Academic literature on the topic 'Riparian rainforest'

The diet of the common blossom bat (Syconycteris australis) was investigated in upland rainforest on the Atherton Tablelands. Faeces or fur pollen samples from 62 S. australis and feeding observations on 5 captive and 10 radio-tagged bats were collected. Syconycteris australis fed on blossoms from at least 18 plant species found in rainforests (plus unidentified species of Loranthaceae), 2 species from non-rainforest communities and from flowers of the cultivated banana (Musa sp.) grown on farms. Rainforest plants included 13 species of trees, 1 shrub and 4 climbers. Myrtaceae was the most important family contributing to the diet of S. australis, particularly the genus Syzygium. The chiropterophilus flower syndrome was only partly useful as a predictor of the diet of S. australis in these forests. Fruit was also eaten, being most common in the diet from late summer to autumn (wet season). Twelve months of mist-netting in riparian and non-riparian rainforest found higher capture rates in riparian rainforest in spring and summer, but not during autumn or winter. It is suggested that the availability of food species (both blossom and fruit) is high in riparian rainforest during spring and summer when S. australis is most frequently caught in this habitat. Efforts to rehabilitate rainforest along degraded creeks should offer a significant conservation benefit to this small pollinator.

GIS and aerial photographic techniques were applied to assessing riparian vegetation quality in an agricultural landscape formerly covered in lowland rainforest. Canopy cover and width of woody riparian vegetation, both easily determined from remotely sensed data, were investigated as indicators of riparian quality. High correlations between field measurements of canopy cover and width of woody riparian vegetation with several other vegetation attributes indicative of vegetation quality (weed abundance, debris, human disturbance, native species richness) demonstrated that these two habitat attributes were suitable field vegetation quality surrogates. Desktop quality analysis combined GIS measurement of riparian width with aerial photographic analysis of canopy cover. Desktop quality equalled field quality in 78% of cases, with a further 13% showing errors due to clearing or thickening of vegetation after aerial photographs were taken. Bird communities in higher vegetation quality areas comprised mainly rainforest-dependent species, whereas poor quality areas mostly supported birds of open habitats. Bird community diversity and rainforest-dependent bird diversity increased significantly both with increasing levels of canopy cover and greater riparian width, but a combination of these factors explained more variance than each factor separately. Desktop riparian vegetation quality therefore proved a satisfactory indicator of habitat quality for birds in rainforest riparian zones. This quick and efficient desktop method of riparian habitat quality assessment can determine conservation values of rainforest riparian areas with minimal field validation, thereby allowing more effective targeting of appropriate management practices, identification of areas of conservation concern and prioritisation of revegetation and rehabilitation efforts.

Abstrak. Kondisi zona riparian di sungai Senggapa Rainforest Lodge Kedah Kecamatan Blangjerango, Kabupaten Gayo Lues, Provinsi Aceh sebagian telah beralih fungsi menjadi lahan perkebunan. Alih fungsi lahan diduga berpengaruh terhadap kondisi zona riparian dan tingkat kesuburan tanah. Penelitian dilakukan dari bulan Februari hingga Juli 2021. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode garis berpetak, terdapat 20 plot contoh dari 10 transek yang diletakkan pada sisi kiri dan sisi kanan sungai. Jenis vegetasi riparian yang ditemukan di sub DAS Senggapa Rainforest Lodge Kedah yaitu sebanyak 533 individu dari 52 jenis dan 29 suku. Indeks Nilai Penting (INP) tertinggi vegetasi riparian berdasarkan tingkat pohon dimiliki oleh Lithocarpus sp. sebesar 35,59%, INP tertinggi vegetasi riparian tingkat tiang juga dimiliki oleh Lithocarpus sp. sebesar 34,26%, INP tertinggi vegetasi riparian tingkat pancang dimiliki oleh Aglaia argentea dan Magnolia montana masing-masing sebesar 13,69%, INP tertinggi vegetasi riparian tingkat semai dimiliki oleh Laportea sinuata sebesar 15,56%, dan INP tertinggi vegetasi riparian tumbuhan bawah dimiliki oleh Colocasia esculenta sebesar 42,28%. Indeks keanekaragaman tingkat pohon sebesar 3,21 tergolong tinggi, tiang sebesar 2,93 tergolong sedang, pancang sebesar 3,15 tergolong tinggi, semai sebesar 3,07 tergolong tinggi, dan tumbuhan bawah sebesar 2,19 tergolong sedang. Tingkat kesuburan tanah pada stasiun I dan stasiun II sama-sama tergolong rendah, hal ini disebabkan oleh salah satu parameter kimia tanah yang dianalisis diperoleh sangat rendah. Pada area hutan lebat dan kawasan perkebunan memiliki kandungan P2O5 tanah yang tergolong sangat rendah, sehingga mempengaruhi penilaian tingkat kesuburan tanah di sub DAS Senggapa rainforest Lodge Kedah.Abstract. The condition of the riparian zone in the Senggapa Rainforest Lodge Kedah river of Blangjerango Subdistrict, Gayo Lues Regency, Aceh Province has partially switched functions into plantation land. The transfer of function is thought to affects the condition of the riparian zone and the fertility rate of the soil. The study was conducted from February to July 2021. The method used in this study was the line-transect method with 20 sample plots of 10 transects placed on the left and right sides of the river. There were 533 individuals of riparian vegetation found in the Sub watershed Senggapa Rainforest Lodge Kedah consisting of 52 species and 29 families. The highest Importance Value Index (IVI) of riparian vegetation based on the tree level was found in Lithocarpus sp. at 35.59%. The highest IVI of riparian vegetation at the pole level was also found in Lithocarpus sp. at 34.26%. The highest IVI of riparian vegetation at the stake level were found in Aglaia argentea and Magnolia montana at13.69%. The highest IVI of riparian vegetation at the seedling level was found in Laportea sinuata at 15.56%, and the highest IVI of riparian vegetation of the lower plants was found in Colocasia esculenta at 42.28%. The diversity index of riparian vegetation is 3.21 at the tree level which is classified as high, 2.93 at the pole level which is classified as moderate, 3.15 at the stake level which is classified as high, 3.07 at the seedling level which is classified as high, and 2.19 at lower plants level which is classified as moderate. The fertility rate of soil both at station I and station II is relatively low. This is due to one of the chemical parameters of the analyzed soil was obtained very low. In areas of dense forest and plantation areas, the P2O5 soil content is classified as very low, thus affecting the assessment of soil fertility level in sub watershed Senggapa rainforest Lodge Kedah.

