bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Micro-scale extensional rheometry using hyperbolic converging/diverging channels and jet breakup
Authors: Keshavarz Bavand , McKinley Gareth H.
Published: May 2016

Understanding the elongational rheology of dilute polymer solutions plays an important role in many biological and industrial applications ranging from microfluidic lab-on-a-chip diagnostics to phenomena such as fuel atomization and combustion. Making quantitative measurements of the extensional viscosity for dilute viscoelastic fluids is a long-standing challenge and it motivates developments in microfluidic fabrication techniques and high speed/strobe imaging of millifluidic capillary phenomena in order to develop new classes of instruments. In this paper, we study the elongational rheology of a family of dilute polymeric solutions in two devices: first, steady pressure-driven flow through a hyperbolic microfluidic contraction/expansion and, second, the capillary driven breakup of a thin filament formed from a small diameter jet (Dj∼O(100 μm)). The small length scale of the device allows very large deformation rates to be achieved. Our results show that in certain limits of low viscosity and elasticity, jet breakup studies offer significant advantages over the hyperbolic channel measurements despite the more complex implementation. Using our results, together with scaling estimates of the competing viscous, elastic, inertial and capillary timescales that control the dynamics, we construct a dimensionless map or nomogram summarizing the operating space for each instrument.
Kinetic-energy matrix elements for atomic Hylleraas-CI wave functions
Authors: Harris Frank E.
Published: May 2016

Hylleraas-CI is a superposition-of-configurations method in which each configuration is constructed from a Slater-type orbital (STO) product to which is appended (linearly) at most one interelectron distance rij. Computations of the kinetic energy for atoms by this method have been difficult due to the lack of formulas expressing these matrix elements for general angular momentum in terms of overlap and potential-energy integrals. It is shown here that a strategic application of angular-momentum theory, including the use of vector spherical harmonics, enables the reduction of all atomic kinetic-energy integrals to overlap and potential-energy matrix elements. The new formulas are validated by showing that they yield correct results for a large number of integrals published by other investigators.
The joint bargaining coordination in a photovoltaic supply chain
Authors: Chen Zhisong , Su Shong-Iee Ivan
Published: May 2016

The photovoltaic (PV) industry encounters a serious oversupply problem, which has caused a fierce competition among the crystalline silicon module suppliers to get the business from the PV system assemblers. This paper has developed a mechanism to coordinate a c-Si module supplier and a PV system assembler considering the government subsidy. A centralized, a decentralized, and a joint bargaining coordination decision models in a PV supply chain are formulated and analyzed. Using the world PV industry data, the numerical and sensitivity analyses are conducted to assess the impact of key parameters on the decision models. The research result has shown that a joint bargaining coordination mechanism is optimal for the studied PV supply chain. Both a PV system assembler and a c-Si module supplier gain more profit from the joint bargaining coordination model than that from either the centralized or the decentralized decision model. Policies for the sustainable PV industry development are also recommended.
First-principles study of crystalline and amorphous AlMgB14-based materials
Authors: Ivashchenko V. I. , Turchi P. E. A. , Veprek S. , Shevchenko V. I. , Leszczynski Jerzy , Gorb Leonid , Hill Frances
Published: May 2016

We report first-principles investigations of crystalline and amorphous boron and M1xM2yXzB14−z (M1, M2 = Al, Mg, Li, Na, Y; X = Ti, C, Si) phases (so-called “BAM” materials). Phase stability is analyzed in terms of formation energy and dynamical stability. The atomic configurations as well as the electronic and phonon density states of these phases are compared. Amorphous boron consists of distorted icosahedra, icosahedron fragments, and dioctahedra, connected by an amorphous network. The presence of metal atoms in amorphous BAM materials precludes the formation of icosahedra. For all the amorphous structures considered here, the Fermi level is located in the mobility gap independent of the number of valence electrons. The intra-icosahedral vibrations are localized in the range of 800 cm−1, whereas the inter-icosahedral vibrations appear at higher wavenumbers. The amorphization leads to an enhancement of the vibrations in the range of 1100–1250 cm−1. The mechanical properties of BAM materials are investigated at equilibrium and under shear and tensile strain. The anisotropy of the ideal shear and tensile strengths is explained in terms of a layered structure of the B12 units. The strength of amorphous BAM materials is lower than that of the crystalline counterparts because of the partial fragmentation of the boron icosahedra in amorphous structures. The strength enhancement found experimentally for amorphous boron-based films is very likely related to an increase in film density, and the presence of oxygen impurities. For crystalline BAM materials, the icosahedra are preserved during elongation upon tension as well as upon shear in the (010)[100] slip system.
A dual-core double emulsion platform for osmolarity-controlled microreactor triggered by coalescence of encapsulated droplets
Authors: Guan Xuewei , Hou Likai , Ren Yukun , Deng Xiaokang , Lang Qi , Jia Yankai , Hu Qingming , Tao Ye , Liu Jiangwei , Jiang Hongyuan
Published: May 2016

