Biodiversity Assessment - Flinders
Flinders
Introduction
Flinders extends over the Furneaux islands, coastal northeastern Tasmania and Wilsons Promontory and comprises of moist and dry subhumid warm coastal plains and a granitic island chain. Devonian granites dominate elevated areas of the region forming rugged hills and ranges. These are overlain by diverse soils carrying a range of dry, damp and wet eucalypt forests and woodlands including Eucalyptus amygdalina open forest and woodland, with Eucalyptus nitida open heath on higher peaks. Quaternary/Tertiary materials overlain by sandy soils typify extensive lowland plains, coastal deposits and dunes and support Melaleuca spp., Leptospermum spp. and Banksia marginata heaths and scrubs with occasional eucalypts. Coastal plains have been heavily modified by agriculture (grazing and dairy) in northeastern Tasmania. The basalt landscape west of the Rubicon River might be more appropriately incorporated with the Tasmanian Northern Slopes bioregion.
There are two subregions, FUR 1 and FUR 2. The Wilsons Promontory subregion comprises around 8% of the total regional area, and is entirely reserved. Management and conservation issues discussed for the region as a whole tend not to be applicable to the Promontory subregion.
Summary of overall condition and trend
Flinders is in fair condition with declining trend. The Victorian FUR 1 and Tasmanian FUR 2 subregions are continental stress classes 6 and 4 respectively as assessed by the Landscape Health report (1 is most stressed, 6 is least stressed).
Summary of conservation priorities
Priorities for Flinders are wetlands (for their importance as amphibian, bird and fish habitat), migratory birds and migratory bird habitat, coastal birds and heath ecosystems. Heath ecosystems in this bioregion are the primary habitat in Tasmania for the endangered New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae).
Priority management issues in the region are water and wetland habitat quality, which are affected by agriculture, mining, changes in landuse and the modification of wetlands through drainage or impoundment. Loss of natural vegetation to agriculture, forestry and forestry plantation development needs to be addressed, as does the implementation of inappropriate fire regimes. Management of Phytophthora cinnamomi is a priority in coastal ecosystems where floral endemism may be high and many species are very susceptible. The recent discovery of foxes in the Tasmanian subregion is a major management issue.
Natural values
Flinders bioregion contains 5 Ramsar sites (Logan Lagoon, East Coast Cape Barren Island Lagoons, the flood plain of the lower Ringarooma River, Jocks Lagoon and Little Waterhouse Lake). Hotspots for large marsupial diversity (especially carnivores) occur in the forests of northeastern Tasmania and at Narawntapu National Park. Diverse flora with significant endemic and threatened elements is a strong feature of the region: heath species from the Wingaroo complex in Flinders Island and the endemic Promontory peppermint (Eucalyptus willisii ssp. willisii) are good examples of this. Whilst Phytophthora cinnamomi is widespread, refugia occur throughout the region, both in isolated coastal and inland locations and on islands. Coastal karst geomorphology developed on calcarenite on Flinders Island is outstanding at the Tasmanian level. Refugia for Phytphthora sensitive flora occur throughout the region, both in isolated inland and coastal locations.
Click here to link to a table of natural values within each subregion
Wetlands
There are 29 wetlands listed in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia in Flinders, most of which are either brackish to saline lagoons and marshes with one or more relatively narrow connections to the sea, or freshwater lagoons and marshes in the coastal zone. The wetlands are significant for their rare or unusual flora and plankton, and as habitat for waterbirds and migratory species. DIWA wetlands in Flinders are generally in good condition but declining. Key threatening processes are grazing, changed hydrology, off-road vehicles, feral pigs (on Flinders Island), weed invasion and the pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi.
Flinders has 63 wetlands of subregional significance, ranging in extent from small discrete wetlands to large river reaches and wetland assemblages. These wetlands are predominantly brackish and freshwater coastal lagoons (description and values as for the DIWA sites) and sandy beaches, which are significant nesting sites for declining or threatened coastal birds. Subregional wetlands in Flinders are generally in good condition and static, although the condition and trend of many is unknown. Threatening processes are similar to those affecting the DIWA sites.
