Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'South Eastern Australia'
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1
Vérard, Christian. "Palaeozoic Palaeomagnetism of South-Eastern Australia." Diss., lmu, 2004. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-22931.
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O'Brien, Jane, and n/a. "Tertiary fossil wood in South Eastern Australia." University of Canberra. Applied Science, 1999. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060821.132803.
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Palaeobotany illuminates past environments by relating the fossilised species to
the existing geological conditions. This has previously been done with fossilised
leaves and spores but not with fossilised wood.
The recovery of a significant quantity of wood from an area of Tertiary sediments
in New South Wales, enabled the used of fossilised wood as a
palaeoenvironmental tool. Tertiary sedimentary deposits of south eastern
Australia are diverse lithologically, occupy distinct areas and are limited in vertical
and horizontal extent. However, samples in museum collections together with
samples from field work and descriptions of fossil wood from previous researchers
enabled an analysis of the fossil wood.
The geological and palaeontological aspects of the fossil wood were considered
for each specimen. Only specimens with precise information concerning location
and description of the sedimentary deposits in which the specimens were found
were investigated. Lithology, sedimentary structures and the relationship with
surrounding geological units were also considered.
The samples were then classified and identified. It was possible to identify fossil
wood to Family level by comparison with existing taxa. In the majority of cases,
identification to species level was not possible due to the lack of detail in the
specimen and because features such as colour cannot be used with fossilised
specimens. With Australian fossilised wood, a systematic nomenclature based on
structure observed within the palaeotaxa, would be more relevant. Comparisons
of cell structures with previous work on palaeoenvironmental indicators was found
to be possible.
Fossil wood has two uses. Firstly, as a local environmental indicator, usually in
conjunction with sedimentological data, assessing the rate and direction of water
flow, types of depositional environments and localised floral assemblages.
Secondly, as an indicator of regional climate. Within any one particular time
period, comparisons between the cellular structures of wood found in different
parts of south eastern Australia show gross changes in cell size, mean growth ring
size and vessel size, which enabled generalisations about climate for each epoch
in the Tertiary.
Palaeoclimatic indicators from the wood concurred with previous climatic
interpretations based on palynology and sedimentology. Cool conditions during
the Palaeocene were clearly indicated by small cells and small growth rings which
gradually increased throughout the remainder of the Tertiary. Several areas e.g.,
Dargo High Plains, where cold conditions existed in isolation could be clearly
distinguished. This corresponds with the gradual northward movement of the
Australian plate with consequent increasing temperatures on the mainland.
3
Mazzoleni, Antonio. "Holocene sedimentology of Old Man Lake, south eastern South Australia /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1993. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09SB/09sbm477.pdf.
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Stuart, Iain. "Squatting landscapes in south-eastern Australia (1820-1895)." Phd thesis, Prehistoric and Historic Archaeology Dept., Faculty of Arts, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/8715.
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Venn, Susanna Elizabeth, and Susanna Venn@nt gov au. "Plant recruitment across alpine summits in south-eastern Australia." La Trobe University. School of Life Sciences, 2007. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au./thesis/public/adt-LTU20080526.160815.
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This thesis investigated aspects of plant recruitment across an altitudinal gradient of mountain tops in the Victorian Alps, Australia, and provides a baseline for the patterns and processes of alpine plant recruitment in the absence of large-scale disturbance.
The patterns in alpine vegetation across the study sites were described in relation to abiotic environmental factors. Temperatures were lower and precipitation was higher at the high altitude sites. The vegetation did not differ significantly between the sites, although sites at low altitudes were shrubbier than those at high altitudes. Analysis of the soil seed bank revealed high mean densities of germinable seed (80 to 1400 seeds m-2) across the gradient of sites. The similarity between the seed bank samples and the standing vegetation was low (qualitative similarity: 0.08 to 0.2; quantitative similarity: 0.03 to 0.19).
In laboratory germination experiments, I found rapid and substantial germination. Final percent germination was above 90% for most species. One species, Aciphylla glacialis, showed evidence of dormancy mechanisms. In subsequent experiments, I found that innate primary seed dormancy in this species could be broken with cold-wet stratification.
There were no significant patterns in natural seedling recruitment across the altitudinal gradient. Similarities between the seedling flora and the standing vegetation
were low (qualitative similarity: 0.18 to 0.45: quantitative similarity 0.04 to 0.09). Mean seedling density was best predicted by a combination of soil wilting point, altitude and plant litter. In some cases, seedling density was greater than 80 seedlings m-2.
The relative importance of either negative (competitive) or positive (facilitative) interactions between seedlings with adjacent vegetation were investigated in relation to seed germination, seedling growth and seedling survival. Facilitative interactions were common at the higher altitude sites. At lower altitudes, facilitative and competitive interactions were common. Without close neighbours at high altitudes, seedlings were unlikely to survive into their second year.
An understanding of plant recruitment can provide a useful basis for predicting species responses to large-scale disturbance and climate change.
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Venn, Susanna Elizabeth. "Plant recruitment across alpine summits in south-eastern Australia /." Access full text, 2007. http://www.lib.latrobe.edu.au/thesis/public/adt-LTU20080526.160815/index.html.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- La Trobe University, 2007.Research. "A thesis submitted in total fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Botany, School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering, La Trobe University, Bundoora". Includes bibliographical references (leaves 173-187). Also available via the World Wide Web.
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Bailey, Trevor. "Chemical management in research laboratories : South-Eastern Australia, 1997." Thesis, Federation University Australia, 1997. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/164876.
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"Through a comprehensive literature review this project examines the necessary components of a laboratory chemical safety program, including requirements under the new hazardous substance regulations. It also examines, via a survey, the problems associated with the laboratory use of chemicals and with compliance with the new regulations. Finally the current situation in Australia and the approach research laboratories must take in the future to achieve compliance with the new regulatory package are reviewed."Master of Applied Science
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Kavanagh, R. (Rodney). "Ecology and management of large forest owls in south-eastern Australia." Phd thesis, School of Biological Sciences, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/5009.
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Batt, Kenneth Leslie School of Mathematics UNSW. "The observation and modelling of winds over South Eastern Australia." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Mathematics, 2004. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/23472.
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This study uses a very high resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) model to investigate the complex structure and behaviour of cold fronts along the New South Wales coast during the warmer months of the year, the complex interaction between the wind flow and coastlines and elevated areas as well as the lee-trough effect, particularly the way it affects waters off the east coast of Tasmania, The study also investigates the utility of the higher resolution NWP model to better predict wind fields compared to a lower resolution model. The University of New South Wales very high resolution model (HIRES), nested in the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's coarse NWP model (GASP), was run at various horizontal resolutions (from 15 to 25km) in order to investigate the above-mentioned features. It was found to bave very good skill in resolving the features and was also found to be very accurate in the prediction of surface wind fields for various yacht race events out to at least four days ahead. It can be concluded that there is considerable skill in the ability of high-resolution NWP models such as HIRES, to predict the major features of the wind fields over the ocean out to several days ahead. Moreover, it was also able to more accurately simulate the complex structure of the summer-time cool change as it progressed along the NSW coast than the lower resolution model runs. The influence of coastlines, particularly ones with complex topographical features, on the wind flow was demonstrated to a limited extent throughout the study. Finally the following concepts were also verified as a result of the study: - air flow takes the path of least resistance - the shape of topography can help generate local turbulence - the orientation of the wind flow to a mountain range is important in determining turbulent effects. - under certain airflow and stability situations, standing wave activity and a lee trough can be observed in the lee of mountains, hills or even high coastal cliffs.
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Prescott, Matthew. "The pollination ecology of a south-eastern Australia Acacia community." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.422674.
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Tiver, Fleur. "Vegetation patterns of eastern South Australia : edaphic control and effects of herbivory /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1994. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09pht623.pdf.
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Hunter, David, and n/a. "Conservation Management of Two Threatened Frog Species in South-Eastern New South Wales, Australia." University of Canberra. Applied Science, 2007. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20081020.142239.
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The decline and extinction of amphibian species over the past three decades is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest biodiversity crises of modem time. Providing convincing data to support hypotheses about these declines has proved difficult, which has greatly restricted the development and implementation of management actions that may prevent further amphibian declines and extinctions from occurring. In this thesis, I present research that was undertaken as part of the recovery programs for the southern corroboree frog (Pseudophryne corroboree), and the Booroolong frog (Litoria booroolongensis); two species that underwent very rapid declines in distribution and abundance during the 1980's. More specifically, I investigated potential causal factors in the declines of both species using experimental and correlative studies, and examined the mechanisms by which one threatening process (chytridiomycosis) may be causing continued decline and extinction in P. corroboree. I also examined the implications of population dynamics for monitoring L. booroolongensis, and suggest a possible monitoring strategy that may reliably facilitate the implementation of recovery objectives for this species. I also tested one possible reintroduction technique aimed at preventing the continued decline and extinction of P. corroboree populations.
In Chapters 2 and 3, I present the results from a series of experiments in artificial enclosures designed to examine whether the tadpoles of L. booroolongensis are susceptible to predation by co-occurring introduced predatory fish species; brown trout (Salmo trutta), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), European carp (Cyprinus carpio), redfin perch (Percafluviatilis), and mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki). I demonstrated that the tadpoles of L. booroolongensis, and a closely related species Litoria lesueuri, were palatable to non-native trout species, but not to two native predatory fish species, Gadopsis bispinosus and Galaxias olidus. A pond breeding frog species included in this experiment, Limnodynastes tasmaniensis, was palatable to both the native and non-native fish species. In a separate experiment I also demonstrated that the tadpole of L. booroolongensis is palatable to the three other introduced fish species examined in this study; C. carpio, P. fluviatilis, and G. holbrooki. In three of the experiments, the provision of rock within enclosures as a potential refuge habitat did not afford protection to L. booroolongensis tadpoles from
predation by any of the five introduced fish species examined. While all the introduced fish species tested here did consume L. booroolongensis tadpoles, the results also suggested that chemical unpalatability might afford some level of protection against some of these fish species. Firstly, the addition of alternative prey items in one of the experiments reduced the proportion of tadpoles consumed, suggesting that L. booroolongensis may not be a preferred prey item. Secondly, the proportion of tadpoles consumed varied greatly among the different fish species examined, suggesting differing levels of palatability. Overall, this study supports previous research in suggesting that chemical unpalatability may be an important strategy for the tadpoles of riverine frog species in south-eastern Australia to avoid predation by native fish species, and that this strategy is less effective against introduced fish species. While L. booroolongensis currently persists in streams inhabited by a number of introduced fish species, this study supports the likelihood that these species are having a negative impact on populations of L. booroolongensis in the wild.