Tropical forests undergo continuous transformation to other land uses, resulting in landscapes typified by forest fragments surrounded by anthropogenic habitats. Small forest fragments, specifically strip-shaped remnants flanking streams (referred to as riparian remnants), can be particularly important for the maintenance and conservation of biodiversity within highly fragmented forests. We compared frog species diversity between riparian remnants, other forest fragments and cattle pastures in a tropical landscape in Los Tuxtlas, Mexico. We found similar species richness in the three habitats studied and a similar assemblage structure between riparian remnants and forest fragments, although species composition differed by 50 per cent. Frog abundance was halved in riparian remnants compared with forest fragments, but was twice that found in pastures. Our results suggest that riparian remnants play an important role in maintaining a portion of frog species diversity in a highly fragmented forest, particularly during environmentally stressful (hot and dry) periods. In this regard, however, the role of riparian remnants is complementary, rather than substitutive, with respect to the function of other forest fragments within the fragmented forest.

The effects of fire, flood and landslide disturbance on the floristics and structure of some warm temperate rainforests in East Gippsland were investigated from 1983 to 1989. Subcommunities within these forests were delineated by the numerical analyses of floristic data. In moister sites, relatively undisturbed rainforest is dominated by Acmena smithii in association with Acronychia oblongifolia and Rapanea howittiana together with numerous vines and ferns. The size-class distributions of the major tree species indicate that these forests are regenerating. In riparian habitats, Tristaniopsis laurina tends to dominate due to its greater flood resistance whereas Pittosporum undulatum becomes prominent in edaphically drier sites. Within burnt rainforest A. smithii and T. laurina have regenerated vegetatively but P. undulatum has been eliminated. In adjacent wet sclerophyll forest subsequent invasion by rainforest seedlings has occurred. In gorges, landslides may cause disturbance to various degrees and subsequent colonisation is dependent upon both the site and the matrix of the material transposed. The status of the various subcommunities is discussed in terms of the environmental gradients present, the modes of regeneration and the types of primary and secondary successions initiated by the disturbances.

Remnant habitat patches in agricultural landscapes can contribute substantially to wildlife conservation. Understanding the main habitat variables that influence wildlife is important if these remnants are to be appropriately managed. We investigated relationships between the bird assemblages and characteristics of remnant riparian forest at 27 sites among sugarcane fields in the Queensland Wet Tropics bioregion. Sites within the remnant riparian zone had distinctly different bird assemblages from those of the forest, but provided habitat for many forest and generalist species. Width of the riparian vegetation and distance from source forest were the most important factors in explaining the bird assemblages in these remnant ribbons of vegetation. Gradual changes in assemblage composition occurred with increasing distance from source forest, with species of rainforest and dense vegetation being replaced by species of more open habitats, although increasing distance was confounded by decreasing riparian width. Species richness increased with width of the riparian zone, with high richness at the wide sites due to a mixture of open-habitat species typical of narrower sites and rainforest species typical of sites within intact forest, as a result of the greater similarity in vegetation characteristics between wide sites and the forest proper. The results demonstrate the habitat value for birds of remnant riparian vegetation in an agricultural landscape, supporting edge and open vegetation species with even narrow widths, but requiring substantial width (>90 m) to support specialists of the closed forest, the dominant original vegetation of the area.

Predictive vegetation mapping is an essential tool for managing and conserving high conservation-value forests. Cool temperate rainforests (Rainforest) and cool temperate mixed forests (Mixed Forest, i.e., rainforest spp. overtopped by large remnant Eucalyptus trees) are threatened forest types in the Central Highlands of Victoria. Logging of these forest types is prohibited; however, the surrounding native Eucalyptus forests can be logged in some areas of the landscape. This requires accurate mapping and delineation of these vegetation types. In this study, we combine niche modelling, multispectral imagery, and LiDAR data to improve predictive vegetation mapping of these two threatened ecosystems in southeast Australia. We used a dataset of 1586 plots partitioned into four distinct forest types that occur in close proximity in the Central Highlands: Eucalyptus, Tree fern, Mixed Forest, and Rainforest. We calibrated our model on a training dataset and validated it on a spatially distinct testing dataset. To avoid overfitting, we used Bayesian regularized multinomial regression to relate predictors to our four forest types. We found that multispectral predictors were able to distinguish Rainforest from Eucalyptus forests due to differences in their spectral signatures. LiDAR-derived predictors were effective at discriminating Mixed Forest from Rainforest based on forest structure, particularly LiDAR predictors based on existing domain knowledge of the system. For example, the best predictor of Mixed Forest was the presence of Rainforest-type understorey overtopped by large Eucalyptus crowns, which is effectively aligned with the regulatory definition of Mixed Forest. Environmental predictors improved model performance marginally, but helped discriminate riparian forests from Rainforest. However, the best model for classifying forest types was the model that included all three classes of predictors (i.e., spectral, structural, and environmental). Using multiple data sources with differing strengths improved classification accuracy and successfully predicted the identity of 88% of the plots. Our study demonstrated that multi-source methods are important for capturing different properties of the data that discriminate ecosystems. In addition, the multi-source approach facilitated adding custom metrics based on domain knowledge which in turn improved the mapping of high conservation-value forest.

