Academic literature on the topic 'Kosciusko'

The colonial artist Eugene von Guérard travelled extensively throughout south-eastern Australia sketching thousands of views during his three-decade-long sojourn in Australia. His field drawings are renowned for their fidelity to nature and observational accuracy, but the validity of the latter claim depends on comparing drawings with the view at the sites where he sketched. The location of the view in some artworks, such as Mount Kosciusko, seen from the Victorian Border, has eluded art historians and aficionados who have ventured into the field. This article discusses the collation of clues from historical narratives, maps and surveying techniques to limit the search area for the vantage point where he sketched the view on which he based his painting of the Kosciuszko massif. Novel use of spatial technology utilising satellite imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS) and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data, particularly digital elevation models, to locate the actual site is explored, and the topographical accuracy of his sketches evaluated when compared with photographs taken from close to the site. Finally, the potential value of using spatial technology in art history field work is discussed.

ABSTRACTAn exciting and successful environmental education program has been implemented at Kosciusko National Park in south-eastern NSW. It is based on programs developed by the Institute of Earth Education, a non-profit volunteer organisation made up of an international network of individuals and member organisations. The major work of the Institute is to design and develop educational programs.The two most popular programs offered at Kosciusko National Park are EarthkeepersTM and Earth CaretakersTM which are focused, sequential and cumulative nature education programs intended for upper primary children, that is, ten to twelve year olds. The aim of these programs is to help students enjoy, understand and live in harmony with the Earth. The activities integrate three components-understanding, feelings and processing—mirroring the interpretation philosophy of understanding, appreciation and protection. Evaluation has shown that the programs successfully enhance school curricula subjects and motivate students to change the way they and their families live.

The relationship between cumulative rabbit density (number of rabbit-days) and density of dung-pellets was examined in six enclosures, each 0.5 ha, in subalpine vegetation in Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales. The vegetation in three of the enclosures had been burnt to produce a structurally homogenous vegetation. Data from these three plots produced the regression equation y=70.63 + 1.67x, R*2=0.55 (P<0.001, N=91) for rabbit density on dung-pellet density.

The factors that affect the trappability of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) in alpine and subalpine New South Wales were examined by means of treadle snares. Trapping (1) on animal tracks without the use of a bait or lure, and (2) by setting snares around a bait, led to the capture of individuals of both sexes and all age-classes. A greater number of foxes was captured per number of snares set in winter than in other seasons because of the commensal foraging patterns of foxes at this time. Foxes were more likely to be caught within 100 m of their home-range boundaries during snow-free months and outside their home ranges while foraging at ski resorts in winter. Snares were found to be difficult to set, and foxes were captured in only 50% of sprung snares. Treadle snares caused no apparent long-term injuries to 40 red foxes that were radio- tracked and observed for 1–24 months after capture.

The distribution of Burramys parvus in Kosciusko National Park was determined by defining the habitat of the species and then mapping that habitat. Habitat was determined by trapping in a diversity of sites within the alpine and subalpine zones of the Park. Designated habitat was then identified on coloured aerial photographs; this was followed by further trapping and extensive ground inspection. The resultant areas of habitat were digitised to give a planar projection of 8 km*2 within a geographic range of 300 km*2. The number of B. parvus in this area was estimated from trapping data to be around 500 adults, which increases to some 2000 individuals when juveniles enter the population each year in February.

