Tree Species Preferences of Foraging Birds in Jarrah Forest in Western Australia.

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Abbott ◽  
PV Heurck

A study of foraging by 10 bird species suggests that selective logging of large Eucalyptus marginata will only have affected Melithreptus lunatus, but that proposed silvicultural treatments, including removal of Banksia grandis, may affect several other bird species.

1984 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 367 ◽  
Author(s):  
IJ Colquhoun ◽  
RW Ridge ◽  
DT Bell ◽  
WA Loneragan ◽  
J Kuo

Land use which reduces tree canopy density and the impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi are believed to be altering the hydrological balance of parts of the northern jarrah forest, Western Australia. In the drier eastern zones of the forest, replacement plant communities must maintain the soil-salt-water balance to prevent significant increases in salinization of streams in water supply catchments. Daily and seasonal patterns of the diffusive resistance of leaves and xylem pressure potential were determined for the major natural dominant of the region, Eucalyptus marginata, and five other species of Eucalyptus used in rehabilitation. Three types of daily and seasonal patterns were observed. E. marginata and E. calophylla exhibited little stomatal control of water loss, and leaf resistances remained low throughout the study period (type 1). E. maculata, E. resinifera and E. saligna exhibited marked stomatal regulation during summer days when xylem pressure potentials fell below -2.O MPa (type 2). E. wandoo (type 3) also controlled water loss but developed xylem pressure potentials far lower than all other species tested (<-3.0 MPa). Although none of the species tested replicated the summer stomatal resistance and xylem pressure potential patterns of E. marginata, it is suggested that total annual water use should be examined before selecting the most appropriate species to rehabilitate disturbed sites in the eastern zones of the northern jarrah forest region.


2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 107 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. McDougall ◽  
G. E. St J. Hardy ◽  
R. J. Hobbs

The spatial distribution of Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands at seven dieback sites in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata Donn. ex Smith) forest of Western Australia was determined by the following two baiting techniques: in situ baiting with live Banksia grandis Willd. seedlings and ex situ baiting of sampled soil and root material. Four areas within each site were sampled, reflecting dieback age and position in the landscape. Approximate dieback ages of 50, 20 and 5 years were determined by aerial photography. The 50-year-old age class was divided into wet valley floor and dry gravelly slope. Phytophthora cinnamomi was recovered most frequently from the 5-year-old (dieback fronts) and wet 50-year-old areas by both baiting techniques. It was recovered from more than twice as many areas and about five times as many samples when in situ B. grandis baits were used compared with ex situ soil and root baiting. Almost all recoveries from in situ baits were made between October and December. From both methods, it appears that P. cinnamomi has a patchy distribution within dieback sites in the northern jarrah forest. It is easily detected only on dieback fronts and wet valley floors. On dry gravelly sites affected 20 years or more ago, P. cinnamomi is rare and may even be absent at some sites. This makes confident detection of the pathogen difficult. In situ baiting at least allows a temporal component to the sampling and will be a useful method of detection in areas where P. cinnamomi is rare or transient.


2013 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Lee ◽  
Hugh Finn ◽  
Michael Calver

Land clearing threatens three black cockatoo species (forest red-tailed black cockatoo, (Calyptorhynchus banksii naso), Carnaby’s cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris), and Baudin’s cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus baudinii) endemic to south-western Australia, so revegetation is important to their recovery. Over three years we studied cockatoo activity in 7–14-year-old mine-site rehabilitation in the region’s jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata)–marri (Corymbia calophylla) forest to give the most detailed description to date of the use of rehabilitation by the birds. Pits varied floristically and structurally (despite similar rehabilitation prescriptions), but interior and exterior plots (100 m2) were similar within pits. Using feeding traces (e.g. chewed husks), and behavioural observations we confirmed feeding within eight years of revegetation. Plots containing feeding trace were similar to plots without, so factors determining black cockatoo feeding may not be apparent at small scales. Returning food resources reflected vegetation succession, with regenerating marri and fast-maturing proteaceous species providing most food. Carnaby’s cockatoo ate Banksia and Hakea seeds and Baudin’s cockatoo and the forest red-tailed black cockatoo consumed marri seeds. Banksia squarrosa, Hakea undulata, H. prostrata and marri were common foods in all years. Revegetation efforts elsewhere should consider these species, within the constraints of rehabilitation protocols addressing multiple aims.


