Areas Of South-eastern Australia Research Articles

Pentaceration, an unusual new genus of Paramunnidae from Australia (Isopoda, Asellota)

A new genus, Pentaceration, in the janiroid asellote family Paramunnidae from the Bass Strait area in south-eastern Australia is diagnosed. The distinguishing characters of species in the new genus are 1 central and 2 lateral spines on the frontal margin of the head, elongate eyestalks, lateral spines of varying length on pereonites 2–7, and reduced width of pereonite 4 compared with 3 and 5. Descriptions are presented of the type species, Pentaceration bassiana, and a second new species, P. spinosissima. The new genus appears to be wide-spread around Australia and New Zealand, where several as yet undescribed species have been noted, ranging from the upper sublitoral to abyssal depth. The relationship of Pentaceration to other paramunnid genera with covered coxae on all legs is discussed.

The two-component model for the genesis of granitic rocks in southeastern Australia — Nature of the metasedimentary-derived and basaltic end members

Granitic magmas in three areas of southeastern Australia are the product of melting of quartzofeldspathic metasedimentary rock (high-silica end member) combined with varying degrees of incorporation of mafic (dominantly basaltic) magma (low-silica end member). The link between granitic magma and local metasedimentary rock is established by identifying shared geochemical signatures in Sr, Na 2O and K 2O contents. High-silica end members have compositions formed in a genetic spectrum from total source mobilisation to partial melt segregation from metasedimentary rock. The position of a granitic end member in this spectrum is monitored by titanium contents varying from normal metasedimentary to the strongly depleted induced by partial melting. The titanium signature of partial melting is established in a type area with unequivocal links between migmatite mesosomes and leucosomes and the high-silica end members of granitic variation systems that extend to lower silica. The low-silica end members approximate high-alumina basalts on the basis of observed gabbros and projection of granitic variation lines to equivalent gabbroic compositions. High-alumina basalt is postulated to be a fundamental ingredient in the petrogenesis of orogenic granitic rocks.

Phylogeography of Philypnodon species (Teleostei: Eleotridae) across south-eastern Australia: testing patterns of connectivity across drainage divides and among coastal rivers

Phylogeographical studies based on DNA sequences offer insights into intraspecific genetic patterns, elucidating the history and structure of populations and their habitats. We used mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome b) to study the phylogeography and population genetics in two sympatric species in the freshwater fish genus Philypnodon throughout south-eastern Australia. We sought to determine how populations were related across drainage divides, and whether transfer among adjacent coastal drainages was related to continental shelf width or intradrainage distance. Phylogeographical structure was greater in Philypnodon macrostomus Hoese & Reader, 2006 compared with Philypnodon grandiceps (Krefft, 1864), with results for P. macrostomus showing evidence for the presence of distinct groupings in different areas of south-eastern Australia. There was evidence of drainage-divide crossings in P. grandiceps in western Victoria, and in P. macrostomus between the Burnett River and the Murray-Darling Basin in south-eastern Queensland. Both species showed low levels of divergence along the narrow continental shelf of New South Wales, but as continental shelf width increased moving north in south-eastern Queensland, population divergence also generally increased. Thus, as the potential riverine connectivity during periods of low sea levels increased, genetic divergences also increased, counter to expectations. Also, population Fst measures did not correlate as predicted with continental shelf width, nor was a significant relationship detected between Fst and the distance between populations. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95, 175‐192.

Spatial interpolation of daily humidity using natural neighbours over mountain areas in south eastern Australia

Natural neighbour interpolation was investigated to estimate daily humidity at specific sites in a mountain area The Global Summary of Day (GSOD) dataset was used to obtain weather data in mountain areas in south eastern Australia Eighteen weather stations were selected as validation sites Dew point temperature was estimated from January to December 2007 When the inverse distance weight method was used without adjusting the elevation difference between stations accuracy of virtual dew point temperature was poor with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 36C When natural neighbour interpolation was used the MAE for dew point temperature was 21C with altitude adjustment Furthermore application of wet adiabatic lapse rate (0004C/m) for altitude adjustment reduced the MAE to 13C These results will be used to improve the accuracy of weather estimates in areas with complex terrain in order to implement crop disease predictions using risk models

