Ecological Communities - A Biological Survey of the Flinders Ranges

• Summary
• Full Report

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Summary

The Field Survey

The vulnerable Slender Bell-fruit Codonocarpus pyramidalis has its stronghold in the Flinders and Olary Ranges (Photo: Tony Robinson)

Before the survey the native Bolam's Mouse Pseudomys bolami was only known for the Flinders from the sub-fossil remains in caves. (Photo: Tony Robinson)

Mawson Plateau in the northern Flinders (Photo: Rob Brandle)

Bunyeroo Valley in the central Flinders (Photo: Peter Canty)

The survey began following early successes with the Aroona Dam Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby re-introduction. It aimed to provide a baseline for evaluating the effects of the re-introduction and associated threat abatement program. Field work for this survey was carried out over 2 weeks in December 1997, and a report titled "A Biological Survey of the North West Flinders Ranges" was prepared in late 1998.

In 1998 the survey was extended to cover the whole of the Flinders Ranges using funding provided from the State Government's matching contributions to the Federal Natural Heritage Funding program.

This was done as 4 two-week standard field surveys during 1998 and 1999. The biologically significant high country of the Gammon and Mawson Plateaus were surveyed using a helicopter to access these remote and trackless areas.

Survey Results

The Flinders Ranges Biological Survey provided considerable new information on the distribution and abundance of the vegetation communities, plant and animal species of this important area of South Australia. This included:

• A better understanding of the distribution of the major plant communities.
• The gorges and creeklines support by far the greatest number of plant species compared with other vegetation types.
• Of the 1,366 plant species recorded 221 are considered rare or threatened and 15 occur only in the Flinders Ranges.
• Many species of introduced plants unfortunately are widespread and common particularly along the creeks.
• Of the 26 native mammal species recorded, seven had not been recorded in the Flinders Ranges before.
• Of the 200+ bird species known for the region 15 are rated as rare or threatened.
• 2 bird species were found in the Gammon Ranges north of their previously known limits at Wilpena Pound. A record of the Striated Thornbill at Mambray Creek was the first record of the species in the Ranges.
• 74 of the 88 reptile species known for the ranges were found during the survey, including the Desert Skink which was previously unknown in the ranges. 5 species have a rare or threatened status and 3 are almost restricted to the Flinders.
• 8 frog species were found, the Brown Toadlet is now known to occur in the northern most parts.

Vegetation Mapping

Vegetation has been mapped at a scale of 1:100,000 for the central and northern Flinders Ranges for the first time.

• This involved new mapping using Landsat TM imagery and aerial photography, and a re-interpretation of the 'Land Unit' mapping for some of the area which was done as part of the Flinders Ranges Review in 1989.
• The vegetation analysis and mapping used information from over two thousand sites collected for the Biological Survey of South Australia and the Rangeland Assessment process under the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act.

Reference: Brandle, R. (ed) (2001). A Biological Survey of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia 1997-1999. Biodiversity Survey and Monitoring, National Parks and Wildlife SA, Department for Environment and Heritage Brandle, R. (ed) (1998). A Biological Survey of the North West Flinders Ranges, South Australia December 1997. Biological Survey and Research Program, Heritage and Biodiversity Section, Department of Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, South Australia & Optima Energy (Flinders Power Pty Ltd.).

Full Report

A full report of 'A Biological Survey Of The Flinders Ranges, South Australia' is available as an Acrobat PDF file.

Brandle, R. (ed) (1998). A Biological Survey of the North West Flinders Ranges, South Australia (3.3Mb PDF), December 1997. Biological Survey and Research Program, Heritage and Biodiversity Section, Department of Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, South Australia & Optima Energy (Flinders Power Pty Ltd.).