Australian Zoologist最新文献

{"title":"How do we sleep while our beds are burning? Impacts of the 2019–20 mega-fires on a rainforest dependent species – the Golden-tipped Bat Phoniscus papuensis","authors":"G. Madani, C. Turbill, A. Lloyd, L. Gonsalves, T. Brassil, B. Law","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.031","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.031","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The Australian summer of 2019/20 was impacted by megafires of a magnitude and severity never previously recorded. Whilst low severity fire has positive benefits for increased insectivorous bat activity and diversity, little information is available on the impact on rainforest specialised clutter dependant species such as the Golden-tipped Bat Phoniscus papuensis. Our aims were to assess the effects of fire on occupancy of habitat across the geographic range of P. papuensis in NSW, to determine the smaller scale effects of fire on use of diurnal roosts in rainforest through radio tracking and to trial the use of artificial structures to temporarily increase roost availability in burnt habitat. We observed that widespread fire encroaching on rainforest has a negative association with occupancy by P. papuensis, with this metric ~78% lower than in unburnt forest. In burnt areas, P. papuensis preferentially used unburnt refugia for their roosting sites in suspended bird nests and the loss of these habitat structures likely contributes to the disappearance of P. papuensis from the landscape. Artificial roosts were not used in the short-term (< 2 years post fire) and do not appear to be a feasible management tool. With the increasing frequency and extent of wildfires the most important factor for P. papuensis to persist in the landscape into the future is the protection of its habitat through ensuring sensitive management of large tracts of connected rainforest to help buffer against the encroachment of future mega-fires.","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43168144","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Consequences of the Australian 2019/20 wildfires for sites important for biodiversity and other world heritage values","authors":"Michelle S. Ward, J. Watson, Aaron C. Greenville, G. Maurer, Stephanie J. Todd, William L. Geary, A. Tulloch","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.034","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The 2019/20 wildfire season was devastating for Australia’s biodiversity and unprecedented in its extent and severity, yet the consequences for sites important for biodiversity and other world heritage values remain unknown. Here, we summarise the 2019/20 wildfire impacts on key sites set aside for, or identified as being important for, biodiversity, with specific reference to nationally designated protected areas, World Heritage Listings, and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs). We also explore patterns between burn extent or severity, and underlying landscape characteristics. Over seven months, approximately 10 million hectares (ha) of native vegetation burned. Of these burned landscapes, ~3.2 million ha (41%) were within the Australian protected area estate (n = 815 and impacted >0.1% of each protected area). Six Australian World Heritage Listings were impacted by the 2019/20 wildfires, with the largest impact being in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (680,000 ha or 67% was affected by the fires). The 2019/20 fires impacted over 2 million ha across 69 KBAs. Of these, 18 KBAs had >15% of their area burned. Critically, for the management of intact and recovering forests, we show that the degree of forest integrity and ecosystem intactness affected fire severity: more degraded forests and ecosystems experienced higher severity burns in the protected area estate and KBAs. Recovery for many of these places will require targeted effort and resources to help reduce the likelihood of future megafires, as well as increased resilience in the face of other catastrophic environmental events.","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41940040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Out of the ashes: lessons learned from bushfires and how we can better manage our fauna-editors’ introduction","authors":"C. Dickman, P. Hutchings, Bradley M. Law, D. Lunney","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.028","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.028","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42257835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Native to Nemesis: a cultural and environmental history of the Noisy Miner 1788 - 2019","authors":"R. Beggs","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.009","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 1878: “…gallant little birds” (Wagga Wagga Advertiser)\u0000 1915: “… the carol of the magpie is eclipsed by the song of the miner” (Emu)\u0000 2004: “…the mafia of the bird world” (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)\u0000 2015: “I hate those f***in things” (RedditAustralia)\u0000 Through the 19th Century and the first half of the 20th Century, notwithstanding its role as an agricultural pest, the Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala was considered with affection by colonial society. The species’ reputation has been severely damaged in recent decades, however, on account of its violent tendencies towards smaller woodland birds, including many of conservation concern. Aggressive exclusion of small woodland birds from potential woodland habitat by Noisy Miners was declared a Key Threatening Process under federal conservation legislation in 2014. Given that Noisy Miners, other woodland birds, and the post-ice age woodland environment have been co-evolving for at least 10 000 years, how did the natural competitive behaviour of Noisy Miners become an ecological problem? In this paper I review historical references to Noisy Miners and current research on the ecology of the species to construct a trajectory of change. Culturally, these changes include a shift in attitudes to the species from agricultural pest and popular native bird to a vilified, “overabundant” native species and nemesis of small woodland birds. Ecologically, changes have included an expansion in distribution and abundance of Noisy Miners. This has led to an increase in scale of the effects of Noisy Miner aggression on small woodland birds. The historical record contains many references to Noisy Miner aggression against other species, the first appearing within four years of the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788. Evidence that such aggression could affect the abundance and distribution of small woodland birds, however, appears only in the period after World War II. The changing ecological role of Noisy Miners, and the associated changes in cultural attitude to the species, appear linked to the loss, fragmentation and degradation of native woodland in eastern Australia since the introduction of European agriculture and urbanization. In particular, the change in ecological role of the Noisy Miner appears to be linked to the accelerated rates of deforestation in the post-war period. Such broadscale habitat modification has both benefitted Noisy Miners and exacerbated declines in woodland-dependent small birds.","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45522589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A management case study of a Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus