Addressing potential cumulative impacts of development on threatened species: the case of the endangered black-throated finch

Where threatened biodiversity is adversely affected by development, policies often state that "no net loss" should be the goal and biodiversity offsetting is one mechanism available to achieve this. However, developments are often approved on an ad hoc basis and cumulative impacts are not sufficiently examined. We demonstrate the potential for serious threat to an endangered subspecies when multiple developments are planned. We modelled the distribution of the black-throated finch (Poephila cincta cincta) using bioclimatic data and Queensland's Regional Ecosystem classification. We overlaid granted, extant extractive and exploratory mining tenures within the known and modelled ranges of black-throated finches to examine the level of incipient threat to this subspecies in central Queensland, Australia. Our models indicate that more than half of the remaining P. cincta cincta habitat is currently under extractive or exploratory tenure. Therefore, insufficient habitat exists to offset all potential development so "no net loss" is not possible. This has implications for future conservation of this and similarly distributed species and for resource development planning, especially the use of legislated offsets for biodiversity protection

Areas of modelled favourable Regional Ecosystems (RE; see Methods, <i>Modelling protocol</i>) within the three decimal point bioclimatic model, areas currently mapped as remnant, and areas not covered by extant mining or exploration leases.

<p>The number of post-2000 BTF records for each RE are given and IBRA subregions [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.ref046" target="_blank">46</a>] are shown. Some REs have no post-2000 BTF records but are included as favourable BTF REs because there were >3 older BTF records from those REs. The habitat model referred to is the 1118 m buffered REs.</p

Modelled BTF habitat and extant extractive/exploratory tenures.

<p>The BTF habitat model is the favourable BTF REs which are within the area of ≥0.5 bioclimatic threshold climate envelope, buffered to 1118 m. Fig 3 has the same extent and scale as <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.g002" target="_blank">Fig 2</a>. Used under a CC BY license, with permission from Eric Vanderduys, original copyright 2015.</p

Total areas for mining tenures and protected areas (National Parks) within the habitat model.

<p>Areas are incongruent with figures presented in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a> because some areas have more than one mining tenure over them and because of rounding. Habitat model extents as well as actual favourable RE (from <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.t001" target="_blank">Table 1</a>) extents within NPs are also given. Tenures: Exploration Permits for Coal (EPC), Exploration Permits for Geothermal (EPG), Exploration Permits for Mineral (EPM), Exploration Permits for Petroleum (EPP), Mining Claim (MC), Mineral Development Licence (MDL), Mining Lease (ML), Petroleum Lease (PL), Petroleum Survey Licence (PSL).</p

Total areas for EPCs and MDLs from the southern and central Galilee Basin.

<p>Alpha and Kevin's Corner are grouped together because they shared portions of EPC1210. All areas were calculated from [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.ref038" target="_blank">38</a>] and documents referenced in the Source column using ArcGIS 10.1 geo-rectified, low resolution imagery from source documents and creating polygons around affected areas. All areas are given in hectares (Ha). Area affected is the measured impact area within the relevant lease or tenement, broken down into: OC (open cut mine); UG (underground mine); “Other” refers primarily to infrastructure such as buildings and accommodation, waste dumps, sediment dams and airports, but for one project may include an underground mine section (compare Figs 2 and 3 in [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.ref086" target="_blank">86</a>]). EPC = Exploration Permits for Coal, MDL = Mineral Development Licence</p

Map showing areas of potential commission and omission errors in the two decimal place and three decimal place models.

<p>The red ellipse enclosing the city of Charters Towers shows a large area of potential commission errors in the two decimal point model, with 282 target-group background points (i.e. bird records used for the background), with 14 BTF records, all pre-2000. The green ellipse shows a very poorly sampled area. Green, yellow and red dots are BTF records using the same schema as in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.g001" target="_blank">Fig 1</a>. Inset map shows the 99,000+ target-group background points used in constructing the models. Used under a CC BY license, with permission from Eric Vanderduys, original copyright 2015.</p

Distribution of BTF records colour-coded by years.

<p>BTF records from all year-classes were used to create the bioclimatic model. The most relevant IBRA bioregions are shaded: BRB = Brigalow Belt; DEU = Desert Uplands; EIU = Einasleigh Uplands. Relevant towns and the approximate extent of the Galilee Basin coal measure (from [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0148485#pone.0148485.ref077" target="_blank">77</a>]) are shown. Used under a CC BY license, with permission from Eric Vanderduys, original copyright 2015.</p

Conserving the endangered Black-throated Finch southern subspecies: what do we need to know?

Successful conservation of threatened species requires judicious allocation of limited resources. The threatened Black-throated Finch southern subspecies (Poephila cincta cincta), endemic to north-eastern Australia, has suffered an 80% contraction in its historical range. Stemming ongoing habitat loss is the main priority in its conservation, but remaining areas where habitat has been degraded require active management. However, the scarce information about the subspecies’ ecology has inhibited effective conservation planning. In this paper, we gather and review current knowledge on the Black-throated Finch southern subspecies’ ecology and threats and propose a list of research priorities aimed to support conservation management. We highlight how available knowledge could lead to false assumptions due to the limited temporal scope of most studies and their focus on a substantially modified area within its current range. There is a shortage of information on the present population size and distribution of the subspecies, which creates uncertainty about its conservation status. Our top three priority actions are focused on monitoring the remaining populations and evaluating the effects of management practices in pastoral land. We expect this paper to serve as a first step to create a cohesive framework for researchers and stakeholders when deciding to invest in the conservation of this iconic finch

Geographic and taxonomic patterns of extinction risk in Australian squamates

Australia is a global hotspot of reptile diversity, hosting similar to 10% of the world's squamate (snake and lizard) species. Yet the conservation status of the Australian squamate fauna has not been assessed for >25 years; a period during which the described fauna has risen by similar to 40%. Here we provide the first comprehensive conservation assessment of Australian terrestrial squamates using IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Most (86.4%; n = 819/948) Australian squamates were categorised as Least Concern, 4.5% were Data Deficient, and 7.1% (range 6.8%-11.3%, depending on the treatment of Data Deficient species) were threatened (3.0% Vulnerable, 2.7% Endangered, 1.1% Critically Endangered). This level of threat is low relative to the global average (similar to 18%). One species (Emoia nativitatis) was assessed as Extinct, and two species (Lepidodactylus listeri and Cryptoblepharus egeriae) are considered Extinct in the Wild: all three were endemic to Christmas Island. Most (75.1%) threat assessments were based on geographic range attributes, due to limited data on population trends or relevant proxies. Agriculture, fire, and invasive species were the threats that affected the most species, and there was substantial geographic variation in the number of species affected by each threat. Threatened species richness peaked on islands, in the Southern Alps, and across northern Australia. Data deficiency was greatest in northern Australia and in coastal Queensland. Approximately one-in-five threatened species were not represented in a single protected area. Our analyses shed light on the species, regions, and threats in most urgent need of conservation intervention