Lukacs, G.P. and Finlayson, C.M. (eds) 2008. A Compendium of Ecological Information on Australia's Northern Tropical Rivers. Sub project 1 of Australia's Tropical Rivers - an integrated data assessment and analysis (DET18). A report to Land & Water Australia. Australian Centre for Tropical Freshwater Research, National Centre for Tropical Wetland Reseacrh, Townsville, Queensland.
9 reports cover the following topics: geomorphology, estuaries, hydrology, riparian vegetation, water quality, aquatic macroinvertebrates, freshwater fish, aquatic reptiles and waterbirds
http://www.environment.gov.au/ssd/tropical-rivers/triap-sp1.html
Printed copy available at NRETAS and DPI Library
Showing posts with label biodiversity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biodiversity. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Landscape design for maintaining ecosystem services in tropical agricultural landscapes:
The response of fauna and flora to landscape mosaics and implications for land clearing policy.
Report to Land and Water Australia. Dept. of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, Darwin. Griffiths, A.D. et al., 2009
Project TRC07 - Managed through Tropical Savanna CRC
"To investigate the relationship between fragmentation, habitat loss and terrestrial biodiversity we conducted extensive surveys in the Douglas Daly region of the Top End of the Northern Territory in 2007 and 2008. This study shows that the impacts of land clearing on biodiversity are substantial at the scale of individual properties (represented as “landscapes” in this study), even if they retain some areas of native vegetation."
Copy available : NRETAS and DPI Library.
Report to Land and Water Australia. Dept. of Natural Resources, Environment, The Arts and Sport, Darwin. Griffiths, A.D. et al., 2009
Project TRC07 - Managed through Tropical Savanna CRC
"To investigate the relationship between fragmentation, habitat loss and terrestrial biodiversity we conducted extensive surveys in the Douglas Daly region of the Top End of the Northern Territory in 2007 and 2008. This study shows that the impacts of land clearing on biodiversity are substantial at the scale of individual properties (represented as “landscapes” in this study), even if they retain some areas of native vegetation."
Copy available : NRETAS and DPI Library.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Daly River Catchment ? towards an integrated catchment management
Andrew S. Wygralak
ASEG Extended Abstracts Volume 2006 Number 1, ASEG2006 - 18th Geophysical Conference
The Daly River catchment has good soils and is earmarked for the future agricultural development. The NTG placed a Moratorium on major developments, pending completion of an Integrated Regional Land Use Plan. The aim, based on analysis of hydrological, biological, environmental and social studies, is to develop a balanced holistic catchment management approach. Most of the multidisciplinary studies of the catchment completed till now were conducted without sufficient attention paid to the interconnection between economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects of the river catchment management. As a result no integrated catchment management plan has as yet been proposed. Further research is needed to fill the existing knowledge gaps.
http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/267/paper/ASEG2006ab200.htm
ASEG Extended Abstracts Volume 2006 Number 1, ASEG2006 - 18th Geophysical Conference
The Daly River catchment has good soils and is earmarked for the future agricultural development. The NTG placed a Moratorium on major developments, pending completion of an Integrated Regional Land Use Plan. The aim, based on analysis of hydrological, biological, environmental and social studies, is to develop a balanced holistic catchment management approach. Most of the multidisciplinary studies of the catchment completed till now were conducted without sufficient attention paid to the interconnection between economic, environmental, social and cultural aspects of the river catchment management. As a result no integrated catchment management plan has as yet been proposed. Further research is needed to fill the existing knowledge gaps.
http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/267/paper/ASEG2006ab200.htm
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Securing the Long-term Protection of the Daly River: options for conservation and appropriate development
G. Scott
Environment Centre of the Northern Territory This report tries to cover a wide range of conservation and ecologically sustainable development options for the Daly River region. This report builds on recent work detailing the terrestrial and aquatic conservation values of the Daly River Catchment commissioned by environmental non-government organisations. This report also examines options for appropriate economies in the Daly. An appropriate economy can be thought of as one that supports economic activity that is ecologically, culturally and socially sustainable. The second part of this report identifies economic development activities and opportunities that are most likely to be compatible with the unique ecological and cultural values of the Daly.
The report covers important values of the Daly River from values under threat and protecting them, appropriate development in the area to eco tourism and cultural tourism.
