The status of non-volant mammals along a rainfall gradient in the south-west Kimberley, Western Australia

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. N. Start ◽  
A. A. Burbidge ◽  
M. C. McDowell ◽  
N. L. McKenzie
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Rainfall Gradient ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
South West ◽  
The Status ◽  
High Level

To assess the current status of mammals in relation to mean annual rainfall and to improve knowledge of the original mammalian assemblages in tropical Western Australia, extant terrestrial mammals and subfossil mammalian remains were sought along a rainfall gradient in two parallel ranges in the Kimberley, Western Australia. As expected, extant mammal species richness decreased with decreasing rainfall. Data from other studies in higher-rainfall areas complemented this conclusion and a parallel decline in trap success implied an overall decline in abundance, although numbers of two rodents (Rattus tunneyi and Zyzomys argurus) were highly variable. Small rodents were rare. Subfossil deposits were biased by accumulation processes, with most attributable to tytonid owls. They largely consisted of rodent and, to a lesser extent, small dasyurid bones and there was a high level of consistency in the proportional composition of many common species across the rainfall gradient. Most deposits appear to predate the introduction of stock in the 1880s and some may be much older. All species persist in the study area except two Notomys spp. and three Pseudomys spp. Both the Notomys and one Pseudomys are apparently undescribed, extinct species. However, there were marked ratio differences between subfossil and modern assemblages. Although specimens of species larger than those taken by tytonid owls were scarce, their occurrences were broadly consistent with the modern understanding of distributions.

Changes in the status and distribution of four species of parrot in the south of Western Australia during 1970-90

1995 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter R. Mawson ◽  
John L. Long
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Winter Rainfall ◽  
Mail Surveys ◽  
Dietary Preferences ◽  
Ecological Requirements ◽  
South West ◽  
The Status

Mail surveys were sent to field staff of the Agriculture Protection Board of Western Australia to assess the distribution and status of four species of parrot in the agricultural region of south-west Western Australia in 1970, 1980 and 1990. The surveys indicated that the populations of the Regent Parrot (Polytelis anthopeplus) and the Western Rosella (Platycercus icterotis) have declined in range considerably since 1970. The populations of the Red-capped Parrot (Purpureicephalus spurius) and the Port Lincoln Ringneck (Barnardius zonarius) have suffered little or not at all during the same period. Factors which appear to have contributed to the observed changes in distribution and status include clearing for agriculture, dietary preferences, physiology, habitat requirements, altered fire regimes, grazing by exotic herbivores and reduced winter rainfall. These surveys have shown that species which were formerly considered common and widespread have declined with little comment having been made of these changes. The implications of this are serious, both for these formerly common species and for rarer bird species which have similar ecological requirements. The technique of mail surveys has considerable merit for quickly assessing the status of some species of birds, but will be limited by the expertise of the respondents and the degree to which the species in question can be observed.

scholarly journals Bilkis gazelle in Yemen – status and taxonomic relationships

Oryx ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arnaud Greth ◽  
Douglas Williamson ◽  
Colin Groves ◽  
Georg Schwede ◽  
Marc Vassart
Keyword(s):  
Arabian Peninsula ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Field Surveys ◽  
General Lack ◽  
South West ◽  
Conservation Measures ◽  
New Information ◽  
The Status ◽  
Taxonomic Research ◽  
Systematic Field

Bilkis gazelle Gazella bilkis was first described in 1985 from material collected in Yemen in 1951. No new information about the species has been forthcoming since then and the animal's current status is uncertain in two respects. First, it is difficult to establish the taxonomic relationship between G. bilkis and a possible subspecies of the Arabian gazelle, G. gazella erlangeri, which also occurs in the south-west Arabian peninsula. Secondly, uncontrolled hunting and the general lack of conservation measures in Yemen mean that, if it does still survive, its continued existence is far from assured. Systematic field surveys and taxonomic research are urgently needed to clarify the status of this animal and draw up conservation measures.

scholarly journals Challenges of the Teaching Profession: Student Teacher Wiev of the Status of Teachers in the Society and Their Own Engagement with Their Future Profession

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Marinko Lazzarich
Keyword(s):  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Education Policies ◽  
The Status ◽  
Profession Student ◽  
High Level ◽  
Educational Profession ◽  
High Degree

