Tide-excluded banked wetlands on the marine plains of northeastern Australia provide important habitat for migratory shorebirds, other threatened bird species and the Capricorn Yellow Chat
Wayne A. Houston
A * , Roger Jaensch B , Rod J. Elder A , Robert L. Black A , Allan Briggs C and Damon Shearer D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, Bruce Highway, Rockhampton, Qld, Australia.
B Jaensch Ornithology & Conservation, Rangeville, Qld, Australia.
C BirdLife Capricornia, 192 Palm Valley Road, Coowonga, Qld, Australia.
D Department of Environment and Science, Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service, Gladstone, Qld, Australia.
Pacific Conservation Biology 29(6) 544-558 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC22027
Submitted: 12 July 2022 Accepted: 23 January 2023 Published: 13 February 2023
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)
Abstract
Context: Banked systems that modify natural wetlands to enhance reliability of grass production for cattle are common along coastal Central Queensland. These are mostly positioned in the supratidal zone of extensive marine plains, leaving mangroves and saltmarsh with regular tidal influence intact. Perceived negative impacts on fisheries and carbon sequestration are frequently cited as reasons to remove banks and restore tidal influence, yet there is no specific evidence relating to the banked wetlands in this region. All ecosystem services provided by these systems need to be considered before decisions are made.
Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the biodiversity values of marine plains with tide-exclusion banks.
Methods: Five banked sites (39 000 ha) were compared to a single unbanked site of similar vegetation and tidal position with multiple counts of waterbirds (13–48/site) over several years.
Key results: Banked sites collectively supported six threatened and 22 migratory species, including 17 migratory shorebirds, some with counts of international importance. All sites matched criteria used to define Ramsar wetlands. Banked sites had more waterbird species and a similar species richness of migratory shorebirds to the unbanked site.
Conclusions: Given these wetlands support substantial numbers of migratory shorebirds and endangered species such as Capricorn Yellow Chat, as well as their importance to food production and improving water quality reaching reef ecosystems, any proposed ‘restoration’ of these areas to the previous tide-influenced state should be subject to impact assessment.
Implications: Our study demonstrates that existing tide-excluded banked wetlands are beneficial for biodiversity and economic production, soundly justifying their retention.
Keywords: biodiversity, conservation, ecosystem services, Great Barrier Reef, migratory shorebirds, natural wetlands, sea level rise mitigation, threatened species, waterbirds.
References
Abbott, BN, Wallace, J, Nicholas, DM, Karim, F, and Waltham, NJ (2020). Bund removal to re-establish tidal flow, remove aquatic weeds and restore coastal wetland services – North Queensland, Australia. PLoS ONE 15, .| Bund removal to re-establish tidal flow, remove aquatic weeds and restore coastal wetland services – North Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Adame, MF, Arthington, AH, Waltham, N, Hasan, S, Selles, A, and Ronan, M (2019). Managing threats and restoring wetlands within catchments of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29, 829–839.
| Managing threats and restoring wetlands within catchments of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Black, R, Houston, W, and Jaensch, R (2010). Evidence of regular seasonal migration by Australian Painted Snipe Rostratula australis to the Queensland tropics in autumn and winter. Stilt 58, 1–9.
Bureau of Meteorology (2022) Rainfall variability map of Australia, December to February. Bureau of Meteorology, Canberra. Available at http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/climate_averages/rainfall-variability/index.jsp?period=dec#maps [Accessed 21 April 2022]
Burgis WA (1974) Cainozoic history of the Torilla Peninsula, Broad Sound, Queensland. Bureau of Mineral Resources Report 172. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.
Canning A, Adame FA, Waltham N (2021) Evaluating services provided by ponded pasture wetlands in Great Barrier reef catchments – Tedlands case study. Report to the National Environmental Science Program. Reef and Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns.
Commonwealth of Australia (2017) EPBC Act Policy Statement 3.21 – Industry guidelines for avoiding, assessing and mitigating impacts on EPBC Act listed migratory shorebird species. Department of the Environment, Australia.