Droplet-based microfluidics has provided a means to generate multi-core double emulsions, which are versatile platforms for microreactors in materials science, synthetic biology, and chemical engineering. To provide new opportunities for double emulsion platforms, here, we report a glass capillary microfluidic approach to first fabricate osmolarity-responsive Water-in-Oil-in-Water (W/O/W) double emulsion containing two different inner droplets/cores and to then trigger the coalescence between the encapsulated droplets precisely. To achieve this, we independently control the swelling speed and size of each droplet in the dual-core double emulsion by controlling the osmotic pressure between the inner droplets and the collection solutions. When the inner two droplets in one W/O/W double emulsion swell to the same size and reach the instability of the oil film interface between the inner droplets, core-coalescence happens and this coalescence process can be controlled precisely. This microfluidic methodology enables the generation of highly monodisperse dual-core double emulsions and the osmolarity-controlled swelling behavior provides new stimuli to trigger the coalescence between the encapsulated droplets. Such swelling-caused core-coalescence behavior in dual-core double emulsion establishes a novel microreactor for nanoliter-scale reactions, which can protect reaction materials and products from being contaminated or released.
Thermoelectric properties of n-type SrTiO3
Authors: Sun Jifeng , Singh David J.
Published: May 2016

We present an investigation of the thermoelectric properties of cubic perovskite SrTiO3. The results are derived from a combination of calculated transport functions obtained from Boltzmann transport theory in the constant scattering time approximation based on the electronic structure and existing experimental data for La-doped SrTiO3. The figure of merit ZT is modeled with respect to carrier concentration and temperature. The model predicts a relatively high ZT at optimized doping and suggests that the ZT value can reach 0.7 at T = 1400 K. Thus ZT can be improved from the current experimental values by carrier concentration optimization.
Electronic properties of NH4-adsorbed graphene nanoribbon as a promising candidate for a gas sensor
Authors: Harada Naoki , Sato Shintaro
Published: May 2016

The electronic properties of NH4-adsorbed N = 7 armchair graphene nanoribbons (AGNRs) were theoretically investigated using self-consistent atomistic simulations to explore the feasibility of AGNRs as a gas sensing material. Whereas a pristine AGNR has a finite band gap and is an intrinsic semiconductor, an NH4-adsorbed AGNR exhibits heavily doped n-type properties similar to a graphene sheet with the molecules adsorbed. The electric characteristics of a back-gated AGNR gas sensor were also simulated and the drain current changed exponentially with increasing number of adsorbed molecules. We may conclude that an AGNR is promising as a highly sensitive gas-sensing material with large outputs.
Determination of density of states, conduction mechanisms and dielectric properties of nickel disulfide nanoparticles
Authors: Jamil Arifa , Batool S. S. , Sher F. , Rafiq M. A.
Published: May 2016

Temperature and frequency dependent ac electrical measurements were used to explore density of states, conduction mechanisms and dielectric properties of nickel disulfide (NiS2) nanoparticles. The NiS2 nanoparticles were prepared by conventional one step solid state reaction method at 250 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed cubic phase of prepared nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed presence of irregular shaped nanoparticles as small as 50 nm. The ac electrical measurements were carried out from 300 K to 413 K. Two depressed semicircular arcs from 20 Hz to 2 MHz showed presence of bulk and grain boundary phases in NiS2 nanoparticles at all temperatures. Small polaron hopping conduction from 300 K to 393 K and correlated barrier hopping conduction mechanism at temperatures higher than 393 K was observed. High value of density of states (of the order of 1024 eV−1cm−3) was calculated from ac conductivity. At low frequencies high values (of the order of 104-107) of real part of dielectric constant (ε′) were observed at different temperatures. These observations suggest that NiS2 nanoparticles may find applications in electronic devices.
Nucleation and interactions of 360∘ domain walls on planar ferromagnetic nanowires using circular magnetic fields
Authors: Kaya F. I. , Sarella A. , Wang D. , Tuominen M. , Aidala K. E.
Published: May 2016

We propose a mechanism for nucleation of 360∘ domain walls (DWs) on planar ferromagnetic nanowires, of 100 nm width, by using circular magnetic fields, and find the minimal spacing possible between 360∘ DWs. The extent of the stray field from a 360∘ DW is limited in comparison to 180∘ DWs, allowing 360∘ DWs to be spaced more closely without interactions than 180∘ DWs, which is potentially useful for data storage devices. We use micromagnetic simulations to demonstrate the positioning of 360∘ DWs, using a series of rectangular 16 × 16 nm2 notches to act as local pinning sites on the nanowires. For these notches, the minimum spacing between the DWs is 240 nm, corresponding to a 360∘ DW packing density of 4 DWs per micron. Understanding the topological properties of the 360∘ DWs allows us to understand their formation and annihilation in the proposed geometry. Adjacent 360∘ DWs have opposite circulation, and closer spacing results in the adjacent walls breaking into 180∘ DWs and annihilating.
Instability of buried hydration sites increases protein subdomains fluctuations in the human prion protein by the pathogenic mutation T188R
Authors: Tomobe Katsufumi , Yamamoto Eiji , Akimoto Takuma , Yasui Masato , Yasuoka Kenji
Published: May 2016

