bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Forms of organic C and P extracted from tropical soils as assessed by liquid-state 13C- and 31P-NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Möller A. , Kaiser K. , Amelung W. , Niamskul C. , Udomsri S. , Puthawong M. , Haumaier L. , Zech W.
Published: January 2006

Transformation of soil organic phosphorus (SOP) is linked with the
transformation of soil organic carbon (SOC). Yet, it is uncertain to which SOC
structures the cycling of SOP is related, especially in tropical environments.
To clarify this issue, we determined the vertical distribution of extractable
C and P chemical structures in 4 soil profiles using solution
13C- and 31P-nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR) spectroscopy after extraction with 0.1 M NaOH/0.4 M NaF (1
: 1). Soils were from a cabbage cultivation with annual burning of weeds, a
Pinus reforestation, a secondary forest, and a primary
forest in northern Thailand. For all profiles, signals due to O-alkyl and
carbonyl C dominated the 13C-NMR spectra (up to 50 and
22% of total spectral area, respectively). The proportions of alkyl and
aryl C decreased, whereas carbonyl and O-alkyl C increased with soil depth.
Sharp resonances at 135 and 177 ppm appeared in spectra of subsoil horizons.
They indicated mellitic acid, an end-product of the oxidation of charred plant
residues. The SOP forms comprised mainly orthophosphate diesters in the
organic layer of the forests, whereas in the mineral horizons orthophosphate
monoesters dominated the chemical composition of extractable SOP.
The relationships between SOC and SOP forms in the organic floor layers of the
forests were clearly different from those in the mineral soil horizons,
indicating changed SOM dynamics upon contact with soil minerals. In the forest
mineral soils, significant correlations between monoester-P and O-alkyl C
(R = 0.84, P < 0.001)
were found. Diester-P, teichoic acids, and phosphonates were positively
correlated with aromatic C and negatively with O-alkyl C. At the same time,
teichoic acids and phosphonates were positively correlated with short
range-ordered Al and Fe oxide phases. These findings can be explained through
an increasing microbial decay of aryl C and diester-P compounds that may be
less effectively stabilised at lower depths.
Corrigendum to: Cotton root growth in compacted Vertisol (Grey Vertosol). II. Correlation with image analysis parameters
Authors: McKenzie D. C. , Greenhalgh S. E. , Koppi A. J. , MacLeod D. A. , McBratney A. B.
Published: January 2006

A differential staining procedure was developed to study the degree of
association between soil structural form parameters, derived using the SOLICON
image analysis system, and the root growth of cotton plants. Under the
climatic conditions that prevailed during the experimental period, severe
impedance of taproots was associated with a clod width in the range 28 mm to
≥30 mm and a macroporosity value in the range 0.00–0.04
m3/m3. The new root assessment
procedure detected soil structural features, for example, well-aerated zones
adjacent to near-surface roots in degraded soil not shown by other methods and
allowed direct measurement of the proportion of a root’s surface in
contact with the soil atmosphere. However, the assessment method should be
complemented by direct measurement of the morphology of nearby cotton taproots
that have been pulled from the soil. Features that can be assessed include
root flatness, the number of lateral roots, root obliquity, and the degree of
tapering. In this experiment the lack of flattening in roots pulled from the
compacted soil suggested that poor aeration was a bigger problem for the
cotton plants than mechanical impedance. Root deformation was not associated
with a large decline in lint yield at this site because the crop was irrigated
frequently and did not suffer any nutritional stress, and the relatively steep
field slope permitted rapid surface drainage.
Searching for a climate change effect in fire management expenditures
Authors: McAlpine R.S.
Published: January 2006

A level-of-protection simulation model was used with fire and weather data
from 1976 to 1998 to determine if there was a trend in fire management
expenditures over the time period. Results indicate that there was no trend;
neither the average expenditure nor the standard deviation of the expenditure
has changed substantively over the given time frame. It is concluded that
authors who point to increasing fire management expenditures as a possible
indicator of climate change may be premature in their conclusions.
Snag dynamics in a chronosequence of 26 wildfires on the east slope of the Cascade Range in Washington State, USA
Authors: Everett Richard , Lehmkuhl John , Schellhaas Richard , Ohlson Pete , Keenum David , Riesterer Heidi , Spurbeck Don
Published: January 2006

Snag numbers and decay class were measured on a chronosequence of 26 wildfires
(ages 1-81 years) on the east slope of the Cascade Range in Washington. Snag
longevity and resultant snag densities varied spatially across burns in
relation to micro-topographic position. Longevity of snags < 41cm dbh was
greater for thin-barked Engelmann spruce
(Picea engelmannii), subalpine fir
(Abies lasiocarpa) and lodgepole pine
(Pinus contorta) than thick-barked Douglas-fir
(Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine
(Pinus ponderosa). With larger diameter snags, however,
Douglas-fir persisted longer than Engelmann spruce. The time period required
for recruitment of soft snags > 23 cm dbh was estimated to exceed snag
longevity for ponderosa pine, Englemann spruce, lodgepole pine, and subapline
fir, causing an “on-site gap” in soft snags for these species.
Snags of Douglas-fir ≥ 41 cm dbh stood for a sufficient time (40%
standing after 80 years) to potentially overlap the recruitment of soft snags
≥ 23 cm dbh from the replacement stand. Providing continuity in soft snags
following stand-replacement events would require a landscape-scale
perspective, incorporating adjacents stands of different ages or disturbance
histories. Results suggest that standards and guidelines for snags on public
forest lands need to be sufficiently flexible to accomodate both disturbance
and stand development phases and differences in snag longevity among species
and topographic positions.
Effect of clear-cutting, prescribed burning and scarification on litter decomposition in an Eastern Ontario jack pine (Pinus banksiana) ecosystem
Authors: Duchesne Luc C. , Wetzel Suzanne
Published: January 2006