This thesis examined vegetation change over the last 43 years in Australia's largest contiguous alpine area, the Kosciuszko alpine zone in south-eastern Australia. Using historical and current data about the state of the most common vegetation community, tall alpine herbfield, this thesis addressed the questions: (1) what were the patterns of change at the species/genera and life form levels during this time period; (2) what were the patterns of recovery, if recovery occurred, from anthropogenic disturbances such as livestock grazing or trampling by tourists; (3) what impacts did natural disturbances such as drought have on the vegetation and how does it compare to anthropogenic disturbances; and (4) What are the benefits, limitations and management considerations when using long-term data for assessing vegetation changes at the species/genera, life form and community levels? The Kosciuszko alpine zone has important economic, cultural and ecological values. It is of great scientific and biological importance, maintaining an assemblage of vegetation communities found nowhere else in the world. It is one of the few alpine regions in the world with deep loamy soils, and contains endemic flora and fauna and some of the few periglacial and glacial features in Australia. The area also forms the core of the Australian mainland's most important water catchment and is a popular tourist destination, offering a range of recreational opportunities. The vegetation of the Kosciuszko alpine zone is recovering from impacts of livestock grazing and is increasingly exposed to pressures from tourism and anthropogenic climate change. At the same time, natural disturbances such as drought and fire can influence the distribution, composition and diversity of plants. Thus, there is a need for detailed environmental data on this area in order to: (1) better understand ecological relationships; (2) understand existing and potential effects of recreational and management pressures on the region; (3) provide data against which future changes can be assessed; and (4) provide better information on many features of this area, including vegetation, for interpretation, education and management. The research in this thesis utilised three types of ecological information: (1) scientific long-term datasets; (2) photographic records; and (3) a comparison of disturbed and undisturbed vegetation. This research analysed data from one of the longest ongoing monitoring programs in the Australian Alps established by Alec Costin and Dane Wimbush in 1959. Permanent plots (6 transects and 30 photoquadrats) were established at two locations that differed in the time since grazing and have been repeatedly surveyed. Plots near Mt Kosciuszko had not been grazed for 15 years and had nearly complete vegetation cover in 1959, while plots near Mt Gungartan showed extensive impacts of grazing and associated activities which only ceased in 1958. Some transect data from 1959 to 1978 have been analysed by the original researchers. The research presented in this thesis extends this monitoring program with data from additional surveys in 1990, 1999 and 2002 and applies current methods of statistical evaluation, such as ordination techniques, to the whole data set for the first time. Results indicated that the recovery from livestock grazing and the effects of drought have been the main factors affecting vegetation. Recovery from livestock grazing at the three transects at Gungartan was slow and involved: (1) increasing genera diversity; (2) increasing vegetation cover; (3) decreasing amounts of bare ground; and (4) a directional change over time in species composition. Patterns of colonisation and species succession were also documented. In 2002, 44 years after the cessation of grazing, transects near Mt Gungartan had similar vegetation cover and genera diversity to the transects near Mt Kosciuszko, but cover by exposed rock remained higher. A drought in the 1960s resulted in a temporary increase of litter and a shift in the proportional cover of life forms, as grasses died and herb cover increased at both locations. Proportions of cover for life forms reverted to pre-drought levels within a few years. The results also highlighted the spatial variability of tall alpine herbfield. The photoquadrats were surveyed in the years 1959, 1964, 1968, 1978 and 2001 and are analysed for the first time in this thesis. After comparing a range of methods, visual assessment using a 130 point grid was found to be the most suitable technique to measure vegetation cover and genera diversity. At the 18 quadrats near Mt Gungartan, there was a pattern of increasing vegetation cover as bare areas were colonised by native cudweeds and the naturalized herb Acetosella vulgaris. Revegetation from within bare areas largely occurred by herb species, while graminoids and shrub species predominately colonised bare ground by lateral expansion from the edges, eventually replacing the colonising herbs. At the 12 quadrats near Mt Kosciuszko, vegetation cover was almost complete in all years surveyed except 1968, which was at the end of a six year drought. Similar to the results from the transect study, the drought caused an increase in litter at both locations as graminoid cover declined. Initially herb cover increased, potentially as a result of decreased competition from the graminoids and a nutrient spike from decaying litter, but as the drought became more severe, herb cover also declined. Graminoid cover rapidly recovered after the drought, reaching pre-drought levels by 1978, and was at similar levels in 2001. Herb cover continued to decline after peaking in 1964. The photoquadrat study also documented the longevity and growth rates of several species indicating that many taxa may persist for several decades. It further provided insights into replacement patterns amongst life forms. In addition to assessing vegetation change following livestock grazing and drought at the long-term plots, recovery from tourism impacts was examined by comparing vegetation and soils on a closed walking track, with that of adjacent undisturbed tall alpine herbfield at a series of 22 paired quadrats. Fifteen years after the track was closed there was limited success in restoration. Over a quarter of the closed track was still bare ground with non-native species the dominant vegetation. Plant species composition differed and vegetation height, soil nutrients and soil moisture were lower on the track which had a higher compaction level than adjacent natural vegetation. The results presented in this thesis highlight that tall alpine herbfield is characterised by nearly entire vegetation cover which is dominated by graminoids, followed by herbs and shrubs in the absence of disturbance by livestock grazing, trampling or drought. The studies also showed that under quot;average" conditions, the relative cover of herbs and graminoids remained fairly stable even though there can be considerable cycling between them. Spatial variability in terms of taxa composition was high. The only common introduced species in unrehabilitated sites was Acetosella vulgaris, which was effective at colonising bare ground but was eventually replaced by other native species. However, in areas actively rehabilitated, such as on the closed track, non-native species introduced during revegetation efforts still persist with high cover 15 years after their introduction. Monitoring of vegetation change is also important at the landscape scale. This thesis provides a review of the potential use, the limitations and the benefits of aerial photography to examine vegetation change in the Kosciuszko alpine zone. Numerous aerial photography runs have been flown over the area since the 1930s for government agencies, industry and the military. Some of these records have been used to map vegetation communities and eroding areas at a point in time. Other studies compared different types and scales of photographs, highlighting in particular the benefits and potential of large scale colour aerial photography to map alpine vegetation. However, despite their potential to assess vegetation change over time, a temporal comparison of vegetation in the Kosciuszko alpine zone from aerial photographs has not been completed to this date. Historical photographs may not be easy to locate or access and difficulties with vegetation classification may restrict the practicality of using historical aerial photographs to assess vegetation change. Despite these issues, aerial photography may provide a very useful and efficient tool to assess changes over time when applied appropriately, even in alpine environments. The development of digital classification techniques, the application of statistical measures of error to both methodology and data, and the application of geographic information systems are likely to further improve the practicality of historical aerial photographs for the detection of vegetation change and assist in overcoming some of the limitations. The results presented in this thesis highlight the need for limiting disturbance, for ongoing rehabilitation of disturbed areas and for long-term monitoring in the Kosciuszko alpine zone. The results contribute to our understanding of how vegetation may change in the future and may be affected by new land use activities and climate change. This type of information, which otherwise would require the establishment of long-term studies and years of monitoring, can assist land managers of this and other important protected areas. The study highlights how the use and expansion of already existing datasets to gather ecological information can save considerable money and time, providing valuable data for current and emerging issues.

