3 The Floristic Values of Wetlands in the Highlands and Strathbogie Ranges F. Coates, A. Tolsma, S. Cutler and M. Fletcher 2010 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Arthur Rylah Institute Flora, Fauna & Freshwater Research Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research The floristic values of wetlands in the Highlands and Strathbogie Ranges 1Fiona Coates, 1Arn Tolsma, 2Sera Cutler and 3Michael Fletcher 1Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 2School of Botany, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083 3School of Resource Management and Geography, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3052 April 2010 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Sustainability and Environment Heidelberg, Victoria The floristic values of wetlands in the Highlands and Strathbogie Ranges Report produced by: Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Department of Sustainability and Environment PO Box 137 Heidelberg, Victoria 3084 Phone (03) 9450 8600 Website: www.dse.vic.gov.au/ari © State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment 2010 This publication is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced, copied, transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical or graphic) without the prior written permission of the State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment. All requests and enquires should be directed to the Customer Service Centre, 136 186 or email [email protected] Citation: Coates, F., Tolsma, A., Cutler, S. and Fletcher, M. (2010). The floristic values of wetlands in the Highlands and Strathbogie Ranges. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria ISBN 978-1-74242-531-3 (online) Disclaimer: This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Front cover photo: Eucalyptus camphora Swamp Woodland, S. McAlpin property, Highlands (Sera Cutler). Authorised by: Victorian Government, Melbourne Contents List of tables and figures................................................................................................................. vi Acknowledgements........................................................................................................................ viii Summary............................................................................................................................................1 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................2 1.1 Current land uses and threats .....................................................................................................3 1.2 Aims and scope..........................................................................................................................3 2 Methods .......................................................................................................................................4 2.1 Study area ..................................................................................................................................4 2.1.1 Economic and social characteristics..........................................................................4 2.1.2 Physical environment ................................................................................................4 2.1.3 Vegetation .................................................................................................................5 2.1.4 Use of existing information.......................................................................................5 2.1.5 Definition...................................................................................................................6 2.1.6 Consultation...............................................................................................................5 2.2 Floristic composition .................................................................................................................6 2.2.1 Site selection..............................................................................................................6 2.2.2 Data collection...........................................................................................................7 2.2.3 Analytical methods — quadrat survey ......................................................................9 2.3 Mapping.....................................................................................................................................9 2.4 Current condition .....................................................................................................................11 2.4.1 Analytical methods – condition...............................................................................11 2.5 Current and future threats ........................................................................................................12 2.5.1 Vegetation ...............................................................................................................12 2.6 Management.............................................................................................................................12 2.7 Study limitations......................................................................................................................12 3 Results and Discussion..............................................................................................................14 3.1 3.1 Floristic composition .........................................................................................................14 3.1.1 Representativeness ..................................................................................................14 3.1.2 Site morphology ......................................................................................................15 3.1.3 Stratigraphy and soils ..............................................................................................15 3.1.4 Rare or threatened species.......................................................................................19 3.1.5 Vegetation communities..........................................................................................20 3.1.6 Vegetation group descriptions.................................................................................21 3.1.7 Key to groups ..........................................................................................................27 3.2 Mapping...................................................................................................................................29 3.2.1 Site scale..................................................................................................................30 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research iii The floristic values of wetlands in the Highlands and Strathbogie Ranges 3.2.2 Study area scale .......................................................................................................31 3.3 Condition .................................................................................................................................33 3.4 Current and potential threats....................................................................................................36 3.4.1 Habitat destruction and degradation........................................................................36 3.4.2 Dysfunction of physical and biological processes...................................................39 3.4.3 Changes to disturbance regimes ..............................................................................41 3.5 Current management................................................................................................................43 4. Management recommendations..............................................................................................46 4.1 Principal recommendations......................................................................................................46 4.1.1 Stock and fencing ....................................................................................................46 4.2 Secondary management recommendations..............................................................................49 4.2.1 Loss of species diversity or richness .......................................................................49 4.2.2 Weeds ......................................................................................................................49 4.2.3 Earthworks...............................................................................................................49 4.2.4 Reduction in wetland area resulting in fragmentation.............................................49 4.2.5 Degradation or clearing of buffers: .........................................................................49 4.2.6 Frequency and degree of inundation .......................................................................49 4.3 Future investigations and knowledge gaps ..............................................................................49