In a previous Bluecray article, I discussed Rufous Bettong, his threatened species status . His disappearance occurred after the bank of a head gully leading to the Burringbar Creek was sprayed with Glyphosate, thus laying the ground open and susceptible to traffic and predation by dogs, foxes and people.
In the Bluecray “Journey for Wisdom in the Land” blog stories, I mention that the Goanna visited the Glyphosate bank, and eventually, the Goanna left also.
Here are a few LINKS to explore, to further understand restoration ecology, the complexity of biodiversity in disturbed fringe rainforest ecosystems and to help you with decision making with regard to suitability of spraying with Glyphosate (or any other herbicide) and mowing the area, when embarking on a restoration project.
Factors affecting the use of reforested sites by reptiles in cleared rainforest landscapes in tropical and subtropical Australia. article at : Restoration Ecology 14, 67-76. Kanowski, J., Reis, T., Catterall, C.P. and Piper, S. (2006) This article can be found HERE.
Restoration Ecology – Wikipedia article
Pesticide fate and behaviour in Australian soils in relation to contamination and management of soil and water: a review : at CSIRO Australian Journal of Soil Research
NSW Government – Parliament Questions and Answers time at HANSARD : No. 10, Tuesday 19 September 1995 : if you scroll down this page, you will see Q’s & A’s pertaining to the NSW Government’s answer to the management of Bitou Bush involving the spraying of GLYPHOSATE. This is back in 1995. And if you have a look at current practices today, you will find that glyphosate is commonly sprayed in many areas of LAND and WATERWAYS. Landcare Groups, Land Managers, Developers, Councils – the list is endless as to those practicing glyphosate spraying.
Infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid causing the disease chytridiomycosis – key threatening process listing : KEY THREATENING PROCESS in Schedule 3 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act, NSW
“Is Batrachochytrium dendrobaidiss really the proximate cause of frog decline?” 2005 Shelley Burgin
Some other Articles concerning chytrid fungus HERE
Chytrid fungus at Wikipedia
Inclusion of species in the list of threatened species under section 178 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (55) (07/12/2007) : This instrument amends the List of Threatened Species (16/07/2000) to include Litoria booroolongensis (Booroolong Frog) in the endangered category – at COMLAW
Action Statement Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988No. 118 Booroolong Frog : Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victorian Government : this is a PDF, downloadable from the above link. I shall give you a small section from Page 4 of the above Action Statement where glyphosate and chytrid causing disease is mentioned: -
“Over the past 20 years there has been an increase in the general use of broad-spectrum herbicides (Tyler 1989). The active ingredient in many formulations, glyphosate, and the surfactant have been shown to be toxic to frogs and tadpoles (Bidwell and Gorrie 1995). Formulations which contain glyphosate and surfactant are commonly used to control emergent water weeds. The wide use of these pesticides may have contributed to the decline of the Booroolong Frog in rural landscapes, such as the Northern Tablelands region.
Studies of ill and dead frogs have implicated a chytrid fungus in the decline of some tropical and sub-tropical frog species in north Queensland and Central America (Berger et al. 1998; Lips 1999). Several species of temperate riverine frogs have been infected with this fungus (Berger et al. 1998; Berger unpublished data).”
Bluecray Regional Environmental News-Mt Warning Caldera Search Engine:-
search “Litoria booroolongensis threatened species” RESULTS
some useful article on restoration and ecology: at Biodiversity Assessment & Management Pty Ltd (BAAM)
And so, lets just look at what has been going on here:-
Frogs , especially very small frogs, can be undetected in banks of streams and gullies. They may be in the soil, under vegetation, on vegetation or in the water. If, and when, a person comes into this habitat, and sprays glyphosate, some frogs are documented as not handling this very well. It may make them sick. Sickness from a chemical, plus loss of habitat, via death of vegetation (less cover, lessened insect activity, loss of biodiversity – even IF it happens to be that the only current biodiversity in the area is weeds) can cause stress. Stress can be a cause of illness manifesting. I now leave it up to you to work out.
CHOICE 1. Spraying stream banks and gullys, or indeed, anywhere, with glyphosate, thus killing vegetation and habitat areas. Mowing and slashing and/or spraying, thus decreasing groundcover for smaller wildlife species
PK wonders if Litoria & her friends will escape the Glyphosate and Slashers in the Landcare Project on their Creek in NE NSW
CHOICE 2. Sound, environmentaly sustainable practices for maintaining biodiversity . This may include:
- careful, selective hand weeding,
- mulching with local leaves, branches and debris,
- dense planting to promote quick canopy,
- leaving wood, rocks and logs in place, rather than removing to allow a slasher in
- incorporating native groundcovers, grasses, herbs and middles storey plants and seed into revegetation program,
- slow mindful approach to sensitive stream bank areas – there is a huge choice of careful land stewardship methods.
- Basically, minimum disturbance of the habitat that is to be regenerated is best, thus allowing the species already present, to stay, in a protected habitat situation. In a later article, I shall discuss these and other methods, a bit more in depth.
And so, in answer to WHY Goanna left the Glyphosate Bank in my story? Well, because, (and there IS some artistic licence here) ……..
Because all the other wildlife began to feel ill, exposed, and the seed and insects had gone. The small seed eating birds left. They all had to move into other animals’ habitats for a while.
And Goanna left too, before he got too stressed or chased by a slasher! And of course, the tall grasses with their open high thatch, as well as the cover of lantana, leading from the forest to the grassy bank had allowed the goanna some protection, as he searched for food in the gully and along the bank. Once all this was dead and dried up and sparse, the goanna, being more exposed in his searching for food, left the Glyphosate Bank.
