Ecological Assessment Report

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




Aquatic Conservation Assessments
Introduction
The Aquatic Biodiversity Assessment and Mapping Method or AquaBAMM (Clayton et al. 2006), was developed to assess
conservation values of wetlands in queensland, and may also have application in broader geographical contexts. It is a
comprehensive method that uses available data, including data resulting from expert opinion, to identify relative wetland
conservation/ecological values within a specified study area (usually a catchment). The product of applying this method is an
Aquatic Conservation Assessment (ACA) for the study area.
An ACA using AquaBAMM is non-social, non-economic and identifies the conservation/ecological values of wetlands at a
user-defined scale. It provides a robust and objective conservation assessment using criteria, indicators and measures that
are founded upon a large body of national and international literature. The criteria, each of which may have variable numbers
of indicators and measures, are naturalness (aquatic), naturalness (catchment), diversity and richness, threatened species
and ecosystems, priority species and ecosystems, special features, connectivity and representativeness. An ACA using
AquaBAMM is a powerful decision support tool that is easily updated and simply interrogated through a geographic
information system (GIS).
Where they have been conducted, ACAs can provide a source of baseline wetland conservation/ecological information to
support natural resource management and planning processes. They are useful as an independent product or as an
important foundation upon which a variety of additional environmental and socio-economic elements can be added and
considered (i.e. an early input to broader 'triple-bottom-line' decision-making processes). An ACA can have application in:
       • determining priorities for protection, regulation or rehabilitation of wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems
       • on-ground investment in wetlands and other aquatic ecosystems
       • contributing to impact assessment of large-scale development (e.g. dams)
       • water resource and strategic regional planning prcesses

For a detailed explanation of the methodology please refer to the summary and expert panel reports relevant to the ACA
utilised in this assessment. These reports can be accessed at WetlandInfo:
http://wetlandinfo.ehp.qld.gov.au/wetlands/assessment/assessment-methods/aca
The GIS results can be downloaded from the Queensland Spatial Catalogue at:
http://qspatial.information.qld.gov.au/geoportal/

Explanation of Criteria
Under the AquaBAMM, eight criteria are assessed to derive an overall conservation value. Similar to the Biodiversity
Assessment and Mapping Methodology, the criteria may be primarily diagnostic (quantitative) or primarily expert opinion
(qualitative) in nature. The following sections provide a brief description of each of the 8 criteria.

Criteria 1. Naturalness - Aquatic: This attribute reflects the extent to which a wetland's (riverine, non-riverine, estuarine)
aquatic state of naturalness is affected through relevant influencing indicators which include: presence of exotic flora and
fauna; presence of aquatic communities; degree of habitat modification and degree of hydrological modification.

Criteria 2. Naturalness - Catchment: The naturalness of the terrestrial systems of a catchment can have an influence on
many wetland characteristics including: natural ecological processes e.g. nutrient cycling, riparian vegetation, water
chemistry, and flow. The indicators utilised to assess this criterion include: presence of exotic flora and/or fauna; riparian,
catchment and flow modification.

Criteria 3. Naturalness - Diversity and Richness: This criterion is common to many ecological assessment methods and
can include both physical and biological features. It includes such indicators as species richness, riparian ecosystem richness
and geomorphological diversity.

Criteria 4. Threatened Species and Ecosystems: This criterion evaluates ecological rarity characteristics of a wetland. This
includes both species rarity and rarity of communities / assemblages. The communities and assemblages are best
represented by regional ecosystems. Species rarity is determined by NCA and EPBC status with Endangered, Vulnerable or
Near-threatened species being included in the evaluation. Ecosystem rarity is determined by regional ecosystem biodiversity
status i.e. Endangered, Of Concern, or Not of Concern.

Criteria 5. Priority Species and Ecosystems: Priority flora and fauna species lists are expert panel derived. These are
aquatic, semi-aquatic and riparian species which exhibit at least 1 particular trait in order to be eligible for consideration. For
flora species the traits included:

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