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Journal articles on the topic 'Urban ecology (Biology) – Australia'

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Author: Grafiati

Published: 10 December 2022

Last updated: 28 January 2023

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1

Connell, K. A., U. Munro, and F. R. Torpy. "Daytime behaviour of the grey-headed flying fox Pteropus poliocephalus Temminck (Pteropodidae: Megachiroptera) at an autumn/winter roost." Australian Mammalogy 28, no. 1 (2006): 7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am06002.

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The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus Temminck) is a threatened large fruit bat endemic to Australia. It roosts in large colonies in rainforest patches, mangroves, open forest, riparian woodland and, as native habitat is reduced, increasingly in vegetation within urban environments. The general biology, ecology and behaviour of this bat remain largely unknown, which makes it difficult to effectively monitor, protect and manage this species. The current study provides baseline information on the daytime behaviour of P. poliocephalus in an autumn/winter roost in urban Sydney, Australia, between April and August 2003. The most common daytime behaviours expressed by the flying foxes were sleeping (most common), grooming, mating/courtship, and wing spreading (least common). Behaviours differed significantly between times of day and seasons (autumn and winter). Active behaviours (i.e., grooming, mating/courtship, wing spreading) occurred mainly in the morning, while sleeping predominated in the afternoon. Mating/courtship and wing spreading were significantly higher in April (reproductive period) than in winter (non-reproductive period). Grooming was the only behaviour that showed no significant variation between sample periods. These results provide important baseline data for future comparative studies on the behaviours of flying foxes from urban and ?natural? camps, and the development of management strategies for this species.

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Plowright, Raina K., Patrick Foley, Hume E. Field, Andy P. Dobson, Janet E. Foley, Peggy Eby, and Peter Daszak. "Urban habituation, ecological connectivity and epidemic dampening: the emergence of Hendra virus from flying foxes ( Pteropus spp.)." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 278, no. 1725 (May 11, 2011): 3703–12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.0522.

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Anthropogenic environmental change is often implicated in the emergence of new zoonoses from wildlife; however, there is little mechanistic understanding of these causal links. Here, we examine the transmission dynamics of an emerging zoonotic paramyxovirus, Hendra virus (HeV), in its endemic host, Australian Pteropus bats (fruit bats or flying foxes). HeV is a biosecurity level 4 (BSL-4) pathogen, with a high case-fatality rate in humans and horses. With models parametrized from field and laboratory data, we explore a set of probable contributory mechanisms that explain the spatial and temporal pattern of HeV emergence; including urban habituation and decreased migration—two widely observed changes in flying fox ecology that result from anthropogenic transformation of bat habitat in Australia. Urban habituation increases the number of flying foxes in contact with human and domestic animal populations, and our models suggest that, in addition, decreased bat migratory behaviour could lead to a decline in population immunity, giving rise to more intense outbreaks after local viral reintroduction. Ten of the 14 known HeV outbreaks occurred near urbanized or sedentary flying fox populations, supporting these predictions. We also demonstrate that by incorporating waning maternal immunity into our models, the peak modelled prevalence coincides with the peak annual spill-over hazard for HeV. These results provide the first detailed mechanistic framework for understanding the sporadic temporal pattern of HeV emergence, and of the urban/peri-urban distribution of HeV outbreaks in horses and people.

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Jung, Kirsten, and Caragh Grace Threlfall. "Trait-dependent tolerance of bats to urbanization: a global meta-analysis." Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 285, no. 1885 (August 22, 2018): 20181222. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.1222.

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Urbanization is a severe threat to global biodiversity, often leading to taxonomic and functional homogenization. However, current urban ecology research has focused mostly on urban birds and plants, limiting our ability to make generalizations about the drivers of urban biodiversity globally. To address this gap, we conducted a global meta-analysis of 87 studies, including 180 bat species (Chiroptera) from urban areas in Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. We aimed to (i) understand the importance of functional traits and phylogeny in driving changes in urban bat assemblages, and (ii) assess the capacity of traits for predicting which types of species are most sensitive to urbanization. Our results indicate that species-specific functional traits explain differences in the intensity of urban habitat use. Urban tolerance mainly occurred within the open and edge space foraging and trawling species as well as in bats with flexible roosting strategies. In addition, across bioregions and independent of phylogeny, urban tolerance correlated with higher aspect ratio, a trait enabling fast flight but less agile manoeuvres during aerial food acquisition. Predictive success varied between bioregions, between 43 and 83%. Our analysis demonstrates that the local extinction of bat species in urban areas is non-random, trait-based and predictable, allowing urban landscape managers to tailor local conservation actions to particular types of species.

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Close, Dugald C., Giuseppe Messina, Siegfried L. Krauss, Deanna P. Rokich, Jennifer Stritzke, and Kingsley W. Dixon. "Conservation biology of the rare species Conospermum undulatum and Macarthuria keigheryi in an urban bushland remnant." Australian Journal of Botany 54, no. 6 (2006): 583. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt05205.

