Vegetation
Twenty four plant communities were recorded in the Aviva survey area, comprising five heath
communities, eight Proteaceae and Myrtaceae-dominated communities, eight Eucalypt communities
and two chenopod communities (Figures 1 and 2. Some communities such as T1 and T4 had higher
species richness than other communities (Appendix E). This is due to a higher number of sampling
points occurring in these communities due to their spatial extents (Table 4).
All of the defined communities are represented in either the Tathra or Eridoon vegetation systems
(Beard 1979). Comparison of Pre – European vegetation extents of these vegetation systems with the
direct impact of the projects and formal conservation reserves shows that the impact on the Eridoon
vegetation system will be greater than the Tathra system (Table 5). This is expected as the extent of the
Tathra vegetation system is greater (Table 5). Although Pre – European extents may not give an
accurate indication of the complete impact of the Projects, it will accurately describe what percentage is
currently in Conservation Estate and provides a conservative estimate of the impact of the proposals.
Apart from the greater impact on the Eridoon systems, the amount that is in Conservation Estate is
much greater than what will be affected. However, these figures should be compared with already
approved projects to assess the impact at a regional level.
Table 5:
Summary of the direct impact of the proposals on Pre – European Extents of
Vegetation Systems
Vegetation
system
Total Pre - European
extents (ha)
Pre – European (% impacted)
Held in Conservation
Estate (%)
CWC
CPP
TATHRA
396178
0.222
0.046
3.49
ERIDOON
91283
0.896
0.328
14.94
The community type T1 is considered to be regionally significant as it contains two rare taxa,
Tetratheca nephelioides and Eucalyptus crispata. Community types E1, E2, E4, E6, H1, H2, H3, H5,
and T2 are considered to be locally significant as they contain Priority Flora (Environmental Protection
Authority 2004), while communities E5 and S1 are locally significant as the proposals clear a
significant amount of their known local area. The level of community reservation can be inferred from
the regional vegetation system data.
20.
URS0808/195/08
M
ATTISKE
C
ONSULTING
P
TY
L
TD
Potential TEC
The H1 heath community included pockets of lateritic rises, and therefore has some species in common
with the only known Threatened Ecological Community in the Eneabba area, the Ferricrete Floristic
Community - Rocky Springs type. Community 72 Ferricrete Floristic Community is listed as
Vulnerable by the Department of Environment and Conservation (2006). This Threatened Ecological
Community is not currently listed under the Commonwealth EPBC Act (1999). On the basis of database
search and a comparison with regional datasets (Department of Environment and Conservation 2009a),
the majority of the flora recorded on the Rocky Springs Ferricrete communities are represented either
on the northern Swan Coastal Plain or in the adjacent regions. Twenty-nine of the sixty taxa recorded
within the local TEC Ferricrete Community (Hamilton-Brown et al. 2004) were recorded within the
survey area. The majority of these species occur more widely, and therefore the significance of the
latter is difficult to assess in view of the lack of regional studies on the Rocky Springs TEC. The project
as proposed does not impact directly on the Rocky Springs TEC.
As indicated earlier in this report there appears to be debate over the extent and definition of the Rocky
springs ferricrete TEC. The latter results from a lack of regional assessments and a clear understanding
of the relationships between ferricrete layers and floristic data. The local findings indicate that the
exposed ferricrete is not at the location as specified through the Department of Environment and
Conservation (2006) database and that the ferricrete layer extends under large sections of the systems
within the coastal plains. Therefore the whole question about the significance of the TEC remains open
to debate until the TEC is better defined in composition and spatial extent. Meanwhile the data as
collated on the flora and plant/soil relationships indicate that there are no species within the TEC that
are restricted to the TEC and therefore the risk of any indirect impacts remains low. This low risk is
further substantiated by the dominance of flora species in the range of communities within the Aviva
project area that are reliant on rainfall rather than groundwater.
