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Springbrook Rescue
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Threatened plants and animals

Criterion (iv) of the World Heritage Convention’s Operational Guidelines that applied at the time the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (then called the Central Eastern Rainforests Reserves of Australia, CERRA) were formally listed as World Heritage in 1994, identifies areas:

Containing the most important and significant habitats where threatened species of plants and animals of outstanding universal value1 from the point of view of science and conservation still survive.”

The current prognosis for these threatened species is not good. The conservation status of an overwhelming proportion of the species (80 per cent or more) occurring at Springbrook has either deteriorated or shown no improvement over the past 18 years since listing in 1994. The most significant factor affecting this prognosis is the availability of sufficient viable critical habitat. Critical habitat continues to decline, despite the obligation under the World Heritage Convention for each State Party (the Australian Government) to do the utmost within its powers to ensure the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the natural heritage within its territory. The ‘integrity’ criterion for successful listing required the inclusion and protection of the most critical habitats essential to ensure survival of viable populations of the identified species.

The Springbrook Rescue initiative is an important contribution to restoring critical habitat of species that contribute to the values and integrity of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area (Project SS1). As an important component of the project, autonomous audio-recording systems are deployed at a range of sites for detecting the presence and, potentially, reproductive success of key indicator species in both reference and recovery sites.

Currently 100 species of plants and animals occurring at Springbrook are formally listed as threatened, near threatened and, from ARCS point of view, as of special concern because of immense phylogenetic distinctness and significance, albeit not officially considered threatened (e.g. the Echidna):

Flora (70 species)
Endangered                      
Vulnerable                       
Near Threatened       
11 species
30 species
29 species
Fauna (30 species)

Endangered
Vulnerable
Near Threatened
Special Least Concern

5 species
13 species
11 species
1 species (Echidna)

More details are provided on threatened flora and threatened fauna in the linked pages.

Gossia fragrantissima
(Photo © H. Nicholson)
Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. arborea
(Photo © H. Nicholson)
Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii (Photo: Aila Keto)
Adelotus brevis
(Photo: © Jean-Marc Hero);
For further details see Footnote after References.

Plant population Trends

Overall, almost 80 per cent of plant species recorded as rare and/or threatened at the time of listing in 1994 that also occur at Springbrook are declining or show no improvement in their conservation status over the past 18 years.

The conservation status in Queensland of 11 species that occur in the Springbrook precinct has deteriorated since the time of Listing in 1994 (i.e. 16.2 per cent of species recognised as threatened at the time).

Forty-three species (63.2 per cent) have shown no improvement in conservation status over the past 18 years compared with five species that have shown an improvement in conservation status.

Only seven species listed in 1994 as endangered, vulnerable or uncertain (“K”) have improved their status to the next level of either vulnerable or “near threatened, NT”.

Eight species that were listed as rare in 1994 have been reassigned a conservation status of “no concern”. All however remain rare species, many of great phylogenetic interest. The Gondwanan rosid family Picrodendracese (Greek picro bitter, dendron tree, referring to bitter fruits) in the Malpighiales order is a small family of only 94 species in 25 small genera restricted to subtropical and tropical regions of the southern hemisphere including Australia, New Caledonia, New Guinea and Madagascar. Many of the genera are monotypic (40 per cent of genera) or ditypic (16 per cent) relicts, and most species are endemic in Australia, New Caledonia or Madagascar. One of the component clades within the Picrodendraceae (which included Austrobuxus) is centred on Australia. Austrobuxus was recently identified in the late Eocene (35 Ma) deposits in New Zealand and earlier in the Late Paleocene (55.5 Ma) in Australia. Recent studies (Davis et al. 2005) implicate the explosive radiation of the Malpighiales in the Mid-Cretaceous with origin of modern tropical(/subtropical) rainforests. Relict taxa, such as Austrobuxus, within this order are thus of strong evolutionary significance requiring continuing monitoring for ensuring adequate long-term protection.

A significant number of additional species (10 species in seven families) have subsequently been recognised as occurring in the area and which are rated as threatened with extinction.

