Biases encountered in long-term monitoring studies of invertebrates and microflora : Australian examples of protocols, personnel, tools and site location
- Authors: Greenslade, Penelope , Florentine, Singarayer , Hansen, Birgita , Gell, Peter
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Vol. 188, no. 8 (2016), p. 1-9
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Monitoring forms the basis for understanding ecological change. It relies on repeatability of methods to ensure detected changes accurately reflect the effect of environmental drivers. However, operator bias can influence the repeatability of field and laboratory work. We tested this for invertebrates and diatoms in three trials: (1) two operators swept invertebrates from heath vegetation, (2) four operators picked invertebrates from pyrethrum knockdown samples from tree trunk and (3) diatom identifications by eight operators in three laboratories. In each trial, operators were working simultaneously and their training in the field and laboratory was identical. No variation in catch efficiency was found between the two operators of differing experience using a random number of net sweeps to catch invertebrates when sequence, location and size of sweeps were random. Number of individuals and higher taxa collected by four operators from tree trunks varied significantly between operators and with their ‘experience ranking’. Diatom identifications made by eight operators were clustered together according to which of three laboratories they belonged. These three tests demonstrated significant potential bias of operators in both field and laboratory. This is the first documented case demonstrating the significant influence of observer bias on results from invertebrate field-based studies. Examples of two long-term trials are also given that illustrate further operator bias. Our results suggest that long-term ecological studies using invertebrates need to be rigorously audited to ensure that operator bias is accounted for during analysis and interpretation. Further, taxonomic harmonisation remains an important step in merging field and laboratory data collected by different operators. © 2016, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
Building suitable restoration approaches in the Brownfields
- Authors: Florentine, Singarayer , Graz, Patrick , Doronila, Augustine , Martin, Rachael , Dowling, Kim , Fernando, Nimesha
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Sustainability in the Mineral and Energy Sectors Chapter 13 p. 223-239
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Human activity has, in the recent past resulted in substantial changes in land cover, ecosystem health, and the ability of affected ecosystems to return to their original state. This necessitates further human intervention to recreate the systems functions than the present. Earlier restoration activities have not been documented extensively. This hinders our efforts to identify approaches that might support further work. "From abstract"
Differences in composition and vertical distribution of Collembola from canopies of three Australian rainforests
- Authors: Greenslade, Penelope , Sutrisno , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Soil Organisms Vol. 88, no. 3 (2016), p. 175-192
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Invertebrates from three rainforest canopies (tropical TRF, subtropical STR and cool temperate CTR) were sampled by insecticidal knockdown in order to compare biodiversity of canopy faunas in Australia; lower and higher TRF and STR were sampled separately. Numerous Collembola were collected, mainly in the family Entomobryidae but relative family abundance of taxa differed between forest types. TRF was characterised by Dicyrtomidae, STR by Entomobryidae and CTR by Isotomidae and Neanuridae. Also morphospecies abundances differed between forest types. The high canopy of TRF was dominated by Lepidocyrtoides sp. 3 while the low canopy was dominated by Lepidocyrtoides sp. 6. SRF had a high proportion (80% of individuals) of a single species, the canopy specialist, Epimetrura rostrata, in both high and low canopies. In CTR, the dominant species was Entomobrya sp. cf. varia. Significant differences were found in either or both abundance and species composition of Collembola between trees within each rainforest. A significant difference was found in species abundances between lower and upper canopies in TRF and STR but not in species composition, also between canopies, pitfall samples and soil/leaf litter faunas. High levels of apparent rarity were found in all the three rainforests, being most marked on STR. Only four species occurred in all three types of rainforest indicating that beta diversity (i.e. species turnover between the three sites) was high. Our results are the first to compare faunal composition between three rainforest types and have implications for management of forests under a climate change scenario.
