The Arid Zone Monitoring Project: combining Indigenous ecological expertise with scientific data analysis to assess the potential of using sign-based surveys to monitor vertebrates in the Australian deserts

Sarah Legge; Naomi Indigo; Darren M. Southwell; Anja Skroblin; Tida Nou; Alys R. Young; Jaana Dielenberg; David P. Wilkinson; Diego Brizuela-Torres; Brett Backhouse; Carolina Galindez Silva; Cassandra Arkinstall; Catherine Lynch; Chris L. Curnow; Dan J. Rogers; Danae Moore; Ellen Ryan-Colton; Joe Benshemesh; Josef Schofield; Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa; Katherine Moseby; Katherine Tuft; Keith Bellchambers; Kevin Bradley; Kim Webeck; Laurie Tait; Malcolm Lindsay; Martin Dziminski; Nigel Jackett; Pete Copley; Rachel Paltridge; Reece D. Pedler; Rick Southgate; Rob Brandle; Stephen van Leeuwen; Thalie Partridge; Thomas M. Newsome

doi:10.1071/WR24070

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

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The Arid Zone Monitoring Project: combining Indigenous ecological expertise with scientific data analysis to assess the potential of using sign-based surveys to monitor vertebrates in the Australian deserts

Sarah Legge

^A ^B ^* , Naomi Indigo

^C ^D , Darren M. Southwell ^E ^F , Anja Skroblin ^F , Tida Nou ^C , Alys R. Young ^F ^G , Jaana Dielenberg ^H , David P. Wilkinson ^H , Diego Brizuela-Torres ^I , Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara ^J , Birriliburu Rangers ^K , Brett Backhouse ^L , Carolina Galindez Silva ^J , Cassandra Arkinstall

^M ^N , Catherine Lynch ^O , Central Land Council Rangers ^P , Chris L. Curnow ^Q , Dan J. Rogers ^R ^S , Danae Moore ^T , Ellen Ryan-Colton ^A , Joe Benshemesh ^U , Josef Schofield ^T , Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa ^V , Karajarri Rangers ^W , Katherine Moseby

^O , Katherine Tuft

^X , Keith Bellchambers ^Y , Kevin Bradley ^M , Kim Webeck ^Z , Kimberley Land Council Land and Sea Management Unit ^AA , Kiwirrkurra Rangers ^AB , Laurie Tait ^Z , Malcolm Lindsay

^AC , Martin Dziminski ^AD , Newhaven Warlpiri Rangers ^T , Ngaanyatjarra Council Rangers ^AE , Ngurrara Rangers ^AF , Nigel Jackett ^AG , Nyangumarta Rangers ^AH , Nyikina Mangala Rangers ^AI , Parna Ngururrpa Aboriginal Corporation ^AJ , Pete Copley ^S , Rachel Paltridge ^AK , Reece D. Pedler

^O , Rick Southgate ^M , Rob Brandle ^S , Stephen van Leeuwen ^AL , Thalie Partridge ^Z ^AM , Thomas M. Newsome ^AN , Wiluna Martu Rangers ^AO and Yawuru Country Managers ^AP

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0810, Australia.

^B Fenner School of Society and the Environment, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2602, Australia.

^C Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

^D Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation- Eastern Division, 100 Creek Street, Brisbane, Qld 4000, Australia.

^E Conservation Science Research Group, School of Environmental and Life Science, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2302, Australia.

^F School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic 3010, Australia.

^G School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic 3125, Australia.

^H Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic 3010, Australia.

^I School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic 3010, Australia.

^J APY Land Management, Umuwa, via Alice Springs, NT 0872, Australia.

^K Mungarlu Ngurrarankatja Rirraunkatja AC and Birriliburu Pty Ltd, Desert Support Services, 575 Newcastle Street, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.

^L Alinytjara Wilurara Landscape Board, 50B McKenzie Street, Ceduna, SA 5690, Australia.

^M Save the Bilby Fund, PO Box 155, Charleville, Qld 4470, Australia.

^N School of the Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

^O Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological and Earth Science, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2022, Australia.

^P Aṉangu Luritjiku Rangers; Angas Downs Rangers; Anmatyerr Rangers and Illeuwurru Community; Kaltukatjara Rangers; Ltyentye Apurte Rangers; Muru-warinyi Ankkul Rangers; North Tanami Rangers; Tjakura Rangers; Warlpiri Nyirripi Rangers; Warlpiri Willowra Rangers; Warlpiri Yuendumu Rangers; Central Land Council, 27 Stuart Highway, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia.

^Q Rangelands NRM, 58 Kishorn Road, Mount Pleasant, WA 6153, Australia.