2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 769 ◽  

The fungicide phosphite was shown to affect pollen fertility in a range of perennial species from the south-west of Western Australia. Phosphite was applied to perennial species of the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest by spraying to run-off with 2.5, 5 and 10 g L–1 phosphite in either autumn or spring. Pollen fertility of Dryandra sessilis was reduced by phosphite for up to 35 and 60 weeks after spraying in spring or autumn, respectively. Trymalium ledifolium pollen fertility was reduced by phosphite 38 and 61 weeks after spraying in spring or autumn, respectively. Lasiopetalum floribundum was less affected with a reduction in pollen fertility being observed for up to 3 weeks after spraying in spring. Other perennial understorey species of the jarrah forest, Adenanthos barbiger, Boronia cymosa, Hovea elliptica and Phyllanthus calycinus were also shown to have reduced pollen fertility after treatment in autumn or spring, as did Comesperma calymega, Eremaea astrocarpa and Hibbertia hypericoides, species of the northern sandplains when sprayed in summer.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim S. Doherty ◽  
Briana N. Wingfield ◽  
Vicki L. Stokes ◽  
Michael D. Craig ◽  
Jessica G. H. Lee ◽  
...  

Context Provision of key habitat resources is essential for effectively managing species that have specific ecological requirements and occur in production landscapes. Threatened black cockatoos in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of Western Australia have a wide range, so their conservation requires support from all land tenures, not just reserves. Mining in the jarrah forest temporarily removes cockatoo feeding habitat, so it is important to understand how cockatoos exploit revegetated areas for food resources. Aims We aimed to determine whether there were successional patterns in cockatoo feeding activity in revegetation aged from 4 to 23 years at three mine sites in the jarrah forest in south-western Australia. Methods We surveyed 232 plots in revegetation to document (1) structural and floristic variation in vegetation across mine sites and revegetation ages, (2) differences in cockatoo feeding activity across mine sites and revegetation ages on the basis of feeding residues and (3) any edge effect reflecting preferential use of vegetation at the interior or exterior of mine pits. We also documented the frequency of occurrence of cockatoo food plants and feeding residues in 480 plots in unmined forest to compare with revegetated areas. Key results Marri (Corymbia calophylla) and jarrah were commonly consumed in unmined forest and Banksia and Hakea species were also fed on to a lesser extent. Revegetated mine pits provided food within 4 years and continued to do so up until the oldest plots studied (23 years). The relative importance of food plants shifted from proteaceous species in young revegetation to myrtaceous species in intermediate to older revegetation. However, extent of feeding on myrtaceous species in older revegetation did not equate to feeding rates in unmined forest, with lower frequencies recorded in revegetation. Conclusions Black cockatoos fed in revegetation at all three mine sites, despite variations in vegetation age, structure and floristics. Feeding on proteaceous and myrtaceous food plants occurred within 4 and 7 years of revegetation being established, respectively, indicating that some food resources are restored quickly after mining disturbance of the jarrah forest. Implications Our results emphasise the importance of monitoring fauna recolonisation over appropriate time scales, to understand how successional processes in revegetation influence fauna population persistence in production landscapes.


2003 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Abbott ◽  
Amanda Mellican ◽  
Michael D. Craig ◽  
Matthew Williams ◽  
Graeme Liddelow ◽  
...  

