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Herpetofauna of Four Remnant Bushland Isolates in the City of Nedlands, Perth PDF

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HERPETOFAUNA OF FOUR REMNANT BUSHLAND ISOLATES IN THE CITY OF NEDLANDS, PERTH By P.F. BERRY 11 Burwood Street, Nedlands, W.A. 6009 ([email protected]) and O.F. BERRY School of Animal Biology (M092), The University of WA, Crawley 6009. ABSTRACT The herpetofaunas of four small, isolated remnant bushlands and a nearby urban garden in metropolitan Perth are documented. Shenton Bushland (21 ha.) was sampled over eleven consecutive years between 1994 and 2005 and 22 species (4 frogs, 3 snakes and 15 lizards) were recorded. Underwood Avenue Bushland (31 ha) was sampled over two years - 1998/1999 and 2000/2001 and 20 species (3 frogs, 3 snakes and 14 lizards) were recorded. Hollywood Reserve (6.5 ha) was sampled in 2001/2002 and 10 species (1 snake and 9 lizards) were recorded. A small, unnamed bushland isolate on Monash Avenue (0.75 ha), was sampled in 2001/2002 and 4 lizard species were recorded. Five lizard species were recorded from the urban garden over a 26 year period. No species differing from those on the Shenton Bushland list was recorded at the other bushlands. Thirteen of the 18 reptile species recorded (72%) are entirely dependent on native bushlands, as is the Turtle Frog (Myobatrachus gotildii), one of four frog species recorded. Clearly these urban bushland fragments play an important role in preservation of the biodiversity in the western suburbs of Perth. Trapping effort at Shenton Bushland was 20,628 trap-days over 10 consecutive years before the gecko, Strophurus spinigerus, was recorded 597 days (5 years) after it had been assumed that 100% of the assemblage at Shenton Bushland had been recorded. INTRODUCTION Others pointed out that the Two decades ago Hopkins and Banksia woodlands of the Swan Saunders (1987) stressed the need Coastal Plain were diminishing for ecological studies to provide rapidly in area, yet had been empirical data on the role of neglected scientifically and remnant bushlands in the urgently required study to conservation of native biota. achieve conservation goals and 27 to develop management strat¬ its nearest neighbour. Shenton egies (e.g. Hopper and Burbidge Bushland (21 ha), an A Class 1989; Hopkins and Griffin 1989; Reserve, was sampled over 11 How and Dell 1993). consecutive years between 1994 Despite the rapid pace of and 2005. Underwood Avenue development in the Perth Bushland (31 ha), owned by the metropolitan area, only a small University of Western Australia, number of systematic studies of was sampled over two years - the vertebrate assemblages of 1998/1999 and 2000/2001. urban bushland remnants have Hollywood Bushland (6.5 ha), a C been published to date (e.g. Class Reserve, was sampled in Cooper 1995; How 1998; How and 2001/2002. An unnamed isolate Dell 1989; Maryan 1993; Turpin on Monash Avenue (0.75 ha), 1991). As an illustration of this referred to as the Hospital deficiency in documentation, of Bushland and owned by the Sir 58 bushland sites from the Charles Gairdner Hospital, was Spearwood dune system assessed sampled in 2001/2002. In in ‘Perth’s Bush Forever' (Anon. addition, herpetofauna records 2000), 34 (59%) had no records of over 26 years from a nearby the fauna. urban garden are available. These four remnants and the garden Results to date suggest that even are situated between two of small urban reserves are valuable Perth’s major bushlands - Kings for preserving reptile assemblages Park (321 ha) and Bold Park (362 (How and Dell, 2000) and the ha). We show that urban composition of the fauna bushland fragments in the Perth depends in part on major geo¬ metropolitan area support graphical features such as dune diverse herpetofaunal assem¬ formation and position relative blages compared to a suburban to the Swan River (How and Dell garden. This result highlights the 1994). However, the high trap¬ critical role of urban bushlands ping efforts required to record for the preservation of faunal some species (e.g. 12 years for biodiversity in the region. Pletholax gracilis in Bold Park, How pers. comm, and eleven years in this study for Strophurus STUDY