Impacts of logging, fire and grazing regimes on bird species assemblages of the Pilliga woodlands of New South Wales

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 177 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Date ◽  
H. A. Ford ◽  
H. F. Recher

We investigated the composition and distribution of bird assemblages in the continuous Pilliga woodlands of north-west New South Wales in relation to floristic assemblages and disturbance (logging, fire and grazing) patterns. Box-ironbark woodlands contained high densities of White Cypress Pine Callitris glaucophylla and Narrow-leaved Ironbark Eucalyptus crebra, had a sparse, depauperate understorey, and were associated with frequent, intense logging and infrequent fires (due to fire exclusion and the use of grazing for fuel reduction). Box-ironbark woodlands were characterized by high frequencies of 12 bird species that occurred throughout the Pilliga and low frequencies of many other species. Blakely's Red Gum E. blakelyi woodlands typical of creeks and Broad-leaved Ironbark E. fibrosa woodlands typical of poor soils contained lower densities or smaller trees of C. glaucophylla and E. crebra, had a moderately dense, diverse understorey, and were associated with infrequent low-intensity logging and moderately frequent wildfire. Bird species assemblages of Broad-leaved Ironbark woodlands were similar to those of box-ironbark woodlands. Blakely's Red Gum woodlands were characterized by 36 bird species that were virtually absent from box-ironbark and Broad-leaved Ironbark woodlands, including 10 threatened and declining species. The 10 are among 48 woodland species that are known or thought to be declining and that are dependent on woodlands with mature trees and grassy or patchy grass/shrub understorey. We conclude that these species have declined in the Pilliga and will continue to decline under existing disturbance regimes, particularly in box-ironbark woodlands. We suggest adaptive management strategies for maintaining and rehabilitating their habitats.

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.


Toxins ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 446 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hazel Farrell ◽  
Penelope Ajani ◽  
Shauna Murray ◽  
Phil Baker ◽  
Grant Webster ◽  
...  

An end-product market survey on biotoxins in commercial wild harvest shellfish (Plebidonax deltoides, Katelysia spp., Anadara granosa, Notocallista kingii) during three harvest seasons (2015–2017) from the coast of New South Wales, Australia found 99.38% of samples were within regulatory limits. Diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) were present in 34.27% of 321 samples but only in pipis (P. deltoides), with two samples above the regulatory limit. Comparison of these market survey data to samples (phytoplankton in water and biotoxins in shellfish tissue) collected during the same period at wild harvest beaches demonstrated that, while elevated concentrations of Dinophysis were detected, a lag in detecting bloom events on two occasions meant that wild harvest shellfish with DSTs above the regulatory limit entered the marketplace. Concurrently, data (phytoplankton and biotoxin) from Sydney rock oyster (Saccostrea glomerata) harvest areas in estuaries adjacent to wild harvest beaches impacted by DSTs frequently showed elevated Dinophysis concentrations, but DSTs were not detected in oyster samples. These results highlighted a need for distinct management strategies for different shellfish species, particularly during Dinophysis bloom events. DSTs above the regulatory limit in pipis sampled from the marketplace suggested there is merit in looking at options to strengthen the current wild harvest biotoxin management strategies.


Atmosphere ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiep Nguyen Duc ◽  
Lisa Chang ◽  
Toan Trieu ◽  
David Salter ◽  
Yvonne Scorgie

Ozone and fine particles (PM2.5) are the two main air pollutants of concern in the New South Wales Greater Metropolitan Region (NSW GMR) due to their contribution to poor air quality days in the region. This paper focuses on source contributions to ambient ozone concentrations for different parts of the NSW GMR, based on source emissions across the greater Sydney region. The observation-based Integrated Empirical Rate model (IER) was applied to delineate the different regions within the GMR based on the photochemical smog profile of each region. Ozone source contribution was then modelled using the CCAM-CTM (Cubic Conformal Atmospheric model-Chemical Transport model) modelling system and the latest air emission inventory for the greater Sydney region. Source contributions to ozone varied between regions, and also varied depending on the air quality metric applied (e.g., average or maximum ozone). Biogenic volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions were found to contribute significantly to median and maximum ozone concentration in North West Sydney during summer. After commercial and domestic sources, power generation was found to be the next largest anthropogenic source of maximum ozone concentrations in North West Sydney. However, in South West Sydney, beside commercial and domestic sources, on-road vehicles were predicted to be the most significant contributor to maximum ozone levels, followed by biogenic sources and power stations. The results provide information that policy makers can use to devise various options to control ozone levels in different parts of the NSW Greater Metropolitan Region.