In Chapter 4, I present the results of a study aimed at examining potential monitoring techniques for L. booroolongensis. The results of a mark-recapture exercise demonstrated that L. booroolongensis may exhibit large fluctuations in abundance from one year to the next, and through a prospective power analysis approach, I demonstrated that it would be difficult to confidently identify population trends of interest using either indices or estimates of abundance for this species. An assessment of the capacity to identify the presence or absence of L. booroolongensis using nighttime
spotlight surveys demonstrated the high detectability of this species using this technique, at both the scale of 300-meter sections of stream and individual breeding areas (typically less than 10-meters of stream). This study suggests that the monitoring objectives of the L. booroolongensis recovery program would be most effectively achieved using presence/absence surveys at different scales.
In Chapter 5, I present the results of a field survey aimed at determining the current distribution and habitat requirements of L. booroolongensis in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales. Of the 163 sites I surveyed across 49 streams,I located
L. booroolongensis along 77 of these sites from 27 streams. Based on population and habitat connectivity, this study identified 18 populations of L. booroolongensis that
are likely to be operating as independent populations. Twelve of these populations are not represented in conservation reserves, but rather occur along streams that flow through the agricultural landscape. A broad scale habitat analysis identified a positive relationship between extent of rock structures along the stream and the occurrence of
L. booroolongensis, and a negative relationship between the proportion of canopy cover and this species' occurrence. At the breeding habitat scale, this study identified a positive relationship between the presence of breeding males and; number of rock crevices in the aquatic environment, extent of emergent rocks, and proportion pool. This analysis also detected a negative relationship between occupancy and water depth. These results confirm previous work suggesting the importance of rocky stream habitats to the persistence of L. booroolongensis, but also suggest how disturbance processes, such as increasing sedimentation and weed invasion, may reduce the suitability of rocky structures as breeding sites.
In Chapter 6, I investigated current levels of amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis) infection in corroboree frog populations, and used retrospective screening of museum specimens to assess the possibility that this pathogen was implicated in the initial decline of the corroboree frogs. Using histology, I did not detect any B. dendrobatidis infections in corroboree frog populations prior to their decline, however using the same technique, moderate levels of infection were detected in post-decline populations of both species. Real-time PCR screening of skin swabs identified much higher overall infection rates in post-decline populations of P. corroboree (between 44% and 59%), while significantly lower rates of infection were observed in P. pengilleyi populations (14%). These results suggest that the initial and continued decline of the corroboree frogs may well be attributed to the emergence of B. dendrobatidis in populations of these species.
In Chapter 7, I investigated how B. dendrobatidis may be causing the continued decline of P. corroboree through the presence of an abundant reservoir host for this pathogen. I found that populations of adult C. signifera in sub-alpine bogs carry high
B. dendrobatidis infection rates (86%), but appear unaffected by this infection. An experiment involving the release of P. corroboree tadpoles into 15 natural pools resulted in metamorphs from seven of these pools testing positive for B. dendrobatidis, with all these individuals dying soon after metamorphosis. These
results support the possibility that B. dendrobatidis infection in P. corroboree populations is being facilitated by the presence of large numbers of infected C. signifera in the shared environment.
Chapter 8 presents the results of a population augmentation study for P. corroboree. I investigated the extent to which increasing recruitment to metamorphosis may result in population recovery in this species. This was undertaken by harvesting eggs from the field and rearing them through to mid stage tadpoles over the winter period prior to being released back to their natal ponds in spring. While I was able to increase recruitment to metamorphosis by an average of 20 percent, this did not result in a noticeable influence on the subsequent adult population size, as both manipulated and non-manipulated sites declined over the course of this study by an average of 80 percent. I observed a positive relationship between natural recruitment to a late tadpole stage and subsequent adult male population size, however there was considerable variation associated with this relationship. The relationship between recruitment and subsequent population size at the augmentation sites was consistent with the relationship observed at the non-manipulated sites. These results suggest that recruitment to metamorphosis may not be the most important life stage restricting the population recovery of P. corroboree, but that mortality during post-metamorphic stages may be more important in regulating current population size. Hence, further attempts to use captive rearing to increase P. corroboree populations in the wild should focus on the release of post-metamorphic frogs.
Overall, this thesis demonstrates the value of quantitative research to the implementation and progress of threatened species recovery programs. While this research will specifically contribute to the recovery programs for L. booroolongensis
and P. corroboree, it more broadly contributes to the understanding and capacity to respond to the concerning levels of amphibian extinctions currently occurring throughout the world.
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Hunter, David. "Conservation management of two threatened frog species in South-Eastern New South Wales, Australia /." full text via ADT, 2007. http://erl.canberra.edu.au/public/adt-AUC20081020.142239/index.html.
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Fuller, Margaret. "Early Cambrian corals from the Moorowie Formation, Eastern Flinders Ranges, South Australia /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1999. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09SM/09smf967.pdf.
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Gummow, Margaret Jane. "Aboriginal songs from the Bundjalung and Gidabal areas of South-Eastern Australia." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 1992. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/7249.
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Choquenot, David. "The dynamics of feral pig populations in the semi-arid rangelands of Eastern Australia." Phd thesis, University of Sydney, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/14299.
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McElhinny, Chris, and chris mcelhinny@anu edu au. "Quantifying stand structural complexity in woodland and dry Sclerophyll Forest, South-Eastern Australia." The Australian National University. Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, 2005. http://thesis.anu.edu.au./public/adt-ANU20060322.133914.
Full textAbstract:
In this thesis I present and test a methodology for developing a stand scale index of structural complexity. If properly designed such an index can act as a summary variable for a larger set of stand structural attributes, providing a means of ranking stands in terms of their structural complexity, and by association, their biodiversity and vegetation condition. This type of index can also facilitate the use of alternative policy instruments for biodiversity conservation, such as mitigation banking, auctions and offsets, that rely on a common currency the index value that can be compared or traded between sites. My intention was to establish a clear and documentable methodology for developing a stand scale index of structural complexity, and to test this methodology using data from real stands.¶
As a starting point, I reviewed the literature concerning forest and woodland structure and found there was no clear definition of stand structural complexity, or definitive suite of structural attributes for characterising it. To address this issue, I defined stand structural complexity as a combined measure of the number of different structural attributes present in a stand, and the relative abundance of each of these attributes. This was analogous to approaches that have quantified diversity in terms of the abundance and richness of elements. It was also concluded from the review, that stand structural complexity should be viewed as a relative, rather than absolute concept, because the potential levels of different structural attributes are bound within certain limits determined by the inherent characteristics of the site in question, and the biota of the particular community will have evolved to reflect this range of variation. This implied that vegetation communities with naturally simple structures should have the potential to achieve high scores on an index of structural complexity.¶
I proposed the following five-stage methodology for developing an index of stand structural complexity:
1. Establish a comprehensive suite of stand structural attributes as a starting point for developing the index, by reviewing studies in which there is an established relationship between elements of biodiversity and structural attributes.
2. Develop a measurement system for quantifying the different attributes included in the comprehensive suite.
3. Use this measurement system to collect data from a representative set of stands across the range of vegetation condition (highly modified to unmodified) and developmental stages (regrowth to oldgrowth) occurring in the vegetation communities in which the index is intended to operate.
4. Identify a core set of structural attributes from an analysis of these data.
5. Combine the core attributes in a simple additive index, in which attributes are scored relative to their observed levels in each vegetation community.¶
Stage one of this methodology was addressed by reviewing a representative sample of the literature concerning fauna habitat relationships in temperate Australian forests and woodlands. This review identified fifty-five studies in south-east and south-west Australia, in which the presence or abundance of different fauna were significantly (p<0.05) associated with vegetation structural attributes. The majority of these studies concerned bird, arboreal mammal, and ground mammal habitat requirements, with relatively fewer studies addressing the habitat requirements of reptiles, invertebrates, bats or amphibians. Thirty four key structural attributes were identified from these fifty-five studies, by grouping similar attributes, and then representing each group with a single generic attribute. This set, in combination with structural attributes identified in the earlier review, provided the basis for developing an operational set of stand level attributes for the collection of data from study sites.¶
To address stages two and three of the methodology, data were collected from one woodland community Yellow Box-Red Gum (E. melliodora-E. Blakelyi ) and two dry sclerophyll forest communities Broadleaved Peppermint-Brittle Gum (E. dives-E. mannifera ), Scribbly Gum-Red Stringybark (E. rossii E. macrorhyncha ) in a 15,000 km2 study area in the South eastern Highlands Bioregion of Australia. A representative set of 48 sites was established within this study area, by identifying 24 strata, on the basis of the three vegetation communities, two catchments, two levels of rainfall and two levels of condition, and then locating two sites (replicates) within each stratum. At each site, three plots were systematically established, to provide an unbiased estimate of stand level means for 75 different structural attributes.¶
I applied a three-stage analysis to identify a core set of attributes from these data. The first stage a preliminary analysis indicated that the 48 study sites represented a broad range of condition, and that the two dry sclerophyll communities could be treated as a single community, which was structurally distinct from the woodland community. In the second stage of the analysis, thirteen core attributes were dentified using the criteria that a core attribute should:¶