Heterodactylus imbricatus occurs in southeastern of Brazil in areas of high altitude Atlantic rainforest. We collect one adult female and one adult male of this species in Reserva Biológica Unilavras - Boqueirão, in municipality of Ingaí (MG). The habitat encompasses riparian forest associated with Cerrado biome.

The long and intense storms of the wet tropics present extreme conditions for testing the effectiveness of riparian buffers. This study presents results of a hydrometric investigation of 4 riparian buffers on 2 commercial banana plantations in Far North Queensland, Australia. It investigates runoff generation and riparian hydrology on hillslopes with differing slopes, contributing areas, and topographic convergence. Both grass and rainforest buffers were examined. Surface and subsurface hydrology were measured for 4 wet seasons (December–April) using paired flumes, piezometers, and tensiometers. All buffers experienced large volumes of surface runoff, with peak discharges ranging from 30 L/s on planar hillslopes to 350 L/s on a highly convergent site. Event runoff : rainfall ratios ranged between 0.01 and 0.65. Grass buffers with smaller contributing areas (<0.3 ha) were able to dissipate the energy of surface runoff under all conditions. In a larger (5 ha), highly convergent hillslope, surface runoff became channelised upslope of the buffer and the vetiver hedges and grass were not able to prevent scouring of a channel through the buffer, reducing its performance. Infiltration occurred in all buffers during small events, and at the convergent buffer during large events, most likely due to the presence of deep soil fill. In contrast, exfiltration occurred in the grass buffers on planar and moderately converging slopes during large events. There, the riparian soil approached saturation and return flow and seepage were measured. Under exfiltration, soil strength may be decreased and riparian buffers are needed to decrease erosion hazard. Localised saturation was observed in the rainforest buffer beneath a planar hillslope during large events, where soils were deeper and dried out more quickly than in the adjacent grass buffer. This study documents the high runoff volumes and peak discharges on cropped slopes in the wet tropics, and evaluates riparian hydrological processes. Infiltration is unlikely to be an important buffer function in this environment, but an additional role of buffers is to reduce the erosion hazard presented by exfiltration.

