In the Footsteps of Cows: Using Livestock Tracing Technology to Trace and Predict New Weed Incursions of Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum) in Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-59
Author(s):  
Scott Charlton ◽  
Robyn Henderson ◽  
Ian McGowen ◽  
Bernie Dominiak ◽  
Michael Michelmore

AbstractTropical soda apple is an aggressive prickly perennial shrub growing up to 2 m high. It invades open to semishaded areas, including pastures, forests, riparian zones, roadsides, recreational areas, and horticultural and cropping areas. In Australia during August 2010, the weed was identified on the New South Wales Mid North Coast. It is believed that tropical soda apple has been present in this area for a number of years and both systematic and ad hoc surveys have found the weed in other satellite locations. The discovery of tropical soda apple at several cattle handling facilities indicated that cattle are a significant vector for the weed. The aim of this project was to use the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) data to trace cattle movements from affected properties throughout New South Wales and into other Australian states. This has proved advantageous, as there are few other nonecological mechanisms to systematically trace significant weed movement. We have been able to conduct a pathway analysis of where this weed is likely to occur across New South Wales through the use of NLIS. Importantly, we can use this information to pinpoint surveillance activities for local managers, thus ensuring better use of resources. We have also been able to create a stochastic model for incursions at these sites using information gleaned from the NLIS data.

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
TS Andrews ◽  
RDB Whalley ◽  
CE Jones

Inputs and losses from Giant Parramatta grass [GPG, Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. major (Buse) Baaijens] soil seed banks were quantified on the North Coast of New South Wales. Monthly potential seed production and actual seed fall was estimated at Valla during 1991-92. Total potential production was >668 000 seeds/m2 for the season, while seed fall was >146000 seeds/m2. Seed fall >10000 seeds/m2.month was recorded from January until May, with further seed falls recorded in June and July. The impact of seed production on seed banks was assessed by estimating seed banks in the seed production quadrats before and after seed fall. Seed banks in 4 of the 6 sites decreased in year 2, although seed numbers at 1 damp site increased markedly. Defoliation from mid-December until February, April or June prevented seed production, reducing seed banks by 34% over 7 months. Seed banks in undefoliated plots increased by 3300 seeds/m2, although seed fall was estimated at >114 000 seeds/m2. Emergence of GPG seedlings from artificially established and naturally occurring, persistent seed banks was recorded for 3 years from bare and vegetated treatment plots. Sown seeds showed high levels of innate dormancy and only 4% of seeds emerged when sown immediately after collection. Longer storage of seeds after collection resulted in more seedlings emerging. Estimates of persistent seed banks ranged from 1650 to about 21260 seeds/m2. Most seedlings emerged in spring or autumn and this was correlated with rainfall but not with ambient temperatures. Rates of seed bank decline in both bare and vegetated treatment plots was estimated by fitting exponential decay curves to seed bank estimates. Assuming no further seed inputs, it was estimated that it would take about 3 and 5 years, respectively, for seed banks to decline to 150 seeds/m2 in bare and vegetated treatments.


Oceania ◽  
1957 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm J. C. Calley

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Milledge ◽  
Norman Graham ◽  
Jill Smith

ABSTRACT A population of the Northern Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous tridactylus tridactylus in Tyagarah Nature Reserve on the far north coast of New South Wales was first recorded in 1985. In 1992, a cage-trapping study captured 15 individuals in the central section of the reserve and the population was estimated at 80–90 individuals at that time. A subsequent cage-trapping study in 2004 captured four individuals in the southern section of the reserve, but further cage- and camera-trapping surveys in 2009 and 2012 failed to detect any individuals. Additional camera-trapping surveys between 2012 and 2015 and more intensive surveys between 2015 and 2016 also failed to detect any individuals. The lack of detections from targeted surveys over seven years between 2009 and 2016 suggests that the Tyagarah population of the subspecies has been lost. Reasons for this loss are unclear but may be due to a combination of factors including isolation of the reserve by urban development and highway upgrades, a lack of fire for 40 years, competition for food with the local population of the Australian Brush-turkey Alectura lathami, prolonged drought and possibly, predation by the Red Fox Vulpes vulpes and non-target effects of predator control programs.


