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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Nomination to list, delist or change the status of an ecological
community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act
1995
Ecological community details
Name of the ecological community (use the generally accepted name, if any):
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Description of the ecological community that distinguishes it from any other ecological community
(please refer to the definitions and guidelines for ecological communities at the end of this form for
more assistance). This includes reference to its biological (including a list of the assemblage of
species that characterise the ecological community, threatened species and structure of the
ecological community) and abiotic components:
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The processes by which these components interact, if known:
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Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Location of the ecological community. If possible, please include a map indicating the current
distribution and exact location of the nominated ecological community and which clearly indicates
the boundary of the ecological community. If known, indicate the Interim Biogeographic
Regionalisation of Australia (IBRA) Bioregion(s) and list the Local Government Area(s) in which
the ecological community occurs (please refer to the definitions and guidelines for ecological
communities at the end of this form for more assistance):
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Is the ecological community endemic to NSW? (i.e., is the ecological community only found in
NSW?)
YES
NO*
* Please indicate where else the ecological community is found.
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Category for which the ecological community is nominated
under the TSC Act:
Existing Status
Proposed Status
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Endangered
Endangered
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Not Listed
Not Listed
If nominating a new listing or a change of status, supporting information should address how the
ecological community meets the listing criteria (see background material).
If nominating an ecological community for delisting, supporting information should address how
the ecological community does not meet the listing criteria (see background material).
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Information that may assist the Committee in its assessment,
if known:
1. A description of the current geographic distribution of the ecological community in NSW
(information on distribution elsewhere should be provided if available):
•
localities, dates and sources of records of the community (including bioregions and local
government areas);
•
description of the habitat of the community;
•
maps of extant occurrences and prior occurrences (provide references if available);
•
estimates of the area of current extent.
2. Evidence and estimates of the magnitude of past or projected future reductions in the
geographic distribution of the community in NSW:
All estimates of reductions need to specify the time period over which they were observed,
estimated, inferred or suspected to have occurred, or are projected to occur in future.
3. Evidence and estimates of the magnitude of past or projected future reductions in the ecological
function of the community in NSW relating to:
•
Changes in community structure
− Describe the nature, magnitude and spatial extent of structural changes, how they
affect ecological function of the community and sources of evidence.
•
Changes in species composition
− Describe the nature, magnitude and spatial extent of compositional changes, how
they affect ecological function and diversity of the community and sources of
evidence.
•
Disruption of ecological processes
− Describe the processes, how they affect ecological function and diversity of the
community and sources of evidence.
•
Invasion and establishment of exotic species
− List the species and extent of current infestation, rate of invasion, how they affect
ecological function and diversity of the community and sources of evidence.
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
•
Degradation of habitat
− Describe the nature, magnitude and spatial extent of habitat changes, how they affect
ecological function of the community and sources of evidence.
•
Fragmentation of habitat
− Describe the pattern and spatial extent of fragmentation, how this affect ecological
function of the community and sources of evidence.
All estimates of reductions need to specify the time period over which they were observed,
estimated, inferred or suspected to have occurred, or are projected to occur in future.
4. A description of the threat(s) to the ecological community:
•
the characteristics and severity of each threat;
•
whether each threat is associated with continuing declines in:
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the geographic distribution of the community in NSW;
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the ecological function of the community in NSW;
•
whether each threat occurs throughout the entire range of the community or only in
specified parts of the range.
•
any Key Threatening Processes affecting the community.
5. A list of records of the ecological community in National Parks and other conservation
reserves.
6. A description and justification of methods of survey, analysis and inference upon which
information supporting the nomination is based (appropriate references are sufficient if available).
7. A list of sources of information relevant to the assessment of the conservation status of this
ecological community, including scientific literature, data bases, maps, experts and other contacts
familiar with issues relevant to the community.
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Nominator Details
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
Please note: Information contained in the nomination or parts of the nomination may be referred to
third parties for expert assessment and location details may be included in the GIS databases.