Birds and mammals were censused in a ribbon of remnant vegetation along a stream connecting two rainforest fragments on a farm on the Atherton Tablelands of North Queensland. The vegetation consisted of two larger (6.5 and 19.6 ha) and one smaller forest remnant (1.1 ha) and numerous tiny disconnected patches scattered across the property and along the creek. These were classified into five types ? "Forest", "Regeneration", "Copse", "Lantana" and "Tobacco Bush". Censuses were also done in four windbreak plantings. Sixty-four species of birds were recorded in systematic censuses in the patches along the creek and in the windbreaks. Along the creek, "Forest" patches had the most species and the most rainforest species followed by "Copse" and "Regeneration" sites. "Lantana" patches were surprisingly rich in species; a total of 32 were recorded including nine rainforest species. The fewest bird species were recorded in the windbreaks which were particularly poor in rainforest species. Small mammals were live trapped in the three larger patches, in the ribbon and in one windbreak. Eleven species were captured ? six rainforest, three grassland and two introduced. The grassland species were not caught in the larger forest patches and two rainforest rodents were not caught along the creek. Nothing was caught in the windbreak but grassland species were caught in an adjoining abandoned orchard. Three species of arboreal mammals were recorded by spotlighting ? Lumholtz' Tree-kangaroo Dendrolagus lumholtzi, Coppery Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula johnstonii and Green Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus archeri. All occurred in the stream vegetation as well as the larger forest patches. None were seen in any of the four windbreaks. It is concluded that the creek vegetation is valuable wildlife habitat. The windbreaks were less so but were still useful to the fauna on the study area.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico
Deleterious changes in fragments of forest communities have been often associated to biotic and abiotic changes related to area and edge effects. The understory is an important component of forest communities and exhibits a clear response to the process of fragmentation, due to its susceptibility to such effects. In the Northern section of the Atlantic Forest in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil, forest vegetation remains as fragments, mainly located in bottom valleys, in which riparian sites often occur. This study aimed at improving the knowledge on the structural organization of the understory and on effects of area and edges on the floristic composition of forest understory in riparian forests. Firstly, a floristic and structural survey of the understory was carried out, and its similarity to the arboreal component was assessed. Understory species were classified as follows: transient and understory typical (tall and short). Individuals were grouped into height classes and, for each species, absolute and relative descriptors of density and frequency were estimated per class. Based on these parameters, we calculated an estimative of natural regeneration per height class, and a total regeneration index for each species. Secondly, with basis on species-area relationship and edge effects, we studied the structure of edge-interior understory vegetation in six fragments, three large (>100 ha) and three small (<100 ha). Meteorological stations were set up at the edge and interior of each fragment for assembling air temperature and humidity. For structural analyses, all individuals with circumference at soil level (CSL ≥ 3 cm) and DBH < 15 cm were sampled, from which density, frequency and dominance, species richness and Simpson diversity were obtained. On the edge and interior of each fragment, we calculated the percentage of dead standing individuals and of rare, common and abundant species. A CCA was applied in order to check if there was a relationship between microclimatic variables and understory structure among environments. The results showed that: a high richness in the understory and a great similarity with the canopy stratum indicate that forest understory is predominantly composed by canopy regenerants. In general, these canopy species had high regeneration indices, greater densities and/ or frequencies and were evenly distributed amongst size classes, which demonstrate the regeneration potential of canopy species. In larger fragments, edges showed higher temperatures and lower humidity compared to forest interior, whereas in smaller fragments, these differences did not exist. In smaller fragments, there was a greater proportion of dead individuals and a higher diversity. According to CCA, microclimatic variables explained a small part of the total variance on forest structure (10.7% in large and 12.9% in small fragments). It was verified that area and edge effects had a greater influence on smaller fragments, considering that there were no differences on microclimate between edges and interiors. Although the understory component did not validate the species-area relationship, on large fragments the composition of understory assemblages was indeed related to edge-interior microclimatic differences.
AlteraÃÃes deletÃrias em remanescentes de comunidades florestais tÃm sido associadas a modificaÃÃes abiÃticas e biÃticas devido aos efeitos do tamanho da Ãrea e da borda em fragmentos florestais. O sub-bosque à um dos componentes da floresta que melhor respondem aos efeitos da fragmentaÃÃo por serem mais suscetÃveis a tais efeitos. No extremo norte da Floresta AtlÃntica, estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, a vegetaÃÃo remanescentes ocorre sob a forma de fragmentos de diferentes tamanhos, localizados principalmente em fundos de vales, onde, frequentemente, se concentram pequenos cursos dâÃgua. O presente estudo teve como objetivos conhecer a organizaÃÃo estrutural e a influÃncia da Ãrea e da borda na composiÃÃo florÃstica no sub-bosque de remanescentes florestais ripÃrios. Inicialmente, foram realizados o levantamento florÃstico e estrutural do sub-bosque e verificada a similaridade deste com o estrato arbÃreo. As espÃcies do sub-bosque foram classificadas em: transitÃrias e tÃpicas de sub-bosque (baixo e alto). Os indivÃduos foram agrupados em classes de altura e para cada espÃcie foram estimados os parÃmetros absolutos e relativos de densidade e frequÃncia por classe. Com base nesses parÃmetros, foi obtida a estimativa da regeneraÃÃo natural por classe de altura e a regeneraÃÃo natural total de cada espÃcie. Em seguida, baseada nas hipÃteses da relaÃÃo espÃcie-Ãrea, foi estudada a estrutura da vegetaÃÃo borda-interior no sub-bosque de seis fragmentos: trÃs grandes (>100 ha) e trÃs pequenos (<100 ha) que ocorre sobre essas Ãreas por onde correm pequenos cÃrregos denominados neste estudo de sub-bosques ripÃrios. EstaÃÃes meteorolÃgicas foram instaladas na borda e interior dos fragmentos para coleta de dados microclimÃticos. Para anÃlise estrutural, foram amostrados os indivÃduos com CAS≥3 cm e CAP<15 cm e calculadas a densidade, frequÃncia e dominÃncia, alÃm da riqueza de espÃcies e diversidade de Simpson. Na borda e interior de cada fragmento, foi calculado o percentual de indivÃduos mortos e de espÃcies raras, comuns e abundantes e realizada a CCA para verificar se hà relaÃÃo entre as variÃveis microclimÃticas e a estrutura do sub-bosque entre ambientes. Os resultados deste estudo demonstraram que: a alta riqueza registrada no sub-bosque, associada à alta similaridade entre este componente e o dossel, indica que o sub-bosque de fragmentos florestais à composto predominantemente por indivÃduos transitÃrios. Em geral, estas espÃcies apresentaram alto Ãndice de regeneraÃÃo, as maiores densidades e/ou frequÃncia e estiveram bem distribuÃdas nas classes de tamanho, o que demonstra o potencial regenerante dos indivÃduos que compÃem o dossel. Nos fragmentos maiores, a borda apresentou temperaturas mais elevadas e menor umidade relativa do ar que o interior, enquanto os fragmentos menores nÃo apresentaram diferenÃa. Nos fragmentos menores foram registradas maior percentual de indivÃduos mortos e maior diversidade. Pela CCA, as variÃveis microclimÃticas analisadas explicaram pequena parte da variÃncia (10,7% nos fragmentos grandes e 12,9% nos pequenos) total dos dados. Verificou-se que o efeito da Ãrea e da borda teve influÃncia maior nos fragmentos menores, visto que nÃo houve diferenÃa microclimÃtica entre borda e interior. O componente sub-bosque nÃo confirmou a relaÃÃo espÃcie-Ãrea, mas nos fragmentos grandes, a composiÃÃo das assemblÃias està relacionada Ãs alteraÃÃes microclimÃticas entre borda e interior.