SITES spinigerus in Shenton Bushland) suggests that knowledge of All four study sites are on aeolian herpetofaunal assemblage distri¬ sands of the Spearwood Dune butions in the Perth metro¬ system and none has free¬ politan area may still be standing water. They are incomplete. representative of the Karrakatta In this study we describe the Central and South vegetation herpetofauna of four urban complex of predominantly open bushland remnants, none of forest and low woodland of which is more than 900m from Eucalyptus gomphocephala — E. 28 rnarginata — Corymbia calophylla wealth property along two of its and woodland of E. rnarginata borders makes the area an - Banksia species. According to effectively larger bushland Perth’s Bush Forever, 18% of this remnant. It is situated on a ridge complex remains as native (max. height 34m AHD) and is vegetation on the Spearwood approximately half way between Dunes in Perth Metropolitan Perth’s two largest inner urban Region (Anon. 2000). bushlands - Kings Park and Bold Park (Figure 1). The Shenton Bushland (an A class reserve vested in the City of Prior to its vesting, parts of Nedlands in 1996) covers an area Shenton Bushland were severely of 20.9 ha, of which 19.7 ha is degraded by the dumping of bushland. However, adjacent rubbish and weed invasion, bushland on State and Common¬ whilst other parts were in Figure 1. Positions of Bold Park, Kings Park, Underwood Avenue Bushland, Shenton Bushland , Hollywood Reserve and Monash Bushland. 29 relatively good condition (Anon. although structurally similar to 1996). Perth’s Bush Forever rates Shenton Bushland, was charac¬ the vegetation condition as >50% terised by having generally larger Very Good to Excellent; <50% and more abundant Jarrah and Good to Degraded with areas of more large living Tuarts, pro¬ severe localised disturbance viding a denser eucalypt canopy, (Anon. 2000). Prior to com¬ as well as extensive thickets of mencement of this study this Banksia prionotes. The last fire bushland had not had a major prior to the sampling for this fire for at least a decade; there study was in January 1988 (Don was a small fire along the King pers. comm.). A fire in northern border in 1992 (Don January 2002, which burnt King pers. comm.). The most approximately 95% of Under¬ recent fire burned approxi¬ wood Bushland severely damaged mately 65% of the reserve during those thickets surveyed. the study in 1997. Few large E. The Hollywood Reserve is a 6.5ha gopiphocephala (Tuart) remain bushland remnant bordered by alive and most large E. marginata Karrakatta cemetery, except for (Jarrah) have been cut out. the south and north-east sides of Significant rehabilitation, par¬ the reserve where there are ticularly weed reduction, has suburban roadways. It is been undertaken continuously managed by the City of Nedlands by the Nedlands City Council and the Friends of Hollywood and the Friends of Shenton Reserve Inc. The fauna and Bushland Inc. since 1994. vegetation have been described The Underwood Avenue Bush¬ by Cousin et al (2000) on the basis land is owned by the University of a 3 week survey in December of Western Australia which plans 1999. Weed control as well as to subdivide it for a housing replanting of non-local native development. It covers an area of plants has occurred in this 32.1 ha, of which 31.5 is remnant reserve. Frequent small fires have native vegetation and is situated also contributed to its approximately 600 metres degradation. directly north of the Shenton The Hospital Bushland is a bushland. Small fragmented areas remnant of approximately 0.75 of native vegetation persist on ha of E.marginata/Banksia wood¬ private property between the two land owned by the Sir Charles bushlands. Perth’s Bush Forever Gairdner Hospital. Apart from rates the vegetation condition as moderate weed invasion, its >50% Very Good; <50% Good to vegetation and floristics appear to Degraded with areas of severe be typical E.marginata/Banksia localised disturbance (Anon. woodland and in moderately 2000). In 1998/99 and 2000/01 good condition, though they (when the fauna surveys were have not been described. In 2001 undertaken) this bushland, the University of Western Aus- 30 tralia built a new dental school to Total number