1. Be either, evenly or approximately normally distributed amongst study sites;
2. Distinguish between woodland and dry sclerophyll communities;
3. Function as a surrogate for other attributes;
4. Be efficient to measure in the field.
The core attributes were: Vegetation cover <0.5m Vegetation cover 0.5-6.0m; Perennial species richness; Lifeform richness; Stand basal area of live trees; Quadratic mean diameter of live stems; ln(number of regenerating stems per ha+1); ln(number of hollow bearing trees per ha+1);ln(number of dead trees per ha+1);sqrt(number of live stems per ha >40cm dbh); sqrt(total log length per ha); sqrt(total largelog length per ha); Litter dry weight per ha. This analysis also demonstrated that the thirteen core attributes could be modelled as continuous variables, and that these variables were indicative of the scale at which the different attributes operated.¶
In the third and final stage of the analysis, Principal Components Analysis was used to test for redundancy amongst the core attributes. Although this analysis highlighted six groupings, within which attributes were correlated to some degree, these relationships were not considered sufficiently robust to justify reducing the number of core attributes.¶
The thirteen core attributes were combined in a simple additive index, in which, each attribute accounted for 10 points in a total index value of 130. Attributes were rescaled as a score from 0-10, using equations that modelled attribute score as a function of the raw attribute data. This maintained a high correlation (r > 0.97, p< 0.0001) between attribute scores and the original attribute data. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the index was not sensitive to attribute weightings, and on this basis attributes carried equal weight. In this form my index was straightforward to apply, and approximately normally distributed amongst study sites.¶
I demonstrated the practical application of the index in a user-friendly spreadsheet, designed to allow landowners and managers to assess the condition of their vegetation, and to identify management options. This spreadsheet calculated an index score from field data, and then used this score to rank the site relative to a set of reference sites. This added a regional context to the operation of the index, and is a potentially useful tool for identifying sites of high conservation value, or for identifying sites where management actions have maintained vegetation quality. The spreadsheet also incorporated the option of calculating an index score using a subset of attributes, and provided a measure of the uncertainty associated with this score.¶
I compared the proposed index with five prominent indices used to quantify vegetation condition or habitat value in temperate Australian ecosystems. These were: Newsome and Catlings (1979) Habitat Complexity Score, Watson et al.s (2001) Habitat Complexity Score, the Site Condition Score component of the Habitat Hectares Index of Parkes et al. (2003), the Vegetation Condition Score component of the Biodiversity Benefits Index of Oliver and Parkes (2003), and the Vegetation Condition Score component of the BioMetric Assessment Tool of Gibbons et al. (2004). I found that my index differentiated between study sites better than each of these indices. However, resource and time constraints precluded the use of a new and independent data set for this testing, so that the superior performance of my index must be interpreted cautiously.¶
As a group, the five indices I tested contained attributes describing compositional diversity, coarse woody debris, regeneration, large trees and hollow trees these were attributes that I also identified as core ones. However, unlike these indices, I quantified weeds indirectly through their effect on indigenous plant diversity, I included the contribution of non-indigenous species to vegetation cover and did not apply a discount to this contribution, I limited the direct assessment of regeneration to long-lived overstorey species, I used stand basal area as a surrogate for canopy cover, I quantified litter in terms of biomass (dry weight) rather than cover, and I included the additional attributes of quadratic mean diameter and the number of dead trees.¶
I also concluded that Parkes et al. (2003), Oliver and Parkes (2003), and Gibbons et al. (2004), misapplied the concept of benchmarking, by characterising attributes in terms of a benchmark range or average level. This ignored processes that underpin variation at the stand level, such as the increased development of some attributes at particular successional stages, and the fact that attributes can respond differently to disturbance agents. It also produced indices that were not particularly sensitive to the differences in attribute levels occurring between stands. I suggested that a more appropriate application of benchmarking would be at the overarching level of stand structural complexity, using a metric such as the index developed in this thesis. These benchmarks could reflect observed levels of structural complexity in unmodified natural stands at different successional stages, or thresholds for structural complexity at which a wide range of biota are present, and would define useful goals for guiding on-ground management.
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Gwyther, Janet, and mikewood. "The ecology of meiofauna in a temperate mangrove ecosystem in south-eastern Australia." Deakin University. School of Ecology and Environment, 2002. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20060705.140427.
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The meiofauna of a mangrove forest in the River Barwon estuary was studied by means of surveys and field experiments. Distinctive assemblages of meiofauna were described from the sediment and pneumatophores of the ecosystem. Fine resolution of phytal habitats was demonstrated, and particular assemblages of meiofauna were characteristic within habitat provided by dominant epibionts. Distribution of the meiofauna within leaf litter revealed high turnover rates of nematodes, and some factors controlling detrital assemblages were assessed. The vertical profile of sedimentary meiofauna was examined, and changes in abundance were related to the tychopelagic habit of many taxa at high tide. Dispersal within the water column was confirmed by pelagic trapping, and colonisation of mimic pneumatophores was investigated. The amount of algal cover, effects of grazing by gastropods, and rugosity of the colonised surface were shown to influence meiofauna colonisation of mimic pneumatophores. Establishment and persistence of patchy distributions of meiofauna at scales of less than 10 m in an intertidal environment was demonstrated, and it was concluded that this was due to the dynamic nature of assemblages rather than their integrity.
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Meehan, Samantha. "The fate of cyanide in groundwater at gasworks sites in South-Eastern Australia /." Connect to thesis, 2000. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00000229.
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McElhinny, Chris. "Quantifying stand structural complexity in woodland and dry sclerophyll forest, South-Eastern Australia /." View thesis entry in Australian Digital Theses Program, 2005. http://thesis.anu.edu.au/public/adt-ANU20060322.133914/index.html.
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Webb, Garry Anthony. "The effects of logging on populations of small ground-dwelling vertebrates in montane eucalypt forest in South-Eastern New South Wales." Thesis, Canberra, ACT : The Australian National University, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/1885/140692.
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Rayner, Gerard Michael 1958. "Comparative ecology of four Pittosporum species from contrasting rainfall regimes in south-eastern Australia." Monash University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 2003. http://arrow.monash.edu.au/hdl/1959.1/5625.
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Whittaker, William Joshua, and joshua whittaker@rmit edu au. "Vulnerability to bushfires in south-eastern Australia: a case study from East Gippsland, Victoria." RMIT University. Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, 2009. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20090401.122025.
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This thesis is an analysis of human vulnerability to bushfires in the Wulgulmerang district of East Gippsland, Victoria, in south-eastern Australia. On January 30, 2003, bushfires devastated the small population of this isolated farming district. The fires destroyed homes, livelihood assets and public infrastructure. They also adversely affected the health, livelihoods and social lives of many local people. Australian bushfire research has traditionally focused on the geophysical dimensions of fire hazards and disasters, with little consideration of how cultural, economic, political and social factors shape people's exposure to hazards and their capacities to cope and adapt to bushfire impacts. To date, there have been no systematic, social science analyses of human vulnerability to bushfires. The vulnerability analysis presented in this thesis concentrates on two key research questions: (1) How and why were people exposed to hazards during the bushfires? and (2) How and why were people differentially capable of coping and adapting to the fires' impacts? Qualitative methods were primarily used to investigate these questions, including semi-structured interviews with residents and landholders of the Wulgulmerang district, representatives of government departments and authorities, and others who participated in responses to the fires. The thesis develops a multifaceted understanding of how and why people were vulnerable to the January 30 fires. Vulnerability is shown to arise from the circumstances of people's day to day lives, which are shaped by factors both within and beyond their control. Local pressures and challenges - such as drought, declining farm incomes, depopulation, limited access to essential services, and political marginality - are shown to increase people's exposure to bushfire hazards and reduce their capacities to cope and adapt. The thesis demonstrates the fundamental importance of sustainable livelihoods and regional economic and social vitality to the long-term goal of vulnerability reduction.
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Sun, Xiaowen. "Sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology, biostratigraphy and palaeontology of the eastern Warburton Basin (Palaeozoic), South Australia /." Title page, contents, abstract and introduction only, 1996. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phs9571.pdf.
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Panozzo, Jacqueline. "Wild deer as potential reservoirs of economically important gastrointestinal parasites in South Eastern Australia." Thesis, Federation University Australia, 2018. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/170422.
Full textAbstract:
Gastrointestinal (GI) parasite infection of ruminant livestock can be a source of significant economic loss for farmers. Appropriate animal management and drug treatments can reduce the transmission and subsequent effect of GI parasite infections on ruminant livestock productivity. However, transmission of infection from outside sources, such as wildlife, can make GI parasite control measures in livestock ineffective. In Australia, particularly Victoria, the large population of wild deer now represents a significant biosecurity risk due to the potential ability of economically important GI parasites of livestock to infect deer. This thesis aimed to investigate the presence of GI parasites in three species of Victorian wild deer (fallow, hog and sambar) by screening deer faecal samples through the traditional parasitology technique of faecal egg count (FEC) and through DNA-based molecular techniques of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Screening wild deer faecal samples for strongyle parasites via FEC resulted in 15.1% positive samples. DNA based techniques were significantly more sensitive than FEC, with 60.0% deer faecal samples positive for strongyles. NGS detected DNA of eleven different strongyle species in wild deer faecal samples, including the economically important parasite species of livestock of O. ostertagi, O. leptospicularis, Haemonchus spp., O. radiatum, Trichostrongylus spp. and C. oncophora. Infection with the economically important trematode parasite of livestock, Fasciola hepatica, was also confirmed by worm recovery in hog deer. The same economically important strongyle species were also detected in faecal samples from wild deer co-grazing with cattle. Collectively, this study has indicated that wild deer in Victoria may be significant reservoirs of parasitic diseases of livestock and warrants further investigation.Doctor of Philosophy
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Williams, Nicola Jane. "The environmental reconstruction of the last glacial cycle at Redhead Lagoon in coastal, eastern Australia." Phd thesis, School of Geosciences, 2005. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/9044.2.
