1. Improved fauna habitat quality assessment for decision making in the Pilbara Bioregion
Amy Whitehead
NERP Environmental Decisions Hub
University of Melbourne

2. Northern quoll, Pilbara olive python, Pilbara leaf-nosed bat
Objectives
Provide improved knowledge on habitat requirements for EPBC listed fauna to ensure persistence in Pilbara bioregion
To support project assessments under Parts 7-9 of the EPBC Act
To support strategic assessments under Part 10 og the EPBC Act
Northern quoll, Pilbara olive python, Pilbara leaf-nosed bat

3. Approach Species distribution modeling Population viability analysis
Where is the species likely to occur and what are the important habitats?
Population viability analysis
What is the probability of population persistence?
Metapopulation viability analysis
What is the probability of population persistence given the suitability of available habitat?
Assessment of impacts
What is the probability of population persistence given changes to the suitability of available habitat?

4. Species distribution modelling
Where could species occur?
Data requirements
Occurrence data
Ecologically relevant environmental data
Output
Map of habitat suitability
Spotted tailed quoll
Wintle et al (2005)
Austral Ecology

5. Population Viability Analysis
Estimates probability of persistence using data on vital rates
Assess deterministic & stochastic influences on population persistence
Tool for synthesising information, ranking management scenarios, identifying & ranking threatened species

6. Population model EGGS/tadpoles 1 year olds Adults 2 year olds
subadults
3 year olds

7. Population Viability Analysis
1 year
olds
Adults
Eggs
tadpoles
2 year
subadults
3 year
Data requirements
Survival
Fecundity
Age at maturity
Maximum age
Density-dependence ….
Outputs
Probability of persistence
Minimum expected abundance
Sensitivity analysis
Highlight data gaps

8. Model integration: SDMs and PVA

9. Metapopulation Model
Linking species distribution & population viability models
Habitat suitability
Metapopulation

10. Metapopulation Model Data requirements Map of habitat suitability
Minimum habitat suitability for reproduction and survival
Patchiness of suitable habitat
Dispersal ability
Relationship between habitat suitability and carrying capacity

11. Spatially-explicit outputs
2000
Spatially-explicit outputs
Probability of persistence
Minimum expected abundance
Sensitivity analysis

12. Impact Assessment Data requirements Spatially-explicit impact data
Spatially-explicit mitigation data

13. Summary
Biodiversity in the planning early = better biodiversity outcomes
Data, data, data…. poo in = poo out
Existing tools handle biodiversity, social and economic data
not without technical challenges!
Can and should be done at fine scale
Credibility of SA and RSPs: best available methods

14. Questions