The butterfly fauna of the Griffith district, a fragmented semi-arid landscape in inland southern New South Wales

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael F. Braby ◽  
Ted D. Edwards
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Arid Zone ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Fragmented Landscape ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Butterfly Fauna ◽  
Semi Arid

Thirty-three species of butterflies are recorded from the Griffith district in the semi-arid zone of inland southern New South Wales. The butterfly community comprises the following structure: 19 species (58%) are resident; 7 (21 %) are regular immigrants; 2 (6%) are irregular immigrants; 5 (15%) are vagrants. Except for a few migratory species, most occur in relatively low abundance. Lack of similar studies elsewhere in western New South Wales precludes generalizations regarding the species richness, composition and structure of semi-arid butterfly communities. Comparison of the butterfly fauna with that from five other inland regions on the slopes and foothills of the Great Diving Range, revealed that the Griffith district is most similar in species richness and composition to that of Deniliquin and to a lesser extent Wagga Wagga and Cowra in the south, than with two regions in the higher summer rainfall area of the north of the State (Coonabarabran-Mendooran, Narrabri-Bellata). Overall, the butterfly fauna of inland New South Wales (total of 73 species, of which 49 occur in the southern regions) is depauperate compared with that recorded from the coastal/subcoastal areas east of the Great Dividing Range. Attention is drawn to the conservation significance of several vegetation types and habitat remnants in the Griffith district. Much of the native vegetation in the district has been extensively modified since European settlement due to excessive clearing for agriculture, resulting in a highly fragmented landscape for the conservation of native flora and fauna. With the exception of the lycaenid Candalides hyacinthinus Simplex, which is considered threatened locally, there is a general absence of narrow range endemic butterflies associated with mallee-heathland or mallee-woodland, possibly as a result of widespread land clearing practices of mallee vegetation in the past.

Vegetation changes after fire on two land systems in arid North-west New South Wales.

1985 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 80 ◽  
Author(s):  
WE Mulham
Keyword(s):  
Arid Zone ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Dune System ◽  
Erosion Risk ◽  
North West ◽  
South Wales

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.

scholarly journals The population dynamics of perennial chenopod shrubs in semi-arid western New South Wales.

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
DJ Eldridge
Keyword(s):  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Population Ecology ◽  
Arid Zone ◽  
Seedling Survival ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Semi Arid

This thesis deals with some aspects of the population ecology of arid zone perennial chenopod shrubs. It examined the effects of grazing on the population dynamics of Atriplex vesicaria, Maireana astrotricha and Maireana pyramidata, the influence of weather on recruitment and survival of Atriplex vesicaria and the effects of various microtopographical features on seedling survival of Atriplex vesicaria.

Effects of sowing time on growth and grain yield of lupin and field pea in south-eastern New South Wales

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 1137 ◽  
Author(s):  
DP Heenan
Keyword(s):  
Dry Matter ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Black Spot ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Field Pea ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Sowing Time ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Matter Production

Cultivars of lupin and field pea were grown at different times over 4 years on a red earth at Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, to assess the influence of sowing time on growth and production from each crop. The cultivars of field pea (Pisum sativum) included Dinkum, Derrimut, Dunn, and Maitland; lupins used were Lupinus angustifolius cvv. Danja, Gungurru, and Geebung, and either the L. angustifolius line 75A/330 (1989-90) or L. albus cv. Ultra (1991-92). When autumn rain was sufficient to allow sowing, highest yield and dry matter production of lupin were gained by sowing from late April to 19 May. Yields declined with later sowing, though high spring-summer rainfall in 1992 reversed the decline. There was little difference between Danja, Gungurru, and Geebung, but these were usually higher yielding than the semi-dwarf 75Al330 when sown early. However, Ultra produced higher yields than the L. angustifolius cultivars in 1991 and 1992, particularly under high rainfall conditions. Early-sown crops (late April-mid May) of field peas were often severely infected with black spot blight and, in 1 year, with sclerotinia. In 1992 these diseases devastated all cultivars when sown on 1 May. Sowing later markedly reduced disease infection but also reduced grain yields and dry matter when sown after late June. The semi-leafless, semi-dwarf cultivar Dinkum was usually the lowest yielding and displayed the highest incidence of black spot blight.