There are no data to indicate the reasons for these changes, e.g. better information or changes in threat levels. Notwithstanding the reasons, increasing the area of National Park and consequently the World Heritage Area should have beneficial effects in the long term.

Animal population Trends

Eighty-five per cent of animal species recorded in 1994 as rare and/or threatened that also occur at Springbrook are declining or have shown no improvement in their conservation status over the past 18 years. A declining status is recorded for 57.5 per cent of species. No improvement is observable for 27.5 per cent of species. Only 15 per cent of species are recorded as no longer threatened.

Table I: Change in conservation status of species associated with the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area after 18 years since the original listing in 1994.

APG Clade or CLASS

Order

Family

Species

Status 1994

Status 2012

Trend

Q

N

A

MAGNOLIIDS

Laurales

Lauraceae

Endiandra floydii

3RC

E

E

E

Declining

EUDICOTS

Proteales

Proteaceae

Helicia ferruginea

3RC

V

 

 

Declining

ROSID I

Malpighiales

Euphorbiaceae

Ricinocarpos speciosus

3RC

V

 

 

Declining

N-FIXING CLADE

Fabales

Fabaceae

Cassia marksiana

2RC

V

E

 

Declining

Cucurbitales

Corynocarpaceae

Corynocarpus rupestris subsp. arborescens

3RC

V

 

 

Declining

ROSID II

Sapindales

Sapindaceae

Lepiderema pulchella

2RC

V

V

 

Declining

ROSID II

Malvales

Thymelaeaceae

Pimelea umbratica

3KC

NT

 

 

Declining?

ASTERID I

Gentianales

Rubiaceae

Randia moorei

2VC

E

E

E

Declining

Apocynaceae

Parsonsia tenuis

2RC

V

 

 

Declining

Lamiales

Lamiaceae

Westringia rupicola

2RC

V

 

V

Declining

N/A to FERNS

 

Dryopteridaceae

Lastreopsis silvestris

2RC

V

 

 

Declining

MAGNOLIIDS

Laurales

Lauraceae

Cryptocarya foetida

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Endiandra hayesii

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

MONOCOTS

Asparagales

Orchidaceae

Australorchis schneiderae

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Pterostylis bicornis

2VC

V

E

V

No improvement

Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii

3EC

E

V

V

No improvement

COMMELINIDS

Poales

Cyperaceae

Cyperus semifertilis

2VC

V

E

V

No improvement

Gahnia insignis

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Poaceae

Arundinella montana

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Commelinales

Phylidraceae

Helmholtzia glaberrima

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

EUDICOTS

Ranunculales

Menispermaceae

Tinospora tinosporoides

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Ranunculaceae

Clematis fawcettii

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Proteales

Proteaceae

Alloxylon pinnatum

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Floydia praealta

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Macadamia integrifolia

3VC

V

 

V

No improvement

Macadamia tetraphylla

2VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Persoonia volcanica

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

PENTAPETALAE

Dilleniales

Dilleniaceae

Hibbertia hexandra

3RC

NT

E

 

No improvement

ROSID I

Malpighiales

Euphorbiaceae

Baloghia marmorata

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Fontainea australis

2VC

V

V

V

No improvement

N-FIXING CLADE

Fabales

Fabaceae

Acacia orites

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

ROSID II

Myrtales

Myrtaceae

Eucalyptus codonocarpa

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Syzygium hodgkinsoniae

3VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Syzygium moorei

2VC

V

V

V

No improvement

Sapindales

Sapindaceae

Cupaniopsis newmanii

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Diploglottis campbellii

2E

E

E

E

No improvement

Rutaceae

Acronychia baeuerlenii

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Bosistoa transversa

3VC

 

V

V

No improvement

Malvales

Malvaceae

Rulingia salviifolia

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

ASTERIDS

Ericales

Sapotaceae

Niemeyera whitei

3VC

V

V

 

No improvement

Primulaceae

Ardisia bakeri

2RC

NT

?

