ORCID Profile
0000-0002-8793-7466
Current Organisations
Menzies Research Institute Tasmania
,
Charles Sturt University
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Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/BT17239
Abstract: Acacia s. str. (Mimosoideae, Fabaceae) is the largest plant genus in Australia (~1000 species). Its seeds have physical dormancy from a hard, water-impermeable testa. Heat from fire (natural systems) and hot water (nursery production) can break this dormancy. It is often reported that these treatments ‘soften’ or ‘crack’ the seed coat, but in practice they only affect a minute part of the seed coat, the lens. We examined lens structure in a wide range of Acacia species to determine what ersity of testa and lens structure was present, if there were differing responses to a hot water dormancy breaking treatment and if there were structural differences between soft- and hard-seeded species. Seed morphology, testa and lens structure were examined before and after hot water treatment (~90°C for one minute), in 51 species of Australian Acacia from all seven sections, from all states and territories of Australia and from a wide range of environments. Five of the species had been noted to produce non-dormant seed (‘soft-seeded’ species). Average seed mass per species ranged from 3.1 to 257.9 mg (overall average 24.2 mg, median 13.8 mg). Almost all species had a relatively thick seed coat (average 132.2 µm) with well-developed palisade cells (average 41.5 µm long) and a lens which ‘popped’ in response to hot water treatment. For 44 species ranging in average seed mass from 3.1 to 43.9 mg (×14 range), the unpopped lens area only ranged ×3 (11480–36040 µm2). The lens was small (in 88% of species the average length of the unpopped lens was µm) and the unpopped lens area was a minute proportion of seed surface area (average 0.10%). A. harpophylla (soft-seeded species) had a thin testa (37.3 µm) without obvious palisade cells and did not have a functional lens. In hard-seeded species the morphology of the popped lens varied widely, from a simple mound to complete detachment. A functional lens is not a universal feature in all genera of the Mimosoideae, including several species in a genus (Senegalia) previously included in Acacia s. lat. On the basis of the 51 investigated species a lens was present in all Australian acacias, although non-functional in two soft-seeded species. Although the lens was, on average, only ~1/1000th of the surface area of an Acacia seed and thus easily overlooked, it can have a profound influence on imbibition and germination. An assessment of lens structure, before and after heat treatment, can be of considerable use when interpreting the results of Acacia germination experiments.
Publisher: Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.7882/AZ.2014.023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-11-2016
DOI: 10.1007/S00442-016-3767-2
Abstract: Myrmecochory (the dispersal of seeds by ants) is a significant ecological process in sclerophyll woodlands, but habitat disturbance is known to alter the extent and success of this mutualism. We investigated the influence of soil disturbance on the composition of the seed-dispersing ant community. Surveys were conducted in roadside verges where soils are regularly disturbed by road maintenance activities. Using a 'cafeteria' bait station approach, we selected 24 roads of different widths to investigate ant composition and abundance in relation to soil disturbance. We found ant species richness was greater in non-disturbed than disturbed zones, where road verge width significantly influenced results. The composition and abundance of in idual seed-dispersing ant species varied between disturbed and non-disturbed zones. Rhytidoponera metallica were more abundant in non-disturbed sites, whereas Melophorus bruneus and Monomorium rothseini were more frequently recorded in disturbed areas. Commonly found Iridomyrmex purpureus was significantly more abundant in disturbed zones in narrow roadsides and vice versa in wide roadsides, and strongly influenced total community composition. Variation in the abundance of commonly recorded Iridomyrmex and Monomorium genera were related more to site conditions (roadside width and habitat) than soil disturbance. The rich composition of seed dispersing ants in roadside environments, and the effects of soil disturbances on these ant communities that we describe, provide a key insight to important seed dispersal vectors occurring in fragmented rural landscapes.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-07-2020
DOI: 10.1002/JBMR.4044
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 09-12-2014
DOI: 10.1007/S10661-014-4132-8
Abstract: Water quality agencies and scientists are increasingly adopting standardized s ling methodologies because of the challenges associated with interpreting data derived from dissimilar protocols. Here, we compare 13 protocols for monitoring streams from different regions and countries around the globe. Despite the spatially erse range of countries assessed, many aspects of bioassessment structure and protocols were similar, thereby providing evidence of key characteristics that might be incorporated in a global s ling methodology. Similarities were found regarding s ler type, mesh size, s ling period, subs ling methods, and taxonomic resolution. Consistent field and laboratory methods are essential for merging data sets collected by multiple institutions to enable large-scale comparisons. We discuss the similarities and differences among protocols and present current trends and future recommendations for monitoring programs, especially for regions where large-scale protocols do not yet exist. We summarize the current state in one of these regions, Latin America, and comment on the possible development path for these techniques in this region. We conclude that several aspects of stream biomonitoring need additional performance evaluation (accuracy, precision, discriminatory power, relative costs), particularly when comparing targeted habitat (only the commonest habitat type) versus site-wide s ling (multiple habitat types), appropriate levels of s ling and processing effort, and standardized indicators to resolve dissimilarities among biomonitoring methods. Global issues such as climate change are creating an environment where there is an increasing need to have universally consistent data collection, processing and storage to enable large-scale trend analysis. Biomonitoring programs following standardized methods could aid international data sharing and interpretation.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 23-10-2020
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 29-09-2023
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 24-07-2020
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 2013
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-12-2018
DOI: 10.1111/AEC.12572
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 25-10-2017
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 25-01-2017
