The Ecology and Distribution of Intertidal Organisms on the Rocky Shores of the Queensland Mainland

1956 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 88
Author(s):  
R Endean ◽  
R Kenny ◽  
W Stephenson

This paper records investigations made on the ecology and biogeography of organisms found on rocky shores in eastern Queensland. Traverses were made at selected localities along a region of the coast bounded by the New South Wales-Queensland border (lat. 28� 15' S.) to the south and Whitecliffs (lat. 16� 39' S.) to the north. An account of general physiographic features and environmental factors in this region is given. It was found that the majority of typical Peronian organisms extended as far north as about lat. 25� S. North of lat. 25� S. tropical species occurred and the degree of overlapping of species from the two adjacent faunas was very small. However, the Moreton Bay-Caloundra region offered a refuge for some tropical forms. Zonation patterns on either side of the biogeographical boundary differed. In southern Queensland the zonation picture was similar to that in New South Wales as described by Dakin, Bennett , and Pope (1948); but in northern Queensland an oyster zone dominated the upper half of the intertidal region, whilst in the lower half a barnacle zone replaced the serpulid zone found in southern Queensland and New South Wales. The effects of various environmental factors on zonation on Queensland shores are discussed. It has been found that generalizations made by Evans (1947b) regarding zonation on British shores are only partially applicable to zonation in southern Queensland. Possible reasons for the differences noted are discussed. Also, the rate of change of percentage exposure to the air, which Doty (1946) has shown to be so potent a factor in determining the zonation of organisms at all levels in the intertidal region of the coasts of Oregon and northern California, apparently determines only the upper levels attained by organisms which extend above mean high water neap tide level on southern Queensland shores. Analyses of the effects of varying environmental factors, including gross environmental changes relating to latitude, on faunistic composition have been made. These have given much information on the general ecology of many common Queensland rocky shore species. Moreover, they have thrown much light on the reasons for the existence of a biogeographical boundary near latitude 25� S. In particular they have shown that such factors as the degree of wave action and salinity are possibly of more importance than temperature in determining the position of this boundary.

1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
TS Andrews ◽  
RDB Whalley ◽  
CE Jones

Inputs and losses from Giant Parramatta grass [GPG, Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. major (Buse) Baaijens] soil seed banks were quantified on the North Coast of New South Wales. Monthly potential seed production and actual seed fall was estimated at Valla during 1991-92. Total potential production was >668 000 seeds/m2 for the season, while seed fall was >146000 seeds/m2. Seed fall >10000 seeds/m2.month was recorded from January until May, with further seed falls recorded in June and July. The impact of seed production on seed banks was assessed by estimating seed banks in the seed production quadrats before and after seed fall. Seed banks in 4 of the 6 sites decreased in year 2, although seed numbers at 1 damp site increased markedly. Defoliation from mid-December until February, April or June prevented seed production, reducing seed banks by 34% over 7 months. Seed banks in undefoliated plots increased by 3300 seeds/m2, although seed fall was estimated at >114 000 seeds/m2. Emergence of GPG seedlings from artificially established and naturally occurring, persistent seed banks was recorded for 3 years from bare and vegetated treatment plots. Sown seeds showed high levels of innate dormancy and only 4% of seeds emerged when sown immediately after collection. Longer storage of seeds after collection resulted in more seedlings emerging. Estimates of persistent seed banks ranged from 1650 to about 21260 seeds/m2. Most seedlings emerged in spring or autumn and this was correlated with rainfall but not with ambient temperatures. Rates of seed bank decline in both bare and vegetated treatment plots was estimated by fitting exponential decay curves to seed bank estimates. Assuming no further seed inputs, it was estimated that it would take about 3 and 5 years, respectively, for seed banks to decline to 150 seeds/m2 in bare and vegetated treatments.


Oceania ◽  
1957 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 190-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malcolm J. C. Calley

2006 ◽  
Vol 285 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 245-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. McHenry ◽  
B. R. Wilson ◽  
J. M. Lemon ◽  
D. E. Donnelly ◽  
I. G. Growns

1851 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 239-240
Author(s):  
Thomas Anderson

About thirty years ago a species of manna, obtained from the Eucalyptus Mannifera, was brought from New South Wales, and was examined by Dr Thomas Thomson, and afterwards by Professor Johnston, both of whom ascertained it to contain a new species of sugar, different from the mannite which exists in ordinary manna. The author had, through the kindness of Mr Sheriff Cay, an opportunity of examining a very different species of manna, remarkable both from its chemical constitution, and from its possessing a definitely organised structure. This substance was discovered by Mr Robert Cay in 1844, in the interior of Australia Felix, to the north and north-west of Melbourne, where it occurs at certain seasons on the leaves of the Mallee plant, Eucalyptus Dumosa, and is known to the natives by the name of Lerp.