A population of spotted-tailed quolls Dasyurus maculatus was studied for three years (2002-2004) in the lower catchment of the Jacobs River, in the Byadbo Wilderness Area of southern Kosciuszko National Park, south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Survey and monitoring of quoll latrine sites and prey populations, dietary analysis and live-trapping was carried out for one year before and two years after the widespread wildfires of January 2003, which had a very high impact on the study area. Survey for spotted-tailed quoll latrine sites was successful in locating a total of 90 latrine sites in the Jacobs River study area over the three years of the study. These were found throughout all parts of the topography among large, complex granite outcrops and along rocky sections of riparian habitat. After the fire in 2003, lower numbers of latrines were in use than observed pre-fire, and there was a lower level of usage (number of scats) of individual latrines. Continued monitoring in 2004 revealed that many latrines that had become inactive in 2003 following the fire were re-activated in the second breeding season following fire. 1466 spotted-tailed quoll scats were collected from latrines and live-trapped quolls over the three years of the study. Hair analysis from scats identified twenty-two different species of mammal in the diet of the spotted-tailed quoll from the Jacobs River study area, representing the majority of all prey identified (98.5% occurrence) and contributing almost all of the biomass consumed (99.6%). Medium-sized mammals were the most important prey category, followed by small mammals, large mammals (most likely taken as carrion) and non-mammalian prey (birds, reptiles, insects and plants). Brushtail possums were the most important single prey item by both frequency of occurrence and percentage biomass in all years, followed by lagomorphs (rabbits and hares), Rattus spp., and swamp wallabies. There was a significant difference in the composition of the diet by major prey category across the years of the study as a result of the fire, indicated by a shift in utilisation of food resources by quolls in response to significant changes in prey availability. Monitoring of prey populations revealed that brushtail possums, lagomorphs and bandicoots were all significantly less abundant in the study area in the winter directly following the fire, followed by a significant increase in abundance of lagomorphs, but not of possums, in the second winter after the fire. Quolls adapted well to this altered prey availability. While there was a significant decrease in occurrence of brushtail possum in scats after the fire, significantly more scats contained hair of lagomorphs, to the point where almost equal proportions of lagomorphs and possum hair occurred in scats by the winter of 2004. Other fire-induced changes to the diet were evident, such as a significant drop in the occurrence of small mammals in scats for both winters after the fire, and a peak in occurrence of large mammals in the winter directly following the fire that strongly suggests there was a short-term increase in the availability of carrion. A large, high-density population of spotted-tailed quolls was live-trapped and marked during the winter breeding season of 2002. Twenty-two quolls (13 male and 9 female) were present in the study area in 2002, and subsequent trapping over the 2003 and 2004 winter breeding seasons following the fire revealed that the high-intensity wildfire did not result in the extinction of the local population. There was evidence of a small, short-term decline in the number of quolls present in the study area in the 2003 breeding season, with 16 individual quolls captured. Males were outnumbered two-to-one by females, due either to mortality or emigration. Trapping in 2004 showed a recovery of the population to numbers exceeding that observed prior to the fire, with 26 individuals captured (16 male, 10 female), most likely as a result of immigration. There was some evidence that recruitment of young from the post-fire breeding season in 2003 was reduced because of the fire. This study took advantage of an unplanned wildfire event to monitor the response of a population of spotted-tailed quolls and their prey. In this regard it was fortuitous since it has been recognised that the use of replicates and controls in the study of the impacts of wildfire on such species is likely to be logistically impossible. Consequently, the effects of fire on forest and woodland fauna such as the spotted-tailed quoll are poorly understood, with many authors expressing concern that, potentially, wildfires are likely to be highly detrimental to resident quoll populations. The results of this study, however, concur with the few other studies in which forest mammal populations have been monitored before and after wildfire in suggesting that wildfires may not be as destructive to fauna as that imagined. The results of this work will provide information to assist in the preparation of management strategies for the species, such as recovery plans, as well as information for land managers preparing management plans, including fire management plans, for habitats in which spotted-tailed quolls are found throughout their range.