DOI: 10.1002/ECO.1820
Publisher: American Fisheries Society
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.47886/9781934874561.CH10
Abstract: i Abstract. /i —We document a simple electrofishing-only monitoring program for assessing fish assemblages across large spatial extents. First, we demonstrate the justification for using only electrofishing for the monitoring. Second, we demonstrate the usefulness of having a well-designed surveillance-monitoring program in place to demonstrate the effect of landscape disturbances. Implementing electrofishing alone means that multiple sites can be s led in a single day and there is no need to return to clear nets or traps within a s ling site. Whereas electrofishing alone does not return full species lists within s led sites, we demonstrate that when data are aggregated up to the watershed or catchment extent, more than 90% of species are included. Analyses that do not require a census of species, such as bioassessment of river health can be readily carried out using electrofishing data. The Murray–Darling basin, Australia, was s led with the recommended large-extent electrofishing program between 2004 and 2012, a period that saw the region subjected to large-scale variations in river flow levels spatially and temporally. We fit generalized additive models to the electrofishing data in conjunction with river flow data to document large-extent relationships between fish species occurrence and relative flow levels for the previous 3 d, 3 months, or 3 years. We found that several small-bodied species, Eastern Mosquitofish i Gambusia holbrooki /i , Flathead Gudgeon i Philypnodon grandiceps /i , and Australian Smelt i Retropinna semoni /i , were more likely to be collected when conditions were drier in the past 3 d to 3 months, whereas common medium and large-bodied species were less likely to be collected when flow was lower over the previous 3 months to 3 years.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 12-2015
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/AM16015
Abstract: To understand the recent elevational range expansion of European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) with declining snow cover and earlier snow thaw we examined their diet in relation to that of long-term residents, common wombats (Vombatus ursinus). The colonisation of eastern Australia by rabbits was effectively completed by 1910 when they reached an elevation of 1500 m (the winter snowline). Rabbits began to penetrate higher elevations only from the 1970s in association with anthropogenic habitat modification. Since 2011, rabbits have occupied elevations to the alpine treeline (~1850 m) throughout the year without the ameliorating presence of infrastructure or anthropogenically modified vegetation. Rabbits and wombats are both grazers preferring grasses (largely inaccessible beneath winter snow) and are spatially restricted in their foraging by their need to return to their burrows. Wombats used a much wider foraging range, enabling them to select preferred food. Rabbits, with a much smaller range, were constrained in their choice of forage mainly to plants that projected above the snow. Unexpectedly, rabbits fed intensively on leaves of eucalypts, food not typically consumed in substantial quantities by this species. These leaves, on stems regenerating after fire, will diminish in availability as stems mature, possibly halting the range expansion of rabbits.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-03-2016
DOI: 10.1111/JFB.12910
Abstract: A piecewise regression approach was used to objectively quantify barotrauma injury thresholds in two physoclistous species, Murray cod Maccullochella peelii and silver perch Bidyanus bidyanus, following simulated infrastructure passage in a barometric chamber. The probability of injuries such as swimbladder rupture, exophthalmia and haemorrhage, and emphysema in various organs increased as the ratio between the lowest exposure pressure and the acclimation pressure (ratio of pressure change, R(NE:A) ) reduced. The relationship was typically non-linear and piecewise regression was able to quantify thresholds in R(NE:A) that once exceeded resulted in a substantial increase in barotrauma injury. Thresholds differed among injury types and between species but by applying a multispecies precautionary principle, the maintenance of exposure pressures at river infrastructure above 70% of acclimation pressure (R(NE:A) of 0·7) should protect downstream migrating juveniles of these two physoclistous species sufficiently. These findings have important implications for determining the risk posed by current infrastructures and informing the design and operation of new ones.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 29-01-2016
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-10-2019
DOI: 10.1111/EVJ.13017
Abstract: Clinical pathology results are typically interpreted by referring to population-based reference intervals. The use of in idualised (subject-based) reference intervals is more appropriate for measurands with a high degree of variation between in iduals. To determine the biological variation of routinely analysed equine haematology and biochemistry measurands and calculate indices of in iduality and reference change values which enable production of in idualised reference intervals, in a group of healthy, privately owned horses. In a prospective cohort study, thirty-nine privately owned horses were s led by jugular venipuncture for analysis of haematology and biochemistry measurands at weekly intervals for 6 weeks. Haematology was analysed on the day of collection. Serum was frozen and biochemistry analyses performed on thawed s les. Duplicate results were obtained and the coefficient of variation was calculated for analytical variation, within-subject variation and between-subject variation. The index of in iduality and reference change value were derived for each measurand. Haematology (red blood cell count, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean cell volume) and biochemistry measurands (total protein, globulins, albumin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, aspartate aminotransferase) demonstrated high in iduality, indicating that in idualised reference intervals are more appropriate for evaluation of these measurands. Two haematology (mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration and platelets) and three biochemistry measurands (chloride, glucose and sodium) had low in iduality, indicating that the use of traditional population-based reference intervals is appropriate for these measurands. Remaining measurands had intermediate in iduality suggesting interpretation of the reference change value should occur with consideration of the population-based reference interval. The use of privately owned horses, variable management and environmental factors. The use of in idualised reference intervals is justified for many measurands in horses, supporting the use of serial s ling, consideration of biological variation and application of reference change values for improved clinical decision making and patient management in equine practice.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2019
