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1
Lindenmayer, David, and Chris Taylor. "Diversifying Forest Landscape Management—A Case Study of a Shift from Native Forest Logging to Plantations in Australian Wet Forests." Land 11, no. 3 (March 10, 2022): 407. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11030407.
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Natural forests have many ecological, economic and other values, and sustaining them is a challenge for policy makers and forest managers. Conventional approaches to forest management such as those based on maximum sustained yield principles disregard fundamental tenets of ecological sustainability and often fail. Here we describe the failure of a highly regulated approach to forest management focused on intensive wood production in the mountain ash forests of Victoria, Australia. Poor past management led to overcutting with timber yields too high to be sustainable and failing to account for uncertainties. Ongoing logging will have negative impacts on biodiversity and water production, alter fire regimes, and generate economic losses. This means there are few options to diversify forest management. The only ecologically and economically viable option is to cease logging mountain ash forests altogether and transition wood production to plantations located elsewhere in the state of Victoria. We outline general lessons for diversifying land management from our case study.
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Lawrence, Ruth E., and Marc P. Bellette. "Gold, timber, war and parks : A history of the Rushworth Forest in central Victoria." Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 122, no. 2 (2010): 130. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rs10022.
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The Rushworth Forest is a Box and Ironbark open sclerophyll forest in central Victoria that has been subject to a long history of gold mining activity and forest utilisation. This paper documents the major periods of land use history in the Rushworth Forest and comments on the environmental changes that have occurred as a result. During the 1850s to 1890s, the Forest was subject to extensive gold mining operations, timber resource use, and other forest product utilisation, which generated major changes to the forest soils, vegetation structure and species cover. From the 1890s to 1930s, concern for diminishing forest cover across central Victoria led to the creation of timber reserves, including the Rushworth State Forest. After the formation of a government forestry department in 1919, silvicultural practices were introduced which aimed at maximising the output of tall timber production above all else. During World War II, the management of the Forest was taken over by the Australian Army as Prisoner of War camps were established to harvest timber from the Forest for firewood production. Following the War, the focus of forestry in Victoria moved away from the Box and Ironbark forests, but low value resource utilisation continued in the Rushworth Forest from the 1940s to 1990s. In 2002, about one-third of the Forest was declared a National Park and the other two-thirds continued as a State Forest. Today, the characteristics of the biophysical environment reflect the multiple layers of past land uses that have occurred in the Rushworth Forest.
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Lindenmayer, D. B. "Forest disturbance, forest wildlife conservation and the conservative basis for forest management in the mountain ash forests of Victoria—Comment." Forest Ecology and Management 74, no. 1-3 (June 1995): 223–31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(94)03524-z.
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Cooling, Marcus P., Lance N. Lloyd, Douglas J. Rudd, and Rohan P. Hogan. "Environmental water requirements and management options in Gunbower Forest, Victoria." Australasian Journal of Water Resources 5, no. 1 (January 2002): 75–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13241583.2002.11465194.
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Bennett, AF, LF Lumsden, JSA Alexander, PE Duncan, PG Johnson, P. Robertson, and CE Silveira. "Habitat Use by Arboreal Mammals along an Environment Gradient in North-eastern Victoria." Wildlife Research 18, no. 2 (1991): 125. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9910125.
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A total of 1487 observations of nine species of arboreal mammal, Acrobates pygmaeus, Phascolarctos cinereus, Petauroides volans, Petaurus australis, P. breviceps, P. norfolcensis, Pseudocheirusperegrinus, Trichosurus caninus and T. vulpecula, were made during surveys of the vertebrate fauna of northeastern Victoria. Habitat use by each species was examined in relation to eight forest types that occur along an environmental gradient ranging from sites at high elevation with a high annual rainfall, to sites on the dry inland and riverine plains. Arboreal mammals were not evenly distributed between forest types. Three species (P. australis, P. volans and T. caninus) were mainly associated with moist tall forests; two species (P. norfolcensis and T. vulpecula) were primarily associated with drier forests and woodlands of the foothills; the remaining three species (A. pygmaeus, P. breviceps and P. peregrinus) occurred widely throughout the forests. The composition of the arboreal mammal assemblage changed along the environmental gradient, but species displayed gradual changes in abundance with forest type rather than marked discontinuities in distributional pattern. The highest overall frequencies of occurrence of arboreal mammals were in forests typically dominated by a mixture of eucalypt species. The position at first sighting of an animal, and the relative height in the forest stratum, were used to describe the micro-habitats utilised. In general, the microhabitats occupied by each species are consistent with the distribution of their known food resources.
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Recher, HA. "Conserving forest biodiversity: A comprehensive multiscaled approach." Australian Mammalogy 25, no. 1 (2003): 113. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am03113_br.
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DAVID Lindenmayer and Jerry Franklin are the two most influential forest conservation biologists of the past decade and will probably remain so for the coming decade. Each has contributed significantly to forest research, management, biodiversity conservation and policy. Lindenmayer is an Australian based at the Australian National University in Canberra who has worked mainly in the temperate eucalypt forests of Victoria and southeastern New South Wales. Most of his research is wildlife oriented, with an emphasis on arboreal marsupials and the impacts of forest management on forest vertebrates. Franklin is an American at the University of Washington, Seattle in the Pacific Northwest. His research is more botanically oriented, with an emphasis on the impacts of forest management on forest structures (e.g., large trees and logs) and processes. Of the two, Franklin has had the greatest involvement in the political, economic and social processes driving the modern change in forestry practices and attitudes. Together they form a formidable team to present a summary and an analysis of how temperate forests globally can and should be managed. Their goal is not just to enhance biodiversity and other ecological values, but to ensure the long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems. Only when forests are managed sustainably to protect biodiversity can forest managers guarantee the many social and economic benefits derived from the world’s forests, including wood production.
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Stewart, G., and B. Harper. "Barmah-Millewa forest environmental water allocation." Water Science and Technology 45, no. 11 (June 1, 2002): 217–23. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.2002.0398.
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The formal allocation of water for the environment is a developing area of river management both scientifically and in terms of community participation. This case study, illustrating the recent use of the Barmah-Millewa Forest Environmental Water Allocation (EWA), provides a practical demonstration of community participation in environmental water management, the application of hydrological and biological “triggers” and a positive, demonstrable biological outcome from an environmental water allocation. The Barmah-Millewa Forest covers an area of 70,000 ha across the floodplain of the Murray River, upstream of the town of Echuca. About half the forest is in NSW (Millewa) and half is in Victoria (Barmah). The Barmah Forest is a Wetland of International Importance listed under the Convention on Wetlands - Ramsar Convention. The forest is the largest river redgum forest in the world. The natural flooding cycle associated with the forest has been significantly altered by regulation of the Murray River - impacting upon the overall health of the forest ecosystem. Recognising this, the Murray Darling Basin Commission developed a water management strategy for the forest to enhance forest, fish and wildlife values. To implement this strategy, between 1990 and 1993 reports were completed and community consultation took place. In 1993 the Murray Darling Basin Ministerial Council approved allocation of 100 Gigalitres of water per year, provided in equal shares by NSW and Victoria, to meet the needs of the forest ecosystem and in 1994 the Barmah-Millewa Forum was established under the Murray-Darling Basin Agreement. The vision for the Forum is to maintain and, where possible, improve the ecological and productive sustainability of the Barmah-Millewa Forest and to establish a planning and operational framework to better meet the flooding and drying requirements of the riparian forests and wetlands. Between October 2000 and January 2001 the Barmah-Millewa Forest Environmental Water Allocation was used for the second time. A total of 341 GL was released as an EWA. This amount represented only 8% of the total flows downstream of Yarrawonga Weir from September 2000 and January 2001. The strategic use of the relatively small amount of water enabled flooding to be maintained and ensured significant breeding success for water birds and other biota in the Forest.