The conformational change from the cellular prion protein (PrPc) to scrapie prion protein (PrPsc) is a key process in prion diseases. The prion protein has buried water molecules which significantly contribute to the stability of the protein; however, there has been no report investigating the influence on the buried hydration sites by a pathogenic mutation not adjacent to the buried hydration sites. Here, we perform molecular dynamics simulations of wild type (WT) PrPc and pathogenic point mutant T188R to investigate conformational changes and the buried hydration sites. In WT-PrPc, four buried hydration sites are identified by residence time and rotational relaxation analysis. However, there are no stable buried hydration sites in one of T188R simulations, which indicates that T188R sometimes makes the buried hydration sites fragile. We also find that fluctuations of subdomains S1-H1-S2 and H1-H2 increase in T188R when the buried hydration sites become unstable. Since the side chain of arginine which is replaced from threonine in T188R is larger than of threonine, the side chain cannot be embedded in the protein, which is one of the causes of the instability of subdomains. These results show correlations between the buried hydration sites and the mutation which is far from them, and provide a possible explanation for the instability by mutation.
Switching characteristics for ferroelectric random access memory based on RC model in poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) ultrathin films
Authors: Liu ChangLi , Wang XueJun , Zhang XiuLi , Du XiaoLi , Xu HaiSheng
Published: May 2016

The switching characteristic of the poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethlene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) films have been studied at different ranges of applied electric field. It is suggest that the increase of the switching speed upon nucleation protocol and the deceleration of switching could be related to the presence of a non-ferroelectric layer. Remarkably, a capacitor and resistor (RC) links model plays significant roles in the polarization switching dynamics of the thin films. For P(VDF-TrFE) ultrathin films with electroactive interlayer, it is found that the switching dynamic characteristics are strongly affected by the contributions of resistor and non-ferroelectric (non-FE) interface factors. A corresponding experiment is designed using poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic) (PEDOT-PSSH) as interlayer with different proton concentrations, and the testing results show that the robust switching is determined by the proton concentration in interlayer and lower leakage current in circuit to reliable applications of such polymer films. These findings provide a new feasible method to enhance the polarization switching for the ferroelectric random access memory.
The effects of altered flow and bed sediment on macroinvertebrates in stream mesocosms
Authors: Growns Ivor , Murphy John F. , Jones J. Iwan
Published: May 2016

River regulation and altered land use are common anthropogenic disturbances resulting in ecological impacts through siltation or altered hydrology. We tested the separate and combined effects of increased flow and fine particles (colmation) on macroinvertebrates in flume mesocosms. We hypothesised that increased flow would reduce any effects of colmation. We tested two bed types, namely clean and colmated sediment where fines were 10% by weight. Two flow rates were initially established, namely a turbulent flow in six mesocosms and a lower rate to create a transitional flow between turbulent and laminar flows in the remaining six mesocosms. After 30 days, macroinvertebrates were sampled and the flow in three turbulent-flow mesocosms and three transitional-flow mesocosms switched to the lower and higher flow rates respectively, thus creating four flow scenarios. The experiment was concluded after sampling macroinvertebrates again at Day 70. We demonstrated that colmation and decreased flows individually result in decreased density and richness of macroinvertebrates and altered assemblage and trait structure. However, our hypothesis that higher flows would ameliorate any effects of fines was not supported. Further research is required to evaluate whether lower thresholds of colmation have ecological impacts and determine the velocities required to ameliorate those impacts.
Nature's Services: Societal Dependence on Natural Ecosystems
Authors: Loomes Robyn , O'Neill Kelli
Published: May 2016

Unprecedented growth and global expansion of human populations over the last 100 years has resulted in the widespread degradation of natural ecosystems. Of equal concern is the basic failure of people to appreciate the ecological, economic and social values of the services natural ecosystems provide and the ultimate impacts of their loss.
Effects of depth on manual transplantation of the seagrass Amphibolis griffithii (J. M. Black) den Hartog on Success Bank, Western Australia
Authors: I. Paling Eric , Van Keulen Mike , Wheeler Karen , Walker Cathy
Published: May 2016

Transplants were established in February and December 1997 to supplement and provide feedback for a mechanical seagrass transplantation programme. A total of 580, 15 cm diameter plugs of Amphibolis griffithii were transplanted to depths of 5, 6, 8 and 10 m with similar energy conditions, and their survival monitored. There was a significant decline in plug survival over the subsequent 14 months. This appears to correlate with the onset of the winter storms in May 1997; the control plugs (seagrass excavated and replanted in the same location) also declined during this period. There was a seasonal decline in stem density in all plugs, with some recovery in the following spring and summer. The decline of plug survival corresponded to large-scale fluctuations in sediment levels across Success Bank. This suggests that, provided the transplants survive hydrodynamic disturbances resulting in sediment level fluctuations, the light climate (up to 10 m depth) does not prevent the survival and growth of seagrass transplants.
You are the Earth
Authors: Hawkins S.
Published: May 2016