DOI: 10.1016/J.JPEDS.2019.05.031
Abstract: To describe the association between fractures sustained at different stages of growth and bone measures in early adulthood. Participants (n = 201) in southern Tasmania were at birth at a higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome they were followed to age 25. Outcomes were areal bone mineral density at the spine, hip, and total body (by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and trabecular and cortical bone measures at the radius and tibia (by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography). Fractures were self-reported and confirmed by radiographs at 8, 16, and 25 years of age. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyze the association of the occurrence of prepubertal (<9 years of age), pubertal (9-16 years of age), and postpubertal (17-25 years of age) fractures with all bone measures. Over 25 years, 99 participants had at least 1 fracture. For high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography measures at age 25, prepubertal fractures were negatively associated with cortical and trabecular volumetric bone mineral density and most microarchitecture measures at both the tibia and radius. Prepubertal fractures had a significant association with smaller increase of areal bone mineral density from age 8 to 16 years and at 25 years of age compared with participants with no fractures. Pubertal fractures had no association with any bone measures and postpubertal fractures were only associated with a lower trabecular number at the tibia. Prepubertal fractures are negatively associated with areal bone mineral density increases during growth and high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography bone measures in young adulthood. There is little evidence that fractures occurring from age 8 years onward with bone measures in young adulthood, implying that prepubertal fractures may be associated with bone deficits later in life.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2021
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-2005
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/AM14037
Abstract: The use of high elevations with deep snow cover presents a challenge to mammalian herbivores, which is exacerbated by subalpine vegetation dynamics such as slow regrowth following disturbance. We postulated that post-fire responses of common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) at high elevations would differ from those at low elevations. We examined the winter diet of common wombats in the Snowy Mountains in the decade after fire in burnt and unburnt areas and compared our results to published diet studies from low elevations. Optimal foraging theory predicts that as food resources become scarce herbivores respond by widening their choice of foods, yet we found that wombats have only marginally wider dietary breadth at higher than at lower elevations in terms of plant forms and diet breadth in terms of species was not greater. The use of shrubs and the tall herb Dianella tasmanica enables wombats to reduce the energetic costs of digging for food in snow. Able to survive fire in a burrow, the wombat is then capable of responding to reduced foraging opportunities following fire by broadening the range of species consumed and adopting foraging strategies that exploit temporally improved food quality, demonstrated by the greater proportion of grass consumed in burnt sites.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-05-2013
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-02-2020
DOI: 10.3390/W12020513
Abstract: Fisheries in many tropical river-floodplain systems are under threat from physical obstructions caused by ongoing river infrastructure development. There is a growing need for innovative, cost-effective technologies to mitigate the impacts of these obstructions. This study examined the effectiveness of a new cone fishway for facilitating lateral migrations of river-floodplain fish communities in the Lower Mekong Basin in Lao PDR. We assessed the species richness, size range, abundance and biomass of fish able to pass through a cone fishway, using paired entrance and exit s ling during both dawn/day and dusk/night. Overall, a erse range of taxa (76 species) and size classes (25–370 mm) ascended the cone fishway. The total size range of fishes observed at the fishway entrance was similar to that at the exit, although the fish at the entrance were significantly smaller (in length) than those at the exit, during both diel periods. Additionally, there were significantly higher abundances of fish at the entrance than at the exit, but there was no difference in total biomass, again for both periods. These results suggest that, with further development, the cone fishway design has considerable potential for facilitating the lateral migrations of erse tropical river-floodplain fish communities at low/medium head infrastructure.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-10-2018
DOI: 10.1111/REC.12886
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 03-2014
DOI: 10.1111/EMR.12092
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 02-2019
DOI: 10.1007/S00223-019-00529-W
Abstract: This study aimed to describe the association of vitamin D status at different stages of growth with bone measures in adolescence and early adulthood. There were 415 participants followed from age 8 to 16, and 201 further followed to age 25. Areal bone mineral density (BMD) at the spine, hip and total body was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at ages 16 and 25, and tibial and radial trabecular and cortical bone microarchitecture by high resolution peripheral quantitative computerised tomography at age 25. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations were measured at ages 8, 16 and 25. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyse the association of 25OHD concentrations at three timepoints with bone measures at ages 16 and 25. The proportion of participants with vitamin D deficiency (< 50 nmol/L) was 11%, 43% and 41% at three timepoints, respectively. Serum 25OHD concentrations at age 8 were not significantly associated with any bone measures at age 16 or 25. Serum 25OHD concentrations at age 16 had a significant association with higher BMD at nearly all sites at ages 16 and 25 as well as lower radial porosity and more compact trabecular microarchitecture (higher density, increased number and reduced separation) at both the radius and tibia at age 25. Serum 25OHD concentrations at age 25 were only associated with hip BMD. Higher vitamin D concentrations in adolescence, to a lesser extent at age 25, have beneficial associations with BMD and bone microarchitecture in early adulthood. Optimising vitamin D status particularly during adolescence should be a priority.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-05-2020