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Kelly, Luke T., and Andrew F. Bennett. "Habitat requirements of the yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes) in box - ironbark forest, Victoria, Australia." Wildlife Research 35, no. 2 (2008): 128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr07088.
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Understanding the habitat requirements of a species is critical for effective conservation-based management. In this study, we investigated the influence of forest structure on the distribution of the yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes), a small dasyurid marsupial characteristic of dry forests on the inland side of the Great Dividing Range, Australia. Hair-sampling tubes were used to determine the occurrence of A. flavipes at 60 sites stratified across one of the largest remaining tracts of dry box–ironbark forest in south-eastern Australia. We considered the role of six potential explanatory variables: large trees, hollow-bearing trees, coppice hollows, logs, rock cover and litter. Logistic regression models were examined using an information-theoretic approach to determine the variables that best explained the presence or absence of the species. Hierarchical partitioning was employed to further explore relationships between occurrence of A. flavipes and explanatory variables. Forest structure accounted for a substantial proportion of the variation in occurrence of A. flavipes between sites. The strongest influence on the presence of A. flavipes was the cover of litter at survey sites. The density of hollow-bearing trees and rock cover were also positive influences. The conservation of A. flavipes will be enhanced by retention of habitat components that ensure a structurally complex environment in box–ironbark forests. This will also benefit the conservation of several threatened species in this dry forest ecosystem.
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Fairman, Thomas A., Craig R. Nitschke, and Lauren T. Bennett. "Too much, too soon? A review of the effects of increasing wildfire frequency on tree mortality and regeneration in temperate eucalypt forests." International Journal of Wildland Fire 25, no. 8 (2016): 831. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf15010.
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In temperate Australia, wildfires are predicted to be more frequent and severe under climate change. This could lead to marked changes in tree mortality and regeneration in the region’s predominant eucalypt forests, which have been burned repeatedly by extensive wildfires in the period 2003–14. Recent studies have applied alternative stable state models to select ‘fire sensitive’ forest types, but comparable models have not been rigorously examined in relation to the more extensive ‘fire tolerant’ forests in the region. We review the effects of increasing wildfire frequency on tree mortality and regeneration in temperate forests of Victoria, south-eastern Australia, based on the functional traits of the dominant eucalypts: those that are typically killed by wildfire to regenerate from seed (‘obligate seeders’) and those that mostly survive to resprout (‘resprouters’). In Victoria, over 4.3 million ha of eucalypt forest has been burned by wildfire in the last decade (2003–14), roughly equivalent to the cumulative area burned in the previous 50 years (1952–2002; 4.4 million ha). This increased wildfire activity has occurred regardless of several advancements in fire management, and has resulted in over 350 000 ha of eucalypt forest being burned twice or more by wildfire at short (≤11 year) intervals. Historical and recent evidence indicates that recurrent wildfires threaten the persistence of the ‘fire sensitive’ obligate seeder eucalypt forests, which can facilitate a shift to non-forest states if successive fires occur within the trees’ primary juvenile period (1–20 years). Our review also highlights potential for structural and state changes in the ‘fire tolerant’ resprouter forests, particularly if recurrent severe wildfires kill seedlings and increase tree mortality. We present conceptual models of state changes in temperate eucalypt forests with increasing wildfire frequency, and highlight knowledge gaps relating to the development and persistence of alternative states driven by changes in fire regimes.
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Ordóñez, Camilo, Dave Kendal, Caragh G. Threlfall, Dieter F. Hochuli, Melanie Davern, Richard A. Fuller, Rodney van der Ree, and Stephen J. Livesley. "How Urban Forest Managers Evaluate Management and Governance Challenges in Their Decision-Making." Forests 11, no. 9 (September 2, 2020): 963. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f11090963.
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Decisions about urban forests are critical to urban liveability and resilience. This study aimed to evaluate the range of positions held by urban forest managers from local governments in the state of Victoria, Australia, regarding the management and governance challenges that affect their decision-making. This study was based on a Q-method approach, a procedure that allows researchers to evaluate the range of positions that exist about a topic in a structured manner based on the experiences of a wide group of people. We created statements on a wide range of urban forest management and governance challenges and asked urban forest managers to rate their level of agreement with these statements via an online survey. Managers generally agreed about the challenges posed by urban development and climate change for implementing local government policies on urban forest protection and expansion. However, there were divergent views about how effective solutions based on increasing operational capacities, such as increasing budgets and personnel, could address these challenges. For some managers, it was more effective to improve critical governance challenges, such as inter-departmental and inter-municipal coordination, community engagement, and addressing the culture of risk aversion in local governments. Urban forest regional strategies aimed at coordinating management and governance issues across cities should build on existing consensus on development and environmental threats and address critical management and governance issues not solely related to local government operational capacity.
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MORLEY, Sharon E., and Maria GIBSON. "Successional changes in epiphytic rainforest lichens: implications for the management of rainforest communities." Lichenologist 42, no. 3 (March 25, 2010): 311–21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0024282909990570.
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AbstractWe explored lichen species richness and patterns of lichen succession on rough barked Nothofagus cunninghamii trees and on smooth barked Atherosperma moschatum trees in cool temperate rainforests in Victoria, Australia. Nothofagus cunninghamii trees from the Yarra Ranges, and A. moschatum trees from Errinundra were ranked into size classes (small, medium, large and extra-large), and differences in species richness and composition were compared between size classes for each tree species. Nothofagus cunninghamii supported a rich lichen flora (108 trees, 52 lichen species), with the largest trees supporting a significantly higher number of species, including many uncommon species. This success was attributed to varying bark texture, stand characteristics and microhabitat variations as the trees age. Atherosperma moschatum supported a comparable number of species (120 trees, 54 lichen species). Indeed on average, this host supported more lichen species than N. cunninghamii. However, successional patterns with increasing girth were not as clear for A. moschatum, possibly due to the more stable microclimate that this smooth barked host provided. Victorian cool temperate rainforests exist primarily as small, often isolated pockets within a sea of Eucalypt-dominated, fire-prone forest. Many are regenerating from past disturbance. We find that protection of Victoria's oldest rainforest pockets is crucial, as they represent sources of rare, potentially threatened lichen species, and may be acting as reservoirs for propagules for nearby ageing rainforests. Indeed, even single, large old trees have conservation importance, as they may provide exceptional microhabitats, not found elsewhere in the regenerating rainforest environment.
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Haywood, Andrew, Andrew Mellor, and Christine Stone. "A strategic forest inventory for public land in Victoria, Australia." Forest Ecology and Management 367 (May 2016): 86–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2016.02.026.
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Lindenmayer, David. "The importance of managing and conserving large old trees: a case study from Victorian Mountain Ash forests." Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 128, no. 1 (2016): 64. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rs16006.
