BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 716          Total No. of Sites: 131
Survey/Project Name: BIMBOWRIE FAUNA RECOVERY
Abstract: Bimbowrie Conservation Reserve is being rehabilitating from the impacts of 130 years of commercial livestock grazing. Many of the original vegetation communities have been significantly altered or degraded by sheep grazing, particularly in the plains and valleys. To make a monitoring program practical from a resources point of view only one plant community and associated fauna has been targeted. Chenopod low shrublands are abundant and typical for the region. On Bimbowrie they are now represented by a range of impact states that are currently being monitored for vegetation recovery. The community that best fitted these criteria was the Low Bluebush Maireana astrotricha and Bladder Saltbush Atriplex vesicaria low chenopod shrublands and their various degraded states. The Bimbowrie fauna recovery monitoring project aims to establish how the vertebrate fauna of the Maireana astrotricha (M.a. Low Bluebush) and Atriplex vesicaria (A. v. Bladder Saltbush) chenopod shrublands have been effected by their degradation and alteration through sheep grazing. How these chenopod communities recover from grazing induced changes and the reponse of vertebrate fauna assemblages will also be assessed. An added part of this investigation will be to assess whether or not the removal of livestock grazing and subsequent conservation management has effectively improved conservation outcomes for plants and animals when compared to areas still subject to commercial grazing. The project will involve sampling a set of complementary sites on the adjacent Plumbago Station. The survey was conducted in October 2010.
 
Start Date: 10/10/2010      End Date: 31/10/2010
Survey Type: Other
   
Study Area Description: Bimbowrie Conservation Park and Adjacent paddocks on Plumbago Station - North Eastern Pastoral districts. Northern & Yorke Region in the Eastern pastoral Districts. Bimbowrie - Calico, Toraminga, Poodla, Office paddocks; Plumbago - South Weeroopie, Road, Mindamereeka Hut, Antro Woolshed paddocks.
Objectives
         Vegetation: Perennial plant species and soil cover quantitative measures to assess differences between between sites within an ecological community type in a variety of transition states and over time. Comparisons will also incorporate 2 land uses, conservation reserve and livestock grazing (mostly sheep).
         Fauna: Quantitative small mammal, reptile and bird measures to assess differences between sites within an ecological community type in a variety of transition states and over time. Comparisons will also incorporate 2 land uses, conservation reserve and livestock grazing (mostly sheep).
Methodology
         Vegetation: Areas were selected based on visual assessment of areas on undulating laomy soils supporting chenopod and grass species
         Fauna: Each site has a 4 permanent pit sample array arranged in a 15m three pronged star with a central pit and the other 3 pits at 10m. 15 Elliot traps were arranged so that each arm of the array had 3 trap either side starting 5m out from the centre pit and with 10m between traps. 3 tunnel traps were also placed between pits along one side of the drift fence connecting the outer pits with the centre.

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 : Monitoring - Fauna/Ecosystem (ie species records - usually re-visited for ongoing monitoring) NOTE:NON Std Svy methodology may have been used.
Information Authority: Department for Environment and Heritage (BDBSA:Northern & Yorke) - Clare Office - Regional Ecologist
Department for Environment and Heritage - Biological Survey and Monitoring