The Nightcap Oak, Eidothea hardeniana is a recently discovered rainforest tree species dating back to prehistoric Gondwana that was identified in the Nightcap Range, near Lismore on the State’s North Coast.

Sixteen trees of the newly named Eidothea hardeniana are in an isolated part of the Range, leading to comparisons between this discovery and the ancient Wollemi Pine found in 1994. The exact location of these trees is being kept secret as they may be vulnerable to disease carried by people and could be prized by poachers and seed collectors.

Ecologist Robert Kooyman who discovered the species, sent leaves, fruits and wood from the tree to Peter Weston, our Proteaceae specialist, who identified the plants as belonging to the Eidothea genus. Peter Weston & Robert Kooyman have named the species Eidothea hardeniana in honour of Gwen Harden, a former botanist at the Royal Botanic Gardens and editor of the Flora of New South Wales, ‘whose career has been devoted to improving our knowledge of the flora of New South Wales, particularly of the State’s rainforest plants.

This discovery clearly demonstrates the importance of protecting our native forests. Many of these fascinating trees are thankfully within the World Heritage Listed Central Eastern Rainforest Reserve.

‘The Nightcap Range is the cradle of rainforest conservation in NSW and this find would not have been possible if the community and government had not acted to protect these beautiful places. The importance of these magnificent forests is continuing to be proved by discoveries such as this.’

An interesting thing about these trees is that they have eluded scientific classification for so long. In the 1950s leaves of the Nightcap species were found but not identified as a new species.

Eidothea hardeniana are ‘living fossils’ of the rainforests which once covered the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana, consisting of what are now Australia, Africa, South America, Antarctica and New Zealand. But while some existing Australian rainforest trees come from lineages which diversified into hundreds of species, Eidothea remained almost unchanged.

Now listed as an endangered species we need to know more about its ecology to ensure its long tern survival. For more information on research into this threatened species visit the research section of the Rainforest Rescue web site www.rainforestrescue.org.au

Lowland Rainforest in NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregion receives endangered ecological community listing

NSW Scientific Committee – final determination

The Scientific Committee, established by the Threatened Species Conservation Act, has made a Final Determination to list Lowland Rainforest in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregions as an ENDANGERED ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY in Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Act. Listing of endangered ecological communities is provided for by Part 2 of the Act.

The Scientific Committee has found that:

1. Lowland Rainforest in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregions is the name given to the ecological community of subtropical rainforest and some related, structurally complex forms of dry rainforest, excluding Littoral Rainforest (as described in the Final Determination gazetted on 4/6/04) and Lowland Rainforest on Floodplain in the NSW North Coast Bioregion (as described in the Final Determination gazetted on 13/8/99). Lowland Rainforest may be associated with a range of high-nutrient geological substrates, notably basalts and fine-grained sedimentary rocks, on coastal plains and plateaux, footslopes and foothills. In the north of its range, Lowland Rainforest is found up to 600m above sea level, but in the Sydney Basin bioregion it is limited to elevations below 350 m.

2. Lowland Rainforest, in a relatively undisturbed state, has a closed canopy, characterised by a high diversity of trees whose leaves may be mesophyllous and encompass a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Typically, the trees form three major strata: emergents, canopy and sub-canopy which, combined with variations in crown shapes and sizes, give the canopy an irregular appearance (Floyd 1990). The trees are taxonomically diverse at the genus and family levels, and some may have buttressed roots. A range of plant growth forms are present in Lowland Rainforest, including palms, vines and vascular epiphytes. Scattered eucalypt emergents (e.g. Eucalyptus grandis, E. saligna) may occasionally be present. In disturbed stands of this community the canopy continuity may be broken, or the canopy may be smothered by exotic vines. Although every stand of rainforest is unique in terms of its biota, Lowland Rainforest can be characterised by the following species.