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Large old trees are critical structures in the Mountain Ash forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria. They perform many critical ecological and other roles. Populations of these trees are also in serious decline. A range of key management strategies is needed to arrest the decline of existing populations of large old trees and instigate population recovery. In particular all existing large old trees need to be properly protected with adequate buffers of uncut forest. In addition, all stands of old-growth forest, irrespective of their size, need to be protected to ensure they are not logged. The size of the old-growth estate also must be expanded so that it encompasses at least 30%‒50% of the distribution of Mountain Ash. Finally, the recruitment of new cohorts of large old trees is critically important to replace existing trees when they are lost. To achieve this, large areas of existing regrowth forest that regenerated after the 1939 fires need to be excluded from logging and grown through to an old-growth stage. Implementation of altered management in Mountain Ash forests is urgent, as delays in policies will exacerbate the decline of this significant population of large old trees in south-eastern Australia.
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Bennett, AF, and BJ Baxter. "Diet of the Long-Nosed Potoroo, Potorous-Tridactylus (Marsupialia, Potoroidae), in Southwestern Victoria." Wildlife Research 16, no. 3 (1989): 263. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9890263.
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The diet of the long-nosed potoroo, Potorous tridactylus, in south-western Victoria, was investigated by the microscopical identification of faecal remains. P. tridactylus is omnivorous: the main component of the diet was fungi, and other important items included hard-bodied arthropods, vascular plant tissues, seeds and fleshy fruits. There was a seasonal switch in the relative proportions of the main dietary components between the autumn-winter and spring-summer periods of the year. During autumn and winter, the main components were fungi and seeds. In spring and summer, fewer fungi were eaten and the proportions of arthropods, plant tissues, fleshy fruit and flowers in the diet increased. Identification of fungal spores revealed the presence of at least 50 species in the diet, most of which have a hypogeal fruiting habit. Hypogeal fungi form ectotrophic mycorrhizal associations with forest trees and are important in the health and productivity of forests. They lack active mechanisms for spore dispersal and are dependent upon mycophagous animals. The role of mycophagous small mammals, such as P. tridactylus, in the health of forest ecosystems may be more important than previously recognised.
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Smith, A. P., and D. B. Lindenmayer. "Forest succession and habitat management for Leadbeater's possum in the State of Victoria, Australia." Forest Ecology and Management 49, no. 3-4 (June 1992): 311–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-1127(92)90143-w.
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Hickey, G. M., and S. Citroen. "A review of the Sustainable Forest Management framework in Victoria, Australia: an innovative example of sub-national forest policy." International Forestry Review 9, no. 4 (December 2007): 901–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1505/ifor.9.4.901.
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Lorimer, MS, and LA Douglas. "Effect of management practice on properties of a Victorian red-brown earth .1. Soil physical-properties." Soil Research 33, no. 5 (1995): 851. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr9950851.
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The effects of five management practices (native forest, native pasture, Phalaris pasture, crop-pasture rotation, continuous cropping), that had been in place for 18 years, on some soil physical properties of a red-brown earth near Bendigo, Victoria, were studied. Particle size distribution, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity of soil in the A and B horizons at different, management sites were measured. Where cultivation had occurred, soil in the A horizon contained less silt and clay, and more fine sand and coarse sand. The bulk density of the A horizon of soil that had produced at least six wheat crops since 1969 was greater than that of soil used for pasture or forest, while the hydraulic conductivity of soil cropped every year since 1969 was much less than that of soil under native forest. Particle size distributions for soil from the B horizons at the five management sites were found to be similar. Where pastures and crops had been established, the hydraulic conductivity of the upper B horizon was lower, and the bulk density was higher, than that of soil in the native forest (Eucalyptus spp).
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Nelson, JL, and BJ Morris. "Nesting Requirements of the Yellow-Tailed Black-Cockatoo, Calyptorhynchus Funereus, in Eucalyptus Regnans Forest, and Implications for Forest Management." Wildlife Research 21, no. 3 (1994): 267. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9940267.
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The nesting requirements of the yellow-tailed black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus) were studied at 68 sites in Eucalyptus regnans forest in the Strzelecki Ranges, South Gippsland, Victoria. Nest trees were located and their characteristics related to forest stand variables. Eighteen nest hollows were found. Nest trees had a mean diameter at breast height of 2.5 m, a mean estimated age of 221 years, a mean height of 58 m and for live nest trees a mean crown diameter of 22 m. The currently proposed rotation time for silvicultural systems of 80-150 years will reduce the number of hollow-bearing trees suitable for nesting yellow-tailed black-cockatoos. Adequate numbers of trees must be retained in logged areas and wildlife corridors and reserves, and protected to ensure a continual supply for yellow-tailed black-cockatoos and other hollow-dependent species. If agonistic behaviour is operating between female yellow-tailed black-cockatoos, nesting potential may be enhanced if trees retained on coupes are evenly distributed rather than clumped. Silvicultural systems that facilitate the protection of trees retained on coupes would benefit the conservation of the yellow-tailed black-cockatoo.
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Lan, Kaixin, Bohao Duan, Shichao Qiu, Yang Xiao, Meng Liu, and Haocen Dai. "Task Allocation and Traffic Route Optimization in Hybrid Fire-fighting Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Network." Highlights in Science, Engineering and Technology 9 (September 30, 2022): 340–55. http://dx.doi.org/10.54097/hset.v9i.1864.
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With the increase of extreme weather conditions in the world, the probability of forest fires is increasing. How the forest fire management decision-making system can monitor and control the fire quickly and effectively is the key of forest fire fighting work. This paper uses SSA drones carrying high-definition and thermal imaging cameras and telemetry sensors in conjunction, as well as Repeater drones used to greatly expand the frontline low-power radio range, to support fire management decision-making systems. At the same time, explore a drone cooperation plan to deal with different fire terrains and different scales of fire conditions. The aim of this paper is to improve the existing fire management decision system in order to quickly respond to the emergency fire. Research object for the Australian state of Victoria on October 1, 2019 to January 7, 2020 wildfires, explore SSA drones and Repeater drones in the application of the forest fire, ensure that fire management decision-making system to provide the optimal number deployment scheme of fire task quickly and efficiently, and achieve the maximum efficiency and economic optimal compatibility.
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Margrath, RD, and a. Lill. "Age-related Differences in Behaviour and Ecology of Crimson Rosellas, Platycercus elegans, during the Non-Breeding Season." Wildlife Research 12, no. 2 (1985): 299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9850299.
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Habitat use, diet and behaviour of adult and immature crimson rosellas were compared in the non-breeding season in a wet sclerophyll forest in southern Victoria. Immature birds occurred mainly at forest edges and were more patchily distributed than adults. They also differed quantitatively in their diet, spent more time feeding and less time resting, and occurred in larger flocks than adults. It is suggested that these dietary and behavioural differences probably result from either enforced use of inferior habitats and food resources, or less efficient foraging.
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Taylor, Chris, and David B. Lindenmayer. "The use of spatial data and satellite information in legal compliance and planning in forest management." PLOS ONE 17, no. 7 (July 27, 2022): e0267959. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0267959.