Environment Centre of the Northern Territory This report tries to cover a wide range of conservation and ecologically sustainable development options for the Daly River region. This report builds on recent work detailing the terrestrial and aquatic conservation values of the Daly River Catchment commissioned by environmental non-government organisations. This report also examines options for appropriate economies in the Daly. An appropriate economy can be thought of as one that supports economic activity that is ecologically, culturally and socially sustainable. The second part of this report identifies economic development activities and opportunities that are most likely to be compatible with the unique ecological and cultural values of the Daly.
The report covers important values of the Daly River from values under threat and protecting them, appropriate development in the area to eco tourism and cultural tourism.
Effects of habitat fragmentation on the vertebrate fauna of tropical woodlands, Northern Territory
B. R. Rankmore and O. F. Price
in Conservation of Australia's Forest Fauna, 2nd ed. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 2004
Fauna surveys were conducted in cleared areas, remnants of eucalyptus woodlands of various size and degree of isolation, and undisturbed 'continuous' woodland at Litchfield NT and Tipperary NT to determine the effects of clearing and habitat fragmentation on vertebrate fauna populations and distributions. The surveys identified 75 species of birds, mammals, frogs and reptiles of sufficient frequency to analyse. Only 25% of the species used modified land, but most (69%) were recorded in corridors. No species could be confidently classified as an edge specialist. The area or size of remnant vegetation, the total amount of woodland within a four km radius of the fragment, and connectivity all had a strong positive influence on animals occurring within a fragment. Fire regimes and density of trees also had an important influence on animals in remnant woodlands.
in Conservation of Australia's Forest Fauna, 2nd ed. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, 2004
Fauna surveys were conducted in cleared areas, remnants of eucalyptus woodlands of various size and degree of isolation, and undisturbed 'continuous' woodland at Litchfield NT and Tipperary NT to determine the effects of clearing and habitat fragmentation on vertebrate fauna populations and distributions. The surveys identified 75 species of birds, mammals, frogs and reptiles of sufficient frequency to analyse. Only 25% of the species used modified land, but most (69%) were recorded in corridors. No species could be confidently classified as an edge specialist. The area or size of remnant vegetation, the total amount of woodland within a four km radius of the fragment, and connectivity all had a strong positive influence on animals occurring within a fragment. Fire regimes and density of trees also had an important influence on animals in remnant woodlands.
The Effects of Artificial Sources of Water on Rangeland Biodiversity: Final report to the Biodiversity Convention and Strategy Section of the Biodiver
J. Landsberg, C. D. James, S. R. Morton, J. Hobbs, J. Stol, A. Drew and H. Tongway
CSIRO, Division of Wildlife and Ecology and Environment Australia
The study aimed to determine the effects of the provision of artificial waters and of the grazing it allows, on the native plants and animals inhabiting two of the major biomes of inland Australia. The study was based on field surveys which sampled biodiversity along gradients in grazing intensity extending out from artificial water sources. Given how widespread artificial waters have become throughout the rangelands, the results suggest that some 15-38% of species are at risk of declining substantially throughout these lands. Although similar proportions of species are favoured by the provision of water and grazing, and from 36-75% seem unaffected by it, the challenge is to develop strategies that will provide for the persistence of the vulnerable decreased species.
Although this study is directly related to the Daly Region, with the plans for future development and maybe an increase in artificial water sources, it is important to be aware of their effects.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Modelling dry season flows and predicting the impact of water extraction on a flagship species
A. Georges, I. Webster, F. Guarino, P. Jolly, M. Thoms and S. Doody
CRC for Freshwater Ecology and the Applied Ecology Research Group The aim of this project was to contribute to recommendations on environmental flows to ensure that they are consistent with maintaining the biota of the Daly River, given competing demands of agriculture, recreation and tourism, conservation and Aboriginal culture. The focus is on flow, connectivity and water temperatures. The report is important as it uses a flagship species to determine the effects of a reduction in water levels. The reduction in water level, would be a result of increases in argiculture. This flagship species can be used to continue to measure the health of the Daly river.
http://aerg.canberra.edu.au/cgi-bin/pubs_archive.cgi?target=G
Biodiversity in Inland Waters - Priorities for its Protection and Management. Recommendations from the 2001 Fenner Conference on the Environment.