1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 245 ◽  
Author(s):  
PG Tow

The persistence and water use efficiency of Digitaria eriantha spp. eriantha and Hunter river lucerne were compared on red solodic soil with a hardsetting surface and poor internal drainage, on the North- West Slopes of New South Wales. After prolonged watering, the profile was wet to a depth of 48 � 1.5 cm, with an available moisture store of 90 mm. Over 3 years, persistence of digitaria was excellent. The population of lucerne was reduced following flooding at summer temperatures, Dry matter production of nitrogen (N) fertilised digitaria per mm warm season rainfall was similar to that of tropical grasses adapted to comparable rainfall environments in subtropical Queensland. Lucerne dry matter per mm rainfall was only about half that of digitaria (3.2 v. 6.3 kg). Lucerne grew well in mixture with digitaria except under prolonged wet soil conditions in summer. Artificial solodic profiles were constructed in the glasshouse to compare digitaria and lucerne in monoculture and mixture under varying temperature, moisture, and N regimes. Lucerne showed sensitivity to both high and low moisture levels at summer temperatures but performed very well at spring temperatures and moderate moisture levels where the mean evapotranspiration ratio was 400 g water per g dry matter. Water use efficiency was higher in digitaria than in lucerne, except at spring temperatures without added N. Water use efficiency of the mixture was always similar to that of the most efficient monoculture of the particular treatment.


1938 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 316-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Cameron

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. S. Debus ◽  
H. A. Ford ◽  
D. Page

We provide a geographic and landscape context for ongoing studies on bird communities in eucalypt woodland remnants on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales. We draw together several surveys that have not been published in the scientific literature, and integrate them with previously published material. A total of 142 woodland bird species, including 12 threatened species, was recorded in remnant woodland in the area above 900 m elevation from 50 km SSE to 100 km NNW of Armidals. There was a positive relationship between remnant size and bird species richness. Woodland reserves >300 ha supported significantly more species than remnants <100 ha on private land. Intensively surveyed reserves also had more species than remnants surveyed more casually. Threatened and other declining species occurred mainly in medium-sized (100-300 ha) and large reserves; foraging guilds of small to medium-sized, ground and above-ground insectivores were impoverished in degraded medium-sized and small remnants on private land. Almost the full range of woodland bird species was found at one or more sites, indicating their conservation value. However, some species were found in few sites or were only vagrants at a site. Active management will be needed to retain the current diversity of bird species in such heavily cleared landscapes.


1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
WE Mulham

Following a sequence of favourable years in which pasture growth over much of the arid zone of Australia reached very high ievels, controlled burns were carried out on two contrasting vegetation types in the extreme north-west of New South Wales. A wheei-point apparatus was used to measure subse- quent changes in botanical composition and foliage cover over a four year period. On a pasture periodically dominated by Mitchell grass (Astrebla spp.) burning while growing conditions were favourable resulted in only a small long- term decrease in the cover of Mitchell grass. In the short-term all chenopod species were eliminated and a wider range and greater abundance of annual forbs were promoted in the following spring. On a similar area burned by wildfire in a year of low summer rainfall the response from Mitchell grass was much poorer and botanical composition of the pasture present in the following spring differed from that which developed in the spring following the controlled burn. It also differed from that of the unburnt pasture. The major differences were due to the response of forb species and are attributed to variation in seasonal rainfall. On a dune-system pasture the dominant grasses were species of Aristida and Enneapogon. These are relatively short-lived and appear to have little ability to regrow from the butt after fire. Their slow regeneration after the burn was reflected in the substantial increase in relative abundance of perennial forbs in the following autumn, and of annual forbs the next spring. Although fire appeared to have no long-term effect on the pasture it dramatically reduced tree and shrub numbers. It is suggested that during years in which abnormal quantities of Mitchell grass are present in this region, controlled burning could be a useful form of management. A mosaic of patches burnt at different times would reduce the potential for wide-scale wildfires, provide refuge areas for stock and wildlife in the event of wildfire, and promote a wider choice of plant material for grazing animals. However, in dune-systems vegetation, removal of the pasture cover and reduction of the tree and shrub density would constitute an erosion risk.


1981 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 637 ◽  
Author(s):  
RW Howe ◽  
TD Howe ◽  
HA Ford

We studied bird distributions on 15 small patches of subtropical rainforest, ranging from 0.08 to 2.5 ha, in north-eastern New South Wales. Three-quarters of the bird species found in an extensive area of nearby rainforest were recorded in one or more of these isolated patches. Species that were not recorded, generally were rare in the extensive forest or are characterized by large home ranges. Several species more typical of open country were also found in the isolated patches. The number of resident species per patch ranged from one to 19; these were added in a rather predictable order from small to larger areas. Additional species observed in the patches either were transient or had home ranges encompassing several discontinuous areas. Although area is the best single predictor of species richness, isolation, disturbance by livestock and distance from water all tend to reduce the number of resident bird species. We propose that high dispersal abilities of rainforest birds near Dorrigo reflect the geographical and palaeogeographical distribution of Australian rainforest. The small total area and discontinuity of original tracts of rainforest, perhaps accentuated during the Pleistocene, have generally prevented persistence or colonization of highly sedentary, specialized bird species.


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