Threatened sun-moths (Lepidoptera: Castniidae) of the Victorian Mallee region
- Authors: Douglas, Fabian
- Date: 2006
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria Vol. 118, no. 2 (2006), p. 341-344
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- Description: This work provides an overview of the distribution, current conservation status and biology of four species of sun-moths (Synemon spp. Lepidoptera: Castniidae) that are known to occur in the Mallee region of north-western Victoria. As it is apparent that three of these species are currently threatened, the possible reasons for this situation are briefly discussed. Some broad recommendations are also made for the conservation and management of these threatened species.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003004775
Rainfall-driven Episodic Flood Events : Are they a major factor in moulding New South Wales arid land vegetation patterns?
- Authors: Florentine, Singarayer , Westbrooke, Martin
- Date: 2005
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Australian Geographer Vol. 36, no. 2 (2005), p. 171-181
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- Description: Episodic high rainfall has been proposed as an important factor in perennial species recruitment but flooding based on rainfall at a distance from the site has received little attention. Although such flood events in arid Australia are rare, studies of the ephemeral Olary Creek indicate that occasional floods can also have a high impact on the vegetation and landscape. During February 1997, a high-rainfall event caused flooding in the Olary Creek. One branch of the creek created a terminal lake within mallee vegetation on Nagaela Station in far-western New South Wales. The flood path of Olary Creek and this terminal lake allow study of the importance of rainfall-driven flood events in shaping vegetation in arid environments. This paper reports (i) the response of arid land plant species to high-rainfall-driven episodic flood events and (ii) how grazing pressure from native and introduced herbivores can impact on native species response. A systematic study was conducted to understand the botanical composition in flooded and control areas based on 25 m2 fenced and unfenced plots subjected to flooding and nonflooding. For 6 years following flooding, species richness in the flooded area was twice that of unflooded areas. In particular, 27 native species from 13 families were recorded both in the enclosed and open plots located in the flooded area. Over the study period nine species: Brachyscome ciliaris, Helichrysum leucopsidium, Vittadinia cuneata, Casuarina pauper, Maireana sedifolia, Salsola kali, Sclerolaena obliquicuspis, Eremophila sturtii and Eucalyptus foecunda germinated only in the flooded enclosed plots. Further, 11 exotic species from five families were recorded in the flooded (both enclosed and open) plots over the study period. Knowledge gained from this study will contribute to management strategies for arid land vegetation.
- Description: C1
- Description: 2003001067
The pastoral history, biological and cultural significance of the Scotia country, far Western New South Wales
- Authors: Westbrooke, Martin
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales Vol. 134, no. (2012), p. A55-A68
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The Scotia country of far western New South Wales, once part of the vast Lake Victoria lease and subsequently split into six smaller properties after WW1, has one of the shortest grazing histories in the state. The low stocking rates due to unsuitable feed provided by the mallee vegetation and limited water supplies have left native vegetation communities relatively intact and close to original condition. A natural salt lake system with rare plants and plant communities adds to the values of the area. This paper reviews the pastoral history of the area and the features which make the Scotia of outstanding conservation and cultural significance.
- Description: C1
Dietary characteristics of Emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) in semi-arid New South Wales, Australia, and dispersal and germination of ingested seeds
- Authors: Dunstan, Heath , Florentine, Singarayer , Calvino-Cancela, Maria , Westbrooke, Martin , Palmer, Grant
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Emu Vol. 113, no. 2 (2013), p. 168-176
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) eats a wide range of seeds and other plant material but little is known of the seeds eaten and dispersed in arid Australia. This study aimed to determine the species of seed and fruits eaten by Emus through the year and investigate the effect of the passage of seeds through the Emu gut on seed germination. Emu scats were opportunistically collected in all seasons of 2005 at Nanya Research Station, western New South Wales. Seeds of 29 plant species were retrieved, identified and counted from 221 scats. Seeds of perennial species, such as Belah (Casuarina pauper), Ruby Saltbush (Enchylaena tomentosa), Common Emu-bush (Eremophila glabra) and Nitre-bush (Nitraria billardierei), predominated. Seed composition of scats was more diverse in summer than in winter, autumn and spring. Seeds of Common Emu-bush, Berrigan (Eremophila longifolia) and Sweet Quandong (Santalum acuminatum) showed no germination after passage through the gut. Ruby Saltbush and Nitre-bush showed very low germination rates. The Emu is a generalist feeder, capable of ingesting and dispersing large numbers of plant species. Through high seed consumption and long gut-retention time, Emus could potentially play a significant role in long-distance dispersal of seeds and, through such dispersal, in the vegetation dynamics of arid Australia. © 2013 Bird Life Australia.
- Description: 2003011097
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
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- 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.
Fire and its interactions with other drivers shape a distinctive, semi-arid ‘mallee’ ecosystem
- Authors: Clarke, Michael , Kelly, Luke , Avitabile, Sarah , Benshemesh, Joe , Westbrooke, Martin
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution Vol. 9, no. (2021), p.
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- Description: Fire shapes ecosystems globally, including semi-arid ecosystems. In Australia, semi-arid ‘mallee’ ecosystems occur primarily across the southern part of the continent, forming an interface between the arid interior and temperate south. Mallee vegetation is characterized by short, multi-stemmed eucalypts that grow from a basal lignotuber. Fire shapes the structure and functioning of mallee ecosystems. Using the Murray Mallee region in south-eastern Australia as a case study, we examine the characteristics and role of fire, the consequences for biota, and the interaction of fire with other drivers. Wildfires in mallee ecosystems typically are large (1000s ha), burn with high severity, commonly cause top-kill of eucalypts, and create coarse-grained mosaics at a regional scale. Wildfires can occur in late spring and summer in both dry and wet years. Recovery of plant and animal communities is predictable and slow, with regeneration of eucalypts and many habitat components extending over decades. Time since the last fire strongly influences the distribution and abundance of many species and the structure of plant and animal communities. Animal species display a discrete set of generalized responses to time since fire. Systematic field studies and modeling are beginning to reveal how spatial variation in fire regimes (‘pyrodiversity’) at different scales shapes biodiversity. Pyrodiversity includes variation in the extent of post-fire habitats, the diversity of post-fire age-classes and their configuration. At regional scales, a desirable mix of fire histories for biodiversity conservation includes a combination of early, mid and late post-fire age-classes, weighted toward later seral stages that provide critical habitat for threatened species. Biodiversity is also influenced by interactions between fire and other drivers, including land clearing, rainfall, herbivory and predation. Extensive clearing for agriculture has altered the nature and impact of fire, and facilitated invasion by pest species that modify fuels, fire regimes and post-fire recovery. Given the natural and anthropogenic drivers of fire and the consequences of their interactions, we highlight opportunities for conserving mallee ecosystems. These include learning from and fostering Indigenous knowledge of fire, implementing actions that consider synergies between fire and other processes, and strategic monitoring of fire, biodiversity and other drivers to guide place-based, adaptive management under climate change. © Copyright © 2021 Clarke, Kelly, Avitabile, Benshemesh, Callister, Driscoll, Ewin, Giljohann, Haslem, Kenny, Leonard, Ritchie, Nimmo, Schedvin, Schneider, Watson, Westbrooke, White, Wouters and Bennett. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Martin Westbrooke” is provided in this record**