Full textAbstract:
This study reconstructs the palaeoenvironmental history during the last full glacial cycle (approximately the last
75,000 years) at Redhead Lagoon, an enclosed lake basin located in coastal, eastern New South Wales,
Australia. This has been achieved primarily through sedimentological, palaeoecological and mineral magnetic
analyses of long cores. The sequence adds to the limited number of long-term records in Australia and from
this region in particular.
The chronology of the sediment record is established through AMS radiocarbon and Optically Stimulated
Luminescence (OSL) dating. More than 30 AMS radiocarbon ages, using a variety of pre-treatment methods,
have been obtained for three cores, which makes this one of the most comprehensively dated lake sediment
sequences thus far in Australia.
During the initial stages of the last glacial period the site was dominated by a mobile dune system with no
permanent water, Supporting only semi-arid vegetation communities. The dune sand was part of a sequence of
cliff-top dunes located on nearby Dudley Bluff emplaced by a process of ‘sand ramping’ during an earlier
Pleistocene phase of lower sea level.
Pollen analysis indicates that the sequence of vegetation changes seen at Redhead Lagoon broadly compares
with the cyclical pattern of climatically induced changes seen in many other pollen records in southeastern
Australia. Alternating open herbaceous and woodland/forest communities correspond with glacial and
interglacial periods respectively. Superimposed on this pattern is a change towards a more open understorey
vegetation assemblage, i.e. increasing values of Poaceae relative to Asteraceae (particularly type B) over the
last 35,000 years.
A sharp increase in the incidence of Casuarinaceae from the height of the last glacial and its subsequent
decline relative to Eucalyptus in the latter stages of the Holocene is evident. While reduced moisture availability
may have initially facilitated the expansion of Casuarinaceae, the restriction of Casuarinaceae during earlier
arid periods indicates that another factor appears to have been in operation. An examination of changing
Chenopodiaceae/Casuarinaceae ratios, an indicator of salt-tolerance, shows that soil salinity may have been a
significant contributor to the incidence of Casuarinaceae at Redhead Lagoon.
The driest period during the last glacial cycle occurred during MIS 2. A hiatus in one core from 0. 28,000 to
12,000 BP may have been caused by the erosion of sediments during the LGM and late glacial period.
However, deposits dating from this period are preserved in a second core. This core indicates the presence of a
Casuarinaceae-dominated open sclerophyll woodland in association with grassland and low water balances
during the height of the last glacial period.
The Holocene marks the start of a period of climatic amelioration. It is characterised by highly organic sediment
deposition, an increase in pollen taxa diversity and the disappearance of several colder and/or drier taxa
indicators (e.g. Asteraceae type B). The highest water balances in the sequence are attained during the early to
mid-Holocene. This is suggested by the development of wet sclerophyll forest and the attainment of maximum
values of taxa such as Pomaderris and Mela/euca. There is also a possible switch to a summer rainfall
dominated climatic regime during this period.
Both microscopic and macroscopic charcoal counting methods have been employed in this study. Importantly,
this has allowed the quantitative assessment of the macroscopic charcoal method over a longer time period
than previously documented in Australian records. An evaluation of the two procedures reveals several notable
differences. In particular, the macroscopic charcoal method records several more local fire events unable to be
distinguished by the microscopic charcoal technique.
The relative importance of climatic and human influences on environmental change has been assessed. The
majority of changes in the vegetation and charcoal records correlate with periods of significant climatic
fluctuation. From around 35,000 years ago the vegetation became more open and ceased to support frequent
or intense fires, resulting in a dramatic reduction in charcoal concentrations. This change may correspond with
the start of a period of increased aridity that has been suggested from geomorphic evidence from southwestern
New South Wales and increased ENSO variability. The small size of the Redhead Lagoon catchment, the close
proximity of other larger and probably more attractive sites for humans, along with the limited population and
nomadic lifestyle of the indigenous Aborigines, were probably major factors contributing to the relatively limited
impact. In addition, the close proximity of the site to the coastline would likely have meant that fishing was an
important activity and the open woodland found on this sandstone catchment is unlikely to have furnished many
useful plant foods. Therefore, there may have been little advantage for humans in a location such as Redhead
lagoon in manipulating the vegetation using fire.
During the mid-Holocene, however, there is evidence of increases in disturbed ground taxa and the ‘fire
adapted’ genus Eucalyptus, along with increased charcoal fragments. In addition, there is a significant increase
in the aquatic wetland plant Typha, which was extensively used by the Aborigines. In the absence of climatic
stress the combination of these increases in various vegetation types and charcoal concentrations suggest that
anthropogenic burning may have caused landscape change from this time.
There have been significant environmental changes since permanent European settlement began in the
catchment. These include the introduction of several exotic vegetation types and significant increases in
sediment accumulation rates, charcoal particles and possibly nutrient levels. In addition, there has been a
decline in the incidence of several tree and rainforest taxa, which may reflect land clearing practices and the
increasing fragmentation of forest communities after the arrival of European settlers. Changes in land use and
human activity have had far more impact on the catchment than climatic and other natural fluctuations during
this most recent period.
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Williams, Nicola Jane. "The environmental reconstruction of the last glacial cycle at Redhead Lagoon in coastal, eastern Australia." Phd thesis, School of Geosciences, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/9044.
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Henderson, Timothy. "Mineralogy and stable isotope composition of recent carbonate sediments and waters from five small lakes, south-eastern South Australia /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1997. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09SB/09sbh497.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (B. Sc.(Hons.))--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, 1998.Australian National Grid reference Robe 6823-1 & PTIV Beachport 6823-2 1:50 000. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 49-53).
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Evans, Lisa J., and n/a. "The Influence of fluvial geomorphology on riparian vegetation in upland river valleys: south eastern Australia." University of Canberra. School of Resources Environmental and Heritage Sciences, 2003. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20050404.112525.
Full textAbstract:
Healthy riparian vegetation has a positive impact on the adjacent river. Unfortunately,
riparian vegetation is often threatened by human impacts such as dam construction and
clearing. To gain the knowledge underlying the effects of such impacts and to aid riparian
rehabilitation, the objective of this thesis was: to determine riparian vegetation association
with, and response to, variation in fluvial geomorphology over several scales and
consequently to fluvial disturbance. Only woody riparian plant species were considered.
Flood disturbance was the unifying theme of this thesis. Linked to this theme and arising
from the main objective was the supposition that plant interactions with the abiotic
environment, but not biotic interactions between species, control riparian species distribution
because of frequent fluvial disturbances.
Woody riparian vegetation and riverine environmental variables were recorded along the
upper Murrumbidgee River at three spatial scales based on a geomorphic hierarchy for
Chapter 2. Multivariate analysis was used to group species and to associate environmental
variables with vegetation at the three spatial scales. Observations at the two larger scales, of
river segment (site) and riparian reach (transect), identified a river-longitudinal speciescomposition
gradient associated with geology, river width and stream channel slope.
Observations at the smallest scale of geomorphic units (plot) identified a lateral riparian
gradient and also the longitudinal gradient; these gradients were associated with geomorphic
variation, land use, plot elevation and also river longitudinal variables.
Using the same data set, but varying the spatial scale of analysis caused the species
composition pattern to change between scales. Increase in scale of observation, that is from
geomorphic unit to reach and segment scales, resulted in disproportionate importance of rarer
species and decreased importance of some key riparian species at the larger scales. It would
appear that in this instance the geomorphic unit scale best described patches of different
species composition because this scale had high spatial resolution and was also able to
identify multiple gradients of environmental variation. It was recommended that riparian
sampling take place at scales that represent dominant gradients in the riparian zone. These
gradients are represented by geomorphic scales, indicating the appropriateness of using
geomorphic based scales for observation of riparian vegetation. Chapter 3 considered whether there is a geomorphic template upon which riparian vegetation
is patterned and whether it is associated with process variables, such as flooding and soil type.
This question was investigated at different spatial scales in three ways: i) by an experiment to
determine whether soil nutrient condition affects plant growth; ii) by graphical analysis of
trends between geomorphic units, species and process variables; and iii) by analysis of
vegetation distribution data.
The smallest scale (meso) found experimental differences in plant growth because of soil
type. Plants growing in sand had the lowest performance, with an average plant Relative
Growth Rate (RGR) of 0.01, compared to plants growing in soils with small amounts of silt or
clay particles, with an average plant RGR of 0.04. This pattern was attributed to differences
in nutrients. Clear relationships were demonstrated at the larger geomorphic unit scale
between species distribution and process variables. For example, hydrology and substratum
type were found to be associated with geomorphic units and species. The largest scale
considered in Chapter 3 was the riparian reach scale. At this scale species were clearly
grouped around reach type. Therefore, geomorphology was considered to be a template for
riparian species distribution. Findings in this chapter suggested that geomorphic variables
should be good predictors of riparian species distribution. This hypothesis was tested and
supported in Chapter 6.
The experiments reported in Chapter 4 aimed to determine whether inundation depth and
duration affected plant performance and survival for five common riparian zone species.
Riparian seedling patterns in the field were also compared with experimental results to test
whether species performance was reflected by field distribution. The experiments that were
conducted included an inundation period and depth experiment, and a survival period test
whilst under complete inundation. Biomass and height relative growth rates were determined,
and the results were analysed using factorial Analysis of Variance. Obligate riparian species
(Callistemon sieberi, Casuarina Cunninghamiana, Leptospermum obovatum) were found to
be tolerant of inundation duration and depth, to the point where inundation provided a growth
subsidy. On the other hand, non-obligate riparian species (Acacia dealbata,
Kunzea ericoides) were either just tolerant of inundation or showed a negative growth
response. For instance, C. sieberi demonstrated an average height RGR of 0.04 after
complete inundation and 0.007 when not inundated, while A. dealbata had an average height
RGR of 0.001 after complete inundation and 0.01 when not inundated. These experimental
findings were found to closely reflect both seedling and adult plant distribution in the field
such that inundation tolerant species were found close to the river and intolerant species
further away. Thus, the conclusion was drawn that riparian species establishment and
distribution is affected by inundation and that change to the flood regime could have serious
impacts on riparian zone plant composition.