Mass losses of litter bags containing leaf litter of
Pinus banksiana Lamb.,
Quercus rubra L.,
Pteridium aquilium (L.) Kuhn, and
Populus tremuloides Mchx. were compared in a jack pine
ecosystem after clear-cutting, clear-cutting plus prescribed burning, and
clear-cutting plus disk trenching scarification. Controls consisted of
litterbags left in undisturbed plots. Mass losses were significantly affected
by treatment types and litter types. The greatest differences among treatments
were observed after 1 year of field incubation whereas there were considerably
fewer differences among treatments after 3 years of incubation in the field.
Initial decomposition of P. tremuloides and
Q. rubra litter was greatest in the control plots.
Scarified plots showed the slowest decomposition rates. Mass losses were not
significant among treatments and litter types after 3 years incubation except
for P. aquilinum litter on clear-cut and scarified
plots.
Prescribed Burning of Thinning Slash in Regrowth Stands of Karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) .2. Nitrogen Budgets in Pre- and Post-Burn Fuel
Authors: O'Connell AM , McCaw WL
Published: January 2006

Changes in nitrogen content of fuel were investigated following eight low to moderate intensity experimental fires conducted under a range of fire weather conditions in a recently thinned 22-year-old regrowth stand of karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor F. Muell) in Western Australia. The average amount of dead fuel < 100 mm in diameter present before burning was 76 t/ha (range 50 to 107 t/ha). The amount of live fuel was small, with a mean of 4 t/ha. Forest floor litter, consisting of fresh and partly decomposed dead leaves and fine twigs (< 6 mm diameter) contributed about 30% of total fuel weight, and wood fractions > 6 mm in diameter contributed about 60%. Remaining fuel was made up of small twigs, bark and leaves added from the thinning operation. Distribution of nitrogen in fuel fractions differed markedly from distribution of fuel weights with more than 60% of fuel-nitrogen in the litter and only about 25% of fuel-nitrogen in wood greater than 6 mm diameter. Following fire, the average amounts of nitrogen in all fuel fractions was reduced. The majority of nitrogen in wood fractions and in bark and leaves was volatilized during the fires (range 55% to 99%), while on average only about 38% of the nitrogen in litter was volatilized. The amount of nitrogen lost from dead fuel differed between the experimental fires (range 50 to 180 kg/ha) and was significantly related to the total amount of fuel consumed (r2 = 0.92). Fuel consumption and nitrogen volatilization increased as the Soil Dryness Index increased and as litter moisture decreased. Nitrogen losses due to burning were small relative to total stores of nitrogen in soil (about 6000 kg/ha) but for the most intense fires were significant in relation to amounts in growing vegetation and surface soil. Burning when moisture content of the litter profile exceeds 90% will reduce combustion of the litter layer. Burning under these conditions allows effective reduction in the flash fuel components located in the upper parts of the fuel bed while retaining much of the nutrient-rich lower strata of fuel. Burns of this type provide effective fire hazard reduction while favouring conservation of nitrogen stored in the litter layer.
Project Aquarius 1. Stress, Strain, and Productivity in Men Suppressing Australian Summer Bushfires With Hand Tools: Background, Objectives, and Methods
Authors: Budd GM , Brotherhood JR , Hendrie AL , Jeffery SE , Beasley FA , Costin BP , Zhien W , Baker MM , Cheney NP , Dawson MP
Published: January 2006

This is the first in a series of 13 papers about the safety and productivity of firefighters suppressing wildland fires ('bushfires' in Australia) with hand tools, with particular emphasis on their physiological and subjective responses and the factors that influence them. The measurements were made during a broader investigation to determine the most intense fire that could be suppressed by hand tools, by bulldozers, and by air tankers. The investigation was carried out during three successive summers in dry eucalypt forests of Western Australia and Victoria. Four crews, each of 7 or 8 male firefighters, were studied while they attempted, for periods of 35-220 minutes, to suppress well-developed experimental bushfires with hand tools, and also while they built fireline in the same way without fire. Additional studies were made under controlled conditions: outdoors in the forest, indoors in field laboratories, and in a climatic chamber in Sydney. Most of the measurements were also made on the scientific observers, who shared the firefighters' environment but performed less strenuous work. All findings were highly consistent over the four crews, three summers, and two States and are thus generally applicable to bushfire suppression with hand tools in southern Australia.
Project Aquarius 4. Experimental Bushfires, Suppression Procedures, and Measurements
Authors: Budd GM , Brotherhood JR , Hendrie AL , Jeffery SE , Beasley FA , Costin BP , Zhien W , Baker MM , Cheney NP , Dawson MP
Published: January 2006

