Journal articles on the topic 'Plant conservation – Western Australia'
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1
Taylor, Gary S., and Melinda L. Moir. "Further evidence of the coextinction threat for jumping plant-lice: three new Acizzia (Psyllidae) and Trioza (Triozidae) from Western Australia." Insect Systematics & Evolution 45, no. 3 (July 24, 2014): 283–302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1876312x-00002107.
Abstract:
Three new species of jumping plant-lice (Psylloidea) are described from Western Australia. Acizzia hughesae sp.n. occurs on Acacia veronica Maslin (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae), A. mccarthyi sp.n. on an undescribed species of Grevillea (Proteaceae) identified by the Western Australian State Government as in need of conservation action (Grevillea sp. ‘Stirling Range’) and Trioza barrettae sp.n. from the critically endangered Banksia brownii (Proteaceae). These new species of jumping plant-lice are considered rare, and at risk of extinction, or coextinction, as they are recorded from plant species with highly restricted distributions in the south-west of Western Australia. Indeed, the Western Australian State Government recently classified two of the three new jumping plant-lice species as threatened.
2
Morris, K. D. "The status and conservation of native rodents in Western Australia." Wildlife Research 27, no. 4 (2000): 405. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr97054.
Abstract:
This paper examines the conservation status of Western Australia’s native rodent fauna using IUCN criteria and compares this with their current status under State and Commonwealth legislation, as well as that recommended in the Rodent Action Plan. Of the 35 native rodent taxa known in Western Australia, four (11%) are currently listed as extinct, and six (17%) as threatened under Western Australian legislation. Nine are listed as threatened under Commonwealth legislation. It is proposed that two, currently unlisted, island sub-species should be regarded as threatened. Some decreases in conservation status are also proposed. Predation by feral cats, habitat destruction and the use of surface shelter structures are suggested as primary factors in the decline of native rodents. Conservation programs are underway for most threatened taxa in Western Australia, including the implementation of recovery plans for the Shark Bay mouse and greater stick-nest rat. The heath rat is the only threatened rodent lacking a conservation program in Western Australia. The work planned or required for rodent conservation is presented and includes survey for the critically endangered central rock-rat, and translocation programs for other threatened taxa. The distribution of most taxa is relatively well known; however, there is a need to commence, or complete, taxonomic assessment of some.
3
Norton, Sally L., Colin K. Khoury, Chrystian C. Sosa, Nora P. Castañeda-Álvarez, Harold A. Achicanoy, and Steven Sotelo. "Priorities for enhancing the ex situ conservation and use of Australian crop wild relatives." Australian Journal of Botany 65, no. 8 (2017): 638. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt16236.
Abstract:
Crop wild relatives – the wild cousins of cultivated plants – are increasingly recognised for their potential to contribute to the productivity, nutritional quality and sustainability of agricultural crops. However, the use of these genetic resources is dependent upon their conservation in genebanks and consequent availability to plant breeders, the status of which has not been comprehensively analysed in Australia. Such conservation assessments are given urgency by reports of increasing threats to natural populations due to habitat destruction, climate change, and invasive species, among other causes. Here we document Australian wild plants related to important food crops, and outline their priorities for ex situ conservation. Given that no major domesticated food plants originated in the country, Australia’s native flora of crop wild relatives is surprisingly rich, including potentially valuable cousins of banana, eggplant, melon, mung bean, pigeonpea, rice, sorghum, sweetpotato, soybean and yam. Species richness of the wild relatives of major food crops is concentrated in the northern and north-eastern tropical regions, in the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and Queensland. Geographic priorities for collecting of these taxa for ex situ conservation, due to the limited representation of their populations in genebanks, largely align with areas of high species richness. Proposed dam building and agricultural expansion in northern Australia make conservation action for these species more urgent. We outline key steps needed for enhancing the ex situ conservation of Australia’s heritage of major food crop wild relatives, and discuss the critical activities required to increase their use.
4
Twigg, Laurie. "Fluoroacetate-bearing vegetation: can it reduce the impact of exotic mammals on wildlife conservation?" Pacific Conservation Biology 17, no. 4 (2011): 299. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc110299.
Abstract:
THERE is no doubt that fluoroacetate-bearing vegetation (also known as poison peas) has had a profound effect on the evolution and persistence of Western Australian biota. Most of these plants belong to the genus Gastrolobium, and most are found in the south-west corner of Western Australia (Gardner and Bennetts 1956; Aplin 1971; Twigg and King 1991). The toxic principle of these plants, fluoroacetate, is also manufactured synthetically as 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) for Australiawide control of vertebrate pests, such as rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus, foxes Vulpes vulpes, wild dogs Canis lupus familiaris and feral Pigs Sus scrofa (Twigg and King 1991). Because of their co-evolution with fluoroacetate-bearing vegetation, many native animals in Western Australia have developed varying levels of tolerance to this highly toxic compound. In contrast, introduced mammals are generally highly sensitive to fluoroacetate. Although it is not a prerequisite for safe and effective pest control programmes with 1080, the toxicity differential between native and introduced animals provides an additional “safety net” when using 1080 products in Western Australia.
5
Byrne, M. "Phylogeography provides an evolutionary context for the conservation of a diverse and ancient flora." Australian Journal of Botany 55, no. 3 (2007): 316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt06072.
Abstract:
Phylogeography can inform conservation strategies through assessment of genetic diversity that incorporates an evolutionary perspective, and allows evaluation within a geographical context, thus providing integration with other biogeographical information. Comparative phylogeography can identify significant historical processes that have had major influences on the biota and provides a historical context for understanding current species distributions. The phylogeographic patterns in the flora of south-western Australia are reviewed. Concordant patterns of lineage divergence in three unrelated taxa from separate families with widespread distributions indicate a common response to major historical processes involved in Pleistocene climatic fluctuations. Identification of highly divergent haplotypes in some species indicates areas that may represent refugia during times of climatic instability. Analysis of phylogeographic patterns in the flora of south-western Australia has revealed the influence of historical climate change in promoting high phylogenetic diversity within species that is comparable to the high species diversity that is well known in the Western Australian flora. Knowledge of historical influences and species responses provides an evolutionary context for conservation management strategies that facilitate the continued action of dynamic evolutionary processes.
6
Keighery, Greg J., Neil Gibson, Stephen van Leeuwen, Michael N. Lyons, and Sue Patrick. "Biological survey and setting priorities for flora conservation in Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 55, no. 3 (2007): 308. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt06102.
Abstract:
Biological survey has been an integral component of conservation planning in Western Australia for >30 years, providing baseline data for reserve selection and the management of biodiversity at the genetic, species and community levels. Flora surveys are particularly important, given the diverse and poorly documented nature of the state’s vascular flora. Surveys have been conducted at the following four scales: regional, subregional, local and individual species. At all scales, flora surveys have provided detail on individual taxon distribution, have identified previously unknown or unrecognised taxa, have located presumed extinct taxa and have substantially contributed to information on the distribution of threatened flora. Regional-scale surveys normally involve multidisciplinary teams studying a broad selection of the biota. These combined plot-based data are used to develop a ‘classify-then-model’ approach to assessment of comprehensiveness, adequacy and representativeness of the regional conservation reserve system. These regional models describe the broad-scale patterning of common taxa but their utility in reflecting patterns in naturally rare or highly restricted taxa is uncertain. Results from recent surveys show poor correlations between floristic patterning and other components of the biota.
7
KEIGHERY, G. "Phytogeography, Biology and Conservation of Western Australian Epacridaceae." Annals of Botany 77, no. 4 (April 1996): 347–56. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbo.1996.0042.
8
E. Davis Jr., William. "Environmental Biology." Pacific Conservation Biology 15, no. 4 (2009): 303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc090303.
Abstract:
This is an introductory biology textbook that is tailored to the needs of students who will major or take courses in environmental science, conservation, sustainable development, or other areas that deal with anthropogenic problems of habitat degradation, extinction, and human over-population. It is an introductory text in that it presents all the paradigms of biology, including cell theory and evolution, as well as scientific method, field techniques, and problem solving, all with an environmental emphasis. Most of the focus of the numerous examples is on Australian subjects and problems. For example, three case studies presented in the introductory chapter deal with the conflict between timber production and the conservation of Leadbeater?s Possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri, whether humans caused the outbreak of Crown-of-thorns Starfish Acanthaster planci on Australian reefs, and the conservation of a rare plant species, Corrigin Grevillea Grevillea scapigera, after massive land clearing in Western Australia.
9
Hobbs, RJ, and L. Atkins. "Fire-Related Dynamics of a Banksia Woodland in South-Western Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 38, no. 1 (1990): 97. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt9900097.
