Avian use of farm habitats, including windbreaks, on the New South Wales Tablelands

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 180 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR. Cilla Kinross
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Native Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Canonical Variate ◽  
Bird Conservation ◽  
Avian Diversity ◽  
South Wales

Many windbreaks are being planted on the Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia to provide shelter for stock and crops, but little is known of the effect of these linear plantations on the regional bird community. This paper compares the avian diversity, density and species composition in a range of habitats in agricultural landscapes, including farm windbreaks, and draws conclusions as to the benefits of windbreaks to bird conservation. The data were collected between 1993 and 1997 with 12 visits to each of 84 sites, placed a priori into seven habitat types on six grazing properties in the Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia and analysed using ANOVA and canonical variate analysis to identify bird-habitat relationships and patterns. Species diversity and density were found to be highest in remnant woodland and lowest in grassland, but differences between other habitats were less robust. Windbreaks >19 m wide were closer in diversity and species composition to remnant woodland than windbreaks =15 m wide. Of the 105 bird species observed, 17 were confined to remnant woodland and 67 native species were observed using planted sites. These species were not, as had been predicted, entirely composed of generalist-opportunistic species, but, particularly in the wider planted sites, included several woodland species identified as declining in this region. Although clearly not as important as remnant woodland, farm windbreaks, shelterbelts and woodlots of suitable size and composition appear to contribute significantly to avian diversity in agricultural areas and their planting should be encouraged and supported by the rural community and government.

Mammal surveys in the forests of the Carrai Plateau and Richmond Range in north-east New South Wales.

1994 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
J. Barker ◽  
D. Lunney ◽  
T. Bubela
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
North East ◽  
Mammal Fauna ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Species Lists ◽  
Fauna Composition ◽  
Eucalypt Forests ◽  
Open Forests

Mammal surveys were carried out on the Carrai Plateau and Richmond Range in north-east New South Wales between March 1988 and November 1989. The emphasis was placed on rainforest mammals, following the recognition by Adam ( 1987) that the species lists of mammals in the state's rainforests were incomplete and that more research was needed. The mammals were surveyed primarily by analysis of prey remains in Dog and Fox scats, collected from roads throughout the forests, and from bat trapping. The bat fauna at both the Carrai Plateau and Richmond Range is rich (1 0 species and nine species respectively, including the rare Golden-tipped Bat, Kerivoula papuensis, in the Richmond Range). Scat analysis revealed the presence of 24 native species on the Carrai Plateau, and on the Richmond Range there were 17 species, including high numbers of two pademelon species. Feral prey species are almost completely absent, although the Fox is an established predator in both areas. A sharp division was identified between the mammal faunas of closed and open forests. Differences were found also between the mammal fauna composition of the two rainforest sites, and with those of nearby eucalypt forests. The mammal fauna of New South Wales rainforests is distinct from open forests and future mammal surveys are needed to ensure an adequate level of knowledge to identify and conserve these areas.

The conservation and ecology of rainforest pigeons in northeastern New South Wales

1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Date ◽  
H. F. Recher ◽  
H. A. Ford ◽  
D. A. Stewart
Keyword(s):  
Native Species ◽  
Food Source ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Winter Food ◽  
Agricultural Areas ◽  
Trees And Shrubs ◽  
Conservation And Management

A survey of conservation reserves, rainforest remnants and agricultural districts in northeastern New South Wales was conducted to determine the abundance, movements and habitat requirements of rainforest pigeons, to evaluate the extent and use of suitable habitat in conservation reserves, and to provide guidelines for the conservation and management of rainforest pigeons. Eight species of rainforest pigeon occur in northeastern New South Wales. Commencing with the clearing of rainforest in the 1860s for agriculture, rainforest pigeons declined in abundance throughout New South Wales and by the 1970s five species were thought to be threatened in the state. Since then, rainforest pigeons have apparently increased in abundance and distribution, but the Wompoo, Rose-crowned and Superb Pigeons continue to be listed by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service as vulnerable and rare. However, populations of all species of rainforest pigeons in New South Wales are relatively small and vulnerable to further loss of habitat. Most rainforest pigeons show a preference for subtropical rainforest habitat, but moist eucalypt forests, gardens and weedy exotic vegetation along roads and on abandoned farmland are also frequented to varying degrees by different species. To investigate recent trends in pigeon abundance we used data collected for up to 12 years from eight sites and during 1988, 1989 and 1990 from 17 rainforest remnants in northeastern New South Wales. The data suggest that rainforest pigeons now occur more frequently in lowland agricultural areas than in the recent past and tend to confirm an increase in abundance since the 1970s. Nesting and foraging habitats for rainforest pigeons are extensive in the conservation reserve system of northeastern New South Wales, but these habitats, which are largely at high elevations, lack winter food resources. Instead, pigeons congregate in remnant rainforest and exotic berry-bearing trees and shrubs in agricultural areas at lower elevations and near the coast. They rely on these habitats for food during winter and it is the restricted extent of this habitat that probably limits their abundance, not the area or quality of habitat at higher elevations. The conservation and management of rainforest pigeons requires the protection of low elevation and coastal rainforest remnants. As development of northeastern New South Wales proceeds, to avoid a decline in the abundances of rainforest pigeons it will be necessary to protect sclerophyll forest with native or exotic fruit bearing trees and shrubs and to extend the area of suitable habitat by the regeneration of rainforest and by the planting of native species used by pigeons as a food source. This will become increasingly important as the control and removal of exotic plants, such as Lantana Lantana camara and Camphor Laurel Cinnamonum camphora, on which some pigeons depend as a winter food source, becomes more successful.