Acacia irrorata Acacia melanoxylon
Acmena smithii Adiantum formosum
Alchornea ilicifolia Alectryon spp.
Alphitonia excelsa Alphitonia petrei
Alpinia caerulea Araucaria cunninghamii
Archidendron spp. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana
Arytera spp. Asplenium spp.
Backhousia spp. Brachychiton acerifolius
Brachychiton discolor Breynia oblongifolia
Caldcluvia paniculosa Callerya australis
Capparis arborea Cassine australe
Castanospermum australe Cayratia clematidea
Ceratopetalum apetalum Choricarpia leptopetala
Cinnamomum oliveri Cissus spp.
Citronella moorei Claoxylon australe
Clerodendrum tomentosum Cordyline spp.
Cyclophyllum longipetalum Daphnandra spp.
Dendrocnide excelsa Denhamia spp.
Diospyros spp. Diploglottis australis
Doodia aspera Doodia caudata
Doryphora sassafras Drypetes deplanchii
Dysoxylum fraserianum Dysoxylum muelleri
Ehretia acuminata Elaeocarpus spp.
Elattostachys nervosa Endiandra spp.
Euroschinus falcata Ficus spp.
Flagellaria indica Flindersia spp.
Gossia spp. Guoia semiglauca
Heritiera spp. Heritiera trifoliata
Jasminum volubile Lastreopsis spp.
Lenwebbia prominens Litsea australis
Litsea reticulata Livistona australis
Lophostemon confertus Maclura cochinchinesis
Malaisia scandens Mallotus discolor
Mallotus philippensis Marsdenia spp.
Melia azederach Melicope spp.
Morinda jasminoides Neolitsea australiensis
Neolitsea dealbata Notelaea spp.
Omalanthus populifolius Pandorea pandorana
Pararchidendron pruinosum Parsonsia spp.
Passiflora spp. Pellaea falcata
Peperomia tetraphylla Piper novae-hollandiae
Pittosproum multiflorum Platycerium spp.
Plectranthus spp. Podocarpus elatus
Pollia crispata Polyscias elegans
Pouteria australe Pteris umbrosa
Pyrrosia spp. Rapanea spp.
Rhodamnia spp. Ripogonum spp.
Rubus spp. Sarcomelicope simplicifolia
Schizomeria ovata Scolopia braunii
Sloanea australis Sloanea woolsii
Smilax australis Sterculia quadrifida
Streblus brunonianus Syzygium spp.
Tetrastigma nitens Toona ciliata
Trema aspera Tristaniopsis laurina

A number of these species, including Acacia irrorata, A. melanoxylon, Adiantum formosum, Breynia oblongifolia and Ceratopetalum apetalum, are locally abundant in some stands of the Lowland Rainforest, but may be more common overall in other communities.

3. The total species list of the community is considerably larger than that given above, with many species present only at one or two sites or in low abundance. The species composition of a site will be influenced by its physical environment (including geology and drainage), size of the site, recent rainfall or drought conditions and by its disturbance (including fire, windthrow and treefall) history. The species composition of individual stands is often unique, but the structure, physiognomy and species present permit recognition of stands as Lowland Rainforest. In addition to vascular plants the community also includes micro-organisms, fungi, cryptogamic plants, and a diverse fauna, both vertebrate and invertebrate. An indication of the richness and diversity of the invertebrate fauna is provided by Williams (1993, 2002).

4. Lowland Rainforest belongs to the Subtropical Rainforests class of Keith (2004), although some stands may be interpreted as structurally complex assemblages within the Dry Rainforests class.
Lowland Rainforest encompasses stands which fall principally within the following alliances and suballiances of Floyd (1990b):

Argyrodendron trifoliolatum alliance

1. Argyrodendron trifoliolatum suballiance
5. Castanospermum australe – Dysoxylum muelleri suballiance
6. Archontophoenix – Livistona suballiance

Dendrocnide excelsa – Ficus spp. Alliance

14. Doryphora sassafras – Daphnandra micranthus – Dendrocnide excelsa Ficus-spp. – Toona suballiance
15. Ficus spp. – Dysoxylum fraserianum – Toona – Dendrocnide suballiance

Drypetes australasica – Araucaria cunninghamii alliance

21. Araucaria cunninghamii suballiance
22. Flindersia spp. – Araucaria suballiance

(Nomenclature and numbering follows that in Floyd 1990a, Table 2 – a number of nomenclatural changes have occurred subsequently. Floyd (1990b) describes the characteristics and example stands of these suballiances in some detail.)
The inferred ecological relationships between different suballiances of rainforest have been interpreted by Floyd (1990b, see Appendix 2). While these suballiances differ floristically and in structure, individual stands of Lowland Rainforest may contain elements of more than one suballiance and the boundaries between different suballiances may intergrade. Nevertheless there are structural, habitat and floristic features which, in combination, link all the Lowland Rainforest suballiances, including the presence of emergent trees, variety of leaf and canopy shapes and sizes, the abundance and diversity of vines and vascular epiphytes, the association with nutrient-rich lithic substrates, etc. (see paragraph 2).

