The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve: Final

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Environmental degradation and competition by the goat Grazing and disturbance by goats is listed as a KTP under the NSW TSC Act and the Commonwealth EPBC Act. At JKCR they may impact on cave-dwelling bats by increasing erosion around the caves, thereby increasing sedimentation and altering the hydrology and conditions within them. Goats can negotiate the steepest country, overgrazing, trampling, destabilising slopes and causing rockfalls in karst environments. The most serious threat posed by the feral goat at JKCR is that they may outcompete brush-tailed rock-wallabies for cave sheltering sites. Goats are subject to ongoing control measures at JKCR and are not currently in high numbers, though ample habitat exists. Environmental degradation by deer Herbivory and environmental degradation caused by feral deer is a KTP under the NSW TSC Act. Like rabbits and goats, deer may impact on cave-dwelling bats by increasing erosion outside the caves, thereby increasing sedimentation and altering the hydrology and conditions within them. Deer are currently in very low numbers at JKCR, however they may become an increasing problem as the population throughout the southern Blue Mountains grows. The extent to which they will occupy the karst environments is unknown. Environmental degradation and competition by the rabbit Competition and grazing by the feral European rabbit is listed as a KTP under the NSW TSC Act and Commonwealth EPBC Act. At JKCR they may impact on cave-dwelling bats by increasing erosion outside the caves, thereby increasing sedimentation and altering the hydrology and conditions within them. Rabbits may also compete for food with the brush-tailed rock-wallaby. Rabbits are not currently in high numbers in the wooded environments of JKCR and erosion caused by them is not considered to be a serious threat. Threats other than introduced vertebrates Fire High frequency fire resulting in the disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animals and loss of vegetation structure and composition is listed as a KTP under the NSW TSC Act. Fire is a natural part of the Australian environment, however delicate environments, such as karst, may be impacted by both natural fires and control burns. Fire is unlikely to impact significantly on cave fauna in the long term, provided it is similar to the historical regime (Eberhard 2001). The pre-European fire regime at JKCR is poorly understood, however fire is expected to be an infrequent natural event (E. Holland pers. comm. cited in DECC 2006a). Smoke from fires can enter cave systems, leading to increased temperatures and decreased oxygen levels. In poorly ventilated caves these conditions can persist for extended periods of time. In severe cases this could lead to mass die-offs of bats within roosts and would also impact on all cave-dwelling species to some extent. Indirectly, fires in the catchments around the caves leads to increased soil erosion thereby increasing sedimentation and blocking cave passages or significantly altering environmental conditions. Erosion, slope destabilisation and blocked passageways caused by fires can impact on any cave-dwelling fauna. Altered temperature and humidity within the caves due to increased sedimentation after fire is most likely to impact on cave-dwelling bats. Weed invasion Invasive weed species are prolific in the karst area of JKCR and species such as Sycamore maple, tutsan, ivy (Hedera helix) and periwinkle (Vinca major) have the potential to form dense thickets around cave entrances. Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and scramblers is listed as a KTP under the NSW TSC Act. The proliferation of introduced plants can impact on cave-dwelling fauna in several ways. Firstly, there is the direct impact of impeding access into caves, potentially impacting on all cave-dwelling fauna. Weeds often thrive around cave entrances which are usually areas of naturally high disturbance and/or soil moisture. In addition to this, by blocking or partially blocking cave entrances, weeds 120 Sycamore maple infestation. Photo © R. Nicolai The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve
can also alter the temperature and humidity within. This then has the potential to make the cave unsuitable for some cave-dwelling bats with narrow environmental tolerances. Finally, weeds can alter the chemistry of water entering the caves. The sycamore maple is a serious woody weed at JKCR and radiate pine has the potential to be. Sycamore maple, unlike native trees, sheds all its leaves at once dumping a massive nutrient load into the waterways. Pine needles also have the potential to impact water quality which is then carried into the cave system. While this is most likely to impact on cave-dwelling invertebrates, the wider impact on the sensitive subterranean environment must be considered as a threat to all cave-dwelling fauna. Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams Alteration to the natural flow regimes of rivers and streams is listed as a KTP under the NSW TSC Act. Changes to hydrology can change water flow through caves resulting in the blockage of previously passable sections with sediments or debris or the clearing of previously unpassable sections. This can then change environmental conditions within the caves. Flooding or draining of cavities can also impact fauna. Whilst this can be a natural process, increased peak flows or increased sediment loads can accelerate these processes. Impacts of sediments on cave fauna are poorly documented; however sedimentation resulting from mining has been linked with the extinction of a species of shrimp endemic to caves (Eberhard 2001). At JKCR, the vertebrate fauna most likely to be affected by changes in hydrology is the cave-dwelling bats (by indirectly leading to changes in environmental conditions), though many species are potentially impacted by sedimentation causing passageways to become impassable. Changes to the hydrology of cave systems can be caused by numerous other threats (listed below), the most important of which are discussed separately in this section. At JKCR, the major sediment management issues relate to: broad-scale weed removal, particularly of sycamore maple disturbance of soil in waterways by pigs introduced herbivores removing vegetation and disturbing soil fire, particularly high intensity fire increased peak flow events resulting from hard surfaces and stormwater infrastructure road and trail construction and maintenance illegal use of trails by motor vehicles and horses, particularly following wet weather. 9.4.3 Summary of threats to cave-dwelling fauna Table 14 summarises threats to priority cave-dependent fauna at JKCR. Threats are divided into cavespecific threats and threats that are common to caves and the remainder of JKCR. Threats that are common to caves and the remainder of JKCR are considered in more detail in section 7: management of threats. Each threat has been given a ranking as to its priority for action within the reserve. This has been derived by considering the number and conservation status of the species affected, the severity of that threat should it occur and the risk of that threat. Full details of the methodology used to derive the rankings are given in section 3.2. Some threats have a high risk of occurring but impact on relatively few species. Other threats are very serious should they occur, but are easily ameliorated and are unlikely to eventuate. The Vertebrate Fauna of Jenolan Karst Conservation Reserve 121
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The Vertebrate Fauna of the Jenolan
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Published by: Office of Environment
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CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION............