Some people view teaching as a mission, many others consider it as just another job. Teaching profession is publicly perceived as socially valuable and important, a job essential for the development of fundamental societal and human values. However, in 2019 Croatia, one still cannot speak of teaching as a profession. The public perceives teacher's expected high level of enthusiasm as a basic quality of an educator, rather than expecting a high degree of professionalism. Consequently, unlike education policies in some European countries, the historical development of the upgrade to the teaching profession in Croatia is somewhat lagging behind. The text analyses the status of teachers and the acceptance of the educational profession in Croatia as well as the working conditions in the Croatian education. We present research results of attitudes towards the teaching profession and the social status of teachers expressed by students enrolled in the Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Rijeka. The main objective of the research was to determine the attitudes of students on the current status of teachers in Croatia, concurrently examining the level of their readiness to actively engage in achieving better social and material status of teachers. The research was conducted in 2018 using the survey method. The results confirmed that the respondents possess developed awareness of the deficiencies in the Croatian school system and the underpaid teaching staff. Aware of the basic weaknesses in the education policy, respondents expressed their willingness to engage in solving these problems. The results also clearly pointed to the need for an essential educational reform to improve the status of the teaching staff.

Rain, rain, gone away: decreased growing-season rainfall for the dryland cropping region of the south-west of Western Australia

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy T. Scanlon ◽  
Greg Doncon
Keyword(s):  
Surface Temperature ◽  
Sea Surface Temperature ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Wheat Yield ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
The South ◽  
The West ◽  
South West

The shift in Indian Ocean sea surface temperatures in 1976 led to a change in rainfall for the broad-scale winter annual grain cropping and pasture region in the south-west of Western Australia (the WA wheatbelt). Agriculture in the eastern part the WA wheatbelt was particularly sensitive to the change in rainfall because it is a marginal area for agronomic production, with low rainfall before changes in sea surface temperature. A second shift in sea surface temperature occurred in 2000, but there has been no analysis of the resulting impact on rainfall in the eastern WA wheatbelt. An analysis of rainfall pre- and post-2000 was performed for sites in the eastern WA wheatbelt in three groups: 19 sites in the west, 56 central, and 10 east. The analysis found a decline in growing-season rainfall (i.e. April–October), especially during May–July, post-2000. Rainfall declines of 49.9 mm (west group), 39.1 mm (central group) and 28.0 mm (east group) represented respective losses of 20.1%, 17.4% and 14.2% of growing-season rainfall. Increases in out-of-season rainfall in the respective groups of 31.0, 33.6, and 50.7 mm (57.8%, 60.8% and 87.6%) meant that annual rainfall changes were smaller than growing-season losses. The west and central groups lost 17.5 and 6.16 mm annual rainfall, whereas the east group gained 15.6 mm. Analysis of wheat yield indicated reductions of 13.5% (west) and 9.90% (central) in the eastern WA wheatbelt; the small group of east sites had a potential yield gain of 8.9% arising from the increased out-of-season rainfall. Further, increased out-of-season rainfall will exacerbate weed and disease growth over the summer fallow.

Persistence of several annual legumes in mixtures under continuous grazing in the south west of Western Australia

1974 ◽  
Vol 14 (70) ◽  
pp. 632 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Taylor ◽  
RC Rossiter
Keyword(s):  
Medicago Truncatula ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
The Other ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Annual Legumes ◽  
South West ◽  
Continuous Grazing ◽  
Average Annual Rainfall ◽  
Average Rainfall

Two experiments are described: one in the wheatbelt in areas receiving 320 and 400 mm average annual rainfall, and the other in a medium rainfall area with an average rainfall of 640 mm. In the first experiment various combinations of barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) and cupped (Trifolium cherleri) and rose clovers (T. hirtum) with subterranean clover (T. subeterraneum) were grown at four sites. Each site was continuously grazed by sheep for periods ranging from three to five years. At all sites subterranean clover became dominant within a few years of establishment. The second experiment involved rose and subterranean clovers in ungrazed pure swards and mixed swards which were either grazed or ungrazed. Grazing was continued for three years. Grazing had a profound effect on the composition of the mixture: whereas subterranean clover dominated the grazed sward, in the absence of grazing rose clover over-topped the subterranean clover and dominated the mixture. The success of subterranean clover in grazed mixtures is attributed largely to relative inaccessibility to the grazing animal, particularly of seedlings but also of seeds.

Breeding and farming system opportunities for pasture legumes facing increasing climate variability in the south-west of Western Australia

2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (9) ◽  
pp. 840 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. K. Revell ◽  
M. A. Ewing ◽  
B. J. Nutt
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
The South ◽  
Pasture Legumes ◽  
South West ◽  
Annual Medics ◽  
Phosphorus And Potassium

