Ecological Assessment Report

Biodiversity and Conservation Values (3SP246584)                                                               30/03/2016 16:41:54




A description of each of the other essential criteria and associated assessment in regards to the AOI is provided in the
following sections.

Criteria H. Essential and general habitat for priority taxa: Priority taxa are those which are at risk or of management
concern, taxa of scientific interest as relictual (ancient or primitive), endemic taxa or locally significant populations (such as a
flying fox camp or heronry), highly specialised taxa whose habitat requirements are complex and distributions are not well
correlated with any particular regional ecosystem, taxa important for maintaining genetic diversity (such as complex spatial
patterns of genetic variation, geographic range limits, highly disjunct populations), taxa critical for management or monitoring
of biodiversity (functionally important or ecological indicators), or economic and culturally important taxa.
This criterion can be used to identify essential and general habitat for EVNT and other priority taxa additional to that derived
under Diagnostic Criterion A. Information sources include expert and local knowledge, technical reports and papers, and
modelled maps of essential and general habitat.

Criteria I. Special biodiversity values: areas with special biodiversity values are important because they contain multiple
taxa in a unique ecological and often highly biodiverse environment. Areas with special biodiversity values can include the
following:
        • Ia - centres of endemism - areas where concentrations of taxa are endemic to a bioregion or subregion are found.
        • Ib - wildlife refugia (Morton et al. 1995), for example, islands, mound springs, caves, wetlands, gorges, mountain
        ranges and topographic isolates, ecological refuges, refuges from exotic animals, and refuges from clearing. The latter
        may include large areas that are not suitable for clearing because of land suitability/capability.
        • Ic - areas with concentrations of disjunct populations.
        • Id - areas with concentrations of taxa at the limits of their geographic ranges.
        • Ie - areas with high species richness.
        • If - areas with concentrations of relictual populations (ancient and primitive taxa).
        • Ig - areas containing REs with distinct variation in species composition associated with geomorphology and other
        environmental variables.
        • Ih - an artificial waterbody or managed/manipulated wetland considered by the panel/s to be of ecological
        significance.
        • Ii - areas with a high density of hollow-bearing trees that provide habitat for animals.
        • Ij - breeding or roosting sites used by a significant number of individuals.

The following table identifies the value and extent area of the Other Essential Criteria H and I within the AOI.

Table 13: Relative importance of expert panel criteria (H and I) used to access overall biodiversity significance with
respect to the AOI


 Expert Panel     Very High       Very High        High Rating   High          Medium          Medium          Low Rating    Low
                  Rating - Area   Rating - % of    - Area (Ha)   Rating - %    Rating - Area   Rating - % of   - Area (Ha)   Rating - %
                  (Ha)            AOI                            of AOI        (Ha)            AOI                           of AOI

 H: Core                                                   0.2           0.6
 Habitat
 Priority Taxa

 Ia: Centres of                                            0.2           0.6
 Endemism

 Ib: Wildlife
 Refugia

 Ic: Disjunct
 Populations

 Id: Limits of
 Geographic
 Ranges

 Ie: High                                                  0.2           0.6
 Species
 Richness

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