bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The spatial dynamics of White-browed Babbler groups in a fragmented agricultural landscape
Authors: G. Cale Peter
Published: May 2016

White-browed Babbler Pomatostomus superciliosus groups occupying linear strips of vegetation had breeding territories that were smaller in area and had longer linear dimensions than those occupying patches. A group's non-breeding home range was larger than its breeding territory. Groups occupying linear/patch home ranges expanded the linear extent and area of their home ranges more than those within other home range configurations. Some groups moved during the non-breeding season and this was more likely to occur if the group occupied a remnant with a low abundance of invertebrates during summer. Some groups that moved returned prior to the next breeding season, but the majority were never seen again. New groups moved into the study sites and established in vacant home ranges. This suggests that those groups that left the study sites may have established new home ranges elsewhere. Breeding site fidelity was lower in groups that had failed in previous breeding attempts. Therefore, group movements were influenced by the feeding and breeding quality of the habitat. However, the configuration of the local population also influenced group movements with those groups on the edge of a local population being more likely to move than those in the interior. New groups were formed by two processes; group dispersal, where groups generally filled a vacant home range, and group budding, which involved the splitting of a large group. Group dispersal maintained group densities while group budding increased the density of groups in a local population. These two processes were common, producing localized fluctuations in the density of groups. Since babbler groups contain only one breeding pair, changes in group density represent changes in effective population size. Therefore, group dynamics may be important to the persistence of local populations of White-browed Babblers, especially in landscapes that have suffered from habitat loss and fragmentation.
The extent of Mission grasses and Gamba Grass in the Darwin region of Australia's Northern Territory
Authors: Kean Louise , Price Owen
Published: May 2016

Mission grasses Pennisetum polystachion (L.) Schult. and P. pedicellatum (Trin) and Gamba Grass Andropogon gayanus (Kunth) are three weed species that are thought to be spreading rapidly in the vicinity of Darwin and may pose a major threat to ecosystems in northern Australia. The distribution of the species was assessed from a vehicle along 913 km of roads near Darwin. The study provided data on the potential source of further spread and an analysis of the potential habitat of the weeds. For analysis, roadsides were divided up into 200 m cells and the distributions of the grasses were compared against land tenure and broad land unit maps, Mission grasses were present in approximately 52% of cells, and were particularly common around the rural residential/horticultural area of Humpty Doo. They occurred equally commonly in all broad land units, but differed among tenures, being particularly common on freehold land. Gamba Grass occurred in 15% of cells, with hot spots in a number of areas. It was most common on freehold land, and was rare on conservation reserves. It also showed an association with broad land units reflecting wetter areas. Mission grasses are so widespread in the Darwin region that control can only be contemplated in very small areas requiring frequent treatment of re-invading plants. It may be possible to control Gamba Grass in conservation reserves and Crown land if prompt action is taken. For all three species, preventing their spread to new areas should be a high priority.
The Media and the Environment
Authors: Ehrlich Paul , Ehrlich Anne
Published: May 2016

In late May of 2004 the New York Times published a weak mea culpa for its dismal reporting on George Bush's idiotic adventure in Iraq. The sad thing was that its coverage had been much better than the average in the mainstream U.S. media. We felt that time had come for that newspaper to publish a similar statement on its grossly inadequate treatment of environmental issues, so in early June we submitted the "OP ED" reprinted below. Needless to say it was not published. In the short time since, things have gotten even worse and the Times and its cohorts spent a week canonizing Ronald Reagan, the second worst President the United States has ever had (Bush II has, to everyone's amazement, captured the number one position). While there was occasional mention of Reagan's sleazy foreign policy moves and his war on the poor, his moves to destroy the environment were universally ignored. We should all recall that he appointed James Watt his Secretary of the Interior, a religious crazy who believed the "rapture" was so imminent that there was no need to protect Earth's life support systems. Watt later barely avoided a jail sentence for his corrupt acts while in office.
Ecosystem Management: Adaptive, Community-based Conservation
Authors: Lilith Maggie
Published: May 2016

For those wanting to place Australian perspectives on community-based conservation in an international context, Gary Meffe, Larry Nielsen, Richard Knight and Dennis Schenborn have released a new book called Ecosystem Management: Adaptive, Community-based Conservation, which examines the application of scientific principles of conservation biology to realworld problem solving. It is intended as a textbook for postgraduate courses in ecosystem management, or as extension material for advanced undergraduates.
Biodiversity and agricultural landscapes: Can the wicked policy problems be solved?
Authors: Brennan Andrew
Published: May 2016

