Wildlife

Powerful owl and Northern bettong
Some animal species associated with wet sclerophyll forest. Left: Powerful owl Ninox strenua  Right: Northern bettong Bettongia tropica

Potential to conserve wildlife

Wet sclerophyll forest in Queensland supports many different types of native plants and animals—including at least 25 threatened or priority species—so restoring wet sclerophyll forest has great potential for conserving wildlife.

Some threatened native species that occur in wet sclerophyll forest include the:

  • powerful owl (Ninox strenua)
  • northern bettong (Bettongia tropica)
  • yellow-bellied glider (northern subspecies; Petaurus australis unnamed subspecies)
  • eastern bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus),
  • Hastings River mouse (Pseudomys oralis)
  • plants Boronia keysii and Daviesia discolour.
Some plant species associated with wet sclerophyll forest.
Some plant species associated with wet sclerophyll forest. Left: Boronia keysii Right: Daviesia discolour

Limits to wildlife conservation

Most actions that will accumulate carbon in wet sclerophyll forest (such as not clearing trees, preventing hot fires, and controlling dieback) will also benefit wildlife by reducing threats.

Different types of shelter for wildlife, a good (and varied) supply of food, the removal or control of weeds and feral animals, and the size and shape of habitat patches and their distance from each other, will help conserve wildlife in wet scherophyll forest.

View larger image A summary of limits to wildlife conservation for wet sclerophyll forest. Enlarge image
A summary of limits to wildlife conservation for wet sclerophyll forest.
View larger image Some wet sclerophyll forest habitats Enlarge image

Habitat for wildlife

Understorey structure—shrubby or grassy?

Wet sclerophyll forest can have an understorey that is mostly shrubby (often including rainforest plants) or mostly grassy. The type of understorey has important implications for wildlife conservation, as some species prefer dense understorey shrubs, while others depend upon a more open, grassy ground layer.

Wet sclerophyll forest with a grassy understorey is an important habitat for at least three threatened species—the northern bettong (Bettongia tropica), eastern bristlebird (Dasyornis brachypterus) and Hastings River mouse (Pseudomys oralis). The wet sclerophyll habitat becomes unsuitable for these species when grasses are replaced by rainforest shrubs. Actions to maintain a grassy understorey (e.g. by burning, see ‘fire’ under Threats to wildlife below) are recommended for the conservation of these species. However, wet sclerophyll forest with an understorey of rainforest shrubs will provide habitat for many other species that prefer this type of vegetation.

Best understorey structure type

As the landholder, if you have a choice, and want to conserve wildlife, which is the best type of understorey to maintain? The first step is to find out whether the threatened species that prefer a grassy understorey (listed above) have been recorded on your site, or are likely to colonise your site if suitable habitat is present. (To find out, contact your local Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy office, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services regional offices or the wildlife branch of the Department of Environment, Science and Innovation.)

This is because all 3 species have very restricted distributions and specific habitat requirements, and may not need to be considered if they are unlikely to ever occur on your site. However, if your site may provide habitat for either the northern bettong, eastern bristlebird or Hastings River mouse, then restoring and/or managing a grassy understorey should be a high priority for conserving wildlife at your site.

Shelter and food

FeatureBenefits for wildlifeUsed by
Trees and shrubs Nesting, shelter and feeding sites

A diversity of tree and shrub species that flower and fruit at different times can provide a continuous food supply (nectar, pollen, fruit and insects) for animals

Shrubs provide important nesting and foraging sites for small birds, and different species of shrubs support different insects

Some animal species need trees and shrubs of a certain size or age (e.g. saplings or dead, standing trees)

Birds, invertebrates, mammals, reptiles, frogs, parasitic plants (e.g. mistletoe)
Tree hollows Shelter, nesting, a place to find food Parrots, treecreepers, bats, gliders, snakes
Fallen timber Shelter, basking and feeding areas Birds, reptiles, frogs, mammals, invertebrates
Leaf litter Shelter and feeding areas Birds, invertebrates, reptiles, frogs, mammals
Rocks Shelter, basking and feedings areas Invertebrates, reptiles, frogs, mammals, plants
Mistletoe Nectar, berries and nesting sites

Can provide nectar and berries at times when these foods are scarce in the landscape

Birds, invertebrates, mammals
Invertebrates Food, pollination, seed dispersal Birds, reptiles, frogs, mammals, plants
Fungi Food, beneficial relationship with plants Mammals, invertebrates

Landscape features

FeatureBenefits for wildlife
Large patch size Support larger populations of plants and animals

Support animals that need large territories and/or occur in low population densities

May also support more species of wildlife

Small edge-to-area ratio Patches that are rounded in shape suffer fewer ‘edge effects’ than patches of a similar size that are long and thin

Edge effects include increased weed invasion, predation, wind, sun and temperature, and all of these can have important impacts on wildlife

Close to other patches Allows animals and plants to disperse between patches

Reduces the risk of predation for animals when they move between patches

Improves the exchange of pollen between patches

How much of the landscape is cleared Birds and mammals are negatively affected if more than 70% of the landscape is cleared of suitable habitat

There is also an interaction between grazing and how much of the landscape is cleared, as cattle tend to congregate in the remaining patches of woody vegetation

If most of a landscape, or vegetation type, has been cleared, this also means that any remnants are very important for wildlife conservation, even if they are small or in poor condition. These remnants may provide valuable source populations for restoring other parts of the landscape

Habitat features used by some species that live in wet sclerophyll forest

 Tree hollows, cracks & crevicesFallen timberTrees & shrubsGrassesNectar/sapFungiInsects
Mammals       
Yellow-bellied glider Petaurus australis x   x   x   
Northern bettong Bettongia tropica    x   x  
Hsatings River mouse Pseudomys oralis  x   x   x x
Birds       
Eastern yellow robin Eopsaltria australis  x x     x
Powerful oil Ninox strenua x   x     
White-naped honeyeater Melithreptus lunatus   x   x   x
Eastern bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus  x x x    x
Plants  x     x  

Threats to wildlife

ThreatImpacts on wildlifeWildlife affected
Weeds and feral animals Competition, predation

Some management actions to control weeds and feral animals can also have negative impacts on native species

Many different types of plants and animals
Bell Miner Associated Dieback Loss of leaves and branches from canopy trees, and tree death. This has a negative impact on the many animal species that rely on large trees. Bell miners chase away other bird species. Increased densities of understorey shrubs (including lantana) can have a negative impact on native plant species Many different types of plants and animals
Clearing Destroys many plant species and also removes the food and housing of animals that depend on trees and shrubs

Animals which have little or no capacity for dispersal are severely impacted

Many different types of plants and animals
Grazing pressure Uncontrolled grazing by feral and native animals can reduce shelter and food for wildlife by slowing and preventing the establishment and growth of trees, grasses and understorey shrubs, and by trampling and reducing the amount of litter and fallen timber Many different types of plants and animals
Fire Hot fires may destroy fire-sensitive vegetation; food resources for animals; simplify vegetation structure; and burn relatively large areas which can disadvantage animals that rely on patchy habitats, or a combination of burnt and unburnt habitats

Even low severity fires can remove habitat such as large hollow-bearing trees that provide essential resources for many animals

Wet sclerophyll forest becomes unsuitable for 3 threatened species (the eastern bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus, northern bettong Bettongia tropica, and Hastings River mouse Pseudomys oralis) when grasses are replaced by rainforest shrubs. Certain fire regimes are recommended to maintain a grassy understorey in the known or potential habitat of these species

Many different types of plants and animals