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A key part of native forest management in designated wood production areas is identifying locations which must be exempt from logging. Forest laws, government regulations, and codes of practice specify where logging is and is not permitted. Assessing compliance with these regulations is critical but can be expensive and time consuming, especially if it entails field measurements. In some cases, spatial data products may help reduce the costs and increase the transparency of assessing compliance. However, different spatial products can vary in their accuracy and resolution, leading to uncertainty in forest management. We present the results of a detailed case study investigating the compliance of logging operations with laws preventing cutting on slopes exceeding 30°. We focused on two designated water catchments in the Australian State of Victoria which supply water to the city of Melbourne. We compared slopes that had been logged on steep terrain using spatial data based on a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived from LiDAR, a 1 arc second DEM derived from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, and a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) with a resolution of 10m. While our analyses revealed differences in slope measurements among the different spatial products, all three datasets (and the on-site slope measurements) estimated the occurrence of widespread logging of forests on slopes >30° in both water catchments. We found the lowest resolution Shuttle Radar Topography Mission DEM underestimated the steepness of slopes, whilst the DTM was variable in its estimates. As expected, the LiDAR generated slope calculations provided the best fit with on-site measurements. Our study demonstrates the value of spatial data products in assessing compliance with logging laws and codes of practice. We suggest that LiDAR DEMs, and DTMs also can be useful in proactive forest planning and management by helping better identify which areas should be exempt from cutting before logging operations commence.
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Supsup, Christian E., Augusto A. Asis, Uldarico V. Carestia Jr, Arvin C. Diesmos, Neil Aldrin D. Mallari, and Rafe M. Brown. "Variation in species richness, composition and herpetological community structure across a tropical habitat gradient of Palawan Island, Philippines." Herpetozoa 33 (May 22, 2020): 95–111. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.33.e47293.
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Information on species richness and community structure is invaluable for guiding conservation and management of biodiversity, but is rarely available in the megadiverse biodiversity conservation hotspot of Philippines – particularly for amphibians and reptiles. This study provides the first report and characterisation of amphibians and reptile communities across primary habitat types of the Victoria-Anepahan Mountain Range on Palawan Island along the western edge of the archipelago. A total of 41 amphibian and reptile species were recorded throughout our sampling sites (n = 27 species) or in targeted habitat searches (14 species). A species richness estimator predicted that 35 species may be present in our sampling sites, suggesting that a significant proportion of secretive species may continue to be unrecorded, especially for reptiles. Higher species richness was found in secondary growth than in mixed-use agricultural areas or even pristine forest. The low species richness recorded from pristine forest types may be due to these forests now being restricted to higher elevations where species diversity has been documented to decrease. Our results also show that complex community structures (species assemblages) are to be equally expected in both secondary growth and pristine forests. Together, our results show how species richness and community assemblages may vary across habitats, highlighting that old growth forest does not always support higher species richness, particularly in high elevations.
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Incoll, Bill, Alex Maisey, and Jenny Adam. "Ten years of forest restoration in the Upwey Corridor, Dandenong Ranges, Victoria." Ecological Management & Restoration 19, no. 3 (August 13, 2018): 189–97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/emr.12329.
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Seebeck, John, and Peter Menkhorst. "Status and conservation of the rodents of Victoria." Wildlife Research 27, no. 4 (2000): 357. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr97055.
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Nineteen species of rodents, in two families, have been recorded from Victoria in the modern era. Eighteen are of the family Muridae, represented by 15 native and 3 introduced species. The other species, now extinct in Victoria, was the introduced Sciurus carolinensis. Six of the native species are extinct, one is classified Critically Endangered, one Endangered and four Lower Risk – near threatened. Four of the extinct species were restricted to the semi-arid far north-west; these were Leporillus apicalis, L. conditor, Pseudomys bolami and P. desertor. The two other extinct species, Conilurus albipes and Pseudomys australis, inhabited open forest/woodland, and grassy ecosystems. Extant species include Rattus fuscipes and R. lutreolus, both in the sub-family Murinae; both are widespread and common, particularly in southern Victoria. The remaining seven species are in the sub-family Hydromyinae. Hydromys chrysogaster is widespread in waterbodies throughout the state. Notomys mitchellii and Pseudomys apodemoides occur in dry habitats in the north-west of Victoria; they are uncommon, but most of their habitat is reserved. Mastacomys fuscus, found in higher-rainfall areas of southern and eastern Victoria, from coastal dunes to alpine snowfields, is uncommon. The distribution of Pseudomys fumeus is disjunct, in four widely separated areas. It is classified as Endangered. P. shortridgei is restricted to the Grampians and south-western Victoria, where it may be locally common. The most geographically restricted rodent species in Victoria, Pseudomys novaehollandiae, is Critically Endangered and is the subject of special conservation measures. The most critical threats to rodent populations in Victoria are considered to be (1) the lack of active habitat management for those species that require early seral stages in vegetation, (2) predation by introduced carnivores, and (3) the fragmentation of species into small genetically isolated populations.
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Lindenmayer, D. B., C. I. MacGregor, R. B. Cunningham, R. D. Incoll, M. Crane, D. Rawlins, and D. R. Michael. "The use of nest boxes by arboreal marsupials in the forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria." Wildlife Research 30, no. 3 (2003): 259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr02047.
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The results are reported of a nest-box study conducted in two locations in the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria (south-eastern Australia) to compare usage of different nest-box designs located at different heights in trees. A total of 96 nest boxes was established using a rigorous experimental design – two regions (Powelltown and Toolangi State Forests), two forest age classes (20-year post-logging regrowth and 60-year fire- and salvage-logging regrowth), two nest-box designs (large boxes with large entrance holes and small boxes with small entrance holes), and two heights at which nest boxes were attached to trees (3 m and 8 m above the ground). The study entailed setting out four nest boxes at each of 24 sites to meet the design criteria. Evidence of occupancy by vertebrates was recorded in a total of 19 of 96 boxes on 11 of 24 sites site during regular inspections over more than three years. Thirteen boxes were used by Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri), six by the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus cunninghami) and seven by the common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus). The common ringtail possum and mountain brushtail possum were seen only in high–large boxes but Leadbeater's possum used all but the low–large boxes. There was evidence of spatial dependence in usage patterns, with all four boxes at a given site showing signs of eventually being occupied. Only two nest boxes located in mountain ash forest regenerating after the 1939 wildfires were occupied. Relatively limited use of nest boxes supports concerns about the use of a nest box over large scales and long timeframes as an effective recovery tool for species threatened by the loss and subsequent shortage in the numbers of naturally occurring hollows.
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Weiss, John, Kathryn Sheffield, Anna Weeks, and David Smith. "Modelling the Incursion and Spread of a Forestry Pest: Case Study of Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Victoria." Forests 10, no. 2 (February 22, 2019): 198. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/f10020198.
Full textAbstract:
Effective and efficient systems for surveillance, eradication, containment and management of biosecurity threats require methods to predict the establishment, population growth and spread of organisms that pose a potential biosecurity risk. To support Victorian forest biosecurity operations, Agriculture Victoria has developed a landscape-scale, spatially explicit, spatio-temporal population growth and dispersal model of a generic pest pine beetle. The model can be used to simulate the incursion of a forestry pest from a nominated location(s), such as an importation business site (approved arrangement, AA), into the surrounding environment. The model provides both illustrative and quantitative data on population dynamics and spread of a forestry pest species. Flexibility built into the model design enables a range of spatial extents to be modelled, from user-defined study areas to the Victoria-wide area. The spatial resolution of the model (size of grid cells) can be altered from 100 m to greater than 1 km. The model allows core parameters to be altered by the user, enabling the spread of a variety of windborne insect species and pathogens to be investigated. We verified the model and its parameters by simulating and comparing the outputs with the 1999/2000 Melbourne incursion, but no establishment of a forestry pest beetle was believed to be Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). The model accurately predicts the distance and direction of the historic incursion, and the subsequent failure to establish is due to low overall population density of the pest species.