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We evaluated the utility of a focussed, short-duration research program for investigation of two rare species that occur within an urban bushland remnant, with application for improving conservation management and translocation outcomes. Conospermum undulatum Lindl. is listed as Threatened and Macarthuria keigheryi Lepschi is listed as Vulnerable under the (Australian) Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The C. undulatum population lacked evidence of juvenile plants, indicating either lack of a suitable germination cue or failure of seedling establishment. The M. keigheryi population was browsed heavily by feral rabbits where exposed and thrived when sheltered within unpalatable vegetation from rabbits. Seeds of M. keigheryi were rapidly removed in an ant cafeteria-style experiment, although seeds of the related Macarthuria australis and an ‘outgroup’ species, Gompholobium tomentosum, were removed at equally high rates. Seed viability was high in M. keigheryi, but variable in C. undulatum. Germination rates, in untreated fresh seed, were 11% for C. undulatum and 0% for M. keigheryi and increased to 27 and 3%, respectively, when treated with gibberellic acid. Maximum strike rates for cuttings of 33 and ~75% were obtained for C. undulatum and M. keigheryi, respectively. Cutting-grown plants of M. keigheryi flowered and seeded profusely in the nursery within 7 months, providing a highly effective seed-orchard resource for research and conservation seed banking. Genetic fingerprinting (AFLP) indicated that the C. undulatum population at Perth Airport was not genetically distinct from nearby C. undulatum populations, despite its relatively high variability in leaf morphology. All C. undulatum populations contained moderate to high levels of genetic variation, with the percentage of AFLP markers polymorphic ranging from 48.6 to 64.9%, and heterozygosity from 0.167 to 0.202. Overall, the knowledge gained from this program of short duration will enable informed management and will underpin successful population enhancement through future translocations.

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5

Páez, David J., Olivier Restif, Peggy Eby, and Raina K. Plowright. "Optimal foraging in seasonal environments: implications for residency of Australian flying foxes in food-subsidized urban landscapes." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 373, no. 1745 (March 12, 2018): 20170097. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0097.

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Bats provide important ecosystem services such as pollination of native forests; they are also a source of zoonotic pathogens for humans and domestic animals. Human-induced changes to native habitats may have created more opportunities for bats to reside in urban settings, thus decreasing pollination services to native forests and increasing opportunities for zoonotic transmission. In Australia, fruit bats ( Pteropus spp. flying foxes) are increasingly inhabiting urban areas where they feed on anthropogenic food sources with nutritional characteristics and phenology that differ from native habitats. We use optimal foraging theory to investigate the relationship between bat residence time in a patch, the time it takes to search for a new patch (simulating loss of native habitat) and seasonal resource production. We show that it can be beneficial to reside in a patch, even when food productivity is low, as long as foraging intensity is low and the expected searching time is high. A small increase in the expected patch searching time greatly increases the residence time, suggesting nonlinear associations between patch residence and loss of seasonal native resources. We also found that sudden increases in resource consumption due to an influx of new bats has complex effects on patch departure times that again depend on expected searching times and seasonality. Our results suggest that the increased use of urban landscapes by bats may be a response to new spatial and temporal configurations of foraging opportunities. Given that bats are reservoir hosts of zoonotic diseases, our results provide a framework to study the effects of foraging ecology on disease dynamics. One contribution of 14 to a theme isssue ‘Anthropogenic resource subsidies and host–parasite dynamics in wildlife’.

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Duan, Qibin, Chris Carmody, Basil Donovan, Rebecca J. Guy, Ben B. Hui, John M. Kaldor, Monica M. Lahra, et al. "Modelling response strategies for controlling gonorrhoea outbreaks in men who have sex with men in Australia." PLOS Computational Biology 17, no. 11 (November 4, 2021): e1009385. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009385.

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The ability to treat gonorrhoea with current first-line drugs is threatened by the global spread of extensively drug resistant (XDR) Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) strains. In Australia, urban transmission is high among men who have sex with men (MSM) and importation of an XDR NG strain in this population could result in an epidemic that would be difficult and costly to control. An individual-based, anatomical site-specific mathematical model of NG transmission among Australian MSM was developed and used to evaluate the potential for elimination of an imported NG strain under a range of case-based and population-based test-and-treat strategies. When initiated upon detection of the imported strain, these strategies enhance the probability of elimination and reduce the outbreak size compared with current practice (current testing levels and no contact tracing). The most effective strategies combine testing targeted at regular and casual partners with increased rates of population testing. However, even with the most effective strategies, outbreaks can persist for up to 2 years post-detection. Our simulations suggest that local elimination of imported NG strains can be achieved with high probability using combined case-based and population-based test-and-treat strategies. These strategies may be an effective means of preserving current treatments in the event of wider XDR NG emergence.

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Gemmell, R. T. "Breeding Biology of Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula (Marsupialia, Phalangeridae) in Captivity." Australian Mammalogy 18, no. 1 (1995): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am95001.

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The brushtail possum is a common arboreal marsupial that is well adapted to the Australian urban environment and to rearing in captivity. Data obtained from 100 female possums housed in a semi-captive colony over a 7 year period demonstrate the reproductive capability of this marsupial. The main breeding season is from March to June with a declining number of births occurring from July to October. The possums gave birth to 259 single young and one set of twins. The range of the lactation period was from 177 to 200 days with the birth of the subsequent young occurring at 188.4 ± 4.1 days post partum (SD, n = 5). The growth rate of the young female possum varied greatly after day 100 post partum, the mean body weight of possums at day 172, being 753.0 ± 76.2g (SD, n = 5) with a range of 685 to 851 g. Female possums, with a mean body weight of 2171 ± 388g, gave birth to their first litter on day 345.9 ± 69.3 days postpartum (mean, SD, n = 7). Although two female possums trapped in the wild were held in captivity for 64 and 63.4 months and one possum bred in captivity had a life span of 51.5 months, the mean life span was 21.0 ± 12.5 months (SD, n =3D 8), with a range of 14.3 to 51.5 months. This life span is very variable and it is of interest to determine if this is an artefact of captivity or is also observed in the wild.