The other aim of this chapter was to determine whether optimum germination temperatures
were associated with flood or rainfall. Growth chamber germination trials were conducted at
air temperatures of 15�C, 20�C and 25�C to determine the 'best' germination temperature.
These germination patterns at different temperatures were then related to annual variation in
field temperature, flooding period and rainfall. No evidence was found to suggest a
relationship between ideal germination temperature and flood season, rather it was suggested
that germination was patchy through time and may simply reflect recent rainfall.
Investigations that were reported in Chapter 5 aimed to elucidate relationships between
species and flow velocity variables. Two experiments were conducted: i) a flume experiment
to determine the effect of flow velocity on plant growth; and ii) an experiment to observe the
response of plants to damage (imitating flood damage) and inundation. Field observations of
species distribution and flow velocity related variables were also conducted to put the flume
results into a real-world context.
Treatments for the flume experiment were fast flow velocity (0.74 m s-1), slow velocity
(0.22 m s-1) and no velocity (control) but still inundated. All treatments were flooded
completely for four days. Subsequent biomass and height relative growth rates were
determined, and the results were analysed using factorial Analysis of Variance. Results were
unexpected, given that obligate species exposed to the fastest velocity had the highest growth
rate with an average height RGR of 0.046, compared to plants in still water, which grew the
least with an average height RGR of 0.013. It was hypothesised that this response was
because relatively greater carbon dioxide and oxygen levels were available in the moving
water compared to the still water. With regard to shoot damage, the species that were nonobligate
riparian species lost more leaves from velocity treatment than the obligate riparian
species. The cut and flood experiment found growth of the obligate species
(Casuarina cunninghamiana) to be greater after cutting than the non-obligate species.
Flooding was not found to have an effect in the cut and flood experiment, probably because
the period to sampling after flood treatment was longer (4 weeks) than other flooding
experiments (3 weeks).
Field observations were found to support the experimental findings, with a gradient of species
across the riparian zone that reflected potential flood velocities. Therefore, velocity is one of
a suite of riparian hydrological factors that are partially responsible for the gradient of species
across the riparian zone. Potentially the absence of flooding could result in a homogeneous
mix of species, rather than a gradient, except on the very edge of the river.
The study that was reported in Chapter 6 investigated a technique for predicting riparian
vegetation distribution. One of the aims of this investigation was to address a current riparian
rehabilitation shortfall, which was how to objectively select species to plant for rehabilitation.
Field data were collected from three confined river valleys in south-eastern New South Wales.
Using data on plant species occurrence and site and plot measures of soils, hydrology and
climate, an AUSRIVAS-style statistical model, based on cluster and discriminant analysis,
was developed to predict the probability of species occurrence. The prediction accuracy was
85 % when tested with a separate set of plots not used in model construction. Problems were
encountered with the prediction of rarer species, but if the probability of selection was varied
according to the frequency of species occurrence then rarer species would be predicted more
often. Various models were tested for accuracy including three rivers combined at the
geomorphic unit (plot) scale and riparian reach (transect) scale in addition to a Murrumbidgee
River plot scale model. Surprisingly, the predictive accuracy of the all rivers and single river
models were approximately the same. However, the difference between the large scale and
small scale models pointed to the importance of including small scale flood-related
parameters to predict riparian vegetation.
When these riparian predictions were compared to predictive outcomes from a hill slope
model, which was assumed to be affected by fewer disturbances (i.e. flooding), predictive
accuracies were not very different. Overall though, predictive accuracy for riparian
vegetation was high, but not good enough to support the supposition that riparian vegetation is
abiotically controlled because of frequent flood disturbance. Nevertheless, geomorphology
and consequently flood effects are still important for the determination of the riparian
community composition.
Overall, riparian vegetation was found to be closely linked to its environment (evidenced in
Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5) in a predictable manner (Chapter 6). Species pattern relied on flood
disturbance affecting species distribution. Some riparian species were found to be highly tolerant of flooding and gained a growth advantage after flooding (Chapters 4 and 5).
Therefore, flood tolerance was important for the formation of a species gradient across the
riparian zone. These species tolerances and growth requirements reflect riparian geomorphic
pattern (Chapter 3), which was suggested to form a template on which riparian vegetation is
structured.
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Shrestha, Hari Ram. "Post-fire recovery of carbon and nitrogen in sub-alpine soils of South-eastern Australia /." Connect to thesis, 2009. http://repository.unimelb.edu.au/10187/6963.
Full textAbstract:
The forests of south-eastern Australia, having evolved in one of the most fire-prone environments in the world, are characterized by many adaptations to recovery following burning. Thus forest ecosystems are characterized by rapid regenerative capacity, from either seed or re-sprouting, and mechanisms to recover nutrients volatilized, including an abundance of N2 fixing plants in natural assemblages. Soil physical, chemical and biological properties are directly altered during fire due to heating and oxidation of soil organic matter, and after fire due to changes in heat, light and moisture inputs. In natural ecosystems, carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) lost from soil due to fires are recovered through photosynthesis and biological N2 fixation (BNF) by regenerating vegetation and soil microbes.This study investigated post-fire recovery of soil C and N in four structurally different sub-alpine plant communities (grassland, heathland, Snowgum and Alpine ash) of south-eastern Australia which were extensively burnt by landscape-scale fires in 2003. The amount and isotopic concentration of C and N in soils to a depth of 20 cm from Alpine ash forest were assessed five years after fire in 2008 and results were integrated with measurements taken immediately prior to burning (2002) and annually afterwards.
Because the historical data set, comprised of three soil samplings over the years 2002 to 2005, consisted of soil total C and N values which were determined as an adjunct to 13C and 15N isotopic studies, it was necessary to establish the accuracy of these IRMS-derived measurements prior to further analysis of the dataset. Two well-established and robust methods for determining soil C (total C by LECO and oxidizable C by the Walkley-Black method) were compared with the IRMS total C measurement in a one-off sampling to establish equivalence prior to assembling a time-course change in soil C from immediately pre-fire to five years post-fire. The LECO and IRMS dry combustion measurements were essentially the same (r2 >0.99), while soil oxidizable C recovery by the Walkley-Black method (wet digestion) was 68% compared to the LECO/IRMS measurements of total C. Thus the total C measurement derived from the much smaller sample size (approximately 15 mg) combusted during IRMS are equivalent to LECO measurement which require about 150 mg of sample.
Both total C and N in the soil of Alpine ash forests were significantly higher than soils from Snowgum, heathland and grassland communities. The ratio of soil NH4+ to NO3- concentration was greater for Alpine ash forest and Snow gum woodland but both N-fractions were similar for heathland and grassland soils. The abundance of soil 15N and 13C was significantly depleted in Alpine ash but both isotopes were enriched in the heathland compared to the other ecosystems. Abundance of both 15N and 13C increased with soil depth.
The natural abundance of 15N and 13C in the foliage of a subset of non-N2 fixing and N2 fixing plants was measured as a guide to estimate BNF inputs. Foliage N concentration was significantly greater in N2 fixers than non-N2 fixers while C content and 13C abundance were similar in both functional groups. Abundance of 15N was depleted in the N2 fixing species but was not significantly different from the non-N2 fixers to confidently calculate BNF inputs based on the 15N abundance in the leaves.
The total C pool in soil (to 20 cm depth) had not yet returned to the pre-fire levels in 2008 and it was estimated that such levels of C would be reached in another 6-7 years (about 12 years after the fire). The C and N of soil organic matter were significantly enriched in 15N and 13C isotopes after fire and had not returned to the pre-fire levels five years after the fire. It is concluded that the soil organic N pool can recover faster than the total C pool after the fire in the Alpine ash forests.
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Conor, Colin H. H. "The geology of the Eateringinna 1:100 000 sheet area, eastern Musgrave Block, South Australia /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1987. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09SM/09smc753.pdf.
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Piggott, Merle. "A last frontier : an environmental history of the Eastern country of South Australia, 1901-1971 /." Title page, contents and Introduction only, 1995. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AR/09arp631.2.pdf.
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Rotherham, Douglas. "Fisheries biology, ecology and recreational harvesting of ghost shrimp (trypaea australiensis) in south-eastern Australia." Access electronically, 2004. http://www.library.uow.edu.au/adt-NWU/public/adt-NWU20050301.091443/index.html.
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Shen, Jian-Wei. "Effects of differing tectono-stratigraphic settings on late Devonian and early carboniferous reefs, Western Australia, Eastern Australia, South China, and Japan /." St. Lucia, Qld, 2002. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe17417.pdf.
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Ross, Karen School of Biological Earth & Environmental Sciences UNSW. "Effects of fragmentation and disturbance on a eucalypt open-forest plant community in south-eastern Australia." Awarded by:University of New South Wales. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, 2005. http://handle.unsw.edu.au/1959.4/22454.