In 1985 new silvicultural prescriptions for managing jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest in south-west Western Australia came into operation. The most extreme logging treatment (gap release) involved removal of most of the overstorey from patches no larger than 10 ha, followed by a regeneration fire. In the other logging treatment (shelterwood), less wood was removed from a larger area, also followed by a fire. This study examined the impact of these disturbances on the avifauna by monitoring species richness and abundance of birds one year before logging, one year before burning, and for five years after burning. Although 68 bird species were recorded during the seven years of the study, 29 of these were detected fewer than 15 times. Of the other 39 bird species recorded, only two (Gerygone fusca and Acanthiza apicalis) showed a statistically significant treatment effect over time on their abundance. The abundance of G. fusca initially declined in the disturbed treatments and by Year 7 of the study (5 years post-fire) in the gap-release treatment had not recovered its original abundance. A. apicalis increased its abundance in both shelterwood and gap-release treatments. By Year 7, both species in the logged treatments had abundances similar to those in the unlogged treatments. Total abundance of all species varied little across treatments. Species richness was highest by Year 7 in the shelterwood and lowest in the gap-release treatment. In some years community structure varied more at the external-reference sites (not recently logged or burnt) than at the gap-release sites. In particular, there was little overlap in community structure in the external-reference treatment between the first and final years, whereas the pre-logging and final year in the gap-release treatment showed a high degree of overlap. These differences are suggestive of overriding short-term annual variation in broad-scale factors rather than local factors. Yearly variation in rainfall and temperature was documented; during low rainfall periods, populations of foliage arthropods may have been reduced.


2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (8) ◽  
pp. 647 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Koch ◽  
Alex M. Ruschmann ◽  
Tim K. Morald

Bauxite is mined in the jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata Sm.) forest of south-western Australia and 700–800 ha each year are rehabilitated by mining companies. As well as broadcasting seeds and planting, the mine restoration relies heavily on the natural soil seedbank as a means of reinstating plant diversity after mining. The natural soil seedbank is a large but highly variable resource, both spatially and temporally. In the present study, we used 32 sites paired across burn boundaries to determine changes in soil seedbanks due to time since burn. At each site, we took one hundred 100-cm2 soil samples down to 5-cm depth and recorded germinable seeds. The mean total seedbank over all sites was 472 seeds m–2 (90–1210 seeds m–2). Five months after a spring burn, there was a significant decrease in the seedbank of legumes, compared with unburnt sites, probably due to germination in spring immediately after burning. Non-legumes (mostly non-heat-responsive species) did not show this decrease. One year after burning, there was a significant reduction in the total seedbank, presumably due to germination of most species in the winter following the burn. Legumes and non-legumes both showed this decrease. There was a recovery of the soil seedbank by 3 years after burning. This recovery was associated with higher densities of species from the families Apiaceae, Rhamnaceae (Trymalium ledifolium Fenzl), Stylidiaceae, Rutaceae, Centrolepidaceae and Sterculiaceae (Lasiopetalum floribundum Benth.). These families represent annuals, herbaceous species and small perennial shrubs. The recovery was likely due to vigorous flowering, and seed set by seedlings and sometimes resprouts following the burn. Once recovered, the soil seedbank stayed reasonably consistent up to 22 years after burning. Soils stripped 1 year after burning may contribute less plant density and diversity to rehabilitated areas. There is no evidence that the soil seedbank significantly decreases in the longer term with increasing time since burning up to 22 years. The community composition of the soil seedbank was strongly affected by geographical location, with sites closer to each other having similar composition. Only sites 1-year-since burn showed changes in the community composition due to burning.


2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 325 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. Wayne ◽  
J. F. Rooney ◽  
C. G. Ward ◽  
C. V. Vellios ◽  
D. B. Lindenmayer

Life-history attributes are described for the threatened ngwayir or western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) in inland jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest east of Manjimup, south-western Australia. Data on 81 individuals were collected over 18 months. There was no sexual dimorphism and body size was similar to that found in other P. occidentalis populations, but larger than the closely related P. peregrinus in eastern Australia. Breeding at Chariup was more strongly seasonal than that of coastal populations, with 77% of births in May–June and the remainder in October–November. All neonates were singletons except for one instance of non-viable twins. No females bred twice in the same year. The growth rate of the head length of pouch young (<5 months of age) was 0.245–0.362 mm day–1 and curvilinear toward an asymptote thereafter. Temporal variations in body condition, coat condition and ectoparasites were significant. Mortality was highly seasonal (84% of deaths were April–September) and predominantly caused by predation, mainly by fox (Vulpes vulpes) and cat (Felis catus). More effective and strategic control of introduced predators prior to and during autumn/winter, could therefore improve the viability of jarrah forest populations. Nutrition appears to influence many of the life-history traits of P. occidentalis. Nutrition also may partly explain the differences in size, life history and conservation status between P. occidentalis and P. peregrinus.


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