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
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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
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Overview
• Landscape Ecology - Fragmentation– Definition and concepts – Examples of edge-effects
• Ecology in the Field– Case Study: construction of a wind farm
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Landscape Ecology - Definition
• How does the environment affect species distribution.
• Environment can mean:– Natural (forests, grasslands, oceans, etc.)– Anthropogenic (paddocks, cities, roads, etc.)
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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).
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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.
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Dispersal
Dispersal
Dispersal
Colonisation
Colonisation Colonisation
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Dispersal
Dispersal
Dispersal
Colonisation
Colonisation Colonisation
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Mt EcclesNational Park
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• 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
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Landscape Ecology – Within-fragment Effects
• Edge effects – interaction between two contrasting patches resulting in altered biology and physical conditions at edges.
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Radiant Energy
Wind Energy
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Radiant Energy
Wind Energy
Radiant Energy
Wind Energy
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Abiotic factors influence organism distribution. List examples
Temperature/Humidity
Light Wind
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Ecology in the Field – Construction of a Wind farm
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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
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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)
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• 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
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• General Surveys– Habitat– Nests/Potential Nesting Sites
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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
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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