Factors affecting seed germination of feather fingergrass (Chloris virgata)
- Authors: Fernando, Nimesha , Humphries, Talia , Florentine, Singarayer , Chauhan, Bhagirath
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Weed Science Vol. 64, no. 4 (2016), p. 605-612
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Laboratory experiments were carried out to determine the effect of several environmental factors on seed germination of feather fingergrass, one of the most significant emerging weeds in warm regions of the world. Seed germination occurred over a broad range of temperatures (17/7, 25/10, and 30/20 C), but germination being highest at alternating temperatures of 30/20 C under both 12 h light/12 h dark and 24 h dark conditions. Although seed germination was favored by light, some seeds were capable of germinating in the dark. Increasing salt stress decreased seed germination until complete inhibition was reached at 250-mM sodium chloride. Germination decreased from 64 to 0.7% as osmotic potential decreased from 0 to -0.4 MPa, and was completely inhibited at -0.6 MPa. Higher seed germination (>73%) was observed in the range of pH 6.4 to 8 than the other tested pH levels. Heat shock had a significant effect on seed germination. Germination of seeds placed at 130 C for 5 min was completely inhibited for both dry and presoaked seeds. The results of this study will help to develop protocols for managing feather fingergrass, and to thus avoid its establishment as a troublesome weed in economically important cropping regions.
Glyphosate Resistance of C-3 and C-4 Weeds under Rising Atmospheric CO2
- Authors: Fernando, Nimesha , Manalil, Sudheesh , Florentine, Singarayer , Chauhan, Bhagirath , Seneweera, Saman
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Plant Science Vol. 7, no. (Jun 2016), p. 1-11
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The present paper reviews current knowledge on how changes of plant metabolism under elevated CO2 concentrations (e[CO2]) can affect the development of the glyphosate resistance of C-3 and C-4 weeds. Among the chemical herbicides, glyphosate, which is a non-selective and post-emergence herbicide, is currently the most widely used herbicide in global agriculture. As a consequence, glyphosate resistant weeds, particularly in major field crops, are a widespread problem and are becoming a significant challenge to future global food production. Of particular interest here it is known that the biochemical processes involved in photosynthetic pathways of C-3 and C-4 plants are different, which may have relevance to their competitive development under changing environmental conditions. It has already been shown that plant anatomical, morphological, and physiological changes under e[CO2] can be different, based on (i) the plant's functional group, (ii) the available soil nutrients, and (iii) the governing water status. In this respect, C-3 species are likely to have a major developmental advantage under a CO2 rich atmosphere, by being able to capitalize on the overall stimulatory effect of e[CO2]. For example, many tropical weed grass species fix CO2 from the atmosphere via the C-4 photosynthetic pathway, which is a complex anatomical and biochemical variant of the C-3 pathway. Thus, based on our current knowledge of CO2 fixing, it would appear obvious that the development of a glyphosate-resistant mechanism would be easier under an e[CO2] in C-3 weeds which have a simpler photosynthetic pathway, than for C-4 weeds. However, notwithstanding this logical argument, a better understanding of the biochemical, genetic, and molecular measures by which plants develop glyphosate resistance and how e[CO2] affects these measures will be important before attempting to innovate sustainable technology to manage the glyphosate-resistant evolution of weeds under e[CO2]. Such information will be of essential in managing weed control by herbicide use, and to thus ensure an increase in global food production in the event of increased atmospheric [CO2] levels.
Influence of selected environmental factors on seed germination and seedling survival of the arid zone invasive species tobacco bush (Nicotiana glauca R. Graham)
- Authors: Florentine, Singarayer , Weller, Sandra , Graz, Patrick , Westbrooke, Martin , Florentine, Arunthathy , Javaid, Muhammad , Fernando, Nimesha , Chauhan, Bhagirath , Dowling, Kim
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Rangeland Journal Vol. 38, no. 4 (2016), p. 417-425
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Tobacco bush (Nicotiana glauca R. Graham) is an aggressive invading species, which is active after disturbances such as high rainfall events and flooding. Past studies have focussed on population dynamics and allelopathic effects associated with the species, but little is known about its seed ecology. To address this dearth of information, this study aimed to investigate: (i) the effect of various stress factors (temperature, light, osmotic potential, salt stress, heat-shock, a combination of heat-shock and smoke, pH buffer, and burial depth of seed) on seed germination and seedling emergence, and (ii) factors affecting the fate of seedlings. The results show that N. glauca was able to germinate over a broad range of temperatures with highest seed germination occurring at 30/20°C with 12h of light and 12h of dark conditions. Seed germination was greatest (89%) when seeds were placed on the soil surface and emergence decreased considerably as planting depth increased from 0.5 to 1.5cm. Water stress greatly reduced seed germination (58% germination at osmotic potentials below -0.2 MPa) and germination was completely inhibited at water potentials of -0.4 to -0.6 MPa. Although increasing salinity reduced the seed germination of this invasive species, N. glauca seed was able to germinate in both alkaline (81% at pH 10) and acidic (80% at pH 4) conditions. The trial on the effect of seed age and field seed burial on seed germination showed a slight decline in seed germination after 120 days of burial compared with non-buried seeds. Further, the combined effect of heat-shock and smoke effectively inhibited the germination of N. glauca seeds; however, our study shows that seedlings of N. glauca can withstand heat-shock of up to 130°C. Studies such as this will assist in the development of control strategies to prevent the spread of this invasive species into arid landscapes. © 2016 Australian Rangeland Society.
