Vegetation: |
Methodology as outlined in Riverine Recovery Project 2013 Baseline Wetland Vegetation Surveys Final Draft:
The assessment involved establishing between 6 and 12 permanent transects at each wetland with the aim of sampling 2 to 4 representative vegetation community types and having 3 replicate transects per community (spaced a minimum of 50 metres apart). Transects were aligned perpendicular to the water body shoreline and had a starting point at +40 centimetres above normal pool level. The start of each transect was permanently marked with a labelled star picket and the location captured with GPS. Six quadrats were positioned along each transect corresponding to elevations of +40, +20, 0, -30, -60, -90 centimetres above/below pool level, wherever the wetland morphology allowed. The distance of each quadrat from the transect start point (+40 cm) was measured and recorded. Daily pool level data was used to reference transect elevations against normal pool level, and transect elevations were surveyed using a calibrated laser level. Each quadrat was 15 m x 1 m aligned perpendicularly to the right hand side of the transect (as viewed from permanent star picket), and divided into 15 x 1 m2 cells. Species presence was recorded for each 1 m x 1 m cell in each quadrat, to provide frequency scores for each species found (including bare ground), with a maximum score of 15.
Tree Health methodology
Tucker, P (2004). Your Wetland: Monitoring Manual - Data Collection, River Murray Catchment Water Management
Board, Berri and Australian Landscape Trust, Renmark.
More contemporary tree condition sites have used the Ground-based survey methods for The Living Murray assessment of condition of river red gum and black box population (the TLM Method) Souter, N. et. al. (2010), Murray Darling Basin Authority.
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Fauna: |
Generally surveys followed the methodologies as specified in the 'Riverine Recovery Monitoring and Evaluation Program:
Technical Design' document (citation below). However, some variations to methods have occurred and are captured in
individual baseline survey reports. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (2012). Riverine Recovery
Monitoring and Evaluation Program: Technical Design. Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Adelaide,
South Australia.
Methodology applying to Uni of Adelaide component of project:
Five sites were sampled at each wetland. Sites 1-3 involved the use of 6 m single-winged fyke nets (5-mm mesh) set 10 m apart, perpendicular to the bank, with the leader at the water edge. Site 4 involved the use of two 10 m double-winged fyke nets (1m hoop; 12 mm mesh), set back to back parallel to the shoreline. Site 5 involved three 10 m hauls of a seine net (8 m long; 5 mm mesh). |