The zoogeographic significance of urban bushland remnants to reptiles in the Perth region, Western Australia

1994 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 132 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. How ◽  
J. Dell
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Swan Coastal Plain ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Species Area ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Swan River

The 71 reptile species occurring in the Perth region make this area as diverse as any similar sized coastal region in Australia. Cluster analysis of the lizard assemblages of 17 bushland remnants in the region indicate that three main sub-regions can be identified; Darling Plateau and Scarp, Offshore Islands and Swan Coastal Plain. Within the Swan Coastal Plain the lizard and skink faunas of remnant bushlands on the same landform are more similar to one another than they are to those of adjacent landforms. The Swan River appears to be a distributional boundary for some species. Species-area relationships indicate a variety of responses amongst the different taxonomic groups of reptiles, with snakes being the most sensitive to loss of habitat. The isolated remnant bushlands of inner urban areas retain a variety of reptile species, but there is no significant relationship with remnant size. The implications of zoogeographic and area relationships to conservation are discussed.

Ground vertebrate fauna of Perth's vegetation remnants: impact of 170 years of urbanization

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 198 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. How ◽  
J. Dell
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Annual Variation ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Active Management ◽  
Species Number ◽  
Biogeographic Patterns ◽  
Swan Coastal Plain ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
Swan River

Ground vertebrates were surveyed on 34 vegetation remnants on the Swan Coastal Plain within the Perth metropolitan area. The remnants ranged from one hectare to nearly 340 ha and were sampled for at least 50 days during the year using pitfall traps. Six remnants were sampled in two or more successive years. Seven native, non-volant mammal, six introduced mammal, 11 amphibian and 43 reptile species were recorded. Native mammals are the most disadvantaged vertebrates in urban remnants with few species surviving the effects of long-term fragmentation. The herpetofauna is less affected, although snakes are generally rare. Marked annual variation occurred in lizard assemblages recorded on remnants sampled over consecutive years. On average, these remnants had a similarity in species composition of only 77% between years. Small remnants are important for conservation of reptile assemblages and there is a strong correlation between remnant area and species number for all reptile groups, except skinks. Remnants as small as one hectare retain viable populations of many reptiles, but need active management to exclude fire and predation. Regional biogeographic patterns are apparent in reptiles. Subregional patterns on the Swan Coastal Plain are associated with different soil types and the Swan River also creates a barrier across landforms. The diversity of reptile assemblages and variation in species trophic patterns indicate that many elements of the original food chain continue to operate in these urban environments.

Genetic and morphological analysis of multi-stemmed plants of tuart (Eucalyptus gomphocephala)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (8) ◽  
pp. 704 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Byrne ◽  
A. Koenders ◽  
K. Rogerson ◽  
J. Sampson ◽  
E. J. B. van Etten
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Morphological Analysis ◽  
Growth Form ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Coastal Region ◽  
Morphological Differentiation ◽  
Genetic Influences ◽  
Swan Coastal Plain ◽  
Eucalyptus Gomphocephala ◽  
Stressful Environments

The tuart–banksia woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain in Western Australia are characteristic vegetation communities of this coastal region, and Eucalyptus gomphocephala DC. (Myrtaceae; tuart) is an iconic tree of these communities. The species primarily occurs as a tall single-stemmed tree, but at the northern end of the distribution, it also occurs in a multi-stemmed form. Growth habit is frequently used as a taxonomic character in eucalypts, with many complexes having tree and mallee forms, although the genetic characterisation of growth habit in eucalypts has been limited. We investigated the genetic and morphological differentiation among populations of tree and multi-stemmed forms of tuart at the northern end of its distribution. Although the populations showed moderate levels of genetic diversity on the basis of microsatellite markers, as might be expected from populations on the periphery of the distribution, there was no evidence of genetic differentiation associated with the tree and multi-stemmed forms. Morphometric analysis showed some differences in the size of buds and fruits among the populations. Our analysis is consistent with environmentally induced variation in tuart in near-coastal populations where plants grow on poor soils and form may be affected by wind and salt exposure. This result adds to other evidence from pines and Nothofagus of environmental rather than genetic influences on growth form, particularly in stressful environments.

Distribution of the native earthworm fauna of the Perth metropolitan sector of the Swan Coastal Plain

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 196
Author(s):  
Ian Abbott ◽  
Allan Wills
Keyword(s):  
Coastal Plain ◽  
Native Species ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Common Species ◽  
Habitat Diversity ◽  
Remnant Vegetation ◽  
Invertebrate Diversity ◽  
Swan Coastal Plain ◽  
Species Abundances ◽  
Species Area