Full textAbstract:
This study documented effects of fragmentation and disturbance on a coastal eucalypt dry open-forest plant community at Port Stephens-Myall Lakes, south-eastern Australia. The study evaluated the relative influence of fragment size (range <1-75ha), fragment or edge age (< 1-25y), time since fire (5-25y) and anthropogenic disturbance (minor, major) on microclimate, native plant species richness and weed invasion. Plots were sampled for native and exotic species richness per 25 m2 and edge transects for light, soil moisture, soil temperature, vegetation structure, native species richness and exotic species richness and cover. Depths of edge influence (DEI) were all < 20m inside the forest edge. Younger edge zones were lighter, had hotter and drier soils and more native species than forest interiors. Older edge zones were shadier, had warmer and moister soils and fewer native species than forest interiors, due to vegetation thickening in the edge zone. Light and soil moisture followed linear or monotonic edge-to-interior gradients in younger edges, but more complex patterns in older edges. Soil-temperature DEI decreased with increasing edge age. Fragment size had little influence on edge effects, but those for light developed more rapidly in smaller fragments, and recent fire was associated with reduced richness in edge zones of smaller fragments. Both anthropogenic disturbance and fire enlarged DEI for native species richness. Major anthropogenic disturbance coupled with fragmentation produced a stronger and more immediate loss of native species than fragmentation alone. Small fragments with minor disturbance had fewer native species per 25 m2 than larger fragments, but only after >10y since fragmentation. Analysis of forest interior portions of transects revealed that edge effects, and possibly disturbance, were largely responsible for this loss of native species with time, rather than effects of area. Despite a viable soil seed bank in fragments and the surrounding matrix, weed invasion in fragments was minimal. Exotic species were concentrated in edge zones, and were promoted by major anthropogenic disturbance within fragments. Results were highly dependent on fragment or edge age, and external influences of fragmentation (edge effects and disturbance), were more important than biogeographic (area-driven) factors. Impacts of fragmentation were compounded when combined with disturbance.
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Piggott, Merle. "A last frontier : an environmental history of the Eastern Mallee country of South Australia, 1901-1971 /." Title page, index and introduction only, 1994. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09AR/09arp631.pdf.
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Poon, Lai Fan. "Pyrogenic organic matter, soil carbon dynamics and prescribed fire in temperate forests of south-eastern Australia." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/14397.
Full textAbstract:
Fire is an important driver of carbon storage in Australian temperate forests. During vegetation fires, plant biomass is transformed into pyrogenic organic matter (pyrOM) and deposited in varying amounts and forms onto soil surfaces. To date, most studies related to soil carbon have investigated the impact of fire on carbon cycling and storage. A far less examined area is the role of pyrOM from prescribed fire in carbon cycling. The broad aim of this research was to examine the effects of prescribed fire on soil carbon and nutrients and, in particular, changes caused by deposition of pyrOM. The first study encompassed nine sites in mixed eucalypt forest in Victoria, Australia. A carefully designed sampling strategy allowed potentially confounding influences of season and site variation to be minimised. Following this sampling strategy, soil samples were collected before and after prescribed fire (one week, one month and one year). Robust evidence of the changes in total carbon and nitrogen after fire and the dynamic nature of pools of carbon and nitrogen (e.g. labile, microbial biomass and pyrogenic) over time since fire are presented. In further studies, two soil incubations were done to examine the influence of pyrOM on the dynamics of soil carbon and nutrient availability. The first incubation investigated changes in microbial respiration and available forms of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus after the addition pyrOM to soil over a 72 h period. A second, longer term, incubation (96 d) investigated the influence of pyrOM on soil carbon balance via loses through microbial respiration. The results varied with different size fractions of pyrOM supplied, the amount of pyrOM added to the soil and with soil characteristics. Overall, pyrOM stimulated short-term microbial respiration and thus represents a substantial substrate for soil microbial activity. However, over the long-term, addition of pyrOM to soil represents a net gain of carbon and the capacity for carbon storage. The final component of this study quantified and characterised soil carbon held as pyrOM at different times since fire. Quantification was achieved using mid-infrared spectroscopy and the cubist model and a calibration model was built using spiked soil samples as measured using the Kurth-MacKenzie-DeLuca digestion method. Molecular characteristics of soil were identified using pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide. This study contributes new knowledge to the complex patterns associated with redistribution of carbon after prescribed burning. Recommendations were made for land management agencies for development of fire management plans that consider protection of soil carbon in temperate forests in Australia.
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Mitakakis, Teresa Zinovia. "Prevalence and distribution of Alternaria allergens in rural New South Wales, Australia." University of Sydney. Science, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/370.
Full textAbstract:
In rural inland, south-eastern Australia, allergy to the fungus Alternaria is prevalent and an important risk factor for asthma. The aim of the thesis was to investigate the distribution and factors influencing allergens of Alternaria in the air. As airborne allergenic spores were thought to arise from harvesting of nearby crops, two towns with different agricultural practices were studied. Moree has two crop harvesting periods in summer and autumn whilst Wagga Wagga has one harvesting period in summer. Over two years, air was sampled daily in Wagga Wagga and Moree using Burkard traps. The reliability of measurements from a single site to represent the distribution of airborne concentrations of spores across each town was examined using data from three traps simultaneously, sited 2.0 to 4.9 km apart, over four weeks. Substantial intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were observed between the three sampling sites across both towns (ICC=0.52, 95% CI 0.30-0.71 to 0.76, 95% CI 0.61-0.87) when counts of Alternaria spores were relatively high. The correlation was poor when counts were low. Of more than 365 trap tapes examined, the two microscopic traverses strongly correlated for counts of Alternaria spores (ICC=0.95, 95% CI 0.94-0.96). Alternaria was detected in both towns throughout the two year period with peaks in spore concentrations reflecting the season of crop harvesting in each region. Individual exposure to spores was examined. Thirty three subjects (adults and children from nine families) wore nasal air samplers and personal air samplers both inside and outside their homes. The effects of activity, location, age on the inhalation of Alternaria spores and variation between individuals in the same environment were determined. Every subject inhaled Alternaria spores. Personal exposure to Alternaria in the home environment varied substantially between subjects. Levels of fungal spores inhaled were higher during periods of activity than during rest, and higher while subjects were outdoors than indoors. During outdoor activity, the number of Alternaria spores inhaled ranged from 4 to 794 (median 11) spores/hr. Sources of airborne spores was investigated by sampling air above wheat and cotton crops near the towns during harvesting and non-harvesting periods, in a grain and cotton seed storage shed, and a cotton gin. Substantially higher concentrations were detected above crops during harvesting periods compared to non-harvesting periods. Peaks were associated with harvesting and other activities where plants were manipulated. By regression analysis spore concentrations in both towns were modelled against those detected above crops and with weather variables. Only one crop sampling period (cotton harvest) independently correlated with concentrations in town. Analysis combining all data showed concentrations of spores above crops correlated with spore concentrations in the town when lagged by one day. Variables of rainfall and maximum temperature influenced concentrations in both towns, and wind direction in Wagga Wagga alone. Parents of asthmatic children were asked by questionnaire in which locations symptoms were provoked. Asthma was reported to be exacerbated at grain farms and with disturbance of local vegetation in town and home gardens. Nasal sampling confirmed that activities that disturbed dust or vegetation increased the inhalation of spores. The factors that release allergen from spores were determined in a modified Halogen immunoassay. Approximately 60% of spores released allergen, and the proportion was influenced by isolate, nutrient availability, viability, and not influenced by sunlight or culture age up to 21 days. Germinating the spores significantly increased the proportion that released total allergen and Alt a 1 (p<0.0001). Alt a 1 appears to be a minor contributor to the total allergen released from spores except when spores have germinated. Conclusions: People living in inland rural regions of Australia are exposed to substantial quantities of allergenic spores of Alternaria. Exposure is a highly personal event and is largely determined by disturbance of local vegetation releasing spores such as from nearby crops by wind, harvesting, slashing, transport and processing of produce, and from within town and home gardens. Most spores inhaled are likely to be allergenic, with potency potentially increasing with viability.
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Mitakakis, Teresa Zinovia. "Prevalence and distribution of Alternaria allergens in rural New South Wales, Australia." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2000. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/370.
Full textAbstract:
In rural inland, south-eastern Australia, allergy to the fungus Alternaria is prevalent and an important risk factor for asthma. The aim of the thesis was to investigate the distribution and factors influencing allergens of Alternaria in the air. As airborne allergenic spores were thought to arise from harvesting of nearby crops, two towns with different agricultural practices were studied. Moree has two crop harvesting periods in summer and autumn whilst Wagga Wagga has one harvesting period in summer. Over two years, air was sampled daily in Wagga Wagga and Moree using Burkard traps. The reliability of measurements from a single site to represent the distribution of airborne concentrations of spores across each town was examined using data from three traps simultaneously, sited 2.0 to 4.9 km apart, over four weeks. Substantial intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were observed between the three sampling sites across both towns (ICC=0.52, 95% CI 0.30-0.71 to 0.76, 95% CI 0.61-0.87) when counts of Alternaria spores were relatively high. The correlation was poor when counts were low. Of more than 365 trap tapes examined, the two microscopic traverses strongly correlated for counts of Alternaria spores (ICC=0.95, 95% CI 0.94-0.96). Alternaria was detected in both towns throughout the two year period with peaks in spore concentrations reflecting the season of crop harvesting in each region. Individual exposure to spores was examined. Thirty three subjects (adults and children from nine families) wore nasal air samplers and personal air samplers both inside and outside their homes. The effects of activity, location, age on the inhalation of Alternaria spores and variation between individuals in the same environment were determined. Every subject inhaled Alternaria spores. Personal exposure to Alternaria in the home environment varied substantially between subjects. Levels of fungal spores inhaled were higher during periods of activity than during rest, and higher while subjects were outdoors than indoors. During outdoor activity, the number of Alternaria spores inhaled ranged from 4 to 794 (median 11) spores/hr. Sources of airborne spores was investigated by sampling air above wheat and cotton crops near the towns during harvesting and non-harvesting periods, in a grain and cotton seed storage shed, and a cotton gin. Substantially higher concentrations were detected above crops during harvesting periods compared to non-harvesting periods. Peaks were associated with harvesting and other activities where plants were manipulated. By regression analysis spore concentrations in both towns were modelled against those detected above crops and with weather variables. Only one crop sampling period (cotton harvest) independently correlated with concentrations in town. Analysis combining all data showed concentrations of spores above crops correlated with spore concentrations in the town when lagged by one day. Variables of rainfall and maximum temperature influenced concentrations in both towns, and wind direction in Wagga Wagga alone. Parents of asthmatic children were asked by questionnaire in which locations symptoms were provoked. Asthma was reported to be exacerbated at grain farms and with disturbance of local vegetation in town and home gardens. Nasal sampling confirmed that activities that disturbed dust or vegetation increased the inhalation of spores. The factors that release allergen from spores were determined in a modified Halogen immunoassay. Approximately 60% of spores released allergen, and the proportion was influenced by isolate, nutrient availability, viability, and not influenced by sunlight or culture age up to 21 days. Germinating the spores significantly increased the proportion that released total allergen and Alt a 1 (p<0.0001). Alt a 1 appears to be a minor contributor to the total allergen released from spores except when spores have germinated. Conclusions: People living in inland rural regions of Australia are exposed to substantial quantities of allergenic spores of Alternaria. Exposure is a highly personal event and is largely determined by disturbance of local vegetation releasing spores such as from nearby crops by wind, harvesting, slashing, transport and processing of produce, and from within town and home gardens. Most spores inhaled are likely to be allergenic, with potency potentially increasing with viability.
