Mesa H Level 2 Fauna Assessment May 2016 Prepared for Robe River Mining Co. Pty Ltd Report Reference: 14269-16-BISR-3Rev0_170726 This page has been left blank intentionally Mesa H Level 2 Fauna Assessment Prepared for Robe River Mining Co. Pty Ltd Job Number: 14269-16 Reference: 14269-16-BISR-3Rev0_170726 Revision Status Rev Date Description Author(s) Reviewer J. Trainer A 15/08/2016 Draft Issued for Client Review J. Oates R. Archibald D. Harms J. Trainer B 16/02/2017 Draft Issued for Client Review R. Archibald D. Harms J. Trainer 0 26/07/2017 Final Issued for Information R. Archibald D. Harms Approval Rev Date Issued to Authorised by Name Signature A 15/08/2016 P. Royce S. Pearse B 16/02/2017 M. Brand S. Pearse 0 26/07/2017 M. Brand S. Pearse © Copyright 2017 Astron Environmental Services Pty Ltd. All rights reserved. This document and information contained in it has been prepared by Astron Environmental Services under the terms and conditions of its contract with its client. The report is for the clients use only and may not be used, exploited, copied, duplicated or reproduced in any form or medium whatsoever without the prior written permission of Astron Environmental Services or its client. Robe River Mining Co. Pty Ltd Mesa H – Level 2 Fauna Assessment, May 2016 Abbreviations Abbreviation Definition ANOSIM Analysis of Similarity Bat Call WA Bat Call WA Pty Ltd Biota Biota Environmental Sciences BOM Bureau of Meteorology DEC Department of Environment and Conservation (now DER and Parks and Wildlife) EN Endangered EPA Environmental Protection Authority (State) EPBC Act Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth) ESA Environmentally Sensitive Areas GDA94 Geocentric Datum of Australia 1994 IBRA Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia Mi Migratory MNES Matters of National Environmental Significance (under the EPBC Act) Parks and Wildlife Department of Parks and Wildlife (State) PEC Priority Ecological Community sp. Species (singular) SRE Short Range Endemic TEC Threatened Ecological Community The ‘survey area’ Mesa H survey area (4,930 ha) VU Vulnerable WA Western Australia WC Act Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (State) WAM Western Australian Museum Page | ii Robe River Mining Co. Pty Ltd Mesa H – Level 2 Fauna Assessment, May 2016 Executive Summary Rio Tinto on behalf of Robe River Mining Co. Pty. Ltd is evaluating the potential development of the Mesa H deposit located adjacent to the Mesa J Operation and approximately 13 kilometres to the south-west of the town of Pannawonica. Astron Environmental Services has been commissioned to undertake a two-phase Level 2 vertebrate and Short Range Endemic invertebrate fauna assessment in the Mesa H survey area which is approximately 4,930 hectares in size. Vertebrate Fauna Seven broad fauna habitat types were recorded in the survey area: Riverine, Drainage Line, Gorge, Breakaway, Rocky Hills, Low Hills and Slopes, and Loamy/Stony Plain. Areas of disturbed habitat were prevalent in the Low Slopes and Hills habitats on the top of Mesa H and the Loamy/Stony Plains habitat in the form of drill pads and associated tracks. The Gorge, Riverine and Breakaway habitats in the survey area are considered important for fauna due to the microhabitats they provide such as caves and water pools. The Gorges and Breakaways in particular contain a high diversity of microhabitats; it represents an important site of refuge due to its location close to the Robe River and as habitat for conservation listed fauna. There were 169 vertebrate fauna species recorded within the survey area, including two amphibian species, 55 reptile species, 85 bird species and 27 mammal species (including four introduced species). The faunal assemblage recorded is considered typical of the Hamersley Range subregion extending from near Pannawonica to Mt Brockman. Eight conservation listed fauna species have been recorded in the survey area: Pilbara Olive Python (VU; S3) (Liasis olivaceus barroni), Northern Quoll (EN; S2) (Dasyurus hallucatus), Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat (VU; S3) (Rhinonicteris aurantia), Ghost Bat (VU; S3) (Macroderma gigas), Rainbow Bee-eater (Mi; S5) (Merops ornatus), Eastern Great Egret (Mi; S5) (Ardea modesta), Lined Soil-crevice Skink (P4) (Notoscincus butleri) and Western Pebble-mound Mouse (P4) (Pseudomys chapmani). Four of the eight recorded conservation listed species are classified under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act 1999 as ‘Matters of National Environmental Significance’ species: the Pilbara Olive Python; Northern Quoll; Ghost Bat; and Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat. A single juvenile Pilbara Olive Python was recorded within the Riverine habitat and two Pilbara Olive Python scats were recorded within the Breakaway