biodiversity
Avon Wheatbelt (AW-1 Ancient Drainage subregion)
B. Beecham, 2001
This report provides an overview of the Zone of Ancient Drainage. "The Avon Wheatbelt is an area of active drainage disecting a Tertiary plateau in the Yilgarn Craton. Gently undulating landscape of low relief. Proteaceous scrub-heaths, rich in endemics, on residual lateritic uplands and derived sandplains; mixed eucalypt, Allocasuarina huegeliana and Jam-York Gum woodlands on Quarternary alluvials and eluvials. Within this Bioregion, AW1 is an ancient peneplain with low relief, gently undulating landscape. There is no connected drainage; salt lake chains occur as remnants of ancient drainage systems that now only function in very wet years. Lateritic uplands are dominated by yellow sandplain. Climate is Semi-arid (Dry) Warm Mediterranean. Total area 6,566,022 ha."
After the fence: condition of fenced, unfenced and reference York gum - jam woodlands in the Avon Catchment, Western Australia
CSIRO
Considerable investment through natural resource management programs supports restoration of biodiversity in intensively used landscapes such as the Western Australian wheatbelt. One of the most common interventions is fencing of remnant vegetation to facilitate recovery from degradation caused by livestock grazing, yet the effectiveness of this intervention for enhancing biodiversity has only rarely been quantified. We compared 69 unfenced, fenced and reference sites in widespread but highly threatened herb-rich York gum (Eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. loxophleba) - jam (Acacia acuminata) woodlands of the Avon catchment, Western Australia, to explore two hypotheses: (1) that fencing facilitates recovery of degraded York gum - jam woodlands towards conditions of little-degraded ‘reference' woodlands, and (2) that after fencing, recovery of degraded woodlands to reference condition is constrained by ecological or other limits. Fenced and unfenced sites were selected as adjacent, matched pairs, and fenced sites had been fenced for an average of 11 (2-22) years.
Granite Outcrops
Evaluating the conservation significance of basin and granite outcrop wetlands within the Avon NRM region: Stage One Assessment Method
Department of Environment and Conservation (Science Division)
This publication describes a wetland evaluation and classification methodology for use at a regional scale in the Avon Natural Resource Management region and the broader Wheatbelt of Western Australia. The results of the application of this methodology have also been presented in Section 5.
Evaluating the conservation significance of basin wetlands within the Avon NRM region: Stage 3 Assessment Method
Department of Environment and Conservation (Science Division)
This publication describes a wetland evaluation and classification methodology for use at the individual wetland scale in the Avon Natural Resource Management (NRM) region. A trial of this method at two example wetlands in each biological wetland type is presented in section 6.
Kokerbin Nature Reserve Fauna Survey
Kokerbin Nature Reserve Desktop Fauna Assessment
Turpin, J., Griffiths, M., Lewis, P. 2009.
Kokerbin Nature Reserve Fauna Survey-Camera Trapping
M Griffiths and P Lewis Fauna Consultants, 2009
Note: an updated version will be released
Fire Management
Fire & Biodiversity Guidelines for the Avon Basin
ERICA SHEDLEY BSc (Hons), PhD
This report has presented the current knowledge about biodiversity values in the Avon Wheatbelt and aspects of their conservation with respect to fire management. A basic structure and process has been recommended for implementing and monitoring fire management for biodiversity conservation as a priority. This is based on using Beard- Hopkins vegetation associations as the basic fire planning unit and developing a GIS spatial database to identify areas available for burning. Fire management for biodiversity conservation needs to be considered in association with priorities for community protection as detailed in the associated Wildfire Threat Analysis report.
Ecosystems
Preliminary Identification of Avon Ecoscapes Report
University of Melbourne
This document reports the outcomes of analyses and deliberations of a Technical Panel regarding the selection of ecoscapes within the agricultural zone of the Avon Catchment Council's administrative boundary.
River Pools
Review of the Economic Viability of Sediment Extraction from the Avon River Pools
Advanced Choice Economics Pty Ltd and Viv Read & Associates
Major pools of the Avon River have filled with sediment as a result of alteration to the river channel during the 1950-70's to reduce flood risk, and by soil erosion from agricultural catchments. Some pools are completely filled with sediments and their environmental and social values are lost. Others are filling rapidly. There is further potential for significant sediment transport to the pools and channels in the upper reaches of the Swan River.
Woodland Watch
Woodland Watch Conservation Outcomes Summary: 2000-2005
WWF
Based in Western Australia's Wheatbelt Region, WWF-Australia's Woodland Watch began in 2000 to enhance the conservation of tall eucalypt woodlands on private lands in the Western Australian Wheatbelt.
Woodland Watch was created in response to a need to arrest the decline of woodlands within the Wheatbelt. Eucalypt woodlands in this area of Western Australia have been cleared throughout most of their original range (approximately only 3% of some of the woodlands still exist).