This study investigated the utility to vertebrates of upland linear riparian rainforest fragments on the Atherton and Evelyn Tablelands in the Australian Wet Tropics region, north Queensland. Similar linear fragments were selected, that varied in forest age and their connectivity to large areas of continuous forest:- (connected primary (N=6), isolated primary (N=5), connected secondary (N=6) and isolated secondary (N=7)). Primary sites had either never been cleared or only subject to selective logging, while secondary forest had been completely cleared and allowed to regenerate for at least 30 years. These linear fragments were contrasted with riparian sites within continuous forest sites (N=6 to 7), which were situated in State Forest or National Parks, and sites within the cleared matrix (pasture, N=6). Vertebrates surveyed were birds, ground-dwelling mammals and reptiles, particularly leaf-litter skinks. All surveys were conducted between September and December in 2001 and/or 2000. Chapter 2 investigates the effects of forest age, isolation and structural vegetation features on bird assemblages within linear riparian fragments of rainforest. Bird surveys and structural vegetation assessments were conducted within connected and isolated primary and secondary linear fragments, and compared with those of continuous forest habitat (N=6) and pasture. There were strong effects of forest age; all three types of primary rainforest had higher values than secondary rainforest for most measured attributes of vegetation structure (including canopy height and cover; and frequency of large-diameter trees, lianes, epiphytes, strangler figs; and woody debris), but lower frequencies of tree ferns and thorny scramblers. Sites within primary rainforest also had a greater frequency of many bird species across different guilds of habitat, feeding and movement. Assemblages of rainforest-dependent birds showed an effect of isolation, although its strength was less than that of forest age. Isolated fragments of primary rainforest differed significantly from continuous primary rainforest in their rainforest-dependent bird species assemblages (and had lower species richness), and isolated fragments of secondary rainforest differed from those that were connected. There was a significant association between the species composition of rainforest birds and some measured vegetation parameters across all sites, but not within primary or secondary sites. Vegetation differences did not explain the lowered frequency of several species in isolated fragments. Limited dispersal seems unlikely to be a main cause, and causal processes probably vary among species. Specialist rainforest species endemic to the Wet Tropics region showed stronger responses to present-day rainforest age and fragmentation than those not endemic. Variation in nest depredation levels associated with rainforest fragmentation (edge effects) is examined in Chapter 3. Artificial nests were placed in the forest understorey at seven edge sites where continuous forest adjoined pasture, seven interiors (about one kilometre from the edge), and six primary linear riparian forest remnants (50-100 m wide) that were connected to continuous forest. Four nest types were compared, representing different combinations of two factors; height (ground, shrub) and shape (open, domed). At each site, four nests of each type, containing one quail egg and two model plasticine eggs, were interspersed about 15 m apart within a 160 m transect. Predators were identified from marks on the plasticine eggs. The overall depredation rate was 66.5% of 320 nests' contents damaged over a three-day period. Large rodents, especially the rat Uromys caudimaculatus, and birds, especially the spotted catbird Ailuroedus melanotis, were the main predators. Mammals comprised 56.5% and birds 31.0% of identified predators, with 12.5% of unknown identity. The depredation rate did not vary among site-types, or between open and domed nests, and there were no statistically significant interactions. Nest height strongly affected depredation rates by particular types of predator; depredation rates by mammals were highest at ground nests, whereas attacks by birds were most frequent at shrub nests. These effects counterbalanced so that overall there was little net effect of nest height. Mammals accounted for 78.4% of depredated ground nests and birds for at least 47.4% of shrub nests (and possibly up to 70.1%). The main predators were species characteristic of rainforest, rather than habitat generalists, open-country or edge specialists. For birds that nest in the tropical rainforest understorey of the study region, it is unlikely that edges and linear remnants presently function as ecological population sinks due to mortality associated with increased nest depredation. The use of linear riparian remnants by small ground-dwelling mammals and reptiles (mainly leaf litter skinks), is reported in Chapter 4. Site types were continuous rainforest, connected and isolated linear fragments of both uncleared primary rainforest and secondary regrowth rainforest. Mammals were also surveyed in pasture sites. Neither reptile species richness nor abundance varied significantly among site types. Although mammal species richness varied significantly between site types, with isolated primary sites containing highest species richness, overall mammal abundance did not differ significantly among site types. Pasture sites differed significantly from all rainforest sites in their mammal species composition, and were dominated by the introduced house mouse (Mus musculus). This species was absent from all rainforest sites, which were characterised by moderate abundances of bush rat/Cape York rat Rattus fuscipes/leucopus, fawn-footed melomys Melomys cervinipes and giant white-tailed rat Uromys caudimaculatus. None of these species varied significantly in abundance among site types, although the giant white-tailed rat showed a trend (P=0.09) for reduced abundance in isolated secondary sites. A single reptile species, the prickly forest skink Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae, occurred in sufficient numbers for individual analysis, and its abundance varied significantly among the forested site types, being less abundant in all linear fragments than in continuous forest sites. The utility of linear riparian rainforest for vertebrates appears to be species-specific and involves many factors. However, overall, species endemic to the Wet Tropics (which are hence of the highest conservation significance) appear to be the most sensitive to fragmentation. These species were most likely to show altered abundances or frequencies of occurrence due to isolation, forest age, and habitat linearity. The ecology of species within this group warrants further investigation within fragmented and non-fragmented regions of the Tablelands. For many other vertebrates examined in this study, there appears to be sufficient functional connectedness between remnants on the Tablelands to minimise the effects of fragmentation. Nevertheless, the lower density of many of these species in pasture may indicate that their long-term persistence within the fragmented rainforest areas could benefit from the maintenance or establishment of habitat linkages. Certainly, if the current rainforest vegetation cover were further reduced, or if the land use in the matrix became more intensive, the establishment of specific habitat linkages could become more important as existing dispersal routes could be lost. It also appears that nest depredation levels are unlikely to limit the value of linear rainforest remnants and other small rainforest remnants as breeding habitat for birds (at least for understorey-nesting species), relative to more intact rainforest, in the study region.