Nationally important wetlands
Map: IBRA map showing DIWA locations, towns, subregions, major roads and reserves and most common threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of Australia's Important Wetlands (Directory of Important Wetlands of Australia): their type, condition, trend and threatening processes within each subregion.
Regionally important wetlands
Click here to link to a table of provisional identification of wetlands of regional significance: their type and special values within each subregion. The reliability of the overall subregional assessment is indicated.
Click here to link to a table of provisional identification of wetlands of regional significance: their condition, trend and threatening processes within each subregion.
Riparian Zones
Principal streams and catchments in Flinders are the Musselroe and Ansons Rivers, Ringarooma River, Boobyalla and Tomahawk Rivers, Pipers River, Great Forester and Brid Rivers and their respective catchments.
Riparian zones in Flinders are in degraded condition and declining. Threatening processes are broad scale vegetation clearing, increasing fragmentation and loss of remnants, grazing, feral animals, weeds, salinity, changed hydrology (regulation of streamflow) changed fire regimes and pollution.
Map: Riparian threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of riparian zones: their average condition, trend and threatening processes for each subregion. The reliability of this overall assessment is indicated.
Ecosystems at risk
Of the 110 ecosystems occurring in Flinders, 11 (10%) are endangered and 14 (13%) are vulnerable. The majority of ecosystems at risk in Flinders are eucalypt forests and woodlands. These range from wet sclerophyll through Eucalyptus forests with a shrubby understorey to Eucalyptus woodlands with a shrubby understorey. Heath + Banksia woodlands and shrublands, Tall shrublands, Other tussock grasslands, Cool temperate rainforest and Tropical and sub-tropical rainforest + dry rainforest are remaining threatened regional ecosystems. These communities occur on the lower slopes and coastal plains of the region. Intertidal saltmarshes (classified as Mangroves, tidal mudflat and samphire, Mixed chenopod, samphire and forblands and Herbland, sedgeland and rushland) occur on low energy coastlines.
Threatened ecosystems in Flinders are in decline. Threatening processes are clearing (for agriculture, forestry plantation establishment, and coastal development), selective and clearfell logging, changed fire regimes, grazing, Phytophthora cinnamomi and general degradation (weed invasion, dieback, firewood collection, lack of regeneration, etc.).
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of threatening processes for ecosystems.
Click here to link to a table of provisional list of threatened ecosystems in Australia: their broad vegetation type (National Vegetation Information System - Major Vegetation Subgroup), recommended status, current legislative protection as a threatened ecosystem, trend and bioregional distribution. These ecosystems are arranged in the bioregion of their principal occurrence. The reliability of the recommended status is indicated.
Click here to link to a table of provisional list of threatened ecosystems in each subregion: their threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of provisional list of threatened ecosystems in each subregion: their recommended recovery actions
Species at risk
The overall trend for threatened species in Flinders is one of decline. Habitat loss/fragmentation or disturbance through coastal development, clearing for agriculture, forestry and forestry plantation development threatens many species. Changes in fire regimes inevitably accompany new landuses and affect both fire-sensitive species and those dependent on specific fire frequencies for regeneration. Selective removal of mature or dead trees for firewood affects endangered hollow-nesting birds. Generally, disturbance during nesting is a threat to bird species in the region. Changes in water quality and quantity are detrimental to both aquatic and coastal fauna: pollution (including sedimentation as a result of roadworks and forestry) impacts directly on fish and invertebrates, and indirectly on the bird species that rely on them as a food source. Declines in water quality combined with disturbance to riparian vegetation and in-stream habitats (channelisation and de-snagging are particular problems) and changes in wetland hydrology due to clearing and drainage threaten several significant fish and invertebrate species.
Endangered and vulnerable plants in Flinders face threats from grazing by livestock, weeds including gorse (Ulex europaeus), willows (Salix spp.) and Phytophthora cinnamomi. Phytophthora, inappropriate fire regimes and coastal weeds may also represent a threat to nesting terns and the New Holland mouse, which suffer from changes in community composition and habitat. Threats peculiar to larger vertebrates are accidental death (collisions, electrocution and roadkill), predation by cats and dogs, and illegal persecution (shooting and poisoning) or collection.