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Khanna, Neha, and Neha Khanna@mdbc gov au. "Investigation of phytoplankton dynamics using time-series analysis of biophysical parameters in Gippsland Lakes, South-eastern Australia." RMIT University. Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, 2007. http://adt.lib.rmit.edu.au/adt/public/adt-VIT20080226.123435.
Full textAbstract:
There is a need for ecological modelling to help understand the dynamics in ecological systems, and thus aid management decisions to maintain or improve the quality of the ecological systems. This research focuses on non linear statistical modelling of observations from an estuarine system, Gippsland Lakes, on the south-eastern coast of Australia. Feed forward neural networks are used to model chlorophyll time series from a fixed monitoring station at Point King. The research proposes a systematic approach to modelling in ecology using feed forward neural networks, to ensure: (a) that results are reliable, (b) to improve the understanding of dynamics in the ecological system, and (c) to obtain a prediction, if possible. An objective filtering algorithm to enable modelling is presented. Sensitivity analysis techniques are compared to select the most appropriate technique for ecological models. The research generated a chronological profile of relationships between biophysical parameters and chlorophyll level for different seasons. A sensitivity analysis of the models was used to understand how the significance of the biophysical parameters changes as the time difference between the input and predicted value changes. The results show that filtering improves modelling without introducing any noticeable bias. Partial derivative method is found to be the most appropriate technique for sensitivity analysis of ecological feed forward neural networks models. Feed forward neural networks show potential for prediction when modelled on an appropriate time series. Feed forward neural networks also show capability to increase understanding of the ecological environment. In this research, it can be seen that vertical gradient and temperature are important for chlorophyll levels at Point King at time scales from a few hours to a few days. The importance of chlorophyll level at any time to chlorophyll levels in the future reduces as the time difference between them increases.
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Bentley, Andrew I. "Contemporary and Historical Influences on the Taxonomy and Distributions of Cherax Species in South Eastern Quensland, Australia." Thesis, Griffith University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/366838.
Full textAbstract:
Freshwater crayfish are a highly diverse group of decapod crustaceans that are distributed across all but the Indian and Antarctic continents. Their broad distribution suggests a strong ability to disperse and adapt to a wide range of habitats and environmental niches. In particular, freshwater crayfish have been discovered in caves, burrows, streams, lakes and sometimes even terrestrial habitats. This dispersed distribution across a range of habitats is particularly evident for the genus Cherax, with at least 47 species identified from throughout Australia. With some species highly diverse and others widely distributed, it is unclear what effect geographic, behavioural and ecological isolation has had on the current biogeographic structure of Australian Cherax. By investigating variation across a nested series of scales, the primary aim of this study was to distinguish the historical and contemporary drivers that may have caused and maintained the high level of biodiversity observed in Australian and more specifically South-East Queensland (SEQ) Cherax.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith School of Environment
Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology
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Davies, Christopher. "New insights into wild deer population genetics, ecology and impacts : implications for management in south eastern Australia." Thesis, Federation University Australia, 2019. http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/173292.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is a compilation of my own work, driven by my interest into the ecology and impacts of introduced deer in Victoria. My interest in deer initially lead me to undertake an honours project, focussed on deer as a vector for parasites that can affect domestic livestock. During my honours year it became apparent that little was known about the ecology of wild deer throughout south east Australia. My PhD study was therefore developed to fill knowledge gaps of deer ecology, with a focus on developing and optimising ecological tools to generate data to improve deer management strategies. There are many methods available which can be used to collect ecological data on invasive species, such as deer. For my study, I chose methods from four quite discrete fields; global positioning systems (GPS) tracking, population genetics, camera trapping and spatial modelling. These methods were chosen as they are commonly used in ecological studies of invasive species. During my candidature significant attempts were made to deploy GPS collars onto sambar deer to investigate their movement patterns. Movement pattern data is extremely useful and can provide insights into habitat preferences, dispersal ability and other information useful for management. Significant time (around 12 months) was spent applying for ethics approval, gaining relevant approvals, permits and licenses to perform this work as well as performing collaring attempts. Unfortunately all attempts were unsuccessful and the investigation of sambar deer movement patterns had to be abandoned. This highlights the difficulties of working with cryptic deer species inhabiting difficult terrain. The other fields of research pursued (population genetics, camera trapping and spatial modelling) were more successful, the results of which are presented and discussed in this thesis. As the three methods employed in this study are taken from very different fields, a number of experts were enlisted to guide the respective data chapters. The population genetic studies (Chapters two and three) were guided by my primary supervisor Dr Fiona Hogan. I conducted all scat collections from across Victoria, including French Island and Mount Cole and performed all DNA isolations (over 300 in total). Population structure analysis for chapter three was undertaken with the assistance of Dr Faye Wedrowicz and Dr Carlo Pacioni. The camera trapping study (Chapter four) involved deploying camera traps in Baw Baw National Park, which I conducted myself. Occupancy and detectability data analysis for chapter four was performed with the assistance of Dr Hugh Davies. Spatial modelling (Chapter five) which focussed on modelling deer-vehicle collision risk across Victoria was directed by Dr Casey Visintin. Chapter’s two to five are written as independent scientific publications, therefore there is some unavoidable repetition within the thesis as a whole. Minor changes have been made to the formatting of the published papers to keep style consistent within the thesis.Doctor of Philosophy
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Skilbeck, C. Gregory (Charles Gregory) 1956. "Sedimentological development of the Myall trough : carboniferous forearc basin, eastern New South Wales." Phd thesis, Department of Geology and Geophysics, 1986. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/13794.
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Mazumder, Debashish, and res cand@acu edu au. "Contribution of Saltmarsh to Temperate Estuarine Fish in Southeast Australia." Australian Catholic University. School of Arts and Science (NSW, 2004. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp47.09042006.
Full textAbstract:
Saltmarsh is an important coastal habitat located in the littoral zone of estuaries. Australian saltmarsh area is decreasing due to agricultural and urban development and invasion by mangrove. The aim of the study was to assess the contribution made by saltmarsh as a habitat and a source of food items for fish. Three saltmarsh sites were studied, with Towra Point chosen as a site for detailed ecological study. When corrected for water volume, fish densities were found to be higher within the saltmarsh compared to the adjacent mangrove. Although the fish assemblages in saltmarshes differed significantly from mangroves the overall ratio between commercially and ecologically valuable species in these habitats are similar, a result suggesting the importance of temperate saltmarsh as habitat for economically important fish. Significant export of crab larva from saltmarsh (average crab larval abundance 2124.63 m-3 outgoing water) is a positive contribution to the estuarine food chain supplementing the nutritional requirements of estuarine fish. While the diet of the crabs producing this larvae seems dependant on the saltmarsh environment (given the contrasting isotopic signatures of Sesarma erythrodactyla in saltmarsh and mangrove, and the similarity of isotopic signatures in the saltmarsh for Sesarma erythrodactyla and Helograpsus haswellianus), the crabs do not seem to be dependent on any of the common species of saltmarsh plant, but rather depend on particulate organic matter (POM) derived from local and other sources. Crab larva are a prey item for many estuarine fish, including commercially important species, as evidenced by gut content analysis of fish visiting the saltmarsh flats during spring tides. The results strongly suggest that emphasis be given to ecosystembased management for an estuary rather than component (e.g., vegetation) based managed as defined by the Fisheries Management Act (1994) and the State Environmental Planning Policy 14.
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Jenkins, Elizabeth Louise. "Seroprevalence of Feline Parvovirus in Domestic Cats in Sydney and Perth, Australia. An investigation into why this disease re-emerged in South-Eastern Australia." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2021. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/27288.
Full textAbstract:
Multiple, epizootic outbreaks of feline panleukopenia (FPL) caused by feline parvovirus (FPV) occurred in eastern Australia between 2014 and 2018. Most affected cats were unvaccinated. We hypothesised that low population immunity was a major driver of re‐emergent FPL. The aim of this study was to (i) determine the prevalence and predictors of seroprotective titres to FPV among shelter‐housed and owned cats, and (ii) compare the prevalence of seroprotection between a region affected and unaffected by FPL outbreaks. FPV antibodies were detected by haemagglutination inhibition assay on sera from 523 cats and titres ≥1:40 were considered protective. Socioeconomic indices based on postcode and census data were included in the risk factor analysis. The prevalence of protective FPV antibody titres was high overall (94.3%), even though only 42% of cats were known to be vaccinated, and was not significantly different between outbreak and non‐outbreak regions. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, vaccinated cats were 29.94 times more likely to have protective FPV titres than cats not known to be vaccinated. Cats from postcodes of relatively less socioeconomic disadvantage were 5.93 times more likely to have protective FPV titres. The predictors identified for FPV seroprotective titres indicate targeted vaccination strategies in regions of socioeconomic disadvantage would be beneficial to increase population immunity. The critical level of vaccine coverage required to halt FPV transmission and prevent FPL outbreaks should be determined.
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Kennard, Mark J. "A Quantitative Basis for the Use of Fish as Indicators of River Health in Eastern Australia." Thesis, Griffith University, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10072/367822.