1997 ◽  
Vol 166 (6) ◽  
pp. 290-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tim J Sladden ◽  
Alan R Hickey ◽  
Thérèse M Dunn ◽  
John R Beard

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (72) ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR Leece ◽  
Bvan den Ende

Changes in the nutrient-element composition of leaves of 'Trevatt' apricot were measured monthly during the 1971-72 and 1972-73 seasons in New South Wales. The rate of change of leaf composition was least during January-February. Thus, leaf composition standards should be based on January- February samples and diagnostic sampling should be confined to this period where possible. Correction factors for adjusting the composition of early or late samples back to January 31 levels, were calculated from polynomials with time fitted to the leaf composition data. A survey of the leaf composition of well-managed 'Trevatt' apricot orchards was conducted each January from 1971 to 1973 in New South Wales and Victoria. Percentages of orchards classified as low to deficient (-), and high to excess (+) for various nutrients were as follows : New South Wales (averages of 1971 to 1973) N -41 ; P +37; K +49; Mg +56; Fe +1 9 ; Zn -18. Victoria (averages of 1972 and 1973) N -21 and +32; K +10; Fe -35; Mn +17; Zn -20.


1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 241 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Underwood ◽  
M. G. Chapman

Data were collected in New South Wales from replicate sites on five wave-exposed shores separated by hundreds of kilometres at three-monthly intervals for four years, to examine large and small spatial and temporal patterns in low-shore algal assemblages. These data were used to test hypotheses from the models that algal assemblages show large-scale, predictable changes in structure or, alternatively, that variation from time to time is small-scale and differs from shore to shore or site to site on a shore. There was considerable variation at all scales examined — among replicate quadrats within sites, between sites on a shore and among shores. Similarly, assemblages differed from one sampling period to the next and changes in the assemblages over time periods of three months were as great as from year to year. These changes were interactive, with no two sites or shores showing similar temporal patterns. Thus, understanding diversity along a coast-line requires detailed understanding of local processes. Without adequate spatial and temporal replication in sampling designs and without explanatory models, the large and complex variability in intertidal assemblages at different scales cannot be documented and understood.


1997 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 439 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. S. Andrews ◽  
C. E. Jones ◽  
R. D. B. Whalley

Summary. Four experiments were conducted to determine the effects of temperature, light and leaf extract solutions on the germination of Giant Parramatta grass [GPG, Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. major (Buse) Baaijens] collected from a population on the North Coast of New South Wales. In the first experiment, seeds were subjected to one of a range of temperature combinations immediately after collection and again after 8 and 27 weeks. Germination was restricted to a narrow range of alternating temperatures with a peak at 35°C day/15°C night when seeds were tested immediately after collection. More seeds germinated when the samples had been stored, although germination remained depressed at constant temperatures. These data indicate that freshly collected GPG seeds are subject to primary dormancy and that few would germinate in the field immediately after seed fall. In a second experiment, seeds were buried beneath leaf litter in a pasture immediately after collection. After 7 months, the seeds were exhumed and subjected to either constant (20°C) or alternating (35/15°C) temperatures in either full light, reduced red:far-red (R : FR) light or dark treatments. Over 95% of GPG seeds germinated when subjected to alternating temperatures, regardless of light treatment. At constant temperatures, 97% of seeds germinated under full light, 59% at reduced R : FR light and <1% in dark treatments. A germination response to alternating temperatures and/or light treatments has been reported in pasture weeds and may be an adaptation to detecting gaps in the pasture canopy. Consequently, the germination of GPG in a pasture may be manipulated to some extent by altering the amount of pasture cover using grazing management, mowing and fertiliser applications. In experiment 3, leaves from a range of coastal grasses were mixed with water and the solutions were used to germinate GPG seeds. Solutions extracted from setaria (Setaria sphacelata) leaves completely inhibited GPG germination while 27% of GPG seeds germinated when imbibed with kikuyu leaf extract solution. Solution extracted from carpet grass (Axonopus affinis) leaves had the least effect on GPG germination. In experiment 4, the effects of solutions that had been leached from the leaves of either setaria or carpet grass on seed germination, and root and shoot lengths of GPG seedlings were compared. Germination was less inhibited by leachate solutions compared with the extract solutions used in experiment 3. Seedlings in setaria leachates had significantly shorter roots and shoots than both those germinated in carpet grass leachates and control seedlings. This may explain, at least in part, why carpet-grass-based pastures are readily infested with GPG while setaria-based pastures are relatively resistant to infestation. The potential for allelopathic interactions between GPG and setaria to be fully utilised to reduce the abundance of GPG in coastal New South Wales pastures is discussed.


1971 ◽  
Vol 11 (50) ◽  
pp. 307 ◽  
Author(s):  
GJ Murtagh

The effectiveness of chemical seedbed preparation for sod-sown oats was studied using varying intervals between spraying and sowing. Four herbicides were compared in a second experiment. Both experiments were conducted on paspalum (Paspalum dilatatum) dominant pastures on red basaltic soil on the North Coast of New South Wales. Herbicides were most effective when applied at 6.7 kg acid equivalent a hectare. At this rate, the highest yields of dry matter and nitrogen were obtained when there was a three-week interval and considerably less when there was no interval. A mixture of 2,2-DPA (2,2-dichloropropionic acid) and amitrole (3-amino-1,2,4-triazole) was more effective than 2,2-DPA alone with a three-week spraying interval but there was no difference with a six-week interval. Both amitrole and a mixture of amitrole and ammonium thiocyanate were ineffective for chemical seedbed preparation on paspalum pastures;


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