5. In addition to the principal suballiances listed above, Lowland Rainforest encompasses stands that display characteristics of some other suballiances. These stands occur in environments that are around the transitional limits of Lowland Rainforest with increasing altitude or maritime influence, or declining moisture status or soil nutrient status (Floyd 1990b).
With increasing altitude in far northeastern NSW, the Argyrodendron trifoliolatum alliance is replaced by the Argyrodendron actinophyllum alliance (sometimes referred to as a cool subtropical rainforest). This alliance is well represented in the reserves included within the CERRA World Heritage listing. These stands are of great conservation significance but are not considered part of the Lowland Rainforest community. However, where the following suballiances occur towards their lower altitudinal limit, in conjunction with stands of any suballiance listed in paragraph 4, they are part of Lowland Rainforest.
7. Argyrodendron actinophyllum
8. Argyrodendron actinophyllum – Araucaria cunninghamii
9. Argyrodendron actinophyllum – Dysoxylum muelleri – Syzygium francisii
10. Argyrodendron actinophyllum – Dendrocnide excelsa – Ficus
Lowland Rainforest, when optimally developed, has the structural and floristic form of subtropical rainforest (sensu Floyd 1990a, b), but may be interspersed with stands of dry rainforest as moisture status declines or topographic exposure increases. Stands of suballiances
23. Ficus– Streblus– Dendrocnide– Cassine
27. Choricarpia leptopetala
28. Backhousia sciadophora – Dendrocnide– Drypetes
29. Backhousia myrtifolia – Lophostemon confertus – Tristaniopsis
30. Backhousia myrtifolia – Acmena smithii
are part of Lowland Rainforest where they occur in transitional zones with any suballiance listed in paragraph 4.

As soil nutrient status declines, Lowland Rainforest may be replaced by warm temperate forms of rainforest. Lowland Rainforest typically occurs on relatively nutrient-rich, such as basic volcanic or fine-grained sedimentary substrates, but may also occur on substrates of intermediate fertility, including acid volcanics (Floyd 1990b). Warm temperate rainforests are extensive on granites in the Washpool district and commonly occur at elevated sites on acid volcanic substrates (e.g. on the Nightcap Range) and at lowland sites on sandstones, shales and mudstones in localised gullies southward from the Sydney Basin. These stands of warm temperate rainforest are generally excluded from Lowland Rainforest. However, the following suballiances (sensu Floyd 1990b) within the Ceratopetalum apetalum alliance may occur on soils of intermediate fertility throughout the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin bioregions, and are included within Lowland Rainforest where they occur in conjunction with stands of any suballiance listed in paragraph 4:
33. Ceratopetalum apetalum – Schizomeria – Argyrodendron spp – Sloanea suballiance
34. Ceratopetalum – Diploglottis australis – Acmena smithii suballiance
35. Ceratopetalum – Schizomeria – Caldcluvia suballiance
Where lithic substrates adjoin floodplain alluvium, Lowland Rainforest may occur in conjunction with Lowland Rainforest on Floodplain of the NSW North Coast Bioregion, listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. Similarly, Littoral Rainforest in the NSW North Coast, Sydney Basin and South East Corner Bioregions, listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, may replace Lowland Rainforest with increasing maritime influence. In both cases, the Determinations of these respective communities collectively encompass all transitional stands of rainforest.

6. There are strong latitudinal trends in the composition of Lowland Rainforest, with species diversity and structural complexity declining from north to south. The Hawkesbury River notionally marks the southern limit of Lowland Rainforest in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin bioregions. South of the Sydney metropolitan area, Lowland Rainforest is replaced by Illawarra Subtropical Rainforest of the Sydney Basin Bioregion, which is listed as an Endangered Ecological Community under the Threatened Species Conservation Act. Milton Ulladulla Subtropical Rainforest is a related rainforest endangered ecological community that occurs still further south in the South East Corner Bioregion.