Influence of various environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence of a noxious environmental weed: Green Galenia (Galenia pubescens)
- Authors: Mahmood, Ako , Florentine, Singarayer , Chauhan, Bhagirath , McLaren, David , Palmer, Grant , Wright, Wendy
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Weed Science Vol. 64, no. 3 (2016), p. 486-494
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Green galenia is a South African woody prostrate perennial that was first recorded in Australia in the early 1900s and has since become a serious threat to indigenous temperate grasslands and surrounding agricultural areas. Laboratory and field based experiments were conducted to examine the effect of environmental factors on the germination and viability of green galenia seed. It was shown that green galenia was able to germinate over a broad range of temperatures, but short bursts (5 min) of high temperatures (80 C to 120 C replicating possible exposures to a fire) reduced seed germination. Seed germination was positively favored by light, declined rapidly in darkness, and decreased by >80% at a depth of only 0.5 cm in soil. Water stress greatly reduced seed germination (45% germination at osmotic potentials below -0.2 MPa). Germination was completely inhibited at water potentials of -0.4 to -1.0 MPa. This species is moderately tolerant to salinity, with over 50% of seeds germinating at low levels of salinity (60 mM NaCl), and moderate germination (49%) occurring at 120 mM NaCl, it can germinate well in both alkaline (pH 10-83%) and acidic (pH 4-80%) conditions. The results of this study have contributed to our understanding of the germination and emergence of green galenia, and this will assist in developing tools and strategies for the long term management of this noxious weed in Victoria and other parts of Australia. Nomenclature: Green galenia, Galenia pubescens (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Druce.
Investigations into the effects of elevated carbon dioxide and drought on the growth and physiology of carpet weed (Galenia pubescens Eckl. & Zeyh.)
- Authors: Mahmood, Ako , Florentine, Singarayer , Fernando, Nimesha , Wright, Wendy , Palmer, Grant , McLaren, David , Sillitoe, Jim
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Conference proceedings
- Relation: 20th Australasian Weeds Conference 2016; Perth, Western Australia; 11th-15th September 2016 p. 347-350
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The present study aimed to examine the interactive effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration and drought stress on the growth and some of the physiological processes of Galenia pubescens. Photosynthetic rate of plants increased under elevated CO2 concentration, however drought caused significant reduction in net photosynthetic rate by (45% in 400 ppm CO2) and (27% in 700 ppm CO2) after five days simulating the drought treatment when compared with well-watered plants. Plants grown under elevated CO2 level and well-watered produced a greater biomass (17.5 ± 0.5 g per plant) compared to the plants which were grown under the ambient CO2 concentration.
Size-dependent characterisation of historical gold mine wastes to examine human pathways of exposure to arsenic and other potentially toxic elements
- Authors: Martin, Rachael , Dowling, Kim , Pearce, Dora , Florentine, Singarayer , Bennett, John , Stopic, Attila
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Geochemistry and Health Vol. 38, no. 5 (2016), p. 1097-1114
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Abandoned historical gold mining wastes often exist as geographically extensive, unremediated, and poorly contained deposits that contain elevated levels of As and other potentially toxic elements (PTEs). One of the key variables governing human exposure to PTEs in mine waste is particle size. By applying a size-resolved approach to mine waste characterisation, this study reports on the proportions of mine waste relevant to human exposure and mobility, as well as their corresponding PTE concentrations, in four distinct historical mine wastes from the gold province in Central Victoria, Australia. To the best of our knowledge, such a detailed investigation and comparison of historical mining wastes has not been conducted in this mining-affected region. Mass distribution analysis revealed notable proportions of waste material in the readily ingestible size fraction (aecurrency sign250 A mu m; 36.1-75.6 %) and the dust size fraction (aecurrency sign100 A mu m; 5.9-45.6 %), suggesting a high potential for human exposure and dust mobilisation. Common to all mine waste types were statistically significant inverse trends between particle size and levels of As and Zn. Enrichment of As in the finest investigated size fraction (aecurrency sign53 A mu m) is of particular concern as these particles are highly susceptible to long-distance atmospheric transport. Human populations that reside in the prevailing wind direction from a mine waste deposit may be at risk of As exposure via inhalation and/or ingestion pathways. Enrichment of PTEs in the finer size fractions indicates that human health risk assessments based on bulk contaminant concentrations may underestimate potential exposure intensities.