Abstract: Barley grass (Hordeum murinum subsp. glaucum.) is an annual weed associated with grain revenue loss and sheep carcass damage in southern Australia. Increasing herbicide resistance led to a recent investigation into effective integrated weed management strategies for barley grass in southern Australia. Field studies in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales (NSW) during 2016 and 2017 examined the effect of post-emergent herbicide applications and strategic defoliation by mowing on barley grass survival and seed production in a mixed legume pasture. Statistically significant differences between herbicide-only treatments in both years showed propaquizafop to be more than 98% effective in reducing barley grass survival and seed production. Paraquat was not effective in controlling barley grass (58% efficacy), but led to a 36% and 63.5% decrease in clover and other weed biomass, respectively, after 12 months and increased lucerne biomass by over three-fold after 24 months. A single repeated mowing treatment resulted in a 46% decline in barley grass seedling emergence after 12 months and, when integrated with herbicide applications, reduced other weed biomass after 24 months by 95%. Resistance to acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting herbicides observed in local barley grass populations led to additional and more focused investigation comparing the efficacy of other pre- and post-emergent herbicides for barley grass management in legume pastures. Haloxyfop-R + simazine or paraquat, applied at early tillering stage, were most efficacious in reducing barley grass survival and fecundity. Impact of defoliation timing and frequency on barley grass seedlings was also evaluated at various population densities, highlighting the efficacy of repeated post-inflorescence defoliations in reducing plant survival and seed production. Results highlight the importance of optimal environmental conditions and application timing in achieving efficacious control of barley grass and improving pasture growth and biomass accumulation.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/MF15230
Abstract: Stock enhancement is a management tool used for fishery recovery worldwide, yet the success of many stocking programs remains unquantified. Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) and golden perch (Macquaria ambigua) are important Australian recreational target species that have experienced widespread decline. Stocking of these species has been undertaken for decades, with limited assessment of effectiveness. A batch marking and recapture approach was applied to assess stocked Murray cod and golden perch survival, contributions to wild fisheries, and condition in rivers and impoundments. Stocked fish were marked with calcein. Marked fish were detected during surveys undertaken 3 years and 10 months from initial marking, and it is probable that marks will persist beyond this time. The proportion of calcein marked fish in the population sub-s le whose age was equal to, or less than, the number of years since release, varied by 7–94% for Murray cod, and 9–98% for golden perch. Higher proportions of marked fish were found in impoundments than rivers. Marked Murray cod had significantly steeper length–weight relationships (i.e. higher weight at a given length) to unmarked fish. Our results show that application of methods for discriminating stocked and wild fish provides critical information for the development of adaptive, location-specific stocking strategies.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-10-2046
DOI: 10.1111/FAF.12023
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.BONE.2018.01.033
Abstract: To estimate the heritability of bone geometry, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and microarchitecture of trabecular (Tb) and cortical (Ct) bone measured by high resolution peripheral quantitative computerised tomography (HRpQCT) at the distal radius and tibia and to investigate the genetic correlations of these measures. Participants were 177 mother-offspring pairs from 162 families (mothers, mean age (SD) = 52.1 (4.7) years offspring, 25.6 (0.73) years). Trabecular and cortical bone measures were obtained by HRpQCT. Multivariable linear regression was used to analyse the association of bone measures between mother and offspring. Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines (SOLAR) software was utilised to conduct quantitative genetic analyses. All maternal bone measures were independently associated with the corresponding bone measures in the offspring before and after adjustment for age, sex, weight and height. Heritability estimates ranged from 24% to 67% at the radius and from 42% to 74% at the tibia. The relationship for most bone geometry measures was significantly stronger in mother-son pairs (n = 107) compared with mother-daughter pairs (n = 70) (p < 0.05). In contrast, the heritability for most vBMD and microarchitecture measures were higher in mother-daughter pairs. Bivariate analyses found moderate to strong genetic correlations across all measures between radius and tibia (R
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 03-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.EJRAD.2018.01.004
Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine the clinical rates of the demonstration of the inframammary angle (IMA) on the mediolateral oblique (MLO) view of the breast on digital mammograms and to compare the outcomes with current accreditation standards for compliance. Relationships between the IMA, age, the posterior nipple line (PNL) and compressed breast thickness will be identified and the study outcomes validated using appropriate analyses of inter-reader and inter-rater reliability and variability. Differences in left versus right data were also investigated. A quantitative retrospective study of 2270 randomly selected paired digital mammograms performed by BreastScreen NSW was undertaken. Data was collected by direct measurement and visual analysis. Intra-class correlation analyses were used to evaluate inter- and intra-rater reliability. The IMA was demonstrated on 52.4% of in idual and 42.6% of paired mammograms. A linear relationship was found between the posterior nipple line (PNL) and age (p-value <0.001). The PNL was predicted to increase by 0.48 mm for every one year increment in age. The odds of demonstrating the IMA reduced by 2% for every one year increase in age (p-value = 0.001) are 0.4% higher for every 1 mm increase in PNL (p-value = 0.001) and 1.6% lower for every 1 mm increase in compressed breast thickness, (p-value<0.001). There was high inter- and intra-rater reliability for the PNL while there was 100% agreement for the demonstration of the IMA. Analysis of the demonstration of the IMA indicates clinically achievable rates (42.6%) well below that required for compliance (50%-75%) to known worldwide accreditation standards for screening mammography. These standards should be aligned to the reported evidence base. Visualisation of the IMA is impacted negatively by increasing age and compressed breast thickness but positively by breast size (PNL).