Classifying wine festival customers

PurposeTo provide a better understanding of the relationship between wine festivals, winery visitation and wineries in order to determine whether wine festivals are an effective promotional tool.Design/methodology/approachPrimary data identifying the characteristics of festival patrons was gathered from regional wine festivals in Australia, then compared with Hall's stratified, New Zealand wine tourist market segments to ascertain whether the “right type” of consumer is attracted to wine festivals.FindingsThe study concludes that wine festivals are successful promotional strategies that attract a diverse mix of consumers including the preferred consumer type, namely those with a high predilection to purchase wine.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted in a wine growing area of south eastern Australia. Case studies of other regions would be of interest to determine the reliability of the findings.Originality/valuePrevious studies of wineries and events approach from a wine tourist's perspective. From a winery's perspective however, successful wine festivals are those that not only attract consumers wishing to trial and buy wine products but ultimately lead to ongoing brand recognition and loyalty. This study specifically considers the juxtaposition of wine festivals and their patrons and therefore the effectiveness of this promotional strategy.

Trangie wallaby grass [Austrodanthonia caespitosa (Gaudich.) H.P. Linder

Trangie wallaby grass, Austrodanthonia caespitosa (Dc1), is a composite of wild ecotypes collected from western New South Wales. A. caespitosa is a widespread native grass adapted to a broad range of environmental conditions but is particularly suited to low rainfall (300–450 mm) areas of south-eastern Australia. In this region, this cultivar has a demonstrated superior persistence to its close relative A. richardsonii (Cashmore) H.P. Linder cv. Taranna and the widely used pasture species, phalaris (Phalaris aquatica cv. Sirolan) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata cv. Currie). This superior persistence was apparent in its ability to recruit new seedlings, even under summer drought conditions. Trangie wallaby grass was maintained under seed increase for 5 years at Trangie Agricultural Research Centre and subsequently at Dareton Agricultural and Advisory Station for 3 years.

Risk factors for Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, southeastern Australia.

Buruli/Bairnsdale ulcer (BU) is a severe skin and soft tissue disease caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. To better understand how BU is acquired, we conducted a case-control study during a sustained outbreak in temperate southeastern Australia. We recruited 49 adult patients with BU and 609 control participants from a newly recognized BU-endemic area in southeastern Australia. Participants were asked about their lifestyle and insect exposure. Odds ratios were calculated by using logistic regression and were adjusted for age and location of residence. Odds of having BU were at least halved for those who frequently used insect repellent, wore long trousers outdoors, and immediately washed minor skin wounds; odds were at least doubled for those who received mosquito bites on the lower legs or lower arms. This study provides new circumstantial evidence that implicates mosquitoes in the transmission of M. ulcerans in southeastern Australia.

Two New Species of ChlamydopsisWestwood (Coleoptera: Histeridae)

Abstract Two new species of the myrmecophilous histerid genus Chlamydopsis Westwood are described. One, C. doutti Caterino, new species, belongs to the C. epipleuralis group, and is closely related to C. convexa Caterino. The close relatives of this species all occur in temperate areas in southeastern Australia, while C. doutti is known only from a single locality in central Queensland. The other species, C. chadster Caterino, new species, represents the third true Chlamydopsis known from New Guinea. It is known only from the type locality on Japen Island, off the northwest coast of Papua, Indonesia, and is not obviously related to the other two New Guinean Chlamydopsis.