This study investigated the utility to vertebrates of upland linear riparian rainforest fragments on the Atherton and Evelyn Tablelands in the Australian Wet Tropics region, north Queensland. Similar linear fragments were selected, that varied in forest age and their connectivity to large areas of continuous forest:- (connected primary (N=6), isolated primary (N=5), connected secondary (N=6) and isolated secondary (N=7)). Primary sites had either never been cleared or only subject to selective logging, while secondary forest had been completely cleared and allowed to regenerate for at least 30 years. These linear fragments were contrasted with riparian sites within continuous forest sites (N=6 to 7), which were situated in State Forest or National Parks, and sites within the cleared matrix (pasture, N=6). Vertebrates surveyed were birds, ground-dwelling mammals and reptiles, particularly leaf-litter skinks. All surveys were conducted between September and December in 2001 and/or 2000. Chapter 2 investigates the effects of forest age, isolation and structural vegetation features on bird assemblages within linear riparian fragments of rainforest. Bird surveys and structural vegetation assessments were conducted within connected and isolated primary and secondary linear fragments, and compared with those of continuous forest habitat (N=6) and pasture. There were strong effects of forest age; all three types of primary rainforest had higher values than secondary rainforest for most measured attributes of vegetation structure (including canopy height and cover; and frequency of large-diameter trees, lianes, epiphytes, strangler figs; and woody debris), but lower frequencies of tree ferns and thorny scramblers. Sites within primary rainforest also had a greater frequency of many bird species across different guilds of habitat, feeding and movement. Assemblages of rainforest-dependent birds showed an effect of isolation, although its strength was less than that of forest age. Isolated fragments of primary rainforest differed significantly from continuous primary rainforest in their rainforest-dependent bird species assemblages (and had lower species richness), and isolated fragments of secondary rainforest differed from those that were connected. There was a significant association between the species composition of rainforest birds and some measured vegetation parameters across all sites, but not within primary or secondary sites. Vegetation differences did not explain the lowered frequency of several species in isolated fragments. Limited dispersal seems unlikely to be a main cause, and causal processes probably vary among species. Specialist rainforest species endemic to the Wet Tropics region showed stronger responses to present-day rainforest age and fragmentation than those not endemic. Variation in nest depredation levels associated with rainforest fragmentation (edge effects) is examined in Chapter 3. Artificial nests were placed in the forest understorey at seven edge sites where continuous forest adjoined pasture, seven interiors (about one kilometre from the edge), and six primary linear riparian forest remnants (50-100 m wide) that were connected to continuous forest. Four nest types were compared, representing different combinations of two factors; height (ground, shrub) and shape (open, domed). At each site, four nests of each type, containing one quail egg and two model plasticine eggs, were interspersed about 15 m apart within a 160 m transect. Predators were identified from marks on the plasticine eggs. The overall depredation rate was 66.5% of 320 nests' contents damaged over a three-day period. Large rodents, especially the rat Uromys caudimaculatus, and birds, especially the spotted catbird Ailuroedus melanotis, were the main predators. Mammals comprised 56.5% and birds 31.0% of identified predators, with 12.5% of unknown identity. The depredation rate did not vary among site-types, or between open and domed nests, and there were no statistically significant interactions. Nest height strongly affected depredation rates by particular types of predator; depredation rates by mammals were highest at ground nests, whereas attacks by birds were most frequent at shrub nests. These effects counterbalanced so that overall there was little net effect of nest height. Mammals accounted for 78.4% of depredated ground nests and birds for at least 47.4% of shrub nests (and possibly up to 70.1%). The main predators were species characteristic of rainforest, rather than habitat generalists, open-country or edge specialists. For birds that nest in the tropical rainforest understorey of the study region, it is unlikely that edges and linear remnants presently function as ecological population sinks due to mortality associated with increased nest depredation. The use of linear riparian remnants by small ground-dwelling mammals and reptiles (mainly leaf litter skinks), is reported in Chapter 4. Site types were continuous rainforest, connected and isolated linear fragments of both uncleared primary rainforest and secondary regrowth rainforest. Mammals were also surveyed in pasture sites. Neither reptile species richness nor abundance varied significantly among site types. Although mammal species richness varied significantly between site types, with isolated primary sites containing highest species richness, overall mammal abundance did not differ significantly among site types. Pasture sites differed significantly from all rainforest sites in their mammal species composition, and were dominated by the introduced house mouse (Mus musculus). This species was absent from all rainforest sites, which were characterised by moderate abundances of bush rat/Cape York rat Rattus fuscipes/leucopus, fawn-footed melomys Melomys cervinipes and giant white-tailed rat Uromys caudimaculatus. None of these species varied significantly in abundance among site types, although the giant white-tailed rat showed a trend (P=0.09) for reduced abundance in isolated secondary sites. A single reptile species, the prickly forest skink Gnypetoscincus queenslandiae, occurred in sufficient numbers for individual analysis, and its abundance varied significantly among the forested site types, being less abundant in all linear fragments than in continuous forest sites. The utility of linear riparian rainforest for vertebrates appears to be species-specific and involves many factors. However, overall, species endemic to the Wet Tropics (which are hence of the highest conservation significance) appear to be the most sensitive to fragmentation. These species were most likely to show altered abundances or frequencies of occurrence due to isolation, forest age, and habitat linearity. The ecology of species within this group warrants further investigation within fragmented and non-fragmented regions of the Tablelands. For many other vertebrates examined in this study, there appears to be sufficient functional connectedness between remnants on the Tablelands to minimise the effects of fragmentation. Nevertheless, the lower density of many of these species in pasture may indicate that their long-term persistence within the fragmented rainforest areas could benefit from the maintenance or establishment of habitat linkages. Certainly, if the current rainforest vegetation cover were further reduced, or if the land use in the matrix became more intensive, the establishment of specific habitat linkages could become more important as existing dispersal routes could be lost. It also appears that nest depredation levels are unlikely to limit the value of linear rainforest remnants and other small rainforest remnants as breeding habitat for birds (at least for understorey-nesting species), relative to more intact rainforest, in the study region
Thesis (Masters)
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
Australian School of Environmental Studies
Full Text

Thesis (M.Phil.) -- Griffith University, 2004.
Facsimile of the author's original dissertation. Pagination of document: x, 121 leaves. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online via the World Wide Web.