Abstract:
We studied the post-fire vegetation development of a low open woodland dominated by Banksia attenuata and B. menziesii near Perth, Western Australia. Two similar stands burned in autumn and spring displayed different regeneration patterns, with seedling regeneration occurring only in the autumn burn area. Vegetative regrowth was more rapid and post-fire species numbers were higher in the spring burn area. Introduced annuals increased significantly in the autumn fire area. Longer-term vegetation development was studied in a series of stands ranging in age since last fire from 1 to >44 years. Species richness was greatest in the 5-year-old stand, and many shrub species were most abundant 2-5 years after fire. Non-native annuals were found only in stands less than 5 years old since last fire. Dominance by the shrub Eremaea pauciflora increased with stand age, although shrub structure and total biomass did not vary greatly except in the oldest stand studied. The proportion of total shrub biomass accounted for by leaves declined with stand age. Both the two major Banksia species had mixed size structures with seedlings present in all stands, indicating that neither is dependent on fire for recruitment. The results indicate that while autumn burns promote seedling regeneration they may also increase invasion by non-natives, and spring burning may be preferable in these Banksia woodlands. Burning rotations longer than those required for fuel reduction purposes are necessary to maximise conservation values.
10
Gibson, N., G. J. Keighery, M. N. Lyons, and B. J. Keighery. "Threatened plant communities of Western Australia. 2 The seasonal clay-based wetland communities of the South West." Pacific Conservation Biology 11, no. 4 (2005): 287. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc050287.
Abstract:
The communities of seasonal clay-based wetlands of south-west Australia are described. They are amongst the most threatened In Western Australia. It is estimated that >90% of the original extent of these communities has been cleared for agriculture, and the remaining areas, despite largely occurring in conservation reserves, are threatened by weed invasion and rising saline groundwater. Thirty-six taxa are identified as claypan specialists occurring in six floristic communities. Composition was strongly correlated with rainfall and edaphic factors. The most consistent attribute shared between the seasonal clay-based wetlands of south-west Australia, and the analogous vernal pools systems of California, Chile, and South Africa was the widespread conversion of these wetlands to agricultural systems. The south-west Australia wetlands had a richer flora, different lifeform composition, higher species richness but fewer claypan specialists than the vernal pools of California. The dissimilarity in the regional floras and vegetation types from which the pool floras were recruited explain these differences.
11
Abensperg-Traun, Max, Lyn Atkins, Richard Hobbs, and Dion Steven. "Exotic plant invasion and understorey species richness: a comparison of two types of eucalypt woodland in agricultural Western Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 4, no. 1 (1998): 21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc980021.
Abstract:
Exotic plants are a major threat to native plant diversity in Australia yet a generic model of the invasion of Australian ecosystems by exotic species is lacking because invasion levels differ with vegetation/soil type and environmental conditions. This study compared relative differences in exotic species invasion (percent cover, spp. richness) and the species richness of herbaceous native plants in two structurally very similar vegetation types, Gimlet Eucalyptus salubris and Wandoo E. capillosa woodlands in the Western Australian wheatbelt. For each woodland type, plant variables were measured for relatively undisturbed woodlands, woodlands with >30 years of livestock grazing history, and woodlands in road-verges. Grazed and road-verge Gimlet and Wandoo woodlands had significantly higher cover of exotic species, and lower species richness of native plants, compared with undisturbed Gimlet and Wandoo. Exotic plant invasion was significantly greater in Gimlet woodlands for both grazed (mean 78% cover) and road-verge sites (mean 42% cover) than in comparable sites in Wandoo woodlands (grazed sites 25% cover, road-verge sites 19% cover). There was no significant difference in the species richness of exotic plants between Wandoo and Gimlet sites for any of the three situations. Mean site richness of native plants was not significantly different between undisturbed Wandoo and undisturbed Gimlet woodlands. Undisturbed woodlands were significantly richer in plant species than grazed and road-verge woodlands for both woodland types. Grazed and road-verge Wandoo sites were significantly richer in plant species than communities in grazed and road-verge Gimlet. The percent cover of exotics was negatively correlated with total (native) plant species richness for both woodland types (Wandoo r = ?0.70, Gimlet r = ?0.87). Of the total native species recorded in undisturbed Gimlet, 83% and 61% were not recorded in grazed and road-verge Gimlet, respectively. This compared with 40% and 33% for grazed and road-verge Wandoo, respectively. Grazed Wandoo and grazed Gimlet sites had significantly fewer native plant species than did road-verge Wandoo and road-verge Gimlet sites. Ecosystem implications of differential invasions by exotic species, and the effects of grazing (disturbance) and other factors influencing susceptibility to exotic plant invasion (landscape, competition and allelopathy) on native species decline are discussed. Exclusion of livestock and adequate methods of control and prevention of further invasions by exotic plants are essential requirements for the conservation of these woodland systems.
12
Wescott, Geoffrey Charles. "Australia's Distinctive National Parks System." Environmental Conservation 18, no. 4 (1991): 331–40. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s037689290002258x.
Abstract:
Australia possesses a distinctive national parks and conservation reserves system, in which it is the State Governments rather than the Federal Government which owns, plans, and manages, national parks and other conservation reserves.Most Australian States declared their first national parks in the latter quarter of last century, Australia's first national park being declared in New South Wales in March 1879. These critical declarations were followed by a slow accumulation of parks and reserves through to 1968. The pace of acquisition then quickened dramatically with an eight-fold expansion in the total area of national parks between 1968 and 1990, at an average rate of over 750,000 ha per annum. The present Australian system contains 530 national parks covering 20.18 million hectares or 2.6% of the land-mass. A further 28.3 million hectares is protected in other parks and conservation reserves. In terms of the percentage of their land-mass now in national parks, the leading States are Tasmania (12.8%) and Victoria (10.0%), with Western Australia (1.9%) and Queensland (2.1%) trailing far behind, and New South Wales (3.92%) and South Australia (3.1%) lying between.The Australian system is also compared with the Canadian and USA systems. All three are countries of widely comparable cultures that have national parks covering similar percentage areas, but Canada and the USA have far fewer national parks than Australia and they are in general of much greater size. In addition, Canada and the USA ‘resource’ these parks far better than the Australians do theirs. The paper concludes that Australia needs to rationalize its current system by introducing direct funding, by the Federal Government, of national park management, and duly examining the whole system of reserves from a national rather than States' viewpoint.
13
He, Tianhua, and Byron B. Lamont. "Patchy plant distribution promotes invasion by exotics in south-western Australia." Ecological Management & Restoration 9, no. 1 (April 2008): 77–82. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2008.00393.x.
14
Byrne, Margaret. "Genetics and ecology of plant species occurring on the Banded Iron Formations in the Yilgarn, Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 67, no. 3 (2019): 165. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt19048.
Abstract:
Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) are a distinctive feature in the Yilgarn craton of southern Western Australia occurring as geographically isolated ranges within a mosaic of alluvial clay soils interspersed with sandplains and occasional granite outcrops. They are prominent features across a flat, highly weathered plateau, forming unique geologically stable components in an unglaciated landscape. The topographic complexity of BIFs provides areas of key environmental heterogeneity in a subdued landscape, offering a mosaic of habitats and abundance of niche microhabitats that support unique plant communities with high species diversity including many narrowly endemic species and those with distributions centred on these banded iron formations. Genetic and ecological studies have been undertaken on several species that are endemic to, or have distributions centred on, the banded iron formations of the Yilgarn. These studies provide a basis for understanding the diversity and evolutionary history of the plant communities that occur in these diverse environments. This Special Issue brings together studies on several these species to complement studies already published, and this overview provides a summary of the genetics and ecology of 21 species that are restricted to, or have distributions centred on, BIFs. Many of these species have conservation status under national and state legislation and understanding of genetics and ecology of these species assists with conservation strategies. A range of genetic patterns was identified among these species making generalisations difficult and indicating analysis of individual species is required in order to provide information for conservation and management decisions.
15
Walker, E., M. Byrne, B. Macdonald, D. Nicolle, and J. McComb. "Clonality and hybrid origin of the rare Eucalyptus bennettiae (Myrtaceae) in Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 57, no. 3 (2009): 180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt08148.
Abstract:
Clonality and hybrid origin influence the conservation status of rare and restricted species. Eucalyptus bennettiae Carr & Carr is a rare species known only from a few individuals that may be clonal and may have arisen through hybridisation between other co-occurring species. The hybrid status and clonality of E. bennettiae was investigated with analysis of microsatellite variation in E. bennettiae compared with its putative parents, E. lehmannii subsp. parallela, E. sporadica and E. astringens subsp. redacta, identified through morphological characteristics. Analysis of microsatellite variation revealed clonality with one individual present at each location, and additivity of alleles and no unique alleles in E. bennettiae compared with two of the putative parents, E. lehmannii subsp. parallela and E. sporadica. In addition, E. bennettiae displayed intermediacy in species relationships and measures of relatedness, and assignment tests showed mixed ancestry in relation to these species but not the third putative parent, E. astringens subsp. redacta. These findings confirm that E. bennettiae is a hybrid and evaluation of the taxon for conservation protection shows that it does not satisfy the criteria for listing as a threatened species.