of days trapped the east of the bushland which over this 11 year span was 1230. has reduced insolation. Sub¬ Site One, at the highest point of sequent to the building activity the bushland, was characterised the Hospital has undertaken by a thicket of Dryandra sessilis some rehabilitation work and that became progressively more restricted public access. mature and dense over the study The urban garden, on a 1000m2 period. This site was not burnt in the 1996 fire, but was sprayed the block, has been cleared of natural vegetation for at least 70 years. same year with herbicide which eliminated perennial veldt grass (Ehrhartci calycina). Site Two was SAMPLING selected as being typical of the Eucalyj)tus-Banksia woodland. It Animals were captured using 20L was burned in 1996 which also plastic bucket pit traps had the effect of reducing veldt (dimensions 30 x 50 cm) with 4m grass. long, 30cm high flywire mesh drift fences. Checks of pitfall Underwood Avenue Bushland traps were made daily and animals released at their point of Two sites were sampled using pit capture after identification and traps. Traps were arranged as two measurement. High trapping line transects, one of 9 traps and efforts were used as How (1998) one of ten traps, with traps has shown that an intensive spaced ca. 10 metres apart. trapping program of over 960 Trapping was continuous from 7 pit-days was necessary to record October 1998 to 14 March 1999 at least 80% of the herpetofaunal (149 days) and 10 September 2000 assemblage in Bold Park. to 25 February 2001 (155 days). Coordinates of pitfall traps are Line 1 ran parallel to Selby Street listed in Table 3. Herpetofauna through a low, flat area of sparse from the urban block were Eucalyptus-Banksia woodland recorded opportunistically by overlying heath. The second line P.F.B. from swimming pool ran up the slope parallel to casualties and opportunistic Underwood Avenue through captures since 1981. dense Eucalyptus-Banksia wood¬ land and included Banksia Shenton Bushland prionotes thicket. Two sites were sampled using pit- Hollywood Reserve traps. At each site traps were arranged as 3 x 3 trap grids with Ten pit traps were used, 5 in the traps spaced ca. 5m apart. northern and 5 in the southern Trapping began in 1994 and was sectors of the reserve. The traps continued during the spring, were located as close as possible summer and autumn months to positions used and mapped by (September to March) until 2005. Cousin et al (2000) in their 1999 31 Table 1. Herpetofauna recorded from the Shenton Bushland (SHB) between 1994 and 2005, the Underwood Avenue Bushland (UAB) in 1998/1999and 2000/2001, Hollywood Reserve (HR) in 2000/2001 and Monash Avenue Bushland (MAB) in 2000/2001. Also shown is the herpetofauna recorded from Kings Park (KP) (data from How and Dell 2000 and unpubl.), and Bold Park (BP) (data from How 1998 and How and Dell 2000). SPECIES SITE REPTILES SHB UAB HR MAB BP KP Skinks (Scincidae) Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus 116 25 23 - 27 37 Ctenotus fallens 515 239 32 1 463 756 Ctenotus australis 171 36 - - 59 62 Cyclodomorphus celatus - - - - 12 3 Hemiergis quadrilineata 503 342 37 4 998 164 Lerista elegans 61 95 28 - 176 26 Lerista lineopunctulata - - - - 164 40 Lerista praepedita 7 13 2 - 17 14 Menetia greyii 107 54 58 23 40 185 Morethia lineoocellata - - - - 1 1 Morethia obscura 142 80 - - 2 21 Tiliqua rugosa 32 8 5 - 43 6 Legless Lizards (Pygopodidae) Aprasia repens 86 37 28 7 19 72 Lialis burton is 41 13 - - 84 15 Qekkos (Qekkonidae) Diplodactylus alboguttatus - - - - 1 - Diplodactylus polyophthalmus - - - - - 1 St roph u rus spin igerus 1 - - - 114 - Christ in us marinoratus 55 8 9 - - 24 Dragons (Agamidae) Pogona minor 28 23 - - 32 69 Rankinia adelaidensis - - - - 19 - Monitors (Varanidae) Varanusgouldii 5 1 - 4 2 Varanus tristis ; 1 Blind Snakes (Typhlopidae) Ramphotyphlops australis 29 22 1 (cid:9632) 27 8 Fixed Front-Fanged Snakes (Elapidae) Pseudonaja affinis 6 2 - - 1 1 Simoselaps bertholdi 28 9 - - 122 3 Simoselaps bimaculatus - - - - 10 3 Simoselaps calonotus - - - - 16 _ Simoselaps fasciolatus - - - - 7 S imoselaps sem ifasciat us - - - - 22 - Subtotal reptile taxa 18 17 10 4 26 23 Subtotal reptile individuals 1933 1007 223 35 2480 1514 