Full textAbstract:
In response to increasing community concern with declines in the ability of aquatic ecosystems to deliver critical goods, services and long-term benefits to human society, there is greater recognition of the need for quantitative procedures to assess aquatic ecosystem health and monitor biotic responses to remedial management. This thesis aims to evaluate the potential to incorporate attributes of freshwater fish assemblages into an ecosystem health monitoring program for wadeable rivers and streams in coastal catchments of south-eastern Queensland, Australia. I identify five key requirements of a quantitative and defensible river health assessment program that need to be evaluated before indicators based on fish can be validly applied for river health assessment in the region. The five requirements are: I) quantification of error associated with sampling fish; 2) assessment of natural ranges of spatial and temporal variation in fish assemblage attributes; 3) accurate definition of the reference condition expected for these attributes in the absence of human disturbance; 4) demonstrated relationships of the indicators with disturbance; and 5) evaluation of potentially important confounding environmental and biological factors. These are critical considerations for minimising the frequency of Type I errors (incorrectly c1assifying a site as impaired) and Type IT errors (incorrectly classifying a site as unimpaired) and accurately assessing river health. The ability to develop an efficient data sampling program without sacrificing accuracy and precision, and hence ability to detect changes through space and time, is a critical requirement of every river health assessment program. I demonstrated that accurate and precise reach-scale estimates of fish assemblage attributes, such as species richness, species composition and species relative abundances, could be obtained from multiple-pass electrofishing plus seine netting of three mesohabitat units and concluded that this was generally a more efficient sampling protocol than less intensive sampling over larger spatial scales. I demonstrated that relatively small differences (e.g. less than 20%) in these assemblage attributes could be detected with a high statistical power (1 -f3 to 0.95) and that relatively few stream reaches (e.g. less than 4) needed to be sampled to accurately estimate assemblage attributes within close proximity (e.g. 20% of the half width of the confidence interval) to the true population means. Fish assemblage attributes that respond to anthropogenic disturbances but exhibit low natural temporal variability are potentially the most sensitive yet robust indicators of human impacts for use in bioassessment programs. I showed that some characteristics of fish assemblages (e.g. species richness, composition and to a lesser extent, species relative abundances) were generally highly stable through time, both seasonally and inter-annually. In contrast, fish assemblages occurring in streams with highly variable flow regimes were more variable. This variability appeared due to natural impacts associated with low flow disturbance. However, fish assemblages at these sites appeared resilient to these natural disturbances, provided that flow and habitat conditions resembled the pre-disturbance state. A critical underpinning of bioassessment programs is the ability to accurately define attributes of the assemblage at a location that are expected in the absence of anthropogenic disturbance (i.e. defining the reference condition). I developed and validated a multivariate predictive model to define the reference condition for native fish species composition based on a large set of least-disturbed reference sites. I also compared four separate approaches to defining the reference condition for native species richness, a univariate biotic attribute underpinning many river health assessment programs. I demonstrated in that spatial variation in these attributes of fish assemblages could be predicted using a small number of simple environmental variables, but that the accuracy of predictions varied with the method used. The multivariate model developed for sites sampled on one occasion and in one season only (winter), was able to accurately predict fish assemblage composition at sites sampled during other seasons and years, provided that they were not subject to unusually extreme environmental conditions. I showed that the predictive ability of the 'maximum species richness line' (MSRL), an approach commonly used for defining the reference condition for univariate attributes such as native species richness, is inherently compromised by the scoring procedure used and because it is limited to predicting variation in the dependent variable along a single environmental gradient (e.g. stream size). This resulted in substantially higher prediction error in comparison to three alternative regression methods, which incorporate single or multiple environmental variables as predictors. The MSRL approach led to an increased frequency of Type I errors for least-disturbed reference and validation sites (i.e. incorrectly classing these sites as disturbed) and compromised the ability of the metric to accurately detect a disturbance 'signal' at the set of notionally disturbed test sites. Assessment of the relationships of the fish indicators with human disturbance gradients indicated that streams affected by human activity due to catchment land use and associated local riparian, in-stream habitat and water quality degradation are more likely to be susceptible to invasion by alien fish species and display major differences in native fish assemblage composition and native species richness from that expected by comparison with similar reference areas minimally affected by human disturbances.
Provided that the key requirements of river health assessment identified in this thesis are satisfied, I conclude that indicators based on native fish assemblage composition, native species richness and alien fish species are potentially powerftd indicators of human disturbance and can form the basis for a river health monitoring program in southeastern Queensland and other similarly variable environments in Australia and elsewhere.Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Centre for Riverine Landscapes
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Arumugam, Phillip T. "An experimental approach to golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) fry-zooplankton interactions in fry rearing ponds, south-eastern Australia /." Title page, contents and introduction only, 1986. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09pha793.pdf.
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Dove, Melissa B. "The geology, petrology, geochemistry and isotope geology of the eastern St Peter Suite western Gawler Graton, South Australia /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1997. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09SB/09sbd743.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (B. Sc.(Hons))--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, 1998.National Grid Reference 1:250 000 Geological Series Sheet SI 53-2 and Sheet SI 53-6. Includes bibliographical references (6 leaves ).
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Williams, Richard L. "Effects of a summer wildfire on populations of Rattus fuscipes and Antechinus stuartii in sclerophyll forest of south-eastern Australia." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2007. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/28083.
Full textAbstract:
Wildfire has been important in shaping Australian ecosystems through its direct
and indirect effects on vegetation communities and faunal assemblages. Predictions that
wildfire incidence and intensity will increase with forecast changes in climate, make it
essential to understand wildfire impacts on native fauna and factors important for their
recovery. The intention of this thesis is to contribute to this knowledge base.
In December 2003 a high intensity Wildfire swept through large parts of
Booderee National Park in southeastern Australia. Using a replicated design I studied
the impacts of this fire on small mammal populations in open sclerophyll forest for 18
months after the fire. The small mammals present were Rattus fuscipes and Antechz'nus
stuartz'z'. Additionally, I experimentally investigated factors that may have limited small
mammals post-fire, specifically food and blood parasites. I monitored the response of R.
fuscipes and A. stuartii to a food supplementation experiment at both the population
level and at the scale of individual behaviour for one year.
Immediately following the wildfire, populations of both R. fuscz'pes and A.
stuartii declined to below 50% of populations unaffected by the fire. Rates of individual
survival were low during the fire and for the first 3 months after the fire, probably due
to high fire mortality, emigration and poor survival post-fire due to changes in resource
availability and predator impact with the depletion of vegetation in the fire. However,
within 18 months of the fire, populations of both species were present on all sites at
approximately 50% the size of those on unbumt sites; survival rates matched those on
unburnt sites and juveniles also were present in populations, indicating reproductive
recruitment. This rapid post-fire recovery was attributed to the seasonal timing and
patchiness of the wildfire, the presence of moist gullies in close proximity to study sites,
and seemingly low numbers of feral predators due to fox control.
The food supplementation experiment revealed that R. fuscipes was food limited
post—fire, with populations increasing 2-fold on burnt supplemented sites, probably due
largely to immigration and increased survival or residency of females. Behavioural
studies showed that the added food (rat breeder pellets) was generally used only as a
supplement because individuals did not aggregate around food stations or change their
patterns of habitat use. Instead they preferred the denser vegetation associated with
watercourses, which experienced rapid re—growth post-fire, just as did the individuals
that received no additional food. This preference for dense cover, despite the provision
of a constant and plentifiJl food source, suggests that predation risks are equally as
important as food for small mammals. A. stuartii showed no response to the food
supplementation despite accessing the food stations. This may be because the dried
pellets were not an appropriate food source for this insectivore. Prevalence of blood
parasite infection in R. fuscipes populations was not affected significantly by the
wildfire or food supplementation, suggesting that parasite infection did not contribute to
the variance in populations. However, any differences in host susceptibility between
populations was not measured.
The findings of this thesis have important implications for fire management in
Australian eucalypt forests, within the context of conserving populations of small
mammals and potentially other fauna. Future fire management regimes should aim to
achieve mosaic landscapes characterised by vegetation of varying seral stages. A regime
providing an intensity and frequency of burns that promotes plant diversity and
preferred habitat structure of mammals should be adopted. Moist habitats such as gullies,
swamps and rainforests should be protected from fire in any burning regime, or burnt
very infrequently and in small patches. Additionally, when planning fire regimes, the
breeding biology of fire-sensitive and threatened species should be considered, as
should additional management applications such as feral predator control and food
supplementation. The need for better planned and more comprehensive fire regimes will
become increasingly important in the future given the projections for increases in fire
severity and frequency with predicted changes in climate.
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Mazzoleni, A. "Holocene sedimentology of Old Man Lake, south eastern South Australia." Thesis, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/113771.
Full textAbstract:
This item is only available electronically.Old Man Lake lies nestled within an inter-dunal hollow of the Robe Range, 13 km south of Robe. Three lithologically distinct Holocene sequences are observed in cored sections of the lake. A basal-dune sequence which is overlain by an estuarine sequence. Following the estuarine sequence is a lacustrine sequence. The sequence stratigraphy correlates to Holocene sea level change. The occurrence of C25 highly branched isoprenoids (HBI) are characteristic of marine diatoms. Their observation in Old Man Lake sediments coupled with their appearance in Hamelin Pool (Shark Bay-Western Australia), may imply a restricted marine, rather than a marine, environment. Assuming a restricted marine environment, C25-HBI may be used in the extrapolation of Holocene sea level changes, reflected in core sequence stratigraphy. Fossil thrombolites characterise the eastern margin of Old Man Lake. The bryozoa, C. aciculata and green luminescing aragonitic gastropods are closely associated with the thrombolites. These three features may collectively imply a greater ground-water inflow operating in the past. Wetter conditions are known to have prevailed 6900 to 5000 years ago (Dodson 1974).
Thesis (B.Sc.(Hons)) -- University of Adelaide, School of Physical Sciences, 1993