 

No improvement

Symplocaceae

Symplocos baeuerlenii

2VC

V

V

V

No improvement

ASTERID I

Gentianales

Apocynaceae

Ochrosia moorei

2EC

E

E

E

No improvement

Lamiales

Scrophulariaceae

Euphrasia bella

2EC

E

V

V

No improvement

Lamiaceae

Westringia blakeana

3RT

NT

 

 

No improvement

ASTERID II

Asterales

Campanulaceae

Wahlenbergia scopulicola

2RC

NT

E

 

No improvement

Argophyllaceae

Argophyllum nullumense

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Asteraceae

Olearia heterocarpa

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Ozothamnus vagans

2VC

V

E

V

No improvement

O. whitei

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

Apiales

Pittosporaceae

Pittosporum oreillyanum

2RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

 

 

Cupressaceae

Callitris monticola

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

 

 

Cyatheaceae

Cyathea cunninghamii

3RC

NT

 

 

No improvement

MONOCOTS

Asperagales

Orchidaceae

Sarchilus hartmannii

3EC

V

V

V

Improving

N-FIXING CLADE

Fabales

Fabaceae

Archidendron muellerianum

3VC

NT

 

 

Improving

ROSID II

Malvales

Thymelaeaceae

Pimelea umbratica

3KC

NT

 

 

Improving

ASTERID I

Gentianales

Apocynaceae

Marsdenia hemiptera

3VC

NT

 

 

Improving

M. longiloba

3EC

V

E

 

Improving

ASTERID II

Asterales

Campanulaceae

Wahlenbergia glabra

2VC

NT

 

 

Improving

Asteraceae

Brachyscome ascendens

2VC

NT

E

 

Improving

MAGNOLIIDS

Piperales

Aristolochiaceae

Pararistolochia laheyana

2RC

 

 

No threat now

MONOCOTS

Asparagales

Orchidaceae

Dipodium pulchellum

3RC

 

 

No threat now

N-FIXING CLADE

Fabales

Polygalaceae

Ericinum ensulifolium

3RC

 

 

No threat now

Cucurbitales

Cucurbitaceae

Trichosanthes subvelutina

3RC

 

 

No threat now

ROSID I

Malpighiales

Picrodendraceae

Austrobuxus swainii

3RC

 

 

No threat now

ROSID II

Sapindales

Simaroubaceae

Quassia sp. Mt Nardi

3RC

 

 

No threat now

ASTERID I

Lamiales

Lamiaceae

Plectranthus argentatus

3RC

 

 

No threat now

Bignoniaceae

Pandorea baileyana

2RC

 

 

No threat now

ROSID I

Malpighiales

Euphorbiaceae

Fontainea venosa

 

V

V

V

New threatened

N-FIXING CLADE

Fabales

Fabaceae

Senna acclinis

 

NT

E

 

New threatened

ROSID II

Myrtales

Myrtaceae

Gossia fragrantissima

 

E

E

E

New threatened

 

Lenwebbia prominens

 

NT

 

 

New threatened

 

Leptospermum oreophilum

 

V

 

 

New threatened

Sapindales

Rutaceae

Leionema elatius ssp. beckleri

 

E

V

 

New threatened

Brassicales

Gyrostemonaceae

Gyrostemon osmus

 

E

 

 

New threatened

ASTERID I

Lamiales

Lamiaceae

Plectranthus nitidus

 

E

E

E

New threatened

 

 

Plectranthus torrenticola

 

E

 

E

New threatened

LYCOPODOPSIDA

Lycopodiales

Lycopodiaceae

Huperzia varia

 

V

 

 

New threatened

Three codes were used for conservation status in 1994 as part of the ROTAP System (plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Trichosanthes~subvelutina):
Distribution: 1, species known from type locality only; 2, species with a maximum distribution of <100 km; 3, species with a range of >100 km but occurring in small populations mainly restricted to specific habitats
Conservation status: E, endangered; V, vulnerable; R, rare; K, poorly known
Supplementary Codes: C, known to be represented in a national Park or similar reserve.

Table II: Changes in conservation status and population trends of animal species associated with the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area after 18 years since original listing.

