Occurrence of Angiostrongylus species (Nematoda) in populations of Rattus rattus and Rattus fuscipes in coastal forests of south-eastern Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki L. Stokes ◽  
David M. Spratt ◽  
Peter B. Banks ◽  
Roger P. Pech ◽  
Richard L. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Rattus Rattus ◽  
Coastal Forests ◽  
Intermediate Hosts ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
The North ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Rattus Fuscipes ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The distributions of the introduced nematode parasite, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, and the native Angiostrongylus mackerrasae in Australia are poorly understood. We sampled rodents and/or their faeces, and intermediate gastropod hosts for the presence of Angiostrongylus species in coastal forests surrounding Jervis Bay in south-eastern Australia. We found A. cantonensis in populations of introduced Rattus rattus in forests to the north of Jervis Bay, and A. mackerrasae in native Rattus fuscipes in forests to the south of Jervis Bay. The apparent geographical separation of these lungworm species may be a consequence of host specificity and negative associations between R. rattus and R. fuscipes that results from interspecific competition. A. cantonensis was regularly found in R. rattus or their faeces across 9 of 12 study sites north of Jervis Bay, and three species of snail common to the area were suitable intermediate hosts. This has potential negative implications for native wildlife and human visitors to these forests, because A. cantonensis infection causes zoonotic disease (neuro-angiostrongyliasis) in humans and a wide range of bird and mammal hosts. Management of pest rodents in the study area is warranted.

Variation in Chondrilla juncea L. in south-eastern Australia

1973 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
VJ Hill ◽  
RH Groves
Keyword(s):  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Leaf Shape ◽  
Weed Species ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Leaf Emergence ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
South Eastern Australia ◽  
Chondrilla Juncea

Three variants or forms of Chondrilla juncea L. (skeleton weed) are distinguished in south-eastern Australia. The forms (designated A, B, and C) differ in inflorescence morphology and fruit characters, but mainly in the shape of rosette leaves, for which quantitative expressions of the differences have been developed. There were no significant differences within each form in rosette leaf shape when grown in a wide range of environments. First and second progenies of the three forms, presumably apomictic, retained the identity of their parents, as did leaves of rosettes arising vegetatively from the root system after removal of the parental rosette. The geographical limits of distribution of the forms are given, based on results from field observations and from plants grown in a glasshouse either from seed or clonal material. Plants of form A are widespread and occur in south-eastern Australia over a wide range of latitude, climate, and soil type. With one exception, the distribution of plants of forms B and C in 1969 was restricted to central New South Wales, where the forms are distributed sympatrically with plants of form A. Form B plants are confined at present to an area bounded approximately by Young, Orange, Peak Hill, and Marsden, though these boundaries are extending. Leaf emergence rates, times to stem elongation, and times to flowering are presented for the three forms. Differences between forms in these characters under some conditions are shown to exist, as well as differences between forms in their ability to regenerate vegetatively. Form C plants, at present more restricted geographically, seem to have a greater potential for regeneration from rootstocks than form A plants, already widespread throughout south-eastern Australia. The variation described in this paper is discussed in relation to control of other weed species, especially apomicts.

Are mangroves in Victoria (south-eastern Australia) already responding to climate change?

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 2366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul I. Boon
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Sediment Supply ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Storm Activity ◽  
Plant Vigour ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Run Off ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The distribution and productivity of mangroves is directly affected by a wide range of climatic drivers, including temperature, frost, rainfall, evaporation and storm activity, which, in turn, influence a suite of secondary drivers, including changes in freshwater run-off and sediment supply, groundwater dynamics and inter-species competitiveness. The highest-latitude expression of mangroves globally is at Millers Landing, Victoria (38°45′S), and because the vigour and productivity of mangroves across much of Victoria is thought to be limited by low winter temperatures and the incidence and severity of frosts, it is likely that mangroves will be among the first plant communities to be affected by climate change in coastal south-eastern Australia. An increase in plant vigour is likely, but there are almost no historical data with which to compare current rates of primary production. An extension of mangroves to higher latitudes on the mainland is impossible because of the geomorphology of the land that lies further to the south. Small-scale changes in distribution, including the progressive encroachment of mangroves into coastal saltmarsh, are likely to be among the clearest indications of the response of mangroves to a warming climate. Increased effort into tracking changes in mangrove vigour, productivity and distribution is clearly warranted.

scholarly journals Evidence of rapid population decline of the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) in Tasmania