Experimental bushfires were lit over three summers in Australian eucalypt forests with fuel loads (mean and range) of 11.3 (8-14) tonnes per hectare, in air temperature 25 (17-33)° C, relative humidity 47 (14-81)%, and wind speed 4.4 (2-9) m s-1. The McArthur Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) ranged from 2 to 18 and was evenly distributed between 'low', 'moderate', and 'high' fire dangers. Fires were lit on a crosswind ignition line of 50-200 metres, and were allowed to develop for 10-50 minutes before a seven-man hand-tool crew commenced its attack. Airborne infra-red imagery showed that head-fire intensity (averaged over 6 minutes) of most fires exceeded 1000 kW per metre of fire front (kW m-1) at some stage and ranged as high as 3280 kW m-1, challenging the crew in much the same way as summer wildfires and evoking similar uncertainty and apprehension. Firefighters were generally unable to suppress headfires with an intensity of more than 1000 kW m-1. Comprehensive measurements were made of the stresses the firefighters and scientific observers experienced, their physiological and subjective responses, and the firefighters' productivity and efficiency. In all, 23 km of fireline were constructed and 238 man-days of measurements were obtained — 179 on the firefighters, 59 on the scientists.
Project Aquarius 6. Heat Load From Exertion, Weather, and Fire in Men Suppressing Wildland Fires
Authors: Budd GM , Brotherhood JR , Hendrie AL , Jeffery SE , Beasley FA , Costin BP , Zhien W , Baker MM , Cheney NP , Dawson MP
Published: January 2006

Firefighters' thermal environment was continuously measured while they attempted to suppress well-developed experimental bushfires of intensities commonly faced by hand-tool crews, and also while they built fireline in the same way without fire, during three summers in Australian eucalypt forests. They worked far enough from the flames to avoid painful intensities of radiant heat (>2 kW m-2) on bare skin and usually experienced 1.6 kW m-2 - little more than the intensity of sunlight Fire had negligible effects on average air temperature, humidity, or wired speed. Exertion accounted for 71% of the total heat load, fire and weather for the remainder. Evaporation was effectively the sole means of heat dissipation, and predicted sweat loss exceeded one litre per hour. Indices of heat stress usually exceeded occupational limits proposed for heat-acclimatized men, although little additional strain resulted. We conclude that firefighters should be fit and acclimatized, wear light and loose clothing that imposes minimal resistance to evaporation, and drink at least 1 litre of water per hour.
Project Aquarius 8. Sweating, Drinking, and Dehydration in Men Suppressing Wildland Fires
Authors: Hendrie AL , Brotherhood JR , Budd GM , Jeffery SE , Beasley FA , Costin BP , Zhien W , Baker MM , Cheney NP , Dawson MP
Published: January 2006

Firefighters' fluid balance was measured while they attempted to suppress well-developed experimental bushfires of intensities commonly faced by hand-tool crews, and also while they built fireline in the same way without fire, during three summers in Australian eucalypt forests. They consistently sweated at rates of 1-2 kg h-1 while building fireline and at half these rates for the whole work day. Drinking and dehydration were proportional to sweat loss: on average firefighters replaced 43% of their sweat loss during fireline construction and 63% for the whole work day. During fireline construction they dehydrated at an average rate of 654 g (0.9% body mass) per hour and a maximum rate of 2 kg per hour (2.6% body mass). The scientific observers sweated less than half as much as the firefighters but also drank less and became almost as dehydrated. These findings emphasise the need for work practices that guarantee an adequate water intake before, during, and after firefighting. Regression equations are presented for predicting sweat rate (hence water requirements) from activity, fire, body mass, and air temperature.
The Carmel Fire and Its Conservation Repercussions
Authors: Safriel UN
Published: January 2006

The forest fire in Mt. Carmel National Park in Israel in 1989 resembled the 1988 fire in Yellowstone Park in that public concern motivated the authorities to appoint professional committees to assess rehabilitation options and fire policies. The committees re-evaluated the goals and practices of nature conservation and management in protected areas, in a much broader context than just fire prevention. The recognition of the dynamic nature of ecosystems, the low predictability of their behaviour, and the role of fire as a disturbance agent that promotes biodiversity, contributed to recommendations of minimal intervention, allowing self-regeneration. The Israeli committee commissioned an interdisciplinary-research program designed to direct post-fire and fire-reduction management, and provide insights for planning for the region as a biosphere reserve. The results of this three-year program are reported in this issue.
Spatial and Temporal Heterogeneity of Species Diversity in a Mediterranean Ecosystem Following Fire
Authors: Kutiel P
Published: January 2006

This study examines species richness, species diversity (H'-Shannon-Weiner Index) and species dominance (C- Simpson-Index) in a Mediterranean ecosystem as a function of time elapsed since fire and the extent to which micro-climate regulates these indexes after wildfire occurrence. The study was conducted in an eastern Mediterranean ecosystem (Israel) over three consecutive years. About 400 ha of a mixed oak - pine forest burned in the summer of 1983 and part of it also suffered from a repeat fire in the summer of 1989. Different trends for each parameter and for each slope aspect (north and south) were observed indicating different fire intensities and frequencies, and different physical conditions characterizing each of the slope aspects. Species richness on the northern slope was the highest 2 - 4 years after fire followed by a decrease with time elapsed since fire. A recurrent fire on the southern slope caused a decrease in species richness two years after fire, which increased a year later to the level observed in the unburned forest. Species diversity, however, increased after fire on both aspects, reaching lower values 10 years later and then increased again, but still to values lower than those obtained 2 - 4 years after fire. The rate of change is higher on the southern slope than that on the northern one. The different trends following fire indicate that high temporal and spatial variability both in the micro- and macroscales exist in this region.
Post-Fire Arthropod Assemblages in Mediterranean Forest Soils in Israel
Authors: Broza M , Izhaki I
Published: January 2006

