Hibiscus cummingii Wannan (Malvaceae), a new species from north-east Queensland

[Extract] The sap of the Red Stringybark or Red Mahogany Eucalyptus resinifera is an important dietary component for the northern race of the Yellow-bellied Glider Petaurus australis reginae, locally named the Fluffy Glider (Quin 1996). In north-east Queensland, Yellow-bellied Gliders are classified as vulnerable, with a distribution limited to the wet sclerophyll forests at the western edge of the rainforest, between Daintree and Cardwell (Maxwell et al.1996). Harrington & Sanderson (1994) have shown that these wet sclerophyll forests have contracted by more than 50% in the past 50 years due to logging and invasion by rainforest. Yellow-bellied Gliders emerge at night to forage on sap, which is obtained by biting out small patches of bark from the trunk or main branches. Only E.resinifera is exploited in this way in north-east Queensland whereas a number of species of eucalypt are used in other parts of Australia (Russell 1995). Sap continues to exude during the day and birds regularly feed at the active sap-scars, an event that has been reported only by Russell (1981) in north-east Queensland. Goldingay (1996) briefly mentions diurnal use of the sap-feeding wounds but provides no details. This paper reports our observations of the species of bird using sap-scars; we discuss this behaviour and the factors influencing its occurrence.

Some long term effects of (a) converting rainforest to grassland, and (b) rainforest regeneration on cleared land were investigated by comparing chemical properties of mineral soil (0-10 cm depth) from beneath primary rainforest, derived grassland and old secondary rainforest. Grasslands and secondary rainforest. were on land cleared at least 50 years ago. The study was undertaken on the Atherton Tableland in north east Queensland using soils formed on basalt, granite and metamorphic rocks. Organic C, kjeldahl N and labile N were 15-50% lower (P < 0.05) beneath grassland than primary rainforest for all soils, and were higher beneath secondary rainforest than grassland. Exchangeable Ca varied in a similar way in basaltic soils but did not differ between vegetation types in the other soils. Extractable Al was lower under grassland than either forest type for soils formed on granite and metamorphic rock. Total and organic P concentrations did not differ between primary forest and grassland, but were lowest under secondary rainforest for soils on metamorphic rock.

The transition to sustainability requires institutional and individual change and in response, sustainability science is increasingly adopting participatory and collaborative research approaches. To address the dearth of systematic evaluation of the impact of these approaches, this article reports on the outcomes of an ex post evaluation of a participatory research project on sustainability in north east Queensland. A framework was developed to guide the evaluation process, which used both process and outcome criteria to measure the impact of adopting participatory approaches. In terms of process, the findings suggest there is great value in bringing different perspectives together (in terms of individual and collective learning; enhanced capacity to engage), but the process needs careful management. In terms of outcomes, on-ground change through the implementation of the research emerged as the most important criterion in judging a project's success. The implications of the findings with regard to future participatory approaches for sustainability research are discussed.

There has been considerable recent concern over the amount of vegetation clearance in the wet tropics of northern Australia. This paper reports on the results of a case study undertaken in the lower Herbert River catchment in north-east Queensland, which utilised remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to assess both spatial and temporal changes in land cover since European settlement in the mid-nineteenth century. We demonstrate that since European settlement there has been a substantial reduction in the area of Melaleuca, rainforest, and eucalyptus-dominated land-cover patterns. We also provide a range of quantitative measures to show that the landscape diversity, integrity and quality of these ecosystems have also declined between the 1860s and 1996. We conclude that reform is required at policy, planning and enterprise levels if the ecological, economic and social values of these systems are to be maintained in the future.