16
Abensperg-Traun, Max, Dion Steven, and Lyn Atkins. "The influence of plant diversity on the resilience of harvester termites to fire." Pacific Conservation Biology 2, no. 3 (1995): 279. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc960279.
Abstract:
The harvester termites in floristically rich mallee-heath of southern Western Australia appear resilient to high-intensity fire. This contrasts with the temporary extinction of harvesters occupying a narrow food niche in floristically simple, intensely burnt spinifex Triodia angusta grassland in tropical Western Australia. The present study examines the effects of high-intensity fire on harvester termites Drepanotermes tamminensis in vegetation of intermediate floristic diversity and compares its findings with these earlier studies. We sampled 20 mounds (termitaria) in both an unburnt and (adjacent) burnt stand of Allocasuarina campestris shrubland. Although partially regenerated three years after the fire, 40% of mounds in the burnt area were abandoned, contrasting with 10% in the unburnt stand. No harvested chaff was found in any of the abandoned mounds. The extent of mound occupation by D. tamminensis was considerably lower, and ant invasion higher, in the burnt stand. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that high floristic diversity enhances the resilience of harvester termites to fire. The most likely mechanism is the availability of a range of plant (food) species with different regenerative responses to high-intensity fire. The death of spinifex and the associated harvester termites after fire may be atypical. We argue, however, that temporary extinction of harvester populations in arid Australia may not be exceptional, particularly where fire coincides with drought and high livestock grazing pressure. Rigorous experimental studies are necessary to enhance our understanding of the long-term effects of fire on harvester termite populations in different vegetation types and climatic zones.
17
F. Recher, Harry. "Gondwanan Heritage." Pacific Conservation Biology 3, no. 1 (1997): 77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc970077.
Abstract:
Gondwanan Heritage is dedicated to two inspirational Western Australian biologists, Bert Main and Sid James. Let me therefore add my appreciation for the efforts of Bert Main and Sid James. Bert is probably most revered for his wit and commitment to scientifically based environmental management and conservation. His research on evolutionary ecology is that of a true naturalist with publications on plants, fish, invertebrates, reptiles, fire ecology, biodiversity, and the history of science to mention just a few of his interests. Sid James is a plant evolutionist and geneticist and, as Steve Hopper puts it, his work provides "compelling reasons for conserving all that remains of Western Australia's remnant vegetation".
18
Lee, J. G. H., H. C. Finn, and M. C. Calver. "Ecology of black cockatoos at a mine-site in the eastern jarrah-marri forest, western Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 19, no. 1 (2013): 76. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130076.
Abstract:
Three threatened black cockatoos inhabit the Jarrah Eucalyptus marginata-Marri Corymbia calophylla forest of southwestern Australia: Baudin’s Cockatoo Calyptorhynchus baudinii, Carnaby’s Cockatoo C. latirostris, and Forest Redtailed Black Cockatoo C. banksii naso [FRTBC]. Their local ecology in relation to anthropogenic disturbance is poorly known, hampering effective conservation management. Therefore we studied their group size, site occupancy patterns, habitat use, and food plants at a mine-site and its surrounds in the eastern forest over three years. FRTBC showed similar group sizes and occupancy across seasons, suggesting year-round residency and no marked seasonality in movements and grouping patterns. In contrast, Carnaby’s Cockatoos were up to twice as abundant in spring and summer, indicating migrating or transient flocks and some year-round residents. Few Baudin’s Cockatoos were present in summer, but their abundance increased at other times. All three cockatoos were observed in modified or humanmade habitats such as mine-site rehabilitation, farm paddocks, and pine plantations. Carnaby’s Cockatoos used the broadest habitat range. We documented feeding on 16 plant species, with Carnaby’s Cockatoos eating at least 10. Examination of feeding residues as well as observations of behaviour were essential to obtain a complete picture of feeding. Current mine-site rehabilitation protocols provide food for all three black cockatoos within a decade and should continue to do so long-term if Marri is maintained in the seed mix. However, because climate change scenarios predict declining rainfall over much of southwestern Australia, the plant species used to revegetate mine-sites and other landscapes may need to be reconsidered. For areas that do not specify restoring a jarrah forest landscape, the selective use of exotic or non-endemic flora better adapted to lower rainfall conditions may be an option.
19
Cochrane, J. A., S. Barrett, L. Monks, and R. Dillon. "Partnering conservation actions. Inter situ solutions to recover threatened species in South West Western Australia." Kew Bulletin 65, no. 4 (December 2010): 655–62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12225-010-9233-0.
20
Broadhurst, Linda, Margaret Byrne, Lyn Craven, and Brendan Lepschi. "Genetic congruence with new species boundaries in the Melaleuca uncinata complex (Myrtaceae)." Australian Journal of Botany 52, no. 6 (2004): 729. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt04073.
Abstract:
Uninformed management decisions have the potential to create significant problems for conservation programs. In the south-western corner of Australia where conservation initiatives are directed towards restoring large tracts of land degraded by broadscale clearing and increasing levels of dryland salinity, Melaleuca uncinata R.Br. (Myrtaceae) is a species complex of considerable interest for restoration. Although M. uncinata is morphologically uniform across most of southern mainland Australia, there is considerable variation in south-western Australia and a recent morphological evaluation has recognised 11 species. Phylogenetic patterns among populations of seven of these species were examined with nuclear RFLP loci to determine whether morphological and phylogenetic boundaries were congruent before the implementation of any broadscale revegetation programs. The phylogenetic analysis was congruent with the morphological assessment, and populations of different species, including those co-occurring at the same site, clustered according to their correct morphological assignment. Some genetic structuring associated with habitat preference was also evident within two of the species. The taxonomic resolution and knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships among the seven species will facilitate their further assessment for issues relevant to revegetation, such as provenance and local adaptation. It will also enable selection of appropriate germplasm in revegetation programs to maximise the genetic adaptation in restoration and minimise negative impact of plantings on remnant vegetation.
21
DOUGHTY, PAUL, and J. DALE ROBERTS. "A new species of Uperoleia (Anura: Myobatrachidae) from the northwest Kimberley, Western Australia." Zootaxa 1939, no. 1 (November 21, 2008): 10–18. http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1939.1.2.
Abstract:
Uperoleia is a large genus of small-bodied terrestrial frogs that occur in Australia and southern New Guinea. With nine species, the Kimberley region in northern Western Australia is the most diverse. Recent surveys of the northwest coast of the Kimberley have revealed a tenth species of Uperoleia. The new species is characterized by a combination of small body size, dark and slightly tubercular dorsal skin, basal webbing between the toes, outer metatarsal tubercle spatulate and oriented perpendicular to the foot, possession of maxillary teeth, a broadly exposed frontoparietal fontanelle and the advertisement call is a high-pitched rasp. All specimens collected have been associated with sandstone boulders or escarpments with flowing water or rock pools. The northwest Kimberley is an isolated region of high rainfall and rugged terrain that possesses high biodiversity for many plant and animal groups and is therefore worthy of special conservation attention.
22
Vincent, Brian J., Sarah Barrett, Anne Cochrane, Julie A. Plummer, and Michael Renton. "Conservation biology of two endemic Beyeria species (Euphorbiaceae) from southern Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 63, no. 6 (2015): 484. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt14310.
Abstract:
Beyeria cockertonii Halford & R.J.F.Hend. and Beyeria villosa Halford & R.J.F.Hend. (Euphorbiaceae) are two short-range endemic monoecious congeners from southern Western Australia. We sought to determine whether life-history characteristics were responsible for their limited distribution and to identify aspects of their ecology that might render them vulnerable to current threatening processes. We investigated reproductive phenology in relation to climate, pollinator activity and synchronicity of male and female flowering. In addition seed dispersal, regeneration, demography and seed viability were examined and ex situ germination experiments conducted to determine seed-dormancy mechanisms. Flowering in the conservation-listed B. cockertonii was significantly correlated with temperature, whereas fruit set was correlated with pollinator abundance and movement; male and female flowering showed limited synchrony. The presence of soil-stored seeds lacking a caruncle at sites absent of adult plants of either species suggests that seed may be ant-dispersed (myrmecochory). Fresh seeds of B. cockertonii were significantly more viable than those of its more common congener, B. villosa (72 vs 0.5%, P < 0.001). Fresh B. cockertonii seeds would not germinate with an intact caruncle; caruncle removal elicited germination of 64% and 60% (10°C and 15°C, respectively). Aqueous smoke further stimulated germination to 72% and 83% germination (10°C and 15°C, respectively), providing a link between fire and germination. Beyeria villosa was affected by high levels of pre-dispersal predation (up to 70%) and seed abortion (88%) and appeared to have lower reproductive fitness than B. cockertonii. Life-history strategies did not explain the greater abundance and wider distribution of B. villosa than those of the conservation-listed B cockertonii, nor was the greater rarity of B. cockertonii fully explained by habitat specificity, with both species being restricted to ultra-mafic volcanic rock associated with Achaean greenstone. However, an apparent dependence of B. cockertonii on a specific insect pollinator from the family Miridae may render this species vulnerable to threatening processes.