Conservation issues for agricultural landscapes are typical examples of "wicked" public policy problems: that is, ones in which questions are not clearly defined, and there is apparent conflict between different sets of values, all of which are legitimate. The paper argues that how to protect intrinsic value in nature is itself a wicked policy problem, complicated by the fact that at least three different senses of "intrinsic value" are easily confused. The challenge for policy in Australian agriculture is how to protect remaining natural values by processes that are fair to stakeholders, governed by scientific credibility and sensitive to the plurality of values held by groups within the community. The paper argues that scientists themselves can play an important role not just in problem definition, but also in helping set the agenda for action that will be effective in preserving natural diversity.
The influence of Feral Cats Felis catus on the distribution and abundance of introduced and endemic Galápagos rodents
Authors: Dexter Nick , C. Dowler Robert , P. Flanagan Joseph , Hart Sharelle , A. Revelez Marcia , E. Lee Jr Thomas
Published: May 2016

The impact of feral cats on the distribution and abundance of endemic and introduced rodents in the Gal�pagos Islands, Ecuador was assessed by sampling the rodent fauna of islands with and without cats. All islands where endemic rodents are known to have previously occurred were sampled. No new species of rodent or species considered extinct were recorded, but all species of endemic rodents believed to be extant were recorded. All islands sampled had rodents, but no endemic rodents were recorded on islands with cats. To examine whether endemic rodents had a potentially higher susceptibility to predation by cats compared to introduced rodents, the aversion of rodents to the scent of cats was tested by placing dried cat faeces on every second trap at each site trapped and the difference in trap success between endemic and introduced rodents compared. Introduced rodents on islands with feral cats were significantly less likely to enter traps with cat faeces compared to endemic and introduced rodents on islands without cats. This suggests that Gal�pagos endemic rodents may be more susceptible to predation by cats than introduced rodents because of the lack of an innate aversion to cats.
Spatial modelling of "alternative" future landscapes under climate change and fire suppression, Mont Do, New Caledonia
Authors: L. W. Perry George , J. Enright N.
Published: May 2016

The vegetation dynamics and disturbance regimes of the south-west Pacific have been significantly altered following human settlement. Previously forested landscapes are now dominated by a matrix of flammable early successional vegetation within which patches of mesic, fire-sensitive forest are embedded. Future environmental change, and in particular climate change, will further affect disturbance regimes in these ecosystems. If ignition frequency and fire extent increase, then the persistence of these landscapes in their current composition and structure is uncertain. Using a spatially explicit landscape ecological model, we explored the implications of climatically altered fire regimes for landscape composition and structure in a mountain-top reserve in New Caledonia. The outcomes of the modeling suggest that increased ignition probability and vegetation flammability would lead to a maquis (heathland)-dominated landscape structurally simpler than that seen today. The feasibility of fire suppression as a means of managing altered fire regimes was explored using a series of model experiments. Fire suppression has been problematic in some systems, especially those where fire hazard increases over time. However, in this ecosystem, and others in the south-west Pacific, it may be a viable alternative for managing fire because fire hazard, in terms of flammability, peaks early in the succession and then decreases over successional time.
Welcome to the Arbustocene
Authors: F. Recher Harry , R. Ehrlich Paul
Published: May 2016

The beginning and end of each geological epoch is marked by a major, often cataclysmic, event affecting Earth?s biophysical environment. Most often major periods in Earth?s history requiring a new epoch to be named are remarkable by the mass extinction of dominant life forms and their eventual replacement by new groups of organisms which then dominate Earth?s ecosystems. Only once in pre-history were these spectacular evolutionary events precipitated by a physical or chemical change to Earth?s atmosphere as a result of biological activity. This occurred early in Earth?s history with the release of ?polluting? oxygen after the evolution of photosynthesis. More frequently, punctuations in the evolution of life have been brought on by some virtually instantaneous disruption to climate by extreme volcanic activity or an asteroid strike, such as that which heralded the end of dinosaurs and the dawn of the age of mammals. In these instances, changes to the capacity of Earth?s atmosphere to absorb and reflect light and heat from the Sun initiated a period of rapid global climate change leaving insufficient time for organisms to migrate or adapt.
Distribution, biology and prey selection of the introduced Norway Rat Rattus norvegicus at Kiska Island, Aleutian Islands, Alaska
Authors: L. Major Heather , L. Jones Ian
Published: May 2016