Indirect Impacts of Nature Based Tourism and Recreation: The Association Between Infrastructure and the Diversity of Exotic Plants in Kosciuszko National Park, Australia

Tourism and recreation in protected areas results in a range of indirect impacts on the environment, including facilitating the spread of weeds. This research note examines the associations between tourism infrastructure and the diversity and frequency of exotic plants in a large and popular protected area in south-eastern Australia, Kosciuszko National Park. Of the 156 exotic taxa recorded in 18 vegetation surveys between 1986 and 2004, 152 were associated with tourism infrastructure; 64 taxa on road verges, 50 in ski resort areas, and a further 66 exclusively in the ski resort gardens. As many exotics become invasive environmental weeds, this study highlights the need to limit both the introduction of exotic propagules and the disturbance to natural vegetation during the construction, maintenance and use of tourism infrastructure in protected areas. If damage to vegetation has occurred, effective rehabilitation programmes are required.

Estimating the incidence of fly myiases in Australian sheep flocks: development of a weather‐driven regression model

The blowfly, Lucilia cuprina Wiedemann (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is the primary myiasis (strike) fly of sheep in Australia. Most strike occurs in the anal-perineum area (crutch), but strike to the neck, shoulders, back and withers (body) is also important. Regression analysis was used to determine the extent to which the weekly incidence of flystrike can be explained by variations in fly abundance and/or recent changes in weather, pasture conditions or flock management. Strike and flock management data were collected by questionnaire surveys of 30-60 sheep properties in each of three major sheep-producing areas in southeastern Australia, namely, Gunning (southern New South Wales), Inverell (northern New South Wales) and Flinders Island (Bass Strait). After using simulation modelling to remove effects due to shearing, crutching and/or insecticide treatment, pasture growth index was found to be the most important explanatory variable affecting the incidence of all forms of myiasis. Others were average weekly air temperature, the amount and frequency of rainfall, relative humidity, dung quality index and a factor denoting seasonal effects. Together, these variables accounted for 48.4% of the variation in body strike, 56.8% of that in crutch strike and 51.9% of that in other forms of strike. Prediction was improved by the inclusion of additional lagged variables describing previous strike, fly abundance and fly activity. With these additions, the variation explained increased to 60.4% for body strike, 68.0% for crutch strike and 58.3% for other strikes.

Does high growth rate of juvenile house mice with prolonged access to ripening grain and free water drive population outbreaks?

Post‐weaning growth rates were measured for juvenile house mice (Mus domesticus) reared under four experimental treatments representing dietary conditions in cereal‐growing areas of southeastern Australia. The mice were bred in captivity from adult wild mice captured in mature dry cereal crops during summer. Juvenile mice were caged in pairs at 23°C and offered a diet of either ripening wheat heads or mature dry wheat heads, with or without access to free water. All diets were adequate for survival, but juvenile mice on a diet of ripening wheat with water available grew at 0.25 g day–1, 260% faster than those on a diet of mature wheat and deprived access to free water. Mice on a diet of ripening wheat but deprived of free water and those on a diet of mature wheat with water available grew at intermediate rates. Post‐weaning growth rates of mice in all treatment groups were higher when the young were weaned at higher body mass. The results have implications for estimates of growth, timing of sexual maturity and reproduction of mice in field populations, and indicate that prolonged access to ripening grain and/or relief from moisture stress are likely to be critical to rapid population increase during population outbreaks.

Scattered native trees and soil patterns in grazing land on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia

Over large areas of south-eastern Australia, the original cover of native woodland has been extensively cleared or modified, and what remains is often characterised by scattered trees beneath which the ground-storey vegetation is largely grazed or otherwise managed. This study investigated the influence of scattered Blakely’s red gum (Eucalyptus blakelyi) trees on both near-surface and deeper soil layers in temperate grazed pastures on the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. A significant canopy effect was observed with elevated soil pH, carbon, and nutrient status inside the tree canopy indicating soil enrichment in a zone around the tree. This effect, however, was largely restricted to the surface (0–0.20 m) soil layers. Chloride concentrations were elevated near to trees but only in the deeper soil layers, suggesting that a modified water use and deep drainage mechanism occurred near the trees. Close to the tree, however, a significant acidification was observed between 0.40–0.60 m depth in the soil, without any obvious depletion in other soil element concentrations. It is concluded that this acidification provides strong evidence in support of a ‘biological pumping’ mechanism that has been proposed elsewhere. Key questions remain as to the management implications of these results, whether the subsurface acidification that was observed is common among native Australian trees, if it might be persistent through time, and if this might be a soil issue that requires management.

