Ecological Communities - A Biological Survey of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands

• Summary
• Full Report

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Summary

The Field Survey

Morning mist on Desert Oaks South of the Mann Range (Photo: Peter Canty)

Head of a Perentie, a favourite food in the AP Lands (Photo: Peter Canty)

Anangu sharing their knowledge of plants with survey biologists (Photo: Tony Robinson)

First record of the Spinifexbird for S.A. from near Indulkana (Photo: Deb Hopton)

A biological survey covering the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands (AP Lands) of South Australia was carried out between 1991 and 2001. Before the present survey work, biological studies over the AP Lands had been scattered and opportunistic. This report therefore documents the first systematic attempt to collect comparable biological data across this very significant area of the State. The AP Lands in northwestern South Australia cover an area of 102,650 km 2 (or approximately 10% of the land area of SA). The Aboriginal people (Anangu) living on the lands were involved with the survey from its earliest days and worked with the scientists on each of the seventeen field trips involved in the survey. During this period Anangu provided a wealth of Traditional Ecological Knowledge and, that which is publicly available, is referred to throughout this report. Extensive and documented lists of Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara names for flora and fauna species were compiled into a separate database but this report contains lists for fauna species in particular.

Survey Results

The ten-year biological survey sampled 260 quadrats in 32 separate campsite areas distributed across the northern two thirds of the AP Lands. The extensive Great Victoria Desert areas in the southern one third of the AP Lands were not sampled due to remoteness and inaccessibility. The total number of records contributed to the Biological Survey databases as a result of this survey were: 14,132 plants (5,339 with voucher collections), 2,135 mammals, 5,789 birds, 2,353 reptiles and 83 frogs.

Pattern analysis of the quadrat data revealed distinctive groupings in all taxa. Analysis of 447 plant species at 253 quadrats resulted in the recognition of 30 groups in 11 clusters. A simplified version of this plant community patterning was mapped to produce a vegetation map with 15 floristic/structural vegetation communities. Analysis of 15 mammal species from 133 quadrats resulted in the recognition of 6 groups. 68 bird species at 169 quadrats produced 8 groups. Analysis of 53 reptile species at 133 quadrats produced 4 groups with three additional sub-groups.

The survey recorded 719 vascular plant species (or taxa of lower rank) within the AP Lands. Of these, 16 were species not previously recorded in South Australia, and several appear to represent the discovery of new undescribed taxa. Another 44 represent new plant records for the Northwestern region of SA. The survey produced 14,132 plant records and 5,339 herbarium voucher specimens. The AP Lands are remarkable for the low incidence of alien plants, with only 25 introduced species recorded on survey quadrats or as opportunistic sightings. This number is only 3.5 % of the total flora, and reflects the relatively intact vegetation in the AP Lands compared to most other regions of the State.

Like the rest of the Australian arid zone, a significant proportion of the mammal fauna has become extinct since European settlement. These extinctions occurred relatively late in the AP Lands compared with areas further south. Many species did not become extinct till the 1960s. Approximately 44 native and 9 introduced mammal species were known to inhabit the region. Twenty-seven native mammal species still remain across the AP Lands. At least 18 species are now presumed extinct. Two species collected on this survey, the Fat-tailed Dunnart and the Narrow-nosed Planigale, represent additions to the previously known mammal fauna.

One hundred and fifty four species of birds are now known from across the AP Lands. Two species, the northern form of the Grey Currawong and the Bush Stone-curlew appear to have become extinct since European settlement. The survey added eight species to the known bird fauna with the most notable species being a first record for South Australia for the Spinifexbird.

Ninety-seven species of reptiles and 5 species of frogs are now recorded for the AP Lands. The survey added 33 new reptile species but no new frogs to the previously known fauna. New reptile records included eight new records for South Australia, and the re-discovery by Anangu of several populations of the Tjakura or Great Desert Skink previously thought to be extinct in this State.

Insects and spiders collected in association with quadrat sampling for vertebrates are presented mainly as compiled lists.

Many species with both national and State conservation ratings occur on the AP Lands with 3 plants rated nationally and 54 on the State list. In addition, twelve nationally rated and 10 State-rated mammals occur/occurred on the AP Lands. One nationally and 14 State-rated birds occur. One nationally rated and 3 State-rated reptile species were found.

Finally a series of conservation management recommendations are provided covering: fire, introduced herbivores, weeds, water, introduced predators, hunting pressure, threatened species recovery, monitoring and reporting and training and education. The recent development of two Indigenous Protected Areas on the AP Lands is also briefly discussed.

Vegetation Mapping

Vegetation has been mapped for the AP Lands at a scale of 1:250,000 for the first time.

These vegetation maps are the first step of an ongoing program to ultimately produce vegetation maps at three regional scales to cover the whole State.

Robinson, A. C., Copley, P. B., Canty, P. D., Baker, L. M. and Nesbitt, B. J. (2003). A Biological Survey of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands, South Australia. Biodiversity Survey and Monitoring Section, Science and Conservation Directorate, Department for Environment and Heritage, South Australia.

Full Report

A full report of 'A Biological Survey of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Lands, South Australia' is available as Acrobat PDF files.

Part 1 - Contents, Acknowledgements, Introduction and Methods (2.6Mb PDF)
Part 2 - Results


• 2a - Vegetation (6.5Mb PDF)
• 2b - Vegetation Mapping, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians and Insects and Arachnids, Conclusions, Recommendations and Bibliography (5Mb PDF)
Part 3 - Appendices (2Mb PDF)

Please note that some of the above files are very large and may take a while to download and to search these files you will need to open the "Bookmarks tag" within each file. If you have any problems please contact Robert Brandle or phone (61 8) 8222 9471.