At Kiska Island, Alaska, USA we quantified age, sex, size, distribution and predation of Least Auklets Aethia pusilla by non-indigenous Norway Rats Rattus norvegicus, to evaluate their impact on auklet reproductive success. Rat distribution was assessed by surveying accessible parts of Kiska Island for rat sign and prey hoards. To quantify prey selection and infer diet, the contents of all hoards found were identified. Age, sex and size structure of the rat population was assessed using limited snap trapping on and off the Sirius Point auklet colony. Norway Rat sign was abundant in all areas near breeding seabirds and marine sources of food but rat sign abundance varied among years at Sirius Point. Although we found a larger proportion of juvenile to adult rats (0.54 : 0.46, p < 0.01) at Sirius Point, no significant differences were found in the proportion of reproductive to non-reproductive females (0.50 : 0.27, p > 0.05) or in overall adult body size (257 g and 37 cm : 236 g and 35 cm, p > 0.05) between Sirius Point and Christine Lake where breeding auklets are absent. Surplus killing and food hoarding by rats was noted in all years during the auklet laying period, with adult Least Auklets being the principal prey taken (4-148 individuals per hoard, n = 16 hoards). Our observations were consistent with the notion that rats have a negative impact on auklet populations, but for management purposes further information on whether rats are the sole cause of auklet reproductive failure is required.
Decline in the prevalence of chytridiomycosis in frog populations in North Queensland, Australia
Authors: R. McDonald K. , Méndez D. , Müller R. , B. Freeman A. , Speare R.
Published: May 2016

In the early 1990s stream-associated amphibian populations in tropical upland North Queensland experienced severe declines resulting in extinction of three species, local elimination of four species, marked reductions in one species and apparently no declines in other species, Chytridiomycosis, a disease due to the amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochylrium dendrobatidis, was the likely cause of this epidemic. We conducted a monitoring study for chytridiomycosis in four species of frogs in North Queensland from October 1998 to October 2002 by collecting specimens in the field and using histology of removed digits to diagnose chytridiomycosis. Chytridiomycosis was diagnosed in 112 (7,1%) of the 1 578 specimens and prevalence was significantly associated with season and altitude, with higher prevalences in winter and above 300 metres altitude. A multivariate model adjusting for potential confounding effects arising from the sampling process demonstrated a significant decline in the time trend of prevalence of chytridiomycosis. The study supports the hypothesis that B. dendrobatidis becomes endemic after the initial epidemic wave. Since the surviving species of stream-associated frog, Litoria genimaculata, has increased to pre-decline numbers, the decline in prevalence of chytridiomycosis is evidence of a changed pathogen-host relationship. The reasons for this change are speculative but could be due to an increase in innate host resistance in response to selection pressure by B. dendrobatidis or to lower rainfall associated with an EI Nino effect. These findings justify management strategies that assist susceptible amphibian species to survive an initial epidemic wave of chytridiomycosis.
Food Webs at the Landscape Level
Authors: Whipp Robyn
Published: May 2016

Ecological theory generally and food web theory in particular has traditionally focused its attention on "closed systems?. This creates an obvious catch-twcnty-two: while this simplified approach has been a useful opening gambit in trying to unravel the incredible complexity inherent in ecological systems, it is almost never the case in real life. Therefore, it has often been difficult to apply basic ecological theory to real-world situations, or even to know how to start.
Memo for a Saner World
Authors: Turner Lesia
Published: May 2016

Bob Brown, the Australian Green?s Party Senator, has been voted the ?World?s most inspiring politician?. His political career has spanned two decades, during which he established both the Wilderness Society and the Australian Bush Heritage Fund. Senator Brown has also won several prestigious environmental awards. His stance on environmental ethics and human rights issues have led to assault, vilification and incarceration, but his voice has not wavered despite pressure from local and international sources.
Estimating population size of the Black-eared Miner, with an assessment of landscape-scale habitat requirements
Authors: H. Clarke Rohan , L. Boulton Rebecca , F. Clarke Michael
Published: May 2016

The decline of the Black-eared Miner Manorina melanotis has been caused primarily by habitat degradation and vegetation clearance. To better direct conservation actions for this species there was a need to assess habitat requirements on a regional-scale and to estimate the population size using quantitative methods. We used vegetation mapping and the current distribution of the Black-eared Miner to determine regional-scale habitat requirements. These findings were combined with the results of distance sampling to provide population estimates. The species is restricted to large tracts of intact mallee in the Murray Mallee of southeastern Australia that have not been burnt for at least 45 years. The density of Black-eared Miners is highest in areas that are dominated by mallee-Triodia associations and have not been intensively grazed. The Bookmark Biosphere Reserve supports an estimated 501 (270-927, 95% CI) colonies, containing 3 758 (2 026-6 954) phenotypically pure Black-eared Miners, 2 255 (1 215-4 170) hybrids and small numbers of Yellow-throated Miners Manorina flavigula. However, the effective population size is considerably smaller (390 Black-eared Miners (210-726) and 234 hybrids (126-433)). due to a skewed adult sex ratio (1 female: 1.81 males) and complex social organization. A smaller population also persists in the Murray Sunset National Park containing 53 (32-85) Black-eared Miner/hybrid colonies. Both populations face a high risk of extinction from large-scale wildfire. The endangered status of the species under IUCN criteria remains warranted.
News from the Australasian Section of the Society of Conservation Biology
Authors: Nelson Nicola , Recher Harry
Published: May 2016