Publisher: The Company of Biologists
Date: 26-05-2016
DOI: 10.1242/BIO.017491
Abstract: Egg and larval fish that drift downstream are likely to encounter river infrastructure and consequently rapid decompression, which may result in significant injury. Pressure-related injury (or barotrauma) has been shown in juvenile fishes when pressure falls sufficiently below that at which the fish has acclimated. There is a presumption that eggs and larvae may be at least as, if not more, susceptible to barotrauma injury because they are far less-developed and more fragile than juveniles, but studies to date report inconsistent results and none have considered the relationship between pressure change and barotrauma over a sufficiently broad range of pressure changes to enable tolerances to be properly determined. To address this, we exposed eggs and larvae of three physoclistic species to rapid decompression in a barometric chamber over a broad range of discrete pressure changes. Eggs, but not larvae, were unaffected by all levels of decompression tested. At exposure pressures below ∼40 kPa, or ∼40% of surface pressure, swim bladder deflation occurred in all species and internal haemorrhage was observed in one species. None of these injuries killed the fish within 24 h, but subsequent mortality cannot be excluded. Consequently, if larval drift is expected where river infrastructure is present, adopting design or operational features which maintain exposure pressures at 40% or more of the pressure to which drifting larvae are acclimated may afford greater protection for resident fishes.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 2022
Abstract: The global prevalence of pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) is expected to grow exponentially as countries transition to renewable energy sources. Compared to conventional hydropower, little is currently known regarding PSH impacts on aquatic biota. This study estimated the survival of five life stages (egg, two larval stages, juvenile and adult) of redfin (European) perch (Perca fluviatilis) following passage through a PSH facility during the pumping phase. This was achieved by simulating the in idual stressors expected to occur during passage through a 2000-MW PSH facility using laboratory-simulated (shear strain and extreme compression) and modelling (blade strike, BS) approaches. Our results indicate that redfin could survive the shear, pressure and BS stressors expected within the PSH facility, but impacts varied among life stages. Juvenile survival was & % across all shear strain rates, while the survival of eggs and larvae declined markedly as strain rate increased. All life stages had high survival when exposed to rapid compression and BS. The high survival of redfin to the stressors tested suggests the PSH facility could facilitate the passage of redfin during the pumping phase from the lower to the higher elevation reservoir. This outcome would be welcomed in situations where the species is native, but could have adverse implications for the conservation of native biota where the species is considered a pest.
Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
Date: 11-03-2022
DOI: 10.5194/HESS-26-1357-2022
Abstract: Abstract. Implementation failure is widely acknowledged as a major impediment to the success of water resource plans and policies, yet there are very few proactive approaches available for analysing potential implementation issues during the planning stage. The motivations and abilities (MOTA) framework was established to address this planning stage gap, by offering a multi-stakeholder, multilevel approach to evaluate the implementation feasibility of plans and policies. MOTA is a stepwise process focusing on the relationship between trigger, motivation and ability. Here we outline the base model of the MOTA framework and review existing MOTA applications in assorted water resource management contexts. From our review, we identify the strengths and limitations of the MOTA framework in various institutional implementation and social adoptability contexts. Our findings indicate that the existing MOTA base model framework has been successful in identifying the motivations and abilities of the stakeholders involved in a range of bottom-up water resource planning contexts and in subsequently providing insight into the types of capacity- or consent-building strategies needed for effective implementation. We propose several complementary add-in applications to complement the base model, which specific applications may benefit from. Specifically, the incorporation of formal context and stakeholder analyses during the problem definition stage (Step 1) could provide a more considered basis for designing the latter steps within the MOTA analyses. In addition, the resolution of the MOTA analyses could be enhanced by developing more nuanced scoring approaches or by adopting empirically proven ones from well-established published models. Through setting the base model application, additional add-in applications can easily be added to enhance different aspects of the analysis while still maintaining comparability with other MOTA applications. With a robust base model and a suite of add-in applications, there is great potential for the MOTA framework to become a staple tool for optimising implementation success in any water planning and policymaking context.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/MF19109
Abstract: Globally, overharvest contributes to population declines of fish and invertebrates. Quantifying the effects of fishing and associated harvest is essential to preventing such declines. Murray crayfish Euastacus armatus exhibit slow growth and late age at maturity, and were historically abundant in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin, but river regulation, pollution and overfishing have reduced their range and abundance. Diminished recreational fisheries still exist, but data to quantify catch, effort and harvest are not available to inform management decisions. We used a population model to assess the status of a harvested Murray crayfish population, informed by data collected from a fishery-dependant survey. Quantitative fisher surveys were undertaken in the Murrumbidgee River during the 2012 Murray crayfish open season (May–August inclusive). Shortly after the surveys, and in light of fishery-independent data that indicated a Murray crayfish decline, the crayfish recreational fishery was spatially reduced and shortened to a 3-month season (June–August), bag limits were reduced and size limits were changed from a minimum length limit of 90mm to a harvest-slot length limit (HSLL) of 100–120mm. Modelling of the Murray crayfish population indicated it was most likely to be relatively small with a mean population size of 2777 in iduals and affected by a high rate of crayfish harvest (harvest probability 0.4), indicating vulnerability to further decline should fishing effort and harvest persist. The population model was used to assess the regulation change to a HSLL, with the results supporting the regulation change and indicating that implementation of the HSLL would stabilise the population, albeit over many years. This study demonstrates that empirical data and population modelling are crucial to inform fishery regulations for threatened species.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-10-2022