2013 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn A. Fancourt ◽  
Clare E. Hawkins ◽  
Stewart C. Nicol
Keyword(s):  
Population Decline ◽  
Recent History ◽  
Mammalian Fauna ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
The Future ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Australia’s mammalian fauna has suffered unparalleled extinctions and declines in recent history. Tasmania has remained largely unaffected by these losses; however, marsupial dynamics are changing rapidly and new threats are emerging. Once abundant throughout south-eastern Australia, the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) survives only in Tasmania. Until recently, it was considered widespread and common, but it may be undergoing a rapid and severe decline. The aim of this study was to quantify changes in eastern quoll populations over recent years. Data were compiled from statewide spotlight surveys, repeated historic trapping surveys and bycatch records from non-target trapping surveys. Spotlight surveys from 150 sites across Tasmania revealed a 52% reduction in the number of eastern quoll sightings over the 10 years to 2009. Declines of 61–100% were observed in trapping surveys at three study sites compared with trapping conducted 18–31 years earlier. A reduction in trap success was recorded in five of six non-target surveys, with declines of 51–100% over 1–12 years. These results suggest that the eastern quoll can no longer be presumed secure in Tasmania. Urgent management action may be needed to ensure the future conservation of the species in its last remaining stronghold.

Isozyme Variability in Field Populations of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Australia

1988 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
KM Old ◽  
MJ Dudzinski ◽  
JC Bell
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Reproduction ◽  
Phytophthora Cinnamomi ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Mating Types ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Enzyme Loci ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Isozyme Variability ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Isozyme characteristics of 280 isolates from populations of Phytophthora cinnamomi in native veg- etation in six locations in south-eastern Australia were examined at 19 enzyme loci. No new enzyme genotypic arrays were identified as compared with earlier samplings. This work indicates that the low variability for P. cinnamomi in Australia obtained in earlier work, from separate isolates in a wide range of locations, is paralleled in detailed population samples in south-eastern Australia. At one location, A1 and A2 mating types coexisted in soil samples. The lack of recombinants in these population samples suggests an absence of sexual reproduction in the field.

Persistence and productivity of Medicago sativa subspecies sativa, caerulea, falcata and varia accessions at three intermittently dry sites in south-eastern Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 645 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. D. Li ◽  
Z. N. Nie ◽  
S. P. Boschma ◽  
B. S. Dear ◽  
G. M. Lodge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Sativa ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
The North ◽  
Drought Tolerant ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Grazing Systems ◽  
Perennial Legume ◽  
South Eastern Australia

The persistence and productivity of a diverse range of Medicago sativa germplasm including representatives of subspecies sativa, caerulea, falcata and varia were examined at 3 field sites in south-eastern Australia over 4 years. Sites were located at Tamworth, Barmedman and Hamilton, forming a 1200 km north–south transect with rainfall distribution varying from predominantly summer dominant in the north to winter dominant at the most southerly site. Several entries of subspecies varia and caerulea had herbage yields and persistence equivalent to that of M. sativa subspecies sativa cultivar Sceptre, a highly winter-active type that was used as a standard. The cultivar Cancreep, a cross of M. falcata and M. sativa, had a total yield over 3 years equivalent to 84–91% of Sceptre at the 2 sites where it was sown. Individual lines of subspecies varia demonstrated good persistence under grazing and were ranked 2nd and 6th out of 35 accessions for frequency in year 4 at Barmedman, the driest site, and 5th, 7th and 9th out of 33 accessions at Tamworth, the more summer-dominant rainfall site. Entries of subspecies falcata were among the least productive and persistent. The study indicated that germplasm from subspecies caerulea and varia offered hitherto unexploited potential for selection as persistent and drought-tolerant perennial legume alternatives to M. sativa for extensive low management grazing systems of south-eastern Australia.

scholarly journals Mangrove and Saltmarsh Distribution Mapping and Land Cover Change Assessment for South-Eastern Australia from 1991 to 2015

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1450
Author(s):  
Alejandro Navarro ◽  
Mary Young ◽  
Peter I. Macreadie ◽  
Emily Nicholson ◽  
Daniel Ierodiaconou
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Wetlands ◽  
Coastal Wetland ◽  
Temporal Distribution ◽  
Random Forest Classification ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conservation Projects ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Coastal wetland ecosystems, such as saltmarsh and mangroves, provide a wide range of important ecological and socio-economic services. A good understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of these ecosystems is critical to maximising the benefits from restoration and conservation projects. We mapped mangrove and saltmarsh ecosystem transitions from 1991 to 2015 in south-eastern Australia, using remotely sensed Landsat data and a Random Forest classification. Our classification results were improved by the addition of two physical variables (Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM), and Distance to Water). We also provide evidence that the addition of post-classification, spatial and temporal, filters improve overall accuracy of coastal wetlands detection by up to 16%. Mangrove and saltmarsh maps produced in this study had an overall User Accuracy of 0.82–0.95 and 0.81–0.87 and an overall Producer Accuracy of 0.71–0.88 and 0.24–0.87 for mangrove and saltmarsh, respectively. We found that mangrove ecosystems in south-eastern Australia have lost an area of 1148 ha (7.6%), whilst saltmarsh experienced an overall increase in coverage of 4157 ha (20.3%) over this 24-year period. The maps developed in this study allow local managers to quantify persistence, gains, and losses of coastal wetlands in south-eastern Australia.

