Biodiversity Assessment - South Eastern Highlands
South Eastern Highlands
Introduction
Summary of overall condition and trend
Continental landscape stress class is 1 as assessed by the Landscape Health report (1 is most stressed, 6 is least stressed).
The overall condition of the bioregion could be described as fair, needing significant intervention to allow recovery of the landscape from current landuse practices. Possible exceptions from this grading would be Kanangra (which is 88% reserved), Western Fall (51% reserved) and Bungonia (33%) subregions. The majority of subregions have grazing as their primary use and have been and are still being highly altered. Most subregions have been cleared, leaving only smaller fragmented portions of natural vegetation for reservation. As a result of habitat loss resulting from clearing, major declines and collapse of faunal groups are occurring, including ground mammals, aquatic assemblages (particularly frogs) and woodland birds. Concomitant with direct loss of biodiversity values, there has also been significant loss of ecosystem services, including breakdown of soil structure and declining water quality. Dryland salinity now affects significant areas in the western sections of the bioregion and at current rates is predicted to increase dramatically over the next two decades.
Summary of conservation priorities
Threat abatement planning is a high priority for the bioregion to allow development of management priorities and practices.... Because of the large amount of cleared land in the majority of the bioregion, incentives to individual land holders for on-farm conservation is also a possibility to allow for sustainable management of the land and to help reach goals of conservation. Regional Vegetation Committees in the bioregion are yet to produce Vegetation Management Plans for many areas and theses are a priority to assist in managing the remaining vegetation in the area.
The South Eastern Highlands bioregion extends from central Eastern NSW near Orange and Bathurst through NSW into Victoria. There are fourteen subregions* in this bioregion, Highlands - Southern Fall (SEH1), Highlands - Northern Fall (SEH2), Otway Ranges (SEH3), Strzelecki Ranges (SEH4), Monaro (SEH5), Murrumbateman (SEH6), Bungonia (SEH7), Kanangra (SEH8), Crookwell (SEH9), Oberon (SEH10), Bathurst (SEH11), Orange (SEH12), Hill End (SEH13) and Western Fall (SEH14).
The geology of the bioregion is highly varied because of its size (8,743,300 Ha) and spatial distribution. The northern end of the bioregion is largely composed of Silurian and Devonian slates, sandstones and volcanics with some granitic and volcanic intrusions. The remaining portions of the bioregion have a mixed geology of Silurian and Devonian acid fine grained sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, with some granites, Palaeozoic sedimentary and meta-sedimentary rocks, Devonian, Ordovician and Silurian sandstones and many areas of acid volcanics. Vegetation is highly varied and is dependent on elevation, rainfall, aspect and drainage. Those species commonly present in the main vegetation layer include Red stringybark (Eucalyptus macrorhyncha), Yellow box (E. melliodora), Ribbon gum (E. viminalis), White gum (E. dunnii), Snow gum (E. pauciflora), Mountain Gum (E. dalrympleana) broad-leaved peppermint (E. dives) and Blakely's red gum (E. blakelyi).
(* Subregional boundaries in NSW are an interim product in draft format for use exclusively in the Audit terrestrial biodiversity assessment.)
Natural values
Click here to link to a table of natural values within each subregion
Wetlands
There are thirty-three wetlands listed in the Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia in the South Eastern Highlands, most of which are in fair or good condition and are improving. Coree Flats in Western Fall subregion is degraded but improving. General threats to many of the wetlands are changed hydrology and feral animals.
Another thirty-two wetlands are listed in the Victorian subregions as significant to the bioregion however their condition and trend are not known at this time.
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
Riparian zones in the bioregion are degraded, unlikely to recover in the medium term and at the current time, there is no improvement in their condition in general. Major threats are exotic weed invasion, grazing pressure and changed hydrology.
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
Approximately five hundred and fifty six ecosystems have been identified as occurring in the South Eastern Highlands, three hundred and seventy one of which have are identified as threatened meaning about 65% of ecosystems are at risk. There are several endangered ecological communities including Grassy White Box Woodland, Mount Canobolas Xanthoparmelia Lichen Community, Natural Temperate Grassland, Bega Dry Grass Forest, Candelo Dry Grass Forest, Dry Rainforest of SE Forests, Subalpine Dry Shrub Forest and O'Hares Creek Shale Forest. All listed as endangered under state, territory or federal legislation.
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
Due to the large amount of clearing for agriculture and grazing, the major threats to many of the species at risk in the South Eastern Highlands are increased fragmentation, broad scale clearing and grazing. In addition to these threats feral animals and changed fire regimes pose a significant threat to many species.
| State | Commonwealth | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Endangered | Vulnerable | Extinct | Endangered | Vulnerable | Extinct | |
| Bird | 5 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Mammal | 5 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Plant | 15 | 28 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 0 |
| Amphibian | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| Fish | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Reptile | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Insect | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 31 | 73 | 1 | 20 | 34 | 0 |
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
Seven species of eucalypt have been identified as endemic to one or more subregions in the South Eastern Highlands. These are Eucalyptus brevirostris E. nova-urbica E. canobolensis E. triplex E. urophylla E. insolita and E. recurva. No Acacias have been identified as endemic in this bioregion
Richness
South East Highlands has been identified as a bioregion of high species richness in its number of Eucalypt, Angophora and Corymbia species. The National Biodiversity Audit identified two hundred and twenty seven species in the bioregion.
