Recruitment of Eucalyptus strzeleckii (Myrtaceae) in remnant patches of native vegetation in the Latrobe Valley and South Gippsland, Victoria
- Authors: Schinagl, Harley , Wright, Wendy , Rayment, Philip
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Journal of Botany Vol. 61, no. 8 (2014), p. 654-662
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Eucalyptus strzeleckii K.Rule (Strzelecki gum) is a medium to tall, forest swamp gum endemic to the foothills and flats of southern Victoria. It is listed as Vulnerable at State (Victoria) and Federal levels. Many of the existing populations are dominated by mature, senescing trees in highly degraded habitats and recruitment of the species is rarely observed. The present study assessed the natural recruitment of Strzelecki gum at locations where mature Strzelecki gums are present and habitat degradation is not a significant limiting factor. The number of mature and recruiting Strzelecki gum individuals was assessed within gradient-oriented belt transects (gradsects) and a range of variables considered to be likely to affect recruitment were measured and correlated with the results of the recruitment study. Strzelecki gum recruits (<5m tall) were found in 68.8% of gradsects and recruits accounted for 8-14% of the total stems counted for this species. Areas that had been recently burnt (within the past 5 years) had 15 times the number of Strzelecki gum recruits. Disturbance by flooding may also be positively associated with recruitment. Litter cover, habitat quality and density of intermediate-sized Strzelecki gums were all strong positive predictors for the density of Strzelecki gum recruits. Results from the present survey have provided a basis for land managers to estimate quantities of mature and recruiting Strzelecki gums in large populations. Journal compilation © CSIRO 2013.
Synthetic impact response functions for flood vulnerability analysis and adaptation measures in coastal zones under changing climatic conditions: a case study in Gippsland coastal region, Australia
- Authors: Dutta, Dushmanta , Wright, Wendy , Rayment, Philip
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Natural Hazards Vol. 59, no. 2 (2011), p. 967-986
- Full Text: false
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- Description: There is an increasing concern that the current management practices for many coastal regions are unsustainable. Very few countries have planned to deal with the exacerbation of environmental decline in the face of sea level rise. It is therefore necessary to assess socioeconomic and environmental impacts of sea level rises to better understand the vulnerability of coastal zones, as part of devising adaptive and integrated management principles. This paper presents a systematic approach by which relevant stakeholders can be actively engaged in prioritising flood impact issues and deriving information for quantification of impacts for adaptation measures and demonstrates the approach through implementation in the Gippsland coastal region. As outcomes of the project, we have identified key issues of concern for this region for flood impacts and constructed synthetic response functions for quantification of impacts of floods on some of the key issues in the region. The analysis also showed that stakeholders consider that some of the issues are not likely to be significantly affected by floods and thus may not require adaptation measures. The analysis did not provide high agreement on some issues. Different approaches are required to assess the importance of these issues and to establish impact response functions for them.
Thinning, fire and birds in Boola Boola state forest, Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Barr, Rachel , Wright, Wendy , Rayment, Philip
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Forestry Vol. 74, no. 1 (2011), p. 43-53
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Thinning is a silvicultural technique used extensively throughout Australia's production forests. The longer-term effects of thinning on forest biota are not well understood. This study provides an insight into the effects of thinning on avifauna and vegetation, 5-10 y after a thinning operation. A paired-site experimental design was used to compare bird density and species richness at thinned and unthinned sites in a mixed eucalypt production forest in Gippsland, Victoria. The 2006-2007 fires across Gippsland directly affected eight of twelve sites in this study, providing an opportunity to investigate the immediate effects of wildfire on birds. Significantly greater numbers of birds and bird species were found at thinned sites, compared with unthinned sites. Differences in vegetation structure and habitat quality were also apparent between thinned and unthinned sites. A reduction in both bird abundance and species richness occurred immediately after the wildfire. Research into the impact of silvicultural techniques, such as thinning, on forest biota is an important step towards achieving ecologically sustainable forestry. Improved understanding of the effect of forestry operations is imperative in order to maximise conservation in production environments.
Flood vulnerabillity analysis in coastal zones : a comparative analysis across five asia-pacific countries
- Authors: Wright, Wendy , Dutta, Dushmanta , Rayment, Philip
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Coastal Zones and Climate Change: Assessing the Impacts and Developing Adaptation Strategies
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
Use of synthetic impact response functions for the analysis of vulnerability to flood damage in Gippsland coastal zones
- Authors: Dutta, Dushmanta , Wright, Wendy , Rayment, Philip
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Conference paper
- Relation: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Coastal Zones and Climate Change: Assessing the Impacts and Developing Adaptation Strategies p. 419-432
- Full Text: false
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Large versus small wood in streams : the effect of wood dimension on macroinvertebrate communities
- Authors: Lester, Rebecca , Wright, Wendy , Jones-Lennon, Michelle , Rayment, Philip
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Fundamental and Applied Limnology Vol. 174, no. 4 (2009), p. 339-351
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: Conventionally, most research and restoration involving in-stream wood focuses on large wood (>0.1 m diameter), excluding any smaller pieces. However, this may neglect a major component of in-stream habitat, as small wood can constitute the majority of pieces, particularly in small streams. The ecological benefit of large wood is well established, but corresponding benefits associated with small wood (0.05-0.1 m diameter) have not been demonstrated. To test the effect of wood dimension on macroinvertebrate community composition, we compared the fauna occupying large wood habitats with that occupying small wood at eight streams in south-eastern Australia. The relationships between wood dimensions and its macroinvertebrate fauna were complex. Community composition did not vary with wood dimension, and no significant correlations were found between other macroinvertebrate attributes (including family richness and evenness) and wood dimension, including diameter. However, analysis of covariance suggested that large wood supported a greater diversity and abundance of macroinvertebrates, indicating that the method of analysis could influence the result. Adjustment for differences in sample dimension using rarefaction determined that these findings were likely to be a result of the surface area and volumes sampled varying with the dimension of the wood. Per unit surface area, and per unit volume, small wood supported a similar number of families to large wood. Thus we conclude that, relative to the available surface area, small and large wood can be equivalent in their contribution to the available habitat in a stream. Therefore, the potential value of small wood as a habitat resource warrants its explicit consideration for inclusion in ecological and rehabilitation studies.