THE communication of basic environmental principles to children should begin at an early age to solidly embed the awareness of human connectivity to the Earth. Everyone is connected to the Earth by the air, the water, and the food they consume. Thus when we degrade the earth, we inevitably degrade ourselves. This is Suzuki and Vanderlinden's strongest message.
Musings of a Frustrated Scientist
Authors: Majer Jonathan
Published: May 2016

Research that is directed towards conservation in Australia is largely carried out by staff in State or Commonwealth departments, in CSIRO and in universities. The findings are generally put into practice by other branches of the same government departments, by bushcare and landcare groups, by non-government organization (NCO) community groups, and by consultants. The latter often provide contractual services to the practitioners of conservation.
Conservation and sustainable use of wildlife - an evolving concept
Authors: J. W. Webb Grahame
Published: May 2016

The proposition that wildlife conservation can sometimes be enhanced through allowing and even promoting the harvesting of wildlife is a sensitive issue. For the last 30 years, conservation has tended to focus on protecting rather than using wildlife. Yet conservation through sustainable use (CSU) is now a mainstream conservation strategy, and research on sustaining rather than stopping uses is commonplace. This paper discusses some of the fundamental and confusing elements of the CSU concept. Two case histories are discussed: Saltwater Crocodiles Crocodylus porosus in the Northern Territory of Australia, and Hawksbill Turtles Eretmochelys imbricata in Cuba. That wildlife populations are themselves highly dynamic entities, capable of adapting to harvest reductions, is well established, but often not appreciated. To advance conservation, research at the dynamic population level of resolution needs to take precedence over research on individual population dynamics.
Conservation of vertebrate fauna using hollows in forests of south-west Western Australia: strategic risk assessment in relation to ecology, policy, planning, and operations management
Authors: Abbott Ian , Whitford Kim
Published: May 2016

Forty-two vertebrate species use hollows in live standing trees in the forests of south-west Westem Australia. We determined the reliance of each of these species on hollows in standing trees, assessed the relative frequency of occurrence of suitable hollows (based on the size of hollow and hollow entry), and further categorized species by the size of their home range and their current dependence on publicly-owned forest. No species was identified as being at high or immediate risk of decline. Eight species (6 bird, 2 mammal) were identified as excellent candidates for monitoring, with one species (Trichosurus vulpecula) most likely to provide the earliest indication of any critical reduction in the long-term supply of large hollows at small spatial scales. Past impacts of Aborigines and Europeans on populations of the larger species are likely to have been substantial, as these were hunted for food and trapped for fur. Hollow-using species are considered at present to be adequately safeguarded by: extensive areas of forest reserved from logging; science-based prescriptions mandating the retention of trees in Jarrah Eucalyptus marginata forest available for timber harvesting; a forest-wide baiting program to reduce predation by the introduced Red fox Vulpes vulpes; and a 70 year tradition of adaptive forest management. The recovery of populations of medium-sized mammal species following control of foxes will provide an opportunity to re-assess the adequacy of current hollow-management strategies. Future research should include modelling of stand structure, determining the home range of priority species, and assessing the extent of overlap of home ranges. Monitoring of indicator hollow-using species should take place at landscape scales.
More than a tourism primer
Authors: Calver Michael
Published: May 2016

FEW would doubt the increasing appeal of natural area tourism and its contribution to the economies of many communities. There is also a popular perception that it is environmentally benign in comparison to resource exploitation industries and therefore deserves a significant place in ecologically sustainable development. However, several authors including Honey (1999) and Butynski and Kalina (1998) show that perception is not always reality and that natural area tourism may have significant environmental impacts that question its long-term sustainability. Overall, tourism's potential for deleterious impacts, its importance in some regional economies and the complexities in designing and managing tourism experiences make it an important and growing area of study. It is therefore timely and valuable that Newsome and his colleagues provided an integrated approach to the natural area tourism topic that covers all these broad components. The book will be valuable as a text for undergraduates in a range of disciplines including environmental and life sciences, tourism and the social sciences, giving students a critical insight into the interdisciplinary nature of the subject. It should also become a well-thumbed reference on many professionals' shelves because of the value of its interdisciplinary overview to specialists seeking insights from beyond their disciplinary expertise.
A review of the diet of Rusa Deer Cervus timorensis russa in New Caledonia: Are the endemic plants defenceless against this introduced, eruptive ruminant?
Authors: de Garine-Wichatitsky Michel , Duncan Patrick , Labbe Alice , Suprin Bernard , Chardonnet Philippe , Maillard Daniel
Published: May 2016