habitat type of the survey area. The Northern Quoll was recorded 27 separate times during the survey comprising: six capture records; 19 remote camera location records; and from two scats within the Breakaway, Riverine and Gorge habitat types. The Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat was recorded at eight of the 14 SM2 bat detector locations, all at low activity levels apart from BAT 14 (located in the mouth of a Gorge) which recorded 257 calls. Further data and analysis of the BAT 14 sites suggests that the Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bats likely originated from a known roost site approximately 10 kilometres south of the survey area. No diurnal or maternal roost sites suitable for the Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat were recorded in the survey area. The Ghost Bat was recorded twice through scat collections and acoustic recordings. Seven caves were previously identified in the 2014 survey of Mesa H and were deemed potential day roosts due to their size, complexity and the presence of Ghost Bats and/or scats. The results from the survey suggest that the survey area supports a diverse and representative vertebrate fauna assemblage with a varied array of microhabitats for fauna species to exploit. The microhabitats of the Gorge, Riverine and Breakaway habitat types contain ecological features important to conservation listed fauna such as the Pilbara Olive Python, Northern Quoll, Ghost Bat and Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bat. Page | iii Robe River Mining Co. Pty Ltd Mesa H – Level 2 Fauna Assessment, May 2016 Short Range Endemic Invertebrate Fauna The fauna habitats most suited to Short Range Endemic species, namely the Breakaway, Gorge and Riverine habitats, did not support rich Short Range Endemic communities. Conversely, the Loamy/Stony Plains habitat supported some Short Range Endemic species but this habitat type is widespread and has little prospect to restrict dispersal in Short Range Endemic fauna. Prospective Short Range Endemic habitats within the survey area are not restricted at the local, sub-regional or regional scale. A total of 36 specimens belonging to at least 14 invertebrate morphospecies were collected from the survey area. Scorpions were the most diverse group with six species and 12 specimens, followed by slaters (three species; 16 specimens), pseudoscorpions (two species; four specimens) and spiders (three species; four specimens). No centipedes, harvestmen, millipedes or snail specimens (aquatic or terrestrial) were collected during the current survey. No listed invertebrate species were collected during the survey. Based on these results, nine of the species (64%) were not considered to be, or are unlikely to be, Short Range Endemics. No confirmed Short Range Endemic species were collected; however, five species (36%) were classified as potential Short Range Endemic species, principally in the scorpion (two species), spider (two species) and slater (one species) faunas. These species are: • slaters – Buddelundia ‘61’ • scorpions – Lychas ‘sp. nov. 1’ and Lychas ‘sp. nov. 2’ • spiders – Karaops feedtime and Karaops sp. indet. The identity and distribution of these potential Short Range Endemic species is uncertain, primarily due to a lack of taxonomic resolution. Some of the potential Short Range Endemic species are likely to be more widespread but remain poorly documented. Molecular analyses were undertaken on the arachnid specimens because they were either juvenile specimens or from complex family groups that have a cryptic morphology. The four potential Short Range Endemic arachnid species were identified using genetic data and are classified as potential Short Range Endemics in the Western Australian Museum sub-category ‘Molecular Evidence’. The potential Short Range Endemic slater species was identified using morphology and was classified as a potential Short Range Endemic in the sub-category ‘Data deficient’. Page | iv Robe River Mining Co. Pty Ltd Mesa H – Level 2 Fauna Assessment, May 2016 Table of Contents 1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Project Background ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Scope and Objectives .................................................................................................. 1 2 Environmental Context .................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................. 5 2.1.1 Climate ........................................................................................................................ 5 2.1.2 Geology and Soils .......................................................................................................
Details
-
File Typepdf
-
Upload Time-
-
Content LanguagesEnglish
-
Upload UserAnonymous/Not logged-in
-
File Pages82 Page
-
File Size-