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Noske, Richard A. "Breeding biology, demography and success of the rufous-banded honeyeater, Conopophila albogularis, in Darwin, a monsoonal tropical city." Wildlife Research 25, no. 4 (1998): 339. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr97070.

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The rufous-banded honeyeater, Conopophila albogularis, is probably the commonest small bird species in the suburbs of Darwin, Northern Territory. Nearly twenty pairs of this species were colour-banded on the Casuarina campus of the Northern Territory University, where they occupied territories of 0.15–0.47 ha all year-round, indicating a density of up to 12 birds ha-1. Six out of 48 birds survived 5 or more years, one individual being 9 years old at the time of writing. Males were larger in the four morphological dimensions measured. Breeding behaviour was recorded in every month of the year, but was concentrated in the late dry and wet seasons (September–March), commencing about two months before the rains. Over half of 274 nests were built in black wattles, Acacia auriculiformis, a common pioneer species both within urban Darwin and monsoon rainforest ecotones of the Northern Territory. Contrary to the literature, both sexes participated in building the nest, and the incubation and nestling periods each lasted 14 days. The clutch size was usually two (78%), and mean clutch size for 85 nests was 2.1 eggs. Nest success was about 70%, hatching success of eggs was 74% and fledging rate of nestlings 87%. Four broods per season were common, and two pairs successfully raised five broods in one season. Average annual pair productivity was 5.8 fledglings (possibly the highest yet recorded for an Australian passerine species), one pair raising a remarkable 32 young over five seasons (6.4 fledglings per season). The exceptionally high nest success and productivity were probably mainly due to the scarcity of predators, and the long breeding season, respectively, the latter being facilitated by artificial watering of gardens and lawns during the dry season. The colonising success of this species in Darwin is attributed to Darwin’s coastal location and the close proximity of favoured natural habitats, as well as the generalised diet of the species and its predilection for the abundant black wattle.

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9

McPherson, J. R. "Studies in Urban Ecology: Strangler Figs in the Urban Parklands of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia." Australian Geographical Studies 37, no. 3 (November 1999): 214–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-8470.00080.

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10

Fulton, Graham R., Grace R. Fulton, and Yee Wan Cheung. "A comparison of urban and peri-urban/hinterland nocturnal birds at Brisbane, Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 26, no. 3 (2020): 239. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc19042.

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This study identified and compared the abundance and detectability of owls and other nocturnal birds, over 1 year, in an urban parkland of a Brisbane suburb to a peri-urban/hinterland/rainforest site 27km away. Five owl species were detected, but only at the peri-urban/hinterland/rainforest site, they were powerful owl Ninox strenua, southern boobook Ninox boobook, sooty owl, Tyto tenebricosa, masked owl Tyto novaehollandiae and barn owl Tyto alba. A single southern boobook was detected outside the study, at the urban site. The tawny frogmouth Podargus strigoides was only detected at the urban site whereas the plumed frogmouth Podargus ocellatus plumiferus was only detected at the rainforest site. The bush stone-curlew Burhinus grallarius was the most frequently detected nocturnal species, yet we discuss its recent decline in Brisbane. Incidentally recorded mammals, reptiles, frogs and diurnal birds are given. The rainforest site had more scansorial mammals whereas the urban site had more possums, dogs and cats.

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11

Davis, R. A., and J. A. Wilcox. "Adapting to suburbia: bird ecology on an urban-bushland interface in Perth, Western Australia." Pacific Conservation Biology 19, no. 2 (2013): 110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc130110.

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Birds in urban landscapes must contend with fragmented and degraded remnants of native vegetation and their survival may be dependent on factors such as their ability to disperse through and/or utilize the urban matrix. We examined the frequency of occurrence of birds in native bushland in Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia, and in nine adjacent suburban gardens. We quantified dispersal capacity by observing bird crossing frequency and height over a major six-lane road separating the bushland from adjacent gardens. Finally we quantified matrix utilisation by recording foraging behaviour in urban gardens and bushland. Native bushland had a higher species richness than urban gardens (30 versus 17 species) and 18 species were associated more strongly with bushland. Of these 18 species, 61% were never recorded in urban gardens. Gardens were typified by three generalist species, the Singing Honeyeater Lichenostomus virescens and the introduced Laughing Dove Spilopelia senegalensis and Spotted Dove S. chinensis. Three generalist species, the Red Wattlebird Anthochaera carunculata, Rainbow Lorikeet Trichoglossus haematodus, and Brown Honeyeater Lichmera indistincta were equally abundant in all habitats. Four of 18 bird species (Singing Honeyeater Red Wattlebird, Rainbow Lorikeet, and Australian Ringneck Barnardius zonarius) accounted for the majority of road crossing events. Urban gardens provided a rich resource for generalists and urban exploiters, all of which spent significantly more time foraging on nectar in gardens and significantly more time foraging on insects in bushland. We conclude that urban gardens provide habitat for some species that exploit nectar, but most species in bushland, particularly insectivores, do not use gardens. Our results indicate the importance of retaining well-managed bushland for supporting viable urban bird populations.

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12

Smith, Geoffrey C., and Nicholas Carlile. "Food and Feeding Ecology of Breeding Silver Gulls (Larus novaehollandiae) in Urban Australia." Colonial Waterbirds 16, no. 1 (1993): 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1521551.

