Download kit 1 condition for biodiversity

KIT 1
CONDITION FOR BIODIVERSITY
Acknowledgments
This workshop series has been developed by the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Sciences Unit,
Environment and Resource Sciences, Queensland State Government
Published by Meat & Livestock Australia Limited
ABN 39 081 678 364
July 2012
© Meat & Livestock Australia 2012
ISBN 9781741919257
Care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this publication. However MLA cannot accept responsibility for the accuracy or
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WHAT IS
CONDITION?
Condition can be a case of ‘in-the-eye-of-the-beholder’, where one person’s interpretation of good
condition may not be the same as another’s. It is simply a matter of perspective. A way around
this is to be clear about what condition means for the system of interest, that is whether it is for
biodiversity, or production.
CONDITION IS…
...FOR
BIODIVERSITY
...FOR
GRAZING LAND MANAGEMENT
(‘1234’ RATING SYSTEM)
(‘ABCD’ RATING SYSTEM)
The similarity in key features of the land
being assessed, with those of the same
land type in its reference state.
The capacity of the land to respond to rain and
produce useful forage.
The reference state refers to the natural
variability in features of a land type
relatively unmodified since the time of
European settlement.
The underpinning concept is that there is a
suite of features that adequately represent
a stable response of species diversity in
land types in their reference state.
© Meat & Livestock Australia 2012 |
A measure of how well the grazing ecosystem
is functioning.
The underpinning concept is that ecological
processes, such as nutrient cycling, are
maintained through variable rainfall periods to
ensure stable responses by pasture species
relative to livestock carrying capacity.
Kit 1 – Biodiversity Condition Toolkit For Grazed Lands
3
WHAT IS
CONDITION? CONT.
When measuring the condition of something, such as human health, it is usually measured against
a set of benchmarks representing good health. For example human fitness is defined by an ideal
heart rate or body mass index. For biodiversity condition assessment (BioCondition), benchmarks for
key habitat features have been measured from sites representing a land type or regional ecosystem
in its reference state. The use of benchmarks ensures that comparisons are relevant to each of the
various land types. This means that assessments can be compared between different land types.
The Grazing Land Management condition
assessment approach (the ‘ABCD’ framework) is
based on an assessment of features important
for the sustainable management of grazing:
The BioCondition assessment approach (the
‘1234’ framework) is based on an assessment
of features important for the sustainable
management of biodiversity, and includes:
• Pasture condition.
• Habitat condition at the scale of the site.
• Soil condition.
• Habitat condition at the scale of the
landscape.
• Woodland condition.
Grazing land in good (‘A’), or fair (‘B’) condition often corresponds with functional or very high or
high condition for biodiversity (‘1’ or ‘2’). Likewise, grazing land in poor condition (‘C’ or ‘D’) is often
not functional and moderate to low for biodiversity (‘3’ or ‘4’). However, this is not always the case,
because the ‘ABCD’ framework was designed from the perspective of grazing land productivity, and
therefore does not consider key features of biodiversity condition. It is not difficult however to add a
few more features to an assessment to make it relevant from a biodiversity perspective as well. So
what are the key features to include for biodiversity condition assessment?
Good grazing
land condition
4
Functional
biodiversity
condition
Good grazing land condition and functional
condition for biodiversity will not always overlap,
but with management the overlap can increase.
In this toolkit, we will aim to broaden the
understanding of how to increase this overlap as
much as possible.
Kit 1 – Biodiversity Condition Toolkit For Grazed Lands | © Meat & Livestock Australia 2012
KEY FEATURES OF BIODIVERSITY
CONDITION ASSESSMENT
The best way to find out what biodiversity exists in a paddock or across a property is to do a full
fauna and flora survey. Doing this properly is very time consuming and expensive, and requires
high levels of technical expertise. Even then, it is not possible to sample everything (think of all the
soil micro-organisms!), and survey conditions need to be optimal (rain is good for finding frogs, but
not birds). An alternative is to use a short-cut; easily measured ‘surrogates’ that can be used as a
substitute for biodiversity. This toolkit details the key habitat features that are good surrogates of
biodiversity at the site-scale and at the landscape-scale, based on knowledge of how biodiversity
responds to the amount of habitat available at the site, and the amount of habitat in the landscape.