The stochastic risk faced by species with low numbers of individuals and populations is identified as a threat in itself to many Flinders taxa.
| Group | State listing | Commonwealth | listing | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Extinct | Endangered | Vulnerable | Extinct | Endangered | Vulnerable | |
| Plants | 6 | 30 | 55 | 0 | 12 | 9 |
| Mammals | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Birds | 0 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Reptiles | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amphibians | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fish | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Invertebrates | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Totals | 7 | 42 | 63 | 1 | 18 | 17 |
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of threatening processes for species.
Click here to link to a table of species at risk in each subregion: their status, trend and subregional distribution. The reliability of the assessment of trend is indicated and whether recovery plans have been prepared.
Click here to link to a table of species at risk in each subregion: their threatening processes.
Click here to link to a table of species at risk in each subregion: their status recommended recovery actions.
Eucalypts and Acacias
Endemism
The level of endemism in eucalypts and acacias in this bioregion is low, with 5 Tasmanian endemic species of eucalypts recorded, and no endemic acacia species. Endemic eucalypts in FUR 2 are E. amygdalina, E. delegatensis ssp. tasmaniensis, E. nitida and E. rodwayi. The Wilson's Promontory subregion has one endemic, Eucalyptus willisii ssp. willisii. The overall condition of the eucalypts in the bioregion is good and the trend is static. The key threatening processes are clearing for agriculture and coastal development.
Richness
The level of species richness is very low in this bioregion, with many areas, particularly on the Bass Strait Islands, having only 1 or 2 eucalypt species at a site.
Birds
Along with three limited range seabirds, 12 of the 14 limited range species confined to Tasmania have been recorded in Flinders bioregion, which includes the tip of Wilson's Promontory. Among the nine threatened taxa recorded in the bioregion are the Grey-backed Storm-Petrel and the White-fronted Tern, which are known to breed nowhere else in Australia (although they are common around New Zealand). Reporting rates declined for about half the Tasmanian endemics reported from the bioregion, although for several, the overall number of records is small and trends may be misleading. Nearly 10% of all records were of introduced birds, notably House Sparrow, European Goldfinch, Common Starling and Common Blackbird, although for none of these did the reporting rate increase. This may be an artefact of woodland sites being preferentially visited by birdwatchers.
Status: Moderate avian diversity, much of it in woodland on Wilson's Promontory or small islands; particularly important for temperate breeding seabirds.
Rare and threatened: Grey-backed Storm-Petrel, White-fronted Tern.
Increasers: Forest Raven.
Indicators: Brown Quail, Latham's Snipe, Flame Robin, Scarlet Robin, Spotted Quail-thrush.
Trend: Some increase in woodland birds, possibly a sampling artefact.
Scenario: Most taxa probably stable. Fragments on Flinders Island and northeast Tasmania likely to become depauperate and introduced birds to increase.
Actions: Conserve, expand and link woodland fragments.
Click hereto download a summary report including the physical characteristics of the bioregion, a species list, and summary statistics [Excel file]. The file may open on your screen. To save it to your system 'Save as' under the File menu.
Mammals
Number of species and status
There are 41 mammal species within this bioregion. (The maximum number of species recorded in a bioregion is 86 and the minimum is 25).
Click here to link to a table of number of species in each status class for this bioregion.
Click here to link to a list of mammal species and their status for this bioregion.
Critical weight range
The critical weight range (35 - 5500 g) of mammals is the size range of Australian mammals that have been most affected by environmental changes following European settlement. In this bioregion, the proportion of mammal fauna within the critical weight range is .488. (The maximum proportion of fauna within the critical weight range recorded in a bioregion is 0.632 and the minimum is 0.222).
Faunal Attrition Index
Faunal attrition is a measure of contraction or loss of species richness with a region. A high index value means many species have declined or are extinct in the bioregion. The index can be used to compare the status of mammal fauna to regional attributes such as changes since European settlement and average annual rainfall. The Faunal Attrition Index for mammals in this bioregion is .07. (The maximum faunal attrition index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.66 and the minimum is 0).
Click here to link to a table of Faunal Attrition Index for groups of mammals shows the contributions of each group to overall patterns of faunal decline.