Improved predictions of groundwater salinisation rates in the Tintinara Highlands area of South Australia - the role of geology and geophysics

In many areas of South Eastern Australia, saline soil-water in the unsaturated zone overlies fresher groundwater. In areas where remnant vegetation has been removed and has been replaced with pasture/cropping, enhanced drainage has resulted which, after a lag time, flushes the saline soil-water into the underlying aquifer. For an area near Tintinara in SE Australia, spatial simulations of groundwater salinisation under dryland and irrigation scenarios were developed for a 200 year timeframe using a distributed parameter recharge model. Inputs to the model include spatial patterns of near surface clay materials determined from the constrained inversion of helicopter frequency domain EM data. The clay significantly affects the lag time and the salt flux to the aquifer. Under dryland agriculture leaching of the salt to the aquifer takes between 50 and 200 years, whereas under irrigation leaching takes between 20 and 50 years. Under irrigation the salinity of the groundwater is expected to increase from 1000 ? 6000mg/L over the next 25-40 years. While there are no obvious economic measures available to prevent salinisation, the modelling suggests that efficient irrigation on appropriate soils could slow the process.

Contrasting mechanisms of salt delivery to the stream from three different landforms in South Eastern Australia

Summary This study explores the pathways of salt and water movement from the landscape to the stream across major landforms, in dryland areas of south eastern Australia. It was conducted at the Livingstone Creek catchment (∼43 km2) a sub catchment of the Kyeamba catchment, NSW, Australia. An extensive stream salinity field monitoring network between major landforms was developed and data capture occurred from 2002 to 2004. Additional measurements of surface water isotopes were also taken to independently assess responses observed from the detailed monitoring network and assist in determining the sources of water. Flow and salt mass balances were calculated across four gauging stations for each event. The stream monitoring found patterns of salt delivery to streams were consistent during four monitored stream events. In the hill slope and colluvial fill, lower sloped, meta-sediment landforms, stream salinity responses showed the classical salinity response to an event: an initial increase of salinity at the beginning of an event (due to first flush) which then diminished as a consequence of dilution. The main difference between these landforms was that the colluvial fill lower sloped meta-sediments had sodic, low permeability soils near the stream edge. This lead to (1) less variation in stream salinities during event conditions and (2) during low base flow increases in stream salinity occurred as concentrated salts from the stream banks dissolved. For the flatter, alluvial landforms, the salinity response showed quite a different and contrasting temporal pattern: salinity continued to increase and vary directly with flow during events. For all the landforms, base flow salinity increases as flow diminished after a event although salinity responses were more lagged in the alluvial landform. This different salinity pattern in the alluvial landform is attributed to (1) for event flow, the increased contributions of more saline subsurface lateral flow of soil water from the alluvial landform compared to very fresh direct surface runoff sourced from hillslope landforms upstream and (2) for base flow, seepage of near stream alluvial groundwater through the stream banks that was less saline then the base flow water sourced upstream from the hillslope landforms. The stream water isotope values confirm the above findings by showing that, in the alluvial landforms soil water contributions are important during events and that direct surface runoff with little interaction of soil water occurs from the hill slope landforms during events. Conceptual models describing salt and water movement through the different landforms and under different antecedent catchment wetness conditions are presented. These conceptual models develop our understanding of water and solute (salt) pathways through the landscape to the stream. To date, this is one of the few experimental studies in Australia connecting landscape and stream salinisation.