Assessment of areas suitable for inclusion in a comprehensive, adequate and representative (CAR) reserve system has been based primarily on distribution of original native vegetation and occurrence of vertebrates, particularly birds and mammals. However, reliable predictors of vertebrate and floristic diversity are not necessarily adequate predictors of invertebrate diversity. We sampled the earthworm fauna of the Perth metropolitan Swan Coastal Plain (SCP) to examine whether vegetation-based criteria are sufficient for identifying a conservation estate for native earthworms. Twenty-one native species were collected from 136 sample localities. All five previously described native species from the region and three native species previously collected but not formally described were again collected, while 13 previously uncollected species were found. Species abundances of native earthworms were uneven, in common with species-abundance relationships for many other invertebrate assemblages, with 10 singleton occurrences of species and few common species. Species diversity increased away from the coast across the sandy geomorphic units Quindalup, Spearwood and Bassendean. Our study did not resolve whether dlifferences in earthworm faunas reflect the gradient in soil qualities across these units, gradients in species-area effects, habitat diversity effects or a combination of these. Blocks of remnant vegetation identified in the Western Australian Government's Bush Forever plan as containing natural areas of regional conservation value are also likely to support at least one native earthworm species. However, many of the blocks of remnant vegetation so identified are not within the formal conservation estate. Two species identified in this survey fortuitously persist only in remnant vegetation patches not considered regionally significant. Actual regional diversity was estimated to be 38 native species, indicating many uncollected relatively rare species. Although earthworms are a low diversity group compared with other invertebrates, the localized distributions of most species indicate that the formal conservation estate does not provide adequate protection. Ongoing degradation of unprotected remnant vegetation will result in extinctions of localized invertebrate species.

scholarly journals Insects in the City: Does Remnant Native Habitat Influence Insect Order Distributions?

Diversity ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
Mani Shrestha ◽  
Jair E. Garcia ◽  
Freya Thomas ◽  
Scarlett R. Howard ◽  
Justin H. J. Chua ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Rapid Expansion ◽  
Ecological Value ◽  
Native Habitat ◽  
Insect Order ◽  
Insect Pollinator ◽  
Pollinating Insects ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Taxonomic Groups

There is increasing interest in developing urban design principles that incorporate good ecological management. Research on understanding the distribution and role of beneficial pollinating insects, in particular, is changing our view of the ecological value of cities. With the rapid expansion of the built environment comes a need to understand how insects may be affected in extensive urban areas. We therefore investigated insect pollinator capture rates in a rapidly growing and densely urbanized city (Melbourne, Australia). We identified a remnant native habitat contained within the expansive urban boundary, and established study sites at two nearby populated urban areas. We employed standard pan trap sampling techniques to passively sample insect orders in the different environments. Our results show that, even though the types of taxonomic groups of insects captured are comparable between locations, important pollinators like bees and hoverflies were more frequently captured in the remnant native habitat. By contrast, beetles (Coleoptera) and butterflies/moths (Lepidoptera) were more frequently observed in the urban residential regions. Our results suggest that the maintenance of native habitat zones within cities is likely to be valuable for the conservation of bees and the ecosystem services they provide.

scholarly journals Herpetofauna from an urban Pampa fragment in southern Brazil: composition, structure and conservation

Check List ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1964
Author(s):  
Omar Machado Entiauspe-Neto ◽  
Tângela Denise Perleberg ◽  
Marco Antonio de Freitas
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Faunal Composition ◽  
Diversity Patterns ◽  
Reptile Species ◽  
History Of ◽  
Composition Structure

Faunistic inventories regarding natural history of amphibians and reptiles are considered scarce and very little is known about their assemblages in urban areas; the Pampas morphoclimatic domain, also known as Uruguayan Savannah or Southern Grasslands, is also poorly known regarding their faunal composition.  Herein, we present a checklist of 16 amphibian and 20 reptile species recorded over a course of four years in the Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciências e Tecnologia, Câmpus Pelotas-Visconde da Graça, in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. We also present data on natural history and discuss conservation efforts to be undertaken in the area, in one of the least preserved and known Brazilian morphoclimatic domains, providing insights into urban herpetofaunal diversity patterns and showing the importance of modified areas in its conservation.

scholarly journals A Survey of Human Face Mites Demodex (Acari, Demodicidae) in Patients with Dermatological Symptoms in Baghdad, Iraq

2021 ◽  
pp. 3827-3833
Author(s):  
Basma H. Bedair ◽  
Suhaila D. Salman ◽  
Azhaar F. Abtan
Keyword(s):  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
Dermatological Diseases ◽  
Asymptomatic Patients ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Acne Rosacea ◽  
Time Of Year ◽  
Demodex Mites

Demodex spp. mites are external obligate parasites; they are transmitted between hosts through direct contact, and may induce several dermatological symptoms when found in large numbers. However, these symptoms may be similar to other commonly known diseases; this often leads dermatologists to neglect the pathogenic role of these mites. Therefore, a better diagnosis is recommended in order to avoid mistreatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between Demodex mites and dermatological diseases. Infestation rates in patients suffering from acne, rosacea, folliculitis, and psoriasis were compared with asymptomatic patients, along with the mites’ relation to gender, age, personal hygiene, time of year, and residency. These mites were mainly found in patients with rosacea (66.67%) followed by acne (64.41%), while they were only observed in 48.15% of asymptomatic patients, 40.00% in folliculitis, and 0.00% in psoriasis. The statistical analysis showed a significant relationship between infestation and the previously mentioned dermatological diseases (P<0.01). The infestation rates increased significantly with age, reaching 83.33% in patients above 60 years old, and especially during cold months with higher humidity rates. These mites were also more predominantly found in urban areas (56.10%), followed by rural areas (48.45%). However, there was no significant relationship according to gender or personal hygiene.

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