Rusa Deer Cervus timorensis russa was introduced to New Caledonia in 1870 from Java, and has colonized the main island of Grande Terre, where it is found in virtually all the terrestrial biotopes. Despite its abundance and its socio-economic importance for New Caledonians, little is known about the diets of the wild deer populations living in contact with native vegetation which has a high degree of endemism and which, until recently, evolved without ruminant herbivores. We collected information on the diet of Rusa Deer in New Caledonia from published and unpublished reports, a questionnaire addressed to experts and preliminary data from browse-surveys. All sources of information suggested that wild Rusa Deer in New Caledonia is a mixed-feeder, and the list of plants consumed included 25 grasses, 15 forbs, 26 trees/shrubs and 12 vines and ferns. Nearly half (49%) of the plants identified as principal and preferred foods were introduced species. Physical defences (spines and thorns) did not seem to deter deer. It is remarkable that many of the avoided plants were native species (56% of the avoided species). Further research is required to confirm these results, but they are relevant to the evolution of plant/herbivore interactions and to the management of deer populations for conservation perspectives in island ecosystems.
Soil seedbanks in natural and restored boxironbark forests at Stawell Gold Mine, Victoria
Authors: Comino E. , P. Miller B. , J. Enright N.
Published: May 2016

Natural communities have the capacity to regenerate themselves, and this functional ecosystem attribute must be regarded as a key indicator of success for revegetation programmes. The accumulation of species (and individuals) as dormant propagules in a soil seedbank, representing potential future states for the vegetation, is one possible index of revegetation success. Here, we investigate the soil seedbanks for five natural vegetation (Box-Ironbark forest) remnants, a topsoil stockpile and three revegetated mine-site areas associated with gold mining at Stawell (Victoria, Australia). The revegetation efforts largely date from 1987 and, in terms of their composition and structure, are relatively similar to natural vegetation remnants. Soil samples were treated with heat or smoke (plus control) and were monitored for seedling emergence, species composition and density in the glasshouse for 150 days. Seedling densities in treated seedbank samples were high (2 200 to 17 500 seedlings m-2) while species richness was low, ranging from 10 to 20 species per sample. Exotic species made up 22?61 % of emergents and 33?50% of species observed. Correlation of seedbank composition and density with chemical attributes of soils, and with above ground (extant) vegetation at sites showed few significant relationships. Total species richness and the proportion of exotic species varied significantly between natural bushland remnants and revegetation areas. Richness was highest, and the proportion of exotic species was lowest in natural bushland samples. Total emergent numbers and the density of exotic emergents did not vary significantly between remnant bushland and revegetation areas. Declining vigour of some woody species in revegetation sites that are well represented in the seedbank, including Acacia pycnantha and A. genistifolia, indicates that the reintroduction of fire might be an appropriate management practice to facilitate long-term recovery of a functional community on these revegetated surfaces, but the potential for the establishment of weed species from the seed-bank following fire may pose a challenge to management.
Ecological research on private land: lessons from the farm
Authors: Hazell Donna
Published: May 2016

Conservation on private land is a major challenge for ecologists, policy makers and landholders. This paper presents an example of ecological research on private land in southeastern Australia where landholder involvement was central. An ethical approach to ecological research on private land is presented as well as some lessons learnt from landholder involvement. With consideration of these issues ecologists working on private land are likely to be in a better position to make management recommendations for conservation that are meaningful, agriculturally practical and possible for landholders to apply.
Population structure, growth and longevity of Placostylus hongii (Pulmonata: Bulimulidae) on Tawhiti Rahi Island, Poor Knights Islands, New Zealand
Authors: A. N. Stringer I. , E. C. Brennan Karl , L. Moir Melinda , R. Parrish G. , D. Majer Jonathan , H. sherley G.
Published: May 2016

Placostylus hongii, a threatened snail species, was studied on Tawhiti Rahi Island in the Poor Knights Islands group off the east coast of northern New Zealand between 1998 and 2000. Most live snails and empty shells were adults (83% and 85% respectively) and the low proportion of empty adult shells (36%) compared with live adult snails found in an area last burnt in the late 1950s suggests that the population there is still recovering. Growth was measured using snails recaptured with the aid of harmonic radar transponders attached to their shells. Increase in shell length varied from 6 to 25 mm per year in juveniles with shells >38 mm long, but it slowed when juveniles approached maturity (adult shell length 55-89 mm). The juvenile period is greater than three years and growth in shell length virtually stops when a thick aperture lip develops. This lip continues to thicken at 0.1-0.4 mm per year and can reach a maximum thickness of 15.5 mm, indicating that adults may live 10 years and possibly more than 30 years. A comparison of our data with two previous studies on the same population and on Aorangi Island, in the Poor Knights Islands group, confirms that these snails are slow developing, have low recruitment of adults, and that populations are probably maintained by a pool of long-lived adults. Our results indicate that following predator control on the mainland, the recovery of a snail population is likely to be slow. Once a population has recovered it could be maintained by intensively controlling rodents for periods of greater than three years (to allow recruitment of adults into the population) alternating with longer periods without control.
Fauna-habitat relationships: a basis for identifying key stand structural attributes in temperate Australian eucalypt forests and woodlands
Authors: McElhinny C. , Gibbons P. , Brack C. , Bauhus J.
Published: May 2016

