ecology in practice - thomas wright, senior ecologist, aecom
DESCRIPTION
Presented to VCE Environmental Science students online on 2-5-2012 by Thomas Wright, Senior Ecologist at AECOM. Relevant to Unit 3: Biodiversity and Unit 4: Environmental Management Systems.TRANSCRIPT
VCE Environmental ScienceUnit 3: Biodiversity
ECOLOGY IN PRACTICE
Created by Thomas Wright – Senior Ecologist, AECOMSponsored by AGL Energy Limited as part of the Macarthur Wind Farm Project
Overview
• Landscape Ecology - Fragmentation– Definition and concepts – Examples of edge-effects
• Ecology in the Field– Case Study: construction of a wind farm
Landscape Ecology - Definition
• How does the environment affect species distribution.
• Environment can mean:– Natural (forests, grasslands, oceans, etc.)– Anthropogenic (paddocks, cities, roads, etc.)
Landscape Ecology - Definition
• Fragmentation is the division of habitat or ecosystems into smaller and disconnected patches/fragments.
• Fragmentation effects can be divided into:– Between fragment-effects (connectivity,
isolation, dispersal); and– Within fragment-effects (edge effects,
disturbances).
Landscape Ecology – Between-fragment Effects
• Patch/fragment – homogenous area with certain spatial features (size, length, width, distance to next patch).
• Isolation/connectivity - how isolated/connected one patch is to another. Is species specific.
• Matrix – the background landscape species are required to disperse through.
Dispersal
Dispersal
Dispersal
Colonisation
Colonisation Colonisation
Dispersal
Dispersal
Dispersal
Colonisation
Colonisation Colonisation
Mt EcclesNational Park
• Is listed as vulnerable under the EPBC Act • Found in southern South Australia, southern Victoria
and eastern New South Wales.• Prefers coastal heathland, heathy forests and forests where there is plenty
of ground protection.• Main threats are:
• C• H• I• P • P• O
• Victorian populations occur around Warrnambool-Otway Plains, lowland Gippsland, Western Gippsland Plain and Greater Grampians.• Gippsland populations is within Melbourne’s Urban Growth Boundary.
Southern Brown Bandicoot
Landscape Ecology – Within-fragment Effects
• Edge effects – interaction between two contrasting patches resulting in altered biology and physical conditions at edges.
Radiant Energy
Wind Energy
Radiant Energy
Wind Energy
Radiant Energy
Wind Energy
Abiotic factors influence organism distribution. List examples
Temperature/Humidity
Light Wind
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Ecology in the Field – Construction of a Wind farm
Wind farm plan
Flora and Fauna
Surveys
VICTORIAN Remnant
Vegetation – NetGain
VICTORIAN FFG Act-
listed Items
COMMONWEALTH EPBC Act-listed
Items
Referral to Commonwealth
Environment Minister
Permit to DSE
Offset Management Plan
Wind farms
• Potential risks to birds and bats – Direct, i.e. collision– Indirect
• Loss of habitat• Avoidance of nesting sites• Noise and other disturbances during construction
• AUSWEA guidelines for bird and bat surveys
• DNWFDG – survey guidelines (draft)
• Bird surveys on Wind Farms• Species• Height• Number• Flight behaviour
– Hovering, circling, horizontal, vertical
• Migratory or sedentary
• Bat surveys on Wind Farms• ANABAT – records echolocation calls• Indirect and direct observations by observers
• General Surveys– Habitat– Nests/Potential Nesting Sites
Wind farms – post construction
• Ongoing Monitoring• Bird-deaths near wind farms
• Auditing• Companies compliance with environmental
management plans– Sound– Visual impact– Pollution – Occupational Health and Safety
References
• Sub-regional strategy for Southern Brown Bandicoot: http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/127760/DRAFT-Southern-Brown-Bandicoot-Strategy_web.pdf
• Birds and windfarms: http://www.environment.gov.au/epbc/publications/wind-farm-bird-risk.html
• Draft National Wind Farm Development Guidelines – Bird Survey: http://www.agk.com.au/coopersgap/assets/downloads/2_-_Draft_NWFD_Guidelines.pdf