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Bat project national grant success
Things are about to get very batty!
The SAMDB Citizen Science program teamed up with researchers from the SA Museum, Mid Murray Landcare, other Landcare and LAP groups in the region and UniSA Discovery Circle to put in an application to the Australian Government, Inspiring Australia citizen science grants, to expand the reach and research outcomes of the SAMDB Batwatch project. Of the 386 applications, we were one of only 13 projects nationally to be funded and the only project from South Australia!
The Citizen Science Grants are part of the four-year, $29.8 million Inspiring Australia science engagement program encouraging community participation in science and technology, as outlined in the $1.1 billion National Innovation and Science Agenda.
Scientists from the South Australian Museum and Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) will engage with Landcare associations, landholders, and other interested community members in the lower Murray-Darling Basin to collect information on microbats. Much is still unknown about bat species in this region, including their current conservation status and the links between species diversity and habitat type and condition. Participants will be taught to survey for bats with ultrasonic recorders and collect accompanying field information. Outcomes for maintaining microbat diversity in the region will be a reassessment of their distribution, diversity, habitat needs, management practices and conservation status. Participants, the public and scientific community will be informed of outcomes with a view to extending the program across the Murray-Darling Basin.
The project will officially start from July 2017 and run for 2 years.
We will begin by prioritising areas and habitat types to survey in our region where we really need more information about the microbats. We will then be working with Landcare and LAP groups to get the Anabat recorders on the ground (or rather, tied up in the trees) on properties and in parks around the region for the summer season.
We will have more information available in the next newsletter.
We really hope you’ll get involved and help make this project a great success. For more information please contact Sylvia Clarke, Bec Stevens or Aimee Linke.
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10,000 records and counting
Well done citizen scientists!
We now have over 10,000 bird and bat species records on the SA Murray-Darling Basin monitoring data portal. While the majority are bird observations, over 500 of these are bat species records identified from Anabat recordings (and half were from the GWLAP area – well done!). Sixteen species of microbat plus three we were not unable to identify to species level (just to genus) have been recorded..
Our local experts are now having a look at the bird data to see what it is telling us so far, where there are still gaps in the distribution data, and what the potentials are for landholders and NGOs to use citizen science bird watching as part of their land management monitoring.
Online portal on the move
Over the next couple of months the SA Murray-Darling Basin monitoring data portal will be moved to a new system within the Atlas of Living Australia which will make data entry even easier. It will also have an accompanying app for data entry in the field – how exciting!
Community Monitoring Online Database
While we’re on the topic of online databases, our water quality database is having a bit of a makeover so for the next four weeks, it will be unavailable for data input. Please hang onto your results though and we’ll let you know when it’s back online.
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Science on a Sunday
As part of the National Science Week application (lead by Natural Resources SAMDB) the Murray Mallee Regional Science Hub will be running a “Science on a Sunday” and a Citizen Science showcase event (previously called Change Exchange)
An open public event will provide community members with the opportunity to:
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experience Virtual Reality (on Oculus Rift headset)
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watch Science Cinema
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take part in online “Wildlife Spotter” program
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do hands-on activities such as water testing, frog and insect identification
The Citizen Science showcase will provide an update on what our citizen science projects are telling us about the region; acknowledge and thank all local volunteers including presentation of an “Award for Outstanding Achievement”; a short presentation by an expert in a scientific field; and an informal networking opportunity over some light refreshments.
Riverland Citizen Science Showcase: 13 August 2017
Mallee National Science Week Event: Wednesday 16 August 2017
Lower Murray Citizen Science Showcase: Saturday 19 August 2017 (evening event) – stay tuned (it will involve popcorn)
For further information, please contact Sylvia Clarke or Bec Stevens.
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Image courtesy of Cindy Kakoschke.
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A fungi story
Fungi are our major recyclers – they breakdown rotting wood and are critical in the development of soil. Fungi often have symbiotic relationships with plant roots and are essential for uptake of soil nutrients. Many plants, including our native orchids, rely on fungal partners to germinate and grow. Fungi are important to soil structure, carbon sequestration, prevention of disease, water retention, and habitat!
Most of the time, this important work undertaken by fungi is unnoticed as it all occurs below ground. But at the start of winter each year we suddenly become aware of them when they produce a stunning array of mushrooms and toadstools.
We are very lucky to have Dr Sapphire McMullan-Fisher visiting from FungiMap again this June/July. This year Sapphire will be presenting an evening talk in our region about the role of fungi in healthy ecosystems and how to restore habitat for fungi.
When: Monday 3 July 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm
Where: Cornerstone College, Mt Barker
Bookings will be available very soon via Eventbrite – in the meantime please contact Nicola Barnes if you are interested in attending nicola.barnes@sa.gov.au
Or call our Mt Barker office on 8391 7500.
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Armchair bird watching and data recording at the end of the Lenger survey
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Bird Surveys – Autumn results
Autumn surveys were conducted during the months of March, April and May in various locations around the region. The weather was getting cooler but it didn’t seem to deter the birds or our Citizen Science volunteers.
Riverland
Wilabalangaloo
25 species were recorded, the highlight being a hooded robin and a mob of chestnut-crowned babblers.