Asessment of condition for biodiversity is essentially based on the
amount of key biodiversity ‘surrogates’ or habitat features, which provide
opportunities for different species to feed, shelter and reproduce.
IMPORTANT SITE-BASED FEATURES INCLUDE:
TREE AND SHRUB SPECIES RICHNESS
The diversity of tree and shrub species in an
ecosystem provides increased diversity of
shelter and foraging resources.
LARGE LIVING TREES
Mature trees provide increased leaf material
for leaf-eating species (eg koala and greater
glider) and increased foraging resources
for a range of other species (nectar for
honeyeaters, more bark-surface area for
insects to shelter and hence more food
for tree-creepers). They are more likely to
contain hollows, which are essential habitat
for many mammal and bird species.
© Meat & Livestock Australia 2012 |
TREE AND SHRUB CANOPY COVER
The amount of tree and shrub canopy cover
provides a direct role in the provision of shelter
and foraging resources but also an indirect role
of maintaining nutrient and carbon cycling.
Kit 1 – Biodiversity Condition Toolkit For Grazed Lands
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IMPORTANT SITE-BASED
FEATURES CONT.
WOODY DEBRIS AND LITTER
Provide shelter, feeding and nesting
opportunities for many ground dwelling
invertebrates, frogs, reptiles and mammals.
Many bird species use fallen logs and litter
for foraging. Woody debris and litter are
also important components in the cycling of
nutrients, water and carbon.
“
Many bird species
use fallen logs and
litter for foraging...
”
PERENNIAL GRASS COVER
Captures and promotes energy flow through
grazing animals and soil micro-organisms.
Grass tussocks provide shelter for ground
dwelling species and protect soil from erosion.
IMPORTANT LANDSCAPE-SCALE FEATURES INCLUDE:
CONTEXT
A measure of the amount of vegetation in the
landscape surrounding the assessment site
contributing habitat value to biodiversity.
DISTANCE TO WATER
CONNECTIVITY
The degree to which the landscape
surrounding the assessment site facilitates or
impedes species movement among patches of
habitat.
“
6
More detail and
examples on the value
of these features
on grazing lands is
provided in Kit 2.
”
Grazing pressure tends to radiate in intensity
with distance from permanent water.
Some species are very sensitive to grazing
disturbance, and hence tend not to occur in
areas close to water points.
Kit 1 – Biodiversity Condition Toolkit For Grazed Lands | © Meat & Livestock Australia 2012
DO ALL SPECIES RESPOND THE SAME WAY TO
CHANGE IN CONDITION?
The short answer is no. Different species use habitat in different ways. Some species have very
specific habitat requirements, whereas others are more generalist and can adapt to habitat
change more readily. This introduces the concept of ‘decreaser’ species and ‘increaser’ species
(see Kit 5). Decreaser species are sensitive to disturbance or habitat modification, and tend to
decline to the point of no return if habitat condition becomes dysfunctional. Increaser species
are more tolerant of modification to their habitat, and in fact can increase in numbers.
WHERE BIODIVERSITY CONDITION BECOMES DYSFUNCTIONAL…
WINNERS = INCREASERS
VS.
LOSERS = DECREASERS
Maintaining various ‘1234’ condition states on a property will provide habitat for a range of different
species. However, maintaining as much land as possible in ‘1’ or ‘2’ condition, to cater for decreaser
species is the key, as these are the species that are being lost from our landscapes, (See Kit 6 for
further management guidelines that will enhance biodiversity outcomes on your property).
“
Different species use
habitat in different ways.
© Meat & Livestock Australia 2012 |
”
Kit 1 – Biodiversity Condition Toolkit For Grazed Lands
7
NOTES
8
Biodiversity Condition Toolkit For Grazed Lands | © Meat & Livestock Australia 2012
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