Survey/Project Number: |
1192
Total No. of Sites:
490
|
Survey/Project Name: |
Malkumba-Coongie Wetland Wonders - maintaining values and improving ecology |
Abstract: |
FULL PROJECT NAME: Malkumba-Coongie Wetland Wonders - Maintaining the values and improving the ecological function of the Coongie Lakes Ramsar Wetlands.
This is a five-year project funding through the National Landcare Program Phase Two. This project will draw on a review of past and existing monitoring by the SA EPA and SARDI to guide knowledge gaps filling with respect to aquatic fauna in the Coongie Lakes Ramsar wetland area, whilst terrestrial values will be assessed through a combination of traditional survey techniques, new remote detection technology and recently developed rapid assessment techniques. Assessment of the threat posed by the changes to landscape from resource exploration and extraction activity will involve a combination of time series remote sensing analysis with ground-truthing. Overall, the project will build on existing knowledge and long-term monitoring of fish, invertebrates, waterbirds and their breeding, and waterhole condition. it also consolidates conservation gains made through previously funded landscape-scale threat management across the Channel Country in the SAAL region. it will increase understanding of biodiversity , ecology and condition of waterholes, surrounding floodplains and associated habitat that characterise the RAMSAR listing as well as management. The on-ground management actions proposed in this project will address a number of key threats to Coongie Lakes Ramsar values: feral animal impacts, priority weed incursions (especially after flood), and livestock impacts. These will be tackled collaboratively with relevant land managers. Monitoring of threatening processes and their impacts on Ramsar biodiversity values will also involve traditional owners and community volunteers. The objectives of this project are: - assessment of disturbance by pigs and large feral herbivores at sample locations associated with waterholes along the main channels of the Cooper Creek. Other main waterways including the Diamantina and Warburton Rivers are likely to be assessed also. - establish a night parrot acoustic surveillance network - establish 2 ha track plot surveillance for Dusky Hopping-mouse and Crest-tailed Mulgara (Ampurta) - sample fish diversity across refuge waterholes to monitor Ramsar condition thresholds. |
|
Start Date: |
01/08/2018
End Date: 30/06/2023
|
Survey Type: |
Vegetation and Fauna |
|
|
Study Area Description: |
The Coongie Lakes Ramsar site is located in the north-east corner of South Australia. It includes the Cooper Creek system from the South Australian-Queensland border downstream to Lake Hope (Lake Pnado), the northwest branch of Cooper Creek, the northern overflow and their many waterholes and terminal lakes covering an area of over two million hectares. Properties to be included in the project include Innamincka RR, Malkumba-Coongie Lakes NP, Gidgealpa, Clifton Hills, Cowarie, Mungerannie and Mulka. |