Queensland groundwater dependent ecosystems

## **Abstract** 

This dataset and its metadata statement were supplied to the Bioregional Assessment Programme by a third party and are presented here as originally supplied.

Surface expression GDEs are ecosystems that are dependent on the discharge of groundwater on a permanent or intermittent basis to meet all or some of their water requirements so as to maintain their communities of plants and animals, ecological processes and ecosystem services. Surface expression GDE areafeatures include wetlands and regional ecosystems that have some surface groundwater dependency. This dataset is one of five datasets that describe the distribution of known and potential GDEs across the landscape. The complete set of GDE datasets is listed below. Information about the location and extent of known and potential GDEs was sourced from expert knowledge, literature and existing datasets. 1. Surface expression GDE points 2. Surface expression GDE lines 3. Surface expression GDE areas 4. Terrestrial GDE areas 5. Subterranean GDE areas As the different types of GDEs represent different overlapping layers or cross-sections of the landscape, it is recommended that the datasets be mapped in the order of listing shown above (i.e. surface expression GDE points on top) to maintain logical consistency and assist visualisation.

## **Purpose** 

There are five datasets that describe the distribution of known and potential GDEs across the landscape: 1. Surface expression GDE points, 2. Surface expression GDE lines, 3. Surface expression GDE areas, 4. Terrestrial GDE areas, 5. Subterranean GDE areas.

## **Dataset History** 

Linework to delineate the GDE extent was sourced from the following datasets (held by the Queensland Herbarium, Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts): 1. Queensland Wetland Data Wetlands Mapping (2009 extent, Version 3.0) 2. Vegetation Communities and Regional Ecosystems (REs) of Queensland (2009 extent, Version 7.0) Although the wetlands linework was typically used to represent surface expression GDEs and regional ecosystems linework typically used to represent terrestrial GDEs, this was not always the case. A notable exception is the inclusion of riverine regional ecosystems as potential terrestrial GDEs. Non-wetland regional ecosystems have been used to delineate areas that may potentially contain surface expression GDEs such as geological contact zones where springs may be not detected as a wetland in current wetlands mapping due to their small size. ATTRIBUTION The attribution for this dataset was sourced from expert knowledge, literature and existing spatial datasets. Information about the location and extent of groundwater was collected at GDE workshops held for the eastern Murray-Darling Basin and Wide Bay and Burnett mapping areas. Information collected from regional staff and other experts with local knowledge of groundwater included the location of wetlands, springs and stream baseflow. Known and potential GDEs were identified in the GDE workshops and this is attributed in the data with the level of confidence (i.e. high, moderate or low) in the knowledge about the GDE. The degree of groundwater dependency is not described. An important part of the information collection at the GDE workshops included the capture of pictorial conceptual models which are representations of observed objects, phenomena and processes in a logical and objective way with the aim of constructing a formal system whose theoretical consequences are not contrary to what is observed in the real world. These pictorial conceptual models will be hyperlinked to the GDE spatial data to aid the interpretation of the data. For more information refer to the GDE pictorial conceptual models. Another key part of the information collected was the identification of GDE decision rules that described combinations of conditions where ecosystems are or are likely to be dependent on groundwater at a specific site or local area according to expert knowledge. GDE decision rules may include descriptions of conditions such as geology, vegetation, topographic position, elevation and rainfall zones. These decision rules were subsequently categorised and combined into GDE mapping rule-sets in preparation for their application using geographic information system (GIS) technology. GDE mapping rule-set is a combination of related decision rules with similar groundwater dependent ecosystem drivers and processes that when applied to spatial data sets through GIS analysis delineate where ecosystems are or are likely to be dependent on groundwater. These GDE mapping rule-sets are used to determine the 'derived' potential GDEs that make up the majority of the GDE mapping. A full list of GDE mapping rule-sets developed for the eastern MDB and WBB regions is described below. Note that where the GDE mapping rule-sets are used, this may result in the identification of surface expression GDEs and/or terrestrial GDEs according to the local conditions and landscape drivers.

## **Dataset Citation** 

"Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts" (2013) Queensland groundwater dependent ecosystems. Bioregional Assessment Source Dataset. Viewed 25 October 2017, http://data.bioregionalassessments.gov.au/dataset/075cdc0a-382e-4040-9a70-fcd85a2da5d5.

Tags: Clarence-Moreton bioregion, ECOLOGY-Ecosystem, Maranoa-Balonne-Condamine subregion, Queensland, biota
Organization: Bioregional Assessment Program