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Bennett, AF. "Land-Use, Forest Fragmentation and the Mammalian Fauna at Naringal, South-Western Victoria." Wildlife Research 17, no. 4 (1990): 325. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9900325.
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Hindell, MA, and AK Lee. "Tree Use by Individual Koalas in a Natural Forest." Wildlife Research 15, no. 1 (1988): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9880001.
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The home ranges and species of trees used by 20 koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) were determined in a forest in Victoria containing 6 Eucalyptus spp. Eight animals showed a preference for a tree species from those available within their home ranges. Four koalas preferred E. viminalis, 2 E. ovata and 2 E. macrorhyncha. Preference for tree species was detected only where the preferred species was in low abundance within the animal's home range. These observations confirm that koalas may show individual differences in the species of food trees they prefer. E. viminalis, the preferred species of this population, was the predominant tree species within the home range of 15 of the koalas, which may account for the lack of evidence of preference in the majority of animals.
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Berry, Lainie. "Predation rates of artificial nests in the edge and interior of a southern Victorian forest." Wildlife Research 29, no. 4 (2002): 341. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr01022.
Full textAbstract:
Predation rates of nests at human-induced habitat edges may be greater than in forest interior due to differences in predator assemblages and predator activity. I compared the predation rates on 192 artificial nests containing plasticine eggs placed in forest edge and interior sites at Bunyip State Park, Victoria. The nest-predation rates at the forest edge sites were significantly greater (mean = 52–58%) than that at the forest interior sites (mean = 30–39%). The relative rates of predation by birds compared with mammals were significantly greater at forest edge sites (mean = 78–94%) than at forest interior sites (mean = 36–67%). Higher rates of nest predation at forest edges appeared to be due to greater densities of avian predators such as the grey shrike-thrush (Colluricincla harmonica), and/or lower abundances of small mammals. However, biases towards certain predator types may mask real, or create false, patterns in predation rates of artificial nests. A better understanding of how predators respond to artificial nests compared with natural nests is required. Until then, results of predation studies that use artificial nests should be interpreted with caution.
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Vivian, L. M., K. A. Ward, D. J. Marshall, and R. C. Godfree. "Pseudoraphis spinescens (Poaceae) grasslands at Barmah Forest, Victoria, Australia: current distribution and implications for floodplain conservation." Australian Journal of Botany 63, no. 6 (2015): 526. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt15090.
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Floodplain grasslands are highly productive ecosystems that are becoming increasingly degraded and fragmented because of changes to natural flood regimes. In this work, we mapped and quantified the distribution of Pseudoraphis spinescens – an ecologically important mat-forming grass – in treeless floodplain grasslands in the Barmah Forest, Victoria, Australia, across two seasons. Although P. spinescens was once widespread in the forest, there has been a decline in its extent, particularly since the Millennium Drought (2001–09) and subsequent unseasonal and prolonged La Niña-associated flooding from late 2010 to 2012. Our detailed on-ground surveys show that only 182 ha of P. spinescens grassland remain in treeless areas of Barmah Forest, representing ~12% of the total area of treeless plains and lakes. Critically, just 51 ha of the thick monospecific P. spinescens swards that were a historically important part of the floodplain vegetation was located and mapped. Although there was a small increase in the area of P. spinescens in some treeless areas following a favourable flood season in 2013–14, the boundaries of most grassland patches remained relatively stable during this period. Potential drivers of the overall decline in P. spinescens across Barmah Forest include the direct and indirect impacts of altered flood regimes, drought, and grazing pressure. Improved understanding of these drivers and their interactions, as well as the status of the seedbank, will be crucial for future management and conservation of these floodplain grasslands.
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Lindenmayer, D. B., R. D. Incoll, R. B. Cunningham, M. L. Pope, C. F. Donnelly, C. I. MacGregor, C. Tribolet, and B. E. Triggs. "Comparison of hairtube types for the detection of mammals." Wildlife Research 26, no. 6 (1999): 745. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr99009.
Full textAbstract:
We compare detection rates of different species of mammals by three types of hairtubes in both the mountain ash forests of the central highlands of Victoria and a range of wet forest types at Tumut in southern New South Wales. The types of hairtubes were a small-diameter PVC pipe, a large-diameter PVC pipe and a newly constructed tapered hair funnel. Data were analysed for brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), bush rat (Rattus fuscipes), common wombat (Vombatus ursinus), swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) and common and mountain brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula and T. caninus). The most effective hairtube type (i.e. the one yielding the highest number of detections) varied between species: small hairtubes forR. fuscipes, hair funnels for Trichosurus spp., and large hairtubes for V. ursinus and W. bicolor. For A. stuartii, the most effective hairtube type differed between the two study regions (hair funnels in Victoria and small hairtubes at Tumut). Detection by more than one hairtube type at a given plot was uncommon. Our findings have important implications for field surveys and how data gathered from such studies are interpreted. For example, if the aim of field survey is to detect a wide range of species then several types of hairtubes may need to be deployed.
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Campbell, Susan, Linda F. Lumsden, Roger Kirkwood, and Graeme Coulson. "Day roost selection by female little forest bats (Vespadelus vulturnus) within remnant woodland on Phillip Island, Victoria." Wildlife Research 32, no. 2 (2005): 183. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr04039.
Full textAbstract:
The day roosting behaviour of the little forest bat (Vespadelus vulturnus), Australia’s smallest bat, was investigated in the context of the planned removal of dead timber within managed woodlands on Phillip Island, Victoria. Between August 1999 and March 2000, 14 female little forest bats were fitted with VHF microtransmitters and tracked to a total of 16 roost trees. All roosts were located in dead timber, 11 in severely decayed remains of eucalypt trees, and five in dead sections of live trees. Roost trees were compared with randomly chosen trees from within the available habitat, for a range of tree characteristics. Female little forest bats selected roosts in trees with dead timber offering many hollows and reduced canopy cover. Furthermore, roost trees were located in areas (0.1-ha plots) with higher densities of these types of trees than in the available habitat. However, there was no difference in the height or diameter of roost trees or roost plots compared with available habitat. Emergence time from roosts was strongly associated with civil twilight (when the centre of the sun is 6° below an ideal horizon), and the number of bats exiting a single roost tree ranged from 1 to 120 (median = 20). Dead trees provide critical roosting habitat and we recommend retention of dead standing trees for conserving little forest bat roosts in managed woodlands.
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Lindenmayer, David B. "Old forest, new perspectives—Insights from the Mountain Ash forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria, south-eastern Australia." Forest Ecology and Management 258, no. 4 (July 2009): 357–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2009.01.049.
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Prosser, IP, KJ Hailes, MD Melville, RP Avery, and CJ Slade. "A comparison of soil acidification and aluminum under Eucalyptus forest and unimproved pasture." Soil Research 31, no. 3 (1993): 245. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr9930245.
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A comparison was made of pH (1:5, soil: 0.01 M CaCl2) and easily extractable forms of Al [0.01 M CaCl2 (Alca); 1 M KCl (AlK); and 0.05 M CuCl2 (AlCu)] between forest and pasture soils near Bendigo, Victoria. Perennial pasture growth is required in this region to reduce groundwater recharge as part of the management of dryland salinity, but pasture growth may be inhibited by Al and Mn toxicity as a consequence of soil acidification. Both forest and pasture soils were found to be acidic (mean pH of 4.0 and 4.3 respectively) and AlCa concentrations are sufficient to anticipate toxicity to sensitive species. The forest site was cleared of timber over 50 years ago, and has since acidified by 63 kmol H+ ha-1, which is accounted for by organic anion accumulation in the forest regrowth. The forest soil has lower concentrations of AlCa, for a given pH, and more Al complexed to organic matter (Alcu-AlK), even though forest and pasture soils have equal amounts of organic carbon. The different A1 concentrations in forest and pasture soils are accounted for by a lag in A1 response to acidification, and greater complexation of Al with organic matter in the forest soil.