32 Table 1 (cont.) SPECIES SITE SHB UAB HR MAB BP KP AMPHIBIANS Crinia insignifera 1 - - - - - Heleioporus eyrei 42 1 - - 71 - Limnodynastes dorsalis 4 5 - - 146 - M yobatrachus gouldi 97 45 - - 25 5 Subtotal amphibian taxa 4 3 0 0 3 1 Subtotal amphibian individuals 144 51 242 5 Total number of species trapped 22 20 10 4 29 24 Total number of individuals 2258 1058 223 35 2722 1519 Total days trapped 1230 290 123 123 398 173 Total number of trap-days 22140 5510 1230 246 9552 8703 Individuals/10 trap-days 1.02 1.92 1.81 1.42 2.85 1.75 study. Trapping was undertaken and the Hospital Bush lands between the 16 September 2001 where the reptile taxa were and 29 February 2002 (123 days). reduced to 10 and 4 species respectively, all of which also Monash Avenue Bushland occur in Shenton and Under¬ wood Avenue Bushlands (Table Two pit traps were used. Trap¬ ping was undertaken between 16 1). September 2001 and 29 February The urban garden in the vicinity 2002 (123 days). of the bushlands contained only 5 lizard species - 4 skinks (H. quadrilineata, M. greyii, C. RESULTS plagiocephalus, L. elegans) and 1 Species Richness gecko (C. marmoratus). A total of 22 herpetofauna Reptiles species was recorded in this study, comprising 18 reptile and Catch per unit of effort for the 4 frog taxa. Apart from one herpetofauna taxa recorded in additional gecko species all the bushlands is presented in (Strophurus spinigerus) and one Table 2. Over the eleven con¬ additional frog species (Crinia secutive years sampled at insignifera) recorded at Shenton Shenton Bushland, by far the Bushland, the same 17 species of most captures were of the skinks reptiles and 3 species of frogs Ctenotus fallens and Hemiergis were recorded at Underwood quadrilineata. With fewer Avenue Bushland. No frogs were captures, but recorded in all recorded from the Hollywood eleven years sampled were 33 Aprasia repens, Ctenotus australis, Frogs Cryptoblepharus plagiocephalus, The Turtle Frog M. gouldii, the Lialis burtonis, Lerista elegans, most frequently captured frog, Menetia greyii, Morethia obscura, was recorded in all eleven years Christinas marmoratus, Simoselaps sampled in Shenton Bushland. H. bertholdii, and Tiliqua rugosa. R. eyrei (9 years) and L. dorsalis (6 australis was recorded in ten of years) were recorded in low the eleven years sampled. Least numbers and all were sub-adults, captures, and recorded irregu¬ while only a single specimen of larly over the period sampled C. insignifera was recorded (Table (number of years in brackets) 2). Presumably these latter three were of Pogona minor (8), Lerista taxa were dispersing from nearby praepedita (6), Pseudonaja affinis (5) water bodies where breeding had and Varanusgouldii (1). The gecko, occurred. Of the frogs recorded, Strophurus spinigerus, (1) was only only the Turtle Frog M. gouldii is recorded in the eleventh year at resident and breeds in Shenton Site 1 which is in a maturing and Underwood Bushlands. Its Dryandra sessilis thicket. distribution within these bush¬ The capture rate for most species lands shows a clear preference for in the Underwood, Monash and the crests of ridges. At Shenton Hospital bushlands was approxi¬ Bushland 123 (95%) of a total of mately twice those recorded for 130 specimens captured were at Shenton Bushland in the same Site One, the higher of the two years (Tables 1 and 2). C. fallens and sites. At Underwood Avenue H. quadrilineata were the most Bushland 100% of specimens (45 frequently captured species in individuals) were recorded at Shenton and Underwood Bush- Line 2 in which the traps lands, but A. repens and M. greyii represented a transect from the were the most frequently bottom to the top of a ridge. 