The presence of soil micro- and macroarthropod species was surveyed after severe fire in a mixed forest dominated by Aleppo pine on Mt. Carmel, Israel. Arthropods were sampled, and separated into 19 taxa (mainly orders or classes). The effects of 2nd-5th post-fire years, seasons, habitats (burned and unburned) and tree species (pine or oaks) on the relative abundance of soil arthropods were analyzed by linear redundancy analysis. Arthropod distribution along the first axis of the analysis was non-random, so all these factors influenced arthropod community composition. Arthropod composition in the 2nd and 3rd postfire years was different from later years, demonstrating outbreaks of pioneers. After five post-fire years arthropod populations were not completely recovered. Significant seasonal differences in population size were detected, indicating summer, and to lesser extent also winter, as unfavorable periods in that region, as was well demonstrated with Collembola. The resilience of arthropods under burned oaks differed from the arthropods sampled under burned pines. Seven taxa were highly correlated to the unburned zone and included the main microarthropod groups (Collembola, Protura, Acari, and Pauropoda) and Coleoptera, Thysanoptera and Chilopoda. Only two orders showed a distinct association with-the burned zone: Psocoptera and Homoptera; the latter was represented almost solely by specimens of a pioneer species, Rhizoicus sp. (Pseudococcidae).
The Effects of Post-Fire Management on Bird Community Succession
Authors: Izhaki I , Adar M
Published: January 2006

In September 1989 a wild fire burned over 300 ha of pine (Pinus halepensis) forest on Mt. Carmel, Israel. In winter 1990, logging took place on several burned plots. Since then, nonbreeding bird communities were censused in unburned plots, in burned plots and in burned logged plots. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to investigate the relationship between bird composition, post-fire managements and time since fire. Thirty-three species of passerine bird were recorded during fall, winter and spring (1991-1994). The most significant differences in avian community structure appeared between the unburned forest and the burned logged forest, and between the first period (1-2 years) post-fire and the following period (3-5 years post-fire). In general, the number of bird species in the ecosystem was increased as the result of imposing different post-fire managements. Therefore, creating a mosaic of different type of habitats contributed in maintaining high bird diversity.
The Management Implications of the Mt. Carmel Research Project
Authors: Ne'eman G , Perevolotsky A , Schiller G
Published: January 2006

In 1989 a wildfire destroyed 300 ha of natural pine forest and Mediterranean woodland on Mt. Carmel, Israel. Consequently an interdisciplinary scientific effort in fire ecology was initiated in order to propose recommendations to the management authorities, Field data gathered on soil erosion in the Mt. Carmel site implied that erosion is severe only during the first winter after fire, but it does not seem to present a significant threat to longterm ecosystem recovery. The recovery of the natural vegetation mitigates erosion, and there is no special need for any precautions to be taken immediatly following fire. Salvage cutting of burned trees had no effect on pine seedling recruitment, on vegetation development and on plant species diversity. Salvage cutting did affect passerine bird community by slowing down succession rate. For successful regeneration of the pine forest the burned site need not to be planted, since the number of natural pine seedlings is sufficiently great, and there is a need to conserve the genetic and spatial variability of the forest. Although thinning has a positive effect on short-term pine survival and growth, such action is not recommended since pine seedlings are susceptible to pine bast scale (Matsococcus josephi) up to seven years, and to severe damage by porcupines. Selection caused by this bast scale might improve the resistance of the new pine forest stand. Pine seedling growing in the:microsites of the old burned pine trees should be treated carefully, since some of them, due to their fast development, appear to be the next generation of the forest. Thinning of these groups can be considered after seven years, accompanied by removal of Cistus dwarf shrubs. However, where porcupine damage is observed, thinning should be done at low rates and with no pruning of side twigs. Since animal succession is a consequence of the change and progress in vegetation structure, there is no need for animal resettlement. The concept of 'fuel breaks', combining a single massive thinning of the woody vegetation and an annual short but heavy grazing, is a management option for decreasing fire danger and future fire damage.
Length and Timing of Grazing on Postburn Productivity of Two Bunchgrasses in an Idaho Experimental Range
Authors: Bunting SC , Robberecht R , Defosse GE
Published: January 2006