Hello to all SCB members. Please remember that this is your newsletter. The Section Board does not just want to report to the membership on our activities, but would like to see the News and Views section used as a sounding board for our members. We invite you to take advantage of this unique opportunity and send any articles, notices of events and meetings, information, requests ? in fact, just about anything that you would like to see aired among the membership.
Causes of mortality to the endangered Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius johnsonii in Queensland, Australia
Authors: P. Kofron Christopher , Chapman Angela
Published: May 2016

The Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius johnsonii is endemic to north-east Queensland, Australia, where it inhabits tropical rainforest. Of the total former cassowary habitat, only 20-25% remains, with much of this under pressure for development. The species is listed as endangered by both the Australian Commonwealth Government and the Queensland State Government. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (2002) estimated 1 500?2500 adult Southern Cassowaries remain. The primary cause of the species' decline is habitat loss and fragmentation, with motor vehicle strikes and dog attacks considered major threats for local populations. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to quantify the causes of mortality to Southern Cassowaries, including motor vehicle strikes and dog attacks, which have not previously been quantified. We obtained data for 140 cassowary deaths from the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, local government councils and persons having experiences with cassowaries. The leading cause of death for 110 cassowaries from 1986?2004 was motor vehicle strikes (55%), and the second leading cause of death was dog attacks (18%). Together, motor vehicles and dogs caused 74% of the cassowary mortalities for which the causes of death could be determined. Seventy-nine of the recorded cassowary deaths (63%) were in the Mission Beach area, suggesting this loca! population is under tremendous pressure. We expect cassowary numbers to continue to decline, especially in the Mission Beach area. We encourage the Commonwealth, State and relevant local governments to fully implement recovery actions. We believe the goal of conserving the Southern Cassowary and its habitat in perpetuity is attainable, but it will require public commitment and political will.
The Sustainability Conundrum
Authors: McLean Ian
Published: May 2016

For a Drosophila growing up in a jar in a genetics laboratory, there should be no uncertainty about at least one central feature of existence: there is an all-powerful God. That God supplies the requirements for selfmaintenance, creates fascinating new conditions for evolutionary exploration, and ultimately delivers life or death without consultation or understanding. In other words, there is no sense in which our Drosophila can sustain its world or its existence for a moment longer than will be decided by an ultimate power over which it has no control or influence. To be happy, therefore, it should live life as a fatalist and take maximum pleasure from current conditions.
Conservation and use of the Hawksbill Turtle ? public valuation and attitudes: an Australian case study
Authors: Tisdell Clem , Swarna Nantha Hemanath , Wilson Clevo
Published: May 2016

Managing Hawksbill Turtle Eretmochelys Imbricata populations for use and conservation requires (i) adequate scientific understanding of their population status and dynamics and (ii) consideration of the public's attitudes to this species. This study employs sample surveys to assess the Australian public's attitudes towards the Hawksbill Turtle, their knowledge of it, their views about its sustainable commercial harvesting, and their willingness to pay for the species' conservation. Contingent valuation reveals that the sample's willingness to contribute to the conservation of the Hawksbill Turtle rose relative to other reptile species when respondents were better informed, and that it is high in comparison to selected threatened Australian bird and mammal fauna. Most of this stated contribution is based on the intrinsic (non-use) value associated with this turtle. The Australian public probably will only accept harvesting of the Hawksbill Turtle if its sustalnability is assured and its population is considered to be more secure. The CITES categorization of the Hawksbill as an Appendix I species hampers the development of techniques for its sustainable use.
The extent of dispersive movement behaviour in Australian vertebrate animals, possible causes, and some implications for conservation
Authors: Gilmore Sandy , Mackey Brendan , Berry Sandra
Published: May 2016

We review categorizations of, and published evidence for, large-scale or dispersive movement in Australia's vertebrate fauna. For the purposes of this paper, dispersive movements are defined as any large scale movements, relative to an individual's territory or to the population breeding range. A continuum in dispersive behaviours can be recognized between regular annual migration and less regular more opportunistic and either more or less extensive re-colonization movements. We argue that dispersive movements can be explained in terms of individuals maximizing Darwinian fitness through optimizing net energy intake traded off against mortality risk, as these vary over space and time. We find that migration, nomadism and other forms of dispersive behaviour can be considered to differ, not in type, but merely in degree. Our review revealed evidence of dispersive movement for 36 (16%) freshwater fish species, 2 (1 %) frogs, 5 (0.6%) land and freshwater reptiles, 7 (100%) marine reptiles, 342 (51%) land and freshwater birds, 88 (56%) marine birds, 27 (8%) land and freshwater mammals, and 28 (50%) marine mammals. The Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) is the Australian Government's main legal instrument for the conservation of biodiversity. While it recognizes, and has special provisions for, international migratory species, the Act does not recognize the special conservation challenges of continental dispersive fauna. The continental dispersive fauna not recognized by the Act includes 246 bird species. We conclude that the EPBC Act needs to be amended to explicitly account for the national conservation responsibilities of the Australian Government with respect to dispersive fauna.
Diet of Feral Cats in Hawai?i Volcanoes National Park
Authors: C. Hess Steven , Hansen Heidi , Nelson Daniel , Swift Roberta , C. Banko Paul
Published: May 2016