Further information or clarification may also be sought from the nominator. In addition, the
Committee is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
Do you wish your personal details provided below to be regarded as confidential? (NB:
information relating to a Body, Organisation or Company are not personal details)
YES
NO
NAME:
BODY, ORGANISATION or COMPANY NAME (if nominee acts for an organisation):
ADDRESS:
Postcode
TELEPHONE (daytime):
FAX:
EMAIL:
I declare that the information in this nomination and its attachments is true and correct to the
best of my knowledge.
SIGNATURE:
DATE
The completed nomination form and additional information should be signed and posted to:
The Chairperson
NSW Scientific Committee
PO Box 1967
HURSTVILLE NSW 2220
For further information please contact Suzanne Chate – telephone: 02 9585 6940
PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL NOMINATIONS – SIGNED NOMINATIONS ARE REQUIRED
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Background Information for Nominators
The TSC Act provides for the listing of ecological communities that are critically endangered,
endangered and vulnerable. The definition and criteria (as prescribed in the Threatened Species
Conservation Amendment (Listing Criteria) Regulation 2005 for listing species in any of these
categories are provided below.
Please note, to be eligible for listing as threatened under the TSC Act, the ecological community
must meet at least one of the criteria below. It is the responsibility of the Scientific Committee to
determine if a nominated ecological community is eligible for listing under the TSC Act. However,
the information that the nominator provides in relation to the status of the ecological community
will assist the Scientific Committee in its determination.
Note, terms highlighted in bold are defined in the Definitions and Guidelines section of the form.
Please refer to these in order to assist your nomination.
Critically Endangered:
Definition: An ecological community is eligible to be listed as a critically endangered ecological
community if, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it is facing an extremely high risk of
extinction in New South Wales in the immediate future, as determined in accordance with criteria
prescribed by the regulations.
Criterion 1 It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have
undergone, or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and
habitat characteristics of its component species a very large reduction in geographic
distribution.
Criterion 2 Its geographic distribution is estimated or inferred to be very highly restricted and
the nature of its distribution makes it likely that the action of a threatening process
could cause it to decline or degrade in extent or ecological function over a time span
appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of the ecological community’s
component species.
Criterion 3 It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have
undergone, or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and
habitat characteristics of its component species a very large reduction in ecological
function, as indicated by any of the following:
a.
change in ecological community structure
b. change in species composition
c.
disruption of ecological processes
d. invasion and establishment of exotic species
e.
degradation of habitat
f.
fragmentation of habitat
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Endangered:
Definition: An ecological community is eligible to be listed as an endangered ecological
community if, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee:
(a) it is facing a very high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the near future,
as determined in accordance with criteria prescribed by the regulations, and
(b) it is not eligible to be listed as a critically endangered ecological community.
Criterion 1 It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have
undergone, or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and
habitat characteristics of its component species a large reduction in geographic
distribution.
Criterion 2 Its geographic distribution is estimated or inferred to be highly restricted and the
nature of its distribution makes it likely that the action of a threatening process could
cause it to decline or degrade in extent or ecological function over a time span
appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of the ecological community’s
component species.
Criterion 3 It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or suspected to have undergone, or
is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat
characteristics of component species a large reduction in ecological function, as
indicated by any of the following:
a.
change in ecological community structure
b. change in species composition
c.
disruption of ecological processes
d. invasion and establishment of exotic species
e.
degradation of habitat
f.
fragmentation of habitat
Vulnerable:
Definition: An ecological community is eligible to be listed as a vulnerable ecological community
if, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee:
(a) it is facing a high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the medium-term
future, as determined in accordance with criteria prescribed by the regulations,
and
(b) it is not eligible to be listed as an endangered or critically endangered ecological
community.
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Criterion 1 It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have
undergone, or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and
habitat characteristics of its component species a moderate reduction in geographic
distribution.
Criterion 2 Its geographic distribution is estimated or inferred to be moderately restricted and
the nature of its distribution makes it likely that the action of a threatening process
could cause it to decline or degrade in extent or ecological function over a time span
appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of the ecological community’s
component species.