Plant mortality and productivity in semiarid grasslands may be affected by the length of time grazing is excluded during the postfire regeneration period. The degree of grazing tolerance for the semiarid bunchgrass species, Festuca idahoensis and Agropyron spicatum, exposed to fire, and how the variation in grazing tolerance was affected by the length of time allowed for undisturbed plant regeneration after fire, were central questions addressed in this study. We examined the degree of plant mortality and productivity that resulted from the interaction of fire and grazing. Plants exposed to fire alone, i.e., without subsequent defoliation, exhibited low plant mortality, although culm production was reduced relative to unburned plants. An early-season-defoliation treatment after fire resulted in the plant mortality as high as 50% for Festuca and 70% for Agropyron bunchgrasses. Plant height and the number of vegetative and reproductive culms were also most affected by this defoliation treatment. These detrimental effects were lessened when defoliation was delayed by one growing season after the fire. Although our results suggest that one growing season seems to be enough for both species to recover after the fire, more studies will be necessary to confirm these trends, and induce changes in current grazing management policies.
Recolonization of Two Burnt Quercus pyrenaica Ecosystems by Coleoptera
Authors: Garcia-Villanueva JA , Ena V , Tarrega R , Mediavilla G
Published: January 2006

Pit-fall trap catches were used to study the recolonization by the coleoptera fauna of Quercus pyrenaica ecosystems disturbed by wildfires. Two close oakwoods in León province of Spain were sampled monthly in 1990, with pit-fall traps, one burnt in June 1986 and in the other August 1989. Carabid genera such as Pterostichus and Anysodactylus increased in the four years post-fire recovered area compared to the recently burnt area and the non-burnt area. The species most affected by the environmental changes were the less generalist species, that occurred less frequently than the more adaptable species.
A Stirred Water Calorimeter for Measuring Heat Flux From Smoldering Combustion
Authors: Schneller MC , Frandsen WH
Published: January 2006

A new method of measuring heat flux from smoldering combustion is introduced. Currently available methods lack the accuracy of measuring the true heat flux. This is because of either the unavailability of required physical properties of the transporting medium (Like time dependent thermal conductivity) and/or failing to incorporate the transport of heat by mass transfer. In the present method, these difficulties are overcome. A dewar (calorimeter) placed below the fuel bed captured the water vapor and thus the heat of condensation released to the water in the dewar. The rate of temperature rise of the water in the dewar is a measure of the heat flux from the fuel bed. Integration of the heat flux over time divided by the capture cross-section area of the dewar opening yields the heat load (heat per unit area) falling on the calorimeter. Availability of an accurate method to measure heat flux from smoldering combustion has many practical applications, especially in forest fire situations.
A Satellite Index of Risk of Forest Fire Occurrence in Summer in the Mediterranean Area
Authors: Prosper-Laget V , Douguedroit A , Guinot JP
Published: January 2006

An index of forest fire risk has been determined by using the vegetation index NDVI and the surface temperature Ts, computed from NOAA-AVHRR over 21 Mediterranean French forests. Those 2 satellite parameters can be interpreted in terms of soil water deficit and vegetation stress in summer. An inverse linear correlation between their values for each forest pixel of 10 dates in 1990 was used to establish the index which has been divided into 5 equal classes. Those classes correspond with 5 risk classes of forest fire occurrence which were mapped for several forests. Periods and areas in the highest risk class correspond with those where the most important number of fires appeared in that year for the studied forests. A statistical model of the period of highest fire risk has also been constructed for each forest.
Viability of Litter-Stored Quercus falcata Michx. Acorns After Simulated Prescribed Winter Burns
Authors: Cain MD , Shelton MG
Published: January 2006

Partially stratified (11 days) southern red oak (Quercus falcata Michx.) acorns were placed at three depths in a reconstructed forest floor and subjected to simulated prescribed winter burns. Within the forest floor, acorns were placed within the L layer, at the upper-F/lower-F interface, and at the lower-F/mineral-soil interface. Winds for a backfire and headfire were generated by electric box-fans. After the burns, acorns were transferred to moist sand flats, stratified for an additional 16 days, then assessed for viability during a 45-day germination test. As depth within the forest floor increased, germinative capacity of acorns increased. All acorns placed within the L layer during prescribed burning failed to germinate. Germinative capacity of acorns placed at the upper-F/lower-F interface was lower (P=0.03) in the backfire (8.75%) than in the headfire (55.00%). At the lower-F/mineral-soil interface, there was no difference (P=0.09) in germinative capacity between backfire (92%) and headfire (89%), and their mean was no different (P=0.26) than the 93% achieved by unburned control acorns.
Observations on the impacts of rabbit haemorrhagic disease on agricultural production values in Australia
Authors: Saunders Glen , Kay Barry , Mutze Greg , Choquenot David
Published: January 2006

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) may be the most important rabbit control agent to be made available to graziers in Australia since the advent of myxomatosis. Documenting the benefits of RHD to agricultural production values is an important process in determining best-practice strategies for the use of the disease in controlling rabbit populations. In this paper we review previous studies on the impact of rabbits and present recent Australian case studies that tracked the effects of RHD on agricultural production as the disease first spread across the continent. Indirect consequences of RHD, such as changes in costs of rabbit control as monitored through the use of 1080 (sodium monofluoroacetate), are reported. Potential negative impacts such as adverse effects on the wild rabbit fur and meat trade and in the spread of woody weeds are also discussed.
Efficacy of a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) for estimating prevalence of immunity to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) in populations of Australian wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Authors: McPhee S. R. , Berman D. , Gonzales A. , Butler K. L. , Humphrey J. , Muller J. , J.N.Waddington  , Daniels P. , Koch S. , Marks C. A.
Published: January 2006