We review a representative sample of the literature concerning fauna-habitat relationships in temperate Australian eucalypt forests and woodlands as a basis for identifying some key stand structural attributes in these ecosystems. Our review identifies 56 studies in south-east and south-west Australia in which the presence or abundance of different fauna were significantly associated with vegetation structural attributes at the scale of a stand. The majority of these studies concern bird, arboreal mammal, and ground mammal habitat requirements, with relatively few studies addressing the habitat requirements of reptiles, invertebrates, bats or amphibians. We identify 34 key structural attributes from these 56 studies, by grouping similar attributes, and then representing each group with a single generic attribute. Relatively few of these attributes are incorporated into indices used to quantify fauna habitat. We highlight the need for a quantitative method for selecting which key attributes should form the basis for an index of structural complexity or other surrogate measure of faunal diversity.
Spatial patterns of a Southern Bell Frog Litoria raniformis population in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Wassens Skye , A. Roshier David , J. Watts Robyn , I. Robertson Alistar
Published: May 2016

We investigated changes in the spatial organization of individuals within a population of endangered Southern Bell Frogs Litoria raniformis over an eight-month period. Our results identified strong temporal changes in both spatial organization and the apparent location of L. raniformis within the study site. Ripley's K Function analyses showed that the position of individuals relative to one another shifted from random immediately after the study site was flooded (p < 0.005), to strongly clustered at spatial scales between 0-1500 m during the peak breeding period (p < 0.005). The majority of flooded areas were dry by April and May and individuals again became aggregated within the remaining waterbodies.
Improving methods for allocating resources among threatened species: the case for a new national approach in New Zealand
Authors: N. Joseph Liana , F. Maloney Richard , M. Oconnor Shaun , Cromarty Pam , Jansen Paul , Stephens Theo , P. Possingham Hugh
Published: May 2016

Selecting the best set of management projects to ensure the persistence of the greatest number of a nation's threatened species is a complex and challenging problem. It is not a simple task to know which set of management actions will provide the best overall conservation outcome when presented with a vast number of species with complex ecologies, extreme management uncertainties and financial constraints. Globally, agencies tasked with the challenge of managing a threatened species strive to achieve the most with their limited budgets. Currently, resources marked for threatened species are allocated in an informal manner (Metrick & Weitzman 1998) or simply to the most threatened species first (Possingham et al. 2002). However, it is clear that systematic and transparent approaches for cost efficient decisions improves the overall benefits to biodiversity (Naidoo et al. 2006; Wilson et al. 2006). Formal methods for the efficient allocation of resources among regions are now commonly practised by conservation agencies (Margules & Pressey 2000). In addition, decision tools are used to guide cost efficient management of single species (Drechsler & Burgman 2004). However, the approaches available for guiding the cost efficient allocation of resources among threatened species are relatively underdeveloped. The main challenge ahead is the development of appropriate objectives and transparent and systematic frameworks to guide the selection of cost efficient management of threatened species.
Home Range and Movements of Feral Cats on Mauna Kea, Hawai?i
Authors: M. Goltz Daniel , C. Hess Steven , W. Brinck Kevin , C. Banko Paul , M. Danner Raymond
Published: May 2016

Feral cats Felis catus in dry subalpine woodland of Mauna Kea, Hawai?i, live in low density and exhibit some of the largest reported home ranges in the literature. While 95% fixed kernel home range estimates for three females averaged 772 ha, four males averaged 1 418 ha, and one male maintained a home range of 2 050 ha. Mean daily movement rates between sexes overlapped widely and did not differ significantly (P = 0.083). Log-transformed 95% kernel home ranges for males were significantly larger than those of females (P = 0.024), but 25% kernel home ranges for females were larger than those of males (P = 0.017). Moreover, log-transformed home ranges of males were also significantly larger than those of females in this and seven other studies from the Pacific region (P = 0.044). Feral cats present a major threat to endangered Hawaiian birds, but knowledge of their ecology can be used for management by optimizing trap spacing and creating buffer zones around conservation areas.
Bushfire and the Malthusian guillotine: survival of small mammals in a refuge in Nadgee Nature Reserve, south-eastern New South Wales
Authors: Lunney Daniel , W. M. Lunney H. , F. Recher H.
Published: May 2016