CLASS

Order

Family

Species

Status
1994

Status 2012

Population Trend (IUCN)

RP

Q

N

A

I

INSECTA

Lepidoptera

Noctuidae

Phyllodes imperialis

 

 

 

E

na

Declining

none

Papillionidae

Ornithoptera richmondia

 

V

 

 

na

Unknown

 

CRUSTACEA

Decapoda

Parastacidae

Euastacus maidae

 

 

 

 

CE

Unknown

none

E. sulcatus

 

 

 

 

V

Unknown

none

AMPHIBIA

Anura

Limnodynastidae

Adelotus brevis

 

V

 

 

NT

Declining

none

Kyarranus loveridgei

R

NT

E

 

E

Declining

 

Myobatrachidae

Assa darlingtoni

R

NT

 

 

NT

Stable

 

Mixophyes fleayi

K

E

E

E

E

Declining

yes

M. iteratus

K

E

 

E

E

Declining

yes

Hylidae

Litoria brevipalmata

R

NT

V

 

E

Declining

 

L. pearsoniana

 

V

 

 

NT

Declining

yes

L. revelata

R

NT

 

 

LC

Stable

 

REPTILIA

Squamata

Scincidae

Coeranoscincus reticulatus

R

NT

V

V

NT

Unknown

 

Eulamprus murrayi

R

 

 

 

na

Unknown

 

E. tryoni

 

 

 

 

na

Unknown

 

Ophioscincus truncatus

R

 

 

 

na

Unknown

 

Saproscincus rosei

 

NT

 

 

na

Unknown

 

Elapidae

Acanthophis antarcticus

 

NT

 

 

LC

Stable

 

Hoplocephalus stephensii

R: 2006

 

V

 

NT

Declining

 

AVES

Caprimulgiformes

Podargidae

Podargus ocellatus

 

V

V

 

LC

Declining

none

Accipitriformes

Accipitridae

Accipiter novaehollandiae

 

NT

 

 

LC

Declining

 

 

Erythrotriorchis radiatus

 

E

CE

V

NT

Declining

yesa

Gruiformes

Rallidae

Lewinia pectoralis

 

NT

 

 

LC

Declining

 

Charadriifores

Turnicidae

Turnix melanogaster

V

V

CE

V

NT

Declining

yes

Psittaciformes

Cacatuidae

Calyptorhynchus lathami

R

V

V

 

LC

Declining

none

Psittacidae

Cyclopsitta diopthalma coxeni

E

E

CE

E

LC

Stable

 

Strigiformes

Strigidae

Ninox strenua

R

V

V

 

LC

Stable

 

Tytonidae

Tyto tenebricosa tenebricosa

R

NT

V

 

LC

Declining

 

Passeriformes

Atrichornithidae

Atrichornis rufescens

R

V

V

 

E

Declining

 

Climacteridae

Climacteris erythrops

 

NT

 

 

LC

Stable

 

Dasyornithidae

Dasyornis brachypterus

V

E

E

E

E

Declining

 

MAMMALIA

Dasyuromorphia

Dasyuridae

Dasyurus maculatus maculatus

 

V

V

E

NT

Declining

yes

Diprotodontia

Phascolarctidae

Phascolarctos cinereus (SEQ)

 

V

V

V

LC

Unknown

None

Potoroidae

Potorous tridactylus tridactylus

 

V

V

V

LC

Declining

yes

Chiroptera

Vespertilionidae

Chalinolobus dwyeri

 

V

V

V

NT

Declining

 

Pteropodidae

Pteropus poliocephalus

 

 

V

V

V

Declining

NSW

Rodentia

Muridae

Pseudomys oralisb

V

V

E

E

V

Declining

 

a Under consideration or review (submitted for Erythrotriorchis radiatus in 2005 by Baker-Gabb, DJ)
b Hastings River Mouse (Pseudomys oralis) has not yet been formally recorded from the Springbrook precinct but, as suitable habitat does exist there, autonomous infra-red camera detection systems are deployed by ARCS to monitor possible occurrence. I: IUCN RP: Recovery Plan.

