MWRPP Report 13.3: Seaford Wetlands monitoring program: report on quadrat ‘before’ surveys and

Proposed capital works and Phragmites australis control measures for the Seaford Wetlands meant it was necessary to implement a vegetation monitoring program to enable vegetation change in response to the management actions to be assessed. On the 8 of April 2013, the following activities were undertaken as part of the Seaford Wetlands vegetation monitoring program: i) The establishment of 24 permanent quadrats: 12 on the ‘fringes’ of Phragmites australis (common reed) beds to monitor for vegetation changes following hydrology works due to be conducted at the site shortly; and 12 within common reed beds to be used for an experimental assessment of the success of different common reed control measures (i.e. slashing); and ii) Photo-monitoring at six photo-points previously established by Australian Ecosystems in October 2010. As intended by the monitoring program, Phragmites australis tall marsh dominated all the quadrats. Mudflat habitat was also commonly recorded within the ‘fringe’ quadrats; brackish wetland and aquatic herbland vegetation types were also recorded. A total of seventeen plant species were recorded within the surveyed quadrats; 8 of these were native species. Phragmites australis was recorded in all quadrats. Other commonly recorded species included Atriplex prostrata* (exotic species are indicated by an asterisk throughout this report), Lemna disperma, Aster subulatus*, Juncus acutus*, Lachnagrostis filiformis and Triglochin procerum. Data collected for all quadrats are included in the appendix of this report. All quadrats should be resurveyed in the same manner as described in this report annually (at least) in late spring/early summer. All photos taken at the photo-monitoring points, together with those taken at these points previously, are presented in this report. Comparison of the photos does not suggest any large-scale loss or gain of any vegetation/habitat types. However, there is some evidence of common reed expansion at photo-points 8 and 10 and the development of a stand of Acacia longifolia in the background of photo-point 9 was apparent.Data collected from the permanent quadrats should be thoroughly examined, including the use of appropriate statistical analyses, within two years of the completion of the hydrology works, i.e. in 2015, after the collection of two years of ‘after’ data. This should be done in conjunction with other components of the overall monitoring program, i.e. examination of regular (6 monthly) aerial photography and detailed weed mapping of the site (see Table 1), to assess vegetation change at the Seaford Wetlands at the site scale.