On the relationship between training sample size and data dimensionality: Monte Carlo analysis of broadband multi-temporal classification

The number of training samples per class ( n) required for accurate Maximum Likelihood (ML) classification is known to be affected by the number of bands ( p) in the input image. However, the general rule which defines that n should be 10 p to 30 p is often enforced universally in remote sensing without questioning its relevance to the complexity of the specific discrimination problem. Furthermore, identifying this many training samples is often problematic when many classes and/or many bands are used. It is important, then, to test how this generally accepted rule matches common remote sensing discrimination problems because it could be unnecessarily restrictive for many applications. This study was primarily conducted in order to test whether the general rule defining the relationship between n and p was well-suited for ML classification of a relatively simple remote sensing-based discrimination problem. To summarise the mean response of n-to- p for our study site, a Monte Carlo procedure was used to randomly stack various numbers of bands into thousands of separate image combinations that were then classified using an ML algorithm. The bands were randomly selected from a 119-band Enhanced Thematic Mapper-plus (ETM+) dataset comprised of 17 images acquired during the 2001–2002 southern hemisphere summer agricultural growing season over an irrigation area in south-eastern Australia. Results showed that the number of training samples needed for accurate ML classification was much lower than the current widely accepted rule. Due to the asymptotic nature of the relationship, we found that 95% of the accuracy attained using n = 30 p samples could be achieved by using approximately 2 p to 4 p samples, or ≤ 1 / 7th the currently recommended value of n. Our findings show that the number of training samples needed for a simple discrimination problem is much less than that defined by the general rule and therefore the rule should not be universally enforced; the number of training samples needed should also be determined by considering the complexity of the discrimination problem.

Understanding the salinisation process for groundwater in an area of south-eastern Australia, using hydrochemical and isotopic evidence

Increases in groundwater salinity down gradient are a common occurrence in catchments throughout Australia, exacerbating the effects of dryland salinisation in discharge areas. Groundwater hydrochemical and isotopic data from the Willaura catchment in south-eastern Australia, which is affected by both primary (natural) and secondary (human-induced) salinity, allowed the factors that cause the down gradient trend in salinisation within this catchment to be determined. The overall salinity of the groundwater (0.8–70 mS/cm) is controlled by evapotranspiration, which concentrates cyclic salts in the unsaturated zone, greatly increasing the salinity of the soil–water to 3700–6400 mg/L Cl −. The progressive addition of this saline soil–water to fresher groundwaters recharged on the catchment margins causes a gradual increase in salinity down gradient. The groundwater stable isotope compositions show that most recharge occurs in winter and spring. Groundwater salinities increase around the saline lakes of the discharge zone, due to direct evaporation from shallow watertables and minor dissolution of halite (as indicated by Cl −/Br − ratios). Mineral–water interactions within the aquifers cause a slight overall reduction in salinity; conversion of kaolinite to smectite and illite, and cation exchange of Na + for Ca 2+ on smectites, cause Na +/Cl −, Mg 2+/Cl −, K +/Cl −, Si/Cl − and HCO 3 −/Cl − ratios to progressively decline and pH to gradually increase down gradient. Oxidation of organic matter causes a strong decrease in the redox potential of the groundwaters down gradient. The groundwater ages increase from modern (containing tritium) on the catchment margins to ∼8000 years (based on 14C dating) at the end of the ∼25 km flow path. The older groundwaters are isotopically heavier than the younger waters, probably due to recharge during a wetter climate in the early Holocene. The groundwater ages show clearly that the progressive addition of saline soil–water, causing groundwaters to become more saline down gradient, has occurred throughout the Holocene and may explain the occurrence of primary salinisation within many Australian catchments.

Geographic variation in advertisement calls of Crinia signifera (Anura:Myobatrachidae) in the Bass Strait area of south-eastern Australia

The structure of recorded advertisement calls of a total of 176 males of Crinia signifera from eight localities on the south-eastern Australian mainland and Tasmania was investigated. On the basis of number of pulses per call (samples from all localities) and call duration adjusted to 13.0°C (samples from six localities), two geographic groups are recognised: (1) south-central Victoria, and (2) the extreme south-eastern mainland and Tasmania. This pattern of variation is postulated to reflect expansion of a differentiated Tasmanian stock on to the extreme south-eastern Australian mainland along the eastern sill of the Bassian Isthmus during the lower sea levels of the Late Pleistocene. Geographic variation in pulse rate (derived from number of pulses and call duration) was also considered because of its use in previous studies. The variation in dominant frequency in samples from five localities, adjusted for snout–vent length, does not conform to that for number of pulses and call duration, and is attributed to differences in demographic structure and recruitment.