We documented the diet of feral cats by analysing the contents of 42 digestive tracts from Kilauea and Mauna Loa In Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park. Small mammals, invertebrates, and birds were the most common prey types consumed by feral cats. Birds occurred in 27.8?29.2% of digestive tracts. The total number of bird, small mammal, and invertebrate prey differed between Kilauea and Mauna Loa. On Mauna Loa, significantly more (89%) feral cats consumed small mammals, primarily rodents, than on Kilauea Volcano (50%). Mice (Mus musculus) were the major component of the feral cat diet on Mauna Loa, whereas Orthoptera were the major component of the diet on Kilauea. We recovered a mandible set, feathers, and bones of an endangered Hawaiian Petrel (Plerodroma sandwichensis) from a digestive tract from Mauna Loa. This specimen represents the first well-documented endangered seabird to be recovered from the digestive tract of a feral cat in Hawai'i and suggests that feral cats prey on this species.
Improving the landscape scale management of Buffel Grass Cenchrus ciliaris using aerial survey, predictive modelling, and a Geographic Information System
Authors: Puckey Helen , Brock Chris , Yates Cameron
Published: May 2016

Buffel Grass Cenchrus ciliaris is a major environmental threat to biodiversity in central Australia and is rapidly expanding its distribution on National Parks and other areas of conservation concern. Managers need appropriate mapping of the potential and current Buffel Grass distribution at a broad landscape scale in order to prioritize their use of limited resources for survey and control efforts. Watarrka National Park was used as a case study to trial the effectiveness of aerial survey for mapping Buffel Grass distribution. Over 7 000 aerial observations were recorded from transects across the whole Park. Ground truthing indicated an acceptable level of accuracy for the aerial derived data at 84%, and a Kappa coefficient of 49. The aerial survey data were used to build a surface probability model for the entire Park based on environmental variables using Generalized Linear Modelling and then applied using a Geographic Information System. Distance to drainage and distance to tracks, followed by ruggedness, hummock grass cover and soil texture were the most important explanatory variables in determining the probability of occurrence of Buffel Grass. The surface model was overlaid with available vegetation mapping to quantify the level of threat to native plant diversity, in particular rare plant species diversity. This information is useful in developing a strategy for managing Buffel Grass at a landscape scale that is based on invasive potential and known biodiversity values, where previous management has focused on small scale site specific control actions.
Selection of artificial refuge structures in the Australian skink, Egernia stokesii
Authors: L. Mensforth Corinne , Michael Bull C.
Published: May 2016

At least three currently named subspecies of the rock dwelling skink Egernia stokesii from Western Australia (E. s. stokesii, E. s. aethiops and E. s. badia) have restricted distributions or are considered endangered. We tested preferences of the more common eastern form of E. stokesii (E. s. zellingi) for various artificial refuges made from paving bricks by offering alternative structures in enclosures and recording times spent on each. We found that lizards preferred refuges with more crevices. They did not discriminate between structures where the crevices were located higher or lower or between structures that did or did not have adjacent small bushes. However, lizard basking position was influenced by crevice height or by proximity of a bush. Our results are relevant where translocations of animals are a component of conservation management, and where artificial refuges are added to induce relocated individuals to remain or to increase resources for existing populations.
Why are we still using a ?one size fits all? philosophy for systematic reserve planning in Australia?
Authors: Watson James , A. Fuller Richard , Barr Lissa
Published: May 2016

Funds available for investment in biodiversity conservation are small in comparison with the resources available to those interested in using the land for other purposes. In response to this disparity, the discipline of systematic conservation planning has developed tools to optimize decision making for investing limited conservation funds in the most effective and transparent manner possible (Possingham et al. 2006). Since its origins in the mid-1980s, systematic conservation planning has grown rapidly, spawning hundreds of peer-reviewed papers (Pressey et al. 2007). Importantly, it now shapes policy legislation in many terrestrial and marine regions across the globe.
Ecosystem conservation in multi-tenure reserve networks: the contribution of land outside of publicly protected areas
Authors: A. Fitzsimons James , Wescott Geoff
Published: May 2016

