Abstract
Temperate Highland Peat Swamps on Sandstone are isolated pockets of moist habitat in the Blue Mountains region of Australia. Although endangered, few detailed studies have been conducted on their distinctive habitats and wildlife. We surveyed 10 swamps annually for 3 years to characterise conditions within swamps, surrounding woodland, and the transitional zone in between. Swamps were distinguished by waterlogged soil, a dense sedge understorey of live vegetation, and a virtual absence of trees, logs and rocks. In contrast, woodland had dry soil, a sparse understorey, many trees and logs, and much dead vegetation. The transitional zone was intermediate in these respects. Faunal species included 5 mammals (29 records), 17 reptiles (452 records) and 1 amphibian (13 records), with lizards comprising >90% of all faunal records. Paradoxically, the sole endangered vertebrate, the Blue Mountains Water Skink (Eulamprus leuraensis) was the most abundant taxon we recorded: a habitat specialist found primarily within swamps (95% of records) and absent from woodland. Other Eulamprus species in the transitional zone (E. heatwolei) and woodland (E. quoyii) occurred at much lower densities. Because E. leuraensis is abundant within montane swamps but absent from surrounding habitats, any disturbance to swamps is likely to imperil populations of this endangered reptile.
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Acknowledgements
We thank our fieldworkers, in particular Stephanie Glasby, Daniel Howell, Heinz Neubauer and Lachlan Pettit. We thank Ian Baird, Sylvain Dubey and Michael Hensen for discussions. Sylvain Dubey and Michael McFadden provided photographs; and, Melanie Elphick assisted with manuscript editing. We also thank the Fenner School of Environment and Society (ANU), Blue Mountains City Council, Humane Society International, Ecological Society of Australia, University of Sydney and the Australian Research Council for funding. All research was conducted under the University of Sydney Animal Care and Ethics Committee authorisation #L04/12-2012/3/5890; NPWS Scientific Licence #SL101112; and Forestry Corporation Permit #PB52916.
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Gorissen, S., Greenlees, M. & Shine, R. Habitat and Fauna of an Endangered Swamp Ecosystem in Australia’s Eastern Highlands. Wetlands 37, 269–276 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-016-0865-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13157-016-0865-1