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13

PARSONS, HOLLY, RICHARD E. MAJOR, and KRIS FRENCH. "Species interactions and habitat associations of birds inhabiting urban areas of Sydney, Australia." Austral Ecology 31, no. 2 (April 2006): 217–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.2006.01584.x.

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14

Walsh, K. J. E., H. Betts, J. Church, A. B. Pittock, K. L. McInnes, D. R. Jackett, and T. J. McDougall. "Using Sea Level Rise Projections for Urban Planning in Australia." Journal of Coastal Research 202 (April 2004): 586–98. http://dx.doi.org/10.2112/1551-5036(2004)020[0586:uslrpf]2.0.co;2.

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15

Stenhouse, Renae N. "Local Government Conservation and Management of Native Vegetation in Urban Australia." Environmental Management 34, no. 2 (July 8, 2004): 209–22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00267-004-0231-6.

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Brearley, G., C. McAlpine, S. Bell, and A. Bradley. "Squirrel glider home ranges near urban edges in eastern Australia." Journal of Zoology 285, no. 4 (July 7, 2011): 256–65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00837.x.

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17

Goldingay, Ross L. "Population monitoring of an urban gliding mammal in eastern Australia." Australian Mammalogy 40, no. 2 (2018): 214. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am17029.

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Long-term monitoring is an important element of species conservation. This study describes changes in the size of a squirrel glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) population over a 10-year period. The population occupied a 45-ha forest remnant within the urban area of Brisbane. Gliders were tagged from 25 nights of trapping during 2006–08 and from 16 nights of trapping in 2015. Population modelling was used to estimate adult population size. This suggested the adult population comprised 30–40 individuals at the beginning and end of the 10-year period. It reached a peak of 70 individuals in mid-2007. These data suggest that the study area contains a small population that is prone to interannual variation but there was no evidence of it being in decline. Survival estimates during 2006–08 were equivalent to those estimated for a larger population in Victoria. Population monitoring should be continued to determine how resilient this population is to population decline and to investigate factors that may cause decline. This study provides an example of an approach that could be used to monitor threatened populations of the squirrel glider.

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Jansen, Cassie C., Natalie A. Prow, Cameron E. Webb, Roy A. Hall, Alyssa T. Pyke, Bruce J. Harrower, Ian L. Pritchard, et al. "Arboviruses Isolated from Mosquitoes Collected from Urban and Peri-urban Areas of Eastern Australia." Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association 25, no. 3 (September 2009): 272–78. http://dx.doi.org/10.2987/09-5908.1.

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19

JENKINS, D. J., and C. N. L. MACPHERSON. "Transmission ecology ofEchinococcusin wild-life in Australia and Africa." Parasitology 127, S1 (October 2003): S63—S72. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0031182003003871.

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Following the introduction ofE. granulosusinto Australia with domestic animals during European settlement, the parasite quickly became established in theE. granulosus-naive native animals of the continent. The distribution ofE. granulosusin wildlife in Australia is restricted by rainfall, but nevertheless the parasite is currently widespread and highly prevalent in many areas including numerous national parks and privately owned farms. The human population of Africa is rapidly increasing resulting in ever more pressure on wild-life populations and habitat. National parks, reserves and conservation areas now provide important tracts of preserved habitat for maintaining populations of wildlife that are also important in the maintenance ofE. granulosus. In some parts of Africa, hydatid-infected humans provide a source ofE. granulosusinfection to wildlife definitive hosts. In many areas felids may also act as important definitive hosts forE. granulosuswith the parasite being maintained in a prey/predator relationship between lions and a range of intermediate hosts. Populations ofE. granulosus-infected wild-life both in Australia and Africa act as important reservoirs in perpetuating the transmission ofE. granulosusto both domestic animals and humans. In Australia,E. granulosus-infected wild-life is infiltrating urban areas and currently represents a potentially important new public health problem.

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O'Connor, Julie M., Sanjeev K. Srivastava, Elizabeth A. Brunton, and Scott E. Burnett. "Urban fringe dweller: the European red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in an urban coastal ecosystem." Australian Journal of Zoology 68, no. 1 (2020): 9. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo20069.

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The spatial ecology of the European red fox in urban environments has not been widely studied in Australia. The spatial organisation and habitat selection of red foxes in coastal south-east Queensland was investigated using the GPS data from 17 collared foxes from seven putative fox families. Home range and core activity areas were calculated using 95% (KDE95) and 50% (KDE50) kernel density estimates respectively. Mean KDE95 home range size was 198 ha, and the mean core (KDE50) use area was 34 ha. Habitat selection, based on four broad habitat classes – Beach, Dunes, Urban and Green Space – was assessed using compositional analyses. At both 2nd order (study site) and 3rd order (home range) habitat selection, urban space was overwhelmingly the least preferred habitat in the study area despite being the most extensive habitat type. The unusual findings of this study contribute to a broader understanding of the ecology of this previously unstudied fox population.

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Braby, Michael F., Matthew R. Williams, Fabian Douglas, Campbell Beardsell, and David F. Crosby. "Changes in a peri‐urban butterfly assemblage over 80 years near Melbourne, Australia." Austral Entomology 60, no. 1 (January 14, 2021): 27–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aen.12514.

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Maru, Y. T., and V. H. Chewings. "How can we identify socio-regions in the rangelands of Australia?" Rangeland Journal 30, no. 1 (2008): 45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj07041.