23
Eakin-Busher, E. L., P. G. Ladd, J. B. Fontaine, and R. J. Standish. "Mating strategies dictate the importance of insect visits to native plants in urban fragments." Australian Journal of Botany 68, no. 1 (2020): 26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt19122.
Abstract:
Plant species conservation relies on their reproductive success and likelihood of population persistence. Knowledge of plant mating systems, particularly the relationship between plants and their pollinators, is fundamental to inform conservation efforts. This knowledge could be critical for prioritising efforts in human-dominated fragmented landscapes such as the world’s biodiversity hotspots, where reproductive success can be compromised due to habitat loss, limited access to pollinators or other factors. Yet, fundamental data on plant mating systems are lacking for many Australian plants. Here we determined the mating systems of native plant species growing in native woodland fragments within Perth’s urban landscape in south-western Australia. We manipulated insect access to flowers and pollen transfer on five locally common native species, then observed floral visitors and examined reproductive success. Hemiandra pungens and Patersonia occidentalis had mixed mating systems with some ability to self-pollinate, whereas Dianella revoluta and Jacksonia sericea were reliant on insects for outcross pollination. The fruits and seeds produced by Tricoryne elatior were too low to draw conclusions about its mating system. The introduced honey bee (Apis mellifera) was the sole visitor to the mixed mating species, whereas native bees visited D. revoluta and J. sericea (one bee species each). Overall, our data suggest that D. revoluta and J. sericea are more vulnerable to fragmentation than H. pungens and P. occidentalis. Although insects contributed significantly to the reproductive output of the two former plant species, our observations suggested low frequency and richness of insect visitors to these urban fragments. More research is required to determine the generality of our findings. A comparative study in larger native woodland fragments would help estimate the effect of fragmentation on insect pollinators and consequences for the insect-reliant plant species.
24
G. Brooker, M., and C. R. Margules. "The relative conservation value of remnant patches of native vegetation in the wheatbelt of Western Australia: I. Plant diversity." Pacific Conservation Biology 2, no. 3 (1995): 268. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc960268.
Abstract:
Accurate assessment of the relative conservation value of remaining areas of native vegetation is of primary importance to both land planners and land managers wishing to conserve the biodiversity of an area. Selection procedures aimed at identifying sets of patches for nature reserve networks stress the importance of retaining beta diversity (or diversity of habitats). This paper describes a new procedure that incorporates a measure of relative alpha diversity (or within habitat diversity) of plant species, as well as beta diversity, using the Kellerberrin area of the Western Australian wheatbelt as an example. The inclusion of such an algorithm in selection procedures is justified since beta and alpha diversity, together with genetic diversity, determine the overall biotic heterogeneity of an area. A five-step ranking method is used to prioritize remnant patches of native vegetation with respect to plant diversity, both at regional and local scales. Ranking at a regional scale is important for state authorities able to deal with only a limited number of widely dispersed sites such as nature reserves; whereas ranking at the local scale provides a guideline for the conservation of biodiversity at a level where many land use and management decisions are made by local government and private citizens.
25
Miller, Ben P., David R. Symons, and Matthew D. Barrett. "Persistence of rare species depends on rare events: demography, fire response and phenology of two plant species endemic to a semiarid Banded Iron Formation range." Australian Journal of Botany 67, no. 3 (2019): 268. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt18214.
Abstract:
The association of rare plant species and Banded Iron Formation (BIF) ranges in semiarid Western Australia is a noted phenomenon. These ranges are also a focus of iron ore exploration and mining. Decisions and planning required for development, conservation and management resulting from this interest, often consider translocation of these threatened species. Nonetheless, little is known about the ecology of BIF-endemic species to support any such decisions. We assessed population structure, patterns of growth, mortality, recruitment, reproduction and in situ seedbank persistence for two declared rare flora species. The shrub Darwinia masonii, and sedge Lepidosperma gibsonii are endemic to an area <40 km2 on the south-western boundary of the Australian arid zone. Both species were found to be long lived and slow growing, with evidence for reliance on rare events such as fire, and high rainfall years, including, for some processes, consecutive high rainfall years for growth, reproduction and recruitment. Retrieval and germination of seed batches shows that both species’ seedbanks are long-lived, with seasonal dormancy cycling. This, together with the ability of mature plants to survive through years not supporting growth, and, for L. gibsonii, to resprout after fire, are key mechanism for persistence in this unpredictable and low rainfall environment.
26
Bradley, MP, C. Lambert, V. Power, H. Mills, G. Gaikhorst, and C. Lawrence. "Reproduction and Captive Breeding as a Tool for Mammal Conservation: The Role of Modem Zoos." Australian Mammalogy 21, no. 1 (1999): 47. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am99047.
Abstract:
There is a growing awareness in the scientific research community of the role that zoological institutions can play in the conservation of threatened or endangered species. Zoos themselves have changed and become more focussed on the contributions they can make to regional conservation objectives, driven in part by the "World Zoo Conservation Strategy" published in 1993. Perth Zoo has committed itself to this strategy and established a collaborative scientific research program with Conservation and Land Management (CALM), WA, to develop captive breeding techniques for a number of Western Australian native species. To achieve this objective, the zoo has established a sub-program known as the Native Species Breeding Program. This consists of 6 specialist keepers who are charged with developing specialised skills in captive husbandry of selected species, and the implementation of research projects. All of the species under study are part of recovery plans, and many of the species are being produced for release under the objectives of those plans and as part of CALM's "Western Shield Project". Mammal species under study are the Numbat, Chuditch, Dibbler, Djoongari (Shark Bay Mouse) and the Wopilkara (Greater Stick Nest Rat). Currently, Chuditch, Numbats and Djoongari bred in captivity have been the subject of re-introduction programs. The results of these breeding programs and the subsequent releases of selected species into different habitats in Western Australia will be presented, along with a discussion of the issues which relate to the limitations of captive breeding as a conservation tool.
27
Stukely, Michael JC. "New Phytophthoras in Western Australia’s natural ecosystems." Microbiology Australia 33, no. 1 (2012): 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ma12031.
Abstract:
Phytophthora spp. are recognised as important plant pathogens. Ten new and genetically diverse species, not previously reported from elsewhere, have recently been described from natural ecosystems in Western Australia (WA): Phytophthora multivora1; P. elongata; P. thermophila, P. gregata, P. gibbosa, P. litoralis; P. arenaria, P. constricta; P. fluvialis; and P. amnicola. They were identified by DNA sequencing of recent and historical isolates from the WA Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). Several additional new taxa await description. New records for WA of at least eight other Phytophthora taxa that are known overseas, some of them as yet undescribed, have also been confirmed: P. inundata; P. taxon niederhauserii, P. taxon asparagi, P. taxon PgChlamydo, P. taxon personii; P. taxon salixsoil; P. palmivora and P. rosacearum. Furthermore, numerous Phytophthora hybrids have been identified in natural vegetation and waterways in WA. The phylogenetic relationships of the new WA Phytophthora taxa, with their nearest relatives, are shown in Figure 1.
28
Dodd, J., and FD Panetta. "Seed production by skeleton weed (Chondrilla juncea L.) in Western Australia in relation to summer drought." Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 38, no. 4 (1987): 689. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar9870689.
Abstract:
Seed production in Forms A and C of C. juncea was measured at 11 wheatbelt sites in Western Australia and under glasshouse conditions. Most field-grown plants produced abundant viable seeds, even without substantial summer rainfall. Up to 27.6 x l03 seeds per plant were recorded, and their viability was frequently between 80 and 90%. Even in their first year, some plants produced more than 10000 seeds each. Through the summer, seed production often followed either a positively skewed, or a bimodal curve. Falls of rain in summer did not increase seed output or affect its quality in established plants. Exceptionally high air temperatures appeared to depress seed numbers and/or viability at several, but not all, sites. At the end of summer, when young plants were 9-12 months old, soil water extraction had occurred to 310 cm, indicating root penetration to this depth. Conservative water use by C. juncea during summer was indicated by low values of soil water depletion. In glasshouse-grown plants, simulated drought reduced seed numbers, viability, primary dormancy and seed weight, although the two forms responded differently. Given adequate winter rainfall to recharge soil water storage, C. juncea appears capable of producing large quantities of viable seeds throughout the Western Australian wheatbelt.
29
Zosky, Kerry L., Adrian F. Wayne, Kate A. Bryant, Michael C. Calver, and Fiona R. Scarff. "Diet of the critically endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) in south-western Australia." Australian Journal of Zoology 65, no. 5 (2017): 302. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo17080.