DOI: 10.1111/GCB.16439
Abstract: Rivers suffer from multiple stressors acting simultaneously on their biota, but the consequences are poorly quantified at the global scale. We evaluated the biological condition of rivers globally, including the largest proportion of countries from the Global South published to date. We gathered macroinvertebrate- and fish-based assessments from 72,275 and 37,676 sites, respectively, from 64 study regions across six continents and 45 nations. Because assessments were based on differing methods, different systems were consolidated into a 3-class system: Good, Impaired, or Severely Impaired, following common guidelines. The proportion of sites in each class by study area was calculated and each region was assigned a Köppen-Geiger climate type, Human Footprint score (addressing landscape alterations), Human Development Index (HDI) score (addressing social welfare), % rivers with good ambient water quality, % protected freshwater key bio ersity areas and % of forest area net change rate. We found that 50% of macroinvertebrate sites and 42% of fish sites were in Good condition, whereas 21% and 29% were Severely Impaired, respectively. The poorest biological conditions occurred in Arid and Equatorial climates and the best conditions occurred in Snow climates. Severely Impaired conditions were associated (Pearson correlation coefficient) with higher HDI scores, poorer physico-chemical water quality, and lower proportions of protected freshwater areas. Good biological conditions were associated with good water quality and increased forested areas. It is essential to implement statutory bioassessment programs in Asian, African, and South American countries, and continue them in Oceania, Europe, and North America. There is a need to invest in assessments based on fish, as there is less information globally and fish were strong indicators of degradation. Our study highlights a need to increase the extent and number of protected river catchments, preserve and restore natural forested areas in the catchments, treat wastewater discharges, and improve river connectivity.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-02-2012
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 07-2015
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1071/ZO11043
Abstract: Many stocking programs are performed without any subsequent assessments to determine the survival of the stocked fish, often due to the difficulties in distinguishing stocked from wild fish. A series of optimisation trials were undertaken to determine the suitability of calcein (2,4-bis-[N,N′–di(carbomethyl)-aminomethyl]fluorescein) for chemically marking hatchery-reared Australian bass, Macquaria novemaculeata (Steindachner), fry and fingerlings. The technique was optimised by trialling immersion times for salt (2.5 or 5 min), calcein concentrations (0.5 or 1%) and calcein immersion times (5 or 10 min). A general-purpose modulated probe fluorometer was used as a non-lethal detection method to establish mark retention and distinguish between calcein-marked and unmarked fish. Five minutes of saline immersion, followed by 10 min of calcein immersion at a calcein concentration of 1% was the optimal marking method. Growth and survival of fish was not affected as a result of any of the calcein-marking methods. It is therefore effective to calcein-mark Australian bass fry and fingerlings before stocking and to non-lethally detect marked in iduals using a field-portable meter to assist in the assessment of stocking programs. Findings from this study may also reflect the potential use of calcein to chemically mark fry and fingerlings of other fish species.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-02-2019
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1071/MF18131
Abstract: Egg and larval fish drifting downstream are likely to encounter river infrastructure leading to mortality. Elevated fluid shear is one likely cause. To confirm this and determine tolerable strain rates resulting from fluid shear, egg and larvae of three Australian species were exposed to a high-velocity, submerged jet in a laboratory flume. Mortality was modelled over a broad range of strain rates, allowing critical thresholds to be estimated. Eggs were very susceptible to mortality at low strain rates and 100% of golden and silver perch died once strain rate exceeded 629 and 148s–1 respectively. Larvae were less vulnerable than eggs, but mortality increased at higher strain rates and at younger ages. Most ages of larvae will be protected if strain rate does not exceed 600s–1, although a lower guideline of less than 400s–1 may be needed in areas where very early stage Murray cod larvae drift. Golden perch and silver perch were not susceptible to shear once maturity reached ~25 days post-hatch (nearing juvenile metamorphosis). The thresholds described here will prove useful when refining design and operational guidelines for hydropower and irrigation infrastructure to improve fish survival.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2023
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2013
DOI: 10.1071/WR13041