We describe a new species of velvet gecko (Diplodactylidae: Oedura) from north-east Queensland, Australia. Oedura jowalbinna sp. nov. is a robust, medium-sized (SVL 60–69 mm) gecko that is readily distinguished from its congeners by its distinctive dorsal colour pattern. The dorsum is grey with faint freckling and a pale, dark-edged band across the neck and another across the base of the tail. The combination of a yellow tail and a grey body is also distinctive. Oedura jowalbinna sp. nov. also differs significantly from the most similar congener, O. coggeri, in a multivariate analysis of morphology and scalation, primarily due to its smaller body size, higher interorbital, supralabial and infralabial scale counts, and lower subdigital lamellae scale count. These traits are generally non-overlapping between O. jowalbinna sp. nov. and O. coggeri, however, more individuals of O. jowalbinna sp. nov. need to be assessed to accurately determine variation within the new species. All O. jowalbinna sp. nov. were found at night on overhangs in dissected sandstone escarpment south-west of the town of Laura. Surveys are required to determine the distribution of O. jowalbinna sp. nov. across the sandstone escarpments of the Laura region. This species is the third reptile species (along with the skinks Ctenotus quinkan and C. nullum) described that has a highly localised range centred on the sandstone escarpments of the Laura region. Additionally, included herein is a comparison of O. coggeri and O. monilis. Typical dorsal colour pattern differs between these two species but the large amount of variation (particularly in O. coggeri) merges these differences. Oedura coggeri and O. monilis could not be distinguished in multivariate analyses of morphology and scalation. Genetic data and further analyses of colour pattern, morphology and scalation are required to resolve species boundaries within and between these two species.

Ten bird species were quantified as nonresidents in tropical wet sclerophyll forest, northeast Queensland, Australia: the banded honeyeater Certhionyx pectoralis (Gould, 1841), leaden flycatcher Myiagra rubecula (Latham, 1801), white-throated needletail Hirundapus caudacutus (Latham, 1802), black-faced monarch Monarcha melanopsis (Vieillot, 1818), shining bronze-cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus (Gmelin, 1788), satin flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca (Vieillot, 1818), spangled drongo Dicrurus bracteatus (Gould, 1842), slender-billed cicadabird Coracina tenuirostris (Jardine, 1831), satin bowerbird Ptilonorhynchus violaceus (Vieillot, 1816), and mistletoebird Dicaeum hirundinaceum (Shaw & Nodder, 1792). These nonresident species comprised 23% of the abundant and common bird species (n = 44) in the tropical wet sclerophyll forest during our study period (September 1995–October 1997). The greatest density of nonresident birds (0.674 individuals/ha) was during January–February (mid–late summer, wet season) when nine of the species were present. In contrast, the lowest density of nonresident birds (0.058 individuals/ha) was during July–August (mid–late winter, dry season) when only three of the species were present. As climate change continues, we expect that the arrival and departure times, the lengths of stay, and the elevational distributions of the nonresident birds in the tropical wet sclerophyll forest will shift. Our study contributes to the baseline against which future studies of the 10 nonresident bird species can be compared.

The Claret Creek Ring Complex is one of several calc‐alkaline ring complexes in a Carboniferous epizonal batholith emplaced into continental crust at the junction of the Precambrian Georgetown Inlier and the adjacent Palaeozoic Tasman Geo‐syncline, northeast Queensland. Rhyolite ash‐flow sheets plus rhyolite and dacite ring dykes are intruded by two comagmatic central stocks of microgranite and grano‐diorite‐tonalite. The complex may be chemically distinguished from the surrounding, contemporaneous batholith by its low K/Na, Rb/Sr and Th/K ratios. The origin and variation of its magmas is explained by invoking progressive partial melting of low K/Na basaltic andesites. Close relatives to the magma source‐rock are preserved as microdiorite xenoliths, which have contaminated their host granodiorite‐tonalite stock.

Managing rangeland enterprises requires balancing socio-economic goals within a production environment characterised by ecological complexity and large climatic variability. Trafalgar Station in north-east Queensland, has been trying to maintain this balance over a period of 80 years and three generations of the one family. This paper explores how management on Trafalgar Station has gone through four evolutionary phases and examines the advantages and disadvantages of each of these stages of development. The first 50 years of management was a technologically constrained era of low stock numbers and poor productivity but there were few resource management problems. Next followed a 20 year period of production maximisation which was made possible by improved cattle genetics and nutritional technologies. With drought feeding occurring more frequently and loss of perennial grasses and soil becoming more evident, there came the realisation that this high stocking strategy was unsustainable. The management of Trafalgar then embarked on a new philosophy based on conservative stocking (similar to historical levels) and increased emphasis on herd, pasture and financial management. This new management philosophy required a transitional phase where stock numbers. and income, were very low to allow pasture condition to improve. Current herd management focuses on maintaining quality rather than quantity, strategic use of supplements for production, and developing a diverse range of markets for sale cattle. Conservative stock numbers have increased opportunities in pasture management with 15 to 20% of the property now annually rested from grazing. Fire has been reintroduced to restrict "thickening" of native woody plants and to control exotic woody weeds. Together with long-term financial planning, these improvements in management are reducing economic risk. The perceived benefits of the current management philosophy are supported by simulation modelling studies of pasture and animal production and analyses of property economics.