Abstract:
To assist the management of the critically endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi), a quantitative study of its diet was conducted across five of the larger subpopulations in south-western Australia. There was a close match between dietary composition established from foregut contents and faecal pellets. Woylies were predominantly mycophagous in all subpopulations, but consumed a broad diet including invertebrates, seeds and other plant material. Individuals in a high-density, fenced subpopulation ate significantly less fungi than free-ranging animals from lower-density subpopulations. Dietary composition did not vary significantly amongst subpopulations in the Upper Warren region, where a range of population densities was observed. Altogether, 79 fungal spore classes were identified, including at least 15 genera from 14 families. Sampling across one year showed that fungi made up a larger fraction of the diet in autumn or winter, and greater diversities of fungi were consumed at these times than at other times of year. This information is essential to provide valuable ecological context for effective population management of woylies, as well as identification and conservation of important habitats.
30
Shearer, B. L., C. E. Crane, S. Barrett, and A. Cochrane. "Phytophthora cinnamomi invasion, a major threatening process to conservation of flora diversity in the South-west Botanical Province of Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 55, no. 3 (2007): 225. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt06019.
Abstract:
The invasive soilborne plant pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands is a major threatening process in the South-west Botanical Province of Western Australia, an internationally recognised biodiversity hotspot. Comparatively recent introduction of P. cinnamomi into native plant communities of the South-west Botanical Province of Western Australia since the early 1900s has caused great irreversible damage and altered successional change to a wide range of unique, diverse and mainly susceptible plant communities. The cost of P. cinnamomi infestation to community values is illustrated by examination of direct (mortality curves, changes in vegetation cover) and indirect impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics, the proportion of Threatened Ecological Communities infested, Declared Rare Flora either directly or indirectly threatened by infestation and estimates of the proportion of the native flora of the South-west Botanical Province susceptible to the pathogen. While direct impacts of P. cinnamomi have been poorly documented in the South-west Botanical Province, even less attention has been given to indirect impact where destruction of the habitat by the pathogen affects taxa not directly affected by infection. Current poor understanding and quantification of indirect impacts of P. cinnamomi through habitat destruction results in an underestimation of the true impact of the pathogen on the flora of the South-west Botanical Province. Considerable variation of susceptibility to P. cinnamomi among and within families of threatened flora and responses of taxa within the genus Lambertia show how classification within family and genus are poor predictors of species susceptibility. Within apparently susceptible plant species, individuals are resistant to P. cinnamomi infection. Intra-specific variation in susceptibility can be utilised in the long-term management of threatened flora populations and needs to be a high research priority. Current control strategies for conservation of flora threatened by P. cinnamomi integrate hygiene and ex situ conservation with disease control using fungicide. Application of the fungicide phosphite has proven effective in slowing progress of P. cinnamomi in infested, threatened communities. However, variation in plant species responses to phosphite application is a major factor influencing effective control of P. cinnamomi in native communities. A greater understanding of the mechanisms of action of phosphite in plant species showing different responses to the fungicide may provide options for prescription modification to increase phosphite effectiveness in a range of plant species. The range of responses to P. cinnamomi infection and phosphite application described for Lambertia taxa suggests that the genus would make an ideal model system to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance to P. cinnamomi and the effectiveness of phosphite against the pathogen.
31
Shepherd, Kelly A., Andrew Perkins, Joel Collins, Margaret Byrne, and Kevin R. Thiele. "Morphological and molecular evidence supports the recognition of a new subspecies of the critically endangered Pityrodia scabra (Lamiaceae)." Australian Systematic Botany 26, no. 1 (2013): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sb12009.
Abstract:
Taxonomic delineation of closely related taxa can be difficult, particularly in regions such as southern Western Australia where a highly diverse flora exhibits complex patterns of subtle morphological variation and genetic structuring and where some taxa have highly disjunct populations. A combined approach utilising highly variable, non-coding chloroplast gene regions and morphological data is used here to help delimit cryptic taxa in the rare Western Australian species Pityrodia scabra A.S.George. The species comprises disjunct populations over 400 km of the Western Australian wheatbelt from near Wyalkatchem, Southern Cross and Lake Lefroy. Morphological features such as leaf phyllotaxy, calyx size and indumentum vary among the populations and provide some evidence for cryptic taxa. Phylogenetic analyses based on cpDNA psbA–trnH and psbD–trnT and nuclear external transcribed spacer (ETS) sequences revealed genetic distinctiveness between the Wyalkatchem (type) population and the Southern Cross and Lake Lefroy populations. This evidence, when used in conjunction with the morphological differences, provides support for the recognition of the new subspecies described herein as Pityrodia scabra subsp. dendrotricha K.A.Sheph. subsp. nov. This new subspecies is of conservation concern because it is currently known only from a few, isolated populations; the typical subspecies remains Critically Endangered because it comprises one extant population. A description of both subspecies, a key and images are provided.
32
Elliott, Carole P., Colin J. Yates, Phillip G. Ladd, and David J. Coates. "Morphometric, genetic and ecological studies clarify the conservation status of a rare Acacia in Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 50, no. 1 (2002): 63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt01041.
Abstract:
Acacia species 'Dandaragan' is known from one population confined to the Dandaragan–Badgingarra area in south-western Western Australia and is classified as critically endangered. Morphological and allozyme studies show that A. sp. 'Dandaragan' has close affinities with Acacia microbotrya Benth. sens. lat. and warrants taxonomic recognition at subspecies rank. A combination of floral and phyllode characters clearly separated A. sp. 'Dandaragan' and A. microbotrya s. l. by the presence of a discrete morphological boundary in the canonical variates plot and the high percentage of correct re-substitution classifications of individuals into pre-defined taxa. UPGMA and maximum likelihood analyses of allozyme data distinguished A. sp. 'Dandaragan' and A. microbotrya s. l. Levels of genetic diversity were lower in A. sp. 'Dandaragan' than in A. microbotrya s. l. The size-class and lifestage structure of the A. sp. 'Dandaragan' suggests that the population is stable and possibly increasing in size predominantly by vegetative spread. The presence of a soil seed reserve and the ability to reproduce from root suckers suggests that A. sp. 'Dandaragan' is resilient to fire. Levels of innate seed dormancy were lower and tolerance to thermal shock higher in A. sp. 'Dandaragan' compared with A. microbotrya s. l. The population size, structure and germination ecology suggest that A. sp. 'Dandaragan' does not appear to have any immediate management requirements, apart from continued monitoring of adult plant health and recruitment. The study confirms that A. sp. Dandaragan should be recognised as Declared Rare (threatened) Flora and we recommend that the taxon's conservation status be reviewed.
33
Oliver, Paul M., Paul Doughty, and Russell Palmer. "Hidden biodiversity in rare northern Australian vertebrates: the case of the clawless geckos (Crenadactylus, Diplodactylidae) of the Kimberley." Wildlife Research 39, no. 5 (2012): 429. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr12024.
Abstract:
Context The phylogenetic diversity and biogeography of most animal and plant lineages endemic to the Australian Monsoonal tropics remains poorly understood. Of particular note (and in contrast to many other tropical regions in both Australia and elsewhere) is the current paucity of evidence for diverse endemic radiations of restricted-range taxa. Aims To use recently collected material from major surveys of the Kimberley Islands, Western Australia, to expand on a previous study that provided preliminary evidence of very high levels of geographically structured phylogenetic diversity in a lineage of tiny geckos (Crenadactylus). Methods Mitochondrial (ND2) and nuclear (RAG-1) sequence data were used to estimate the relationships, phylogenetic diversity and timescale of diversification of all populations of Crenadactylus from northern Australia from which samples for genetic analysis were available. Key results In striking contrast to the two subspecies currently recognised in the Kimberley, our analyses confirm the existence of a notable diversity of highly divergent and apparently allopatric lineages within the Kimberley, including at least 10 that are estimated to date to the late Pliocene/early Miocene (or earlier) and seven that we recognise as candidate new species. Most of this diversity is concentrated in the high-rainfall zone along the western edge of the Kimberley. Key conclusions A growing number of genetic datasets are revealing northern Australian vertebrate clades characterised by the juxtaposition of deeply divergent and highly geographically structured genetic diversity on the one hand, and major geographic gaps in sampling that impede full assessment of the distribution and taxonomic significance of this diversity on the other. Implications There is a pressing need for further surveys, voucher material and phylogenetic analyses to allow us to properly understand the diversity, biogeography and conservation needs of the northern Australian biota.
34
Poole, Holly L., Laily Mukaromah, Halina T. Kobryn, and Patricia A. Fleming. "Spatial analysis of limiting resources on an island: diet and shelter use reveal sites of conservation importance for the Rottnest Island quokka." Wildlife Research 41, no. 6 (2014): 510. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr14083.