50 captured species in Hollywood % of the specimens recorded and Monash Avenue Bushlands. were in the top two pit-traps One hundred and fifteen days towards the ridge crest. No (2070 trap days) elapsed before specimens were captured at Line 80% of the Shenton Bushland 1, which runs along a swale. herpetofauna was recorded, whereas only 19 days (361 trap DISCUSSION days) were required to achieve this at Underwood Avenue The vertebrate fauna of the Bushland (However, if Varanus majority of urban bushland gouldii is excluded, the effort to remnants on the Spearwood achieve 100% of the species in dune system has received little or common was similar at Shenton no study (Anon 2000). This limits and Underwood Bushlands our understanding of the dis¬ (3816 and 3834 trap days tribution of species on the Swan respectively). Coastal Plain, and the role that 34 bushland fragments play in recorded and may reflect habitat preserving regional biodiversity. changes that have occurred over We conducted a long-term time (maturation of the Dryandra trapping study to document the sessilis thicket and protection herpetofauna of urban bushland since reserve status was fragments within the western acquired). However, it also may metropolitan region of Perth. We also be because the taxon is show that bushland fragments extremely uncommon or very contain biodiverse herpeto- untrappable This record further faunal assemblages, and the demonstrates that uncommon majority of these species do not species, which are often the focus occur in urban gardens. of conservation and manage¬ ment strategies (e.g. Milne et al The importance of long-term 2000), may be missed by short trapping effort to adequately term or low intensity surveys. A document herpetofaunal assem¬ more detailed analysis of our blages is well accepted (e.g. How catch per effort results, includ¬ 1998, Thompson et al 2007). How ing an additional year of (1998) recorded 80% of the sampling will be presented herpetofaunal assemblage at elsewhere (O.F. Berry and P.F. Bold Park after 960 pit-days (40 Berry in prep.). days over 2 years) and 100% of the fauna was assumed to have The Turtle Frog M. gouldii is been reached after 4,512 pit-days clearly dependant on persistence (188 days over 4 years), there of native bushland for its being no additions for 5,040 survival in the Metropolitan additional pit-days (210 days over area. Within these bushlands its 3 years) thereafter. However, this apparent preference for high assump-tion was negated by the ground towards the crest of sub-sequent recording of the ridges needs to be taken into legless lizard Pletholax gracilis after account. Although recorded at 12 years (How pers. comm.). Simi¬ low levels of abundance, the larly, with the trapping effort at other frog species recorded may Shenton and Underwood benefit from native bushlands Avenue Bushlands (20,628 trap- for feeding and as dispersion days over 10 years and 5,510 trap- corridors. days over two years respectively) In addition to the species it seemed unlikely that additions recorded in this study, ten would be made to the herpeto¬ reptile species - two skinks, faunal assemblages until the (Cyclodomorphus celatus and Lcrista gecko, Strophurus spinigerus, was lineopunctulata), one agamid recorded at Shenton Bushland (Rankinia adelaidensis), two geckos after 11 years. This was 597 days (5 (Diplodactylus alboguttatus and years) after it had been assumed Diplodactylus polyophthalmus), one that 100% of the assemblage at varanid (Varanus tristis) and four Shenton Bushland had been elapid snakes (Brachyurophis 35 B), re Ahe CQ nd (Ute w S< siKCnoN OrNnN" ooo oOo ooo iinn ooo ooo ooo moOins ao hlen CON Buss d o<N PZ. y ell oo ersited c <ON nivhad fXfl On NCNO in iCnN rn ON <n B), Uch. S CO CN rCnN oo in N" Hr SMa d ( ushlanober to ONr<OS oomCN iNNn7" N0NO0“ 0dN“ OOodns O) at Shenton B by species Octon Bushland - ie Oct-March icrnno rOrCnnNn NCdNO 0Oin0n NmCNO ONCNn" »n atch per unit of effort (trap nights xlOO and Monash Avenue Bushland (MAB)t than the maximum recorded at ShentNIGHT (XlOOO) Trap days exclude Sept OOOOoS2ooCoBNNoNNn' rfXXC^fnOl Croi0i—OinnnnNs arCvndO omo.Cvd—NdNoCN+nONONOds“l nco°tOQni- oNrSo0C_NnOOO0~ ro——n NrOowr0rONOC4dnnOoO0OS1ssi 'OC2O2'O rOnTN+n+7il-1 OodI mnicocCriON4nOnnnNodn!” cimvinrnTd• -i Cn200n—+N4014i 5CN srCrinrnirouCc4OnnnnO-Nd1i-jj SSVtdVc-O3-j oO§dcNr4nnOst 8^ OCmiv1Nr—4nnNdOs!1 rCoC,VrnNNn, im0roCN+nnNd-• r^Onns of cHR)danAP Table 2. Comparison Hollywood Reserve (axa were more abunNB MEAN IS NO/ TR <(cid:9632)a. -.~6SQxoO?S-Tn. .^-OSa•UOjoxxj i 3 2 X• bvS5-io "T2e£a3 n(cid:9632)-aQiQCs-X, 2• 2bC<x>o t 36

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Most books are stored in the elastic cloud where traffic is expensive. For this reason, we have a limit on daily download.