Grampians Pincushion Lily monitoring and survey program

Summary

The Grampians Pincushion Lily (Borya mirabilis) is a small, tufted resurrection plant known to only one population on a rocky outcrop in the Grampians (Gariwerd) region. Australia’s rocky outcrops are often dry and exposed, making them unsuitable for many native plants. Remarkably, the Grampians Pincushion Lily is able to survive these conditions because its leaves are able to dry out (desiccate) and later revive (or resurrect) when water is available. 

Threats to the survival of this fascinating little plant include: increased wildfire and drought due to climate change; inbreeding depression; damage from herbivores and infection from the disease Cinnamon Fungus (Phytophthora cinnamomi). 

With less than ten plants known to grow in the wild globally, this beautiful, showy plant is at extreme risk of extinction.

Project Strategy

Plant surveys play an important role in the recovery of threatened flora. The discovery of new populations enables ecologists and land managers to protect them, collect seed for long term storage, propagate new plants and increase overall genetic diversity. Habitat suitable for the Grampians Pincushion Lily has been surveyed in past years however, there are still extensive areas that are yet to be searched. 

This project will work with Associate Professor Felipe Gonzalez from the Queensland University of Technology to develop a remote sensing survey and monitoring methodology using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV or drone) technology. 

Surveying and monitoring rocky outcrop flora pose a number of challenges. Dense vegetation and steep gradients make fieldwork on foot slow, dangerous and resource intensive. Fieldwork can also damage vegetation and spread plant diseases. The use of UAV technology helps counter these challenges by enabling greater access to these habitats with reduced risk to fieldworkers. It also minimises any impacts to vegetation by minimising damage from foot traffic and equipment. Data collected in this fashion is easy to repeat in subsequent years, providing an accurate record of changes to plant populations over time.

This data will improve the capacity of the Threatened Species Conservancy and our partners to locate new populations of the Grampians Pincushion Lily and monitor threats to populations over time. The project will also support other threatened species located in difficult terrains and build capacity within the Threatened Species Conservancy to deliver similar programs for other threatened species.

Partners

Queensland University of Technology

This project was developed in collaboration with Associate Professor Felipe Gonzalez from the Science and Engineering Faculty at Queensland University of Technology. Dr Gonzales has considerable expertise in the use of UAV technology and image analysis and a passion for innovation in the fields of aerial robotics and automation. He has a deep interest in creating aerial robots and UAVs using efficient on-board computer algorithms with advanced optimisation and game theory approaches to assist us to understand and improve our physical and natural world.

Conservation Status: Endangered (EPBC)
Estimated Cost of Project: $90,000
Funding Received: $0
Duration: 2 years