Abstract:
Context For conservation of any species, we need baseline data that will guide conservation planning strategies. Identifying plant resources used by animal species for food and shelter is the first important step towards fauna conservation. The second step is to determine the extent and distribution of these resources and thus identify prime habitat or habitat that could be improved through suitable management actions. This information provides the necessary spatial targeting required to make the most of few resources and a shortage of time. Aims Applying this model approach, we identified plant species used as food or shelter resources by the conservationally significant quokka (Setonix brachyurus) across Rottnest Island, Western Australia in the aftermath of the hottest and driest summer on record. Methods Dietary analysis was carried out using microhistological examination of plant cuticle remains from faecal samples for 67 locations across the island. Plants acting as diurnal rest shelters (n = 73 sites) were identified through observation of individuals flushed during surveys. Identifying key resources requires both a comprehensive analysis of the current use, as well as knowledge of availability of resources to determine selectivity. We therefore compared food plants or rest sites with a comprehensive survey of floristic diversity and abundance for 210 stratified-randomly located sites across the island. Key results We identified eight plant species that quokkas fed on preferentially and identified four plant species that were the principal shelter sites. We then used hyperspectral remote sensing data to map the distribution of these plant species to quantify their distribution and identify key habitat areas. Conclusions Understanding resource limitation over the most physiologically challenging time of the year provides important information for quokka conservation. Quokkas prefer Malvaceae species as food plants, and use dense, abundant shrubs for shelter. Implications Quokkas appear to have shifted their use of food plants since a previous study (50 years ago), likely reflecting modification of island vegetation due to anthropogenic influences, fire and herbivory over time. In the face of changing climate, this information will serve as an important guide towards conservation management actions on the island (e.g. future planning of revegetation and habitat protection/enhancement).
35
Merritt, D. J., D. H. Touchell, K. W. Dixon, J. A. Plummer, and D. W. Turner. "Moisture content influences survival of cryostored seed of Banksia ashbyi (Proteaceae)." Australian Journal of Botany 48, no. 5 (2000): 581. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt99033.
Abstract:
Seed survival of cryostorage (–196˚C) was examined for Banksia ashbyi (E.G.Baker), a tree species endemic to Western Australia. Seeds were cryostored over a moisture content range of 3–30%. Moisture contents of 18–20% significantly depressed survival for seed of all ages tested (1 month to 13 years old). Cryostorage at seed moisture contents below 18% did not affect seed germination or vigour (radicle growth). Seed age influenced survival with freshly harvested seeds showing a greater tolerance to cryostorage at high moisture contents than older seeds. Exotherms, indicating ice formation within seed tissues, were detected by thermal analysis at seed moisture contents above the critical. However, there was no increase in electrolyte efflux from seeds frozen at lethal moisture contents, suggesting the plasma membrane of cells remained intact. This study shows that seed storage physiology of a Western Australian species is similar to that of other orthodox species and that cryostorage may be successfully applied for conservation of native species without detrimental effects on germination and growth.
36
Recher, Harry F., and William E. Davis Jr. "Foraging behaviour of mulga birds in Western Australia. I. Use of resources and temporal effects." Pacific Conservation Biology 24, no. 1 (2018): 74. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc17031.
Abstract:
The foraging behaviour of mulga birds in the Murchison and Gascoyne Bioregions was studied in 1999 following a period of heavy rain and again in 2002 when it was dry. Mulga birds allocated foraging resources in a similar fashion to other bird communities, with species differing in the way that prey were taken, the substrates and plant species on which prey were found, and the heights at which prey were sought. The numbers of birds and bird species in the study areas declined with drier conditions and there was less breeding activity. Nomadic species, including honeyeaters, seed-eaters, and insect-eaters, largely left the area as it became drier and food resources changed. The birds that remained foraged differently when it was drier than when conditions were wetter and food more abundant. These observations illustrate the fragility of the mulga avifauna and its likely sensitivity to long-term climate change with predicted increasing temperatures, more extreme heat events, and reduced winter rainfall. Conservation of mulga birds and associated flora and fauna requires a whole-of-landscape approach and the adoption of land management practices by Australian governments and land managers that will allow species to adapt to climate change and guarantee their right to evolve.
37
Shearer, B. L., C. E. Crane, and A. Cochrane. "Quantification of the susceptibility of the native flora of the South-West Botanical Province, Western Australia, to Phytophthora cinnamomi." Australian Journal of Botany 52, no. 4 (2004): 435. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt03131.
Abstract:
This study compares, for the first time, variation in estimates of susceptibility of native flora to Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands among four databases and proposes an estimate of the proportion of the flora of the South-West Botanical Province of Western Australia that is susceptible to the pathogen. Estimates of the susceptibility of south-western native flora to P. cinnamomi infection were obtained from databases for Banksia woodland of the Swan Coastal Plain, jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata Donn. ex Smith) forest, the Stirling Range National Park and Rare and Threatened Flora of Western Australia. For the woodland, forest and national park databases, hosts were naturally infected in uncontrolled diverse natural environments. In contrast, threatened flora were artificially inoculated in a shadehouse environment. Considerable variation occurred within taxonomic units, making occurrence within family and genus poor predictors of species susceptibility. Identification of intra-specific resistance suggests that P. cinnamomi could be having a strong selection pressure on some threatened flora at infested sites and the populations could shift to more resistant types. Similar estimates of the proportion of species susceptible to P. cinnamomi among the databases from the wide range of environments suggests that a realistic estimate of species susceptibility to P. cinnamomi infection in the south-western region has been obtained. The mean of 40% susceptible and 14% highly susceptible equates to 2284 and 800 species of the 5710 described plant species in the South-West Botanical Province susceptible and highly susceptible to P. cinnamomi, respectively. Such estimates are important for determining the cost of disease to conservation values and for prioritising disease importance and research priorities. P. cinnamomi in south-western Australia is an unparalleled example of an introduced pathogen with a wide host range causing immense irreversible damage to unique, diverse but mainly susceptible plant communities.
38
Manning, R., R. Manning, J. Boland, and J. Boland. "A preliminary investigation into honey bee (Apis mellifera) pollination of canola (Brassica napus cv. Karoo) in Western Australia." Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 40, no. 3 (2000): 439. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ea98148.
Abstract:
The aim of this preliminary experiment was to evaluate the effect of distance from the apiary on pod yield in canola. Beehives were used at a density of 1.28 hives/ha. The results showed that the number of pods/plant decreased as distance from the apiary increased, when plant height and branch number were used as explanatory variables. Multiple linear regression indicated a predicted pod loss of 15.3 pods/plant over a distance of 1000 m from an apiary. This was equivalent to a 16% loss based on an average of 59 plants/m2 and average pod production of 5666 pods/m2 from this experiment. For a 2 t/ha crop this would be equivalent to about 320 kg/ha. The results are only indicative because of the variation in the crop studied and lack of replication, but may, in fact, be a conservative estimate.
39
E. Twigg, Laurie, Laurie E. Twigg, Dennis R. King, and Dennis R. King. "Artificially enhanced tolerance to fluoroacetate and its implications for wildlife conservation." Pacific Conservation Biology 6, no. 1 (2000): 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc000009.
Abstract:
It is with some concern that we have been following a research programme aimed at developing non-specific, genetically modified ruminant bacteria capable of detoxifying fluoroacetate (Compound 1080) to protect domestic livestock from fluoroacetate-poisoning (Gregg et al. 1994; Gregg et al. 1998; Synergy 1998). The main thrust of this research programme is the prevention of cattle losses in the Georgina Basin in the Northern Territory and Queensland where the toxic plant, Gidgee Acacia georginae occurs. Although rarely mentioned in formal reports of this work, 1080 is an important vertebrate pesticide that is widely used throughout Australia and New Zealand. It is the first defence against a number of pest species that impact on agricultural production and conservation efforts in both countries. The main concerns about this work relate to the potential lack of target specificity of these modified microorganisms, and also, if released, their potential impact on conservation biology. We raise these questions now because the Genetic Manipulation Advisory Council has been approached for approval to conduct field trials in Western Australia using the modified bacteria. We believe the perceived advantages and disadvantages of these modified organisms need informed debate before such approval, or any general release of these modified rumen bacteria, could be considered.
40
Hobbs, Richard J., Viki A. Cramer, and Linda J. Kristjanson. "What happens if we cannot fix it? Triage, palliative care and setting priorities in salinising landscapes." Australian Journal of Botany 51, no. 6 (2003): 647. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt02109.
Abstract:
It is increasingly recognised that rising saline water tables present an unprecedented threat to both agricultural production and biodiversity conservation in the agricultural areas of Australia. In Western Australia, hydrological analysis is increasingly indicating that treatment of the problem will be difficult and costly, perhaps even impossible in some cases. Given the limited resources available for conservation management, there is a need to prioritise efforts and ensure that the level and type of management applied is both appropriate and likely to be effective. We discuss options for this in terms of ideas borrowed from healthcare provision, including triage and palliative care. We examine the range of management responses available in salinising landscapes in relation to the degree of threat, the relative value of the remnant or landscape and the likelihood of successful management intervention. While we certainly need to make a concerted effort to limit damage and loss as far as is possible, we also have to face the possibility that we cannot do this effectively everywhere, and that some areas will not be treated or treatable.