Faunal Contraction Index
A range contraction index is a measure of the extent to which the range inhabited by a particular species has contracted. A high index value means that many of the species comprising the region's original mammal fauna have contracted from a high proportion of the regions they originally occurred in. The faunal contraction index for the mammal fauna in this bioregion is .2. (The maximum faunal contraction index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.51 and the minimum is 0.07).
Faunal Endemism Index
Endemic species are those restricted to certain regions. Regions containing endemic species are considered to have high biodiversity conservation values because opportunities to conserve those species do not exist elsewhere. A high index value means that the species comprising the original mammal fauna typically occurred in few bioregions. The faunal endemism index value for the mammal fauna in this bioregion is .65. (The maximum faunal endemism index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.79 and the minimum is 0.52).
New Endemism Index
Extant (still surviving) species that have undergone major range contractions can be considered 'new endemics'. Bioregions that contain new endemic species are often important refugia for threatened species. The new endemism index for the mammal fauna in this bioregion is .57. (The maximum new endemism index value recorded in a bioregion is 0.93 and the minimum is 0.5).
Table: Translocated Species
There is no data available for this table within the bioregion.
Exotic Mammals
The number of introduced exotic mammal species that occur within this bioregion is 11. (The maximum number of introduced exotic mammal species in a bioregion is 16 and the minimum is 5).
Click here to link to a list of introduced exotic mammal species for this bioregion.
Extinct mammal species
The number of extinct mammal species that previously occurred within this bioregion is 1. (The maximum number of extinct mammal species in a bioregion is 29 and the minimum is 0).
Click here to link to a list of extinct mammal species for this bioregion.
Management responses
Reserve consolidation
Major reserves are Mount William, Strzelecki and Wilsons Promontory National Parks, Cameron Regional Reserve, North Scottsdale Forest Reserve, Wingaroo Nature Reserve and Waterhouse Conservation Area. These cover a range of landscapes including rugged granite ranges, the Ben Lomond foothills, coastal plains and dune systems. Unreserved threatened ecosystems in the Flinders are inland black peppermint forest and woodland on gravels and cabbage gum - white gun woodland (general). Woodland and forest ecosystems in the Furneaux Group with blue gum (E. globulus), black gum (E. ovata) and white gum (E. viminalis) as dominants are reservation priorities. Economic constraints and competing landuses are obstacles to reservation for almost all types.
Flinders bioregion has a low to moderate priority for reserve consolidation. Comprehensiveness is very high, adequacy low and representativeness moderate. Forests are well represented on mainland Tasmania, but representation of many non-forest and some forest ecosystems on the Furneaux Group is poor. Inappropriate recreation and changes in catchment hydrology and salinity are regional threats.
Difficult management problems contribute to the degradation of much of the reserved land in the Flinders bioregion. Feral pigs are identified as a threat on some Flinders Island reserves, and the fungus Phytophthora cinnamomi, and coastal weed Euphorbia paralias cause extensive impacts on vegetation through much of the region's protected areas. On mainland Tasmania conflicts between conservation and coastal camping are a recurrent problem. There is good knowledge of biodiversity issues and planning for major reserves on Flinders Island and many small Furneaux islands.
Click here to link to a table of comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness (CAR) of the National Reserve System in terms of ecosystems and area sampled and a ranking of reserve management. The bioregional priority for consolidating the National Reserve System is based on this CAR analysis and threat.
Click here to link to a table of bioregional and subregional priorities and ecosystem priorities to consolidate the National Reserve System and associated ecosystem constraints.
Off-park conservation for species and ecosystem recovery
Priority species groups identified for recovery in Flinders are forest epacrids, burrowing crayfish, Eucalyptus ovata - Callitris oblonga forest species and forest associated plants. Recovery planning has been undertaken for many individual species at both a national and state level.
Research is a key element of species recovery: understanding species biology and population dynamics and discovering new habitat or populations is fundamental to properly managing the recovery process. Managing and protecting habitat across a range of land tenures (e.g. through the Private Forest Reserves Program) would be beneficial to most species: this includes fire, weed and Phytophthora cinnamomi management, and improvement in forestry practices to protect the habitat of forest-dependent species. Capacity building is required to raise community awareness and provide extension and advice for land managers. These recovery actions need to be facilitated by recovery teams or coordinators, with established mechanisms to ensure management intervention when required. Localised fencing, weed control and revegetation is also necessary for regional ecosystem recovery whilst competing land uses are a major constraint to ecosystem recovery (including reserve consolidation).