Characterisation of naturalised strains of Trifolium subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare in northern New South Wales

1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Lodge
Keyword(s):  
Seed Weight ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
Summer Rainfall ◽  
Median Number ◽  
South Wales ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Floral Characters ◽  
Number Of Seeds

Burrs were collected from paddocks on 3 properties in northern New South Wales where the age of the Trifolium subterraneum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare swards varied from 19 to 28 years. At 1 site burrs were also sampled from swards sown 2 and 10 years previously. Twenty seedlings from these burrs and 20 plants of certified cv. Clare were grown as spaced plants in a nursery. These were assessed for vegetative and floral characters, flowering time, number of seeds per burr, seed weight, and percentage hardseed after storage at 25/25�C for 6 months and 25/45�C for a further 6 months. For most plants the mean number of days from sowing to first flower was similar to that of Clare. Compared with the naturalised strains, Clare had the lowest (P<0.05) mean number of seeds per burr: about 25% below the mean of the strains (2.7 seeds per burr). While the lowest mean seed weights of the strains were not significantly different from those of Clare, the seed weights of plants from 3 sites were higher (P<0.05) than those of Clare. After storage for either 6 or 12 months, hardseed levels were also lowest (P<0.05) for Clare. Plants from the 2-year-old sward had the same median number of seeds per burr (2.0) as Clare. As sward age increased, the median number of seeds per burr increased to 2.8. Hardseed percentages were lowest for plants of Clare and for those from the 2-year-old sward after 6 months, and for Clare after 12 months. These studies indicated the presence of divergent strains in old swards of Clare in a summer rainfall environment. Natural selection among variability within Clare is the most likely reason for the development of these strains in an environment marginal for the long-term persistence of this softseeded cultivar. Although strains had the same vegetative and floral markings as Clare, differences in ecologically important characters such as number of seeds per burr, seed weight, and hardseededness may result in plants that are better adapted to the environment in which they evolved. From these studies 23 plants of T. subterraneum var. brachycalycinum were selected for further evaluation.

The availability of mineral nitrogen in a wheat soil from southern New South Wales

1962 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
RR Storrier
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Uptake ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Nitrogen Deficiency ◽  
Ammonia Nitrogen ◽  
Mineral Nitrogen ◽  
Wheat Crop ◽  
Wagga Wagga ◽  
Emergence Period ◽  
South Wales

In a red-brown earth soil from Wagga Wagga the fluctuations in the level of mineral nitrogen (ammonia plus nitrate-nitrogen) and its availability to wheat under growing period rainfalls of 6 inches and 16 inches were studied. Ammonia-nitrogen did not exceed 8 lb nitrogen per acre 6 inches but showed statistically significant short term fluctuations. Mineral nitrogen decreased steadily from the 4-5 leaf stage of plant growth, reaching minimum values in the ear-emergence period when a temporary nitrogen deficiency occurred. Following rainfalls of about one inch or more, conditions favoured biological activity and nitrogen was mineralized, absorbed by the crop and/or leached down the profile. In one season a release of mineral nitrogen about two weeks before flowering contributed an estimated 20-30 per cent of the total nitrogen uptake of the crop. Nitrogen uptake by the wheat crop ceased after flowering and subsequent changes in mineral nitrogen level reflect the net result of mineralization and demineralization processes, and nitrogen uptake by weeds, particularly skeleton weed. Absorption of nitrogen from the profile depended upon seasonal conditions, with the surface 18 inches suppling the greater part of the nitrogen absorbed by the crop. This indicates the need to sample regularly to at least a depth of 18 inches, particularly during the period from 4-5 leaf to flowering, when studying the relation between mineral nitrogen and crop growth. The data suggest that the response of wheat, as measured by grain yield and protein content, to the higher levels of mineral nitrogen in the improved soils of southern New South Wales is determined by soil moisture levels, particularly in the post-flowering period.

Do economic factors cause change in productivity and stability in the New South Wales arid zone?

1978 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 200
Author(s):  
J.R. Anderson ◽  
PA Bruyn
Keyword(s):  
Arid Zone ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Economic Factors ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Western Division

A framework is suggested and explored for examining the influence of economic factors on changes in productivity and stability in the Western Division of New South Wales. The conclusion is reached that, excepting for an extraordinary peak of productivity around 1890, productivity continues to move up and down in a manner as unstable as ever. Economic factors seemingly play no clear role in influencing changes in productivity and only a slight and ambiguous role in influencing changes in stability.

Habitat Use by Sminthopsis-Crassicaudata, Planigale-Gilesi and Planigale-Tenuirostris (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae) in Semiarid New-South-Wales

1987 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 385 ◽  
Author(s):  
DG Read
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Habitat Use ◽  
Arid Zone ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Sminthopsis Crassicaudata ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Soil Cracks ◽  
Habitat Variables

Habitat use by Sminthopsis crassicaudata, Planigale gilesi and P. tenuirostris was investigated in the arid zone of New South Wales. All species showed considerable flexibility in habitat use at all times, and abundance was poorly predicted from easily measured parameters of the habitat. However, evidence was found for separation of microhabitat among these sympatric species. Multiple regression analysis indicated that abundance of S. crassicaudata was negatively associated with height of vegetation and the depth and density of soil cracks, and that of P. gilesi was positively associated with these habitat variables. Plant height was positively associated with abundance of P. tenuirostris and it was the only important predictor for this species. These results are discussed in conjunction with trapping records from other habitats.

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