Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00858:body:0:p18
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023L00858
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 48286–51366

the hanging ends of previously cut stems of Cat's Claw Creeper. Regrowth may require treatment for five or more years and ongoing monitoring is needed (Webster et al. 2021).

Madeira Vine (Anredera cordifolia), Green Panic Grass (Megathyrsus maximus), Climbing Asparagus (Asparagus plumosus) and Coral Berry (Rivina humilis) are other weeds that also degrade the native vegetation that provides core Black-breasted Button-quail habitat (DPIE 2021; R Jaensch pers. comm. May 2022). Madeira Vine and Climbing Asparagus act in similar ways to Cat's Claw Creeper and are exceptionally difficult to eradicate; Madeira Vine produces fertile tubers along its stems and thus must be poisoned below ground. Near Toowoomba, Climbing Asparagus is rapidly becoming one of the most difficult creepers to eradicate because it forms impenetrable thorny thickets (R Jaensch pers. comm. May 2022).

Lantana forms dense thickets, sometimes impenetrable to humans, and is listed as the most significant environmental weed by the South-East Queensland Environmental Weeds Management Group. Lantana dominance appears to adversely affect the species richness of soil fauna assemblages, such as ants, and decreases the diversity of soil fungi (Weeds Australia 2020). It can also affect flora diversity by reducing seedling germination and by increasing the chance and severity of fire in plant communities such as dry rainforest. Lantana has been identified as a potential threat to many threatened and endangered plants and animals and a number of endangered ecological communities (Weeds Australia 2020). While Lantana and other weeds adjoining or within dry rainforests can provide suitable habitat for Black-breasted Button-quail by providing dense low cover and good leaf litter for foraging, they are low quality habitat for other native species, and the careful restoration of these areas to native vegetation should be prioritised. Removal of weeds and restoration activities must be completed slowly and in stages so that disturbance to Black-breasted Button-quail habitat is minimised, and their occurrence in these patches is maintained over time.

The threat of weeds interacts with rainfall. For example, the very wet period during 2021/2022 caused an explosion in extent and impact of creepers on vine thicket scrub in south-east Queensland (R Jaensch pers. comm. May 2022).

Lantana and Madeira Vine smothering semi-evergreen vine thicket at Lockyer Valley © Copyright, Patrick Webster

Coral Berry infestation in semi-evergreen vine-thicket at Redwood Park, Toowoomba © Copyright, Roger Jaensch

Madeira Vine infestation at Redwood Park, Toowoomba © Copyright, Roger Jaensch

Increase in frequency, scale and/or intensity of fire

Inappropriate fire regimes are the greatest threat to Australia's birds after direct human destruction and alteration of habitats (Olsen et al. 2005). Too frequent fire may contribute to Black-breasted Button-quail decline through: increased weed invasion following fire; loss of woody debris; reduction in leaf litter; and decline in invertebrate