Collections in space and time: geographical patterning of native frogs, mammals and reptiles through a continental gradient

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 111 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A How ◽  
M. A Cowan
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Great Majority ◽  
The State ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
The West ◽  
Vertebrate Fauna ◽  
South West ◽  
Australian Continent ◽  
Half Degree

Native frog, mammal and reptile specimen data in the Western Australian Museum were examined from the western third of the Australian continent covering nearly 22 degrees of latitude and 16 degrees of longitude and encompassing tropical, desert and temperate regions. The timing of specimen data collection and collecting effort were evaluated and show that large areas of the State remain poorly sampled. The great majority of the collections have been made over the last 50 years and taxonomic status of many vertebrate species is still in review with several new species being described. Systematic surveys need to be undertaken to address the inadequacy of information on vertebrate fauna distributions over large tracts of the desert and pastoral areas of Western Australia. The distribution of taxa endemic to Western Australia, threatened and priority taxa as well as restricted?range endemic taxa were examined over equal areas based on the 1 :250 000 map series that covers the western third of the Australian continent. Endemic taxa are focused in the south-west of the state and along the west coast, while restricted-range endemics are more frequently distriooted along the west and northwestern coasts. Threatened and priority taxa show a similar pattern to that of endemic taxa. The similarity of areas across Western Australia, based on the composition of their vertebrate fauna, indicates that there are four broad regions corresponding to the tropical north, the mesic south-west, the semi-arid southwestern interior and the arid Pilbara and desert areas. Additionally, regional areas defined under the IBRA scheme were examined for the number of sampling locations, endemic taxa in the various fauna! groups and the richness of taxa recorded. The Pilbara bioregion, one of the best-sampled areas of the State, showed limited concordance between vertebrate taxa similarity in half-degree cells and subregional boundaries and relatively high heterogeneity in vertebrate fauna distribution across the bioregion.

scholarly journals Our New Cathedrals: Spirituality and Old-Growth Forests in Western Australia

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Worth
Keyword(s):  
Social Movements ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
The State ◽  
The South ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
The Past ◽  
South West ◽  
Old Growth Forests ◽  
Heated Debate ◽  
Policy Proposals

Over the past 30 years in Western Australia (WA), there has been heated debate about the future use of the remaining karri and jarrah forests in the south-west of the State. This debate revolves around policy proposals from two social movements: one wants to preserve as much of the remaining old-growth forests as possible, and an opposing movement supports a continued

New phallodrilines (Annelida: Clitellata: Tubificidae) from Western Australian groundwater

Zootaxa ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 1304 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
ADRIAN M. PINDER ◽  
S. M. EBERHARD ◽  
WILLIAM F. HUMPHREYS
Keyword(s):  
Southern Hemisphere ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
West Coast ◽  
The State ◽  
Karst Aquifers ◽  
The West ◽  
Western Australian

Four species of phallodriline tubificids (Clitellata: Tubificidae) from karst aquifers and caves along the west coast of the state of Western Australia are the first records of this subfamily from nonmarine waters in the southern hemisphere. Aktedrilus parvithecatus (Erséus 1978) and Pectinodrilus ningaloo n. sp. occur in anchialine groundwater of Cape Range, along with other taxa of marine affinity. Aktedrilus leeuwinensis n. sp. and Aktedrilus podeilema n. sp. occur in caves of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge and Perth Basin respectively and are the first taxa of marine lineage to have been collected from these systems.

Abbreviata (Nematoda: Physalopteroidea) in Lizards of the Varanus Gouldii Complex (Varanidae) in Western Australia.

1983 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
HI Jones
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Host Immune Response ◽  
The State ◽  
Stomach Wall ◽  
Host Size ◽  
The South ◽  
Positive Correlation ◽  
South West

Six species of nematode in the genus Abbreviata were recovered from the stomachs of 58 Varanus gouldii, s.l., in Western Australia: A. hastaspicula, A. barrowi, A, antarctica, A. levicauda, sp. nov., A. tumidocapitis, sp. nov., and an unnamed species. A. occidentalis Jones, 1978 is reduced to synonomy with A. antarctica (Linstow, 1899). A, hastaspicula was recovered from all hosts examined except those from the south-west of the State, where it was replaced by A. antarctica. A. levicauda and A. tumidocapitis occurred concurrently with one or both of the above species. Th'e increase in A. hastaspicula numbers with host size in V. gouldii, s.s., (P<0,05) and in V. panoptes (P<0,05) indicates that there is no effective host immune response. A. hastaspicula numbers were unaffected by concurrent A. levicauda infection. There was a positive correlation between numbers of Abbreviata sp. larvae and A. hastaspicula (P<0.01), and between Abbreviata sp. larvae and A. antarctica (P<0.01), in V. gouldii, s.s. No larvae were seen in the stomach wall of these Varanus, and it is concluded that those which occur commonly in this situation in elapid snakes are probably larvae of A. hastaspicula or A. levicauda, which appear to be unable to mature in these hosts.

