Dr. Billy Hau chhau@hkucc.hku.hk

1. Department of Ecology & Biodiversity 生態學及生物多樣性學系 Dr. Billy Hau chhau@hkucc.hku.hk

2. Science Update Programmes for Secondary School Teachers 2002-2003 - Biology Course 2. Local Ecology • Part 1 • Biodiversity assessments in terrestrial ecosystems • Part 2 • - Upland vegetation in Hong Kong • - Colonization of wastelands

3. Part 1: Biodiversity assessments in terrestrial ecosystems • Biodiversity assessments, why? • Sampling • Biodiversity surveys in HK • Habitat mapping • Plant • Mammal • Bird survey • Amphibians • Reptiles • FW fishes • Insects • Conservation assessment

4. 1. Why do we need biodiversity assessments? • To understand the distribution patterns of biodiversity in space and time • For scientific studies (quantitative) • For conservation planning • For environmental impact assessment - Ecological impact assessments

5. 2. Sampling • Quadrat: • Random • Identify, count & measure e.g. Forest (100 km 2) • the essence of biodiversity assessments • Require expert knowledge especially species identification

6. 3. Biodiversity surveys in HK a. Habitat mapping Aim: to map out the habitat types of a specific site • Wasteland • Farmland • Feng Shui Wood • Grassland • Shrubland • Secondary forest • Montane forest • Stream/ river • Egretry • FW marsh HABITAT MAP

7. Habitat Map - example Source: http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/

8. b. Plant survey Aim: - To find out the occurrence, distribution and abundance of the rare and protected plant species • Survey periods: • throughout the year for most higher plantsExcept • most wetland grass species • some orchids Cyperaceae 莎草科 Bamboo orchid 竹葉蘭

9. b. Plant survey • Usually a complete survey in HK as most sites are small (seldom exceed a couple of hectares); standard quantitative techniques such as quadrats and transects are not done • Field identification + specimen checking • Walk through the site, identify all plant species and make notes on abundance • For rare and protected species, the exact locations may be marked on a map or taking GPS coordinates

10. b. Plant survey: example Plant species recorded at slopes C98 along South Lantau Road on 20 March 2002 with an index of local abundance: “*" = rare; “**" = common; “***" = abundant.

11. Key references Corlett et al. 2000. Hong Kong vascular plant: distribution and status. Memoirs of the Hong Kong Natural History Society 23: 1-149. AFCD, 2001. Checklist of Hong Kong Plants 邢福武、深圳野生植物 香港中草藥、共八冊 Other Urban Council books Flora of China 中國植物誌

12. c. Mammal survey • Aims: • To find out the occurrence, distribution, abundance, breeding & roosting sites of mammals • Study period: • Throughout the year for most species • Nocturnal studies needed • Groups: • Large mammals • Small mammals (rodents) • Bats

13. c. Mammal survey – large mammals Target list: Rhesus Macaque 獼猴^ Chinese Pangolin 穿山甲 Malayan Porcupine 豪豬 Pallas’s Squirrel 赤腹松鼠 Red Fox 赤狐* Javan Mongoose 紅頰 Crab Eating Mongoose 食蟹Masked Palm Civet 果子狸Small Indian Civet 小靈貓Large Indian Civet 大靈貓* European Otter 水獺#Chinese Ferret Badger 鼬獾 Leopard Cat 豹貓 Barking Deer 赤麂 Wild Boar 野豬

14. c. Mammal survey – large mammals • Indirect methods: • Scats • Tracks • Nesting holes • Other signs • Direct method • - Infra-red triggered camera

15. Indirect method: Scats 糞便 Small Indian Civet 小靈貓

16. Indirect method: Scats 糞便 Indian Muntjac 赤麂 Muntiacus muntjak

17. Indirect method: Scats 糞便 Rhesus Macaque 獮猴 Macaca mulatta

18. Indirect method: tracks Masked Palm Civet 果子狸 Paguma larvata

19. Indirect method: nesting holes Chinese Pangolin 穿山甲 Manis pentadactyla

20. Other signs Wild Boar 野豬 Sus scrofa

21. Direct method: Infra-red triggered camera

22. c. Mammal survey: small mammal Live trapping (5 traps randomly along 2 50 m transects) Target: Shrews - Pitfall trap Rats - Sherman trap; house rat trap Duration: Usually for 5 or 7 consecutive nights. Baits: Milk worms; peanut butter Peanuts, nuts

23. Bats Direct observation (difficult) Bat detector (no comprehensive database yet) Mist-netting (difficult) Signs (droppings)

24. Roosting sites Old mines Caves Old buildings Water tunnels Palm Trees/ Bamboo

25. Key references Ades, G.W.J., Lau, M.W.N. and Crow, P.A. 2002. Mammals of Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve. Friends of the Country Parks, Hong Kong. Ma, S.L., Ma, X.F. and Shi, W.Y. 2001. A Guide to Mammal Tracking in China. China Forestry Publishing House

26. d. Bird survey • Aims: • To find out the occurrence, distribution, abundance, breeding & roosting sites of birds at a study site (Dependence!) • Study period: • Throughout the year • November & March for passage migrants • October to March for winter visitors • May to September for summer visitors