41
Casanova, Michelle T., and I. Joan Powling. "What makes a swamp swampy? Water regime and the botany of endangered wetlands in western Victoria." Australian Journal of Botany 62, no. 6 (2014): 469. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt14119.
Abstract:
Freshwater temporary wetlands are a little-studied ecosystem worldwide. They have been recognised as critically endangered in south-eastern Australia under Australian biodiversity conservation legislation. However, little has been recorded about their hydrology, functioning or biodiversity values; i.e. the factors that make them intrinsically ‘swampy’. In this paper, we developed a simple threshold model of wetland hydrology based on historical rainfall records and calculated evaporation records matched to records and recollections of the owners of swamps, and documented water-plant and microalgal species richness. The model indicated that swamps were inundated to at least 10-cm depth in an average of 6.3 years per decade for most of the 20th century. The average dry time between inundations was 1.27 years (maximum of 4.5 years). Since 1998, the frequency of inundation appears to have decreased, and the average dry times have increased. Despite, or because of, their temporary nature, these swamps have high biodiversity values among the vegetation and the microalgae, more than has been recorded for near-by permanent wetlands. There is no evidence that a drier and warmer climate will have a negative impact on biodiversity values; however, land management is likely to be important for maintaining these systems as the climate changes.
42
Wakelin-King, Gresley. "Using geomorphology to assess contour furrowing in western New South Wales, Australia." Rangeland Journal 33, no. 2 (2011): 153. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj10080.
Abstract:
This study examines landscape rehabilitation treatments installed 20–40 years ago in the Western Catchment of NSW. Treatment outcomes were assessed using geomorphic criteria, because geomorphic processes are fundamental to ecological permanence. Contour furrowing creates artificial runoff-runon sets which intercept runoff (resistance to flow by windrows microrelief and surface roughness) and promote infiltration (artificial permeability by ripping). As originally conceived, after windrows subside, flow resistance would be afforded by surface roughness under belts of vegetation. This study shows that rehabilitation treatments have a more complex relationship with the landscape than this would suggest, and that the final effect of the treatment depends on the geomorphic processes natural to the site. Treatment design should therefore be site-specific. The relevant aspects of treatment design are site location, runoff : runon ratio (expressed as furrow spacing and furrow length), furrow placement, and post-treatment management. Some long-term successes are documented. In ironstone ridge country affected by impermeable hard-setting soils, furrowing creates artificial permeability, allowing plant germination; plant material in the soil reverses hard-setting and establishes self-sustaining permeability. In stony gilgai country furrowing through vegetated patches can aid in re-establishing vegetation, but furrowing through stony runoff patches only diminishes, rather than improves, landscape function. Other landscape types will have different key attributes. In all cases, selection of appropriate sites for rehabilitation treatment is of primary importance. The 1990s NSW Soil Conservation Service best-practice included a specialised furrower, surveying techniques for accurate furrow placement along the contour, staggered gaps along each furrow line to reduce risks of gullying by windrow breakthrough, and post-treatment management of total grazing pressure. New guidelines for treatment design developed from this study include determining for each site the optimum runoff:runon ratio (which varies according to climate, gradient, vegetation, and regolith), and matching furrow spacing and furrow/gap length to local runoff:runon ratios. In stony gilgai country, furrow placement should be along the contour but within non-stony patches; elsewhere, placement should be rigorously along the contour. In ironstone ridge country, a greater runoff:runon ratio, commensurate with the area’s apparently larger patch scale, can be achieved by having more gap than furrow along each furrow line. No single rehabilitation technique will fit all landscape types, and these guidelines will ideally be developed further with investigation of other landscapes.
43
Toomes, Adam, Oliver C. Stringham, Lewis Mitchell, Joshua V. Ross, and Phillip Cassey. "Australia’s wish list of exotic pets: biosecurity and conservation implications of desired alien and illegal pet species." NeoBiota 60 (August 18, 2020): 43–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.60.51431.
Abstract:
Globalisation of the live pet trade facilitates major pathways for the transport and introduction of invasive alien species across longer distances and at higher frequencies than previously possible. Moreover, the unsustainable trade of species is a major driver for the over-exploitation of wild populations. Australia minimises the biosecurity and conservation risk of the international pet trade by implementing highly stringent regulations on the live import and keeping of alien pets beyond its international CITES obligations. However, the public desire to possess prohibited alien pets has never been quantified and represents a number of species that could be acquired illegally or legally under different future legislative conditions. As such, highly desirable species represent an ongoing conservation threat and biosecurity risk via the pet-release invasion pathway. We aimed to characterise the Australian desire for illegal alien pets and investigate potential sources of external information that can be utilised to predict future desire. Using public live import enquiry records from the Australian Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment as a proxy for alien pet desire, we tested for differences in the proportion of species with threatened listings and records of invasions, after accounting for taxonomy. Additionally, we used a United States of America (U.S.) live imports dataset to infer pet demand in another Western market with less stringent regulations and determined whether species highly desired in Australia had higher U.S. trade demand than would be expected by chance. The Australian public desire for alien pets is heavily and significantly biased towards species threatened with extinction, species popular in the U.S. trade and species with a history of successful invasions. Not only does this indicate the potential impacts of pet desire on invasion risk and the conservation of threatened species, but we also highlight the potential role of the U.S. trade as an effective predictor for Australian desire. Our research emphasises the value of novel datasets in building predictive capacity for improved biosecurity awareness.
44
Tremblay, Raymond L., Maria-Eglée Perez, Matthew Larcombe, Andrew Brown, Joe Quarmby, Doug Bickerton, Garry French, and Andrew Bould. "Dormancy in Caladenia: a Bayesian approach to evaluating latency." Australian Journal of Botany 57, no. 4 (2009): 340. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt08163.
Abstract:
Dormancy is common in many terrestrial orchids in southern Australia and other temperate environments. The difficulty for conservation and management when considering dormancy is ascertaining whether non-emergent plants are dormant or dead. Here we use a multi-state capture–recapture method, undertaken over several seasons, to determine the likelihood of a plant becoming dormant or dying following its annual emergent period and evaluate the frequency of the length of dormancy. We assess the transition probabilities from time series of varying lengths for the following nine terrestrial orchids in the genus Caladenia: C. amoena, C. argocalla, C. clavigera, C. elegans, C. graniticola, C. macroclavia, C. oenochila, C. rosella and C. valida from Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. We used a Bayesian approach for estimating survivorship, dormancy and the likelihood of death from capture–recapture data. Considering all species together, the probability of surviving from one year to the next was ~86%, whereas the likelihood of observing an individual above ground in two consecutive years was ~74%. All species showed dormancy of predominantly 1 year, whereas dormancy of three or more years was extremely rare (<2%). The results have practical implications for conservation, in that (1) population sizes of Caladenia species are more easily estimated by being able to distinguish the likelihood of an unseen individual being dormant or dead, (2) population dynamics of individuals can be evaluated by using a 1–3-year dormancy period and (3) survey effort is not wasted on monitoring individuals that have not emerged for many years.
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Brundrett, Mark C. "Using vital statistics and core-habitat maps to manage critically endangered orchids in the Western Australian wheatbelt." Australian Journal of Botany 64, no. 1 (2016): 51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt15087.
Abstract:
Vital-statistics data concerning population viability were gathered for four of the rarest orchids in Western Australia using surveys to define population sizes and habitat areas and annual measurements of plant demographics. These orchids were Caladenia melanema, C. graniticola, C. williamsiae and Drakaea isolata from the wheatbelt of Western Australia. This agricultural area has a Mediterranean climate with unreliable rainfall, and is >80% cleared of native vegetation. Surveys with 10–30 volunteers increased population-size estimates by up to 10 times and provided spatial data to define core habitat areas. These areas included most of the individuals of a species, but were only 2–10 ha in size. Within these areas, orchids were often highly aggregated in patches a few metres wide, potentially resulting in a high degree of intraspecific competition. Vital statistics were obtained using 4-m wide and 30–50-m-long transects to measure rates of emergence, flowering, grazing and seed-set for each orchid. Plants emerging at the same position in different years were considered to be the same individual, but most emerged in new positions. Many plants emerged just once in 4 years, and 2–3 years of dormancy was common. Emergence frequencies were used to provide estimates of population sizes that were two or three times larger than suggested by data from a single year. Seed production was typically very low. Grazing by kangaroos and rabbits was most severe for C. melanema, but was greatly reduced by fencing. Severe drought prevented flowering of C. graniticola in the driest year, whereas other species were more resilient. These orchids are likely to persist as long as there are some years where rainfall is sufficient for flowering and seed set followed by a year with adequate rain for seed germination. Populations of all these orchids were stable or increasing, but they are still at high risk of extinction because of the impacts of increasing soil salinity or fire on their habitats. These species are unlikely to spread elsewhere in the highly cleared and fragmented wheatbelt. Intervention by hand-pollination, grazing protection and translocation to new locations is required to mitigate these risks. Results were summarised in vital statistics report cards with thresholds set to inform conservation management for these species. Core habitat maps and vital-statistics report cards should also be valuable new tools for terrestrial-orchid conservation in other biomes.
