Lindenmayer David B. - Rocky outcrops in Australia: ecology, conservation and management

Damian Michael and David Lindenmayer 2018

All rights reserved. Except under the conditions described in the Australian Copyright Act 1968 and subsequent amendments, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, duplicating or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Contact CSIRO Publishing for all permission requests.

The moral rights of the authors have been asserted.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry

Michael, Damian, author.

Rocky outcrops in Australia : ecology, conservation and management / written by Damian Michael and David B Lindenmayer.

9781486307906 (paperback)
9781486307913 (epdf)
9781486307920 (epub)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Outcrops (Geology) Australia.
Wildlife conservation Australia.
Wildlife management Australia.
Agriculture Environmental aspects Australia.
Land use, Rural Australia Management.

Lindenmayer, David, author.

Published by

CSIRO Publishing
Locked Bag 10
Clayton South VIC 3169
Australia

Telephone: +61 3 9545 8400
Email:
Website: www.publish.csiro.au

Front cover: (top) rocky outcrop (photo: Damian Michael); (bottom) Gidgee Skink on a rocky outcrop in eastern and south-western Australia (photo: Jules Farquhar)

Back cover: (left to right) Flat Rock Spider (photo: Jordan de Jong); Chattering Rock Frog (top) and Cave Frog (bottom) (photo: Brendan Schembri); Common Rock Rat (photo: Angus McNab)

Set in 11/13.5 Adobe Minion Pro and Helvetica Neue LT Std

Edited by Anne Findlay, Princes Hill, Melbourne.

Cover design by Andrew Weatherill

Typeset by Desktop Concepts Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Index by Bruce Gillespie

Printed in China by Toppan Leefung Printing Limited

CSIRO Publishing publishes and distributes scientific, technical and health science books, magazines and journals from Australia to a worldwide audience and conducts these activities autonomously from the research activities of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of, and should not be attributed to, the publisher or CSIRO. The copyright owners shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.

Original print edition:

The paper this book is printed on is in accordance with the rules of the Forest Stewardship Council. The FSC promotes environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the worlds forests.

Few places on Earth remain unaffected by human activities. Even remote wilderness areas show signs of human practices, and some of these impacts are clearly visible from space. As custodians of the planet, one of the greatest challenges in the 21st century is to reduce our footprint on the natural environment, while at the same time accommodating the needs of an increasing human population. Better integration of biodiversity conservation in human-modified landscapes is part of the solution. Rocky outcrops are environments where substantial improvements in their management can enhance biodiversity outcomes in landscapes that have been significantly altered by human activities. Rocky outcrops are exposures of bedrock that protrude above the Earths surface. Exposures of rock are found on all continents, in most climate zones and are prominent features of protected wilderness areas as well as landscapes that have been modified by humans. Rocky outcrops are considered sacred by Indigenous people, they provide valuable recreational opportunities and are places where people have the opportunity to connect with nature. They also have important ecological and socio-economic values, some of which present conflicting management and conservation challenges. Rocky outcrops in agricultural landscapes, on Crown Land and in state forests are often degraded and in need of urgent management. We trust that the information presented in this book promotes a broader appreciation of the natural history of rocky outcrops in Australia and helps provide guidance on their conservation and management.

Damian Michael and David Lindenmayer
June 2017

Damian Michael would like to thank Richard and Janet Michael for fostering his interest in the great outdoors, Tracy Michael for her support and Asha and Amber for their constant inspiration.

David Lindenmayer would like to thank his family for the support over the past 35 years of his research work.

Various organisations and agencies have supported this research, including the Australian Research Council, Ian Potter Foundation, Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority, North East Catchment Management Authority, Holbrook Landcare Network, Murray Local Land Services, Riverina Local Land Services and the National Environmental Science Programme.

This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.

We thank our colleagues, David Blair, Ross Cunningham, Mason Crane, Daniel Florance, Christopher MacGregor, Lachlan McBurney, Thea OLoughlin, Sachiko Okada and Jeff Wood. Clive Hilliker produced the illustrations and Claire Shepherd, Tabitha Boyer and Craig Michael assisted with manuscript preparation.

We thank the many landholders involved in our research over the years, particularly Sam Archer, Chris and Sue Cain, Frank and Judy Chalker, Frank Chambers, Rodger and Jenny Dietrich, Des Feuerhardt, Frank Forragan, Peter Herriot, Andrew and Leonie Mathie, Rodger and Elizabeth Paterson, Russel Paech, Frank Palmer, Gary and Sandra Schilg, Brett and Christine Schultz, Paul, Joan and Ian Trevethan and Peter Webb.

This book has benefited from the contributions made by many photographers. For this, we thank Zak Atkins, Sam Banks, Linda Broome, Rohan Clarke, Matt Clancy, Nick Clemann, Henry Cook, Matt Herring, Jules Farquhar, Jordan de Jong, Vince Kessner, Damian Lettoof, Jiri Lochman, Stewart Macdonald, Tiffany Mason, Angus McNab, Janice Mentiplay-Smith, Carol Probets, Julia Riley, Steve Sass, Brendan Schembri, Alison Skinner, Bruce Thomson, Jonathan Webb, Steve Wilson and Stephen Zozaya.

We thank John Manger from CSIRO Publishing, whose support for this book is sincerely appreciated.

Australia has a history far more ancient than any written to read this history is one of the objects of geology records preserved in the great stone-book of nature.

Reverend J. Milne Curran (1898)

Rocky outcrops are a characteristic and spectacular part of the Australian countryside. They have particular aesthetic appeal, and their solid appearance portrays an impression that they are hard and durable environments. While this is partly true rocky outcrops have been exposed to the environment for millions of years they are also extremely fragile ecosystems, and places that are easily disturbed by human activities. Many rocky outcrops, and the plants and animals associated with these environments, are at risk from key threatening processes such as altered fire regimes and overgrazing by livestock. Some of them are so degraded that they require immediate protection and ongoing management to improve their conservation value.