Until recently, most of the available research on the biology of introduced plant species, their interactions with neighbouring species and their responses to a range of environmental conditions has been carried out in an agricultural context. However, the study of introduced plants in natural areas has received increasing attention in the last decade, including the initiation in mid-1982 of a wide-ranging SCOPE programme (Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment, a subsidiary body of the International Council of Scientific Unions) on the Ecology of Biological Invasions. The research associated with the SCOPE programme has now been published as a series of regional and global reviews (Groves & Burdon, 1986; Kornberg & Williamson, 1986; Macdonald et al., 1986; Mooney & Drake, 1986: Joenje et al., 1987; Usher et al., 1988; Drake et al., 1989). Particular emphasis in these and other studies has been given to factors contributing to the successful establishment of introduced species, and the susceptibility of different communities and ecosystems to introduced species invasions. Natural and semi-natural areas (those areas which are relatively undisturbed by human activities) in most countries are becoming fewer and smaller, and those that remain are subject to increasing visitor use and exploitation. The current concern about the effects of introduced species in natural areas is related to the growing scientific and public awareness of the value of natural areas and their component species. An introduced species is defined in a natural area context as any species which is not native to the region being studied. There are few ecosystems in the world which have not been affected by introduced plant invasions (Usher, 1988; Heywood, 1989). Most of these invasions can be linked either directly or indirectly with human activities, with invasion of undisturbed ecosystems being extremely uncommon (Johnson, 1982; Fox, 1988). Introduced species invading both natural and modified ecosystems vary greatly in their ability to colonise and persist at a site, in their rates of spread and in their effects on the existing plant communities and ecosystem processes (Forcella, 1985; Christensen & Burrows, 1986; Heywood, 1989). Even among the most successful invaders, such as Chrysanthemoides monilifera in coastal areas of southeastern Australia (Weiss & Noble, 1984a & b); Acacia saligna, A. cyclops and A. longifolia in the fynbos biome of southern Africa (Macdonald & Jarman, 1984; Macdonald et al., 1989) and Hypericum perforatum in temperate grassland and woodland communities (Groves, 1989); there appear to be few attributes common to all species which can be used to accurately predict the invasion potential of individual species (Healy, 1969, 1973; Crawley, 1986, 1989; Newsome & Noble, 1986; Williamson & Brown, 1986; Esler, 1988; Noble, 1989).