Abstract: Context Predictive modelling of the impacts of climate change has highlighted a need for on-ground monitoring of mammal communities within the Wet Tropics bioregion of Queensland to inform wildlife conservation management. Standard mammal-survey techniques are labour intensive and often incapable of detecting rare, trap-shy or otherwise elusive species, effectively rendering them invisible to researchers even when substantial resources are applied. Aims To assess the utility of feeding remains (regurgitated pellets) from lesser sooty owls, Tyto tenebricosa multipunctata, for monitoring populations of small to medium-sized mammals within the Wet Tropics. Methods Three female lesser sooty owls were radio-tracked to determine home-range areas. Radio-tracking and targeted systematic searches were used to locate diurnal roosts containing owl pellets from which prey species were identified. Owl-pellet data were directly compared with live-trap data within three putative owl home ranges. Additionally, analyses of a dataset spanning more than 15 years demonstrated the utility of owl-pellet data for monitoring mammal communities. Key results Owl-pellet surveys yielded 14 mammal species (840 in iduals) from 152 man-hours, compared with six mammal species (361 in iduals) from 194 man-hours of live trapping. Both survey methods identified Rattus fuscipes, Melomys spp. and Antechinus spp. as the most abundant species but live-trap data were found to under-represent relative abundance of Melomys spp. and over-represent relative abundance of R. fuscipes in comparison to owl-pellet data. Conclusions Analysis of lesser sooty owl pellets is a particularly useful method for compilation of species inventories of small to medium-sized mammals, being more effective than standard live-trapping surveys within the rainforests of the Wet Tropics. Implications Owl-pellet analysis is well suited for monitoring mammal communities, as long as periodic data are collected from the same roost(s) and the pellets have been deposited by the same in idual bird(s). Additional research relating to variability in behavioural traits between in idual lesser sooty owls that have potential to confound results via s ling bias must be undertaken before owl-pellet data can be used for comparison of mammal community structure among sites, or for monitoring a site over a period spanning a change in the in idual owls that are depositing pellets at that site.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 28-02-2012
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 12-2019
DOI: 10.1017/S0960258519000242
Abstract: The seeds of most Australian acacias have pronounced physical dormancy (PY). While fire and hot water (HW) treatments cause the lens to ‘pop’ almost instantaneously, for many Acacia species the increase in germination percentage can be gradual. If PY is broken instantly by HW treatment, why is germination often an extended process? Control and HW treatments were performed on seeds of 48 species of Acacia . Seeds were placed on a moist substrate and imbibition was assessed by frequently weighing in idual seeds. In the two soft-seeded species all control seeds were fully imbibed within 6–24 h, while in hard-seeded species very few control seeds imbibed over several weeks. In 10 species over 50% of the HW-treated seeds imbibed within 30 h, but mostly the percentage of imbibed seeds gradually increased over several weeks. Some seeds in a replicate would imbibe early, while others would remain unimbibed for many days or weeks then, remarkably, become fully imbibed in less than 24 h. While HW treatment broke PY almost instantaneously, it appeared that in many Acacia species some other part of the testa slowed water from reaching the embryo. This process of having staggered imbibition may be a way of ensuring not all seeds in a population germinate after small rain events. Thus it appears the lens acts as a ‘fire gauge’ while some other part of the seed coat acts as a ‘rain gauge’.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/MF09259
Abstract: Increased storminess is a likely consequence of global climate change its effects may be most dramatic on coasts dominated by sandy beaches. This scenario demands that the impacts of storms and the role of armouring structures, constructed as storm defences, are better understood. Here, we assess how a relatively small storm affected beach morphology and macrobenthos, and whether a seawall can modulate such impacts. The study system was a small ( .5 km long) beach, bisected into parts with and without a seawall. The beach became narrower and steeper during the storm, when 26% of the subaerial sediment prism eroded from the armoured section sand losses on the unarmoured part were one-fifth of those on the armoured part. Densities of ghost crabs (Ocypode) dropped significantly (36%) and were to some extent modulated by shore armouring losses were high (62%) just seawards of the seawall where post-storm densities remained consistently lower. There was no ecological recovery in the short term, with most (83%) post-storm density values of crabs being lower, and crab counts in front of the seawall being depressed up to 3 months after the storm. Seawalls can change the resilience of beaches to storms, which may result in stronger ecological effects on armoured coasts.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-05-2023
DOI: 10.3390/W15101936
Abstract: The Mekong River is one of the most bio erse, productive rivers in the world, supporting more than 1000 fish species and the livelihoods of tens of millions of people. The spatial dynamics and population status of many Mekong fish species, especially megafishes, are poorly understood. Therefore, this information is rarely incorporated into environmental risk assessments for large infrastructure projects, such as mainstream hydropower developments, which have been accelerating rapidly in the Mekong Basin. In this study, we present initial findings from the ongoing, collaborative, transnational acoustic telemetry monitoring of nearly 300 tagged fishes representing 27 species, which yield important insights into the potential impacts that proposed hydropower dams would have on populations of ecologically and economically important fish species. Included in these data are more than ten months of hydrophone records tracking the location of a 300 kg giant freshwater stingray, Urogymnus polylepis (Bleeker, 1852), currently the world’s largest known freshwater fish, used to detect its migration behavior and distribution patterns. The telemetry data, combined with fisher surveys used to gather local ecological knowledge, provide evidence that the proposed dams would fragment the existing populations of this iconic species as well as those of other fish species that support river food web balance and local food systems. Furthermore, the existence of giant freshwater stringray