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.

scholarly journals Salsola tragus or S. australis (Chenopodiaceae) in Australia—untangling taxonomic confusion through molecular and cytological analyses

2008 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine P. D. Borger ◽  
Guijun Yan ◽  
John K. Scott ◽  
Michael J. Walsh ◽  
Stephen B. Powles
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Morphological Variation ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
The Other ◽  
The South ◽  
Agricultural Ecosystems ◽  
South West ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Group A ◽  
Taxonomic Confusion

Salsola tragus sensu lato (Chenopodiaceae) is found throughout Western Australia and is considered to be a weed in both natural and agricultural ecosystems, although the current taxonomic status of this species is not clear. The taxonomic literature reports morphological variation within Australian populations of the weed, indicating that there may be genetically distinct ecotypes or unidentified subspecies present within the species. A genetic and cytological approach was used to detect variation between 22 populations of S. tragus sensu lato in the south-west of Western Australia. Out-groups used in this study included a population of S. tragus L. from the USA and Maireana brevifolia (R.Br.) Paul G.Wilson (Chenopodiaceae) from Lake Grace. Four genetically distinct groups were identified, which were not closely related to the S. tragus out-group (~60% similarity). Further, these groups and a S. australis R.Br. sample from the USA were all diploid (2n = 18), unlike the tetraploid (2n = 36) S. tragus. The predominant wheatbelt weed, group A, which was previously classified as S. tragus ssp. tragus L., was identified as S. australis. This species is probably native to Australia, given its arrival predated European invasion. Further research is required to clarify the taxonomic status of the other three possible taxa and determine their status in relation to S. australis.

The European Rabbit Flea, Spilopsyllus Cuniculi, in South-Western Australia.

1985 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 227 ◽  
Author(s):  
DR King ◽  
AJ Oliver ◽  
SH Wheeler
Keyword(s):  
Biological Control ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Wide Distribution ◽  
The State ◽  
European Rabbit ◽  
The South ◽  
The Past ◽  
South West

Spilopsyllus cuniculi, a vector of myxomatosis, was introduced by various methods at several sites in the south-west of Western Australia in May 1969 for the biological control of rabbits. It spread rapidly and within 14 months all rabbits collected within about 5 km of one of the release sites were infested with fleas. Further introductions of the flea during the past decade have resulted in a wide distribution for it throughout the south-west of the state. Flea numbers fluctuate seasonally and are highest in reproductively active female rabbits in winter and spring. Since the introductions of the flea, the timing of epizootics of myxomatosis has changed and their effect on rabbit populations has increased.

Accessibility of subsoil potassium to wheat grown on duplex soils in the south-west of Western Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 745 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. F. Wong ◽  
N. K. Edwards ◽  
N. J. Barrow
Keyword(s):  
Grain Yield ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Root Length ◽  
Soil Tests ◽  
The West ◽  
Fitting Procedure ◽  
South West ◽  
K Deficiency ◽  
K Concentration ◽  
Yield Responses

The B horizon of duplex soils in the wheatbelt of Western Australia is sometimes enriched with potassium (K). K supply from this source is, however, not taken into account in fertiliser recommendations based on soil tests on samples from the 0–10 cm layer. Grain yield responses of wheat to K were measured over 4 years on 10 duplex soils in the medium rainfall (400–600 mm) regions of the West Australian wheatbelt. The depth at which the texture changed markedly ranged from 25 to 75 cm. K was measured through the profile and the concentration was reduced to a single value with a weighting equation that takes account of the distribution of root length. The weights chosen by the fitting procedure discounted the K content of the subsoil severely and provided no evidence that subsoil K was important in determining yield. Furthermore, the improvement obtained by using the weighted K concentration in the 0–1 m layer compared with using the topsoil (0–10 cm) analysis was not statistically significant. K deficiency can be diagnosed in those soils using analysis of the 0–10 cm samples only.