Groundwater Dependent Communities
In reviewing the lifeforms of the other plants within the communities on the Aviva project area, it is
apparent that the majority of plants are dependent on soil moisture from rainfall events and that the
majority of the plant species are herbs or small shrubs that will have shorter root systems. This
relationship can then be expanded to their dominance within the respective plant communities. The
heath and scrub (H2 and T1) communities that dominate the communities on the project area are largely
dominated by shallow rooted species or shrubs that are primarily reliant on the soil moisture levels
being maintained from rainfall events. These heath and scrub communities also dominate the south-
eastern corner of the Lake Indoon Nature Reserve which may be impacted through the temporary
lowering of groundwater levels. The Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa woodlands around Lake
Indoon have already been subjected to various periods of drought and despite some stress in the trees
have survived these periods.
Conclusions
A number of issues will require consideration if one or both projects are to go ahead. These include, but
are not limited to the following;
•
Risks posed to Tetratheca nephelioides as a species by the current infrastructure route
associated with the Coolimba Power Station Project.
•
Risks posed to community types, particularly T1, at a regional scale
•
Risks posed to other Priority Flora, particularly Calytrix purpurea (P2), Acacia flabellifolia
(P3), and Calytrix eneabbensis (P4) in the Central West Coal Project as these taxa are locally
uncommon or range extensions.
•
Effect of indirect impacts such as emissions, weeds, too frequent fires and Phytophthora
Dieback on surrounding vegetation, particularly Priority and Rare Flora.
•
Potential indirect impacts from groundwater changes during the mining operations.
21.
URS0808/195/08
M
ATTISKE
C
ONSULTING
P
TY
L
TD
7.
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
The following personnel of Mattiske Consulting Pty Ltd have been involved with this project:
Principal Ecologist:
Dr E. M. Mattiske
Experienced Botanists:
Dr C. Hancock
Mrs L. Cobb
Mrs. B. Koch
Botanists:
Mr D. Rathbone
Ms B. Taylor
Mr A. Ruschmann
Mr. D. Marsh
Mr. M. Boardman
Ms S. Robinson
Ms F. de Wit
Ms. M. Van Wees
Mr. R. Burrows
Mr. A. Robinson
Ms S. Thomson
Ms F. Smith
Mr S. Reiffer
8.
REFERENCES
Agriculture and Related Resources Protection Act 1976 [WA]
Beard, J.S. (1979)
The vegetation of Dongara, Western Australia. Map and explanatory memoir. 1:250 000
series. Vegmap Publications. Perth
Beard, J.S. (1980)
A New Phytogeographic Map of Western Australia. Western Australian Herbarium Notes
Number 3: 37-58.
Beard, J.S. (1981)
Vegetation Survey of Western Australia. Swan. Map and Explanatory Notes, Sheet 7,
1:1,000,000 Series, University of Western Australia Press, Perth.
Beard, J.S. (1990)
Plant Life of Western Australia. Kangaroo Press Pty Ltd, Kenthurst, N.S.W.
Blackall, William E. Grieve, Brian J. (1982).
How to know Western Australian wildflowers : a key to the flora of the extratropical regions of
Western Australia. Part 4. University of Western Australia Press. Nedlands, W.A.
Brown A. Thomson-Dans C., Marchant N. eds (1998)
Western Australia’s Threatened Flora Department of Conservation and Land Management,
Como, Western Australia
Butcher R. (2007)
New taxa of ‘leafless’ Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae, formerly Tremandraceae) from Western
Australia. Australian Systematic Botany. 20(2) 139–160.
22.
URS0808/195/08
M
ATTISKE
C
ONSULTING
P
TY
L
TD
Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology (2008)
Climate statistics for Australian locations, Eneabba. Accessed from:
://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_008225.shtml
accessed on : 24 th January
2008
Crisp, M.D. (1982)
Daviesia spiralis and D. debilior (Leguminosae: Papilionoideae), two new species occurring in
the Wongan Hills, Western Australia. Nuytsia. 9: 9-16.