This study examines the efficacy of a cELISA in estimating the prevalence of immunity to rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) in wild rabbits in Australia. Rabbits (n = 343) captured from six locations in Victoria and Queensland were experimentally challenged with a lethal oral dose (1500 50%-lethal doses, LD50) of RHDV. Death or survival to challenge was used to determine the performance characteristics of the test. The diagnostic specificity, sensitivity and accuracy were highly variable between sites, making it difficult to select a representative cut-off value for all sites that achieved a reasonable level of accuracy for the prediction of surviving and non-surviving rabbits. Estimates of prevalence of immunity were biased owing to effects of site of capture (time of capture) and age structure of the population. Using predictive equations, the best estimates of survival were ±10% but these results came from a limited range of sites, all of which had survival in the range 49–70%. The cELISA will determine whether the RHDV is present in rabbit populations but it should be used with caution when estimating the prevalence of immunity to RHDV. The cELISA may thus be limited in its application for examining the epidemiology of RHDV in Australian rabbit populations.
Detection of RNA of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus from New Zealand wild rabbits
Authors: Zheng Tao , Napier Anna M. , Parkes John P. , O'Keefe Joseph S. , Atkinson Paul H.
Published: January 2006

Rabbit numbers have returned to high levels in some areas of New Zealand following the initial spread of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). We undertook to determine whether possible infection with an RHDV-related virus was interfering with the initiation of new outbreaks of rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD). RHDV RNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction with reverse transcription (RT-PCR) using RHDV-specific primers from tissue samples of wild rabbits that had been shot in the field. RHDV RNA was detected in 11 of 19 rabbits from an area of Otago where the rabbit population had greatly expanded and in 2 of 8 rabbits from the West Coast where outbreaks of RHD had not been previously reported. Among the 13 rabbits positive for RHDV RNA, 10 had detectable antibodies against RHDV. The nucleotide sequences of the isolates — a segment of the RHDV capsid gene — shared about 99% identity with that of the Czech strain V351 and that of a 1997 New Zealand wild isolate, but shared only about 84% identity with that of a European benign rabbit calicivirus. These results provide evidence for persistent infection of RHDV in rabbits.
Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the rare dusky hopping-mouse, Notomys fuscus (Rodentia : Muridae)
Authors: Moseby K. E. , Brandle R. , Adams M.
Published: January 2006

The distribution, habitat and conservation status of
Notomys fuscus were determined by collating past records
of the species and conducting field investigations covering areas of
historical distribution and similar habitats. Detailed population sampling was
carried out in two geographically distinct locations where populations
appeared to be extant. Evidence of N. fuscus was found
throughout the Strzelecki Desert east and south of the Strzelecki Creek in
South Australia and in an isolated group of dunes south-east of the Diamantina
River in south-west Queensland. Populations were located in a variety of sand
dune habitats (excepting those dominated by Triodia)
throughout these areas, implying that the species is a habitat-generalist with
a preference for a sandy substrate. Eight floristic groups were identified
from the 66 sites sampled, three of which supported
N. fuscus populations. These ranged from extremely
degraded dune and sand plain systems in the southern Strzelecki Desert,
supporting mostly ephemeral plants, to well-vegetated dunes covered by
sandhill canegrass,Zygochloa paradoxa, in south-west
Queensland. However, the results suggest that the presence of consolidated
dunes and perennial vegetation are important for the maintenance of stable
populations. Relatively dense populations of N. fuscus
were recorded only in the vicinity of major drainage systems. It is
hypothesised that the higher nutrient status of the soils surrounding such
systems may be an important factor affecting the distribution of
N. fuscus. The study reaffirmed the species’
decline since European settlement of Australia, and recommends that the
present vulnerable status of the species (IUCN Species Survival Commission
(SSC) Rodent Specialist Group) be maintained.
The movement, roaming behaviour and home range of free-roaming domestic dogs, Canis lupus familiaris, in coastal New South Wales
Authors: Meek Paul D.
Published: January 2006

In this study 10 free-roaming domestic dogs from an Aboriginal community were
radio-collared to determine the sizes of their home ranges and to observe
their wandering behaviour. Half of the radio-tagged dogs went on wandering
forays, while the other five roamed only within the vicinity of the community.
Home-range size was highly variable within the study group: the mean for the
wandering dogs was 927 ha whereas that of the sedentary dogs was 2.6 ha. Dogs
travelled 8–30 km on forays. All forays were initiated at night and
those that were recorded had an average duration of 26 h. Foray destinations
were usually riparian habitats where macropod quarry were abundant.
Seasonal and annual foraging movements of little penguins from Phillip Island, Victoria
Authors: Collins M. , Cullen J. M. , Dann P.
Published: January 2006

Little penguins, Eudyptula minor, from a breeding colony
on Phillip Island, Victoria were radio-tracked at sea during incubation,
chick-rearing and non-breeding periods from 1991 to 1993. Their locations,
which we have assumed to reflect foraging movements, varied according to
season and breeding activities, and there were marked differences from year to
year. Duration and distance of trips ranged from single day-trips a few
kilometres from Phillip Island, typically during the breeding season, to
longer trips outside the breeding season up to 500 km away lasting more than a
month, but 95% of all birds located were within 20 km of the coast. In
the breeding season foraging trips averaged 4.4 days during incubation
compared with 2.1 days when there were chicks in the nest; in the non-breeding
period foraging trips took 5.2 days on average. The duration of trips for
adults feeding chicks increased with the age of the chicks. Birds from nests
on the north and south sides of Phillip Island differed in their use of areas
close to the island, but showed a similar distribution on more distant trips.
The location of foraging trips is discussed in relation to information on the
abundance of prey species of fish within the foraging range of the birds.
Seasonal variation in the diet of
New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri)
at Otago Peninsula, New Zealand
Authors: Fea Nyree I. , Harcourt Robert , Lalas Chris
Published: January 2006