Criterion 3 It has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or suspected to have undergone, or
is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat
characteristics of component species a moderate reduction in ecological function, as
indicated by any of the following:
a.
change in ecological community structure
b. change in species composition
c.
disruption of ecological processes
d. invasion and establishment of exotic species
e.
degradation of habitat
f.
fragmentation of habitat
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Definitions and Guidelines
The following definitions may aid the nominator in providing information to the NSW Scientific
Committee that will assist assessment of the nomination.
Animal: any animal-life that is indigenous to New South Wales or is known to periodically or
occasionally migrate to NSW, whether vertebrate or invertebrate and in any stage of biological
development, but does not include humans or fish within the meaning of Part 7A of the Fisheries
Management Act 1994.
Ecological Community: an assemblage of species occupying a particular area.
An ecological community is defined by an assemblage of species that are characteristic of the
community (these species can come from any taxonomic group). In order to assess the validity of
the ecological community, the Scientific Committee will need to know the basis of the definition. If
the ecological community has previously been defined in the literature, details of the appropriate
references should be provided. If the data are unpublished, information on how the data were
collected and analysed should be provided.
There is no complete list of names of ecological communities in NSW. If the name applied to the
nominated ecological community has been used previously, reference to appropriate literature
demonstrating use of the name should be provided. Are the published name and the definition of
the ecological community identifiably the same as the ecological community in the nomination? If
not, what are the differences? If the name has not been used previously, the reason for the choice of
name should be provided.
Information on how the ecological community can be differentiated from adjacent or related
ecological communities and the range of variation encompassed by the concept of the nominated
ecological community, should also be included.
Information on environmental attributes of the ecological community that amplify or clarify the
species-based definition (i.e., structure, habitat, position in landscape etc) should be provided.
Ecological Function: encompasses the ecological processes and interactions that occur within an
ecological community. Ecological function includes:
•
provision of habitat for native biota;
•
provision of food and other resources for native biota;
•
maintenance of interactions between species (e.g., pollination, dispersal, mutualism,
competition, predation);
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cycling, filtering and retention of nutrients;
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carbon storage or sequestration;
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maintenance of soil processes;
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maintenance of catchment scale hydrological and geochemical processes; and
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maintenance of landscape scale ecological processes.
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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NSW SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Generation length: is the average age of parents to the current newborn individuals in the
population. Generation length reflects the turnover rate of breeding individuals in a population. It
is greater than the age at first breeding and less than the age of the oldest breeding individual,
except in taxa that breed only once. Where generation length varies under threat, the more natural
(pre-disturbance) generation length should be used. Generation length is a means of defining a time
scale appropriate to the life cycle of the component species of a community.
Geographic Distribution: is the area(s) in which an ecological community occurs. This may be
assessed by estimating the extent of occurrence (the area of the total geographic range that includes
all extant occurrences of the ecological community), the area of occupancy (the area within the total
range that is currently occupied by the ecological community, i.e. excludes unsuitable and
unoccupied habitat), or the area of suitable habitat (the area within the total range that includes
occupied and unoccupied suitable habitat, but excludes unsuitable habitat). The scale at which a
geographic distribution is estimated should be appropriate to the biology of the component species
in ecological communities, the nature of the threats and available data.
For Criterion 1 there must be a very large, large and moderate reduction in geographic
distribution, respectively, for Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable. For Criterion 2
there must be a very highly, highly and moderately restricted geographic distribution (in
combination with other factors), respectively, for Critically Endangered, Endangered and
Vulnerable. For each case the Committee will determine the appropriate threshold values for
respective threat categories.
Habitat: an area or areas occupied, or periodically or occasionally occupied, by a species,
population or ecological community and includes any biotic or abiotic component.
Plant: any plant-life that is indigenous to New South Wales, whether vascular or non-vascular and
in any stage of biological development, and includes fungi and lichens, but does not include marine
vegetation within the meaning of Part 7A of the Fisheries Management Act 1994.
Species: of animal or plant includes any defined sub-species and taxon below a sub-species and
any recognisable variant of a sub-species or taxon.
Nomination to list Ecological Communities
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