BDBSA Project Metadata Detail

Survey/Project Number: 853          Total No. of Sites: 399
Survey/Project Name: Habitat Restoration Activity Monitoring - Kangaroo Island
Abstract: This monitoring project will measure a variety of vegetation condition parameters to investigate if native vegetation condition improves following habitat restoration related works funded through on-ground works programs. The key question to be investigated is: Does native vegetation condition improve following habitat restoration related works funded through onground works programs and how long does it take? Parameters to be measured in the field include: species richness, frequency and cover; plant life form and height; plant health, regeneration and presence of habitat features such as hollows. Presence of threats such as environmental weeds, feral animals and high grazing pressure will also be recorded. Desktop analysis will relate data collected in the field to: patch size, shape and connectivity; geology, soils, landforms and proximity to water; fire history and time since fencing or time since planting; the priority of the areas of vegetation protected or restored. Paired sites undergoing different treatments (fencing or revegetation) will be investigated over time and in comparison to reference sites at the desired natural state. This will result in knowledge of localised, site-specific outcomes of the habitat restoration related works funded through on-ground works programs and should inform whether management is needed at a site to maximise biodiversity outcomes.
 
Start Date: 01/02/2013      End Date: 01/01/2020
Survey Type: Vegetation and Fauna
   
Study Area Description: Kangaroo Island
Objectives
         Vegetation: Refer to Abstract.
         Fauna: Refer to Abstract.
Methodology
         Vegetation: Field data will be collected from permanent quadrats of 10m x 10m with 36 sampling points per quadrat. At each sampling point any living plant (including weeds) intersecting with the vertical is to be identified, named and classified according to life form. Intercepts are also categorised into a general height classification. Notes will be made on plants in relatively poor condition in terms of extent and nature of browse or insect damage etc. The substrate will also be noted and the depth of any leaf litter measured. Notes will be made on woody material such as dead stumps or fallen branches that are intercepted. Data from these point samples will provide information on plant frequency, species richness, plant cover for each strata level, plant life forms, regeneration, ground cover, plant health and habitat features. As data will be recorded for all species, the weediness of a plot can be determined. Fauna (feral and native) will be recorded as presence or absence of sign in and around the plot (to a distance of 10m). Site description will include soil and slope. In order to test that any observed changes are a result of the treatment, quadrats are to be paired. Each quadrat per site for a particular treatment will have a paired control quadrat without treatment but with similar vegetation, soil type and site history. Thus a site with remnant vegetation that is to be fenced from stock will be paired with an unfenced remnant vegetation site. A site that will be fenced and revegetated will be paired with a fenced area that will not be revegetated. Reference sites for various vegetation and soil types will be sampled from long term protected vegetation in order to establish regional baseline data for this dataset and enable comparisons in a landscape context. There will be approximately 20 sites in the first year, with the number of sites increasing over time as additional areas are treated. Initially field sampling will be carried out twice per year to determine if seasonal variation is statistically significant. Thereafter, sampling will occur annually. An investigation of data from historical sites (ie where treatment is known to have occurred a particular time in the past) may indicate likely progress due to different treatments (fencing or revegetation) over time. The frequency of monitoring of historical sites will be 2-5 years. All species data will be recorded using the DEWNR data returns template and submitted to the biological data base of South Australia.
         Fauna: Field data will be collected from permanent quadrats of 10m x 10m with 36 sampling points per quadrat. At each sampling point any living plant (including weeds) intersecting with the vertical is to be identified, named and classified according to life form. Intercepts are also categorised into a general height classification. Notes will be made on plants in relatively poor condition in terms of extent and nature of browse or insect damage etc. The substrate will also be noted and the depth of any leaf litter measured. Notes will be made on woody material such as dead stumps or fallen branches that are intercepted. Data from these point samples will provide information on plant frequency, species richness, plant cover for each strata level, plant life forms, regeneration, ground cover, plant health and habitat features. As data will be recorded for all species, the weediness of a plot can be determined. Fauna (feral and native) will be recorded as presence or absence of sign in and around the plot (to a distance of 10m). Site description will include soil and slope. In order to test that any observed changes are a result of the treatment, quadrats are to be paired. Each quadrat per site for a particular treatment will have a paired control quadrat without treatment but with similar vegetation, soil type and site history. Thus a site with remnant vegetation that is to be fenced from stock will be paired with an unfenced remnant vegetation site. A site that will be fenced and revegetated will be paired with a fenced area that will not be revegetated. Reference sites for various vegetation and soil types will be sampled from long term protected vegetation in order to establish regional baseline data for this dataset and enable comparisons in a landscape context. There will be approximately 20 sites in the first year, with the number of sites increasing over time as additional areas are treated. Initially field sampling will be carried out twice per year to determine if seasonal variation is statistically significant. Thereafter, sampling will occur annually. An investigation of data from historical sites (ie where treatment is known to have occurred a particular time in the past) may indicate likely progress due to different treatments (fencing or revegetation) over time. The frequency of monitoring of historical sites will be 2-5 years. All species data will be recorded using the DEWNR data returns template and submitted to the biological data base of South Australia.

Data Distribution Rules: Public Dataset
Project Basis: Vegetation : Habitat rehabilitation/restoration
Information Authority: Department for Environment and Heritage (BDBSA:Kangaroo Island) - Kingscote Office - Bush Mgt Advisor