Edith Cowan University Research Online ECU Publications Pre. 2011 2001 Wetland vegetation monitoring, 2000/2001 (Salinity Action Plan) B. Franke R. Gurner R. Froend Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks Part of the Environmental Sciences Commons Franke, B., Gurner, R., & Froend, R. (2001). Wetland vegetation monitoring, 2000/2001 (Salinity Action Plan). Perth, Australia: Edith Cowan University. This Report is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ecuworks/7084 Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. Where the reproduction of such material is done without attribution of authorship, with false attribution of authorship or the authorship is treated in a derogatory manner, this may be a breach of the author’s moral rights contained in Part IX of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Courts have the power to impose a wide range of civil and criminal sanctions for infringement of copyright, infringement of moral rights and other offences under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Higher penalties may apply, and higher damages may be awarded, for offences and infringements involving the conversion of material into digital or electronic form. Report No 2001 - 07 Title Wetland Vegetation Monitoring 2000/2001 (Salinity Action Plan) Prepared for the Department of Conservation and Land Management By B. Franke, R. Gurner and R. Frocnd Salinity Action Plan. Wetland Vegetation Monitoring 2000/2001 I TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables iii 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Objectives 1 1.2 Scope and Approach 1 1.3 Outcomes 3 2.0 METHODS 4 2,1 TRANSECT SITB SELECTlON 4 l 2.2 TRANSECT DESJGN 4 2.3 VEGETATION MONITORING 4 2.3.1 Tree Species 4 ( 2.3.2 Understorey Species 5 2.4 PHYSICO-CHEMJCAL PARAMETERS 6 I 3.0 RESULTS 7 3.1 LAKEBRYDE 7 3.1.1 Description 7 3.1.2 Plant Communities 7 3.1. 3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 7 3.1.4 Soil Characteristics 8 3.1.5 Summary 8 3.2 COOMALBIDGUP SWAMP 17 3.2.1 Description 17 3.2.2 Plant Conununities 17 3.2.3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 17 3.2.4 Soil Characteristics 18 3.2.5 Summary 18 3,3 LAKE COYRECUP 25 3.3.1 Description 25 3.3.2 Plant Communities 25 3.3.3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 25 3.3.4 Soil Characteristics 27 3.3.5 Swnruary 27 3.4 LAKE KULIKUP 35 3.1.1 Description 35 3.1.2 Plant Communities 35 3.1.3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 35 3.1.4 Soil Characteristics 36 3.1.5 Summary 36 3.5 LAKE NOOBUUP 44 3.5.1 Description 44 3.5.2 Plant Communities 44 3.5.3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 44 3.5.4 Soil Characteristics 46 3.5.5 Summary 46 Salinity Action Plan. Wetland Vegetation Mon.itoring 2000/2001 ii I 3.6 LAKE TOOLIBIN 59 3.6.1 Description 59 3.6.2 Plant Communities 59 I 3.6.3 Popu1ation Structure and Tree Vigour 59 3.6.4 Soil Characteristics 60 3.6.5 Summary 60 3.7 LAKE TOWERRJNNING 64 3.7.1 Description 64 3.7.2 Plant Communities 64 3.7.3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 64 3.7.4 Soil Characteristics 65 I 3.7.5 Summary 65 3.8 LAKE WHEATFIELD 68 3.8. 1 Description 68 I 3.8.2 Plant Communities 68 3.8.3 Population Structure and Tree Vigour 68 3.8.4 Soil Characteristics 69 l 3.8.5 Summary 69 4.0 REFERENCES 76 5.0 APPENDICES 78 Appendix 1 EM38 Soil Conductivity Data (mS/cm) and Soil Field Assessments. Appendix2 Transect Overstorey Data Appendix 3 Transect Understorey Data Appendix 4 Understorey Species and Percentage Cover Comparisons, 1997 and 2000 Salinity Action Plan. Wetland Vegetation Monitoring 2000/2001 iii LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure 2.1 Transect Design 4 Figure 2.2 Crown Assessment Procedure Diagrams (Ladd, 1996) 5 Table 3.1.1 Summary of Tree Data for Lake Bryde7 Table 3.1.2 A Brief Summary of Changes to tb.e Understorey at Lake Bryde Transects s Figure 3.1.1 Size Class Distributions for Eucalyptusflocktoniae. Eucalyptus occidentalis, Eucalyptus kondininensis, Melaleuca strobophylla, Melaleuca lateriflora subsp. lateriflora and Melaleuca halmaturorum at Lake Bryde 9 Figure 3.1.2a Species Distribution along Bryde Transect 1 in 1997 and 2000 12 Figure 3.l.2b Species Distribution along Bryde Transect 2 in 1997 and 2000 13 Figure 3.1.2c Species D istribution along Bryde Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000 14 I Figure 3.1.2d Species Distribution along Bryde Transect 4 in 1997 and 2000 15 Table 3.2.l Summary of Tree Data for Coomalbidgup Swamp 17 [ Table 3.2.2 A Brief Summary of Changes to the Undcrstorey at Coomalbidgup Swamp Transects 18 Figure 3.2.l Size Class Distributions for Banksia speciosa, Eucalyptus occidentalis, Me/aleuca cuticularis and Acacia cyclops at Coomalbidgup Swamp 19 Figure 3.2.1a Species Distribution along Coomalbidgup Transect 1 in 1997 and 2000. 