Sustainability and Regional Development: When Brownfields become playing fields sustainability in the mineral and energy sectors
- Authors: Dowling, Kim , Florentine, Singarayer , Martin, Rachael , Pearce, Dora
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Sustainability in the Mineral and Energy Sectors Chapter 17 p. 305-321
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Human activity has, in the recent past, resulted in substantial changes in land cover, ecosystem health, and the ability of affected ecosystems to return to their orginal state. This necessitates further human intervention to recreate the systems functions than the present. Earlier restoration activities have not been documented extensively. This hinders our efforts to identify approaches that might support further work. "From Abstract"
The effectiveness of different planting frameworks for recruitment of tropical rainforest species on ex-rainforest land
- Authors: Florentine, Singarayer , Pohlman, Catherine , Westbrooke, Martin
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Restoration Ecology Vol. 24, no. 3 (2016), p. 364-372
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: A long-term rainforest restoration experiment was established on abandoned pasture in northeastern Queensland in 1993 to examine the effectiveness of five different restoration planting methods: (T1) control (no plantings); (T2) pioneer monoculture (planting seedlings of one pioneer species, Homalanthus novoguineensis, Euphorbiaceae); (T3) Homalanthus group framework method (H. novoguineensis and eight other pioneer species); (T4) Alphitonia group framework method (Alphitonia petriei, Rhamnaceae, with eight other pioneer species); and (T5) maximum diversity method (planting pioneers, middle-phase species, and mature-phase species). We investigated temporal patterns in the (1) fate of seedlings originally planted in 1993; (2) natural recruitment of native plant species; and (3) current habitat structure (canopy cover and ground cover of grasses and invasive plants) within each restoration treatment. A total of 97% of seedlings planted in T2 died within the first 13 years and all had died by 2014. A total of 72% of seedlings planted in T3, 55.5% of seedlings planted in T4, and 55% of seedlings planted in T5 also died by 2014. By 2014, 42 species from 21 families had recruited across the experimental site, and the abundance of recruits was almost twice that recorded in 2001 and 2006. Overall, T3, T4, and T5 had the greatest diversity and abundance of recruits. By 2014, canopy cover was greatest in T3, T4, and T5 but grass cover was least in T5. It is concluded that some restoration success measures increase with planting diversity, but overall the rate of recovery is similar in framework species and maximum diversity method. © 2016 Society for Ecological Restoration.
After the Goldrush: Developing closure criteria for a mined landscape
- Authors: Dorinila, Augustine , Bellette, Marc , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Responsible Mining: case studies in managing social and environmental risks in the developed world Chapter 22 p. 639-662
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Chapter 22 provides an example of variations in local conditions and authorized specifications. The authors present a reclamation case study of an area that was mined 155 years during the gold rush in the state of Victoria, Australia, resulting in significant heavy metal contamination. Using the normal approach of storing the original "natural" vegetation without consideration of ecological differences was not realistic. Measurement of success should cover composition, structure, function and monitoring of invertebrates, because all of these are important components of the ecosystem. This 10 year field trial concluded that (1) only hard seeds survive the pressure of being entombed in stockpiles, so soil should be used soon after stripping to maximize recruitment and diversity; (2) appropriate criteria should be employed for mined sites, especially tailings facilities, with the objective of reverting these to sef-sustaining ecosystems; and (3) future projects should include variables, such as indices of diversity within the ecosystem attributes and at least two reference sites, to suitably portray the ecosystem variation. The authors also discuss how environmental legislation should be based on the ecological settings of the area.
