Effects of Sabella spallanzanii physical structure on soft sediment macrofaunal assemblages

2006 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allyson L. O'Brien ◽  
D. Jeff Ross ◽  
Michael J. Keough
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Soft Sediment ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
The Real ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Bivalve Larvae ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Epifaunal Assemblages

Effective management of introduced species requires an understanding of their effects on native species and the processes that structure the habitat. The introduced European polychaete Sabella spallanzanii dominates epifaunal assemblages in south-eastern Australia, yet little is known about how it affects the structure of the surrounding assemblages. The present study investigated the differences between infaunal assemblages in the presence and absence of S. spallanzanii using clumps of real and mimic polychaetes. Both the real and mimic clumps had the same effect on an existing assemblage with fewer numbers of small crustaceans in the sediment under the clumps. The effects of S. spallanzanii on infaunal colonisation and larval abundances above and below the S. spallanzanii canopy were also investigated. Larval effects varied among taxa, depending on position (above and below the canopy) for bivalve larvae and presence/absence of S. spallanzanii for gastropod larvae. There was no effect of the S. spallanzanii clumps on infaunal colonisation. These results suggest that the effects of S. spallanzanii on larval abundances and colonisation may not be as significant as the effects on post-colonisation processes that structure macrofaunal assemblages in soft sediment habitats.

Dung burial by native and introduced dung beetles (Scarabaeidae)

1994 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1799 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Tyndale-Biscoe
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Dung Beetle ◽  
Dung Beetles ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The quantity of dung buried and shredded by dung beetles at four sites in south-eastern Australia was found to be positively correlated with the dry weight (biomass) of beetles in the pads. Each of the four sites has two abundant native species of dung beetles, and one to five well-established introduced species present. At Uriarra, where only one introduced species is common, a mean of 7 . 2 l � 1.94% (1990-91) and 6.01�1.31% (1991-92) of the dung was buried per week. At Fyshwick, with two common introduced species of dung beetles, 22.27� 4.03% (1990-91) and 12 04�2 72% (1991-92) of the dung was buried per week. Braidwood, with four introduced species, had a mean of 15.81� 2.82% (1991-92) weekly dung buried, and Araluen, with five introduced species, had 30.18�8- 73% (1992-93) dung buried per week. Dung beetle numbers were low at all sites during the first half of 1991-92 season due to a drought throughout the region. Dung shredding averaged less than 12% over the seasons at all sites, but fluctuated from 0 to 70%, depending mainly on beetle numbers in the dung pads on individual occasions. Increasing numbers of exotic dung beetles throughout the pastoral areas of Australia should result in increased amounts of dung buried and shredded, with correspondingly increased benefits to Australian agriculture.

scholarly journals Ophyiulus in Victoria: results of millipede surveys from south-eastern Australia

2015 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 69
Author(s):  
Briony A. Norton ◽  
Linda J. Thomson ◽  
Michael A. Nash
Keyword(s):  
Species Identification ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Native Species ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
The Future ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The composition and ecology of the millipede fauna of Victoria remain poorly understood. We collected millipedes as part of a series of ecological arthropod surveys across south-eastern Australia, focusing mainly on Victoria. These samples almost exclusively contained millipedes from the introduced order Julida. We pursued species identification of the julids when it became apparent there were species other than the well-recorded Ommatoiulus moreleti (Lucas, 1860) (Portuguese millipede) in the samples. The majority of specimens were O. moreleti, but we also detected at least one species of Cylindroiulus Verhoeff, 1894, as well as an Ophyiulus Berlese, 1884, species, specimens of which have been identified as Ophyiulus cf. targionii. These are the first Ophyiulus records for Victoria to our knowledge. We present preliminary data on the abundance through the year of Ophyiulus. This is the first study to examine this species in Victoria and little is currently known about its likely impact on agriculture or on native species. Monitoring and research of the species in the future is therefore warranted.

Effective management of viruses in pulse crops in south eastern Australia should include management of weeds

2011 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 430-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Joan Freeman ◽  
Mohammad Aftab
Keyword(s):  
Effective Management ◽  
Pulse Crops ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Coastal wetlands of Victoria, south-eastern Australia: providing the inventory and condition information needed for their effective management and conservation

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 454-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul I. Boon ◽  
Tim Allen ◽  
Geoff Carr ◽  
Doug Frood ◽  
Chris Harty ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Wetlands ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Management And Conservation ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Condition of fenced and unfenced remnant vegetation in inland catchments in south-eastern Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue V. Briggs ◽  
Nicola M. Taws ◽  
Julian A. Seddon ◽  
Bindi Vanzella
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Public Investment ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Remnant Vegetation ◽  
Vegetation Condition ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Native Species Richness ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Considerable areas of remnant native vegetation have been fenced in the last decade to manage grazing by domestic stock. This study investigated vegetation condition in comparative fenced and unfenced remnant vegetation in the mid–upper Murrumbidgee and Lachlan catchments in south-eastern Australia. Native species richness, native groundcover and overstorey regeneration were higher at fenced than at unfenced sites. Area of bare ground was lower at fenced sites. Exotic groundcover did not differ between fenced and unfenced sites. Native species richness was higher at sites fenced for longer and with no stock grazing; neither native nor exotic groundcover at fenced sites was related to time since fencing or stock grazing pressure. Some tree species regenerated at both fenced and unfenced sites (Blakely’s red gum, Eucalyptus blakelyi; tumbledown gum, E. dealbata, long-leaved box, E. goniocalyx; red stringbark, E. macrorhyncha), some regenerated at few fenced and few unfenced sites (white box, E. albens; yellow box, E. melliodora) and some regenerated at fenced sites but not at unfenced sites (grey box, E. microcarpa; mugga ironbark, E. sideroxylon; white cypress pine, Callitris glaucophylla). Although less robust than pre- and postfencing monitoring, the comparisons reported here provide a logistically feasible and relatively inexpensive assessment of effects of the sizeable public investment in fencing on vegetation condition.