Birds
This bioregion had close to average rainfall over both Atlas periods, but there have nevertheless been substantial shifts in reporting rate. The bioregion was once particularly important for the Endangered Regent Honeyeater, but the species' reporting rate has nearly halved. The fragment of low woodlands in the Otways also contains a population of Vulnerable Rufous Bristlebird. There were also declines in many other woodland taxa, such as robins, treecreepers and many small honeyeaters. This contrasts with substantial increases in Noisy Miner, Australian Magpie and Grey Butcherbird. These trends are consistent with those that might be expected in a fragmented landscape with a gradual decay in diversity in remnant patches, a decay that may only become evident over decades. Over 7% of all observations were of introduced taxa, with the bioregion being particularly important for Eurasian Tree Sparrow, Common Blackbird, Song Thrush and Common Myna. The last species was recorded much more frequently in the second Atlas period over the first. Although there was no decline in reporting rate apparent among those taxa that specialise in rainforest, temperate forest or temperate woodland, generalists did decrease, perhaps suggesting there has been little change in the high quality areas, but that an environmental malaise is spreading across the broader landscape.
Status: Temperate forest and woodland fauna largely intact in many areas but fragmented at edges; high introduced species load.
Rare and threatened: Regent Honeyeater in drier woodlands, Rufous Bristlebird in eastern Otways.
Increasers: Long-billed Corella, Little Corella, Rainbow Lorikeet, Musk Lorikeet, Noisy Miner, Common Myna.
Indicators: Emu, Banded Lapwing, Gang-Gang Cockatoo, Superb Parrot, Red-browed Treecreeper, Brown Treecreeper, Regent Honeyeater, Jacky Winter, Scarlet Robin, Flame Robin, Hooded Robin, Grey-crowned Babbler, Varied Sittella, Crested Shrike-tit, Restless Flycatcher, Diamond Firetail .
Trend: Decrease in reporting rate of temperate woodland and forest, rainforest, grassland, freshwater and ground-nesting birds and ground-feeding insectivores.
Scenario: Fragmentation will cause ongoing declines in many species.
Actions: Protect, enhance and link woodland fragments. No grazing in representative areas and the adoption of reduced, conservative grazing rates in key habitat across the bioregion. See also Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000 Coordinated Conservation Plan: Temperate Woodlands.
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 61 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 .459. (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 .13. (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 .16. (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 .68. (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 .5. (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 15. (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 2. (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
Reserves are highly fragmented. Threatening Processes outside the reserve (edge effects, including pest species, predation, changes in species composition) have a high impact despite management of the reserve itself. There is little opportunity for consolidation of reserves.
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.
Table: Bioregional and subregional priorities and ecosystem priorities to consolidate the National Reserve System and associated ecosystem constraints.
There is no data available for this table within the bioregion.
Off-park conservation for species and ecosystem recovery
There are several mechanisms in place that appear to be making a significant addition to the conservation of species and ecosystems in the South Eastern Highlands. Many property agreements have been actioned and many Landcare groups exist in the bioregion as well as several catchment management boards. Several Voluntary Conservation Agreements and Wildlife Refuges have been agreed to between state agencies and landholders. The further use of incentive mechanisms and landholder stewardship is an important method of improving and increasing the areas that are conserved in the bioregion.
Integrated NRM
The subregion is dominated by grazing of native pastures and farming. Which constrains NRM actions. There are several large areas of reserved land in the South Eastern Highlands but those areas not reserved have mostly been cleared for agriculture. Addition of state forests to the National Parks estate to increase the conserved areas is a practice that has been put into practice recently and could be continued further. Further use of landholder incentives and planning mechanisms in areas that have been highly altered by clearing, agriculture and grazing will assist in the conservation of biodiversity in this bioregion.
Map: IBRA map showing frequency of recovery actions (species).
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
Ecosystem mapping is currently being completed (NPWS state biodiversity project funding). This data will ultimately identify threatened ecosystems. As such no comment on ecosystem reservation priority has been made at a bioregional level Eucalyptus experts currently unavailable to comment on condition, trend and threatening process for subregions with endemic and species rich eucalypts. There is very little data available to assess the status of riparian vegetation. Information on community Bushcare, Landcare and Coastcare groups only contains data for those groups who wish to release their details (about half of the total). Data wildlife refuges is currently being reviewed and the data used is not yet complete. For ecosystems at risk, data is incomplete so analysis of ecosystems is somewhat limited.
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 information
View 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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