1List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC174) Instrument 2023

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Commonwealth of Australia

List of Threatened Ecological Communities Amendment (EC174) Instrument 2023

I, TANYA PLIBERSEK, Minister for the Environment and Water, pursuant to paragraph 184(a) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, amend the list referred to in section 181 of that Act by including in the list of threatened ecological communities in the endangered category:

Empodisma peatlands of southwestern Australia

as described in the Schedule to this instrument.

This instrument commences the day after registration.

Tanya Plibersek

...................................................................................

Tanya Plibersek

Minister for the Environment and Water

Dated ............27·8·23.................................

SCHEDULE 1

Empodisma peatlands of southwestern Australia

The Empodisma peatlands of southwestern Australia is the assemblage of native plants, animals and other organisms that comprise a type of seasonally waterlogged freshwater, peat-based wetland. The ecological community predominantly occurs in the Warren Bioregion and the Southern Jarrah Forest subregion of the Jarrah Forest Bioregion. Some occurrences may also occur in high rainfall areas of the Fitzgerald, Northern Jarrah Forest and Perth subregions where climatic, stratigraphic and topographic conditions are suitable for Empodisma peatlands to form.

The structure of the ecological community is typically a sedgeland to shrubland vegetation complex on peaty substrates.

The undisturbed ground layer of the ecological community is often dense and typically comprises a suite of native wetland graminoid and forb species. The ground layer is almost always characterised by the perennial restiad grass-like twig rush Empodisma gracillimum (tanglefoot). Co-dominant or otherwise often occurring Cyperaceae and Restionaceae species include: Gahnia decomposita, Gymnoschoenus anceps, Lepidosperma striatum, Leptocarpus tenax (slender twine rush), Machaerina rubiginosa (soft twig-rush), Schoenus multiglumis, Sporadanthus rivularis and Reedia spathacea (reedia).

Small trees/woody shrubs within the Empodisma peatlands vary from dense to sparse and may include Acacia hastulata, Acidonia macrocarpa, Aotus intermedia, Boronia stricta, Callistemon glaucus (Albany bottlebrush), Cosmelia rubra (spindle heath), Dampiera leptoclada (slender-shooted dampiera), Homalospermum firmum, Sphaerolobium fornicatum, Taxandria fragrans, T. linearifolia and Tetratheca filiformis.

Trees vary from sparse to absent within the ecological community but may include Eucalyptus megacarpa (blue gum of Western Australia, Bullich), Melaleuca preissiana (moonah, modong) and Taxandria juniperina (watti, native cedar) as emergents or on the edge of the ecological community.