We examined the diet of New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) at a rookery on Otago Peninsula,
New Zealand, by analysing diagnostic remains from 500 faecal samples and 84 regurgitates collected
between July 1993 and September 1994. In total, 27 taxa (species or genera) were identified. Small fish
were numerically dominant in faecal samples, with five fish species (three species of lanternfish
(Myctophidae), ahuru (Auchenoceros punctatus) and juvenile red cod (Pseudophycis bachus)) accounting
for over 90% of prey items. Regurgitates occurred only seasonally and contained predominantly cephalopod
remains (99% of prey items). Numerical analyses may prove misleading as an indicator of the composition
of seal diet because the contribution of large fish that dominate estimates of prey biomass are underrepresented.
Estimates of prey biomass were made by combining estimates from both faecal and regurgitate
samples. Possible biases created by using this method are considered. A seasonal variation in prey
composition was apparent, with arrow squid (Nototodarus sloanii) dominant in summer and autumn,
replaced by a combination of barracouta (Thrysites atun), mackerel (Trachurus sp.) and New Zealand
octopus (Octopus maorum) in winter and spring.
Translocation of aggressive Australian magpies: a preliminary assessment of a potential management action
Authors: Jones Darryl N. , Finn Paul G.
Published: January 2006

Australian magpies are the cause of a major wildlife-management conflict in
suburban areas throughout Australia. Mitigation of this conflict is becoming
increasingly difficult in some locations because of community opposition to
the destruction of the birds involved, which remains a common management
solution of many wildlife agencies. Translocation – the capture and
release elsewhere – of offending birds has been advocated but never
seriously evaluated. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of
translocation as a means of eliminating magpie attacks. We also attempted to
assess the impact of the approach on both the translocated birds and those
remaining in the territory. A total of 20 aggressive magpies, all males, were
captured and released at distances 17–150 km from the place of capture.
Most birds released more than 30 km away were not seen again; two birds
released less than 30 km away returned quickly and were recaptured. A single
bird re-established itself on its original territory several months after
capture. In many cases, new males had replaced the captured birds within days.
There was no evidence of negative behavioural interactions between these males
and the resident females or chicks. While the technique is effective in
reducing the human–magpie conflict at specific locations, our lack of
knowledge of the fate of translocated males, as well as several other issues,
suggests that this approach be used only in extreme circumstances.
The influence of pasture distribution, temperature and sex on home-range size of feral pigs in a semi-arid environment
Authors: Dexter Nick
Published: January 2006

In this study the home-range sizes of feral pigs
(Sus scrofa) at Nocoleche Nature Reserve, semi-arid New
South Wales were measured by radio-telemetry over the course of a drought. The
abundance of food was indexed simultaneously by the amount of pasture in the
four most common habitats at Nocoleche (shrubland, woodland, riverine
woodland, and ephemeral swamps). The influence of the pig's sex, and mean
maximum temperature and pasture biomass on the home-range size of pigs were
examined using ANOVA and multiple regression, respectively. Mean home-range
size of males was 7.9–11.6 km2 and that for
females was 4.2–8.0 km2 . Males had significantly
larger home ranges than females, and their home-range size did not change
significantly over the course of the drought. In contrast, the size of the
home ranges of females changed significantly and was correlated negatively
with the abundance of pasture biomass in shrublands and mean maximum
temperature, and positively with the abundance of pasture biomass in ephemeral
swamps. The conclusion from this study is that males maintained a large,
unvarying, home range to maximise access to females while females changed
their home-range size according the abundance of food and the constraints of
high temperature.
Comparison of hairtube types for the detection of mammals
Authors: Lindenmayer D. B. , Incoll R. D. , Cunningham R. B. , Pope M. L. , Donnelly C. F. , MacGregor C. I. , Tribolet C. , Triggs B. E.
Published: January 2006

We compare detection rates of different species of mammals by three types of
hairtubes in both the mountain ash forests of the central highlands of
Victoria and a range of wet forest types at Tumut in southern New South Wales.
The types of hairtubes were a small-diameter PVC pipe, a large-diameter PVC
pipe and a newly constructed tapered hair funnel. Data were analysed for brown
antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), bush rat
(Rattus fuscipes), common wombat
(Vombatus ursinus), swamp wallaby
(Wallabia bicolor) and common and mountain brushtail
possums (Trichosurus vulpecula and
T. caninus). The most effective hairtube type (i.e. the
one yielding the highest number of detections) varied between species: small
hairtubes forR. fuscipes, hair funnels for
Trichosurus spp., and large hairtubes for
V. ursinus and W. bicolor. For
A. stuartii, the most effective hairtube type differed
between the two study regions (hair funnels in Victoria and small hairtubes at
Tumut). Detection by more than one hairtube type at a given plot was uncommon.
Our findings have important implications for field surveys and how data
gathered from such studies are interpreted. For example, if the aim of field
survey is to detect a wide range of species then several types of hairtubes
may need to be deployed.
Movements and refugia of Lakeland Downs short-tailed mice, Leggadina lakedownensis, and house mice, Mus domesticus, on Thevenard Island, Western Australia
Authors: Moro Dorian , Morris Keith
Published: January 2006