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The Australian rangelands are divided into regions for statistical reporting, cultural identification or administrative and bioregional management purposes. However, many of these divisions do not reflect the characteristics of inland towns. In this study we used the Urban Centre/Locality (UCL) structure (for settlements with at least 200 people) as the smallest unit of analysis to build preliminary socio-regions based on demographic (e.g. Median Age and percentage of Indigenous people in UCL), socio-economic (dependency ratio and unemployment rate) and a few environmental indicators (e.g. Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Rainfall variability). A key finding of the study is that there are strong differences among UCLs in the rangelands. A threshold of around 5000 people is apparent with some indicators across all UCLs around which variability changes. There is much greater variability in the indicators among UCLs with fewer than 5000 people than there is among UCLs with over 5000 people. This confirms the need to consider statistical units smaller than those commonly used such as Statistical Local Areas (SLAs) as these and other regionalisation techniques mask the detail within areas that contain socio-economically and culturally different settlements. The high variability of indicator values observed for UCLs with smaller populations suggests that they have more diverse research, policy and investment needs than larger urban centres. We used a non-traditional approach and grouped UCLs into socio-regions based on their social characteristics instead of their geographic location. This created clusters of similar UCLs rather than contiguous regions. Some of these socio-regions cross administrative and statistical borders. The regionalisation presented in this study is likely to be valuable when selecting case-study areas for research projects and, in the long-term, when developing policy and investment initiatives.

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Ives, Christopher D., Grant C. Hose, David A. Nipperess, and Mark Patrick Taylor. "The influence of riparian corridor width on ant and plant assemblages in northern Sydney, Australia." Urban Ecosystems 14, no. 1 (August 10, 2010): 1–16. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-010-0141-8.

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Newham, Michael J., Christine S. Fellows, and Fran Sheldon. "Functions of riparian forest in urban catchments: a case study from sub-tropical Brisbane, Australia." Urban Ecosystems 14, no. 2 (September 14, 2010): 165–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-010-0151-6.

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Moxham, Claire, and Vivienne Turner. "The effect of fragmentation on the threatened plant community Coastal Moonah Woodland in Victoria, Australia." Urban Ecosystems 14, no. 4 (March 1, 2011): 569–83. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-011-0171-x.

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Beer, Tanja, and Cristina Hernandez Santin. "Refugium WA: crafting connection through plant-relating arts-science experiences of urban ecology." Nordic Journal of Science and Technology Studies 5, no. 2 (December 22, 2017): 30–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.5324/njsts.v5i2.2320.

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Various platforms have demonstrated the value of hands-on activities – such as community gardening and crafting – in making meaningful connections and collective identities for a sustainable and resilient future. In his seminal book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (1990), psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes how these activities can be an opportunity to engage with ‘flow’ – a highly focused mental state that increases awareness, connectivity and well-being. In Through Vegetal Being (2016), philosophers Luce Irigaray and Michael Marder also argue that it is through ‘vegetal’ (or plant relating) activities in particular (e.g. touching and smelling plants), that our relations with the more-than-human world can be reignited. Drawing upon these publications and others, this paper explores how combining these two modes of thought – to enable ‘flow’ through shared ‘vegetal’ or plant-based activities – may assist communities in gaining a greater awareness of and connection to sustainability. The potential of plant-based creative activities are examined through a recent, practice-led, arts-science research project (Refugium WA, Australia 2017), which used scientific knowledge and ‘vegetal’ or ‘botanical’ crafting as a way of engaging people in biodiversity issues. The project employed the community in creating mini native plant- sculptures which were temporally installed at the State Library of Western Australia. Indication of flow, increased nature-connection and biodiversity understanding were explored through gathering observations of the participants, pre- and post-activity surveys and discussions. The research sought to examine the capacity for vegetal- crafting activities to lead to new modes of arts-science communication that connect people to the importance of biodiversity in urban spaces.

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Pepper, Coral, Laura McCann, and Michael Burton. "Valuation study of urban bushland at Hartfield Park, Forrestfield, Western Australia." Ecological Management and Restoration 6, no. 3 (December 2005): 190–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2005.00236.x.

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Gilbert, Michelle, and Cris L. Brack. "Changes in public requests to remove significant urban trees after severe bushfires in Canberra, Australia." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 6, no. 1 (February 2007): 41–48. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2006.10.001.

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Orozco-Aguilar, Luis, Stephen J. Livesley, Cris Brack, and Denise Johnstone. "Standing volume yield, canopy structure and allometric relationships of dominant urban trees in Melbourne, Australia." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 43 (July 2019): 126363. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2019.06.006.

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Noack, Ann, Jyri Kaapro, Kathryn Bartimote-Aufflick, Sarah Mansfield, and Harley Rose. "Efficacy of Imidacloprid in the Control of Thaumastocoris peregrinus on Eucalyptus scoparia in Sydney, Australia." Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 35, no. 4 (July 1, 2009): 192–96. http://dx.doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2009.032.

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Thaumastocoris peregrinus, an Australian native, is a new and serious pest of urban eucalypts planted in Sydney and commercial centers of Australia. In recent years, it has spread to and attained pest status in South African Eucalyptus plantations and, more recently, has been discovered in Argentina and Uruguay. Mature Eucalyptus scoparia street trees, growing in a southern Sydney suburb, were microinjected with imidacloprid at three concentrations and monitored for three years. The abundance of T. peregrinus on treated eucalypts declined significantly compared to untreated trees over this time. Further, at the lowest concentration of chemical this insect was effectively controlled for two years. Imidacloprid (SilvaShield®; Bayer Environmental Science) has been registered in Australia for the control of T. peregrinus.