D.B. Mack Reserve
At D.B.Mack Reserve, 19 species were recorded in dull, overcast conditions, but a pair of the rare chestnut quail-thrush performed well for the amazed participants, while a brief visit to Hart Lagoon identified 24 birds with the return of many species of duck (including the rare freckled duck) being a highlight.
Ngak Indau
Around 41 species were recorded, the highlight being a good number of Nankeen night-herons, while 18 waterbirds (including a buff-banded rail) were recorded at Berri Basin afterwards.
Lower Murray
Watchalunga Nature Reserve
Overall 43 species were seen; the highlight bird species being swamp harrier, southern emu wrens, Australian hobby, little grassbirds, golden headed cisticola and elegant parrots.
Kinchina Conservation Park
20 species were seen, the highlights being brown goshawk flushing in front of all participants, white-browed babblers, hooded robin and dusky woodswallow.
Lenger Reserve
In collaboration with the National Trust of SA this survey provided us with 39 species, highlights being swamp harrier, brown falcon, fan-tailed cuckoo, brown tree creeper, restless flycatcher and striped honeyeater.
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Waterbug workshop results
Last month the Citizen Science Waterwatch program was thrilled to host two special waterbug (freshwater macroinvertebrates) workshops featuring guest speaker and author, John Gooderham. John is well known in the freshwater world for his book titled “The Waterbug Book” and the accompanying identification tool, The Waterbug App.
The feedback from participants was extremely positive with many participants stating that their confidence in identifying waterbugs had improved significantly due to the hands on and thorough approach of the workshop. The workshop on 5 May at the Strathalbyn Natural Resource Centre was held one week prior to the Angas and Finniss Rivers Bioblitz, so many participants were able to fine tune their skills in preparation for the next week. It was also an opportunity for community members who contribute to the SA Murray-Darling Basin Waterwatch program to learn more about waterbugs for their own community monitoring activities.
Many thanks to John, NRC staff and all the participants for making both sessions a great success. You can find out more about John, download the waterbug app and more by visiting the waterbug company’s website at http://www.thewaterbug.net
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BioBlitz – autumn summary and spring results
The third Bioblitz was held in the Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges on 12 May 2017. Sites that were sampled in the Angas and Finniss catchments during the spring Bioblitz last year were visited again to collect macroinvertebrates and test water quality.
Eighteen people were involved with this Bioblitz including members of the Angas Catchment Group, Finniss Catchment Group, Prospect Hill Bushland Group, Goolwa to Wellington LAP and Natural Resources SAMDB staff, as well as a volunteer all the way from Germany! We also had help from a university student who is undertaking a PhD in animal physiology. He was able to collect water beetles for his research as well as assisting us with his ID skills.
We were lucky to have perfect weather again this year for going into the field and measuring water quality, taking site photos and collecting macroinvertebrates with a record 18 samples collected from 10 sites! The macroinvertebrate samples were taken back to the Natural Resources Centre at Strathalbyn where they were ‘picked’ and identified with the help of our experts Dr. Sally Maxwell and Dr. Doug Green. Many of our Bioblitz participants also attended the waterbug workshop with John Gooderham the week before and it was clear that there was an increased level of knowledge and confidence in the room during the ID process. Our voucher specimens from each site have been sent to the Australian Water Quality Centre for validation and once the results have been returned, a summary report will be made available.
This monitoring activity will continue to supplement other monitoring work being undertaken by DEWNR and EPA in these catchments. The Bioblitzes provide valuable data that forms part of the evaluation of the Eastern Mt Lofty Ranges Water Allocation Plan. It will also help with assessing the long-term impacts of returning low flows to the catchments through the Securing Low Flows project and the upcoming Flows for the Future program.
Spring Bioblitz Results
The data that was gathered during the spring Angas and Finniss Rivers Bioblitz 2016 has given us baseline data which can be compared against future spring surveys. When comparing richness data (how many different types of macroinvertebrate were found at each site) from the spring Bioblitz last year to the first autumn Bioblitz, the general trend is that taxa richness was higher at most sites in spring compared to autumn. In the Angas catchment, sites located low in the catchment such as Rushmore Reserve and Sunnydale experienced the largest jumps in taxa richness with over double the amount of taxa found at Rushmore Reserve in spring than in autumn that year. The top two sites with the highest richness were both found in the Finniss catchment, being Ti Tree Creek – Pool with the highest taxa at 31, and Ashbourne Bull Creek – Pool recording the second highest taxa at 28. Overall the
average richness per site was similar for each catchment (Finniss 22 and Angas 21.6).
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Upcoming events and opportunities for 2017
Spring bird survey dates
Lower Murray
Friday 22 September
Sunday 8 October
Friday 27 October
To register your interest, please contact Sylvia Clarke.
Riverland
Monday 3 July - register here: https://july-riverland-bird-surveys.eventbrite.com.au
Tuesday 19 September
Saturday 23 September
Tuesday 24/25 October – waterfowl survey
Fri 17 November
11 October - kids school holiday workshop - Mallee region
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Share your experience
The Natural Resources team is always interested in your stories and experiences. If you are willing to share your story in an upcoming edition of the Citizen Science eNewsletter, please contact us.
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