Bird communities in remnant woodland on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. S. Debus ◽  
H. A. Ford ◽  
D. Page
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
New South ◽  
Full Range ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Bird Communities ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Private Land ◽  
Bird Species Richness ◽  
South Wales

We provide a geographic and landscape context for ongoing studies on bird communities in eucalypt woodland remnants on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales. We draw together several surveys that have not been published in the scientific literature, and integrate them with previously published material. A total of 142 woodland bird species, including 12 threatened species, was recorded in remnant woodland in the area above 900 m elevation from 50 km SSE to 100 km NNW of Armidals. There was a positive relationship between remnant size and bird species richness. Woodland reserves >300 ha supported significantly more species than remnants <100 ha on private land. Intensively surveyed reserves also had more species than remnants surveyed more casually. Threatened and other declining species occurred mainly in medium-sized (100-300 ha) and large reserves; foraging guilds of small to medium-sized, ground and above-ground insectivores were impoverished in degraded medium-sized and small remnants on private land. Almost the full range of woodland bird species was found at one or more sites, indicating their conservation value. However, some species were found in few sites or were only vagrants at a site. Active management will be needed to retain the current diversity of bird species in such heavily cleared landscapes.

Current Land Use in the Poplar Box (Eucalyptus Populnea) Lands.

1980 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
EJ Weston ◽  
DF Thompson ◽  
BJ Scott
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
High Water ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Small Areas ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Domestic Livestock

Poplar box (Eucalyptus populnee) woodlands mainly occuron duplex, clay and red earth soils between the 300 mm and 750 mm rainfall isohyets. The poplar box lands have been occupied for from 100 to 150 years and have been modified extensively through tree felling, ringbarking, clearing, cultivation, burning and grazing by domestic livestock. The current land use is described for six vegetation groups which together comprise the poplar box lands. The eastern areas of the poplar box lands are mainly used for intensive agriculture based on wheat. barley and grain sorghum, with small areas sown to c~ops of high water demand. Mixed farming involves dairying (in Queensland) and fat lambs (in New South Wales) and broad-acre cereal and fodder cropping. Sheep and cattle grazing replace intensive crop production as the rainfall decreases. In all areas used for cropping the stability and fertility of the soil are of paramount importance in maintainihg production. The use of woodlands in areas of lower rainfall can lead to deterioration of the resource and to the encroachment of woody native species into the grazing lands. Because cropping is unreliable the opportunity to use cultivation to control woody regrowth is reduced. In central areas much of the land can be sown to improved pastures, but in western areas diversification is limited by the low rainfall and land use is restricted to grazing, initially only by sheep but now by sheep and cattle. Particularly in western New South Wales the increase in unpalatable shrubs and the decrease in available forage has resulted in low stocking rates, and high grazing pressure, making reclamation and pasture improvement difficult. In consequence many enterprises are becoming uneconomic.

Bird Distributions on Small Rainforest Remnants in New South Wales.

