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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 completeness of the information or opinions contained in the publication. You should make your own enquiries before making decisions concerning your interests. MLA accepts no liability for any losses incurred if you rely solely on this publication. Reproduction in whole or part of this publication is prohibited without prior consent and acknowledgement of Meat & Livestock Australia. 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 5 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 Level 1, 165 Walker Street North Sydney NSW 2060 Ph: +61 2 9463 9333 Fax: +61 2 9463 9393 www.mla.com.au