Academic literature on the topic 'Ku-Ring-Gai Chase'

Radio-tracking studies of ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) were carried out in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park at its border with suburban Sydney. Hand-reared and relocated ringtail possums released into the study site survived an average of 101 days and wild ringtail possums resident in the study area survived an average 182 days. Of the 118 individuals whose fates were determined, all but eight were killed by predators, 52% by foxes and 29% by cats. Within the study area both introduced and wild ringtail possums used dreys (nests) more frequently than tree hollows, and nests on the ground were used about 7% of the time.

The relationships between stand structure and floristic composition were examined from data collected from 100 quadrats on two soil types: Hawkesbury sandstone and Narrabeen group soils, occurring within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales. Floristic composition was determined using the frequency of species occurring within nine concentric sub-quadrats of total area 500 m2. Stand structure was determined by a multivariate classification scheme utilising the foliage projective cover of eight strata within each quadrat. The patterns in floristic composition and stand structure were examined through multivariate analyses. Procrustes analysis of non-metric multidimensional scaling ordinations of both the stand structure and composition data showed floristic composition gradients to be well recovered by the structure data. Similar gradients were evident in both vegetation attributes, between and within the two soil types, with the rank order of community types across the ordinations being the same. However, some important differences were evident between the ordinations of floristic composition and stand structure between and within soil types. A number of floristically dissimilar communities exhibited very similar multivariate structural characteristics. In particular, two floristically distinct communities on different soil types were indistinguishable in terms of their structural characteristics. The multivariate analyses suggest a possible convergence of some compositionally distinct communities towards a common structural formation.

Mapping Footprints: Lost Geographies in Australian Landscapes is a research project in development that explores the relational qualities of places and contemporary perceptions of geography. It reflects on new mapping technologies that have the capacity to reinstate relations between subjects and places via a spatial exploration that engages with inventive and specific uses of location sensing technologies informed by physical and cultural contexts. The Elvina rock engravings in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park are the site of a location-sensitive sound installation in which we integrate the specificities of landscape with a navigational medium. A sonic map is overlayed over the physical terrain, opening up the site as a place embedded with memories, creating the potential for spontaneous exploration and new understandings of place. The ‘map’ in Mapping Footprints is composed from the geographical narration of the cartographers’ exploration across Indigenous mediascapes.

The species richness (number of vascular-plant species per unit area) of sclerophyll (heathy) plant communities is examined from south-east Queensland to south-west Western Australia. The species richness of communities of heathy open forest, heathy open scrub, dry heathland and wet heathland is consist- ently similar throughout southern Australia and decreases from dry heathland (on laterite, coastal and inland localities) to heathy open forest, heathy open scrub and wet heathland. Investigation of related microcommunities at Cooloola, Stradbroke Island, Ku-ring-gai Chase and Wilsons Promontory indicates that species richness decreases linearly as overstorey cover increases. In post-fire succession on Stradbroke Island heathy woodland and Dark Island heathland, species richness declines linearly as overstorey cover increases during the regeneration of the community. The appli- cation of limiting fertiliser to Stradbroke Island heathy woodland and Dark Island heathland increases the rate of development of overstorey cover, with a simultaneous decrease in species richness. Species richness of the understorey strata of plant communities appears to be inversely related to the rate of development of foliage projective cover in the overstorey. If an environmental or biotic factor inhibits or retards the development of overstorey cover, the understorey increases in species richness. Conversely, if any environmental or biotic factor accelerates the development of overstorey cover, the understorey species show a reduction in species richness.

Scotland Island lies towards the southern end of Pittwater, in the lands of the Guringai, the original inhabitants of this area. In nearby Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, there are numerous rock engravings carved by the Guringai people.Middens, containing remnants of shells and fish at places where generations of Guringai dined, have been found on the northern and western parts of Scotland Island. European settlers extracted shells from these middens on the Pittwater foreshore and shipped them to Sydney, to be used for lime to make mortar (although there is no record of this happening on the island).

Patterns in the floristic composition, stand structure, species richness and environmental characteristics of plant communities at a number of spatial scales were examined in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, New South Wales. Vegetation patterns in eastern Australia have often been related primarily to a single environmental variable, soil phosphorus concentration. This study examines the 'single nutrient' hypothesis regarding the distribution of plant species. If soil phosphorus concentration is the majot factor affecting the distribution of plant species, then this should be highly correlated with spatial patterns in the floristic composition of plant communities within the study area. Floristic composition was determined as the frequencies of all vascular species occuring within duplicate 500 m2 quadrants from fifty sites within the Park. Environmental data consisted of 21 variables, including soil physical and chemical characteristics, from each quadrant. The patterns in floristic composition and environmental factors are described and the relationships between composition and environment were examined. through indirect and direct gradient analyses. The measured environmental factors showed strong correlations with floristic patterns; however, two scales of species distributions were apparent: between and within soil type. Direct gradient analyses of composition and environmental data showed soil phosphorus concentration was inadequate in explaining the observed patterns in floristic composition of plant communities are a response to complex multivariable environmental gradients. The structural characteristics of vegetation stands were examined through the development of a multivariate approach to the classification of stand structure. This multivariate approach is essentially a modification of an existing scheme utilising foliage projective cover of various recognisable strata within the strands. Multivariate classification and ordinations of plant communities based on structural characteristics showed strong correspondence to that obtained by compositional analyses. The complex multivariable gradient hypothesis is supported from results examining stand structure-environment relationships. The relationship between species richness and richness of three growth-form types (tree, shrubs, and herbs) and environmental variables were examined through generalised linear models. The measured environmental variables showed strong relationships with species richness, consistent with the results found multivariately with floristic composition and stand structure. No single measured environmental variable adequately predicted the observed patterns in species richness, rather species richness showed strong relationships with complex multivariable environmental gradients. This study clearly demonstrates the the 'single-nutrient' or 'phosphorus' hypothesis is inadequate in explaining all the patterns in the various components of vegetation within Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The complex multivariable environmental gradient hypothesis suggested by the relationships between floristic composition and environmental variables is supported by the relationships exhibited by two other attributes of vegetation communities: stand structure and species richness. Further studies testing the significance of the complex multivariable environmental gradient hypothesis are required.