Bio Blitz Report
Kununoppin Bioblitz Report
Mick Davis, WWF
The 2004 Kununoppin BioBlitz was the third community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey1 organised by WWF-Australia (WWF) in the Avon River Basin, undertaken in two shire-vested Reserves in the Shire of Trayning. Professional and amateur biologists, ecologists and naturalists - working as volunteers for WWF - conducted fieldwork with members of local Trayning communities to help them discover more about biodiversity in two relatively high conservation value local reserves. The data obtained during the BioBlitz provides a useful indicator of environmental quality and serves as a baseline for future monitoring and management of the reserves.
Lake McDermott Bioblitz Report
Mick Davis, WWF
The 2002 Lake McDermott BioBlitz was a community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey1 of the Lake McDermott Reserve in the Shire of Mount Marshall. Professional and amateur biologists, ecologists and naturalists - working as volunteers for WWF-Australia (WWF) - conducted fieldwork with members of the Bencubbin and Beacon communities to document the biodiversity of one of the region's most significant local reserves. The data obtained during the BioBlitz is useful as an indicator of environmental quality, and provides baseline data for future monitoring and management of the Reserve.
Moningarin Bioblitz Report
Mick Davis, WWF
The 2003 Moningarin BioBlitz, the second BioBlitz to be conducted by WWF-Australia in the WA Wheatbelt, was conducted over the weekend of September 13 and 14, 20031. The 2003 Moningarin BioBlitz was a community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey of the Moningarin Water and Recreation Reserve in the Shire of Koorda, and was conducted as a core component of WWF's Woodland Watch project. In the northeastern Wheatbelt this project is delivered in partnership with the North Eastern Wheatbelt Regional Organisation of Councils (NEWROC), of which the Shire of Koorda is a member, and the Avon Catchment Council. During the 2003 Moningarin BioBlitz, professional and amateur biologists, ecologists and naturalists - all working as volunteers for WWF-Australia - carried-out a series of concurrent biological surveys.
Corrigin Bioblitz Report
Helena Mills, WWF
The 2008 Corrigin BioBlitz was the fifth community-based, collaborative, 24-hour biological survey organised by WWF-Australia (WWF) in the Avon River Basin. Professional and amateur biologists, ecologists and naturalists - working as volunteers for WWF - conducted fieldwork with members of the local Corrigin community to help them discover more about the faunal biodiversity in their very high conservation value local reserve. The data obtained during the BioBlitz provides a useful indicator of environmental quality and serves as a baseline for future monitoring and management of the reserves.
Fauna Conservation Plans
Mammals
Red-Tailed Phascogale 2009-2014 Draft Species Conservation Management Plan
WWF, DEC, ACC
The red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura) was first described in 1844 by John Gould. It had a wide but patchy distribution across Australia prior to settlement and specimens have been collected from locations such as Canning Stock Route, Western Australia; 16 km from Darling Junction in Victoria; Alice Springs and Barrow Creek, Northern Territory and Adelaide, South Australia (Kitchener, 1981). Recent fossil records and records of distribution at settlement suggest that the species occurred widely through arid and semi-arid Australia and that the contraction of its range was concurrent with the introduction of exotic predatory species, such as the feral cat and red fox (Finlayson 1961).
Heath Mouse (Pseudomys shortridgei) Conservation Plan 2009-2014
WWF, DEC, ACC
The heath mouse was first collected in 1906 by GC Shortridge east of Pingelly, Western Australia (Smith et al. 2007). Sub-fossil evidence suggests that before European colonisation the species was present in the south west of Western Australia, as far north as Shark Bay and east to Eucla. Some evidence also suggests their presence across the Nullarbor and the Eyre Peninsula (Baynes 1987). Since its initial discovery in 1906 and the capture of two live individuals in 1931, the heath mouse was not recorded again in Western Australia until its rediscovery in 1987 in the Ravensthorpe area (Baynes et al. 1987).
Black-flanked Rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralia lateralis) Conservation Plan 2008-2013
WWF, DEC, ACC
Dark to pale grey-brown fur on the back and shoulders, with paler fur on the chest, and dark brown fur on the abdomen. There is a distinct black eye-stripe and white cheek-stripe, with white at the base of the ears. A white stripe and a dark stripe run along the side of the body. A dark brown to black dorsal stripe runs from between the ears to below the shoulders. The coat is thick and woolly, particularly around the rump, flanks and base of tail and the tail has a slight brush on the end. The pelage often becomes lighter and browner in summer.
Birds
Malleefowl Conservation - informed and integrated community action
Dr Jeff Short and Blair Parsons
This report details work carried out as part of a joint Wildlife Research and Management (WR&M) / WWF Australia project for the Avon Catchment Council (Project 033145 - Malleefowl conservation - informed and integrated community action).
The project is comprised of two parts - one relating to community engagement and support (for which WWF Australia is responsible) and one relating to the distribution, ecology and status of the Malleefowl in the Western Australian wheatbelt (for which WR&M is responsible). This report details the achievements of the latter sub-project only. This sub-project has WWF Australia reference number 40902.