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Cheal, DC. "The Diets and Dietary Preferences of Rattus-Fuscipes and Rattus-Lutreolus at Walkerville in Victoria." Wildlife Research 14, no. 1 (1987): 35. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9870035.
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The diets of Rattus fuscipes and R. lutreolus from a site in central southern Victoria were investigated by faecal analysis. R. lutreolus was predominantly herbivorous; in heath it selected the basal stems of certain cyperaceous herbs, and in forest it ate non-sclerophyllous grasses. Fungi were an important dietary component and seed might be eaten in some quantity for a short time in spring and early summer. R. fuscipes showed little dietary overlap with R. lutreolus; in forest it was reliant on fungi and fibrous plant material from particular grasses; in heath it relied on particular cyperaceous species in winter, and ate primarily fleshy fruit, seed and arthropods in summer. Dietary preferences are compared with the relative abundance of diet items in the habitat. Both species are selective, and this selectivity changes with season. The effects of the availability of preferred diet items on the species' distributions are discussed.
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Wilson, B. A., J. Aberton, and D. M. Cahill. "Relationships between site factors and distribution of Phytophthora cinnamomi in the Eastern Otway Ranges, Victoria." Australian Journal of Botany 48, no. 2 (2000): 247. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt98067.
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The Eastern Otway Ranges, Victoria is an area recognised for its significant flora and fauna communities. An area of about 7000 ha, the Anglesea heathlands has been listed on the register of the National Estate. Although symptoms of the plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi have been recorded in the area since the 1970s, the extent of infestation and its effects have not been documented. The aims of this study were to assess the distribution of infestation, identify the relationship of plant infection to site variables and to identify evidence of spread of the pathogen. The presence of P. cinnamomi was assessed at 50 study sites by a visual evaluation of the vegetation, using species such as Xanthorrhoea australis (Austral grass tree) and Isopogon ceratophyllus (horny cone bush) as indicator species. Soil and plant tissues were assayed for the presence of the pathogen by cotyledon baiting and immunoassay methods. Phytophthora cinnamomi was isolated at 76% of the study sites from the floristic communities identified: heathy open forest; heathy woodland I and II; Bald Hills heathland; riparian open forest. There were significantly more diseased sites at lower altitudes. The pathogen is widely spread and causing disease throughout the area, but at present often only in small patches. There is an urgent need for disease management to protect the significant communities. These findings suggest that management actions such as mapping current infestations, closing tracks and implementing vehicle wash-down points are required.
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Jovanelly, Tamie J., Julie Johnson-Pynn, James Okot-Okumu, Richard Nyenje, and Emily Namaganda. "Pioneering water quality data on the Lake Victoria watershed: effects on human health." Journal of Water and Health 13, no. 3 (June 8, 2015): 920–30. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wh.2015.001.
Full textAbstract:
Four forest reserves within 50 km of Kampala in Uganda act as a critical buffer to the Lake Victoria watershed and habitat for local populations. Over a 9-month period we capture a pioneering water quality data set that illustrates ecosystem health through the implementation of a water quality index (WQI). The WQI was calculated using field and laboratory data that reflect measured physical and chemical parameters (pH, dissolved oxygen, biological oxygen on demand, nitrates, phosphates, fecal coliform, and temperature turbidity). Overall, the WQI for the four forest reserves reflect poor to medium water quality. Results compared with US Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization drinking water standards indicate varying levels of contamination at most sites and all designated drinking water sources, with signatures of elevated nitrates, phosphates, and/or fecal coliforms. As critical health problems are known to arise with elevated exposure to contaminants in drinking water, this data set can be used to communicate necessary improvements within the watershed.
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Goldingay, Ross L., Susan M. Carthew, and Matthew Daniel. "Characteristics of the den trees of the yellow-bellied glider in western Victoria." Australian Journal of Zoology 66, no. 3 (2018): 179. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo18028.
Full textAbstract:
Effective management of tree-hollow-dependent wildlife is enhanced by detailed knowledge of the trees used for shelter and breeding. We describe the characteristics of 52 den trees and hollows (cavities) used by the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) in the south-west of its geographic range. We compared the following attributes of den trees to reference trees: tree height, diameter at breast height, hollow entrance height, hollow entrance diameter, cavity diameter, cavity depth, cavity roof height and cavity wall thickness. Dens and reference trees showed a highly significant multivariate difference (P<0.001), with these variables explaining 64% of the variance. Univariate analyses revealed that hollow entrance height was significantly different between den trees (9.0±0.5m) and reference trees (5.5±0.3m). While not significant, den trees tended to have narrower hollow entrances, deeper cavities and thinner walls than reference trees; cavities used by yellow-bellied gliders, on average, measured 36.8cm deep and 18.0cm in diameter, and had entrances 10.6cm in diameter. These observations should assist forest management for this species.
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Goldingay, Ross L. "Gliding performance in the yellow-bellied glider in low-canopy forest." Australian Mammalogy 36, no. 2 (2014): 254. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am14006.
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Knowledge of the gliding performance of gliding mammals is fundamental to understanding how these species have adapted to their environment and is of increasing relevance to their conservation. I describe aspects of the glide performance of the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) based on 22 glides of 17 individuals within 20–30-m-high open forest in western Victoria. Gliders launched into a glide from a horizontal branch that was, on average, 2.8 m below the top of a tree, 5.2 m out from the main trunk and 18.5 m above the ground. Gliders landed on the trunks of trees 5.8 m above the ground. The mean horizontal glide distance was 25.2 ± 1.5 m (s.e.) (range = 19–45 m), producing a glide ratio (horizontal distance/height dropped) of 2.0 and a glide angle of 27.3°. These values are similar to those reported for other gliding petaurids in low-canopy forest. This knowledge should be used to guide the management of habitat connectivity for yellow-bellied gliders.
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Sheffield, Kathryn J., Daniel Clements, Darryl J. Clune, Angela Constantine, and Tony M. Dugdale. "Detection of Aquatic Alligator Weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) from Aerial Imagery Using Random Forest Classification." Remote Sensing 14, no. 11 (June 2, 2022): 2674. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rs14112674.
Full textAbstract:
Alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb) forms dense infestations in aquatic environments and is the focus of intensive management programs in many jurisdictions within Australia, including Victoria. A critical component of weed biosecurity programs is surveillance to find the location and extent of the target weed so that control strategies can be implemented. Current approaches within Victoria rely heavily on ground surveys and community reporting. However, these methods do not provide a systematic approach to surveillance across landscapes, resulting in undiscovered infestations. The aim of this study was to detect alligator weed from aerial photography and demonstrate the potential use of remote sensing data to support existing ground surveys and monitoring programs. Two random forest algorithms were trained based on data from 2010 and 2016. Both classifiers had high levels of accuracy, with an overall pixel-based classification accuracy of 96.8% in 2010 and 98.2% in 2016. The trained classifiers were then applied to imagery acquired annually between 2010 and 2016. The classification outputs were combined with class probability and water proximity data to produce a weighted, normalised alligator weed likelihood data layer. These datasets were evaluated by assessing alligator weed patch detection rates, using manually delineated areas of weed for each year. The patch detection rates for each year ranged from 76.5% to 100%. The results also demonstrate the use of this approach for monitoring alligator weed infestations at a site over time. The key outcome of the study is an approach to support existing biosecurity monitoring and surveillance efforts at a landscape scale and at known infested localised sites.