7. Threatened species found in Lowland Rainforest include

Acacia bakeri Acalypha eremorum
Amorphospermum whitei Amyema scandens
Archidendron hendersonii Baloghia marmorata
Bosistoa transversa Bulbophyllum globuliforme
Calophanoides hygrophiloides Cassia brewsteri var. marksiana
Choricarpa subargentea Clematis fawcettii
Cryptocarya foetida Cynanchum elegans
Davidsonia jerseyana Davidsonia johnsonii
Desmodium acanthocladum Diospyros major var. ebenus
Diploglottis campbellii Drynaria rigidula
Elaeocarpus williamsianus Endiandra floydii
Endiandra hayseii Endiandra muelleri subsp. bracteata
Floydia praealta Fontainea australis
Geijera paniculata Gossia fragrantissima
Grammitis stenophylla Grevillea hilliana
Hibbertia hexandra Hicksbeachia pinnatifolia
Isoglossa eranthemoides Lepiderema pulchella
Lindsaea brachypoda Macadamia tetraphylla
Marsdenia longiloba Muellerina myrtifolia
Niemerya chartacea Ochrosia moorei
Owenia cepiodora Parsonsia dorrigoensis
Plectranthus nitidus Psilotum complanatum
Randia moorei Rapanea sp. ‘Richmond River’ (Maiden s.n. 1903)
Sarcochilus fitzgeraldii Sarcochilus weinthalii
Senna acclinis Solanum limitare
Sophora fraseri Symplocos baeuerlenii
Syzygium hodgkinsoniae Syzygium moorei
Tarenna cameronii Tinospora smilacina
Tinospora tinosporoides Tylophora woollsii
Typhonium sp. aff. brownii
Coracina lineata Barred Cuckoo-shrike
Cyclopsitta diophthalma Double-eyed Fig-parrot
Erythrotriorchus radiatus Red Goshawk
Lophoictinia isura Square-tailed Kite
Meura alberti Albert’s Lyrebird
Monarcha leucotis White-eared Monarch
Ninox strenua Powerful Owl
Pachycephala olivacea Olive Whistler (only >500m asl)
Podargus ocellatus Marbled Frogmouth
Ptilinopus magnificus Wompoo Fruit-dove
Ptilinopus regina Rose-crowned Fruit-dove
Ptilinopus superba Superb Fruit-dove
Tyto tenebricosa Sooty Owl
Cercartetus nanus Eastern Pygmy-possum

Dasyurus maculatus Spotted-tailed Quoll
Kerivoula papuensis Golden-tipped Bat
Macropus parma Parma Wallaby
Miniopteris australis Little Bentwing-bat (foraging only, cave-roosting)
Miniopteris schreibersii Common Bentwing-bat (foraging only, cave-roosting)
Myotis adversus Large-footed Myotis
Nyctophilus bifax Eastern Long-eared Bat
Nyctimene robinsoni Eastern Tube-nosed Bat
Potorous tridactylus Long-nosed Potoroo
Pteropus alecto Black Flying-fox
Scoteanax rueppelli Greater Broad-nosed Bat
Thylogale stigmatica Red-legged Pademelon
Coeranoscincus reticulatus Three-toed Snake-tooth Skink
Hoplocephalus bitorquatus Pale-headed Snake
Hoplocephalus stephensii Stephens’ Banded Snake
Assa darlingtoni Pouched Frog (only >300m asl)
Litoria subglandulosa Glandular Frog (not <300m asl)
Mixophyes balbus Stuttering Frog
Mixophyes fleayi Fleay’s Barred Frog
Mixophyes iteratus Giant Barred Frog
Philoria kundagungan Mountain Frog (only >100m asl)
Philoria loveridgei Loveridge’s Frog (only >100m asl)
Philoria sphagnicola Sphagnum Frog (only >100m asl)
Pteropus poliocephalus Greyheaded flying fox

Thersites mitchellae a land snail
Nurus atlas a beetle
Nurus brevis a beetle

The list provides an indication of the diversity of the ecological community, and an indication of species whose requirements will need to be considered in preparing conservation management plans. The number of threatened species listed above are restricted to the northern parts of the ecological community (paragraph 6). Presence of species in the list is not essential for characterising a stand as being a representative of the Lowland Rainforest ecological community.

8. Since European settlement Lowland Rainforest has undergone a large reduction in geographic distribution (particularly its area of occupancy) due to clearing (Floyd 1990a, b). For example, Floyd (1990a) estimated the Big Scrub lowland rainforest near Lismore, originally estimated to cover 75 000 ha, had been reduced to only 300 ha (0.07%) since European settlement. Other districts as far south as Ourimbah have suffered similar losses of Lowland Rainforest. Relative to the longevity of rainforest trees, many of which live for several hundred years, these represent large reductions in the geographic distribution of the community. ‘Clearing of native vegetation’ is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act.

