Find further information on the Conservation of Freshwater Ecosystem Values (CFEV) Program and its data at www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/cfev.
TitleSpartina anglica
CustodianWater and Marine Resources Division, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment
CreatorGIS Unit, Information and Land Services Division, Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW)
DescriptionPresence or absence of Spartina anglica (rice grass) adjacent to saltmarshes
Input data
Lineage
Rice grass (Spartina anglica) is a vigorous exotic grass, which is commonly found along the edges of estuaries and within saltmarshes. The grass is known to spread quickly, destroying fish habitat and smothering native plants in the process.
A series of data layers showing the distribution of rice grass was provided by the Marine Environment Section (DPIWE). During 1999-2003, the Marine Environment section of the former DPIWE received funding through the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) and Fisheries Action Program to implement the Rice Grass Management Program. An output of this project was mapped layers showing the distribution of rice grass following this eradication program. The Spartina data layers consisted of point data representing small patches of rice grass of either 3 m2 or 5 m2 in size and polygon data representing ‘meadows’ of large continuous areas of rice grass, all surveyed in late 2003 (C. Shepherd, DPIW, pers. comm.).
The data layers described above were used in conjunction with aerial photographs to determine the presence or absence of Spartina anglica adjacent to saltmarshes around Tasmania (see rules below).
Data limitations
The Spartina angelica data inherits all the data limitations of the input data.
Date createdSeptember 2004
Scale and coverageUndefined; Statewide
Column headingSM_SPADJ
Type of dataCategorical
Number of classes2
Assigning values to ecosystem spatial units
If Spartina anglica was found adjacent to a saltmarsh, it was assigned a score of 0 (present). If absent, the spatial unit was assigned a score of 1 (absent).
CFEV assessment framework hierarchy