- Description: Chapter 22 provides an example of variations in local conditions and authorized specifications. The authors present a reclamation case study of an area that was mined 155 years during the gold rush in the state of Victoria, Australia, resulting in significant heavy metal contamination. Using the normal approach of storing the original "natural" vegetation without consideration of ecological differences was not realistic. Measurement of success should cover composition, structure, function and monitoring of invertebrates, because all of these are improtant components of the ecosystem. This 10 year field trial concluded that (1) only hard seeds survive the pressure of being entombed in stockpiles, so soil should be used soon after stripping to maximize recruitment and diversity; (2) appropriate criteria should be employed for mined sites, especially tailings facilities, with the objective of reverting these to sef-sustaining ecosystems; and (3) future projects should include variables, such as indices of diversity within the ecosystem attributes and at least two reference sites, to suitably portray the ecosystem variation. The authors also discuss how environmental legislation should be based on the ecological settings of the area.
Decade-long response of arid-land mallee vegetation to fire, flooding and grazing in south-eastern Australia
- Authors: Florentine, Singarayer , Milberg, Per , Di Stefano, Julian , Westbrooke, Martin , Graz, Patrick
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Arid Environments Vol. 121, no. October (2015), p. 7-14
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Australian arid vegetation has evolved within highly variable environments characterised by low rainfall and sporadic fire events. Episodic high rainfall events are a significant factor in plant species recruitment, but their unpredictability makes them difficult to study. We report on the response of vascular plants to a major rainfall event and flood in an arid region of south-eastern Australia. Fire that occurred two months before the flood was incorporated into the study. Paired fenced and unfenced plots were established at control locations and also in areas that had been either flooded, burnt, or flooded and burnt. Objectives were to quantify the long-term effects of fire, flood and vertebrate herbivory, and their interactions, on vegetation composition, plant life forms and species diversity. We found that relative to controls (i) there was a significant effect of flooding on vegetation composition, (ii) changes in life form abundance were driven by flooding and grazing, (iii) there was a strong positive relationship between grazer exclusion and species diversity that was maintained over time and (iv) there was little effect of fire. Understanding the long-term effects of both natural disturbances and vertebrate herbivory will benefit plant conservation in the arid zone. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
Detecting the seeds of Nassella neesiana in large round hay bales, by means of non-destructive core sampling
- Authors: Weller, Sandra , Florentine, Singarayer , Sillitoe, Jim , Grech, Charles , McLaren, David , Chauhan, Bhagirath
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Plos One Vol. 10, no. 9 (2015), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: In the last three decades or so there has been a significant increase in fodder trading, both in terms of the quantity of fodder traded and in terms of its economic value to the industry. Often, this fodder type may be supplied free of charge to graziers in distress due to circumstances that follow natural disasters such as bushfires, drought, and flood. However, because of the obvious urgency arising from these situations, it is suspected that much relief fodder may unintentionally pose an elevated risk for dispersal of weeds since it may be supplied from pasture not normally used for trade in fodder, and therefore is of unknown quality. Previous destructive method to detect weed propagules in bales of fodder are cumbersome, time consuming and of limited ecological and statistical value. Therefore, objective of this paper was to development of a convenient method to assess round pasture hay bales for the presence of weed propagules, to prevent unintentional spread of noxious species in hay bales. To examine this objective known quantity of seeds were added in a series of distributions to bales of seed free pasture hay, and a positive correlation for the amount of seed added per bale with that recovered in core samples was observed. Whilst the number of seeds detected per bale varied according to the distribution of seeds within the bales and the number of cores analysed, the absolute detection of seeds suggests that this sampling method is worthy of further examination. In addition, a pragmatic estimation of bale remnants after stock feeding has been investigated to more closely estimate the potential size of the remaining seed bank. The authors propose that development of this approach is timely, in the light of future climatic uncertainty driving extreme weather events that increase the need for relief fodder, which can be a potential vector for the spread of noxious weed seeds.
Environmental benefits inferred from impact of reforestation of deforested creek bank on soil conditioning : A case study in Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Rasiah, Velu , Florentine, Singarayer , Dahlhaus, Peter
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Agroforestry Systems Vol. 89, no. 2 (2015), p. 345-355
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Information regarding changes in soil condition after reforestation may help in inferring environmental and ecosystem benefits. A case study was undertaken in Victoria State, Australia, to investigate the changes in soil condition after reforestation of a deforested creek bank to infer environmental benefits. The study was conducted at four sites in a large farm. At each site a ~150 mstrip of land that ran perpendicular to a creek from the bank to cropping area was selected. The results show that total organic carbon (TOC) and total mineral nitrogen (TN) in the cropped segment (CS) of a strip at a given site were significantly higher than in the corresponding reforested segment (RS) which in turn was higher than in the bare segment (BS) whilst the electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density (BD) were in the order BS > RS > CS. Six years after reforestation, TOC and TN in the RS increased by 30 and 24 %, respectively, compared with 9 and 8 % for 3 years. The EC, BD, and pH decreased by 26, 14, 14 %, respectively, 6 years after reforestation. Creek bank reforestation associated improvements in TOC, TN, BD, EC, and pH may have positive impact on pollutant and salinity abatement. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.