Wild dogs in Australia comprise both purebred dingoes and dingo/domestic dog hybrids. Wil d dogs are widespread across mainland Australia including the south eastern region and still maintain the role of top order predator and trophic regulator. Although they are protected in many National Parks as native species and important ecosystem regulators they are also considered to be pests in rural areas where they spread di sease and prey on small cattle and sheep. This dichotomy of perspectives can make management of the species difficult, however, with more knowledge of the behaviour and habitat requirements of the dingo perhaps more effective management strategies can be developed. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the hypothesis that selected landscapelevel variables play a significant role in determining the core and home ranges of wild dogs. The steps in researching this hypothesis are two-fold, (1) to estimate the home ranges and core areas of the wild dogs in the case s tudy, and (2) examine the l andscape features of the home ranges and core areas of movement to determine whether or not certain features in the landscape may effect or shape home ranges. The wild dog data were drawn from three previous studies to give a total of eighteen wild dogs. All of these wild dogs were located in either the Bago or Maragle State Forests near Tumbarumba, NSW or in the adjoining northwest comer of Kosciuszko National Park. The study found the wild dogs ' home ranges, usmg 100 % minimum convex polygons, to be significantly larger than expected compared with the findings of a number of previous studies of wild dog home ranges in a variety of locations around Australia. Kernel estimators, which were used to calculate the core movement areas were found to produce better estimates than minimum convex polygo ns, but were sensitive to small clusters of data points that could heavily influence both the size and location of core areas. This was highli ghted by th e compariso n between two data sets (AR 181 and DJ 220) of the one wild dog that produced very different results for what appeared to be essentially the same home range and core areas. The landscape features of vegetation, topography and water surfaces were also studied within the home ranges and core areas of each of the wild dogs and it was found that they tended to be in areas made up predominantly of Montane Tableland Forests and although, in general, terrain tended to be rugged with large relief, territory within the core areas were mainly flat or undulating plateaus. No s imple linear correlation was found between wild dog sites and Gross Primary Productivity. Similarly, no link was found with water surfaces and home and core ranges.

W połowie XVIII w. rozpoczął się proces modernizacji wojsk Rzeczpospolitej. Sformowane zostały pierwsze oddziały inżynieryjne i Korpus Inżynierów, a w 1765 r. powstała Szkoła Rycerska – uczelnia wojskowa kształcąca inżynierów wojskowych. Wojska inżynieryjne odrodziły się w okresie napoleońskim, w powstałej wówczas armii Księstwa Warszawskiego. Wojska te były zorganizowane na wzór francuski i cały czas rozbudowywane. Największą liczebność osiągnęły przed kampanią rosyjską w 1812 r. W tym okresie Korpus Inżynierów realizował wiele prac na zlecenie Napoleona, m. in. budował twierdzę w Modlinie i prowadził szczegółowe prace kartograficzne. W 1809 r. powołano Szkołę Aplikacyjnę Artylerii i Inżynierów wzorowaną na paryskiej École polytechnique. Jej uczniami było wielu wybitnych inżynierów jak gen. I. Prądzyński i F. Pancer.W okresie 1815-1830 r. Królestwo Polskie było zależne od Rosji, co spowodowało, że jego armia była wzorowana była na rosyjskiej. Powołanie w tym czasie do życia Kwatermistrzostwa Generalnego sprawiło, że przejęło ono wiele obowiązków i najzdolniejszych oficerów Korpusu Inżynierów.Podczas Powstania (1830-31) wojska inżynieryjne odegrały znaczną rolę, budując wiele mostów polowych i fortyfikacji. Najtrudniejszym zadaniem było w tym czasie ufortyfikowanie Warszawy, niestety nie udało się tego skutecznie wykonać. Po upadku Powstania i likwidacji armii w tym również wojsk inżynieryjnych, wielu żołnierzy i oficerów udało się na emigrację ale większość pozostała w Kraju stanowiąc zaczątek polskiej inteligencji technicznej.
In mid-1700s, the armed forces of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth entered a process of modernisation. The first engineering units and the Corps of Engineers were organised and the year 1765 marked the establishment of the School of Chivalry - a military university training military engineers. The engineering corps was recreated with the formation of the army of the Duchy of Warsaw during the Napoleonic era. The Corps was organised based on the French model and continually developed, reaching its highest numbers in 1812. During that time, the Corps of Engineers carried out a number of projects commissioned by Napoleon, such as detailed mapping or the construction of the Modlin fortress. The Artillery and Engineering School, established in 1809 and designed after the French École polytechnique in Paris, trained many prominent engineers, such as General Ignacy Prądzyński and Feliks Pancer.During the era of the Russian-dominated Congress Kingdom of Poland (1815-1830), the Polish armed forces followed the organisation of the Russian Army. The General Logistics Department set up during that time, took over many of the responsibilities and most talented officers from the Corps of Engineers.The engineering corps played a key role in the November Uprising of 1830, constructing a number of field bridges and fortifications. Unfortunately, the most difficult task at the time, the fortification of Warsaw, was never completed. After the fall of the Uprising and the disbandment of the army, including the engineering corps, many soldiers and officers went into exile; still most remained in the Country and those who did became the nucleus of the Polish technology intelligentsia.

