Flora and Vegetation Surveys
The flora of Western Australia is well recognised for its rich diversity and high level of endemicity. Most developments involve the clearing of native vegetation and impacts on individual flora species.
Biota has an extensive history in completing flora and vegetation surveys to the highest standards, including reconnaissance surveys, native vegetation clearing permit assessments and detailed systematic surveys. Our botanical team have excellent plant identification skills and work closely with in-house GIS cartographers to generate reliable vegetation mapping. We also have a comprehensive database of over 200,000 flora records to provide context to your survey area.
Rare Flora and Threatened Ecological Communities (TEC) Surveys
Biota's botanists have conducted targeted surveys for threatened flora species and threatened ecological communities (TEC) across Western Australia. We have also been responsible for the identification of TECs that had previously been undocumented.
The high quality of our botanical identifications provide confidence to both proponents and regulators on the findings of threatened flora and TEC surveys. We are also familiar with current methods of floristic analysis expected by regulators to reach determinations that a TEC is present, and adopt a collaboratively approach to involving external experts where any uncertainty remains.
Mangrove Surveys
The study of mangrove ecosystems is a specialist service provided by Biota. These important intertidal communities fringe the northern coasts of Australia and provide a range of valuable ecological functions. Government policy provides protection for mangroves and we are familiar with the requirements of these frameworks.
We have completed numerous baseline mangrove community surveys, mangrove dependent bird and bat studies, and mangrove primary producer policy assessments. We have also designed and implemented mangrove management plans and long-term mangrove community ecology monitoring programmes, some spanning decades. Several of our projects have been published in scientific journals
Weed Surveys
A weed is a plant out of place - growing somewhere it does not belong. Introduced flora can result in significant degradation of native vegetation, including loss of diversity and flow on effects to fauna habitat quality. State and national frameworks exist within which weed management is set.
Biota has undertaken weed surveys for many past projects, both as part of general flora and vegetation surveys and through dedicated targeted weed assessments. Our botanists can advise on the current status of weed species and appropriate management measures.