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COLLINS, BRIAN G., and TONY REBELO. "Pollination biology of the Proteaceae in Australia and southern Africa." Austral Ecology 12, no. 4 (December 1987): 387–421. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-9993.1987.tb00958.x.

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Mound, Laurence A., and Rita Marullo. "Biology and identification of Aeolothripidae (Thysanoptera) in Australia." Invertebrate Systematics 12, no. 6 (1998): 929. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/it97014.

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The diversity of biologies amongst Australian thrips of the family Aeolothripidae is discussed. In the basal clades of this family species are phytophagous, also sometimes monophagous and univoltine (Cranothrips Bagnall and Cycadothrips Mound). In the most advanced clades, species are obligate predators, often on other thrips species (Franklinothrips Back and Mymarothrips Bagnall), but in the intermediate clades many species are both phytophagous and facultative predators (Aeolothrips Haliday and Desmothrips Hood). Keys are provided to identify the 36 species and 12 genera known from Australia. Of these, 32 species and 5 genera are endemic, and the southern continent relationships of this fauna are discussed. Seven species are newly described: Franklinothrips basseti, with unusual dark forewings, from Queensland; Cranothrips bellisi, the smallest member of this family and with the ovipositor greatly reduced, from the Northern Territory near Darwin; Cycadothrips emmaliami, from Macrozamia reidlei male cones in Western Australia; Desmothrips chirus, a grass-living species with remarkable Chirothrips-like females, from Darwin; D. darwini, a second bicoloured grass-living member of this genus, from Darwin; D. marilynae, in which males have a unique abdominal chaetotaxy, from Western Australia; D. stepheni, with unusually long cephalic setae, from near the Gulf of Carpentaria. Variation in the bicoloured, grass-living species Gelothrips cinctus Hood is discussed, and a Mymarothrips species from Darwin is re-identified as the Indonesian species M. bicolor Strassen.

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Ward, Samantha, Maarten Helden, Thomas Heddle, Peter M. Ridland, Elia Pirtle, and Paul A. Umina. "Biology, ecology and management of Diuraphis noxia (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in Australia." Austral Entomology 59, no. 2 (March 12, 2020): 238–52. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/aen.12453.

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Price, Owen F., and Michael Bedward. "Using a statistical model of past wildfire spread to quantify and map the likelihood of fire reaching assets and prioritise fuel treatments." International Journal of Wildland Fire 29, no. 5 (2020): 401. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf18130.

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We present a method to quantify and map the probability of fires reaching the vicinity of assets in a wildfire-prone region, by extending a statistical fire spread model developed on historical fire patterns in the Sydney region, Australia. It calculates the mean probability of fire spreading along sample lines around assets, weights the probability according to ignition probability and also estimates the change in spread probability that fuel reduction in treatment blocks would achieve. We have developed an R package WildfireRisk to implement the analysis and demonstrate it with two case studies in forested eastern Australia. The probability of a fire reaching the vicinity of an asset was highest in the heavily forested parts of each case study, but when weighted for ignition probability, the high probability shifted to the wildland–urban interface. Further, when weighted by asset location, high-priority areas for treatment were in blocks next to the wildland–urban interface. This method is objective, fast and based on the behaviour of real historical fires. We recommend its use in wildfire risk planning, as an adjunct to heuristic methods and simulations. Additional functionality can be incorporated into our method, for instance via a function for building impact.

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Pike, Melissa, Dirk H. R. Spennemann, and Maggie J. Watson. "Building use by urban commensal avifauna in Melbourne central business district, Australia." Emu - Austral Ornithology 117, no. 3 (May 29, 2017): 284–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2017.1331706.

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36

Aryal, Jagannath, Chiranjibi Sitaula, and Sunil Aryal. "NDVI Threshold-Based Urban Green Space Mapping from Sentinel-2A at the Local Governmental Area (LGA) Level of Victoria, Australia." Land 11, no. 3 (February 27, 2022): 351. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11030351.

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Obtaining accurate, precise and timely spatial information on the distribution and dynamics of urban green space is crucial in understanding livability of the cities and urban dwellers. Inspired from the importance of spatial information in planning urban lives, and availability of state-of-the-art remote sensing data and technologies in open access forms, in this work, we develop a simple three-level hierarchical mapping of urban green space with multiple usability to various stakeholders. We utilize the established Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) threshold on Sentinel-2A Earth Observation image data to classify the urban vegetation of each Victorian Local Government Area (LGA). Firstly, we categorize each LGA region into two broad classes as vegetation and non-vegetation; secondly, we further categorize the vegetation regions of each LGA into two sub-classes as shrub (including grassland) and trees; thirdly, for both shrub and trees classes, we further classify them as stressed and healthy. We not only map the urban vegetation in hierarchy but also develop Urban Green Space Index (UGSI) and Per Capita Green Space (PCGS) for the Victorian Local Government Areas (LGAs) to provide insights on the association of demography with urban green infrastructure using urban spatial analytics. To show the efficacy of the applied method, we evaluate our results using a Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform across different NDVI threshold ranges. The evaluation result shows that our method produces excellent performance metrics such as mean precision, recall, f-score and accuracy. In addition to this, we also prepare a recent Sentinel-2A dataset and derived products of urban green space coverage of the Victorian LGAs that are useful for multiple stakeholders ranging from bushfire modellers to biodiversity conservationists in contributing to sustainable and resilient urban lives.

