Manly Dam’s Biodiversity
Biodiversity is indicated by the numbers of different species of plant and animal occurring in an environment. Each species has an important role to play which creates a healthier ecosystem. For e.g. Echidnas aerate the soil by digging, Blue-banded bees pollinate native plants, eucalyptus leaves provide food for possums and so forth.
Australia is considered one of the planet’s megadiverse countries with many endemic animals. Yet we have the worst record in the world for mammal extinction - 34. Australia’s plants aren’t faring any better. Currently 1,385 species of plants are listed as threatened under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC).
“Until we grapple with the ongoing problem of habitat destruction, and repair the damage done, the fate of Australia’s threatened wildlife will remain dire.”
Resources from the Biodiversity survey: Reports & Maps
The Manly Dam Biodiversity Project is thus an attempt to document the species that are still thriving in this area and shine a spotlight on the amazing biodiversity it harbours.
As part of this project various ecologists have been involved in creating reports & mapping the region, below is a snapshot of those resources.
Advice from Experts: Management Actions
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Dr Bradley Law, Principal Research Scientist, Forest Science Unit - NSW DPI
The greatest threat to bird & mammal diversity is the loss of habitat through urban encroachment and decreased connectivity from changes to local infrastructure. Ground mammals in particular are vulnerable to decreases in connectivity due to their limited dispersal abilities.
As human activity has such a disturbing effect on wildlife, dedicated “no-go” zones should be established and enforced. These areas should not be fenced or heavily sign-posted to discourage people who visit the reserve; instead, walking tracks roads and other potential access points should be diverted away from the area and vegetation barriers used to make entry difficult.
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Dr. Arthur White, Environmentalist & Herpetologist
The dilemma for land managers of bushland is to balance the competing demands of bushland reserves for passive recreation or physical activity. Decisions to remove native bushland to create lawns, picnic areas, viewing platforms, bike tracks or other infrastructure result in a change in the balance of habitats available for wildlife. Every time habitats are changed, some native species are disadvantaged.
Many native animals are unable to hunt effectively if there is ongoing movement around them (such as bush walking, mountain biking) . This movement not only startles the prey (which may fly off or run away) but forces the predator to consider the source of movement (is this threat? Disturbance reduces feeding opportunities (as well as mating opportunities) and can be the main reason for species decline in urban reserves.
Walking tracks, roads or other structures should not be located close to sensitive habitat areas.