Wilderness World Heritage Area Research Articles

An inventory of the invertebrates of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

This paper summarizes the information contained in an inventory of invertebrates recorded from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA). The WHA covers an area of 1.38 million hectares in the western half of Tasmania. A total of 1397 terrestrial/freshwater species from 293 families in nine phyla are listed as occurring in the WHA. The most diverse phylum is the Uniramia (904 species, 172 families), followed by the Chelicerata (179 species, 56 families), Aschelminthes (Rotifera: 90 species, 22 families), Crustacea (88 species, 21 families), Mollusca (69 species, 14 families), Annelida (57 species, five families), Platyhelminthes (eight species, one family), and the Onychophora and Nemertea (one species each). Sixty-three marine and estuarine species from six phyla are listed for the limited area of marine/estuarine habitat within the WHA. The terrestrial/freshwater WHA invertebrate fauna is characterized by high Tasmanian endemism (46.7% of species are Tasmanian endemics), and a high proportion of species with a predominantly western-Tasmanian distribution and/or a restricted geographical range. The WHA includes the globally unique Bathurst Harbour estuarine system. The marine and estuarine invertebrate fauna of the estuary is largely undescribed, but is likely to show very high levels of Tasmanian and local endemicity. The characteristics of the WHA invertebrate fauna reflect the extant habitats of the area, as well as past geological and climatic processes that have led to their development. The WHA contains 16 threatened invertebrate species, while a total of 34 introduced terrestrial and seven introduced marine invertebrate species have been recorded from the WHA. The invertebrate fauna of the WHA contributes substantially to the World Heritage faunal values of the area. Formal description of currently undescribed material from Bathurst Harbour is likely to substantially add to the World significance of the WHA. The high level of protection afforded the WHA makes the area important for long-term invertebrate fauna conservation in Tasmania. A full inventory of species can be viewed on the Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment (DPIWE) website (www.dpiwe.tas.gov.au).

Extent of invasion of Tasmanian native vegetation by the exotic bumblebee Bombus terrestris (Apoidea: Apidae)

Abstract Observations of the large earth bumblebee, Bombus terrestris (L.), in native vegetation were collated to determine the extent to which this exotic species has invaded Tasmanian native vegetation during the first 9 years after its introduction. The range of B. terrestris now encompasses all of Tasmania's major vegetation types, altitudes from sea level to 1260m a.s.L, and the entire breadth of annual precipitation in the state from more than 3200 mm to less than 600 mm. Observations of workers carrying pollen, together with the presence of large numbers of bumblebees at many localities across this range indicate that colonies are frequently established in native vegetation. Evidence that colonies are often successful was obtained from repeated observations of the species during more than 1 year at particular sites. Unequivocal evidence of colonies was obtained from six National Parks, including four of the five in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA). Indeed, the species has been present in the WHA for at least as long as it has in the city of Hobart, where it was first recorded. In southwestern Tasmania, evidence of colonies was obtained up to 40km from gardens, 61 km from small towns and 93 km from large towns. Hence, contrary to previous suggestions, the species is established in the most remote parts of Tasmania and is not dependent on introduced garden plants. Given their strong record of invasion, it is likely that B. terrestris will form feral populations on the mainland of Australia and in many other parts of the world if introduced. Because of their likely negative impacts on native animals and plants, and potential to enhance seed production in weeds, the spread of bumblebees should be avoided.

Fire history of the northern part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and its associated regions

Fire history of the northern part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and its associated regions

Ecotourism, local and indigenous people, and the conservation of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

The existence of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA) is not only a testimony to its undoubted outstanding universal natural and cultural significance, but also a reflection of a national feeling that its wild places and wild rivers should be maintained for future generations, rather than expended in hydroelectric, forestry, and pastoral development The issue in the establishment and expansion of the WHA was economic development or none In the cases of power, wood, and wool production the nays succeeded convincingly The coalition that promoted the WHA consisted largely of wilderness recreationalists and natural scientists, leading to a feeling, and partial actuality, of dispossession on the part of those recreationalists, such as shooters anglers, off‐road vehicle enthusiasts, and horse riders, who defined themselves as traditional users Recreationalists who were within the coalition, mainly bushwalkers, climbers, cavers, and rafters, have had increasing effects on the natural values of the WHA, to the degree to which limitation of some of their activities seems necessary to maintain WHA values Yet, any such controls have been strongly resisted Tourism developers, traditional recreationalists, and many coalition recreationalists all wish to maintain or increase activities that are in conflict with the maintenance of the values of the WHA and/or with each other The current management plan attempted to resolve these conflicts through compromises that do not substantially affect the values, but which lack any effective mechanisms for accountability on the part of the management agency and its minister Despite a prolonged and complicated developmental approval process, there is no means whereby the public may appeal a ministerial decision on the grounds that it is in conflict with the general objectives of the plan This is particularly alarming given progressive commercialization of activities in the WHA The WHA will continue to effectively conserve and present its values if the general public sympathy toi its maintenance is expressed through an effective appeals process There is also no reason why the minority ot developers and the public who are not sympathetic to all aspects of the maintenance of its values should not gain some benefits from the area within the constraints of ecological sustainability

Fire management in Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area: Ecosystem restoration using Indigenous‐style fire regimes?

Summary In many natural areas, changes in fire regimes since European settlement have resulted in adverse impacts on elements of biological diversity that survived millennia of land management by Indigenous people. Some of the rainforest and alpine elements that depend on south‐west Tasmania’s World Heritage Area have been in decline since European settlement of Tasmania due to an increase in the incidence of landscape‐scale fires in the period 1850–1940. Some of the buttongrass moorland elements that also depend on the region are in decline or impending decline because of a decreased incidence and/or size of burns since 1940. Will an Indigenous‐style fire regime serve the interests of biological diversity? We examine this question in the context of the fire ecology and fire history of south‐west Tasmania. From this assessment we argue that a return to Indigenous‐ style burning, modified to address contemporary issues such as the prevention of unplanned ignition, suppression of wildfires and burning to favour rare and threatened species may help to reverse trends towards ecosystem degradation in this region.

Threatened Trichoptera (caddisflies) from the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area

Trichoptera were collected in the Tasmanian WildernessWorld Heritage Area (WHA) between November 1998 and February 1999 using automatic UV light traps, sweep nets and aquatic hand-picking. The surveys targeted the four species listed on the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 which had been recorded from the WHA: Taskiria mccubbini, Taskiropsyche lacustris (both endangered), Orphninotrichia maculata (rare) and Oxyethira mienica (rare). In total 88 species were identified, approximately half of the 174 species now known from Tasmania. Taskiria mccubbini and Taskiropsyche lacustris were recorded for the fi rst time since they were first collected from the original Lake Pedder in 1965. Orphninotrichia maculatawas recorded from a new location. Diplectrona Iyella (rare) was recorded from two widely separated sites and is a new threatened species record for the WHA. One species ofEcnomidae was newly recorded from Tasmania.