Technical Information

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Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Technical Information

What are the distribution and abundance of weeds

This document describes the sources of information, advice, methods, indicators and data processing procedures used to develop the reports. Reliability of data, as well as metadata attributes, are also described.

State NRM Plan Guiding Target:

Limit the establishment of pests and diseases and reduce the impact of existing pests.

State NRM Plan Representative Measure:

Number of detections of weeds, other pests and disease incursions and reduce the impact of existing pests.

Data collection period:

2000–16.

Expected frequency of reporting:

Annual.

Data sources:

1. Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) records (used in distribution graph) were sourced from the Biological Databases of South Australia (BDBSA).

2. Information on the trend in the distribution and abundance of Weeds of National Significance (arrows on graph) sourced from NRM regional staff

3. Significant weed incursions were provided by Department of Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) Indicators used:

1. Distribution of Weeds of National Significance

2. Trends in the distribution and abundance of Weeds of National Significance Methods of data collection and processing:

This report focused on Weeds of National Significance (WoNS) that occur in South Australia and weeds that have the potential to invade South Australia, based on potential distribution modelling.

1. Point records (latitude and longitude) from BDBSA of each of the Weeds of National Significance from 2000–16 were projected to the grid of 10 km x 10 km. The percentage of state/region area was generated with Esri Arc GIS (e.g.

distribution), and graphed using Microsoft Excel. The area of distributions of the species were mapped as the number of key pest animal species recorded in any one area by the 10x10km grid cell using Arc GIS.

2. Data on trends of the distribution and abundance of WoNS were obtained via email surveys of regional NRM staff with expert in field knowledge. Email surveys listed each WoNS that have been recorded in South Australia with drop down menus to report if in the last five years a species has had a: ‘large increase/decrease’, ‘moderate increase/decrease’,

‘stable’, ‘does not exist in region.’ Data was represented by arrows (increasing/decreasing/stable), A(1) (Alert species and the number of incursions, or A(1+) where the number of incursions are unknown and control is ongoing), and ‘?’ (unknown) overlaid on bar graph charts that depicted the area of where each species had been recorded from 2000–16. These regional results were aggregated up for statewide trends. For example: if all results for a species were increasing or stable/unknown/not present, the statewide trend was increasing; if all regions reported a species was decreasing or stable/unknown/not present, the statewide trend was considered decreasing; if all regions reported not present or stable the statewide trend was considered stable; if there were both increasing and decreasing reports that species state wide trend was considered variable.

3. Incursion data of the five top priority alert species (Giant Arrowhead, Salvinia, Serrated Tussock, Parthenium, Water Hyacinth) came from regional surveys where each NRM region was asked how many incursions of weeds have been

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observed since 2012. WoNS with alert status may change over time, the list of species reported on in this manner will be subject to review by Biosecurity SA on an annual basis.

Future reporting measures:

Future reporting measures include abundance, distribution and population trends of species based on monitoring programs.

Updated data on the production and control costs of weeds from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARES) will be available in May 2017.

The following government agencies contributed to this report:

PIRSA, DEWNR.

The following non-government agencies contributed to this report:

None

Key stakeholders:

DEWNR, NRM Council, NRM Boards, PIRSA, Biosecurity SA and land managers.

Information reliability scoring:

Information is scored for reliability based on average scores given for information currency and applicability, and its level of spatial representation (Tables 1–3).

Table 1. Information currency Reliability Criteria

5 Information up to 3 years old 4 Information up to 5 years old 3 Information up to 7 years old 2 Information up to 10 years old 1 Information >10 years old

Table 2. Applicability of the information Reliability Criteria

5 All data based on direct indicators of the measure 4 Most data based on direct indicators of the measure 3 Most data based on indirect indicators of the measure 2 All data based on indirect indicators of the measure 1 Data are based on expert opinion of the measure

Table 3. Spatial representation of information (sampling design) Reliability Criteria

5 Information is collected from across the whole region/state (or whole distribution of asset within the region/state) using a stratified sampling design

4 Information is collected from across the whole region/state (or whole distribution of asset within the region/state) using a sampling design that is not stratified

3 Information is collected from an area that represents less than half the spatial distribution of the asset within the region/state

2 Information is collected from an area that represents less than 25% the spatial distribution of the asset within the region/state

1 Information is collected from an area that represents less than 5% the spatial distribution of the asset within the region/state or spatial representation unknown

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Based on Tables 1, 2 and 3 above, respectively, the information relating to weeds presented in this report has a reliability score of

*+1+*/3 = 1 (Poor).

*Information contained in this report relating specifically to the trend in distribution and abundance of weeds was based on expert opinion and not directly on data which made the information currency and spatial representation scores not applicable.

This report is linked to the following report cards/snapshots:

1. What are the distribution and abundance of pest animals?

2. What are the distribution and abundance of aquatic pests?

3. Are control programs focused on high priority weeds and pest animals?

Metadata description:

Project/dataset name: Weeds of National Significance records. Data provided 18 January 2017

Abstract/description Dataset is all records of Weeds of National Significance in South Australian Biological Database from 2000–12.

Data types Point records, latitude and longitude, of Weeds of National Significance.

Organisation/ DEWNR business area that

sponsors/holds/manages the data

DEWNR

Date range Date: 01 January 2000. Last update: 18 January 2017

Study area All South Australia

Data format Raw point data with ArcGIS and Excel outputs

Data distribution rules Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Australia Is the dataset source data (raw),

value-add data

(analysed/summarised) or final indicator/score data?

Raw

Photo credit details:

Photo in state, AW, and SA MDB reports Title: None (wheel cacti)

Owner: DEWNR

Photo in AMLR and KI reports Title: Blackberry Sept12 Owner: Biosecurity SA Photo in EP and SE reports Title: Asparagus fern Owner: Biosecurity SA Photo in NY report

Title: covert African boxthorn fruit Owner: Biosecurity SA

Photo in SAAL report Title: Athel Pine Owner: Ben Shepherd.

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Scientific literature referred to in the report:

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008). 2006-2007 Natural Resource Management on Australian Farms. 4020.0. Canberra. Australia.

Brodie, C.J. & Reynolds, T.M. (2012). Review of recent plant naturalisations in South Australia and initial screening for weed risk, DENR Technical Report 2012/02, South Australian Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Adelaide.

Environmental Protection Authority South Australia (2008). The SA State of the Environment Report South Australia 2008. South Australia.

Environmental Protection Authority South Australia (2013). The SA State of the Environment Report South Australia 2013. South Australia.

Australian Government, Department of the Environment. (1999) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act – Key Threatening Processes. Canberra. Australia.

Sinden J, Jones R, Hester S, Odom D, Kalisch C, James R, Cacho O. (2004). The economic impact of weeds in Australia. CRC for Australian Weed Management. Glen Osmond.