The alluvial forest of the Carmanah River valley on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, was studied to examine the role of hydrogeomorphic disturbance in perpetuating the shifting-mosaic of habitats within this diverse ecosystem. Field-based research was complemented by a landscape-scale analysis that examined changes in the extent of specific forest types using a 70-year aerial photographic record. Thirty-eight plots containing 4509 trees were sampled for forest structure, composition, age, understory composition, and elevation above the contemporary channel. These field data, including a vegetation chronosequence spanning over 500 years, were used to examine vegetation dynamics. Over the past century, Carmanah River has eroded nearly 30% of the alluvial forest in this study area – 65% over the past 500 years. High magnitude floods result in diminished floodplain forest area by converting forests to channel. This results in a subsequent course of vegetation succession and geomorphic development. Fluvial deposits are colonized by a high density of Alnus rubra accompanied by a subcanopy of Picea sitchensis individuals. As Alnus die off after 60-100 years, Picea increasingly dominates the canopy while Tsuga heterophylla regenerate within the understory. The original cohort of Picea dies off after 300-500 years, which allows Tsuga to dominate old growth terrace forests. Picea or Alnus do not tend to regenerate under these dense canopies and without disturbance Tsuga may remain dominant indefinitely. Understory composition was related to landform age, however species distributions at low elevation floodplain sites were also driven by elevation above thalweg and flood frequency. Light availability was also a significant factor in driving community composition. It appears that understory dynamics were linked to overstory succession and geomorphic development processes, which alter environmental conditions at the understory level. That is, species distributions are driven by dynamic environmental filters, which change as a result of biogeomorphic succession. Mature forest patches tended to persist longer than young forests. The landscape composition reflects a balance between episodes of hydrogeomorphic disturbance and periods of successional development. Increased hydrogeomorphic disturbance rates due to climate change have the capacity to alter the landscape composition resulting in diminished mature forest area.

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O objetivo geral do presente estudo foi analisar a biologia e o ciclo de vida de Astyanax cf. scabripinnis paranae no ribeirão Grande, um riacho de cabeceira localizado no Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (PESM), Núcleo Santa Virgínia, SP. Os exemplares foram coletados mensalmente de janeiro a dezembro em 2004 e 2006, utilizando-se redes de espera, redinha de mão e covo. Foram coletados dados de temperatura da água, oxigênio dissolvido e pH. Dados de pluviosidade, umidade relativa e temperatura do ar foram obtidos junto à Estação Meteorológica do PESM. Os peixes foram fixados em formalina a 10% e conservados em álcool 70%. No laboratório foram mensurados quanto ao comprimento total e padrão, peso e registrados os graus de repleção estomacal, de gordura acumulada, o sexo e os estádios de maturação gonadal. As correlações entre as variáveis ambientais e os meses de coletas foram verificadas por uma análise de componentes principais, que indicou uma separação entre períodos mais chuvosos (outubro a abril) e menos chuvosos (maio a setembro). A dieta foi analisada pelo grau de preferência alimentar. Diferenças no consumo de itens autóctones e alóctones e possíveis mudanças ontogenéticas ao longo do desenvolvimento da espécie foram verificadas por uma análise de correspondência. Para o estudo da reprodução foram analisadas as variações nos estádios de maturação, relação gonadossomática, grau de gordura acumulada, condição corporal, fecundidade e tipo de desova. O comprimento médio de primeira maturação gonadal foi estimado pelo ajuste não-linear e a condição corporal foi avaliada por modelos de análise de covariância. A fecundidade foi estimada pelo método volumétrico e relacionada ao comprimento padrão, ao peso total, ao peso das gônadas e à relação gonadossomática. No estudo do crescimento, a separação das coortes...
The present study aimed to analyze the biology and ecology of Astyanax cf. scabripinnis paranae in the Ribeirão Grande, a headwater stream located in the Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (PESM), Núcleo Santa Virgínia, SP. The fishes were sampled monthly from January to December in 2004 and 2006, using gillnets, sieves and funnel traps. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH of the water were measured. Pluviometric data, relative humidity and temperature of the air were obtained in the Meteorological Station of PESM. The fishes were fixed in 10% formalin and conserved in 70% alcohol. In the laboratory they were measured as for the total and standard length, weighed and registered the degrees of stomach repletion, of accumulated fat, the sex and the stadiums of gonad maturation. The correlation structure among the environmental variables measured in the sampling collections was verified by a principal components analysis (PCA), which indicated a separation among rainier (October to April) and the less rainy periods (May to September). Differences in the consumption of autochthonous and allochthonous items and possible ontogenetic changes along the specimens development were verified by a correspondence analysis (CA). For the study of the reproduction the variations were analyzed at the maturation stadiums, gonadossomatic relationship, degrees of accumulated fat, corporal condition, fecundity and spawning type. The mean length of first gonad maturation was assessed by a no-linear adjustment. The corporal condition was evaluated by analysis of covariance. The fecundity was estimate by the volumetric method and related to the standard length, to the total weight, to the gonad weight and to the gonadossomatic relationship. In the study of the fish growth, the cohorts’ separation and their mean lengths were obtained using the package MIXDIST and the Bhattacharya method... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Orientador: Francisco Manoel de Souza Braga
Banca: Leandro Müller Gomiero
Banca: Lilian Casatti
Banca: Mauricio Cetra
Banca: Lucia Ap. de Fatima Mateus
Resumo: O objetivo geral do presente estudo foi analisar a biologia e o ciclo de vida de Astyanax cf. scabripinnis paranae no ribeirão Grande, um riacho de cabeceira localizado no Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (PESM), Núcleo Santa Virgínia, SP. Os exemplares foram coletados mensalmente de janeiro a dezembro em 2004 e 2006, utilizando-se redes de espera, redinha de mão e covo. Foram coletados dados de temperatura da água, oxigênio dissolvido e pH. Dados de pluviosidade, umidade relativa e temperatura do ar foram obtidos junto à Estação Meteorológica do PESM. Os peixes foram fixados em formalina a 10% e conservados em álcool 70%. No laboratório foram mensurados quanto ao comprimento total e padrão, peso e registrados os graus de repleção estomacal, de gordura acumulada, o sexo e os estádios de maturação gonadal. As correlações entre as variáveis ambientais e os meses de coletas foram verificadas por uma análise de componentes principais, que indicou uma separação entre períodos mais chuvosos (outubro a abril) e menos chuvosos (maio a setembro). A dieta foi analisada pelo grau de preferência alimentar. Diferenças no consumo de itens autóctones e alóctones e possíveis mudanças ontogenéticas ao longo do desenvolvimento da espécie foram verificadas por uma análise de correspondência. Para o estudo da reprodução foram analisadas as variações nos estádios de maturação, relação gonadossomática, grau de gordura acumulada, condição corporal, fecundidade e tipo de desova. O comprimento médio de primeira maturação gonadal foi estimado pelo ajuste não-linear e a condição corporal foi avaliada por modelos de análise de covariância. A fecundidade foi estimada pelo método volumétrico e relacionada ao comprimento padrão, ao peso total, ao peso das gônadas e à relação gonadossomática. No estudo do crescimento, a separação das coortes... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract: The present study aimed to analyze the biology and ecology of Astyanax cf. scabripinnis paranae in the Ribeirão Grande, a headwater stream located in the Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar (PESM), Núcleo Santa Virgínia, SP. The fishes were sampled monthly from January to December in 2004 and 2006, using gillnets, sieves and funnel traps. Temperature, dissolved oxygen and pH of the water were measured. Pluviometric data, relative humidity and temperature of the air were obtained in the Meteorological Station of PESM. The fishes were fixed in 10% formalin and conserved in 70% alcohol. In the laboratory they were measured as for the total and standard length, weighed and registered the degrees of stomach repletion, of accumulated fat, the sex and the stadiums of gonad maturation. The correlation structure among the environmental variables measured in the sampling collections was verified by a principal components analysis (PCA), which indicated a separation among rainier (October to April) and the less rainy periods (May to September). Differences in the consumption of autochthonous and allochthonous items and possible ontogenetic changes along the specimens development were verified by a correspondence analysis (CA). For the study of the reproduction the variations were analyzed at the maturation stadiums, gonadossomatic relationship, degrees of accumulated fat, corporal condition, fecundity and spawning type. The mean length of first gonad maturation was assessed by a no-linear adjustment. The corporal condition was evaluated by analysis of covariance. The fecundity was estimate by the volumetric method and related to the standard length, to the total weight, to the gonad weight and to the gonadossomatic relationship. In the study of the fish growth, the cohorts' separation and their mean lengths were obtained using the package "MIXDIST" and the Bhattacharya method... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
Doutor