The current threatened status of plants and animals is based on official websites: New South Wales (www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp); Australia (www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species.html); and internationally based on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Version 2012.2 (www.iucnredlist.org/search); all were last accessed on 02/02/2013.



Rulingia salviifolia (Malvaceae). The taxonomy of this group is in a state of flux. However its conservation status has not improved over the past
18 years. Photo: obtained from the “Maroochy Botanic Gardens” website if the Friends of Maroochy Regional Bushland Botanic Gardens Inc.
www.friendsofmaroochybotanicgardens.org.au/sculpturegardenplants.htm



Ochrosia moorei is one of the most endangered plants in Australia. The population size in Queensland is likely not to exceed 20 individual
plants in the wild. Many of the localities in north-east New South Wales contain a single individual, the total population there being likely
to be less than 50 individuals in the wild. Photo: Aila Keto



Trichosanthes subvelutina or Silky Cucumber (Cucurbitacceae) is endemic to South-east Queensland–North-east
NSW and rated as rare under the ROTAP System
(www.plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Trichosanthes~subvelutina);
it would be prudent to monitor the status of this phylogenetically significant species and other similarly significant Australian
taxa such as the near-basal Corynocarpaceae and the basal Nothoalsomitra suberosa 
(endemic to south-east Queensland), within the Cucurbitales (one of the N-fixing clade members).
Photo: supplied by Ken O’Shea.


Austrobuxus swainii: Source: Wikipedia    Austrobuxus swainii in flower (Image: Black Diamond Images)
Austrobuxus is a member of the order Malpighiales, recently associated with the origin of modern tropical/subtropical rainforests (Davis et al. 2005).


References

Curtis, L.K., Dennis, A.J., McDonald, K.R., Kyne, P.M. and Debus, S.J.S., Eds. (2012) Queensland’s Threatened Animals. CSIRO Publishing. Australia.

Davis, C.C., Webb, C.O., Wurdack, K.J., Jaramillo, C.A. and Donoghue, M.J. (2005). Explosive radiation of Malpighiales supports a mid-Cretaceous origin of modern tropical rain forests. American Naturalist 165(3), E36-E65.

Lee, D.E., Conran, J.G., Lindqvist, J.K., Bannister, J.M. and Mildenhall, D.C. (2012). New Zealand Eocene, Oligocene and Miocene macrofossil and pollen records and modern plant distributions in the Southern Hemisphere. Botanical Reviews 78, 235-260.

Wurdack, K.J. and Davis, C.C. (2009). Malpighiales phylogenetics: Gaining ground on one of the most recalcitrant clades in the angiosperm tree of life. American Journal of Botany 96(8): 15551–1570.

Footnotes
Gossia and Corynocarpus are the research interest of Dr Gordon Guymer, Head of the Queensland Herbarium, who through his research and leadership of the Herbarium has made an outstanding contribution to the understanding of Queensland’s immense and extraordinarily significant plant biodiversity. Hugh and Nan Nicholson have supported ARCS for many years and very kindly have made images available to us. Both are celebrated photographers, authors, publishers, conservationists and philanthropists who have made an enormous contribution to our knowledge of Gondwanan plants, their ecology and conservation (www.rainforestpublishing.com.au/index.php?href=home&dir=editable_pages&ext=html). Jean-Marc Hero is a passionate advocate for the conservation of amphibians, an Associate Professor at the School of Environment and Deputy Director of the Environmental Futures Research Centre at Griffith University. He is a prolific author, member of the IUCN Amphibian Specialist group and Secretary General elect of the World Congress of Herpetology. We are grateful to him for his support and generosity in making images of frogs freely available to ARCS (www.griffith.edu.au/environment-planning-architecture/griffith-school-environment/staff/associate-professor-jean-marc-hero).

1 Outstanding Universal Value: the concept has evolved over the years to presently refer to the overall value of an entire World Heritage area. Values of individual species are generally referred to as “contributing” values or “World Heritage” values.