Reptiles
Western Spiny-tailed Skink (Egerni stokesii badia) Conservation Plan 2008-2013
WWF, DEC, ACC
The Western Spiny-Tail Skink Egernia stokesii badia, (WSTS) is a medium lizard restricted to woodland habitats in the in the central to northern wheatbelt region of Western Australia (How et al. 2003) and is listed nationally as endangered under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act. 1999 (EPBC). The WSTS has a scattered distribution across its range and surveys carried out over the past 30 years suggest the WSTS has disappeared from many of its former habitats (How et al. 2003). The main threats to the survival of the WSTS appear to be loss of habitat and increased predator pressure from both natural and introduced species (Cogger et al. 1993; How et al. undated).
Spiders
Tree-Stem Trapdoor Spider (Aganippe castellum) Conservation Plan 2008-2013
WWF, DEC, ACC
The Tree-stem spider is a medium-sized spider, dark brown to black in colour, and has a large anterior lateral eyes that project beyond the edge of the carapace. The length of the carapace ranges from 6.8-8.8mm and the width ranges from 5.2-6.2mm.
Durokoppin Nature Reserve Mygalomorphae Conservation Plan 2008-2013
WWF, DEC, ACC
Members of the suborder Mygalomorphae, commonly known as "Trapdoor" and "Funnel-web" spiders, are primarily terrestrial burrowing spiders which occasionally make tubular silk nests on tree trunks (Main, 1985). Mygalomorphs are able to persist in small isolated areas due to their low dispersion powers, long life cycle and sedentary life style (Main, 1987a).
Mygalomorph spiders take several years to reach reproductive maturity, and females can live up to and exceeding twenty years. Mature males leave their burrows during moist conditions in search of females, and die shortly after mating (Yen & Butcher, 1997). Females lay their eggs in a silk cocoon in the burrow, and after spending several months confined to the parent burrow, spiderlings emerge approximately one year after the parental mating (Main, 1982).
Shield-Backed Trapdoor Spider (Idiosoma nigrum) Conservation Plan 2008-2013
WWF, DEC, ACC
The Shield-backed Trapdoor Spider has a body length of approximately 14mm and a chelicerae length of approximately 4mm. The most distinguishing feature of this species is the dark brown to black colour of the abdomen and appendages, which sits in contrast to the yellow to grey abdominal underside (Figure 1). The dorsal side of the abdomen is heavily sclerotised and deeply grooved, forming a shield-like structure. The eyes are arranged in three rows with the two anterior rows possessing two eyes and the posterior row possessing four eyes in a transverse line (Main, 1952).
Yorkrakine Trapdoor Spider (Kwonkan eboracum) Conservation Plan 2008-2013
WWF, DEC, ACC
The Yorkrakine Trapdoor Spider, K. eboracum is a small to medium sized spider, with a carapace length of 4.3mm in the male and 7mm in the female (Figure 1). Generally these spiders are a shiny yellow colour, with prominent dark brown bands on the abdomen. The legs are long and thin, and the body and legs are sparsely haired (Main 1983; Harvey and Main, 2000).
Threatend trapdoor spiders of the Avon
WWF, DEC, ACC
Includes information on what they (and their burrows) look like,how to identify them, likely habitat and what to do if you think you have seen one...
Invertebrates
Invertebrate Survey of Gwambygine Pool Conservation Reserve
David Knowles
The River Conservation Society commissioned David Knowles to carry out three surveys of the Reserve in September, October and November 2009 and in May 2010. The survey has revealed a rich diversity and abundance of the terrestrial invertebrate population in close proximity to Gwambygine Pool - a much greater abundance than had been expected. Importantly there have been a number of undescribed species found. This is not surprising considering the paucity of survey information throughout the wheatbelt of Western Australia. David's survey shows quite clearly the usually unobserved fauna that survive, and in fact, proliferate in an area of the State that is often neglected when it comes to serious scientific study.
Feral Animal Control
2010 Caring for Our Country Rabbit Control Project
The 2010 Caring for Our Country Rabbit Control project aims to reduce rabbit populations to levels that enable declared rare flora (DRF) populations and threatened communities to regenerate. The project will target 320 populations of rare flora and one threatened ecological community located on private property, road reserves, nature reserves and other Crown land. The project includes sites located in the Central Wheatbelt and Great Southern Districts.
To see the targeted populations of threatened flora click here.
Instructions to construct the rabbit control calendar wheel
- 1. Print the 5 pages (single sided). Use light card rather than paper as it will make the calendar wheel more durable.
2. Cut out each page.
3. On the page with the circle and yellow tab (showing ‘month, life cycle stage and control activities'), cut around the circle and also cut out the green tab showing January to create a circular wheel.
4.Secure the wheel to the centre of the page with the circle and month details, using a split pin. This wheel should be able to be rotated to reveal details of rabbit control activities for each month of the year.
5. See the attached documents for the page order and glue them as required (glue the front page to the yellow page titled ‘Methods to control rabbits' and the last page to the back page of the calendar wheel).
6. Staple along the left hand side. This should create a little book.
Avon's Most Wanted
Click here to view the Avon's Most Wanted Fauna