Hydrocotyle simulans (Araliaceae), a new perennial species from south-eastern Australia

Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 437 (2) ◽  
pp. 66-72
Author(s):  
ANDREW J. PERKINS
Keyword(s):  
South Australia ◽  
Eastern Coast ◽  
Perennial Species ◽  
Photographic Images ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
The North ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Floral Bracts ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Hydrocotyle simulans, a new perennial species from south-eastern Australia, is here described with associated illustration, photographic images and distribution map. The new species is restricted mostly to freshwater swamps in coastal areas of south-eastern South Australia, southern Victoria and to the Furneaux Group of islands, off the north-eastern coast of Tasmania. Hydrocotyle simulans resembles both H. plebeya and H. pterocarpa, in having orbicular-cordate to reniform leaves, hydathodes along leaf lamina margins and broadly ovate to orbicular stipules with entire margins. It differs from these taxa by a combination of characters, such as reflexed white trichomes congregated at the petiole apices, ovate floral bracts with basal lobes, subsessile flowers with pale to dark crimson petals and lenticular mericarps with minutely rugulose surfaces when mature.

Hematological and Body-Mass Changes of Small Passerines Overwintering in South-Eastern Australia

1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Breuer ◽  
A Lill ◽  
J Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Volume Ratio ◽  
Passerine Bird ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
The North ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Haemoglobin Content ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Haematological parameters and body mass of four passerine bird species resident in south-eastern Australia were compared in winter and summer to determine whether there were changes indicative of metabolic adjustments associated with seasonal acclimatisation. Haematocrit and whole-blood haemoglobin content did not change seasonally, but erythrocyte numbers increased (by 45-72%) and erythrocyte volume decreased (by 40-73%) significantly in winter in all species. The greater surface area to volume ratio and shorter diffusion pathway of smaller erythrocytes in winter should enhance blood oxygen transport efficiency and thus potentially facilitate metabolic acclimatisation to cold stress. Only one species showed a significant, but small (3%), increase in body mass in winter, suggesting only a minor role for winter fattening in any such seasonal metabolic adjustments in the species studied. The findings contrast with those for some passerines overwintering in the north temperate zone, but the generality of these possible north-south differences needs further investigation.

Persistence of winter-active phalaris breeding populations, cultivars and other temperate grasses in diverse environments of south-eastern Australia

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 136 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Culvenor ◽  
S. P. Boschma ◽  
K. F. M. Reed
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Severe Drought ◽  
Environment Interaction ◽  
North West ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
The North ◽  
Genotype Environment Interaction ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Sib Families ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Three winter-active populations of phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.), selected over two generations for improved persistence under grazing, were evaluated with commercial cultivars of phalaris and other temperate perennial grasses from 1999–2003 in three environments of south-eastern Australia as part of a program to develop a cultivar for more sustainable pastures and to assess genotype × environment interaction. Grazed sites were located at Bulart in western Victoria, and Rye Park on the Southern Tablelands and Tamworth on the North West Slopes of New South Wales. At the conclusion of the experiment, the frequency of live plant base was highest at Rye Park despite soil acidity and drought. Significant variance among half-sib families in each population was also observed most frequently at this site. Frequency was intermediate at Bulart but lower than expected considering high soil fertility, probably because of high grazing pressure. Frequency was lowest at Tamworth where severe drought occurred from 2001 onwards. There was significant genotype × environment interaction for frequency among half-sib families. Significant common family variance for frequency across the Bulart and Rye Park sites was demonstrated, but not between Tamworth and either of the other sites in later years. The relationship between winter herbage mass potential and persistence differed with population and site, and was negative for one population at Bulart but positive for another population at Tamworth. Mean persistence of all families was 30% higher than winter-active controls at Rye Park and at least 40% higher at Bulart. Phalaris generally persisted better than cultivars of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with some exceptions, particularly at Bulart. Development of a winter-active phalaris cultivar with improved persistence under grazing was considered possible for the Southern Tablelands and western Victorian environments with these populations but a separate program using additional germplasm will be needed for the North West Slopes environment.

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