9. Extensive clearing of Lowland Rainforest has resulted in fragmentation and loss of ecological connectivity. The integrity and survival of small, isolated stands is impaired by the small population size of many species, enhanced risks from environmental stochasticity, disruption to pollination and dispersal of fruits or seeds, and likely reductions in the genetic diversity of isolated populations (Lott 1990, Rossetto et al. 2004a, b). Disruption of these ecological processes may result in a large reduction in the ecological function of the community.

10. Weed invasion also poses a major threat to Lowland Rainforest, with introduced vines and scramblers having particularly serious impacts (Floyd 1990a). Principal weed species include:

Ageratina adenophora Crofton Weed
Ageratum riparia
Anredera cordifolia Madeira Vine
Asparagus asparagoides Bridal Creeper
Cardiospermum grandiflorum Balloon Vine
Cinnamonum camphora Camphor Laurel
Ipomeoa spp. Morning Glory spp.
Lantana camara Lantana
Ligustrum lucidum Large-leaved Privet
Ligustrum sinense Small-leaved Privet
Macfaydena unguis-cati Cat’s Claw
Tradescantia fluminensis
Many of these exotic species form dense thickets capable of smothering indigenous plants, reducing both reproduction and survival (Floyd 1990a, Harden et al. 2004). The invasion and establishment of exotic species in Lowland Rainforest results in a large reduction in the ecological function of the community. ‘Invasion and establishment of exotic vines and scramblers’ is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act.

11. Although the interior of large stands of Lowland Rainforest are rarely flammable, inappropriate fire regimes associated with burning off and hazard reduction pose a threat to the margins of rainforest stands and the entirety of small stands in fragmented landscapes. Repeated burning is likely to change community structure and/or species composition of stands of Lowland Rainforest, as many of its species are poorly equipped with post-fire recovery mechanisms. ‘High frequency fire resulting in disruption of life cycle processes in plants and animals and loss of vegetation structure and composition’ is listed as a Key Threatening Process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act.

12. Other common threats include grazing by livestock, potential impacts of anthropogenic climate change and impacts associated with human visitation (including soil compaction, possible spread of pathogens, clearing of understorey and inappropriate collection of plant species). In addition, the collection and trade of some rainforest invertebrates may be greater than is generally appreciated. Collectively these processes may result in degradation of Lowland Rainforest habitat, and hence a large reduction in ecological function of the community.

13. Some stands of Lowland Rainforest are included within the conservation estate (including components of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia World Heritage listing). However, not all Lowland Rainforest suballiances occur in conservation reserves and many small stands, important for connectivity and maintenance of landscape-scale ecological processes, remain outside conservation reserves.

14. The Scientific Committee is of the opinion that Lowland Rainforest in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregions is not eligible to be listed as a critically endangered ecological community.

15. Lowland Rainforest in the NSW North Coast and Sydney Basin Bioregions is eligible to be listed as an endangered ecological community as, in the opinion of the Scientific Committee, it is facing a very high risk of extinction in New South Wales in the near future, as determined in accordance with the following criteria as prescribed by the Threatened Species Conservation Regulation 2002:

Clause 25
The ecological community has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have undergone, or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of its component species:
(b) a large reduction in geographic distribution.

Clause 27
The ecological community has undergone, is observed, estimated, inferred or reasonably suspected to have undergone, or is likely to undergo within a time span appropriate to the life cycle and habitat characteristics of its component species:
(b) a large reduction in ecological function,
as indicated by any of the following:
(f) disruption of ecological processes
(g) invasion and establishment of exotic species
(h) degradation of habitat
(i) fragmentation of habitat

Associate Professor Lesley Hughes
Chairperson
Scientific Committee
Proposed Gazettal date: 22/12/06
Exhibition period: 22/12/06 – 16/03/07

References:

Floyd A (1990a) Australian rainforests in New South Wales. Volume 1. (Surrey Beatty and Sons: Sydney.)

Floyd A (1990b) Australian rainforests in New South Wales. Volume 2. (Surrey Beatty and Sons: Sydney.)

Keith DA (2004) ‘Ocean shores to desert dunes: the native vegetation of New South Wales and the ACT.’ NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, Sydney.

