Dunn Rock and Lake King (24842)
Australia, Australasia
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Dunn Rock and Lake King
Central coordinates: Latitude: -33.2362, Longitude: 119.5218
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 310 to 400
Area of KBA (km2): 768.54086
Protected area coverage (%): 70.40
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The IBA is defined by the remnant vegetation associated with Dunn Rock, Lake King and Pallarup Nature Reserves and adjacent unallocated Crown Land. It is situated in the southern Western Australia wheatbelt, about 250 km north-east of Albany. The IBA was identified from expert opinion that it supports a significant viable population of Malleefowl, as determined by records in relevant databases (notably the Malleefowl Preservation Group database of 1200 sightings over 15 years, WA Dept of Environment and Conservation, WA Museum and Birds Australia Atlas), and other literature and knowledge, that population viability is greatest within large areas of contiguous mallee or Acacia shrubland. The IBA excludes the Lake King complex of lakes and wetland habitat which is unsuitable for mallee birds. It represents core habitat for the Malleefowl as it contains a large amount of dense mallee favoured by the species. The area represents one of the largest remaining mallee remnants within the wheatbelt and contains vegetation assemblages that have largely been cleared elsewhere, and typically receives around 400 mm of rain per year. The site consists primarily of mallee, mallee-heath and salt pans, with small amounts of woodland.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: Other birds have not been documented for this IBA.
Other site values: Western Australian State Government with the nature reserves and the unallocated Crown Land managed by WA Dept of Environment and Conservation, although the unallocated Crown Land is not formally listed. Permits are required for access to Dunn Rock, Lake King and Pallarup Nature Reserves.
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research (70%) | not utilised (30%)
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Shrubland | 80 | |
| Wetlands(Inland) | 15 | |
| Savanna | 5 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Investigate the impact of fire regimes on Malleefowl persistence. Investigate the effect of fox control on Malleefowl and meso-predators also (i.e. feral cats etc.).
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural system modifications | Fire & fire suppression | Increase in fire frequency/intensity | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Named species | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Barrett, G.W., Silcocks,A., Barry, S., Cunningham, R. and Poulter, R. (2003) The New Atlas of Australian Birds. Melbourne: Birds Australia. Benshemesh, J. (2000) National Recovery Plan for Malleefowl. Adelaide: Department of Environment and Heritage. Bureau of Meteorology (2007) Climate Data Online (on-line). http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages Accessed December 2007. Department of Environment and Heritage (2003) National Vegetation Information System (NVIS). Pre-European and Present Native Vegetation. (Published Data-Stage 1, Version 2) National Land & Water Resources Audit (on-line) Accessed 2006. Parsons, B.C., Short, J.C. and Roberts, J.D. (2008) Contraction in the range of Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) in Western Australia: a comparative assessment using presence-only and presence-absence datasets. Emu 108: 221-231. Parsons, B.C., Short, J.C. and Roberts, J.D. (in press) Using community observations to predict the occurrence of Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) in the Western Australian wheatbelt. Biological Conservation.
Contributors: Thanks to Blair Parsons for writing the nomination and to Carl Gosper for his assistance.