Multi-tenure reserve networks have been developed as a mechanism to improve cross tenure management and protection of biodiversity, but also as a means of accounting for biodiversity assets managed for conservation outside of protected areas on public land. We evaluated the contribution of multi-tenure reserve networks to enhancing the comprehensiveness and representativeness of ecosystems in publicly protected areas, using three Australian case studies. All networks contributed to enhancing comprehensiveness and representativeness, but this contribution varied between networks and between components of those networks. Significantly, components on private land and ?other public land? in all three networks greatly enhanced the protection of some ecosystems at a subregional scale. The Grassy Box Woodlands Conservation Management Network, in particular made a substantial contribution to conservation, with most components protecting remnants of an endangered and under-represented ecosystem. Multi-reserve conservation networks not only act to protect threatened and under-reserved ecosystems, but they also provide a mechanism to account for this protection. Thus, multi-tenure reserve networks have the potential to provide increased knowledge and understanding to conservation planning decision making processes.
Extraction and amplification of DNA from the dried rostra of sawfishes (Pristidae) for applications in conservation genetics
Authors: Phillips N. , Chaplin J. , Morgan D. , Peverell S.
Published: May 2016

DNA was obtained from the skin tissue of a high proportion (198/236) of dry rostra collected during the past ~30 years from the sawfishes Pristis microdon, P. clavata, P. zijsron and Anoxypristis cuspidata. DNA obtained from the dry rostra was usually either non-degraded, or only partly degraded, and was of a quality whereby a 465?468-bp portion of the mtDNA 12S rRNA gene could be PCR-amplified. These findings demonstrate that it is possible to use the dry rostra, which are generally readily available, as a source of DNA in conservation genetic studies of sawfishes. Such studies are needed for the development of effective conservation strategies for these critically endangered species, but would otherwise be greatly constrained by the difficulties of obtaining samples from sufficient numbers of living sawfishes.
Effects of mulch type and depth on the colonization of habitat patches by soil and litter arthropods
Authors: Nakamura Akihiro , P. Catterall Carla , J. Burwell Chris , L. Kitching Roger , P. N. House Alan
Published: May 2016

Mulch is widely used to encourage establishment and growth of replanted vegetation in forest restoration. The presence of mulch may also benefit soil and litter dwelling arthropods, but little is known about how recolonizing arthropods respond to different types and quantities of mulch used in forest restoration. We employed a manipulative field experiment to assess the effects of mulch type and depth on the colonization patterns of ants and other soil and litter arthropods in created habitat patches. Experimental habitat patches of 2.5 m x 2.5 m were established by adding sterilized hay (a conventionally used mulching material) or forest woodchip (a structurally more complex alternative) at two depths (shallow 3?5 cm, deep 10?15 cm) to create conditions similar to those during the initial stages of rainforest restoration. These were deployed at five sites adjacent to rainforest remnants on the Maleny plateau of subtropical eastern Australia. Despite its simple composition, hay performed better than woodchip in facilitating colonization by arthropods characteristic of rainforest. Shallow hay was favored by rainforest-dependent ant species. Although the results supported the use of hay over woodchip as habitat for rainforest arthropods, neither hay nor woodchip excluded arthropods characteristic of pasture.
Canopy nectar production and the impact of logging and climate in Grey Ironbark Eucalyptus paniculata (Smith) forests
Authors: S. Law Bradley , Chidel Mark
Published: May 2016

Nectar in tall forest canopies is a significant, but poorly quantified, resource for Australian fauna, as well as the European Honeybee Apis mellifera. We investigated the impact of logging on nectar production in the canopy of Grey Ironbark Eucalyptus paniculata (Smith) forests in southern Australia. Using cherry-pickers and cranes we measured nectar production in large and small trees in replicate sites in each of recently logged, young regrowth and old regrowth forest over three consecutive years (2004?2006). We focused on over-night nectar production, although nectar was produced during both the day and night. Logging history and tree size, when considered individually, had no significant effect on nectar production per flower, although the two factors showed a significant interaction. However, these differences were relatively minor in comparison to the negative relationship with drought. Little nectar was produced per flower under any logging history in drought. During good conditions nectar production varied depending on logging history. When scaled up to the forest stand, logging history had a marked effect on nectar production with old regrowth forest producing seven times as much sugar per ha as recently logged forest. Young regrowth forest 15?20 years old produced nectar quantities intermediate between that of recently logged forest and regrowth forest. At the compartment scale, current practices require the retention of old forest and the typical extent of this retention reduced the difference between old regrowth forest and recently logged forest to a factor of two times. Nectar production per flower was low and a limited resource in autumn 2004 and late-winter 2005, but was copious and in surplus in early summer 2006. Nectar standing crops at the flower scale appeared to be determined by an interaction between environmental conditions (drought) that negatively influenced nectar production and the feeding activity of flower visitors at the time, which itself is affected by prevailing temperatures and nectar attributes, such as sugar concentration and regional nectar availability. We suggest that management actions should focus on minimising nectar depletion in poor flowering years when the nectar resource is limiting.
Biodiversity Conservation in an Urbanized Insular Landscape: Identifying Priority Areas for Bird Species in Taiwan
Authors: D. Kelley Christopher , Lee Pei-Fen , Ding Tzung-Su , Sarkar Sahotra
Published: May 2016

