20517 App M.pdf [As Published] · 132007.1259

SCANLON PROPERTY GROUP ———

Ecological Assessment j
natural solutions

environmental consultants

Draft Report

 

All fauna surveys are subject to inherent limitations in the detection success of target species.
These limitations often result in a degree of false-absence records (i.e. a species is present, but
not detected). It is important, therefore, that the limitations to fauna surveys are identified and
the fauna survey results are viewed with these constraints in mind. The limitations to the fauna
surveys conducted at the subject site were:

. The survey period not coinciding with the period that some migratory or nomadic species
occur in the locality;

. Species with a large home ranges (e.g. owls and raptors) not present in this part of their
home range during the survey period;

. The difficulty in detecting certain species during the survey period (e.g. cryptic species,
species present in the study area at very low densities, and trap-shy species);

. Biological factors such as sex, age-class, and breeding biology, which may influence
species’ habitat use and detectability during different times of the year;

. The lack of suitable climatic conditions necessary for the presence and / or detectability of
certain species (e.g. amphibians following heavy rainfall);

. The current severe drought being experienced in the Southeast Queensland region will

influence the current detection success of various species for a number of reasons, for
example: population densities may have decreased leading to decreased detection
probability; certain species (e.g., amphibians) may enter a state of torpor during the
drought conditions; loss of favourable habitat conditions may force species to move
outside of the subject site; localised species extinctions (although species migrations into
suitable habitats may occur when the drought breaks) N.B. Previous site assessments,
by C&B Group, were conducted in more favourable weather conditions (i.e., during warm
rainy conditions), prior to the drought; and

. No detailed fauna trapping / transects were conducted, which substantially decreases the
likelihood of detecting fauna species occurring on site, particularly small ground-dwelling
species and cryptic / rare species.

 

June 2007 ( 21 )

Y:\JO7\J07-049_215-219 David Low Way,Peregian\Reports\Draft\070618_DR Ecological Assessment_JO7-049_JW.doc