Department of Agriculture and Food (2008)
Declared Plants List.
http://agspsrv95.agric.wa.gov.au/dps/version02/01_plantsearch.asp
Department of Environment and Conservation (2006)
List of Threatened Ecological Communities on the Department of Environment and
Conservation’s Threatened Ecological Community (TEC) Database endorsed by the Minister
for the Environment
http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,1/gid,2800/task,doc_downl
oad/
Department of Environment and Conservation (2009a)
Max Version 2.1.1.129. Department of Environment and Conservation.
Department of Environment and Conservation (2009b)
Definitions, Categories and Criteria for Threatened and Priority Ecological Communities
://www.dec.wa.gov.au/component/option,com_docman/Itemid,/gid,402/task,doc_download/
Department of Environment and Conservation (2009)
Priority Ecological Communities Listing . Listing supplied by Department of Environment
and Conservation, August 2008.
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2004)
Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) v 6.1 Canberra ACT
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2008)
Approved Conservation Advice for Eucalyptus johnsoniana (Johnson’s Mallee). Accessed from
://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/14516-conservation-
advice.pdf
on 18 February 2009 at 15:26 WDST
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009a)
EPBC Act List of Threatened Flora
http://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicthreatenedlist.pl?wanted=flora
Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts (2009b)
EPBC Act List of Threatened Ecological Communities.
://www.deh.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publiclookupcommunities.pl
Diels, L. (1906)
Die Pflanzenwelt von Western-Australien sudlich des Wendekreises. Vegn. Erde 7, Leipzig.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 [Commonwealth]
Environmental Protection Authority (2004)
Guidance for the Assessment of Environmental Factors (in accordance with the Environmental
Protection Act 1986) – Terrestrial Flora and Vegetation Surveys for Environmental Impact
Assessment in Western Australia. No. 51. June 2004.
23.
URS0808/195/08
M
ATTISKE
C
ONSULTING
P
TY
L
TD
Gardner, C.A. (1942)
The vegetation of Western Australia with special reference to climate and soils. J. Proc. R.
Soc. West. Aust. 28:11-87.
Gentilli J. (1972)
Australian climate patterns. Thomas Nelson Australia, Melbourne
Government of Western Australia (2000)
Bush Forever Volume 2. Directory of Bush Forever Sites. Department of
Environmental Protection, Perth.
Hamilton-Brown, S., Broun, G., and Rees, R (2004)
Interim Recovery Plant 154. Ferricrete floristic community (Rocky springs type). Interim
Recovery Plan 2004-2009. Prepared by Department of Conservation and Land Management.
Hnatuik R.J. (1993)
A revision of the genus Eremaea (Myrtaceae). Nuytsia. 9:2. Department of Conservation and
Land Management, Como, Western Australia
Keighery, B.J. (1994)
Bushland Plant Survey. A Guide to Plant Community Survey for the Community. Wildflower
Society of WA (Inc.), Western Australia.
Mattiske Consulting Pty Ltd (2006)
Flora and Vegetation Assessment of the Aviva Lease Area. Unpublished Report prepared for
URS Australia Pty Ltd for Aviva Pty Ltd.
Mattiske Consulting Pty Ltd (2009)
Flora and Vegetation Values of Lake Logue Reserve. Unpublished Report in Preparation for
Aviva Pty Ltd.
Murray B.R., Zeppel M.J.B, Hose G.C., and Eamus, D. (2003)
Groundwater-dependent ecosystems in Australia: It's more than just water for rivers.
Ecological Management & Restoration. 4 ( 2), Pages 110 - 113
Paczkowska, G and Chapman, A.R. (2000)
The Western Australian Flora A Descriptive Catalogue. Published by Wildflower Society of
Western Australia (Inc.), Western Australian Herbarium (CALM) and Botanic Gardens and
Parks Authority.
Patrick, S. and Brown, A. (2001)
Declared Rare and Poorly Known Flora in the Moora District. Department of Conservation
and Land Management, Western Australia.