The performance of Taiwan?s national park system in representing populations of native land-breeding birds was assessed and new priority areas for bird conservation were identified. Ecological niche models based on a maximum entropy algorithm were used to predict species? distributions. Areas were prioritized using a rarity?complementarity based algorithm that required satisfaction of explicit representation targets. The impracticability of selecting urbanized areas was incorporated by masking from selection those areas that contained more than a specified (threshold) percentage of modified land cover. Four modelling parameter sets differentiated by land-use land-cover (LULC) measures were used to model species? distributions. The areas selected using the different modeling parameter sets, varying representation targets for bird species presence, and different modified land cover percentage thresholds were compared to the existing national park system of Taiwan. Standard techniques of systematic conservation planning were adapted for a situation in which biodiversity conservation must take place in an insular, highly urbanized landscape. There were two surprising conclusions: (i) even though urbanization leads to declines in species? ranges, including urbanized areas leads to as spatially economical a representation of species in conservation area networks as not including them; and (ii) using a large array of LULC parameters to model species? distributions also leads to more economical solutions.
Online E-phemera
Authors: Calver Mike
Published: May 2016

Recently, an academic colleague showed me a letter of complaint from an undergraduate student who demanded to know why faculty continued to set expensive textbooks for students to purchase when the material needed ?is all available for free on the internet?. At one level, the student has a point. The internet is a rich and growing source of text, images, videos, interactive freeware and more of great value to teaching and research. For example, many government reports and statistical databases are available online rather than in print and online historical documents are now accessible to anyone rather than just those few with the opportunity to access physical archives (e.g., my personal favourites http:// showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln.html and http://www.oldbaileyonline.org/). Furthermore, increasing numbers of peer-reviewed research papers are available via open access, whereby authors, their institutions, or their granting bodies pay or provide a repository through which papers are available online for free to readers. Some granting bodies insist on open access for all published work arising from their support and some professional societies have gone to great lengths to place journal back issues online, in some cases back to the 19th century (e.g., the Searchable Ornithological Research Archive, http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/). Despite these advances, there can be worms in this apple of knowledge.
Short term effects of wild fire on invertebrates in coastal heathland in southeastern Australia
Authors: Greenslade Penelope , Smith Derek
Published: May 2016

Differences in the assemblages of terrestrial arthropod communities in burnt and adjacent unburnt areas of coastal heathland are reported. The burnt site experienced a wildfire 20 months prior to sampling. Collections of invertebrates from pitfall traps in winter indicated that there was no difference in total species richness or total numbers of individuals trapped between burnt and unburnt plots. However, at species level, 60 percent of the taxa showed a strong preference for either burnt areas or unburnt areas with only a few species trapped in around equal numbers in both areas. Twenty percent of species were only found on the unburnt plots. The implications of these results for fire management are discussed.
Do cat restrictions lead to increased species diversity or abundance of small and medium-sized mammals in remnant urban bushland?
Authors: Lilith Maggie , Calver Michael , Garkaklis Mark
Published: May 2016

We took advantage of cat regulations enacted within differing subdivisions in the City of Armadale, Western Australia, to test the hypotheses that the species diversity (measured by the Shannon-Weiner index) and abundance of small and medium-sized mammals should be higher in native bushland within or adjacent to subdivisions where cats are restricted compared to similar areas where cats are not restricted. There were three different regimes of cat regulation: no-cat zone (strict prohibition of cat ownership applying in one site), compulsory belling of cats and night curfew at one site, and unregulated zones (free-roaming cats applying at two sites). Both sets of cat regulations were in place for approximately 10 years prior to our survey. We also measured structural and floristic features of the vegetation at each site that might influence the species diversity and abundance of small and medium-sized mammals independently or interactively with cat activity. No significant differences in species diversity were found across the sites and KTBA (known-to-be-alive) statistics for Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula and Southern Brown Bandicoots Isoodon obesulus, the two most abundant medium-sized mammals present, were similar across all sites. The smaller Mardo Antechinus flavipes, which could be regarded as the most susceptible to cat predation of all the native species trapped because of its size, was trapped mostly at an unregulated cat site. Total mammals trapped at the unregulated cat sites exceeded those caught at the two sites with restrictions, but these unregulated sites also had significantly denser vegetation and there was a borderline (p = 0.05) rank correlation between vegetation density and mammal captures across all sites. It appears that pet cats are not the major influence on the species diversity or abundance of small and medium-sized mammals at these sites and that vegetation characteristics may be more important.
Collapse rates of hollow-bearing trees following low intensity prescription burns in the Pilliga forests, New South Wales
Authors: Parnaby Harry , Lunney Daniel , Shannon Ian , Fleming Mike
Published: May 2016