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Lindenmayer, DB, K. Ritman, RB Cunningham, JBD Smith, and D. Horvath. "A method for predicting the spatial distribution of arboreal marsupials." Wildlife Research 22, no. 4 (1995): 445. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9950445.
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A method is described for predicting the spatial distribution of arboreal marsupials. The approach is demonstrated using a statistical habitat association model for the greater glider (Petauroides volans), developed in the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans) forests of the central highlands of Victoria. The method is applied to predict the spatial distribution of P. volans in the Ada Forest Block, using forestinventory data on the values of the two significant variables in the statistical model (the age of a stand of forest and the abundance of large trees with hollows in a 3-ha area). The application of the model enabled values for the estimated probability of occurrence of P, volans (with a 95% confidence interval) to be generated for each of approximately 2200 3-ha pixels in the Ada Forest Block. A kernel smoothing procedure was then applied to allow for the spatial dependence implicit in these data. The standard measures of statistical uncertainty employed in our analysis revealed substantial variation in the predicted probability of occurrence of P. volans, even though the terms in the statistical relationship were highly significant. However, whilst the model is unable to reliably predict the occurrence of P. volans at any given 3-ha site, tests of the performance of the model showed that it performed well when the results of field surveys were aggregated over many sites. The results of our analysis emphasise the importance of including measures of uncertainty in spatial predictions generated from statistical models.
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Elsner, W. K., A. T. Mitchell, and J. A. Fitzsimons. "Distribution of the long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes) and the spot-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in the Goolengook Forest, East Gippsland, Victoria." Australian Mammalogy 34, no. 1 (2012): 100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am11026.
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A survey to assess the distribution of two endangered marsupial species, the long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes) and the spot-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus) in the south and east of the Goolengook Forest Management Block was conducted in September and October 2006. Survey techniques consisted of hair-tubing, camera surveillance, collecting scat of target species and predators, and searching for activity and tracks of the target species. Eleven sites were surveyed. Twenty-eight records of long-footed potoroo were confirmed at nine of the sites, while one spot-tailed quoll record was confirmed from one of the sites. A record of the long-footed potoroo in the eastern Blackwatch Creek catchment extended, by several kilometres, the boundary of the known East Gippsland distribution at the time of the survey. Long-footed potoroos are distributed widely within the study area and are likely to form part of a contiguous population that extends across the Goolengook Forest and into adjacent forest.
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Ward, S. J. "The efficacy of nestboxes versus spotlighting for detecting feathertail gliders." Wildlife Research 27, no. 1 (2000): 75. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr99018.
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A series of spotlight transects were carried out over a two-year period within a 7-ha area of the Wombat State Forest, Victoria, which contained nestboxes used by feathertail gliders, Acrobates pygmaeus. Spotlighting was carried out on foot through open forest, not along tracks, and only one feathertail glider was detected in 13.8 h of spotlighting. The nestboxes were checked on days following spotlighting surveys and 72 captures of feathertail gliders were made over the same two- year period. Spotlighting can provide important information on the biology of feathertail gliders when used in long-term scientific studies by experienced spotlighters. However, it is an unsatisfactory technique for broad surveys of feathertail gliders, and nestboxes provide a better technique but require a longer time-frame and additional cost.
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Moro, D. "The Distribution of small mammal species in relation to heath vegetation near Cape Otway, Victoria." Wildlife Research 18, no. 5 (1991): 605. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9910605.
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A trapping study of small mammals within heath communities near Cape Otway was conducted during April-August 1989. The purpose was to describe the distribution patterns of several small mammals in relation to a floristic and structural description of the vegetation. Two species of rodent (Rattus lutreolus, R. fuscipes), two species of dasyurid (Antechinus stuartii, A. minimus) and one species of bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) were trapped frequently enough for statistical analysis. A. stuartii was trapped significantly more often in the Heathy Open-forest than in the Closed Heath community, in contrast to A. minimus and R. lutreolus, which were captured significantly more often in Closed Heath. There was no significant difference in the distributions of R. fuscipes and I. obesulus between communities. Within the Closed Heath community only R. fuscipes displayed significant distribution patterns between sub-communities. In the Heathy Open-forest the distribution of captures among sub-communities varied significantly for both species of Antechinus and for R. lutreolus. Floristic and structural cues, as well as ground cover, were associated with the spatial distribution of dasyurid and rodent species. Bandicoot dispersion was associated only with vertical vegetation diversity. The importance of interspecific avoidance in contributing to the observed distribution patterns of both dasyurid and rat species cannot be dismissed.
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Gillespie, GR, and GJ Hollis. "Distribution and habitat of the spotted tree-frog, Litoria spenceri Dubois (Anura : Hylidae), and an assessment of potential causes of population declines." Wildlife Research 23, no. 1 (1996): 49. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9960049.
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An extensive survey of the distribution and abundance of the spotted tree frog, Litoria spenceri, was conducted throughout its range in the Central and Eastern Highlands of Victoria and parts of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory between November 1991 and April 1994. Of the 64 streams surveyed, Litoria spenceri was recorded along 16, 15 in Victoria and one in New South Wales. The species was located along six streams in which it had not been recorded before, but could not be found along four streams in which it had previously been recorded. The survey failed to detect L. spenceri at historical sites on four other streams but located it elsewhere along those streams. Frogs were located predominantly in association with rocky banks adjacent to fast flowing water. Most populations occurred in dissected mountainous country, generally in areas with limited access and disturbance. Analysis of disturbance histories at individual sites and within catchments supporting the species indicates an association between the contraction in distribution and a number of human disturbances to forest and riparian habitats.
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Dexter, Nick, and Andy Murray. "The impact of fox control on the relative abundance of forest mammals in East Gippsland, Victoria." Wildlife Research 36, no. 3 (2009): 252. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr08135.
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Predation by European red foxes is believed to be the major cause of the extinction and decline of a large number of native medium-sized terrestrial mammals in Australia. We examined the impact of poisoning of foxes on the relative abundance of a group of medium-sized mammals in an experiment conducted in three large forest blocks in south-eastern Australia. The blocks consisted of paired sites, as follows: one site where poison baiting was used to control foxes (treatment site) and one where foxes were not controlled (non-treatment site). At all six sites, the population responses of a range of mammals were measured, and compared between treatment and non-treatment sites. The relative fox abundance, as indexed by bait-take, declined during the course of the study at treatment sites and to a lesser extent at non-treatment sites. The decline in bait-take at non-treatment sites was most likely due to treatment sites acting as ecological traps, so that reduced intra-specific competition attracted foxes from non-treatment to treatment sites, where they were subsequently poisoned. There was a significant treatment effect for the abundances of total mammals, long-nosed potoroos, southern brown bandicoots and common brushtail possums, with higher abundances at treatment sites than at non-treatment sites. Common ringtail possums increased in abundance during the course of the study, with no significant difference between treatment and non-treatment sites. There was no significant effect of time or treatment on the abundance of long-nosed bandicoots. The increase in the abundance of native mammals at treatment sites was most likely due to a lower predation pressure by foxes brought about by fox control, and the smaller increase in abundance in non-treatment blocks was likely due to the ecological-trap effect because of fox baiting at treatment sites. The present study demonstrated that broad-scale fox control can lead to increases in the abundance of native mammals in forested habitats, without recourse to aerial baiting or fences. The study also demonstrated that the influence of fox control on the fox abundance can extend well beyond the perimeter of the area baited.