Harden GJ, Fox MD, Fox BJ (2004) Monitoring and assessment of restoration of a rainforest remnant at Wingham Brush, NSW. Austral Ecology 29, 489-507.

Lott R (1990) Rainforest. Australian Heritage Commission, Canberra.

Rossetto M, Gross CL, Jones R, Hunter J (2004a) The impact of clonality on an endangered tree (Elaeocarpus williamsianus) in fragmented rainforest. Biological Conservation 117, 33-39.

Rossetto M, Jones R, Hunter J (2004b) Genetic effects of rainforest fragmentation in an early successional tree (Elaeocarpus grandis). Heredity 93, 610-619.

Williams GA (1993) Hidden rainforests: Subtropical rainforest and their invertebrate biodiversity. (UNSW Press: Sydney)

Williams GA (2002) A taxonomic and biogeographic review of the invertebrates of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia (CERRA) World Heritage Area and adjacent regions. Technical Reports of the Australian Museum 16.More information

08/11/06 – Discovery of a Lifetime

Last night at O’Reilly’s Guesthouse in front of a small group of privileged birders and special guests, John Young revealed his most exciting discovery to date. The discovery and the amazing images of the yet to be described “Blue-fronted” Fig-parrot were the result of over 10 years of hard searching in the sub-tropical rainforests of Queensland and New South Wales. The “Blue-fronted” Fig-parrot is now the subject of a scientific paper being written by John Young and Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Senior Conservation Officer, Dr. Ian Gynther. The paper will examine the relationship between the “Blue-fronted” Fig-parrot and the 3 existing Australian Fig-parrot species.

A Background on Fig-Parrots in Australia

Prior to this exciting discovery by John Young, Australia was thought to have a single species of fig-parrot comprising three geographically separate subspecies.

The species as a whole is known as the Double-eyed Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma. Its different Australian representatives are:
· Coxen’s Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma coxeni, the first to be described by John Gould in 1867, from south-east Queensland and north-east NSW,
· Red-browed Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma macleayana, described in 1874, from Cooktown to Paluma in north Queensland, and
· Marshall’s Fig-Parrot Cyclopsitta diophthalma marshalli, our smallest parrot that was only described in 1946, from eastern Cape York Peninsula.

A further five subspecies of Double-eyed Fig-Parrot are known from New Guinea and the West Papuan Islands.

These fig-parrots are small, predominantly green birds with distinctive, colourful facial patterns. They have a characteristic appearance due to their short tails and dumpy, top-heavy build. Their plumage and behaviour can make them difficult to spot when perched amid foliage. Fig-parrots feed primarily on the seeds of figs, from which they get their common name, but they will also eat other fruits and utilise blossom.

Based on available evidence, the new find by John Young is a distinctly different fig-parrot representing, at the very least, a separate subspecies. This “Blue-fronted Fig-Parrot” may be a species in its own right. Of particular interest is that its distribution, from the Queensland border area south into New South Wales, overlaps with that of Coxen’s Fig-Parrot.

Ultimately, confirmation of the discovery and resolution of the taxonomic status of this bird will require a comparison of genetic material with other Australian fig-parrots. This work is underway.

Coxen’s Fig-Parrot is listed as endangered under Queensland’s Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 1994, the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 of New South Wales and the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. It is currently one of the most threatened and poorly known birds in Australia.

Confirmed or credible sighting reports of Coxen’s Fig-Parrot continue to be made in the two range states, but photographs, sound recordings or recent specimens are still lacking. It appears its favoured habitat was lowland subtropical rainforest, an ecosystem type that has suffered badly since European settlement. Accurate predictions about population size are currently not possible.

Key threatening processes impacting on Coxen’s Fig-Parrot are the loss, fragmentation and degradation of the bird’s habitats, causing a reduction in the extent and quality of food resources. A national recovery plan was put in place in 2001 and actions to ameliorate the various threats have been implemented during the intervening period.

The recovery plan can be viewed at:
http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/publications/recovery/fig-parrot/index.html

The plight of Coxen’s Fig-Parrot highlights the importance of conserving and restoring areas of undisturbed habitat that are large enough to provide it refuge from threatening processes, and that provide connectivity between occupied areas.

These same requirements are expected to be important for the newly discovered fig-parrot. Our knowledge of this bird is extremely poor but existing records are from montane forests, where it is also apparently in low numbers and likely to be subject to threatening processes.