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6.4.12 Inbreeding..................
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1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PROJECT RATIONAL
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Map 1: Location and features of Jen
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Hydrology JKCR encompasses the uppe
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1.3.5 Vegetation Much of the vegeta
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wheel-driving and other motor sport
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Multiple banding trips undertaken b
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ground mammal surveys in all vegeta
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Bat Ultrasonic (‘Anabat’) Call
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undisturbed in situ. As agreed with
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Table 4: Statewide vegetation class
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Map 5: Location of OEH standard sys
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3 METHODS USED TO ASSESS AND PRIORI
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Table 5: Factors used to calculate
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Common name Scientific name Reason
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species occur in the southern Blue
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The proximity of the reserve to mor
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extinct. A remnant population there
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Table 8: Comparison of detection ra
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Map 7: Distribution of introduced b
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5.2 NATIVE SPECIES PROFILES This se
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STUTTERING FROG MIXOPHYES BALBUS EP
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FLAME ROBIN MELANODRYAS CUCULLATA C
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GLOSSY BLACK-COCKATOO CALYPTORHYNCH
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LITTLE EAGLE HIERAAETUS MORPHNOIDES
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REGENT HONEYEATER ANTHOCHAERA PHRYG
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SPECKLED WARBLER CHTHONICOLA SAGITT
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VARIED SITTELLA DAPHOENOSITTA CHRYS
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POWERFUL OWL NINOX STRENUA EPBC Act
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BETTONG SPECIES BETTONGIA SPP. EPBC
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BRUSH-TAILED PHASCOGALE PHASCOGALE
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Management Considerations Continue
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EASTERN QUOLL DASYURUS VIVERRINUS E
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KOALA PHASCOLARCTOS CINEREUS EPBC A
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NEW HOLLAND MOUSE PSEUDOMYS NOVAEHO
Page 79 and 80: PLATYPUS ORNITHORHYNCHUS ANATINUS E
Page 81 and 82: SMOKY MOUSE PSEUDOMYS FUMEUS EPBC A
Page 83 and 84: SPOTTED-TAILED QUOLL DASYURUS MACUL
Page 85 and 86: WHITE-FOOTED RABBIT-RAT CONILURUS A
Page 87 and 88: EASTERN BENTWING-BAT MINIOPTERUS SC
Page 89 and 90: EASTERN FALSE PIPISTRELLEFALSISTREL
Page 91 and 92: GREATER BROAD-NOSED BAT SCOTEANAX R
Page 93 and 94: LARGE-EARED PIED BAT CHALINOLOBUS D
Page 95 and 96: FERAL CAT FELIS CATUS Feral cat. Ph
Page 97 and 98: FERAL DOG CANIS LUPUS Feral dog. Ph
Page 99 and 100: FERAL PIG SUS SCROFA Occurrence in
Page 101 and 102: RABBIT ORYCTOLAGUS CUNICULUS Occurr
Page 103 and 104: 6.3 RELATIVE PRIORITY OF THREATS In
Page 105 and 106: 6.4.6 Environmental degradation, co
Page 107 and 108: operations (particularly during mop
Page 109 and 110: 7 MANAGEMENT OF THREATS 7.1 RECOMME
Page 111 and 112: Management response Target areas or
Page 115 and 116: 8 FURTHER SURVEY AND MONITORING 8.1
Page 117 and 118: esolved and projects are rarely fun
Page 119 and 120: 8.3.3 Suggested monitoring programs
Page 121 and 122: OVERVIEW Limestone karst is a limit
Page 123 and 124: Cook visited after limited installa
Page 125 and 126: adept climbers and may predate on b
Page 127 and 128: Interference by the public Some ver
Page 129: Predation and competition by the fo
Page 137 and 138: Much of this data is then available
Page 139 and 140: Spotted-tailed quoll The spotted-ta
Page 141 and 142: Overall, the current study shows th
Page 143 and 144: Common Name Morris et al. (1997) OE
Page 145 and 146: DECC (2007) Terrestrial vertebrate
Page 147 and 148: Keith, D.A. (2004) Ocean shores to
Page 149 and 150: Soderquist, T.R., Traill, B.J., Far
Page 151 and 152: Common name Scientific name NSW leg
Page 159: Cave Date inspected Mattagang Cave
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