Hollows in trees are recognized as a critical and threatened resource for a wide range of fauna in Australian forests and woodlands, yet little data are available on the impact of fire on hollow-bearing trees. We report an opportunistic, post-fire assessment of the proportion of burnt, hollow-bearing trees that collapsed in stands near roads following low intensity prescription burns in three areas of mixed eucalypt forest in the Pilliga forests. Mean collapse rates on 29 plots (40 by 50m), separated by burn Area, ranged from 14?26% for a total of 329 burnt hollow-bearing trees. Collapse rates on individual plots ranged from 0?50%. Collapsed, hollow-bearing trees were predominantly older, with 40% of senescent trees and 44% of live stags collapsing. The best predictor in models of tree collapse was the presence of a basal fire entry point. We cannot determine the extent to which collapse rates on our plots are representative of burnt areas away from containment roads due to sampling limitations, but they appear to be higher than those reported from wildfire and more intense prescription burns in southern Australia. Our results point to an urgent need for comprehensively designed studies to address the impacts of prescribed burns on hollow-bearing trees.
Spatial distribution and habitat preferences of co-occurring vertebrate species: Case study of an endangered frog and an introduced toad in Fiji.
Authors: Thomas Nunia , Morrison Clare , Winder Linto , Morley Craig
Published: May 2016

Wildlife management, particularly the conservation of threatened species, often involves habitat management and
an understanding of species preferences. Much ecological data used to establish rare and endangered species
distributions and/or habitat associations exists in the form of point counts which often violates the assumptions of
commonly used statistical techniques. In this study, the spatial distribution and habitat preferences of an endangered,
endemic frog (Platymantis vitianus — Fiji ground frog) and an introduced toad (Rhinella marina — cane toad) were
observed and mapped on a 60 ha island using a grid of 232 sampling points with 50 × 20 m spacing. The Spatial
Analysis by Distance Indices (SADIE) analytical tool demonstrated that despite the wide range of habitats present on
Viwa Island, both ground frogs and cane toads displayed clear and defined macrohabitat preferences. Whilst both
species showed a strong preference for Inocarpus fagifer forests, there was little overlap in other habitat types with
the ground frogs preferring more densely vegetated forest habitats and cane toads preferring more open habitat types
close to both permanent and temporary water sources. Within the I. fagifer forests, there was no evidence of overlap
in the distributions of the two species. The spatial pattern evident indicates that cane toad and ground frog populations
co-exist, probably due to similar habitat preferences. However, a more detailed study on the interactions between the
two species within their natural environment is needed to determine the nature and magnitude of the impact of the
cane toad on the ground frog.
What hope for biodiversity in the face of anthropogenic climate change in Oceania?
Authors: Kingsford Richard T , Watson James E M
Published: May 2016

OVER the past five years, climate change has
not only become the main priority for
environment policy, it is influencing most
spheres of public policy as understanding
increases of the ramifications of global warming.
Despite the importance of the issue, governments
have struggled to reduce their carbon
addiction because of the high dependencies of
economies and social systems (e.g., jobs) on this
one element. Industries aggressively protect
their interests and the public debate is often
debased by a media who, in the interests of so
called balance, often set the issue up as one of
disagreement among opposing scientific factions
on anthropogenic climate change. A recent
extensive analysis of 1 372 climate researchers
and their publications and citation data showed
that 97-98% supported the tenets of anthropogenic
climate change, while the 2-3% of
scientists that disagreed had a scientific status
well below the majority (Anderegg et al. 2010).
There is no balance here. Further, international
frameworks for decision-making remain
fractured with considerable inertia to reduce
global emissions. Uncertainty over predictions
of what the future will look like has become an
increasingly easy reason for not making the
necessary policy responses to deal with climate
change. Some argue in the rich nations of
Oceania (e.g., Australia) that local emissions
policy detrimentally affects carbon dependent
industries and makes little difference because
they emit so little of the world’s carbon. This
ignores the morale responsibility for leadership
among the world’s worst emitters of carbon, on
a per capita level. It also ignores the critical fact
that the environments in our region of Oceania
are increasingly the vanguard of those affected
by sea level rise and other impacts of anthropogenic
climate change and no action will lead to
great suffering of those who need our help the
most.