DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION Background Report

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16/08/02 Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion Background Report 6.3 SUMMARY AND PROPOSED FURTHER WORK 6.3.1 Summary The knowledge of invertebrate biodiversity within the DRP is extremely limited but it is essential for a variety of reasons. In addition to their own contribution to the biodiversity of the ecosystem, invertebrate species are fundamental to the survival of many vertebrate species as a food resource, can be used as indicator species for land health and are an essential component of ecosystem function. It is also important to recognise that the impact of land management on invertebrate populations is not necessarily restricted to the DRP for example, the bogong moths which breed in the floodplains of the DRP are an essential food source for the threatened mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus) when they migrate to the alpine regions prior to winter and also have important cultural significance to Aboriginal people in the alpine regions. Although more information is available about the diversity of aquatic invertebrates than terrestrial invertebrates in the DRP, this information is still insufficient to classify aquatic habitats such as wetlands as critical habitats for waterbirds. Like the bogong moth, many of the aquatic invertebrates can have an impact on vertebrate biodiversity beyond the DRP bioregion. The health of fish populations can also affect the conservation of terrestrial vertebrates. Research into the distribution, abundance and status of fish in New South Wales is primarily the responsibility of NSW Fisheries, but as the DRP is a fluvial environment the health of the rivers and the fish fauna is an essential component of the overall conservation of this bioregion. 6.3.2 Proposed further work Further work related to the full range of fauna in the DRP includes the following: continued survey of aquatic invertebrates across the variety of wetlands in order to determine the significance of each wetland for the maintenance of waterbird populations; collation of existing information about terrestrial invertebrates and determination of priorities for further work, especially in relation to terrestrial vertebrate conservation strategies; assessment of terrestrial invertebrates critical for the survival of threatened vertebrate species; assessment of information relating to the fish fauna and determination of priorities for further work, especially in relation to terrestrial vertebrate conservation strategies; and further research into the relationship between invertebrate diversity and abundance and flood events in the various river catchments within the DRP. 118
16/08/02 Darling Riverine Plains Bioregion Background Report 7 ECOLOGICAL AND THREATENING PROCESSES 7.1 ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES The State Biodiversity Strategy requires the maintenance of ecological processes such as nutrient cycling, soil formation and hydrological processes. 7.1.1 Nutrient cycling and soil formation Nutrients are essential for the growth of plants and include potassium, nitrogen, magnesium, calcium, iron and phosphorus. Nutrients are cycled through an ecosystem by various mechanisms including animals eating plants and depositing faeces, rain and groundwater flows washing nutrients from one place to another, wind and water erosion of soils transporting nutrients, soil fauna such as microbes and invertebrates, and uptake of nutrients by plants followed by subsequent decomposition and return of nutrients to the soil. These processes ensure continuous cycling of nutrients through the system. Fluctuation or disruption of nutrient cycles may be caused by factors such as removal of vegetation, bushfire and drought. (APASE 2001) Soil formation processes involve the continuous breaking down of rock material through physical, chemical and biological mechanisms. This is affected by the parent rock type, living organisms (e.g. fungi, burrowing insects, animals and man), climate, topography and time. Soil formation processes may take a very long time and the parent rock type mostly determines the soil characteristics. Soil formation processes can be disrupted by erosion, clearing of vegetation and agriculture. Deep rooted trees and shrubs act as nutrient “pumps” for weathering substrates from between ten and 20m below the surface (Nix, H., ANU, pers.com 2001). 119
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DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION B
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For more information data contact t
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3.2 Vegetation Mapping and Descript
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10 APPENDICES 166 A CLIMATIC DATA B
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List of Maps Chapter 1 Map 1 Locati
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PROJECT SUMMARY This report forms p
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abbits are listed as key threatenin
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ainfall (mm) 900 800 700 600 500 40
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Major Rangetype Rangetype Physiogra
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Appendix C : Native Flora Other Tha
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Family Scientific Name Common Name
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APPENDIX E: Fauna Other than Those
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Common Name Scientific Name No Reco
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Common 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 198
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Common Name 1983 1984 1985 1986 198
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Taxa No Records Dataset Class Arach
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Taxa No Records Dataset Family Hebr
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Taxa No Records Dataset Tabanidae s
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Taxa No Records Dataset Berosus sp
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DARLING RIVERINE PLAINS BIOREGION Background Report

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