ELEANOR HALL: But first today leaks from the international conference in Paris are turning the heat up on Australia’s political leaders over climate change.

The report by the world’s top scientists, to be released officially in Paris tonight, lays the blame for climate change squarely at the feet of humans and predicts that without a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, global warming will produce catastrophic increases in global temperatures.

Australian of the Year Tim Flannery says that means Australia could lose of up to 60 per cent of its native species, and he’s calling on Australian politicians to dramatically shift their approach on the environment.

Daniel Hoare has our report.

DANIEL HOARE: The report is the first in a series of three reports and it’s due for release in Paris tonight.

And the United Nation’s Climate Panel has swiftly acted on it’s findings.

The UN Climate Panel says “the global increase in average temperatures since the mid-Twentieth century is almost certainly due to the actions of humans.”

So it seems the scientific conclusions are now irrefutable. Humans have caused climate change and it’s up to humans to stop its progress.

Scientist and recently named Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery is in no doubt about the significance of the reports findings.

TIM FLANNERY: There’s a 10 per cent chance of truly catastrophic rises in temperature, so we’re looking there at six degrees or so, that would be a disaster for all life on Earth.

Three could be a disaster for all life on Earth. We will lose somewhere between two out of every 10 and six out of every 10 species living on the planet at that level of warming.

And we’ll set in train a series of climate consequences that will run for 1,000 years.

DANIEL HOARE: Tim Flannery says the report is a conservative evaluation by scientists.

But he warns that it spells dramatic news for the Arctic icecap.

TIM FLANNERY: The best scientific data we have, the most up-to-date studies suggest it’ll be gone by 2040.

The actual trajectory we see in the Arctic over the last two years, if you follow that, that implies that the Arctic icecap will be gone in the next five to 15 years.

And this is an icecap that’s been around for 3 million years. And those predictions tell you a little bit about the conservatives of the IPCC, how rapidly the science is moving and how rapidly events in the real world are moving, far in advance I think of even the most sombre warnings by scientists working in this area.

DANIEL HOARE: Barry Pittock is a world renowned climate change expert, and the author of the book, Climate Change – Turning up the Heat.

He says the report to be released in Paris tonight is the first of three scientific reports which form the most influential analysis on climate change in history.

BARRY PITTOCK: It’s the end product of very serious discussions by hundreds, if not thousands of scientists and it’s been peer-reviewed twice and the report, when it is released will also have been looked at by representatives of government and agreed to unanimously, that’s at least the usual procedure.

DANIEL HOARE: Is it the most significant climate change report we’ve ever seen?

BARRY PITTOCK: Undoubtedly, yes. Particularly as we’re at the stage now where there’s no doubt that the climate is changing and increasingly rapidly, so it’s really a call to action.

DANIEL HOARE: What are the messages from this report, given some of its conclusions to world leaders, particularly, obviously politicians?

What is the message to them on how to deal with climate change?

BARRY PITTOCK: Well I think we have to wait to get the full message until the other two working group reports are released later in the year.

But the implications from the scientific findings is that the impact will be severe and costly to the world economy.

And as we saw in the Stern report, which came out from the UK, the cost of reducing emissions to reduce the extent of these climate changes may well be much less than the cost of not reducing emissions and having these impacts.

DANIEL HOARE: So this initial report concludes, fairly categorically that humans have caused climate change.

Can humans now attempt to reverse that damage?

BARRY PITTOCK: Well the first things humans have got to do is limit the amount of climate change that they’re causing.

There’s a backlog of emissions which are still having effects because it takes a long while for the oceans to warm up and so we’re going to see greater warming even if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide straight away.

But what is most important is to reduce emissions drastically within the next few decades because otherwise, the warming is going to get a lot greater later this century.

DANIEL HOARE: Scientist Tim Flannery says it’s not too late for action on global warming.

TIM FLANNERY: There are things we can do. We can get the gas out of the air and there’s some very interesting ways I think of dealing with that, using what’s call biosequestration, regrowing the world’s tropical rainforests is probably the primary way of doing that.
And secondly stopping producing as much pollution. It is crazy, even if you believe the electricity industry, that it’ll double the price of electricity to deal with the problem, who would have any problems with that?

ELEANOR HALL: That’s scientist and Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery ending that report by Daniel Hoare in Melbourne.