RYDE FLORA and FAUNA STUDY 2007 - City of Ryde - NSW ...

The only large reptiles still remaining in the 2007 study area are:
Biosphere Environmental Consultants Pty Ltd
Ryde Flora and Fauna Survey 2007 5
* Red-bellied Black Snakes (Pembroke Park, Lucknown Park)
* Eastern Water Dragons (many reserves along the Terrys Creek and
Buffalo Creek catchments)
Frogs have suffered a precipitous decline in Ryde. Most reserves have just one or two
species. There appears to be several reasons for the decline of frogs:
* loss of ephemeral or still-water flooded sites
* extended drought over some years
* loss of creek catchment habitat
* poor water quality
* introduced predatory fish (notable the Plague Minnow, Gambusia
holbrooki).
Pond-breeding species are now confined to back-yard habitats and have been lost
from creek areas. Most tree frogs have disappeared despite the amount of woodland
and forest that has been retained. This is a direct consequence of the loss of breeding
habitat.
Most other animal groups have shown declines in diversity.
The fauna groups that are still well represented in the area are forest and woodland
birds. In many bushland reserves the tall canopy has been retained and reserves are
close together so that birds can move freely between bushland areas. The birds that
have declined markedly are the small passerines that require mid-canopy cover for
protection, and wading birds. Terrys Creek bushland reserves appear to act as an
important stop-over area for migrating birds as many migratory species were detected
in the reserves.
Invertebrates were well represented in most reserves where there was still a
reasonably intact shrub or ground cover present. Native fish were genereally absent
for the reserves.
1.2.3. Impacts
The types of impacts on the bushland areas varied but included:
* weed invasion
* dumping of garden wastes and household rubbish
* planting of non-native or non-endemic plants
* uncontrolled fires that alter plant communities
* contamination of creeks and ground water
* changes in flow patterns of creeks through storm water control
* increased erosion of creek banks
* loss of ephemeral freshwater habitat
* ground compaction through foot traffic