department for Human Services, Housing, GPO Box 636 or Environment and Planning Library CANBERRA ACT 2601 1st Floor, Roma Mitchell House 136 North Terrace, ADELAIDE SA 5000 EDITORS J. N. Foulkes and J. S. Gillen Biological Survey and Research Section, Heritage and Biodiversity Branch, Department for Environment and Heritage, GPO Box 1047 ADELAIDE SA 5001 AUTHORS D. M. Armstrong, J. N. Foulkes, Biological Survey and Research Section, Heritage and Biodiversity Branch, Department for Environment and Heritage, GPO Box 1047 ADELAIDE SA 5001. S. Carruthers, F. Smith, S. Kinnear, Geographic Analysis and Research Unit, Planning SA, Department for Transport, Urban Planning and the Arts, GPO Box 1815, ADELAIDE SA 5001. J. S. Gillen, Environment Australia, PO Box 119, YULARA NT 0872. P. Rogers, Department of Primary Industries SA, Geological Survey Branch, GPO Box 1671, ADELAIDE SA 5001. GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) ANALYSIS AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Vegetation Component: Geographic Analysis and Research Unit, Planning SA, Department for Transport, Urban Planning and the Arts. Fauna Component: Biological Survey and Research, Heritage and Biodiversity Branch, Department for Environment and Heritage. COVER DESIGN Public Communications and Visitor Services, Department for Environment and Heritage. PRINTED BY Endeavour Press, Adelaide © Department for Environment Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs 2000. ISBN 0 7308 5872 0 Cover Photograph: Golden Pennants (Glischrocaryon behrii) under Narrow-leafed Red Mallee (Eucalyptus leptophylla) in Scorpion Springs Conservation Park. Photo: A. Robinson. ii Murray Mallee Biological Survey ABSTRACT A vegetation survey was carried out in the Murray Mallee in 1990 which sampled 678 quadrats. This was followed by a vertebrate survey in October-November 1991 that sampled a sub-set of 173 quadrats. These sites aimed to sample representative areas of all the remaining natural vegetation in the area in proportion to the broad habitat variability of the total area. In addition, at least one sampling site was located in all of the 17 reserves under the National Parks and Wildlife Act in the study area. The total number of records contributed to the Biological Survey Database as a result of this survey were: 20974 plants, 25 amphibians, 1551 reptiles, 5406 birds and 796 mammals. A combined analysis of the plant quadrat data with Victorian plant data resulted in the description of 60 PATN floristic groups of which 35 occurred in South Australia. Using this analysis as a basis, a vegetation map of the Murray Mallee was produced comprising 37 regional plant communities based on the dominant upper-storey plant. Within these 37 regional communities, 129 detailed communities have been identified and mapped. Because of the low number of mammal species remaining in the Murray Mallee, PATN analyses were not undertaken. PATN analyses on reptile and bird tended to show clear patterning, however some groups were poorly defined. The reptile analysis resulted in the recognition of five communities with definite habitat preferences for species defined. Similarly, five bird communities were recognised, some of which appeared to have more ecological integrity than others. Of seventy-nine reptile species known from the area, fifty five species were recorded during the Murray Mallee Survey. Populations of the Carpet Python, Common Bandy-bandy and Bardick are significant for the overall conservation of these species. There were four species of amphibians recorded during the survey. One hundred and sixty eight of the two hundred and fifty-seven species of birds were recorded from the study area during the survey. Eight exotic species were recorded from quadrats during the survey. Bird species of conservation significance include: Malleefowl, Regent Parrot, Mallee Emu-wren and Bush Stone Curlew. The Murray Mallee Survey recorded 31 extant mammal species of the 66 recorded from the area. Nine of the 31 species were exotic. Native terrestrial mammal captures and observations were low, even of species perceived as common. This raises some serious concerns for the long-term survival of small mammal communities in the Murray Mallee. iii The striking blue flowers of the Rough Halgania (Halgania cyanea) are a feature of many parts of the Murray Mallee in spring. Photo. D. Krahenbuehl. Accumulated bark around the base of a long unburnt mallee tree in Ferries McDonald Conservation Park. Photo. A. Robinson. iv Murray Mallee Biological Survey CONTENTS ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………iii. LIST OF FIGURES …………………………………………………………………………………………………...vii. LIST OF TABLES …………………………………………………………………………………………….………XI. LIST OF APPENDICES ………………………………………………...…………………………………………..xiii. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………………………………………………………..xv. INTRODUCTION ……...............................................................................................................………..…...........1 CLIMATE ...….....................................................................................................………..............…................9 GEOLOGY AND GEOMORPHOLOGY ..….......................................................................……….…...........11 LAND-USE HISTORY .................…...................................................................………....….......................19 Aboriginal History ...........................................................................................………...…..................19 European History ..............................................................................................…………....................20 Conservation ....................................................................................................………..…...................23 METHODS ....………..........................................................................................................……...….....................27 SITE SELECTION AND NOMENCLATURE ....….......................................................……........................27 VEGETATION SURVEY ...…….......…………..............................….......................…….............…............27 FAUNA SURVEY ...................................…….……........................................................…….......…...........28 Photographic Monitoring Points ……......…………………………………………………………….30 Data Management and Taxonomy …..………………………………………………………………..30 Data Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………..30 Vegetation Mapping ………………………………………………………………………………...31 RESULTS ………..................................................................................................…….................35 VEGETATION ...........................................................................................................…….............................35 Significant Species . ......................................................................................….................................38 Floristic Analysis ................................................................................................….................... ......42 VEGETATION MAPPING ......................................................................................…................................143 Major Mapping Units ........................................................................................................….............143 Detailed Floristic Descriptions ....................................................................................…...................145 Structural Vegetation Groups ....................................................................................….....................152 Comparison With Other Vegetation Mapping ........................................................….......................152 MAMMALS Introduction ......................................................................................................................….............157 Total Species ....................................................................................................................….............157 Species of Particular Interest ................................................................................................….........160 Discussion .........................................................................................................................................168 REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS Introduction .............................................................................................................................…......173