Stack G. and Broun. (2004)
Eneabba Mallee (Eucalyptus impensa ) Interim Recovery Plan 2004-2009. Department of
Conservation and Land Management, WA, 2004. Accessed from
://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/e-impensa/pubs/e-
impensa.pdf
on 18 Feb 2009
Thackway, R. and Cresswell, I.D. (1995)
An Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia: a framework for setting priorities in
the national reserves system cooperative program. Australian Nature Conservation Agency
Canberra.
Western Australian Herbarium (2009).
FloraBase — The Western Australian Flora. Department of Environment and Conservation.
://florabase.dec.wa.gov.au/
24.
URS0808/195/08
M
ATTISKE
C
ONSULTING
P
TY
L
TD
Wildlife Conservation Act (1950-1980) [WA]
Woodman Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd (2001)
Flora and Vegetation Mapping – IPL South Vegetation Mapping. Unpublished report
prepared for Iluka Resources Ltd – Iluka 00-16
A1.
APPENDIX A1:
DEFINITION OF RARE AND PRIORITY FLORA SPECIES
(Western Australian Herbarium 2009)
Conservation
Code
Category
R
Declared Rare Flora – Extant Taxa
“Taxa which have been adequately searched for and are deemed
to be in the wild either rare, in danger of extinction, or otherwise
in need of special protection and have been gazetted as such.”
P1
Priority One – Poorly Known Taxa
“Taxa which are known from one or a few (generally <5)
populations which are under threat, either due to small population
size, or being on lands under immediate threat. Such taxa are
under consideration for declaration as ‘rare flora’, but are in
urgent need of further survey.”
P2
Priority Two – Poorly Known Taxa
“Taxa which are known from one or a few (generally <5)
populations, at least some of which are not believed to be under
immediate threat (i.e. not currently endangered). Such taxa are
under consideration for declaration as ‘rare flora’, but urgently
need further survey.”
P3
Priority Three – Poorly Known Taxa
“Taxa which are known from several populations, and the taxa
are not believed to be under immediate threat (i.e. not currently
endangered), either due to the number of known populations
(generally >5), or known populations being large, and either
widespread or protected. Such taxa are under consideration for
declaration as ‘rare flora’ but need further survey.”
P4
Priority Four – Rare Taxa
“Taxa which are considered to have been adequately surveyed
and which, whilst being rare (in Australia), are not currently
threatened by any identifiable factors. These taxa require
monitoring every 5-10 years.”
A2.
APPENDIX A2:
DEFINITION OF THREATENED FLORA SPECIES (Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 [Commonwealth] )
Category Code
Category
Ex
Extinct
Taxa which at a particular time if, at that time, there is no
reasonable doubt that the last member of the species has died.
ExW
Extinct in the Wild
Taxa which is known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity
or as a naturalised population well outside its past range; or it has
not been recorded in its known and/or expected habitat, at
appropriate seasons, anywhere in its past range, despite
exhaustive surveys over a time frame appropriate to its life cycle
and form.
CE
Critically Endangered
Taxa which at a particular time if, at that time, it is facing an
extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate
future, as determined in accordance with the prescribed criteria.
E
Endangered
Taxa which is not critically endangered and it is facing a very
high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate or near future,
as determined in accordance with the prescribed criteria.
V
Vulnerable
Taxa which is not critically endangered or endangered and is
facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in the medium-term
future, as determined in accordance with the prescribed criteria.
CD
Conservation Dependent
Taxa which at a particular time if, at that time, the species is the
focus of a specific conservation program, the cessation of which
would result in the species becoming vulnerable, endangered or
critically endangered within a period of 5 years.
A3.
APPENDIX A3 :
DEFINITION OF THREATENED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES (Department
of Environment and Conservation 2009b)
Category
Code
Category
PTD
Presumed Totally Destroyed
An ecological community will be listed as Presumed Totally Destroyed
if there are no recent records of the community being extant and either of
the following applies:
(i)
records within the last 50 years have not been confirmed
despite thorough searches or known likely habitats or;
(ii)
all occurrences recorded within the last 50 years have since
been destroyed.
Dostları ilə paylaş: |