Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 6.13: The Australian Reed-warbler requires farm dams with well-developed reed beds at the water
margin. This bird species has a classic and distinctive call of 'warty-warty-warty-creep-creep-creep'. (Photo
by Julian Robinson)
The presence of submerged and semi-submerged vegetation in a farm dam can
make it a suitable nesting environment for waterbirds like the Hoary-headed Grebe
and Australasian Grebe. This kind of vegetation also influences the suitability of
dams for a range of species of frogs.
Box 6.5.
Bullrushes /Cumbungi ( Typha spp.) - wonderful or weed?
In topics on invasive plants in Australia, reeds and rushes, but more particularly
Cumbungi, are often identified as weeds. The majority of these plants are native and
are important in the ecology of creeks, rivers and wetlands. Given this, are Cum-
bungi and other reeds and rushes a weed or an asset? The reason why these plants
are mentioned in many topics on weeds is that they grow in irrigation channels. In
such situations, these plants (particularly Cumbungi) can interfere with the hydro-
logical performance of these structures; however, in natural waterways and farm
dams, Cumbungi and similar plants play essential ecological roles. These include:
(1) maintaining water quality - filtering excessive salts, nutrients, sediments and
other pollutants; (2) slowing erosion - reeds stabilise the soil on the water edges and
creek bed, and also slow flows, reducing erosion; (3) restoring degraded waterways
- the re-establishment of reeds and rushes in creeks and rivers can assist in reshap-
ing our watercourses to a more natural shape and hydrology, recreating what is
often referred to as a chain-of-ponds system; and (4) providing habitat - reeds and
rushes are essential habitat for many species of terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. If an
aim is to reduce the dominance of reeds and rushes, particularly Cumbungi, it is
possible to inhibit their growth by planting native trees and shrubs.
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