A. Georges and P. Cottingham
CRC for Freshwater Ecology
This report summarises the final session of the 2001 Fenner Conference, Biodiversity in Inland Waters - Priorities for its Protection and Management. It identifies the major issues limiting successful biodiversity conservation, gaps in our knowledge or ability to address freshwater biodiversity issues, and priority areas of management and research that will lead to improved conservation of freshwater biodiversity. This report intends to inform policy makers and those involved in natural resource management, as well as serving as a resource for those promoting
or undertaking biodiversity conservation measures.
http://aerg.canberra.edu.au/cgi-bin/pubs_archive.cgi?target=G
Integrated Assessment of Stakeholder Interests and Trade-offs in use of Wetland Functions: A Case Study of the Daly, Mary and Kunbarllanjnja Wetlands
O. Ypma
Wageningen University, May 2005
The wetlands in northern Australia provide people with numerous benefits, such as food and water, which support people’s quality of life. This is especially the case with wetlands in the Daly and Mary River catchments and Kunbarllanjnja. These areas differ in the scale of agricultural development and are being used by different people who want to profit from the provided benefits. This leads to different interests in wetlands. The different interests occasionally lead to competition between persons or groups over wetland functions such as water supply. To facilitate an equal distribution in using wetland functions among the persons or groups, the competing interests have to be balanced (trade-offs) in order to develop sustainable management of the wetland functions and efficient policy to protect the wetlands from quantity and quality degradation.
An integrated analysis has been conducted in this thesis with the main objective to identify the main interests of individual stakeholder and stakeholder groups along with actual and potential trade-offs regarding the use of the wetlands in Daly and Mary River catchments and Kunbarllanjnja in Northern Australia.
Wageningen University, May 2005
The wetlands in northern Australia provide people with numerous benefits, such as food and water, which support people’s quality of life. This is especially the case with wetlands in the Daly and Mary River catchments and Kunbarllanjnja. These areas differ in the scale of agricultural development and are being used by different people who want to profit from the provided benefits. This leads to different interests in wetlands. The different interests occasionally lead to competition between persons or groups over wetland functions such as water supply. To facilitate an equal distribution in using wetland functions among the persons or groups, the competing interests have to be balanced (trade-offs) in order to develop sustainable management of the wetland functions and efficient policy to protect the wetlands from quantity and quality degradation.
An integrated analysis has been conducted in this thesis with the main objective to identify the main interests of individual stakeholder and stakeholder groups along with actual and potential trade-offs regarding the use of the wetlands in Daly and Mary River catchments and Kunbarllanjnja in Northern Australia.
Macro-algae in the streams of the Darwin Region, and the Daly River catchment
S. Skinner and S. A. Townsend
Dept of Plannning and Infrastructure, Water Monitoring Branch, 2005
Report 12/2005D
Dept of Plannning and Infrastructure, Water Monitoring Branch, 2005
Report 12/2005D
Dynamics in tropical eucalypt forests
J. Woinarski and B. Hill
Land and Water Australia
This fact sheet presents the key findings from the Land & Water Australia managed project: Defining successional patterns and biodiversity values of north Australian eucalypt forests. This study provides major new insights into the dynamics of tropical eucalypt forests, allowing comparison with the dynamics of temperate eucalypt forests. It also provides guidelines for clearing of new re-growth forest versus old growth.
http://products.lwa.gov.au/products/pn21601
Land and Water Australia
This fact sheet presents the key findings from the Land & Water Australia managed project: Defining successional patterns and biodiversity values of north Australian eucalypt forests. This study provides major new insights into the dynamics of tropical eucalypt forests, allowing comparison with the dynamics of temperate eucalypt forests. It also provides guidelines for clearing of new re-growth forest versus old growth.
http://products.lwa.gov.au/products/pn21601
Gap Analysis of Scientific Knowledge in the Daly Region
S. Townsend, P. Dostine, D. YinFoo, D. Williams, P. Jolly, J. Woinarski and J. Hill
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, Conservation and Natural Resources Group, 2005?
This analysis has been compiled to inform the Daly Region Community Reference Group through its Expert Reference Group of the gaps in scientific knowledge in the Daly River. Key research issues are discussed under five broad themes:1) River and Wetland Health, 2) Estuarine Health, 3) Groundwater Surface Water Interactions, 4) Conservation and Biodiversity and 5) Soil Management. It provides an integrated overview and assists in setting priorities for the direction of further research for regional natural resource planning and management. The report has large tables that are divided into zones which display the current knowledge, the desirable state of knowledge, and the cost of achieving each goal. For each topic area there is also detailed information provided. This information is useful when considering new projects in the Daly Region.