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Greenslade, Penelope, Andrew A. Burbidge, A. Jasmyn, and J. Lynch. "Keeping Australia’s islands free of introduced rodents: the Barrow Island example." Pacific Conservation Biology 19, no. 4 (2013): 284. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130284.
Abstract:
Islands are important reservoirs of endemic and threatened species, but anthropogenic influences have impacted their biotas. Australia has over 8000 islands, both continental and oceanic, but because of considerably increased traffic, both tourist and commercial, many of these islands have been and are subject to increased threats from invasive species. The invasive Black Rat Rattus rattus is of particular concern as it can negatively impact mammal, bird, reptile, invertebrate and plant populations. Barrow Island, in northwest Western Australia, is an island requiring particular protection from Black Rats as it is a Class A nature reserve with many unique and threatened taxa that is subject to major disturbances from activities associated with oil extraction and a large liquefied natural gas processing plant. Strict quarantine is currently imposed on all materials and persons being sent to the island and there is an intense on-island surveillance programme. So far the protocols used have prevented Black Rats establishing on this island, but such a level of biosecurity is clearly impossible for all islands. In this paper we discuss the effectiveness of quarantine inspections and surveillance together and alone in protecting high-risk, high-value Australian islands against introduced rodents and we document eradication costs for other islands. World-wide, it has only been possible so far to eradicate rats from relatively small islands, mostly with no non-target indigenous mammals and larger islands only where there are no non-target indigenous mammals. Models based largely on economic considerations have suggested it is more cost effective to use surveillance alone without quarantine for Black Rats on Barrow Island and that if rats become widespread (an estimated 4% risk), it may be more cost effective not to attempt eradication. Such models provide useful guidance for managers where biodiversity values are relatively low or where there are no non-target species, but for Barrow island we argue for continuation of quarantine as well as surveillance and an increased level of quarantine controls at the point of departure on all people, vessels and aircraft visiting other vulnerable Australian islands.
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Prober, Suzanne M., Rachel J. Standish, and Georg Wiehl. "After the fence: vegetation and topsoil condition in grazed, fenced and benchmark eucalypt woodlands of fragmented agricultural landscapes." Australian Journal of Botany 59, no. 4 (2011): 369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt11026.
Abstract:
Emerging ecological theory predicts that vegetation changes caused by introduction of livestock grazing may be irreversible after livestock are removed, especially in regions such as Australia that have a short evolutionary exposure to ungulate grazing. Despite this, fencing to exclude livestock grazing is the major tool used to restore vegetation in Australian agricultural landscapes. To characterise site-scale benefits and limitations of livestock exclusion for enhancing biodiversity in forb-rich York gum (Eucalyptus loxophleba Benth. subsp. loxophleba)–jam (Acacia acuminata Benth.) woodlands, we compared 29 fenced woodlands with 29 adjacent grazed woodlands and 11 little-grazed ‘benchmark’ woodlands in the Western Australian wheatbelt. We explored the following two hypotheses: (1) fencing to exclude livestock facilitates recovery of grazed woodlands towards benchmark conditions, and (2) without additional interventions after fencing, complete recovery of grazed woodlands to benchmark conditions is constrained by ecological or other limits. Our first hypothesis was supported for vegetation parameters, with fenced woodlands being more similar to benchmark woodlands in tree recruitment, exotic plant cover, native plant cover, native plant richness and plant species composition than were grazed woodlands. Further, exotic cover decreased and frequency of jam increased with time-since-fencing (2–22 years). However, we found no evidence that fencing led to decline in topsoil nutrient concentrations towards concentrations at benchmark sites. Our second hypothesis was also supported, with higher topsoil nutrient concentrations and exotic plant cover, and lower native plant richness in fenced than in benchmark woodlands, and different plant species composition between fenced and benchmark woodlands. Regression analyses suggested that recovery of native species richness is constrained by exotic species that persist after fencing, which in turn are more persistent at higher topsoil nutrient concentrations. We conclude that fencing to exclude livestock grazing can be valuable for biodiversity conservation. However, consistent with ecological theory, additional interventions are likely to be necessary to achieve some conservation goals or to promote recovery at nutrient-enriched sites.
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Butcher, Ryonen, Margaret Byrne, and Darren M. Crayn. "Evidence for convergent evolution among phylogenetically distant rare species of Tetratheca (Elaeocarpaceae, formerly Tremandraceae) from Western Australia." Australian Systematic Botany 20, no. 2 (2007): 126. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/sb06017.
Abstract:
Morphological and molecular investigations of taxon relationships among rare species of Tetratheca Sm. occurring near Koolyanobbing, Western Australia, have confirmed the distinctness of T. aphylla F.Muell., T. harperi F.Muell. and T. paynterae Alford and identified three new rare taxa from collections affiliated with T. aphylla and T. paynterae. The recognition of these taxa at specific and sub-specific ranks is based on their different degrees of morphological and molecular divergence, combined with geographic disjunction. Cladistic analysis of nrDNA internal transcribed spacer and cpDNA trnL-trnF sequences from a range of Tetratheca species from Western Australia and the eastern states indicates that T. aphylla, T. harperi and T. paynterae belong to three separate evolutionary lineages and that the endemism displayed among these taxa to small, disjunct ranges within the same geographic area, is a result of in situ speciation due to historical fragmentation. These results exemplify the extremely high conservation value of the Yilgarn banded ironstone ranges. The superficial similarity among the study taxa in having a ‘leafless’ habit can be seen to be adaptive convergence in response to the marginal and semi-arid environments in which they occur, and this character is highly homoplastic within the genus.
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Cochrane, J. Anne, Gemma L. Hoyle, Colin J. Yates, Jeff Wood, and Adrienne B. Nicotra. "Evidence of population variation in drought tolerance during seed germination in four Banksia (Proteaceae) species from Western Australia." Australian Journal of Botany 62, no. 6 (2014): 481. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt14132.
Abstract:
Given the predicted changes in rainfall patterns for many Mediterranean climate regions, identifying seed tolerance to moisture stress in the earliest phase of plant development is an important consideration for species conservation, management and restoration. Here, we used polyethylene glycol (PEG 8000) to induce plant water deficit similar to drought stress in a field situation. Seeds of four Western Australia Banksia R.Br. (Proteaceae) species were incubated at seven levels of moisture potential (0 to −1.5 MPa) and three constant temperatures (10°C, 15°C and 20°C). In the absence of moisture stress, germination was uniformly high, but increasing drought stress led to reduced and delayed germination in all species. Overall, the threshold moisture potential value for a significant decline, and delay, in germination was –0.25 MPa. Results suggested that one species (B. coccinea) is likely to be most vulnerable to germination failure under predicted changes in rainfall patterns, whereas another (B. media) is likely to be less vulnerable. There was significant variation in population response to drought stress. However, this variation could not be explained by rainfall across species distributions. We discuss the PEG approach for assessing seed sensitivity to moisture stress, particularly in the context of shifting rainfall under climate change.
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Yates, CJ, RJ Hobbs, and RW Bell. "Factors Limiting the Recruitment of Eucalyptus salmonophloia in Remnant Woodlands .I. Pattern of Flowering, Seed Production and Seed Fall." Australian Journal of Botany 42, no. 5 (1994): 531. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt9940531.
Abstract:
Woodlands dominated by Eucalyptus salmonophloia F. Muell. occur throughout the fragmented landscape of the Western Australian wheatbelt. In most of these remnant woodlands, there is no regeneration of E. salmonophloia and this has become a concern for the conservation of biodiversity in the region. This study examined seed production, seed viability and pattern of seed fall in four remnant populations of E. salmonophloia in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia, to determine whether these factors are limiting recruitment. Surveys of flowering, seed production and seed fall were conducted over a two-year-period which included three potential flowering seasons. Individual trees flowered once over this period and the intensity of flowering and the proportion of flowers which set seed varied greatly between remnants. Seed from up to two consecutive flowering seasons was stored in the canopy, thus, E. salmonophloia formed substantial canopy seed stores. Seeds were released from this store throughout the year and seed fall showed only a weak winter decline. The viability of seeds released from the canopy store in each remnant population was high. These results indicate that the availability of viable seed is unlikely to be responsible for the lack of E. salmonophloia recruitment in remnant woodlands.