The south-west of Western Australia has experienced a declining trend in annual rainfall and gradual warming over the last 30 years. The distribution of rainfall has also changed, with lower autumn rainfall, patchy breaks to the season, and shorter springs. This has important implications for the productivity of legume pastures in the region, which is dominated by annual species, particularly subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.), annual medics (Medicago spp.), serradella (Ornithopus spp.), and biserrula (Biserrula pelecinus L.). For annual pasture legumes, appropriate patterns of seed softening and germination behaviour, efficiency of phosphorus and potassium uptake, responses to elevated levels of atmospheric CO2, and drought resistance of seedlings and mature plants will assume increasing importance. While these traits can be targeted in pasture breeding programs, it will also be important to exploit farming system opportunities to optimise the annual legume component of the feed base. These opportunities may take the form of incorporating strategic shrub reserves and grazing crops to allow for pasture deferment in autumn–winter. Perennial forages may become more important in this context, as discussed in terms of the development of the perennial legume tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa var. albomarginata C.H. Stirton).

scholarly journals First in, first served: uptake of 1080 poison fox baits in south-west Western Australia

2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon J. Dundas ◽  
Peter J. Adams ◽  
Patricia A. Fleming
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Activity Index ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Jarrah Forest ◽  
Remote Cameras ◽  
South West ◽  
Multiple Species ◽  
High Level ◽  
Number Of Passes

Context In Western Australia, baits containing 1080 poison are widely used to control the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) for fauna conservation. Despite long-term (15–17 years) baiting programs, bait uptake by target and non-target species is largely unknown, but affects baiting efficacy. Aims We examined bait uptake of 1080-poisoned fox baits laid according to current practice at seven riparian sites in the northern jarrah forest (of south-west Western Australia). There, intensive baiting regimes have been implemented for the protection of quokka (Setonix brachyurus) populations. Methods Over 9 months, 299 Probait® baits were monitored regularly to determine their persistence, and, at 142 of these, Reconyx HC500 remote cameras were used to identify the species taking baits. To compare bait uptake with species presence at these sites, we calculated an activity index for each species from the number of passes of animals in front of the cameras. Key results The species taking baits was identified for 100 of the baits monitored with cameras, and, because of multiple species taking baits, 130 bait take incidents were recorded in total. The fate of 40 of the baits was not discernible and two baits were not removed. In all, 99% of baits monitored by cameras were taken by non-target species and quokkas took 48% of them. The majority of baits (62% of the total 299 monitored) were taken before or on the first night of deployment, and 95% of baits had been taken within 7 days. With the exception of feral pigs, which took more baits than predicted from their activity index at these sites, baits were taken in proportion to the activity index of species. Foxes were present at four of the seven sites, but only one fox was observed taking a bait. Conclusions The high level of uptake of baits by non-target animals reflects their diversity and abundance at these sites, but also significantly reduces the availability of baits to control foxes. Implications Strategies to reduce non-target bait uptake and increase bait availability for foxes are required.

Distribution of the native earthworm fauna of Australia - a continent-wide perspective

Soil Research ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Abbott
Keyword(s):  
Geographical Distribution ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Large Rivers ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Northern Australia ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
South West ◽  
Wide Perspective ◽  
Central Australia

Based on nearly 2000 available records, the broadscale geographical distribution of the native earthworm fauna of Australia was mapped. Native earthworms were recorded from south-eastern, eastern and northern Australia within 400 km of the coast. Isolated faunas were present in Tasmania and south-west Western Australia, and apparently isolated faunas occurred in the Adelaide area/Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia and the ranges of central Australia. All but 30 locality records occurred where annual rainfall averaged or exceeded 400 mm; 16 of these records were instances of moisture-gaining sites (moist caves, waterholes, banks of large rivers, edge of granite domes). A collecting strategy to both fill in gaps in the distribution map and discover additional anomalous occurrences (with respect to the 400 mm isohyet) is outlined.

scholarly journals An Exploratory Analysis in Mapping of Asthma Risk in Western Australia

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Hendra Kurnia Febriawan ◽  
Carla Maria Da Silva Sodre
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Analysis ◽  
Spatial Pattern ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Exploratory Analysis ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Asthma Prevalence ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Asthma Risk ◽  
Confirmatory Analysis ◽  
High Level

Exploratory Analysis as one of the spatial analysis tools that has been used widely in many study fields. This tool is usually intended to obtain the spatial pattern to observe and get relationship between study variables. The exploratory analysis is usually followed by the confirmatory analysis to exhibit the hypothesis that already obtain in the exploratory analysis. This study is aimed to investigate the prevalence of asthma in Western Australia since there are many factors that cause the asthma dispersion.  Many provided variables have been tested to get the best correlation with the asthma percentage variable and four variables (humidity, annual rainfall, EVI and SEIFA) were chosen and tested with high asthma percentage variable. The result of confirmatory analysis indicates that the high level of humidity and low level of SEIFA confirm with the hypothesis and means that those factors can contribute significantly in Asthma prevalence in Western Australia.

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