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, Conservation and Natural Resources Group, 2005?
This analysis has been compiled to inform the Daly Region Community Reference Group through its Expert Reference Group of the gaps in scientific knowledge in the Daly River. Key research issues are discussed under five broad themes:1) River and Wetland Health, 2) Estuarine Health, 3) Groundwater Surface Water Interactions, 4) Conservation and Biodiversity and 5) Soil Management. It provides an integrated overview and assists in setting priorities for the direction of further research for regional natural resource planning and management. The report has large tables that are divided into zones which display the current knowledge, the desirable state of knowledge, and the cost of achieving each goal. For each topic area there is also detailed information provided. This information is useful when considering new projects in the Daly Region.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Monitoring programme for the pig-nosed turtle
S. Doody
University of Canberra,
To monitor the distribution and abundance of the pig-nosed turtle in the Daly River.
University of Canberra,
To monitor the distribution and abundance of the pig-nosed turtle in the Daly River.
Draft conservation plan for the Daly Basin bioregion
Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment,
This draft plan is concerned with ensuring the protection of conservation values, such as providing breeding area, habitat and refuge for important wildlife populations, especially of fish, turtles, insects, waterbirds and crocodiles. The goal of this conservation plan is to ensure that the species, ecosystems and ecological processes present in the Daly Basin are adequately conserved.
This plan discusses the features of the Daly Basin bioregion; geology, soils, water, flora, fauna and the history of human occupation. The key threatening processes in the basin and the proposed mitigation measures are also detailed.
The informative conservation draft plan provides information on a large range of conservation issues within the study basin bioregion, also provided in the plan are control measures that have already been established and suggestions to further developing them.
Defining successional patterns and biodiversity values of north Australian eucalypt forests
J. Woinarski
NRETA Parks and Wildlife, Land and Water Australia
The objectives of this study are to: evaluate biodiversity and conservation values of tropical eucalypt forest re-growth across a time series; to evaluate biodiversity and conservation values of "mature" eucalypt forests, with specific reference to hollow formation and other attributes that may be useful in definition of "old growth"; and to apply both sets of knowledge to the development of enhanced management of these eucalypt forests, in particular to how re-growth vegetation should be assessed in clearing applications and whether "old growth" is a useful categorisation for these tropical eucalypt forests, whether it can be operationally defined , and whether this can be used in clearing assessments and other management. Management of eucalypt forests in northern Australia is currently hampered by lack of definition and knowledge of the forest dynamics and conservation values.
http://products.lwa.gov.au/products/pn21601
NRETA Parks and Wildlife, Land and Water Australia
The objectives of this study are to: evaluate biodiversity and conservation values of tropical eucalypt forest re-growth across a time series; to evaluate biodiversity and conservation values of "mature" eucalypt forests, with specific reference to hollow formation and other attributes that may be useful in definition of "old growth"; and to apply both sets of knowledge to the development of enhanced management of these eucalypt forests, in particular to how re-growth vegetation should be assessed in clearing applications and whether "old growth" is a useful categorisation for these tropical eucalypt forests, whether it can be operationally defined , and whether this can be used in clearing assessments and other management. Management of eucalypt forests in northern Australia is currently hampered by lack of definition and knowledge of the forest dynamics and conservation values.
http://products.lwa.gov.au/products/pn21601
Ecological risk assessments of key threats to Australia’s tropical rivers
R. A. Van Dam, R. Bartolo and P. Bayliss
ERISS, Land and Water Australia
The aim of this project is to develop a risk assessment framework applicable to the key focus catchments and significant locations that meet stakeholder needs, within the region of the TRIAP. In addition to providing a broad overview of the major pressures on tropical Australia’s aquatic ecosystems, the key component of this study is more detailed risk assessments for the focus catchments, being the Daly River (NT), Flinders River (Qld) and Fitzroy River (WA).