populations and other unique megafauna reinforces the universal natural heritage value of the stretch of the Mekong River between the Lao People’s Democratic Republic/Cambodia border and the city of Kratie. This stretch of river is located between two proposed megadams, the 900 MW Stung Treng Dam and the 2300 MW Sambor Dam. However, the Cambodian Ministry of Environment has also proposed this area for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Biosphere Reserve). The documentation of the movement of migratory fishes through this reach of the river using acoustic telemetry, the surprising discovery of the world’s largest freshwater fish, the potential threat posed by dam construction, and the management ramifications of UNESCO World Heritage Site designation underscore the importance of scientific research and community involvement in landscape-scale development decisions. The decisions made today will affect the fate of this global bio ersity hotspot, the world’s most productive inland fisheries, and the livelihoods of millions of people throughout the Lower Mekong Basin.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 02-01-2019
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Date: 12-2010
DOI: 10.1899/09-165.1
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-01-2018
DOI: 10.1002/JBMR.3361
Abstract: We have previously shown that bone mineral density (BMD) tracks strongly from age 8 to 16 years. This study aimed to describe whether this strong tracking continued to age 25 years and describe factors associated with deviation from tracking. Ninety-nine participants were followed from age 8 to 25 years and 197 participants from age 16 to 25 years. Outcomes measured were BMD at the spine, hip, and total body (by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry [DXA]). Other factors measured were anthropometrics, inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) use, history of being breastfed, sports participation, fitness (by physical work capacity [PWC
Publisher: Microbiology Society
Date: 05-2011
Abstract: We investigated the population structures of faecal Escherichia coli in 30 healthy young adults (13 males and 17 females) aged between 20 and 45 years and 29 elderly adults (14 females and 15 males) aged between 65 and 77 years. In all, 1566 strains were typed with the PhPlate system and grouped into biochemical phenotypes (BPTs). Strains with shared BPTs were further typed using randomly lified polymorphic DNA analysis. Forty-four per cent of the strains were shared between two or more age and gender groups. Elders had a significantly higher (P<0.001) number of BPTs (mean±standard error 3.3±0.27) than younger groups (1.82±0.27). Phylogenetic affiliation and virulence-associated genes (VAGs) of the strains showed that more than 80 % of the strains belonging to dominant types belonged to phylogroups B2 and D. Amongst dominant BPTs, phylogenetic group A was significantly associated with females (P<0.0001), and elders were more likely to carry group D (P<0.0124). Elderly males had a higher prevalence of VAGs than young males (P<0.0001) and young females (P<0.0005). We conclude that there is a lower prevalence of E. coli with uropathogenic properties in healthy young adults than in elders.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2019
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 11-2019
Abstract: Acquisition and retention of two protein markers were tested on little fire ants, Wasmannia auropunctata Roger. Pure (100%) cow’s milk and a dilution (10%) of chicken egg whites were applied to W. auropunctata directly by contact spray plus residue or indirectly via residual contact only with protein-marked plant debris. Protein-marked ants were held in plastic shoe-box-sized containers, collected at 0, 24, and 48 h after exposure to their respective marks, and then examined for the presence of the marks by a chicken egg albumin and milk casein-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cross-contamination rates were assessed by allowing ants marked with egg whites to interact with an equal number marked milk for 24 and 48 h, and then collected either in idually or in bulk. Results indicated that the egg white biomarker was retained longer than milk and that more ants were successfully marked when the direct spray application method was employed. Cross-contamination rates were highest among bulk-collected ants and lowest among ants collected in idually after 24 h. However, the rates of cross-contamination among in idually collected ants increased and were similar to that of bulk-collected ants after 48 h. On the basis of our results, external protein marking may not be suitable if mass trapping is required or if the study extends beyond 24 h due to high cross-contamination rates among specimens collected in bulk and reduced marker detection rates.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1071/AM14007
Abstract: The ability to utilise a diet of shrubs or trees is key to the survival of herbivores in deep snow. However, reduction in snow depth with climate change may allow herbivores into higher elevations where herbfields are dominant. Wallabia bicolor occurs above the winter snowline of the Snowy Mountains in the subalpine zone, whereas Macropus rufogriseus, does not although it is present in alpine Tasmania. The winter diet of W. bicolor in the Snowy Mountains consisted of shrubs, trees, and herbs. With % of food sources (shrubs and trees) available above the snow, the change from occupation of habitat below the winter snowline to above requires little change in its diet. Consumption of shrubs, forbs and monocots by M. rufogriseus was similar between the Snowy Mountains and alpine Tasmania. M. rufogriseus includes a high proportion of shrubs in its diet however, it may be excluded from snow-covered habitat due to a lesser ability to utilise poor-quality browse. Globally, migratory herbivores respond to deep snow with seasonal movements. However, W. bicolor and M. rufogriseus are not migratory and can only occupy higher elevations of the Snowy Mountains as snow depth and duration diminish. Because they do not currently occupy the alpine zone and the vegetation has not evolved to accommodate their presence, their impact on alpine vegetation is likely to be greater than migratory alpine grazers/browsers.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-02-2017
DOI: 10.1111/FME.12213
No related grants have been discovered for WAYNE ROBINSON.