Following an intense bushfire in December 1972, small mammals were sampled from November 1973 to June 1976 on a few hectares of unburnt, grassy river flat in the Nadgee Nature Reserve, New South Wales. Hindsight shows the importance of these small unburnt patches as refuges for small mammals. A surprising proportion of wildlife survives a large bushfire, but the post-fire population is in extremis, confronted by famine and exposed to increased predation. All small-mammal species on a forest plot burnt in the ?72 fire disappeared. On the unburnt flat, five species were encountered and continued to survive. There was a common theme to all five populations in the refuge; incessant flux, many births and disappearances, virtually static overall population. The oft-cited ideas of T. Robert Malthus, although seen by some as old-fashioned and wrong when applied to human populations, lend power to our understanding of population events in the small refuge surviving the ?72 fire. The theme is clear: the populations of small mammals on the flat survived, but barely, as the small numbers in each year?s winter show, and it is only by the operation of the ?Malthusian Guillotine? that they are able to do so. The guillotine is an apt metaphor for the survival process; its operation is stark, but it is efficient, and it is mercifully brief. The conservation implications from this study are striking. The most important being the vital role played by refuges following an extensive and intense fire. In an era of global warming and increasing predictions of the likelihood of bushfires rising, such matters will loom even larger.
An evaluation of Sea Search as a citizen science programme in Marine Protected Areas
Authors: S. Koss R. , Miller K. , Wescott G. , Bellgrove A. , Boxshall A. , McBurnie J. , Bunce A. , Gilmour P. , Ierodiaconou D.
Published: May 2016

Citizen science involves collaboration between multi-sector agencies and the public to address a natural resource management issue. The Sea Search citizen science programme involves community groups in monitoring and collecting subtidal rocky reef and intertidal rocky shore data in Victorian Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), Australia. In this study we compared volunteer and scientifically collected data and the volunteer motivation for participation in the Sea Search programme. Intertidal rocky shore volunteer-collected data was found to be typically comparable to data collected by scientists for species richness and diversity measures. For subtidal monitoring there was also no significant difference for species richness recorded by scientists and volunteers. However, low statistical power suggest only large changes could be detected due to reduced data replication. Generally volunteers recorded lower species diversity for biological groups compared to scientists, albeit not significant. Species abundance measures for algae species were significantly different between volunteers and scientists. These results suggest difficulty in identification and abundance measurements by volunteers and the need for additional training requirements necessary for surveying algae assemblages. The subtidal monitoring results also highlight the difficulties of collecting data in exposed rocky reef habitats with weather conditions and volunteer diver availability constraining sampling effort. The prime motivation for volunteer participation in Sea Search was to assist with scientific research followed closely by wanting to work close to nature. This study revealed two important themes for volunteer engagement in Sea Search: 1) volunteer training and participation and, 2) usability of volunteer collected data for MPA managers. Volunteer-collected data through the Sea Search citizen science programme has the potential to provide useable data to assist in informed management practices of Victoria?s MPAs, but requires the support and commitment from all partners involved.
A national framework for research on trophic regulation by the Dingo in Australia
Authors: L. Visser Renee , E. M. Watson James , R. Dickman Chris , Southgate Rick , Jenkins David , N. Johnson Christopher
Published: May 2016

There is increasing evidence that the Dingo Canis lupus dingo plays an important ecological role as a trophic regulator in Australian ecosystems. However, there is sufficient remaining uncertainty about the nature of this role as to hinder the development of effective management policies. This review defines strategic directions for future research on the trophic role of Dingoes by developing a national Dingo research framework. The framework aims to increase our knowledge of the influence that Dingoes have on the maintenance of biodiversity, thereby encouraging Dingo conservation and the refinement of current land-use practices. The framework begins by identifying four major bioclimatic zones across Australia that pose different questions and challenges for Dingo research. For each zone we construct a model that identifies major interactions between Dingoes and key prey or competitor species, and then used the models to identify key research needs, the possible advantages of maintaining Dingo populations within each zone, and ways to tease out unstudied interactions. Important questions identified in the review include the effects of Dingoes on native marsupial populations, vegetation communities, herbivore diets, the use of structural refugia by mesopredators, predator and prey behaviour, and the effect of habitat modification on these interactions. We briefly review legislative constraints and other factors, such as the ongoing hybridization of Dingo populations with domestic dog breeds, that may impede future studies. If research activities follow this framework, we believe that policy and management will be better informed, benefiting both the Dingo and the natural ecosystems and production systems where it occurs.
Boom & Bust: Bird Stories for a Dry Country
Authors: J. J. F. Davies Stephen
Published: May 2016

As the subtitle says, this is a book of bird stories. The overall theme examines the population dynamics and evolution of some Australian inland birds in 12 separate essays, each by a different author or group of authors. It is apparent that the dates of preparation of these chapters cover an extended time period, one prepared by an author who died in 2001, and there is little attempt to integrate the stories. Each of the essays is well referenced and written by a respected authority on the bird, birds or topic that are the subject of the essay. In this way the book is authoritative, but it is also innovative, because it is clear that peer review has not been applied, or if applied then applied gently, because the authors have been allowed to speculate on the interpretations of the data they present. Modern journal editors and peer reviewers do their best to eliminate such speculation and yet it is from the presentation of such untested ideas that inquiry begins and science advances. The editors are to be applauded for taking this approach.
Landscape Scale Ecological Connectivity: Australian Survey and Rehearsals
Authors: Wyborn Carina
Published: May 2016