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Hahs, Amy K., and Mark J. McDonnell. "Composition of the plant community in remnant patches of grassy woodland along an urban–rural gradient in Melbourne, Australia." Urban Ecosystems 10, no. 4 (August 16, 2007): 355–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11252-007-0034-7.

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Nouri, Hamideh, Sattar Chavoshi Borujeni, and Arjen Y. Hoekstra. "The blue water footprint of urban green spaces: An example for Adelaide, Australia." Landscape and Urban Planning 190 (October 2019): 103613. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2019.103613.

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Freestone, Robert, and David Nichols. "Realising new leisure opportunities for old urban parks: the internal reserve in Australia." Landscape and Urban Planning 68, no. 1 (May 2004): 109–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2003.07.001.

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Jennings, JG, R. de Nys, TS Charlton, MW Duncan, and PD Steinberg. "Phenolic compounds in the nearshore waters of Sydney, Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 47, no. 8 (1996): 951. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9960951.

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Ten pollutant phenols extracted from an oil refinery discharge, urban storm water and sewage effluent were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Recoveries varied from 43% to 97%, with a detection limit of 0.5 μg L-1. Concentrations ranged from below the detection limit up to 114.0μg L-1, the highest being in sewage effluent. The most common were phenol and cresol. The effects of similar concentrations were determined in bioaccumulation experiments using the mussel Mytilus edulis and fish Trachurus novaezelandiae. Recoveries of phenols from tissues were 10-40%, with a detection limit of 0.5 ng g-1. 2,4-dimethylphenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 4-chloro, 3-methylphenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol were accumulated, with bioconcentration factors ranging from 2.51 � 0.51 for dimethylphenol to 283.8 � 5.58 for pentachlorophenol; when placed in clean sea water, both species depurated all accumulated phenols to concentrations below detection within 24 h. Neither phenol nor cresol were accumulated. Phenol and o-cresol inhibited the germination of Ulva lactuca gametes at concentrations above 1 mg L-1 (100 times the concentrations detected in the water samples). Muscle and liver tissue from fish and invertebrates collected from the oil refinery discharge site in Botany Bay and control localities contained no detectable phenols.

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Frantzeskaki, Niki, and Judy Bush. "Governance of nature-based solutions through intermediaries for urban transitions – A case study from Melbourne, Australia." Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 64 (September 2021): 127262. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127262.

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Bailey, Aisling, and Jonathan Kingsley. "Valuing the Benefits and Enhancing Access: Community and Allotment Gardens in Urban Melbourne, Australia." Land 11, no. 1 (January 2, 2022): 62. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land11010062.

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The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of the benefits and challenges experienced by community and allotment gardens utilising a broad theoretical analysis, pertaining to the case study of Melbourne, a city in Australia that until recently has been experiencing significant population growth and urban densification. The study involved qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 23 participants from six urban community and allotment gardens. Interviews identified the perceived benefits of community and allotment gardening, perceived demographic patterns of engagement, challenges faced in relation to secure land access, and the potential offered by community and allotment gardens for social and environmental wellbeing. Findings revealed a range of perceived benefits, perceived demographic patterns, highlighted challenges posed to participation due to insecurity around ongoing land access, and detailed the perceived capacity community and allotment gardens have to contribute to social and environmental wellbeing. This study contributes to existing literature focused on the benefits and potential of community and allotment gardening for personal, social and environmental wellbeing, by offering an original theoretical contribution through carrying out an analysis informed by urban geography, phenomenology, political economy and ecology, and to literature focused on issues of access to land for these amenities.

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Riddell, William E. "Aspects of breeding ecology of the Brown Goshawk ('Accipiter fasciatus') in an urban environment in northern Australia." Northern Territory Naturalist 26 (June 2015): 32–43. http://dx.doi.org/10.5962/p.295458.

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44

Moore, G. M., and A. Chandler. "The Potential of Yellow Gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon F. Muell.) as an Urban Street Tree: An Assessment of Species Performance in the City of Greater Melbourne, Australia." Arboriculture & Urban Forestry 49, no. 1 (January 1, 2023): 16–37. http://dx.doi.org/10.48044/jauf.2023.003.

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"Background: In contrast to trees from northern hemisphere genera, there has been little research into the selection and vegetative propagation of Australian native tree species for use as street trees. Eucalyptus leucoxylon F. Muell. is one of a few eucalypts occurring in south-eastern Australia with bright coloured fl owers and is highly regarded as an ornamental tree that fl owers readily. It is propagated from seed, but progeny typically show seedling variability and diversity. Eucalyptus leucoxylon was identifi ed as the most widely planted eucalypt in the streets of the city of greater Melbourne, Australia. Methods: This research assessed 300 E. leucoxylon street trees growing across the city of greater Melbourne for their performance against arboricultural criteria relating to canopy structure and density, straightness of the trunk, health (assessed on canopy, trunk, and branch condition, production of exudates, and presence of fungal fruiting bodies), fl ower colour, and root systems. Results: The results showed that E. leucoxylon was a suitable street tree species with most specimens showing good habit, vigour, and health. Discussion: The trees had traits such as live crown ratio, height, fl ower colour, and capacity to cope with pruning that are considered appropriate for a street tree. Their dense canopies and high live crown ratios provide shade that can reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Conclusion: This suggests the species has the potential to be a successful street tree not only in Australia, but in other parts of the world where it has been grown successfully in forestry plantations.