Anthracology, the systematic recovery and analysis of wood charcoal from archaeological sites, provides insights into past subsistence practices, socio-ecological interactions and palaeoenvironments. A pilot study focusing on the identification of firewood taxa from the late Holocene deposit at Goddard Creek has revealed the fuel choices and collection patterns of Rainforest Aboriginal people in the settlement of upland notophyll rainforest on the Evelyn tableland in northeast Queensland, Australia. The analysis indicates the existence of a floristically rich rainforest site at the time of occupation, with potentially up to 90 different rainforest taxa recorded, including the positive identification of 37 taxa. Firewood used in association with toxic nut processing at the site consisted of the preferential selection of fresh Rhodamnia sp. wood and Citronella sp. branches, possibly for specialised functions, as well as a range of other taxa that were collected according to availability from the surrounding rainforest. These preliminary results demonstrate the potential of anthracological analysis for archaeological interpretations in tropical Australia, while highlighting the continuing efforts required to successfully apply the discipline in this region. This study contributes to the wider research into the history of the wet tropics cultural landscape and is the first application of systematic wood charcoal studies to an archaeological site in the wet tropical rainforests of Australia.

Wet sclerophyll forest (also called tall open forest) is unique to Australia, being dominated by tall trees of the genus Eucalyptus (Myrtaceae). In this paper, we refer to the wet sclerophyll forest in north-east Queensland as tropical wet sclerophyll forest. Tropical wet sclerophyll forest is a threatened ecosystem which is maintained by fire. Our study describes the community, relative abundance and trophic structure of birds using the tropical wet sclerophyll forest. We surveyed the birds and recorded 100 taxa, of which = 29% (n = 29) are endemic to north-east Queensland. The community is comprised predominantly of insect-eaters (58% of the species) and nectar-feeders (26%), along with smaller guilds of fruit-eaters (11%) and seed-eaters (5%). Despite comprising only a small geographic area (82 800 ha), tropical wet sclerophyll forest supports a high diversity of birds. We believe it is essential that the tropical wet sclerophyll forest be conserved and managed to maintain the full range of its biodiversity. Because the tropical wet sclerophyll forest is fire-adapted and fire-dependent, the use of prescribed fire as a modern management tool is imperative. Unless fire has a central role in managing tropical wet sclerophyll forest, then this forest type and its dependent species will cease to exist.

Strong relationships between seasonal flooding, instream habitat structure and fish assemblages have been well documented in large tropical rivers (e.g. the flood pulse concept). However, the mechanics of these relationships are likely to differ substantially in smaller coastal rivers, such as those in Costa Rica, south-east Brazil and Australia’s Wet Tropics. These systems typically feature steep upland streams with short, deeply incised lowland channels and poorly connected floodplains. This hypothesis was investigated by documenting spatial and temporal variation in fish-habitat relationships in the Mulgrave River, north-east Queensland. Sampling was conducted at four lowland sites under a range of flow conditions, from dry-season baseflows to a one-in-ten-year flood. Longitudinal environmental gradients and fine-scale habitat patches were important in regulating fish assemblage structure during the dry season. However, high wet-season flows, constrained by the deep channel, acted as disturbances rather than gentle flood-pulses. In particular, the mobilisation of bed sediments led to scouring of aquatic vegetation and a dramatic reduction in habitat heterogeneity. Seasonal movements of fish led to significant changes in assemblage structure – from a community dominated by Neosilurus ater, Hypseleotris compressa, Awaous acritosus and Redigobius bikolanus during the dry season, to one dominated by Nematalosa erebi, Ambassis agrammus and Glossamia aprion during the wet season. Based on these observations, together with information from the literature, a conceptual model of fish-habitat dynamics is presented that is better suited to small tropical rivers than those developed in larger systems with expansive floodplains.

