BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 1028          Total No. of Sites: 457
Survey/Project Name: WITCHELINA NATURE RESERVE - Nature Foundation SA
Abstract: Witchelina Nature Reserve is owned by the Nature Foundation SA (NFSA) and located in the Far North region of South Australia. It was purchased in 2010 and destocked with the aim of enhancing conservation values.To do this NFSA requires baseline information on fauna and flora using standardised methods and subsequent monitoring using the same methods to record changes in fauna an flora. This information will be used to assess the effectiveness of conservation management and used to guide management decisions in an adaptive management framework. Since 2010, baseline surveys have been done by EBS Ecology (2011), Scientific Expedition Group (2015 and 2016) and Flinders Uni (2014). METHODOLOGY: EBS Ecology established fauna and flora sites in 2011 using the Biological Survey of SA methodology, with the modification of doubling the trapping and pitfalls at survey sites, and additionally assessing cover at 10 x one square metre sites. Flinders Uni in 2014 resurveyed 5 pastoral Jessup sites (initially established in 1999) and additionally established 19 new Jessup sites. SEG 2015 surveyed fauna and flora sites in 2015 using the Biological Survey of SA methodology. Three flora sites were on or near EBS sites and nine fauna sites were on or near EBS sites. SEG 2016 surveyed 8 fauna sites using standard Biological Survey of SA methodology, including four sites established by EBS in 2011. SEG 2016 also surveyed 14 Jessup sites, all previously surveyed by Flinders Uni in 2014. JESSUP sites are prefixed JES and have quadrat dimensions of 100 x 4 m. Andrew Sinel and SEG 2023 surveyed 8 sites (2 lines each). Mammals and reptiles were the main focus.
 
Start Date: 01/01/2010      End Date: 22/04/2023
Survey Type: Vegetation and Fauna
   
Study Area Description: Witchelina conservation reserve is owned by the Nature Foundation of SA (NFSA) and located in northern South Australia.
Objectives
         Vegetation: Refer to Abstract.
         Fauna: Refer to Abstract.
Methodology
         Vegetation: 2011 and 2015 = Biological Survey of SA methodology (100 x 100 m quadrats) 2014 and 2016 = Jessup Transects (100 x 4 m) = number of adult and juvenile woody perennials. In 2016, the number of long lived perennial grasses was also recorded.
         Fauna: The proposal will use a similar approach to the typical fauna survey methods outlined in the Biological Survey of South Australia Vertebrate Survey Manual (http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/files/sharedassets/public/science/vertebrate_survey_manual.pdf) . In addition to those methods (pitfalls, Elliott traps, hand searching) we will also use funnel traps set along the same drift fence lines as the pitfall traps. Pitfall/funnel trap lines will be set up at up to 48 locations over the life of the project. Trapping at each site will take place for up to five nights per survey depending on time and personnel, and at any one time we anticipate a maximum of 8 such sites. All sites will be checked twice daily within a two hour time window. At each site, there were two pit lines (each with 6 pits), 15 elliotts, 2 cage traps and 12 funnel traps.

Data Distribution Rules: Public Dataset
Project Basis: Vegetation : Monitoring - Vegetation/Ecosystem (ie species records - usually re-visited for ongoing monitoring) NOTE:NON Std Svy methodology may have been used.
Fauna : Biological Survey of South Australia - Standard Survey methodology used.
Information Authority: Nature Foundation SA
Scientific Expedition Group