Grover O’Briant (11/16/1912–05/07/1995) played fiddle, guitar, banjo, harmonica, piano, and mandolin, and sang very well. Although he never recorded commercially, family recordings show that he was quite accomplished on guitar and fiddle. He acquired a reel-to-reel recorder in the 1960s and his son Jerry kept the recordings. O’Briant remembered attending the Kosciusko fiddle contest in 1920, as a child of nine or ten. He somewhat unsuccessfully tried to revive it in the 1970s and then succeeded in getting it going again in 1984. He emceed and played in the contest. The Grand Champion Trophy for the Natchez Trace Festival was named for him. Homer Grice was a friend and lived nearby. From the 1940s through the 1970s Grover and Homer visited and played often. Grice also competed in Kosciusko contests and was quite intent on winning.

The chapter examines the continued struggle for sociopolitical control within a settling Jim Crow society and serves as a continuation of the previous chapter to discuss how liberation and redemption played out through the onset of World War I. The chapter examines continued inequity in educational spending, educational setbacks for Central Mississippi College and Kosciusko Industrial College, the alleged boycott of Black domestics, the lynching of Leander Harmon, and the rise of the Black rural bourgeois that would come to represent the county's middle class for the next fifty years anchored by individuals such as Volina Cooper, Sarah Phillips, and Lee Boston Turner.

The chapter examines the resistance measures both whites and African Americans undertook in the 20^th century's first decade and the literal and figurative price peoples paid for their pursuit of liberation and redemption prior and during the James K. Vardaman administration. The chapter examines the height of racial tensions fueled by the federal appointment of Professors D.M.P. Hazley and William Wendell Phillips as census enumerators, the double-lynching of Jim Gaston and Monroe Hallum, and the statewide manhunt for Rufus Ousley, who killed a white man in self-defense. The chapter also focuses on voting and education with an examination of the white primary and African American resistance through via delinquent poll taxes and the re-birth of Central Mississippi College and the creation of the Kosciusko Industrial College that made Attala County the only county in the state's central region with two independent African American higher education institutions.

William E. Ray (1896–1971) was a notable fiddler of his day and place. He won the Kosciusko fiddlers’ contest on at least one occasion (believed to be in the early 1930s), and was recalled by Hoyt Ming and Lonnie Ellis, among others. Ellis remembered the reserve of the Ray Brothers at the May 1930 recording session in Memphis that they all attended: unlike the other old-time players present, the Rays would not join casual picking sessions but kept to their room. Dr. A. M. Bailey also spoke about the Rays’ guarded reception of overtures of interest in their music. Will Ray’s fiddling is of a quality to make one pardon any eccentricities. While his tunes are less surprising than, say, Willie Narmour’s, his playing is uncommonly graceful, the frequent slides beautifully executed, the high parts rendered with sweetness. The fluid bowing occasionally recalls Gene Clardy, who lived for some years in Choctaw County and may have been known to him. Sandy Vardaman Ray (1903–77), guitarist on the records and singer of the two vocal numbers, taught in local public schools. He could also play banjo. Will Ray farmed, but in 1940 he was enumerated as a public-school teacher of music. In later years, both men lived in Kilmichael.