The need for speed: Timely prevention of the dispersal of noxious weeds in relief fodder using efficient sampling procedures
- Authors: Weller, Sandra , Florentine, Singarayer , Sillitoe, Jim , Grech, Charles , McLaren, David , Chauhan, Bhagirath
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Crop Protection Vol. 70, no. (2015), p. 21-27
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Invasive and noxious weeds are well known as a pervasive problem, imposing significant economic burdens on all areas of agriculture. Whilst there are multiple possible pathways of weed dispersal in this industry, of particular interest to this discussion is the unintended dispersal of weed seeds within fodder. During periods of drought or following natural disasters such as wild fire or flood, there arises the urgent need for 'relief' fodder to ensure survival and recovery of livestock. In emergency situations, relief fodder may be sourced from widely dispersed geographic regions, and some of these regions may be invaded by an extensive variety of weeds that are both exotic and detrimental to the intended destination for the fodder. Pasture hay is a common source of relief fodder and it typically consists of a mixture of grassy and broadleaf species that may include noxious weeds. When required urgently, pasture hay for relief fodder can be cut, baled, and transported over long distances in a short period of time, with little opportunity for prebaling inspection. It appears that, at the present time, there has been little effort towards rapid testing of bales, post-baling, for the presence of noxious weeds, as a measure to prevent dispersal of seeds. Published studies have relied on the analysis of relatively small numbers of bales, tested to destruction, in order to reveal seed species for identification and enumeration. The development of faster, more reliable, and non-destructive sampling methods is essential to increase the fodder industry's capacity to prevent the dispersal of noxious weeds to previously unaffected locales.
Winter diet of introduced red deer (Cervus elaphus) in woodland vegetation in Grampians National Park, western Victoria
- Authors: Roberts, Cathryn , Westbrooke, Martin , Florentine, Singarayer , Cook, Simon
- Date: 2015
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Mammalogy Vol. 37, no. 1 (2015), p. 107-112
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Although red deer (Cervus elaphus) have the potential to play a major role in influencing the structure and composition of vegetation, little is known about the dietary preferences of red deer in Australia. In the Grampians National Park, Victoria, where there is a large, established red deer population, there has been concern over the condition of woodlands, with lack of perennial seedling recruitment observed. We estimated the diets of 12 red deer using macroscopic sorting techniques. We examined rumen contents of seven male and five female red deer from four woodland Ecological Vegetation Classes, which indicate that they act as intermediate feeders. A wide variety of plants were ingested, with evergreen tree species, small trees and woody shrubs making up a large proportion of the diet, along with grasses. This study found that red deer show significantly different dietary intake due to sex, with females consuming a diet much higher in grasses, while males consume more trees and shrubs. These findings have implications for the management of red deer populations within the park and broader implications for their effects on Australian ecosystems.