camp on residential land","authors":"M. Mo, L. Oliver, Kylie Coutts-McClelland, Nathaly Jones, Joshua Gregory","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.006","url":null,"abstract":"The management of a Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus camp in Berry, New South Wales, is a case study of the challenges faced by local councils and state environment agencies trying to address flying-fox impacts on residential communities. This camp is located wholly within residential lots and was first reported to Shoalhaven City Council in June 2019. Council and the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) collaborated on engagement with residents to encourage community involvement and cohesion in the development of a management approach. This included sharing information on effectiveness of management actions at other camps, including dispersal attempts, to encourage residents to think more broadly about management options that would meet their needs. Conflicts between residents occurred due to different perspectives on the impact of the flying-foxes and when some residents repeatedly used noise to disturb flying-foxes, causing knock-on effects for other residents. Council and DPIE responded both indirectly through conversations and directly through issuing directives to cease harassment of flying-foxes. Council implemented a subsidy program to assist residents with options including high-pressure water cleaners and swimming pool covers. A vegetation management action plan was developed in collaboration with residents and implemented, with contractors selectively removing and lopping vegetation to increase distance between roosting flying-foxes and dwellings. Overall, resident surveys returned mostly positive satisfaction ratings of the management response. This case study highlights the unique challenges of managing flying-fox camps occurring wholly within residential properties, including defining responsibilities between stakeholders and establishing a cohesive management approach between affected residents. An additional challenge was presented during extreme heat events, which resulted in flying-fox carcasses amassing in backyards. Nevertheless, the case study demonstrated how important it is to engage the community in the development of management options, leveraging stakeholder support for decisions and establishing a shared understanding that all stakeholders are responsible for management outcomes.","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44206980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A call to scale up biodiversity monitoring from idiosyncratic, small-scale programmes to coordinated, comprehensive and continuous monitoring across large scales","authors":"M. Hayward, Stephan K. Chalup, Jamil Khan, A. Callen, K. Klop‐Toker, Andrea Griffin","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.004","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Conservation managers cannot manage what they don’t know about, yet our existing biodiversity monitoring is idiosyncratic and small in scale. One of Australia’s commitments to the Convention for Biological Diversity in 2015 was the creation of a national biodiversity monitoring programme. This has not yet occurred despite the urgent need to monitor common and threatened species, as highlighted by the challenges of determining the biodiversity impacts of the Black Summer fires of 2019/20. In light of improvements to automation, miniaturisation and powering devices, the world urgently needs to scale-up biodiversity monitoring to become coordinated, comprehensive and continuous across large scales. We propose the BIOMON project that could achieve this where individual sensor nodes use machine learning models to identify biodiversity via sound or photos onboard. This could be coupled with abiotic data on temperature and humidity, plus factors such as bushfire smoke. Nodes would be set within networks that transmit the results back to a central cloud repository where robust analyses are conducted and provided free to the public (along with the raw data). Network arrays could be set up across entire continents to measure the change in biodiversity. No one has achieved this yet, and significant challenges remain associated with training the algorithms, low power cellular network coverage, sensor power versus memory trade-offs, and sensor network placement. Much work is still needed to achieve these goals; however we are living in the 21st Century and such lofty goals cannot be achieved unless we start working towards them.","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43601237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Range extension of Czeblukov’s true sea snake Hydrophis czeblukovi (Elapidae:Hydrophiinae) southwest to Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia","authors":"A. Davenport, B. D'Anastasi, B. Fitzpatrick","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.005","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Our understanding of the biology and ecology of many Australian marine snakes is inadequate to inform the conservation and management of their populations. Czeblukov’s true sea snake Hydrophis czeblukovi (Elapidae:Hydrophiinae) is an example of this, with an IUCN classification of “Data Deficient”. It is a wholly marine, ovoviviparous snake that is distinguishable by its dark colouration and unique pale banding forming dark pentagons on its dorsal surface and flanks. A recent biological survey in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia found a recently dead H. czeblukovi specimen. This extends the species geographical range by approximately 300 kilometres southwest (minimum seaward distance). The stranding likely arose from the persistent onshore winds observed prior to the discovery or from self-stranding due to illness. This discovery brings the total number of marine snake species recorded from Exmouth Gulf to 11 out of ~24 known to occur in WA waters, which highlights the importance of this location for marine snake conservation. Here we compile the scarce knowledge for this data deficient species. We discuss the conservation implications of our findings in context of the dense industrial activity across the range of H. czeblukovi. We indicate the need for further research to inform conservation and management actions.","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44018491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A note on the calling behaviour of Brown Toadlet, Pseudophryne bibronii, at a site in central Victoria","authors":"William Terry","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.001","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48635033","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Fellows of the Royal Zoological Society of NSW: Dr Ayesha Tulloch FRZS","authors":"C. Dickman","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.002","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43222599","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"New Fellows of the Royal Zoological Society of NSW: Dr Bradley Law FRZS","authors":"C. Dickman","doi":"10.7882/az.2022.003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7882/az.2022.003","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":35849,"journal":{"name":"Australian Zoologist","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2022-01-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47922921","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}