http://www.environment.gov.au/ssd/tropical-rivers/triap-sp2.html
ERISS, Land and Water Australia
The aim of this project is to develop a risk assessment framework applicable to the key focus catchments and significant locations that meet stakeholder needs, within the region of the TRIAP. In addition to providing a broad overview of the major pressures on tropical Australia’s aquatic ecosystems, the key component of this study is more detailed risk assessments for the focus catchments, being the Daly River (NT), Flinders River (Qld) and Fitzroy River (WA).
http://www.environment.gov.au/ssd/tropical-rivers/triap-sp2.html
Valuing tropical river ecosystem services
A. Straton
CSIRO
This project is identifying and valuing tropical river ecosystem services and some non-market uses of tropical rivers to enable comparison of the impacts of management scenarios. This project is taking place through 3 case studies: the Daly in the NT, the Fitzroy in WA, and the Mitchell in Qld. This project will contribute to the broader research agenda of the TRaCK research hub.
http://www.track.gov.au/research.html
CSIRO
This project is identifying and valuing tropical river ecosystem services and some non-market uses of tropical rivers to enable comparison of the impacts of management scenarios. This project is taking place through 3 case studies: the Daly in the NT, the Fitzroy in WA, and the Mitchell in Qld. This project will contribute to the broader research agenda of the TRaCK research hub.
http://www.track.gov.au/research.html
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Diversity of river life: bioregionalisation, conservationpriorities and predictive models of aquatic biodiversity
J. Hughes and B. Cook
Models will be developed relating the patterns of aquatic biodiversity to environmental drivers such as hydrology, climate, landform, riparian and aquatic habitat. This will help with predicting the effects of development scenarios in river catchments on biodiversity. Networks of areas with high biodiversity will be identified for conservation priority. This project will cover as many catchments as possible in northern Australia
http://www.track.gov.au/research.html
Models will be developed relating the patterns of aquatic biodiversity to environmental drivers such as hydrology, climate, landform, riparian and aquatic habitat. This will help with predicting the effects of development scenarios in river catchments on biodiversity. Networks of areas with high biodiversity will be identified for conservation priority. This project will cover as many catchments as possible in northern Australia
http://www.track.gov.au/research.html
Daly River Catchment Conservation Plan
S. Gold, J. Woinarski, B. Baker and R. Pressey
The Conservation Plan will be developed over a 12 month period and will form the basis for maintaining the area’s important habitats and species. The Plan will seek to: enhance the existing reserve network; establish off-reserve conservation measures, including the use of conservation incentives, covenants, and other mechanisms for conserving biodiversity; provide an integrated approach to landscape management by complementing biodiversity conservation initiatives with water planning and land clearing regulations and guidelines. The first part of the project will entail detailed data gathering and scientific analysis of the area’s biodiversity values. Following the scientific analysis there will be a series of stakeholder consultations aimed at identifying ways in which landholders and the broader community can become better involved in conservation activities. The Conservation Plan will be based on a series of principles that guide our community’s expectations for, and interest in, resource use, conservation and regional planning.
http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/water/drmac/plan
The Conservation Plan will be developed over a 12 month period and will form the basis for maintaining the area’s important habitats and species. The Plan will seek to: enhance the existing reserve network; establish off-reserve conservation measures, including the use of conservation incentives, covenants, and other mechanisms for conserving biodiversity; provide an integrated approach to landscape management by complementing biodiversity conservation initiatives with water planning and land clearing regulations and guidelines. The first part of the project will entail detailed data gathering and scientific analysis of the area’s biodiversity values. Following the scientific analysis there will be a series of stakeholder consultations aimed at identifying ways in which landholders and the broader community can become better involved in conservation activities. The Conservation Plan will be based on a series of principles that guide our community’s expectations for, and interest in, resource use, conservation and regional planning.
http://www.nt.gov.au/nreta/water/drmac/plan
Water regime dependence of fish in the wet-dry tropics
M. Douglas, B. Pusey, M. Kennard and S. Jackson
CDU
Relate patterns of fish diversity and activity across contrasting flow and hydraulic habitat characteristics. To support a capacity to predict effects of changes in flow regimes on fish and hence to recommend minimum flow rates. Record indigenous knowledge and values of fish and use this to inform models.
CDU
Relate patterns of fish diversity and activity across contrasting flow and hydraulic habitat characteristics. To support a capacity to predict effects of changes in flow regimes on fish and hence to recommend minimum flow rates. Record indigenous knowledge and values of fish and use this to inform models.
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