Broad conservation priorities identified for Flinders are wetlands (as amphibian, bird and fish habitat), migratory birds and their habitat, coastal birds and heath ecosystems. Representative threatened wetland species in the region are the giant freshwater lobster (Astacopsis gouldi), southern bell frog (Litoria raniformis) and dwarf galaxias (Galaxiella pusilla). Threatened coastal birds at risk in the region are little and fairy terns (Sterna albifrons sinensis, S. nereis nereis) and the forty-spotted pardalote (Pardalotus quadragintus) and swift parrot (Lathamus discolor) which lives in near coastal forest. Threatened heath ecosystems are shrubby coastal heath, tall wind pruned coastal scrub/heath complex, the Wingaroo complex and scrub on alkaline coastal sands. The endangered New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae) is a coastal heath dependent species.
Integrated NRM
Key NRM issues affecting Flinders are water quality, the management of native vegetation and agricultural landuse, and dryland salinity. There has been considerable loss of native vegetation on the coastal plains, much of which was developed as soldier settler areas post World War 2. Sedimentation from mine tailings from mining activities last century has a significant impact on water quality and aquatic ecology. Dairying with its associated water development activities, is a significant issue in this region affecting biodiversity and water quality. This bioregion is at risk from dryland salinity, with areas of moderate to severe salinity risk on the northeast coast.
Accepted and effective capacity building and incentive schemes operating in Flinders include a range of NHT funded Care programs, the Private Forest Reserves Program, Protected Areas on Private Land Program and devolved grants. State legislation deals effectively with biodiversity conservation, and there is some recognition of biodiversity issues in Local Government Sustainable Development Strategies. Threat abatement and/or management planning exists for the region in the form of the Vegetation Management Strategy for Tasmania and WeedPlan. The Forest Practices Code aims to protect biodiversity values during timber harvesting operations but is perceived to be less effective mainly due to non-complying activities following such operations.
The Private Forest Reserves Program is effective at securing drier ecosystems, but may not be able offer adequate incentives for wetter types due to their high commercial value. As with other Tasmanian regions, the Vegetation Management Strategy is a useful starting point for identifying ecosystem and species priorities, but is considered to be too broad in its priorities and actions for bioregional application.
The Furneaux Natural Resource Management Strategy is a regional example of integrated NRM leading to effective biodiversity conservation.
Existing NRM initiatives will continue to be important in the region. Opportunities have been identified for improved threat abatement planning, the development and implementation of an agricultural Code of Practice, and capacity building aimed at improving the awareness of weed, riparian, wetland and native vegetation management.
FUR 2 has subregional priority for NRM actions as it is subject to relatively more widespread and serious management problems than the well reserved FUR 1 subregion. Within FUR 2 the coastal floodplains of northeast Tasmania and most of Flinders Island are a high priority for salinity management. The Five Mile Bluff district has a severe salinity risk.
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of recovery actions (species).
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of recovery actions (ecosystems).
Map: IBRA map showing existing projects part of NRM.
Click here to link to a table of contribution of integrated Natural Resource Management to the protection of biodiversity in each subregion: existing measures and effectiveness.
Click here to link to a table of contribution of integrated Natural Resource Management to the protection of biodiversity in each subregion: feasible opportunities and comments.
Further Information & Gaps
Data gaps and research priorities
Data gaps identified during this assessment were a lack of comprehensive published assessments of ecosystem status, and trend, condition and values of wetlands and riparian zones. Further systematic surveys and research on aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates and non-vascular plants also need to be carried out.
References
Environment Australia 2000. Revision of the Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) and the Development of Version 5.1. - Summary Report. Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra.
A complete list of references is available by clicking here.
Further informationView the Landscape Health in Australia report.
View the Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002 report.
Download the Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment 2002 Database - Biodiversity Audit Data Entry System (BADES), and specifications
Click here to link to a table of some major data gaps in each subregion in terms of protecting biodiversity.
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