Radio-telemetry was used to identify the home range and refuge sites of two
species of mouse inhabiting a semi-arid island off the Western Australian
coast, in an effort to understand differences in their water metabolism. The
native short-tailed mouse, Leggadina lakedownensis, had
a median home range of 4.8 ha. This area increased during the non-breeding
season (5.3 ha) compared with the breeding season (3.0 ha), but this
difference was not significant. In contrast, the median home range for the
house mouse, Mus domesticus, was smaller (2.8 ha),
although this was variable. Core areas were best represented by the 75%
and 60% isopleths for M. domesticus and
L. lakedownensis, respectively. Core areas were greater
in L. lakedownensis (1.0 ha) than in
M. domesticus (0.8 ha). Furthermore, the degree of
overlap in core areas was low for L. lakedownensis, but
absent for M. domesticus. There was no evidence that
M. domesticus used burrows as refuges. Instead, they
sheltered in dense bushes above ground during the day where air temperatures
were ameliorated by the cover. L. lakedownensis rested
in burrows during the day where high air temperatures were mainatined at a
constant 28°C, and a relative humidity of between 72–97%.
Burrow morphology was simple and comprised two types: burrows with a single
chamber, and those without a chamber, indicative of a solitary habit. These
results suggest that a fossorial behaviour in
L. lakedownensis may lower its water economy compared
with M. domesticus, which shelters above ground.
Secondary poisoning of stoats (Mustela erminea) in a South Island podocarp forest, New Zealand: implications for conservation
Authors: Alterio N. , Moller H.
Published: January 2006

This study tested the efficacy of secondary poisoning using Talon 20 P™
(20 ppm brodifacoum) in bait stations for killing predators in a New Zealand
podocarp forest. Nine of 10 resident radio-tagged stoats
(Mustela erminea) were killed after poisoning operations
that killed mice (Mus musculus), ship rats
(Rattus rattus) and brushtail possums
(Trichosurus vulpecula). Possums were an important
source of the poison, with six stoats dying 1–2 weeks after scavenging
on poisoned carcasses. New male stoats rapidly invaded the poisoned areas, but
few were killed because poisoned carcasses were scarce. Most resident stoats
died before possums were poisoned in other New Zealand trials when Talon 20 P
was hand-broadcast. Prey abundance is potentially an important determinant of
efficacy of the method, so pulse baiting is likely to be more successful than
press (sustained) baiting operations for controlling stoats. Use of bait
stations delayed indirect poisoning of stoats, but reduced risks to non-target
native species compared with hand-broadcast operations. Talon 20 P poisoning
operations using bait stations could be an especially useful way of restoring
New Zealand’s mainland communities of native biota because several
species of predators are killed in the same operation, but potential risks to
non-target native wildlife and humans should be intensively researched before
the method is routinely used. This research also demonstrates the potential
hazards of the new anticoagulant poisons like brodifacoum to conservation of
small native predators elsewhere.
The grasshopper (Orthoptera : Acridoidea, Eumastacoidea and Tettigonioidea) fauna of Kakadu National Park in the Australian seasonal tropics: biogeography, habitat associations and functional groups
Authors: Andersen Alan N. , Lowe Lyn M. , Rentz D. C. F.
Published: January 2006

Grasshoppers are a diverse and functionally important group of insects, but
assemblages of Australian grasshoppers are extremely poorly known. This study
of the grasshoppers (Orthoptera : Acrididae, Eumastacidae, Pyrgomorphidae,
Tridactylidae, Tetrigidae and Tettigoniidae) of Kakadu National Park in the
seasonal tropics of the Northern Territory is the first comprehensive
description of any regional grasshopper fauna in Australia. We list all known
species, describe their biogeography, habitat associations and abundance, and
propose a functional group classification for Australian grasshoppers as a
framework for future ecological and biogeographical studies. In all, 161
grasshopper species from 90 genera are known from Kakadu. The dominant family
is Acrididae (64% of all genera, 63% of all species), within
which the subfamily Catantopinae (44% of all grasshopper genera,
47% species) is particularly important, as is typical for Australia.
The Tettigoniidae is also relatively diverse, with 35 species from 16 genera.
A large proportion of the fauna – 81 species (50%) and 15 genera
(17%) – is undescribed. In total, 86% of Kakadu’s
species and 73% of genera are endemic to Australia. Many (42%)
of the species are endemic to the northern half of the Northern Territory, and
most of the others (36% of total species) have their Australian
distributions restricted to the tropics. The major functional groups in terms
of species are Grass-eating Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae (33% total
species), Broadleaf-eating Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae (19%) and
Open-ground Acrididae and Pyrgomorphidae (12%). There is a widespread
macroecological tendency for locally abundant species to have wide geographic
ranges, but there was no consistent trend for locally abundant species in
Kakadu to have widespread distributions.