Zootaxa ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 1222 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
LAUREN E. HUGHES ◽  
JAMES K. LOWRY

Nine new species of epibenthic amphipods are described from the Solitary Islands, mid-north coast, New South Wales, Australia. Material was collected on natural habitats and from a range of small plastic artificial substrates. Protohyale pusilla (Chevreux, 1907) is reported from Australia for the first time. The subgenus Telsosynopia Karaman, 1986 is given generic status and Regalia juliana Lowry & Springthorpe, 2005 is transferred to Tepidopleustes in the pleustid subfamily Austropleustinae. New species include: Protohyale solitaire sp. nov. (Hyalidae); Ericthonius rodneyi sp. nov. and Ericthonius forbesii sp. nov. (Ischyroceridae); Liljeborgia polonius sp. nov. (Liljeborgiidae); Elasmopus arrawarra sp. nov. and Hoho cornishi sp. nov. (Melitidae); Gammaropsis legoliath sp. nov. (Photidae); Tepidopleustes coffsiana sp. nov. (Pleustidae); and Telsosynopia trifidilla sp. nov. (Synopiidae).


1997 ◽  
Vol 166 (6) ◽  
pp. 290-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim J Sladden ◽  
Alan R Hickey ◽  
Thérèse M Dunn ◽  
John R Beard

1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. S. Andrews ◽  
C. E. Jones ◽  
R. D. B. Whalley

Summary. Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of temperature, light and leaf extract solutions on the germination of Giant Parramatta grass [GPG, Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. major (Buse) Baaijens] collected from a population on the North Coast of New South Wales. In the first experiment, seeds were subjected to one of a range of temperature combinations immediately after collection and again after 8 and 27 weeks. Germination was restricted to a narrow range of alternating temperatures with a peak at 35°C day/15°C night when seeds were tested immediately after collection. More seeds germinated when the samples had been stored, although germination remained depressed at constant temperatures. These data indicate that freshly collected GPG seeds are subject to primary dormancy and that few would germinate in the field immediately after seed fall. In a second experiment, seeds were buried beneath leaf litter in a pasture immediately after collection. After 7 months, the seeds were exhumed and subjected to either constant (20°C) or alternating (35/15°C) temperatures in either full light, reduced red:far-red (R : FR) light or dark treatments. Over 95% of GPG seeds germinated when subjected to alternating temperatures, regardless of light treatment. At constant temperatures, 97% of seeds germinated under full light, 59% at reduced R : FR light and <1% in dark treatments. A germination response to alternating temperatures and/or light treatments has been reported in pasture weeds and may be an adaptation to detecting gaps in the pasture canopy. Consequently, the germination of GPG in a pasture may be manipulated to some extent by altering the amount of pasture cover using grazing management, mowing and fertiliser applications. In experiment 3, leaves from a range of coastal grasses were mixed with water and the solutions were used to germinate GPG seeds. Solutions extracted from setaria (Setaria sphacelata) leaves completely inhibited GPG germination while 27% of GPG seeds germinated when imbibed with kikuyu leaf extract solution. Solution extracted from carpet grass (Axonopus affinis) leaves had the least effect on GPG germination. In experiment 4, the effects of solutions that had been leached from the leaves of either setaria or carpet grass on seed germination, and root and shoot lengths of GPG seedlings were compared. Germination was less inhibited by leachate solutions compared with the extract solutions used in experiment 3. Seedlings in setaria leachates had significantly shorter roots and shoots than both those germinated in carpet grass leachates and control seedlings. This may explain, at least in part, why carpet-grass-based pastures are readily infested with GPG while setaria-based pastures are relatively resistant to infestation. The potential for allelopathic interactions between GPG and setaria to be fully utilised to reduce the abundance of GPG in coastal New South Wales pastures is discussed.


1971 ◽  
Vol 11 (50) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Murtagh

The effectiveness of chemical seedbed preparation for sod-sown oats was studied using varying intervals between spraying and sowing. Four herbicides were compared in a second experiment. Both experiments were conducted on paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) dominant pastures on red basaltic soil on the North Coast of New South Wales. Herbicides were most effective when applied at 6.7 kg acid equivalent a hectare. At this rate, the highest yields of dry matter and nitrogen were obtained when there was a three-week interval and considerably less when there was no interval. A mixture of 2,2-DPA (2,2-dichloropropionic acid) and amitrole (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) was more effective than 2,2-DPA alone with a three-week spraying interval but there was no difference with a six-week interval. Both amitrole and a mixture of amitrole and ammonium thiocyanate were ineffective for chemical seedbed preparation on paspalum pastures;


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