Prevalence of threatened native species in canid scats from coastal and near-coastal landscapes in south-eastern Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew W. Claridge ◽  
Douglas J. Mills ◽  
Simon C. Barry
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Coastal Landscapes ◽  
Wild Dog ◽  
Wild Dogs ◽  
Prey Items

Predator scat analysis was used to infer the potential impact of wild dogs (Canis lupus dingo, C. l. familiaris and hybrids of the two) on threatened native terrestrial mammals in coastal and near-coastal southern New South Wales, Australia. Prey items recorded in wild dog scats were compared with those occurring in scats of the red fox collected at the same study sites. Six threatened mammal species were recorded in either wild dog or fox scats: eastern pygmy possum, grey-headed flying fox, long-nosed potoroo, southern brown bandicoot, white-footed dunnart and yellow-bellied glider. The prevalence of these threatened species in fox scats was significantly higher than in wild dog scats. Otherwise, wild dogs mostly consumed larger prey items such as swamp wallabies and wombats whereas foxes more heavily preyed on small mammals such as antechinus and rats. Our results suggest that foxes are the major threat to threatened mammal species in the study region. Land management agencies in south-eastern mainland Australia should therefore focus on controlling foxes for biodiversity gain.

Do invasive eastern gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) shape wetland fish assemblage structure in south-eastern Australia?

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (8) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jed I. Macdonald ◽  
Zeb D. Tonkin ◽  
David S. L. Ramsey ◽  
Andrew K. Kaus ◽  
Alison K. King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Ecological Impacts ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Ecological Niches ◽  
Gambusia Holbrooki ◽  
Fish Assemblage Structure ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Specialist Species ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Defining the ecological impacts conferred by invasive fishes provides a framework for evaluating the feasibility of control efforts in invaded waterways, and for predicting the consequences of future incursions. Eastern gambusia (Gambusia holbrooki) is a remarkably successful invader of freshwater systems worldwide, with the capacity to detrimentally impact native fishes both directly (e.g. competition, predation, agonistic interactions) and indirectly (e.g. triggering trophic cascades). Here, we modelled the influence of eastern gambusia and several environmental covariates on fish species diversity, abundance and condition based on quantitative survey data collected from 93 wetlands in south-eastern Australia. We predicted that small-bodied, wetland specialist species sharing dietary- and habitat-niches with eastern gambusia would be most severely impacted, and that environmental stressors associated with wetland drying during late summer would magnify these impacts. Eastern gambusia influenced the occurrence, abundance and/or body condition of most common wetland species; however, the direction and level of impact appeared dependent on both biotic and environmental forces. From these results, we postulate that generalist life-history strategies that permit niche-segregation may release some native species from competitive/predatory pressures, allowing coexistence with eastern gambusia in resource-limited, environmentally harsh habitats, whilst specialist species that occupy narrower ecological niches may be less resistant.

Studies of the ground-dwelling mammals of eucalypt forests in south-eastern New South Wales: the species, their abundance and distribution

1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
PC Catling ◽  
RJ Burt
Keyword(s):  
Introduced Species ◽  
Native Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Management Options ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eucalypt Forest ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Significant Difference

We examined the distribution and abundance of ground-dwelling mammals in the major eucalypt communities within 500 000 ha of eucalypt forest in south-eastern New South Wales. Data for 22 species of mammal are presented from 13 areas comprising 42 eucalypt communities. Two features were the abundance and widespread distribution of the introduced red fox and cat, and the absence of small wallabies (potoroo size) and low abundance of other medium-sized native mammals such as bandicoots. Six mammal species occurred in all areas and in most eucalypt communities. Although there were differences in the distribution and abundance of species between areas there was no significant difference between areas in the number of native and introduced species. Some mammal species were absent from some eucalypt communities, but no eucalypt community was devoid of ground-dwelling mammals and each had native and introduced species present. The E. fastigata group had the highest number of species (14) and one community (E. fastigata-E. cypellocarpa) contained the highest number of native (9) and introduced (4) species. The E. maculata group contained the lowest number of native species with eastern grey kangaroos absent and common wombats present in one community only. The results of this study suggest that management options for arboreal mammals may not apply to the ground-dwelling mammals. The ground-dwelling mammals present today in south-eastern New South Wales appear to be remnants of a more diverse fauna left after clearing, forestry activities and predation by introduced species. Some species are in urgent need of protection and management if they are to persist.

Population ecology of the velvet gecko,Oedura lesueuriiin south eastern Australia: Implications for the persistence of an endangered snake

2008 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 839-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
JONATHAN K. WEBB ◽  
DAVID A. PIKE ◽  
RICHARD SHINE
Keyword(s):  
Population Ecology ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
South Eastern Australia
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