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Williamson, Grant J., Owen F. Price, Sarah B. Henderson, and David M. J. S. Bowman. "Satellite-based comparison of fire intensity and smoke plumes from prescribed fires and wildfires in south-eastern Australia." International Journal of Wildland Fire 22, no. 2 (2013): 121. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wf11165.

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Smoke pollution from wildfires can adversely affect human health, and there is uncertainty about the amount of smoke pollution caused by prescribed v. wildfires, a problem demanding a landscape perspective given that air quality monitoring is sparse outside of urban airsheds. The primary objective was to assess differences in fire intensity and smoke plume area between prescribed fires and wildfires around Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. We matched thermal anomaly satellite data to databases of fires in forests surrounding both cities. For each matched fire we determined hotspot count and quantified their intensity using the fire radiative power (FRP) measurement. Smoke plumes were mapped using MODIS true colour images. Wildfires had more extreme fire intensity values than did prescribed burns and the mean size of wildfire plumes was six times greater than of prescribed fire plumes for both cities. Statistical modelling showed that the horizontal area covered by smoke plumes could be predicted by hotspot count and sum of FRP, with differences between cities and fire type. Smoke plumes from both fire types reached both urban areas, and particulate pollution was higher on days affected by smoke plumes. Our results suggested that prescribed fires produced smaller smoke plume areas than did wildfires in two different flammable landscapes. Smoke plume and FRP data, combined with air pollution data from static monitors, can be used to improve smoke management for human health.

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Weeks, Andrew R., and Ary A. Hoffmann. "The biology of Penthaleus species in southeastern Australia." Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 92, no. 2 (August 1999): 179–89. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1570-7458.1999.00537.x.

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Lees, David. "Butterflies of Australia. Their Identification, Biology and Distribution." Systematic Entomology 26, no. 1 (January 2001): 125–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-3113.2001.01393.x.

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48

Hartigan, Martin, James Fitzsimons, Maree Grenfell, and Toby Kent. "Developing a Metropolitan-Wide Urban Forest Strategy for a Large, Expanding and Densifying Capital City: Lessons from Melbourne, Australia." Land 10, no. 8 (August 1, 2021): 809. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/land10080809.

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Urban forests provide many ecosystem services, such as reducing heat, improving air quality, treatment of stormwater, carbon sequestration, as well as biodiversity benefits. These benefits have resulted in increasing demand for urban forests and strategies to maintain and enhance this natural infrastructure. In response to a broader resilience strategy for Melbourne, Australia, we outline how a metropolitan-wide urban forest strategy (Living Melbourne) was developed, encompassing multiple jurisdictions and all land tenures. To this end, we mapped tree cover within the Melbourne metropolitan area, modelled potential habitat for some bird species, and investigated the role of tree cover for urban heat island mitigation. We outline the consultation and governance frameworks used to develop the strategy, the vision, goals and actions recommended, including canopy and shrub cover targets for different parts of the metropolitan area. The metropolitan-wide urban forest strategy acts as an overarching framework to guide local government authorities and various stakeholders towards a shared objective of increasing tree cover in Melbourne and we discuss the outcomes and lessons from this approach.

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Lymbery, Alan. "Are pet cats bad for wildlife?" Pacific Conservation Biology 16, no. 3 (2010): 155. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/pc100155.

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Pet cats receive bad press from conservationists. This is partly because there is an obvious link between pet cats and feral cats, and predation by feral cats is widely regarded as a key threatening process for endangered species of small vertebrates in Australia. There is also a perception, however, that pet cats are directly responsible for declines in wildlife populations, particularly around urban areas. As a consequence, many local government authorities have introduced regulations aimed at controlling cats, ranging from night-time curfews and confinement to complete prohibition of cat ownership. Greenaway (2010) discusses the approaches taken by local and state governments to control pet cats throughout Australia.

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Stevens, JD, and PD Wiley. "Biology of two commercially important carcharhinid sharks from northern Australia." Marine and Freshwater Research 37, no. 6 (1986): 671. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/mf9860671.

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Sharks represent 78% of the total catch by weight of a Taiwanese surface gill-net fishery off northern Australia. Two carcharhinids, Carcharhrnus tilstoni (previously described as C. limbatus) and C. sorrah, together comprise 83% of this shark catch by number. C. tilstoni is distinguished from C. limbatus by differences in enzyme systems, vertebral counts, size data and pelvic fin coloration. Of the specimens of C. tilstoni and C. sorrah caught in the Arafura and Timor Seas from 1981 to 1983, 43% and 47%, respectively, were female; at birth these proportions were 46% and 50%, respectively. In both species, females tended to be relatively more abundant in catches of mature fish, except around March, when males predominated. In northern Australia, the usual size at maturity for C. tilstoni is 110 cm for males and 115 cm for females; for C. sorrah, it is 90 cm and 95 cm, respectively. Both species exhibit placental viviparity and have almost identical restricted reproductive cycles. Mating occurs in February-March, ovulation in March-April and the main parturition period is in January. The gestation period is 10 months and individual fish breed each year. The average litter size for both species is three. The size at birth is about 60 cm for C. tilstoni and 50 cm for C. sorrah. Stomach contents indicate that teleost fish are an important component of the diet of both species and there is some indication of a change in feeding depth with shark size.

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