An assessment of riparian restoration outcomes in two rural catchments in south-western Victoria : Focusing on tree and shrub species richness, structure and recruitment characteristics
- Authors: Wevill, Tricia , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Ecological Management and Restoration Vol. 15, no. 2 (2014), p. 133-139
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Riparian ecosystems are among the most degraded systems in the landscape, and there has been substantial investment in their restoration. Consequently, monitoring restoration interventions offers opportunities to further develop the science of riparian restoration, particularly how to move from small-scale implementation to a broader landscape scale. Here, we report on a broad range of riparian revegetation projects in two regions of south-western Victoria, the Corangamite and Glenelg-Hopkins Catchment Management Areas. The objectives of restoration interventions in these regions have been stated quite broadly, for example, to reinstate terrestrial habitat and biodiversity, control erosion and improve water quality. This study reports on tree and shrub composition, structure and recruitment after restoration works compared with remnant vegetation found regionally. Within each catchment, a total of 57 sites from six subcatchments were identified, representing three age-classes: <4, 4-8 and >8-12 years after treatment, as well as untreated (control) sites. Treatments comprised fencing to exclude stock, spraying or slashing to reduce weed cover, followed by planting with tube stock. Across the six subcatchments, 12 reference (remnant) sites were used to provide a benchmark for species richness, structural and recruitment characteristics and to aid interpretation of the effects of the restoration intervention. Vegetation structure was well developed in the treated sites by 4-8 years after treatment. However, structural complexity was higher at remnant sites than at treated or untreated sites due to a higher richness of small shrubs. Tree and shrub recruitment occurred in all remnant sites and at 64% of sites treated >4 years ago. Most seedling recruitment at treatment sites was by Acacia spp. This assessment provides data on species richness, structure and recruitment characteristics following restoration interventions. Data from this study will contribute to longitudinal studies of vegetation processes in riparian landscapes of south-western Victoria. © 2014 Ecological Society of Australia and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
Collembola (Springtails)
- Authors: Greenslade, Penelope , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: The distributions of invertebrate species along the Warra/Mt Weld altitudinal transect 2001/2002 and identification of taxa restricted by altitude (part of the Nature Conservation Report Series 13/4) Chapter 6 p.1-73
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Summary 1. The distributions of Collembola on the Warra-Mount Weld Altitudinal Transect were investigated based on samples taken from February–April 2001, November–December 2001 and January– February 2002. 2. The Collembola of the Warra-Mount Weld Altitudinal Transect was species rich with more than 40 species collected; the majority of species recorded have not been described. 3. Most of the species collected are considered endemic to Tasmania and some endemic genera were present. 4. The Malaise traps performed well indicating that a suite of species are arboreal and highly vagile. 5. No exotic (introduced, alien) species were detected in this study indicating that the area sampled has been little disturbed and is of high conservation value. 6. Altitudinal trends were evident with a small number of species only occurring at the high altitudes and others only at low altitudes. Only a few species appeared to occur at all altitudes sampled. 7. Ordination plots showed that Collembola assemblages at lower altitude sites on the Warra transect were more similar to each other than those at the higher altitude sites on Mount Weld which formed three clusters: 1100; 1200 and 1300 m; and 800, 900 and 1000 m. 8. Mount Weld sites 600 and 700 m faunas were most similar to Warra sites so forming a continuum in altitudinal zonation between Warra and Mount Weld. 9. PERMANOVA analysis of monthly pitfall catches in 2001 and 2002 showed differences between months and altitudes on both transects and that the differences between months were more distinct at the lower altitude Warra sites than on the higher altitude Mount Weld sites. This difference was particularly marked for the month of February, which was the only month surveyed in both years. 10.Much of the change in faunal assemblages along the Warra and Mount Weld altitudinal transect seemed to be the result of changes in vegetation cover. The most abrupt faunal transitions took place across the tree line between 1000 and 1100 m and a smaller change from lowland forest to subalpine woodland on the Mount Weld transect. 11.Much material in the pitfalls was in very poor condition because of the long trapping time with unsuitable preservative so could not be identified to species but rough estimates were made of numbers of individuals in each family or genus.
Health effects associated with inhalation of airborne arsenic arising from mining operations
- Authors: Martin, Rachael , Dowling, Kim , Pearce, Dora , Sillitoe, Jim , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Geosciences (Switzerland) Vol. 4, no. 3 (2014), p. 128-175
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Arsenic in dust and aerosol generated by mining, mineral processing and metallurgical extraction industries, is a serious threat to human populations throughout the world. Major sources of contamination include smelting operations, coal combustion, hard rock mining, as well as their associated waste products, including fly ash, mine wastes and tailings. The number of uncontained arsenic-rich mine waste sites throughout the world is of growing concern, as is the number of people at risk of exposure. Inhalation exposures to arsenic-bearing dusts and aerosol, in both occupational and environmental settings, have been definitively linked to increased systemic uptake, as well as carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health outcomes. It is therefore becoming increasingly important to identify human populations and sensitive sub-populations at risk of exposure, and to better understand the modes of action for pulmonary arsenic toxicity and carcinogenesis. In this paper we explore the contribution of smelting, coal combustion, hard rock mining and their associated waste products to atmospheric arsenic. We also report on the current understanding of the health effects of inhaled arsenic, citing results from various toxicological, biomedical and epidemiological studies. This review is particularly aimed at those researchers engaged in the distinct, but complementary areas of arsenic research within the multidisciplinary field of medical geology. © 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.