Spatial analysis of anthropogenic disturbance regimes and roadside shrubs in a fragmented agricultural landscape

Abstract. In fragmented woodlands in agricultural regions of Australia, roadside environments (road verges) provide important refuges for threatened native fauna and isolated populations of plant species. However, as roads are transport corridors for humans and their vehicles, species survival is affected through destruction, fragmentation and modification of remaining habitat by human activity. Few studies have recognised the effects of anthropogenic disturbances, in the form of historical roadworks activities, on adjacent roadside plant populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soil disturbance from roadworks on the spatial patterns and structural dynamics of roadside Acacia populations in an agricultural area in southeastern Australia. Stem size and disturbance data were collected from 135 roadside populations of three species of Acacia shrubs in the Lockhart Shire area. Spatial pattern analysis using the Network K‐function and Discriminant Function analyses showed that road verge width, road category, disturbance intensity and distance to nearest town were highly significant variables in relation to disturbance from roadworks and shrub structural dynamics. Colonising populations were more abundant along gravel roads where soil disturbance intensity was high, whereas stable populations were more abundant where soil disturbance intensity was low. Senescent populations were more abundant in narrow, little used road verge corridors 4–6 km from nearby towns. These results suggest that anthropogenic disturbance regimes may be critical to shrub recruitment and persistence in roadside environments, which has important consequences for conservation of threatened native flora and fauna in agricultural landscapes.

Sound recording of bird vocalisations in forests. II. Longitudinal profiles in vocal activity

As early morning bird vocalisation is a major feature of many bird communities, longitudinal profiles of vocal activity data, collected using sound recorders, were compared for a range of habitat types in the Tumut area of south-eastern Australia. There was a significant, and roughly linear, decline in vocal activity across the morning after an initial early peak of activity. Vocal activity persisted longer at sites located within large areas of continuous eucalypt forest than in the strip- and patch-shaped eucalypt remnants surrounded by extensive stands of radiata pine or at sites dominated by stands of radiata pine. There was evidence that the pattern of persistence of vocal activity differed among the different bird groups.

Predation risk and habitat selection of Australian house mice , Mus domesticus, during an incipient plague: desperate behaviour due to food depletion

We studied habitat selection and foraging behaviour of the house mouse (Mus domesticus) related to increasing mouse densities and depleting food resources over the breeding season. The study was conducted during the increase phase of an incipient outbreak of mice in a grain‐growing area of southeastern Australia. A 3‐year rotation created a mosaic of large paddocks of grain crop, pasture, and fallow. The narrow fence lines between paddocks provide an important stable habitat for the mice. We monitored population densities with live‐trapping and habitat preference by measuring giving‐up densities (GUD) using artificial food patches. Food patches were established in crop fields, fence lines, and pasture. Avian predation risk was assessed by daily counts of raptors. Before harvest most mice were found in the crop fields. Fewer mice were found along the fence lines and no mice were found in the pasture. After harvest, the number of mice increased along the fence line and in the pasture. Mice started to exploit pasture but only a few trays were visited. As the population densities of mice increased, they inhabited all habitats. Feeding activity in the pasture remained low due to high predation risk. Along fence lines feeding activity increased and mice exploited open and covered patches similarly. We conclude that during high densities mice experience a strong trade‐off between food and safety. Vegetation along fence lines offered cover but little food. However, soon after harvest this habitat was favoured by mice. Pasture offered little food and was an extremely risky habitat because of the lack of cover. We suggest that during high densities of mice, habitat use became more opportunistic. Mice took greater risks in all habitats and within each habitat at the microhabitat level. The “Stalingrad effect” is a good descriptor of foraging decisions of mice during the progression of an incipient plague in the cereal‐growing regions of southeastern Australia.