Methane flux from rainforest soils in northeast Queensland, Australia, was investigated using a combination of laboratory, field and simulation modelling. In aerobic laboratory incubations, CH4 uptake in the top 0.1 m of the soil (−2.5 to −7.3 μg CH4 kg−1 SDW day−1) is approximately one order of magnitude higher than CH4 production under anaerobic conditions. The highest CH4 uptake, as well as potential CH4 production is found in the uppermost C rich soil layers. Detailed measurements from three contrasting rainforest sites identified the soils to be functioning as sinks for atmospheric CH4. Fifteen months continuous measurement at one of the lowland rainforest sites showed that the seasonality of CH4 uptake was mainly driven by changes in soil moisture rather than by temperature changes. Maximum CH4 uptake (109 μg CH4 m−2 h−1) was observed during dry season conditions, whereas during the wet season, CH4 uptake decreased significantly to near zero. Based on our laboratory experiments and on published literature we developed a semi-empirical CH4 module for the biogeochemical model ForestDNDCtropica. Tests at several sites showed the robustness of our modelling approach with mean simulated values within 12% of observed values. To estimate regional CH4 uptake by rainforest soils in the region of the ‘Wet Tropics’, Queensland, Australia, we linked CH4 uptake and production algorithms to a regional GIS database. We estimated that the lowland and montane rainforest soils in northeast Queensland, Australia, were a net sink for CH4 with a mean uptake rate of −2.89 kg CH4 ha−1 year−1 during July 1996 to June 1997 period.

A simulation study was conducted to compare diverse grazing strategies for steers grazing open woodlands in northeast Queensland. Simulations included a wide range of possible stocking rates and pasture utilisation levels using 108 years (1889–1996) of daily climate data for Charters Towers. Five strategies were compared in terms of steer liveweight gain per ha, risk of weight loss, pasture availability, frequency of burning and soil loss. The strategies included constant stocking, stocking in response to available feed, and stocking in response to predicted future feed availability based on a climate forecast. For strategies achieving an average annual liveweight gain per head of about 100 kg, the simulation studies indicated that a responsive stocking rate strategy in June using a forecast of the next year’s pasture growth would increase liveweight gain per ha by about 10%, reduce the risk of liveweight loss by 57%, reduce risk of low pasture yield, but would slightly increase the risk of soil loss (4%). Maximum LWG/ha was achieved at high utilisation rates (> 35%). However, at such high levels of utilisation burning was achieved in less than 10% of years and soil loss was 30–40% more than at levels of utilisation regarded as safe (≈20%). The simulations highlighted the potential value of achieving in June, the skill from seasonal forecasting that is now available in November using average SOI in the Aug-Oct period as the indicator of season type. Assumptions in the model development are outlined and future work required is discussed. Despite the complexity of the simulation analysis, it is concluded that there is a trade-off between production and environmental damage, and that improved forecasting may improve production and/or reduce damage.

The Australian Wet Tropics World Heritage Area (WTWHA) in northeast Queensland is home to approximately 18 percent of the nation's total vascular plant species. Over the past century, human activity and industrial development have caused global climate changes, posing a severe and irreversible danger to the entire land-based ecosystem, and the WTWHA is no exception. The current average annual temperature of WTWHA in northeast Queensland is 24 °C. However, in the coming years (by 2030), the average annual temperature increase is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.4 °C compared to the climate observed between 1986 and 2005. Looking further ahead to 2070, the anticipated temperature rise is projected to be between 1.0 and 3.2 °C, with the exact range depending on future emissions. We identified 84 plant species, endemic to tropical montane cloud forests (TMCF) within the WTWHA, which are already experiencing climate change threats. Some of these plants are used in herbal medicines. This study comprehensively reviewed the metabolomics studies conducted on these 84 plant species until now toward understanding their physiological and metabolomics responses to global climate change. This review also discusses the following: (i) recent developments in plant metabolomics studies that can be applied to study and better understand the interactions of wet tropics plants with climatic stress, (ii) medicinal plants and isolated phytochemicals with structural diversity, and (iii) reported biological activities of crude extracts and isolated compounds.

The importance of Quaternary records in reducing risk from tropical cyclones