21 Figure 3.2.1b Species Distribution along Coomalbidgup TTansect 2 in 1997 and 2000. 22 Figure 3.2.2c Species Distribution along Coomalbidgup Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000. 23 Figure 3.2.2d Species Distribution along Coomalbidgup Transect 4 in 1997 and 2000. 24 Table3.3.l Summary of Tree Data for Lake Coyrecup 26 Table 3.3.2 A Brief Summary of Changes to the Understorey at Lake Coyrecup Transects 26 r Figure 3.3.l Size Class Distributions ofAllocasuarina huegeliana, Eucalyptus occidentalis, Acacia acuminata, Eucalyptus loxophleba, Casuarina obesa, Melaleuca strobophylla, Melaleuca acuminata, Melaleuca halmaturorum and Melaleuca adenostyla for Coyrecup Lake. 27 Figure 3.3.2a Species Distribution along Coyrecup Transect 1 in 1997 and 2000. 32 Figure 3.3.2b Species Distribution along Coyrecup Transect 2 in 1997 and 2000. 33 Figure 3.3.2c Species Distribution along Coyrecup Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000. 33 Figure 3.3.2d Species Distribution along Coyrecup Transect 4 in }997 and 2000. 34 Figure 3.3.2e Species Distribution along Coyrecup Transect 5 in 1997 and 2000. 34 Table 3.4.1 Summary of Tree Data for Lake Kulikup 35 Table 3.4.2 A Brief Summary of Changes to the Understorey at Lake Kulikup Transects 36 Figure 3.4.1 Size Class Distributions ofE. wandoo, E. decipiens, M. rhaphwpltylla and M cuticularis for Lake Kulilcup. 37 Figure 3.4.2a Species Distribution along Kulikup Transect 1 in 1997 and 2000. 39 Figure 3.4.2b Species Distnbution along KuJikup Transect 2 in 1997 and 2000. 39 Figure 3.4.2c Species Distribution along Kulikup Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000. 41 Figure 3.4.2d Species Distribution along Kulikup TTansect 4 in 1997 and 2000. 43 Table 3.5.1 Summary of Tree Data for Lake Noobijup 44 Table 3.5.2 A Brief Summary of Clianges to the Understorey at Lake Noobijup Transects 45 Figure 3.5.1 Corymbia calophylla, Ellcalyptus marginata, Melaleuca rhaphiophylla, Banksia littoralis and Viminaria jtmcea 47 Figure 3.S.2a Species Distribution along Noobijup Transect 1 in 1997 and 2000. 49 Figure 3.S.2b Species Distribution along Noobijup Transect 2 in 1997 and 2000. 50 Figure 3.S.2c Species Distribution along Noobijup Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000. 52 Figure 3.5.2d Species Distribution along Noobijup Transect 4 in 1997 and 2000. 54 Figure 3.5.2e Species Distribution along Noobijup Transect 5 in 1997 and 2000. 56 Table 3.6.1 Summary of Tree Data for Lake Toolibin 59 Table3.6.2 A Brief Summary of Changes to the Understorey at Lake Toolibin Transects 60 Figure 3.6.1 Size Class Distributions of Melaleuca strobophylla and Casuarina obesa at Lake Toolibin 61 Salinity Action Plan. Wetland Vegetation Monitoring 2000/2001 Iv I List of Fi.gores and-Tables cont. Figure 3.6.2a Species Distribution along Toolibin Transect 1 in 1997 aud 2000. 62 Figure 3.6.2b Species Distribution along Toolibin Transect 2 in 1997 and 2000. 62 Figure 3.6.lc Species Distribution along Toolibin Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000. 62 Figure 3.6.ld Species Distribution along Toolibin Transect 4 in 1997 and 2000. 63 Table3.7.1 Summary of Tree Data for Lake Towerrinning 64 Table 3.7.2 A Brief Sununary of Changes to the Understorey at Lake Towerrinning Transects 65 Figure 3.7.1 Size Class Distributions of Eucalyptus rudis and Melaleuca rhaphiophylla for Lake Towerrinning 66 Figure 3.7.2a Species Distribution along Towerrinning Transect 1 in 1997 and 2000. 67 Figure 3. 7 .2b Species Distribution along Towerrinning Transect 2 in 1997 and 2000. 67 Figure 3.7.lc Species Distribution along Towerrinning Transect 3 in 1997 and 2000. 67 Table 3.8.1 Summary of Tree Data for Lake Wheatfield 68 Table3.8.2 A Brief Summary of Changes to the Understorey at Lake Wheatfield Transects 69 l Figure 3.8.1 Size Class Distributions of Me/aleuca cuticularis, Banksia speciosa, Eucalyphl.S sp. 1 (E. i11crassata?J, Spyridium globulosum and Melaleuca I brevifolia at Lake Wheatfield.