1981 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 637 ◽  
Author(s):  
RW Howe ◽  
TD Howe ◽  
HA Ford
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Additional Species ◽  
South Wales ◽  
High Dispersal ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Bird Distributions ◽  
Open Country

We studied bird distributions on 15 small patches of subtropical rainforest, ranging from 0.08 to 2.5 ha, in north-eastern New South Wales. Three-quarters of the bird species found in an extensive area of nearby rainforest were recorded in one or more of these isolated patches. Species that were not recorded, generally were rare in the extensive forest or are characterized by large home ranges. Several species more typical of open country were also found in the isolated patches. The number of resident species per patch ranged from one to 19; these were added in a rather predictable order from small to larger areas. Additional species observed in the patches either were transient or had home ranges encompassing several discontinuous areas. Although area is the best single predictor of species richness, isolation, disturbance by livestock and distance from water all tend to reduce the number of resident bird species. We propose that high dispersal abilities of rainforest birds near Dorrigo reflect the geographical and palaeogeographical distribution of Australian rainforest. The small total area and discontinuity of original tracts of rainforest, perhaps accentuated during the Pleistocene, have generally prevented persistence or colonization of highly sedentary, specialized bird species.

The Influence of Proximity of Plantation Edge on Diversity and Abundance of bird species in an exotic pine plantation in north-eastern New South Wales

1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
GN Curry
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Native Forest ◽  
Feeding Guild ◽  
South Wales ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Plantation Life ◽  
Abundance And Diversity

Data were collected in summer and winter in a 15-year-old plantation of Pinus taeda, at Clouds Creek, north-eastern New South Wales. In summer, diversity and abundance of bird species declined over a distance of 900 m into the plantation. However, in winter this progressive decline in bird densities was limited to within the first 200 m of the plantation periphery. At greater distances into the plantation, the floristic and structural characteristics of the vegetation (including windrows) were of more importance than the proximity of the plantation edge in accounting for variations in the abundance and diversity of birds. Food for insectivorous birds (the dominant feeding guild) is probably restricted in the plantation because few local species of invertebrates are likely to be adapted to living on exotic pines; invertebrate mobility as well as abundance is probably less in winter, so that fewer invertebrates enter the plantation from adjacent native forest. Windrows are an important habitat feature contributing to the diversity and abundance of birds within plantations, probably serving as 'corridors' through the alien habitat of exotic pines, thus enabling birds to range further into plantations. For approximately 40 per cent of the plantation life cycle, the influence of proximity of plantation edge on diversity and abundance of bird species is probably of limited importance, particularly in winter. Reducing plantation size in order to increase the diversity and abundance of bird species is not realistic, because plantations would have to be very small. Instead, emphasis should be placed on increasing the structural and floristic diversity of plantations by creating a broad range of successional stages throughout the plantation complex, by enhancing the habitat value of windrows, and by retaining native vegetation within and near plantations.

A multivariate procedure for classifying environments according to their interaction with genotypes

1979 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1021 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Seif ◽  
JC Evans ◽  
LN Balaam
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Interaction Effects ◽  
Canonical Variate ◽  
Canonical Variates Analysis ◽  
Wheat Genotypes ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Canonical Variates ◽  
Location Interaction

Canonical variates analysis was adapted to the problem of classifying environments according to their interactions with wheat genotypes, and was used to subdivide the Central West of New South Wales into uniform sub-regions. The method takes into account any fluctuations from year to year in the genotype x location interaction effects, and has several other advantages over the procedures previously used. Most of the variability among locations was represented by one canonical variate and was related to an east-westerly trend. It is suggested that the Central West be divided into two sub-regions, the eastern slopes and the western plains, for the purpose of varietal evaluations and recommendations.

Wildlife in dry lake and associated habitats in western New South Wales.

2000 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 256 ◽  
Author(s):  
SV Briggs ◽  
JA Seddon ◽  
SA Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Arid Zone ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Black Box ◽  
Study Region ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Dry Lake

Intermittently and occasionally flooded lakes are common in arid and semi-arid Australia. The wetldry nature of these lakes means that they provide habitat for terrestrial fauna when dry and aquatic fauna when flooded. The fauna of dry lakes in western New South Wales is largely unknown. This study reports on species of small mammals and reptiles trapped in a dry lake in south-western New South Wales, and contrasts them with species trapped in surrounding woodland and shrubland habitats. Information on bird species in these habitats was also drawn on. Small mammals, reptiles and birds showed considerable partitioning between the habitats in the study area. The dry lake provided the main habitat for the two small mammals Smznthopsis crassicaudata and Planlgale gdesi. Reptiles were most speciose and most abundant in the blue bush (Maireana spp.) shrubland, but some reptile species were mainly or entirely confined to the dry lake habitats, or to black box (Eucalyptus largzjlorens) woodland. Birds in the study region were most abundant and most speciose in the black box woodland, with some species confined to blue bush shrubland. The study showed that conservation of all the habitats investigated is necessary to retain the suite of vertebrate species that occupy these landscapes. Key words: small mammals, reptiles, birds, arid zone, dry lake, shrubland, woodland, biodiversity: Australia

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document