^R School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

^S Department for Environment and Water, 81–95 Waymouth Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

^T Australian Wildlife Conservancy, PO Box 161, Alice Springs, NT 0871, Australia.

^U National Malleefowl Recovery Group, 52 Naroon Road, Alphington, Vic 3078, Australia.

^V Jigalong Rangers, Punmu Rangers, Parnngurr Rangers, Kunawarritji Rangers; Kanyirninpa Jukurrpa, PO Box 504, Newman, WA 6753, Australia.

^W Karajarri Traditional Lands Association, Broome Lotteries House, Broome, WA 6725, Australia.

^X Arid Recovery, Roxby Downs, SA 5725, Australia.

^Y Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Subiaco, WA 6008, Australia.

^Z Central Land Council, 27 Stuart Highway, Alice Springs, NT 0870, Australia.

^AA Nyul Nyul Rangers, Paruku Rangers, Kimberley Land Council, 11 Gregory Street, Broome, WA 6725, Australia.

^AB Desert Support Services, 575 Newcastle Street, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.

^AC Environs Kimberley, 44 Blackman Street, Broome, WA 6725, Australia.

^AD Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Woodvale Wildlife Research Centre, Bentley Delivery Centre, Perth, WA 6983, Australia.

^AE Blackstone Rangers, Warakurna Rangers, Warburton Rangers; Land and Culture, Ngaanyatjarra Council, 58 Head Street, Alice Springs, NT 8070, Australia.

^AF Yanunijarra Aboriginal Corporation, Fitzroy Crossing, WA 6765, Australia.

^AG PO Box 3221, Broome, WA 6725, Australia.

^AH Nyangumarta Warrarn Aboriginal Corporation, 24 Clementson Street, Broome, WA 6725, Australia.

^AI Walalakoo Aboriginal Corporation, PO Box 1115, Derby, WA 6728, Australia.

^AJ Parna Ngururrpa Aboriginal Corporation, 76 Wittenoom Street, East Perth, WA 6004, Australia.

^AK Indigenous Desert Alliance, 587 Newcastle Street, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia.

^AL School of Molecular & Life Sciences, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.

^AM The Nature Conservancy, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Vic 3053, Australia.

^AN School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Camperdown, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

^AO TMPAC - Mantjiljarra Yulparirra, PO Box 2039, Ellenbrook, WA 6009, Australia.

^AP Nyumba Buru Yawuru, 55 Reid Road, Cable Beach, WA 6726, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: sarah.legge@cdu.edu.au

Handling Editor: Jack Pascoe

Wildlife Research 51, WR24070 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR24070

Submitted: 29 April 2024 Accepted: 22 July 2024 Published: 11 September 2024

© 2024 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

Deserts cover large areas and support substantial biodiversity; however, like other biomes, they are experiencing biodiversity loss. Monitoring biodiversity trends in deserts is rare, partly because of the logistical challenges of working in remote areas. This is true also in Australia, which has one of the largest and least populated desert areas worldwide, has suffered marked biodiversity loss since European colonisation, and has minimal large-scale biodiversity monitoring. However, Indigenous people of many Traditional Owner groups continue to live in, and care for, these deserts. Over the past two decades, Indigenous ranger groups have been collecting species records by using sign-based surveys, adding to work begun in the 1980s by researchers and government scientists. In sign-based surveys, the presence (or absence) of species is recorded by searching on sandy substrates for tracks, scats, burrows and diggings in a fixed area, or a fixed time. Such surveys combine the tracking skills of Indigenous people with robust analytical methods. Here, we describe a desert-wide project that collated and analysed existing sign-based data to explore its potential for local-, regional- and national-scale biodiversity monitoring. The Arid Zone Monitoring Project also provided guidance about future monitoring designs and data-collection methods for varying survey objectives. The project collated data from 44 groups and individuals, comprising almost 15,000 surveys from over 5300 unique sites, with almost 49,000 detections of 65 native and 11 introduced species, including threatened, and culturally significant species. Despite heterogeneity in survey objectives and data collection methods, we were able to use the collated data to describe species distributions and understand correlates of suitable habitat, investigate temporal trends, and to simulate the monitoring effort required to detect trends in over 25 vertebrate species at regional and national scales. Most importantly, we built a large collaboration, and produced informative maps and analyses, while respecting the intellectual property and diverse aspirations of the project partners. With this foundation in place, a national sign-based monitoring program for medium–large desert vertebrates seems achievable, if accompanied by overarching coordination and survey support, training, standardised data collection, improved sampling design, centralised data curation and storage, and regular communication.

Keywords: desert fauna, Indigenous ecological knowledge, Indigenous tracking skills, introduced species, monitoring, population trends, species distribution models, track-based surveys.

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