Cairns Region Research Articles

A new species ofLampropholis(Squamata: Scincidae) with a restricted, high altitude distribution in eastern Australia

The scincid Lizard genus Lampopholis (see Greer 1989 for current diagnosis and relationships) currently consists of 10 described species which range along the east coast of Australia from approximately the Cairns region in Queensland (Covacevich and Couper 1991) south to Tasmania (Green 1965) and west to Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island in South Australia (Schwaner et al. 1985; Houston and Tyler 1979). For its size, the genus is morphologically and ecologically diverse. At one extreme is the slightly depressed, long-legged rock climbing L. mirabilis, and at the other is the attenuate, short-legged grounddwelling L. caligula. The purpose of this paper is to describe a species that extends the attenuate range of morphological diversity in the genus. The species is also unusual in that it appears to be restricted to relatively high altitudes, i.e., 2 1 180 m.

Trace metal geochemical association in sediments from the Cairns region of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Some physico-chemical properties and concentrations of the trace metals Cu and Zn have been measured in sediments from the Coral Sea between the coast at Cairns (146°E 17°S) and the Great Barrier Reef. Surface sediments along an 18 km transect and a mid-transect core were examined. The acid soluble material increased from 20 to 36% and Ca increased from 12 to 47 mg g −1 with increasing distance from shore. Fe passed through a maximum of 32 mg g −1 at about 10 km offshore. The results show the pattern of sedimentation, with Fe representing terrestrial input, and acid soluble material and Ca representing CaCO 3. The CaCO 3 was mainly calcite with only minimal amounts of aragonite (coral). Microscopic examination showed shell material but no coral debris. The Cu concentration in the surface sediments (2.0–17 μg g −1) decreased with increasing distance from Cairns harbour (correlation coefficient Cu: dist −0.793). The Zn concentration (40–53 μg g −1) followed Fe (correlation coefficient Zn:Fe 0.932) with a maximum about 10 km offshore. There was no correlation of Cu and Fe (Cu:Fe 0.041) or Cu and Zn (Cu:Zn 0.178) showing that Cu and Zn came from different sources. The principle source of Cu is in the Cairns harbour region and may be a result of previous use of Cu-based marine antifouling paints. The Zn is dominantly associated with terrestrial inputs. Within the sediment profile 11 km offshore, the pattern of particle size was consistent with the top 6 cm of sediment having been resuspended during a cyclone. 210Pb concentrations also showed evidence of sediment mixing. Deeper in the sediment the average sedimentation rate was estimated at about 3.5 mm yr −1. Most of the CaCO 3 down the profile was calcite with no evidence of substantial input of coral material. The different sources of Cu and Zn could not be recognized within the core at this distance offshore.

Invasive disease due to Salmonella virchow: a North Queensland problem

Salmonella virchow is the second most commonly isolated salmonella serotype from human sources in Australia, and overseas studies indicate that S. virchow is a significant cause of extraintestinal salmonellosis. The successful management of three infants, two with septicaemia and one with leptomeningitis and septicaemia due to S. virchow, is described. A review of the Townsville General Hospital laboratory records (1978-1988) showed that, among other aspects, S. virchow accounted for 46% of all salmonella septicaemias, further exemplifying the invasive propensity of this serotype. Information obtained from various sources, after crude analyses, demonstrates that more than 90% of S. virchow infections in humans in Australia occur in Queensland, and that most (greater than 78% in 1987) of those infections in Queensland come from a coastal zone north of Bundaberg, with the highest concentration (0.4 per 1000 persons) occurring in the Cairns region.

Anthropogenic influences on Australia's Great Barrier Reef

SUMMARY Although legislation has been introduced to allow stricter control of activities within the Great Barrier Reef region, paradoxically there are increasing pressures due to greater use of the Reef, and population expansion and economic development on the adjacent mainland. In addition, greater understanding of the functioning of the reef system has allowed for recognition of more subtle anthropogenic effects on the Reef. On the outer Reef some localised degradation may result from intense use, accidents or from pre‐legislation activities. Runoff from the mainland has the potential to introduce increased turbidity levels, reduced salinities and some chemical pollutants particularly on nearshore reefs and in the Cairns region. Through global scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation the Great Barrier Reef is open to more distant sources of perturbation.

Population Explosions ofAcanthaster planciand Associated Destruction of the Hard-coral Cover of Reefs of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Population explosions of the Crown-of-thorns Starfish,Acanthaster planci, first reported on reefs of the Great Barrier Reef in the Cairns region near lat. 17° S during the early 1960s, have since spread to numerous other reefs. The spread has been predominantly southwards, the principal region of infestation currently lying between lat. 19° S and lat. 19°20' S. South of this region, scattered infestations of reefs have recently been reported. Available data indicate that most reefs in the middle third of the Great Barrier Reef were infested during the last decade, and it is postulated that most reefs in the southernmost third will be infested during the next decade.The bulk of the hard-coral cover of most of the inner platform reefs infested, and a lower but significant percentage of the hard-coral cover of the outer platform reefs affected by the infestations, have been devastated. Recovery of devastated reefs is in progress but is slow.TheA. planciinfestations appear to the authors to be man-induced, and it is suggested that international action be taken to assess the magnitude of theA. planciproblem and to coordinate possible control activities in the Indo-West Pacific region.