Department of Environment and Science (2022) Lower Fitzroy catchment story. State of Queensland, Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Available at https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/wetlands/ecology/processes-systems/water/catchment-stories/transcript-lower-fitzroy.html [Accessed 22 April 2022]
DES (2020) State of the Environment Queensland 2020. State of Queensland, Queensland Department of Environment and Science. Available at https://www.stateoftheenvironment.des.qld.gov.au/climate/climate-observations/evaporation-rate#region-rockhampton-airport [Accessed 21 April 2022]
Gill, JL (1977). Multiple comparisons of means when variance is not homogeneous. Journal of Dairy Science 60, 444–449.
| Multiple comparisons of means when variance is not homogeneous.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hansen, BD, Rogers, DI, Watkins, D, Weller, DR, Clemens, RS, Newman, M, Woehler, EJ, Mundkur, T, and Fuller, RA (2022). Generating population estimates for migratory shorebird species in the world’s largest flyway. Ibis 164, 735–749.
| Generating population estimates for migratory shorebird species in the world’s largest flyway.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Henry B, McKenzie D (2018) Soil carbon sequestration under pasture in Australian dairy regions: 2018 update. Dairy Australia Limited.
Houston, WA (2013). Breeding cues in a wetland-dependent Australian passerine of the seasonally wet-dry tropics. Austral Ecology 38, 617–626.
| Breeding cues in a wetland-dependent Australian passerine of the seasonally wet-dry tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Houston, WA, Jaensch, R, Black, R, Elder, R, and Black, L (2009). Further discoveries extend the range of Capricorn Yellow Chat in coastal central Queensland. The Sunbird 39, 29–38.
Houston, WA, Black, RL, and Elder, RJ (2013). Distribution and habitat of the critically endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea macgregori. Pacific Conservation Biology 19, 39–54.
| Distribution and habitat of the critically endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea macgregori.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Houston, WA, Elder, R, and Black, R (2018). Population trend and conservation status of the Capricorn Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea macgregori. Bird Conservation International 28, 100–115.
| Population trend and conservation status of the Capricorn Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea macgregori.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Houston, WA, Black, R, Elder, R, and Shearer, D (2020a). Breeding ecology of a marine plain dependent passerine, the Capricorn Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea macgregori, in north-eastern Australia. Australian Field Ornithology 37, 15–25.
| Breeding ecology of a marine plain dependent passerine, the Capricorn Yellow Chat Epthianura crocea macgregori, in north-eastern Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Houston, WA, Elder, R, Black, RL, Shearer, D, Harte, M, and Hammond, A (2020b). Climate change, mean sea levels, wetland decline and the survival of the critically endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat. Austral Ecology 45, 731–747.
| Climate change, mean sea levels, wetland decline and the survival of the critically endangered Capricorn Yellow Chat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hutchinson, MF, McIntyre, S, Hobbs, RJ, Stein, JL, Garnett, S, and Kinloch, J (2005). Integrating a global agro-climatic classification with bioregional boundaries in Australia. Global Ecology and Biogeography 14, 197–212.
| Integrating a global agro-climatic classification with bioregional boundaries in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hyland SJ (2002) An investigation of the impacts of ponded pastures on barramundi and other finfish populations in tropical coastal wetlands. Report QO02005. Department of Primary Industries.
Jaensch RP (2004) An assessment of the importance of Eastern Brigalow Belt wetlands as drought refuge, migration stop-over and breeding areas for waterbirds. Report to the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage, Canberra. Wetlands International, Oceania, Brisbane.
Jaensch R, Joyce K (2006) Wetland management profile: coastal grass-sedge wetlands. Ecosystem Conservation Branch, EPA, Queensland.
Jaensch, R, Wahl, J, McCabe, J, and Houston, W (2003). Breeding by whiskered tern and red-necked avocet in the Torilla Plain wetlands, Brigalow Belt coast. Sunbird 33, 113–117.
Jaensch, R, McCabe, J, Wahl, J, and Houston, W (2004). Breeding by Australian Painted Snipe on the Torilla Plain, Brigalow Belt, Queensland. Stilt 45, 39–42.
Jaensch, R, Black, R, Campbell, L, and Houston, W (2005). Breeding by egrets in the Broad Sound area, Central Queensland. Sunbird 35, 20–23.