Riparian ecosystems are known for their high diversity, yet they represent one of the most threatened habitats globally. I studied riparian and upland bird communities in undisturbed old-growth forest on western Vancouver Island, B.C. and in riparian buffer strips retained after harvesting. In undisturbed forest, species richness and diversity did not differ over the riparian-upland gradient. Except for riparian specialists and species associated with deciduous vegetation, there was broad overlap of species and abundances between riparian and upland habitats. To test if fragmentation of riparian habitats alters bird communities, I surveyed birds in buffers of varying widths 5-7 years post-harvest. Effects of fragmentation on species richness and overall abundance were weak to absent in these communities, which are dominated by several forest generalists. The few forestinterior species were less abundant in all but the widest buffers and were replaced by open-edge species in narrower buffers. Species assemblages in narrow buffers were also least similar to controls. Species richness and abundance increased in both buffers and adjacent clearcuts during the study period. Because populations able to use the forest matrix may persist better in buffers, I studied movements of birds across river and forestclearcut edges. Forest generalists, open-edge and ubiquitous species crossed riparian and clearcut edges most often. Movements were more frequent across clearcut edges than river edges and were positively related to densities in buffers rather than to buffer width. Movements were highest in narrow buffers, however, suggesting that birds move in and out of narrow buffers because they do not provide suitable habitat to support forestdwelling species. I suggest that narrow buffers function as foraging sites or travel corridors. Finally, I examined patterns of vegetation across varying buffer widths to test if habitat diversity better explains patterns of bird species richness and abundance than buffer width. Densities of faster-growing deciduous trees, and richness and cover of shrubs and forbs differed over the range of buffer widths. While species richness and abundances of several bird guilds and species were explained better by buffer width, three habitat specialist guilds: riparian specialists, forest interior and open-edge species and 4 of 8 individual species were best predicted by density and cover of deciduous vegetation. Deciduous vegetation was more common in wider buffers providing further evidence that retaining wide buffers enhances bird habitat.

The Gold Coast is one of Australia's premier tourism destinations, a modern city cut out of coastal vegetation, including paperbark swamps, mangroves and rainforests of both Indigenous and worldwide significance. The Gold Coast Transformed is a collection of integrated chapters identifying and assessing the environmental impacts of the building of Australia's sixth largest city. From the time of the first European timber getters through to the present, the book traces the impacts of rapid development on the now World Heritage-listed rainforest and surrounding ecosystems. The city's natural and engineered environments are both fascinating and vulnerable. The construction of massive high-rise apartment blocks, on what were frontal beach dunes, is one of the fundamental mistakes not to be repeated. The book illustrates how and why major environmentally destructive development took place and discusses the impacts of such development on the Gold Coast's beaches, wildlife, and terrestrial and marine environments, such as the destruction of riparian mangrove forest. The Gold Coast Transformed also shows the possibility of sustaining natural populations and reducing the city's ecological footprint. It will be of interest to ecologists, environmental scientists and managers, town planners, economists, policymakers and the general public.