Case studies in implementing the NSWThreatened Species Conservation Act1995 for invertebrate conservation

Abstract

The difficulties in applying threatened species legislation, which has a general vertebrate and vascular plant focus, to invertebrates, have been widely recognised. Nevertheless, such legislation provides valuable opportunities to promote invertebrate conservation that were previously available only for high profile, charismatic vertebrate species. This paper presents three case studies, two land snails Lord Howe Placostylus Placostylus bivaricosus and Mitchell's Rainforest Snail Thersites mitchellae, and the lepidopteran Purple Copper Butterfly Paralucia spinifera, to demonstrate some of the achievements of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 in this regard, including significant increases in the known range of the species, reduction of threatening processes at key sites, improved understanding of the species' ecology, consideration of the species in land use planning decisions, involvement of local communities in recovery programs and an increase in community awareness of broader invertebrate conservation issues. The Act can be effective as one of a range of tools to positively promote and build support for invertebrate conservation in the public arena.

A review of the ecology and conservation ofPlacostylus(Mollusca: Gastropoda:Bulimulidae) in New Caledonia

“…However, in this review we bring together information presented in a series of unpublished technical reports to government authorities in New Caledonia, particularly those concerning P. fibratus (Pöllabauer 1994(Pöllabauer , 1995Brescia 1997Brescia , 1999Brescia , 2000Brescia , 2001Brescia , 2002Brescia , 2003Brescia , 2004Brescia , 2005Brescia , 2007 and P. porphyrostomus Pöllabauer 2004, 2005). Some additional inferences can be made from studies on the New Zealand endemic Placostylus species (Choat and Schiel 1980;Penniket 1981;Brook and Laurenson 1992;Sherley et al 1998;Stringer et al 2004) and on the one species of Placostylus on Lord Howe Island (Murphy and Nally 2004).…”

“…On Lord Howe Island, Murphy and Nally (2004) found P. bivaricosus (Gascoin, 1854) under well-developed, moisture-retaining leaf litter in evergreen closed forest, often, but not exclusively, in the vicinity of Banyan Figs (Ficus macrophylla columnaris Moore & Mueller 1874). These authors also observed that P. bivaricosus was sparse or absent in areas developed as palm plantations, but mixed palm and broad-leaf forest provided good habitat.…”

“…Like most pulmonate land snails including other Placostylus species (Penniket 1981, Brook and Laurenson 1992, Murphy and Nally 2004, the New Caledonian Placostylus are nocturnal. Pöllabauer (1995) observed activity of P. fibratus between 7:00 pm and 6:00 am during the cool season and between 12:00 and 4:00 am during the warm season.…”

“…In a study of size-frequency of Placostylus bollonsi caperatus Powel, 1948 from Wet Bay on Great Island (Three Kings Islands), Brook and Laurenson (1992) indicated an increase in shell length of about 25-30 mm per year, and that snails attain adult size at about 3 years old. The growth rate and lifespan of P. bivaricosus in Lord Howe Island are unknown (Murphy and Nally 2004).…”

“…Hatchling snails possess shells about 6.7 mm in length and 5 mm in width. Hatchling and juvenile mortality is high (Murphy and Nally 2004).…”