27. d. Bird survey Groups: Sea bird Wetland birds Woodland & Shrubland birds Grassland birds Visual Visual Visual + call Visual + call Mist-netting

28. Woodland & Shrubland birds • No sharp distinction between shrubland & woodland • In good forests e.g. Tai Po Kau, Shing Mun and HK Island. Tai Po Kau

29. Woodland & Shrubland birds - Egretries, nest count, breeding pair coounts

30. Grassland birds • Diversity relatively low in comparison with other habitat type • Difficult to survey • Many cryptic species e.g. Button Quail • Many nocturnal species e.g. owls and nightjars

31. d. Bird survey Species list • For general assessment of bird fauna at a particular site • Identify the habitat types, narrow down the list of species to be expected at your site

32. d. Bird survey Quantitative studies To assess the population size of a selected species or group of species • Total count; b. Sampling Precautions: • Sampling time i.e. time of day • Seasonality • Weather conditions • Observer bias • Sample sizes and replication • Habitat differences

33. Quantitative studies • Total count • Counting all birds present at the study site • e.g. counting nests of egrets and herons • Not always possible; • For small sites with low habitat diversity

34. Quantitative studies b. Sampling • * Point Count: • counting birds at fixed locations for a fixed period of time; • concentrate fully on the birds and habitats without having to watch where you walk; • more time available to identify contacts; • more likely to detect the cryptic and skulking species; • easy to relate bird occurrence to habitat features; • good for small sites; • good for wetland;

35. Quantitative studies b. Sampling • * Line transect: • Counting birds along transects of fixed length for a fixed period of time; • cover ground more quickly and record more birds; • less chance of double recording the same bird; • good for more mobile, more conspicuous species and those which “flush” easily; • errors in distance estimation are less serious than for point counts; • good for large site; • good for hilly terrain; forest or shrubland

36. References Bibby, C., Jones, M. and Marsden, S. 1998. Expedition field techniques: bird surveys. Expedition Advisory Centre, Royal Geographical Society, London. Viney, C., Phillipps, K. and Lam, C.Y. 1994. Birds of Hong Kong and South China. Sixth edition. Government Printer, Hong Kong. Carey, C.J. et al. 2001. The Avifauna of Hong Kong. Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, Hong Kong.

37. e. Amphibian survey • Aims: • To find out the occurrence, distribution, abundance & breeding locations of amphibians at the study site • Study period: • March to October, at night for most species • Survey techniques: • - Visual searching for adults and tadpoles • - Male calls

38. e. Amphibian survey Groups: • Caudata • Adults with tail • Newts Hong Kong Newt Paramesotriton hongkongensis 香港瘰螈

39. Anura • Adults without tails • Toads and Frogs • No clear-cut difference • Toad is generally slow moving and has warty skin • 3 species in HK, 2 are of conservation concern 黑眶蟾蜍\癩蝦蟆 Asian Common Toad Bufo melanostictus

40. Frogs • 19 species in Hong Kong • 9 are of conservation concern, mostly forest and stream species Amolops hongkongensis HK Cascade Frog 盧氏小樹蛙 香港湍蛙 Romer’s Tree Frog Philautus romeri

41. e. Amphibian survey Species list • For general assessment of amphibian fauna at a particular site • Identify the habitat types, narrow down the list of species to be expected at your site

42. e. Amphibian survey Quantitative studies • To assess the population size of a selected species or group of species • Total counts • Precautions: • Sampling time i.e. time of the day • Seasonality • Weather conditions (after rainfall) • Observer bias (small) • Habitat differences

43. f. Reptile survey • Aims: • To find out the occurrence, distribution, abundance & breeding locations of reptiles at a site Dependence! • Study period: • April to October, at night for some species • Survey techniques: • - Visual searching for adults

44. f. Reptile survey Groups: • 1. Chelonians • Tortoise (terrestrial) • Turtles (aquatic) • Terrapins (semi-aquatic) 0 4 (1 FW) 5 (1 introduced) 巴西龜 Red-eared Slider Trachemys scripta elegans

45. Turtle - Marine turtles • 3 species, Green Turtle (GC); Leatherback Turtle and Pacific Ridley Turtle • Only one nesting site of one species • Chelonia mydas Green Turtle at Sham Wan, Lamma http://www.afcd.gov.hk/conservation/con_e.htm Turtle – FW turtle • One species Chinese Soft-shelled Turtle Pelodiscus sinensis • Only found in fish ponds in Deep Bay • Those found in reservoirs are probably released by the public

46. Terrapins • All 4 native species are of Global Concern 平胸龜 - All are stream species 金錢龜 Platysternon megacephalum Big-headed Terrapin 眼斑水龜 Cuora trifasciata Three-banded Box Terrapin Sacalia bealei Beale’s Terrapin

47. Terrapins • Chinemys reevesii Reeves’ Terrapin 烏龜 • Found in most reservoirs in HK • Also recorded in Long Valley

48. f. Reptile survey Groups: 2. Lizards i. Geckoes (7 species, 1 introduced) Gekko gecko Tokay Gecko 大壁虎/ 蛤蚧

49. ii. Skinks (9 species) 藍尾石龍子 Eumeces elegans Five-striped Blue-tailed Skink

50. iii. Monitor lizard (1 species) 巨蜥/五爪金龍 Varanus salvator Common Water Monitor