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Comino, E., B. P. Miller, and N. J. Enright. "Soil seedbanks in natural and restored boxironbark forests at Stawell Gold Mine, Victoria." Pacific Conservation Biology 10, no. 1 (2004): 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc040009.
Full textAbstract:
Natural communities have the capacity to regenerate themselves, and this functional ecosystem attribute must be regarded as a key indicator of success for revegetation programmes. The accumulation of species (and individuals) as dormant propagules in a soil seedbank, representing potential future states for the vegetation, is one possible index of revegetation success. Here, we investigate the soil seedbanks for five natural vegetation (Box-Ironbark forest) remnants, a topsoil stockpile and three revegetated mine-site areas associated with gold mining at Stawell (Victoria, Australia). The revegetation efforts largely date from 1987 and, in terms of their composition and structure, are relatively similar to natural vegetation remnants. Soil samples were treated with heat or smoke (plus control) and were monitored for seedling emergence, species composition and density in the glasshouse for 150 days. Seedling densities in treated seedbank samples were high (2 200 to 17 500 seedlings m-2) while species richness was low, ranging from 10 to 20 species per sample. Exotic species made up 22?61 % of emergents and 33?50% of species observed. Correlation of seedbank composition and density with chemical attributes of soils, and with above ground (extant) vegetation at sites showed few significant relationships. Total species richness and the proportion of exotic species varied significantly between natural bushland remnants and revegetation areas. Richness was highest, and the proportion of exotic species was lowest in natural bushland samples. Total emergent numbers and the density of exotic emergents did not vary significantly between remnant bushland and revegetation areas. Declining vigour of some woody species in revegetation sites that are well represented in the seedbank, including Acacia pycnantha and A. genistifolia, indicates that the reintroduction of fire might be an appropriate management practice to facilitate long-term recovery of a functional community on these revegetated surfaces, but the potential for the establishment of weed species from the seed-bank following fire may pose a challenge to management.
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Brown, Timothy, Graham Mills, Sarah Harris, Domagoj Podnar, Hauss Reinbold, and Matt Fearon. "A bias corrected WRF mesoscale fire weather dataset for Victoria, Australia 1972-2012." Journal of Southern Hemisphere Earth Systems Science 66, no. 3 (2016): 281. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/es16020.
Full textAbstract:
Climatology data of fire weather across the landscape can provide science-based evidence for informing strategic decisions to ameliorate the impacts (at times extreme) of bushfires on community socio-economic wellbeing and to sustain ecosystem health and functions. A long-term climatology requires spatial and temporal data that are consistent to represent the landscape in sufficient detail to be useful for fire weather studies and management purposes. To address this inhomogeneity problem for analyses of a variety of fire weather interests and to provide a dataset for management decision-support, a homogeneous 41-year (1972-2012), hourly interval, 4 km gridded climate dataset for Victoria has been generated using a combination of mesoscale modelling, global reanalysis data, surface observations, and historic observed rainfall analyses. Hourly near-surface forecast fields were combined with Drought Factor (DF) fields calculated from the Australian Water Availability Project (AWAP) rainfall analyses to generate fields of hourly fire danger indices for each hour of the 41-year period. A quantile mapping (QM) bias correction technique utilizing available observations during 1996-2012 was used to ameliorate any model biases in wind speed, temperature and relative humidity. Extensive evaluation was undertaken including both quantitative and case study qualitative assessments. The final dataset includes 4-km surface hourly temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, wind direction, Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI), and daily DF and Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI), and a 32-level full three-dimensional volume atmosphere.
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A. McAlpine, C., D. B. Lindenmayer, T. J. Eyre, and S. R. Phinn. "Landscape surrogates of forest fragmentation: Synthesis of Australian Montreal Process case studies." Pacific Conservation Biology 8, no. 2 (2002): 108. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc020108.
Full textAbstract:
Habitat loss and fragmentation are key biodiversity indicators of the Montreal Protocol for monitoring progress towards ecologically sustainable forest management. Over the last 15 years, an array of landscape metrics have been developed as spatial measures of habitat loss and fragmentation. However, most metrics require rigorous empirical testing if they are to provide scientifically credible information to managers and policy makers. We present a synthesis of three Australian case studies for developing Montreal Indicator 1.1e, fragmentation of forest type, each representing different levels of landscape modification: St Mary State Forest, south-east Queensland; Tumut, southern New South Wales; and the Central Highlands, Victoria. Collectively, the studies found that no single landscape metric captured the response of the target species and fauna assemblages, or served as a reliable ecological surrogate for the conservation of a large set of species. Rather, species demonstrated a diversity of responses to habitat loss and fragmentation. Fragmentation effects were more important for the Tumut study, but not important for the Central Highlands study. Stand-scale habitat variables and area of suitable habitat were dominant explanatory variables for the St Mary study. Differences in observed response are partly explained by: (i) differences in landscape structure, particularly the proportion of preferred forest habitat remaining; (ii) differences in the ecology of target species; and (iii) the insensitivity of the landscape measures. Based on the outcomes of the three case studies, we propose principles for developing landscape surrogates for conserving biodiversity in Australia's eucalypt forest landscapes.
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Carlyle, JC, JR Lowther, PJ Smethurst, and EKS Nambiar. "Influence of chemical properties on nitrogen mineralization and nitrification in podzolized sands. Implications for forest management." Soil Research 28, no. 6 (1990): 981. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sr9900981.
Full textAbstract:
The relationship between selected chemical properties and nitrogen mineralization and nitrification was examined in soils collected from 39 sites of varying history. All sites were on podzolized sands; such soils represent more than 95% of the P. radiata growing area in south-east of South Australia/western Victoria. Given their uniformity in texture and similarity in pedogenesis, the organic matter concentrations of the sampled soils were highly variable (loss-on-ignition 0.8-10.2%). Total nitrogen was highly correlated with loss-on-ignition (r2 = 0.95, P<0.001). Nitrogen mineralization was correlated neither with total nitrogen nor loss-on-ignitition (i.e. P > 0.05), but was correlated with organic phosphorus (r2 = 0 70, P < 0.001), suggesting a major effect of phosphorus on nitrogen mineralization in these soils. On the basis of nitrate production during a 56-day aerobic incubation of disturbed soil, 18 soils were classed as strongly nitrifying (having a high potential to nitrify) and 18 as weakly nitrifying (having a low potential to nitrify). This separation reflected differences in other soil properties, with discriminant analysis giving a 91.7% correct classification into the two groups using only pH and Bray (II) extractable phosphorus for discrimination. Strongly and weakly nitrifying groups could also be discriminated on the basis of their value/chroma rating (after ignition), with a 94.4% probability of correct classification. Within each classification, nitrogen mineralization was correlated with total nitrogen (r2 =0.59 and 0.65, P< 0.001, for strongly and weakly nitrifying soils, respectively) but with a different relationship in each case. The significance of this difference in nitrogen dynamics is discussed in relation to site-specific forest management practices.