Kingsford, RT, Bino, G, and Porter, JL (2017). Continental impacts of water development on waterbirds, contrasting two Australian river basins: global implications for sustainable water use. Global Change Biology 23, 4958–4969.
| Continental impacts of water development on waterbirds, contrasting two Australian river basins: global implications for sustainable water use.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kingsford, RT, Porter, JL, Brandis, KJ, and Ryall, S (2020). Aerial surveys of waterbirds in Australia. Scientific Data 7, .
| Aerial surveys of waterbirds in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lee, S, and Lee, DK (2018). What is the proper way to apply the multiple comparison test? Korean Journal of Anesthesiology 71, 353–360.
| What is the proper way to apply the multiple comparison test?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Melzer A, Jaensch R, Cook D (2008) Landscape condition in the Broadsound Basin: a preliminary assessment (2006–2007) to guide investment in natural resource management. Centre for Environmental Management, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton.
Middleton C, Wildin J, Venamore P (1996) Overview: beef production from ponded pasture systems. In ‘Beef production from ponded pastures’. Tropical Grassland Society of Australia Occasional Publication No 7. (Eds PA Pittaway, JH Wildin, CK McDonald) pp. 15–21. (Tropical Grassland Society of Australia)
Negandhi, K, Edwards, G, Kelleway, JJ, Howard, D, Safari, D, and Saintilan, N (2019). Blue carbon potential of coastal wetland restoration varies with inundation and rainfall. Scientific Reports 9, .
| Blue carbon potential of coastal wetland restoration varies with inundation and rainfall.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Peng, F, Deng, X, and Cheng, X (2022). Australian coastal sea level trends over 16 yr of reprocessed Jason Altimeter 20-Hz data sets. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 127, .
| Australian coastal sea level trends over 16 yr of reprocessed Jason Altimeter 20-Hz data sets.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ramsar Resolution XI.8 Annex 2 (2014) Strategic framework and guidelines for the future development of the List of Wetlands of International Importance of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971). Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Gland, Switzerland. Available at https://rsis.ramsar.org/RISapp/StatDoc/strategic_framework_en.pdf [Accessed 19 May 2022]
Sheaves, M, Brookes, J, Coles, R, Freckelton, M, Groves, P, Johnston, R, and Winberg, P (2014). Repair and revitalisation of Australia’s tropical estuaries and coastal wetlands: opportunities and constraints for the reinstatement of lost function and productivity. Marine Policy 47, 23–38.
| Repair and revitalisation of Australia’s tropical estuaries and coastal wetlands: opportunities and constraints for the reinstatement of lost function and productivity.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sloss, CR, Murray-Wallace, CV, and Jones, BG (2007). Holocene sea-level change on the southeast coast of Australia: a review. The Holocene 17, 999–1014.
| Holocene sea-level change on the southeast coast of Australia: a review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith P (1991) The biology and management of waders (Suborder Charadrii) in NSW. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Hurstville.
Waltham, NJ, Burrows, D, Wegscheidl, C, Buelow, C, Ronan, M, Connolly, N, Groves, P, Marie-Audas, D, Creighton, C, and Sheaves, M (2019). Lost floodplain wetland environments and efforts to restore connectivity, habitat, and water quality settings on the great barrier reef. Frontiers in Marine Science 6, .
| Lost floodplain wetland environments and efforts to restore connectivity, habitat, and water quality settings on the great barrier reef.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Weller D, Kidd L, Lee C, Klose S, Jaensch R, Driessen J (2020) ‘Directory of important habitat for migratory shorebirds in Australia.’ (Prepared for Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment by BirdLife Australia: Melbourne)
WetlandInfo (2016) Case study: integrating high value grazing and wetland management on the Torilla Plain. Queensland Government, Brisbane. Available at https://wetlandinfo.des.qld.gov.au/resources/static/pdf/resources/reports/case-study-torilla-plains.pdf [Accessed 21 April 2022]
Wetlands International (2022) Waterbird populations portal. Available at http://wpp.wetlands.org/. [Accessed 22 April 2022]
Wildin JH, Chapman DG (1988) ‘Ponded pasture systems – capitalising on available water.’ (Queensland Department of Primary Industries: Rockhampton, Queensland)