Gastrointestinal Nematodes in the Lizard Genus Pogona Storr (Agamidae) in Western-Australia

1986 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 689 ◽  
Author(s):  
HI Jones
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Gastrointestinal Nematodes ◽  
The State ◽  
Concurrent Infection ◽  
Intensity Of Infection ◽  
Restricted Area ◽  
South West ◽  
Left Spicule ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
The Right

Twelve species of nematode were recovered from the gastrointestinal tract of 115 lizards in the genus Pogona (Agamidae) in Western Australia. Seven species belonged to the Physalopteridae, and three new species are described: Abbreviata pilbarensis, sp. nov., occurs only in the Pilbara region and possesses relatively small dorsal and ventral pseudolabial teeth, inconstant and irregular small denticles on the medial pseudolabial surface, left spicule more than twice the length of the right, vulva with short wide posteriorly directed tubular extension, and thick-shelled eggs; Abbreviata anomala, sp. nov., occurs throughout the State, and possesses small pseudolabia, small dorsal and ventral pseudolabial teeth, an even row of 40-60 small denticles lining the medial pseudolabial surface, left spicule 3-4 times the length of the right, five pairs of pedunculate pericloacal papillae, and females with truncated rounded tail and vulva 3-5% of body length from anterior end; Kreisiella lesueurii, sp. nov., was identified from the south-west, and possesses a row of fine even denticles extending the width of the medial pseudolabial margin, no apical, dorsal or ventral pseudolabial teeth, a restricted area of tubercles on the male ventral tail surface, a short and thick right spicule, four pairs of pedunculate pericloacal papillae, caudal alae not meeting anteriorly and not extending to the tip of the tail, and females with truncated rounded tail and anteriorly placed vulva. The male of Maxvachonia brygooi is described: it possesses lateral alae and differs from M. chabaudi only in the larger size of the gubernaculum and spicules. Other species recorded were Strongyluris paronai, Physalopteroides filicauda, Skrjabinoptera goldmanae, Abbreviata antarctica, Pseudorictularia disparilis, one species of Oxyuroidea, and two species of Trichostrongyloidea. Concurrent infection with M. brygooi and S. goldmanae was positively correlated, and prevalence and intensity of both species increased with host size, in Pogona minor mitchelli. Prevalence and intensity of infection, and species diversity, were highest in the northern, subtropical parts of the State, and lowest in the drier central and southern inland. Cysts containing physalopteran larvae were present in the stomach wall of many hosts; prevalence and intensity of cysts was highest in the northern area.

Sodic soils in Western Australia

Soil Research ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 359 ◽  
Author(s):  
HR Cochrane ◽  
G Scholz ◽  
AME Vanvreswyk
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
The State ◽  
Land Values ◽  
Discrete Problem ◽  
Exchangeable Sodium ◽  
The South ◽  
Sodic Soils ◽  
South West ◽  
Western Australian

Sodic soils are common throughout Western Australia, particularly in the south-west agricultural area where they occur mainly as duplex or gradational profiles. Soils with sodic properties are dominant in 26% of the state; saline-sodic sediments and soils in intermittent streams, lakes and estuarine plains occupy a further 5%. Sodic soils are moderately common throughout the south and western portion of the rangeland areas (38% of the state). The south-west coastal sands and the desert and rangeland soils to the north and east of the state are rarely sodic. Although sodicity has been recognized as a discrete problem in W.A. soils since the 1920s, the extent and severity of sodicity has been satisfactorily described only for small areas of the state and most land managers are unaware of the role sodicity plays in limiting the productivity of their soils. Sodicity is implicated in a diversity of problems for both agricultural and non-agricultural uses of Western Australian soils. Subsoil impermeability is probably the most widespread of these, but no comprehensive, quantitative assessment of the influence of exchangeable sodium on subsoil properties has been undertaken. Topsoil sodicity is much less extensive but can severely restrict land productivity, particularly on sandy loam and finer textured soils which set hard when dry. The physical behaviour of Western Australian topsoils cannot usefully be predicted from measurements of exchangeable sodium alone because soils differ so greatly in their response to changing exchangeable sodium. Some remain structurally stable at ESP values >15 while others are so 'sodium-sensitive' that they exhibit highly dispersive behaviour at ESP values as low as 2%. Land values over much of the dryland farming and pastoral areas of W.A. do not justify sustained use of amendments which would reduce soil exchangeable sodium contents. Efficient management of sodic soils in these areas must rely on the prevention of degradation and the use of biological and physical means to maintain adequate soil physical properties. Effective restoration of degraded sodic soils, however, often does require application of inorganic amendments in combination with tillage to initiate structural recovery. Sodicity is currently not considered to be a problem at any of the three main irrigation areas in W.A., but all have sodic soil within their potentially irrigable lands, which may limit their future expansion.

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