Landscape scale ecological restoration and connectivity initiatives are gaining momentum in Australia and globally
to protect and restore native vegetation and biodiversity. While these initiatives originated in response to habitat
fragmentation and land use intensification they are increasingly framed within the discourses of climate change adaptation
and ecological resilience. With a focus on initiatives over large landscape scales, this article directs attention to the
social and institutional implications of this emerging, and poorly understood phenomenon. These initiatives represent
a paradigm shift in conservation management in two ways: firstly, connectivity represents a move from a focus on
“sites and species” to landscapes and processes; secondly, connectivity signifies a reconstruction of the role of
government and non government organizations in conservation. While these initiatives show promise for integrated
conservation management across multiple tenures, they face challenges of collaboration and communication across
vast, diverse landscapes, communities and agendas. This article overviews emerging landscape scale initiatives in
Australia and introduces a conceptual framework for thinking about social and institutional connectivity. While there is
much debate concerning the science of connectivity, there is a distinct gap in our understanding of the requisite
conditions for implementation. There is, however, existing research and practice on the social dimensions of natural
resource management and conservation that could inform the implementation of connectivity initiatives.
Butterflies as potential bioindicators of primary rainforest and oil palm plantation habitats on New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Authors: Miller III Donald G , Lane John , Senock Randy
Published: May 2016

Our research team worked with Nakanai land-holders in Papua New Guinea to perform the first survey of butterflies
in the Lake Hargy caldera of West New Britain Province. Methods included modified Pollard transects quantifying
sampling effort based on aerial netting and visual observations, as well as traps baited with fermenting fruit. Results
were compared with surveys on the adjacent Hargy Oil Palm plantation. Our sampling yielded 312 specimens
representing 73 species; of these, 50 were limited to primary rainforest, 12 to oil palm plantation and 11 species occurred
at both sites. Four species are newly recorded for New Britain, including one potentially invasive species on Citrus.
Singleton specimens made up the largest abundance class in the data set, representing 34% of records in primary
rainforest. Sixty-two percent of the butterfly taxa recorded are regionally endemic to the Bismarck island chain or to
New Britain in particular. Calculated levels of similarity between sites ranged from 0.151 to 0.262, suggesting the oil
palm and rainforest habitats supported highly distinct species assemblages. Although rapid assessment data such as
these are necessarily limited in scope, they can still aid in documenting the impact on biodiversity from conversion of
primary tropical rainforest to oil palm monoculture.
Contested Country: Local and Regional Natural Resources Management in Australia
Authors: Ming Christie Lai
Published: May 2016

I was attracted by the book title at first glance. "Contested Coumry" is such powerful description to one of the major challenges in the field of natural resources management (NRM) where conflicts emerge between stakeholders over the valuation and utilization of natural resources. In fact, this is also the site where asymmetrical power relations are embedded. Although this volume focuses mainly on the Australian context, its significance has great implications for both local and international practice of NRM policy implementation. As the editors point out in the introduction, it is open to question whether the current regional NRM approach is realistic in addressing the environmental crisis and achieving biodiversity conservation. Therefore, this book is very ambitious in its effort to critically ancllyse the efficiency of the regional and community-approach of NRM which has been largely implemented since the mid-1990s. Apart from this, what the future holds for NRM is another key theme tackled in this volume by contributors.
Tropical inshore dolphins of north-western Australia: Unknown populations in a rapidly changing region.
Authors: Allen Simon J , Cagnazzi Daniele D , Hodgson Amanda J , Loneragan Neil R , Bejder Lars
Published: May 2016

Australian Snubfin Orcaella heinsohni, Indo-Pacific Humpback Sousa chinensis and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins
Tursiops aduncus inhabit Australia’s tropical north-western coastline, a region undergoing extensive port development
associated with the massive expansion of the oil, gas and mining industries. The current lack of data on dolphin
population sizes or trends precludes impact assessments of developments on these protected species. Furthermore,
the Western Australian and Commonwealth Government conservation listings of tropical inshore dolphins do not reflect
their international listings. From April to July, 2010, we conducted ad hoc boat-based surveys (n=55) of inshore
delphinids at seven sites across north-western Australia from Coral Bay in the south (23.1°S: 113.8°E) to Cable Beach
in the north (17.9°S: 122.2°E). We documented the locations of these three species from which we obtained photoidentification
and biopsy data, as well as reports of Australian Snubfin Dolphin sightings from researchers and community
groups. The data from this limited field effort confirm that Indo-Pacific Humpback and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins
occur in the waters adjacent to each north-western Australian urban centre and show that the range of the Australian
Snubfin Dolphin extends considerably further south-west than previously reported. Given the scale of coastal
developments and the vulnerability of isolated cetacean populations to fragmentation or extirpation, assessments of
the viability of dolphin populations are required. Our data suggest that the Australian Snubfin, Indo-Pacific Humpback
and Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins need to be considered as likely to be impacted by coastal developments across
north-western Australia.