Characteristics of tree hollows used by Australian birds and bats

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Research Effort ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Australian Birds ◽  
Absolute Requirement ◽  
Passive Rewarming ◽  
The Many

Many hundreds of species of wildlife worldwide are dependent on tree hollows (cavities) for their survival. I reviewed the published literature for hollow-using Australian birds and microbats to document their tree-hollow requirements and to guide future research and management. Such information is vital to the conservation of these species. The hollow requirements of only 35 of 114 hollow-using bird species and 15 of 42 hollow-using microbat species were documented in some detail. This overall paucity of information limits the ability to manage for the future requirements of species. However, some generalisations can guide management until further studies are conducted. Most species used a variety of available tree species, and the extensive use of dead trees probably reflects the high likelihood of these trees containing hollows. Birds (other than large parrots) and bats chose hollow entrances of a size close to body width. Large parrots require large hollows, with a preference for large vertical spouts and trunk hollows. Few birds or bats demonstrated an absolute requirement for high (>10 m) tree hollows, with most (70%) using some hollows with entrances ≤5 m above ground. Temperature has been postulated to influence roost selection among microbats because it enables passive rewarming from torpor and there is some evidence from Australian bats to support this. Many studies suggest a future shortage of hollow-bearing trees. Currently, artificial hollows appear to be the most likely interim solution to address this. Knowledge of the natural hollow requirements of species can be used to refine artificial-hollow designs. An increase in research effort is needed to address the many gaps in knowledge that currently exist. Priorities for research include (1) many additional studies to document the characteristics of the hollow-bearing trees used by species of microbat, (2) the need to conduct long-term bioregional studies of hollow-bearing tree attrition to help identify where management responses are most needed and (3) investigating whether fire plays a significant role in the creation of tree hollows of a range of size classes and therefore may have a management use. Such information has broad relevance because it will provide ecological insight that can be applied to the management of hollow-using birds and bats elsewhere in the world.

Characteristics of tree hollows used by Australian arboreal and scansorial mammals

2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Processes ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Frequent Use ◽  
Dead Trees ◽  
Primary Determinant ◽  
Standing Dead ◽  
Standing Dead Trees ◽  
Tree Hollow

Many species of non-flying mammal depend on tree hollows (cavities or holes) for shelter and survival. I reviewed the published literature on tree hollow use by Australian non-flying arboreal and scansorial mammals to provide a synthesis of tree hollow requirements, to identify gaps in knowledge and to stimulate future research that may improve the management of these species. The use of hollows was described in some detail for 18 of 42 hollow-using species. Most information was for possums and gliding possums, whereas dasyurid marsupials and rodents were largely neglected. The paucity of data for many species must be addressed because it represents an impediment to their conservation. Hollow abundance appears to be the primary determinant of tree preferences. This accounts for the frequent use of standing dead trees by most species. Most hollow-bearing trees used as dens were at least 100 years of age. Further studies that describe the dynamic processes that govern the availability of tree hollows are needed. The few studies that document attrition of hollow-bearing trees suggest that land managers need to improve strategies for the effective retention and long-term replacement of these trees.

Use of artificial tree hollows by Australian birds and bats

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross L. Goldingay ◽  
Jane R. Stevens
Keyword(s):  
Management Program ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Design Elements ◽  
Tree Hollows ◽  
Australian Birds ◽  
Independent Test ◽  
Management Context

Artificial tree hollows (nest or roost boxes) may be of considerable importance to the conservation and management of Australian hollow-using birds and microbats. This is suggested by recognition that the rate of collapse of hollow-bearing trees may exceed replacement in some landscapes. We review the published literature to synthesise current information on the use of artificial hollows by Australian birds and bats, and to provide guidance to future research and management. The use of artificial hollows has been documented in some detail for 15 native bird and eight microbat species. A range of hollow designs has been employed but there is a limited understanding of favoured designs. General designs (e.g. front-entry plywood boxes) have been used extensively by some species and should continue to be used until more effective designs are identified. Species tend to use artificial hollows that have entrance sizes just sufficient for their body size, and this should guide hollow design. Competitive interactions with a range of non-target species (native and non-native) may have a pronounced influence on artificial hollow use and must be considered in any management program involving artificial hollows. We highlight some design elements that may reduce interference by non-target species. Temperature inside artificial hollows may have a particular influence on their use by bats due to the role of microclimate in bat thermoregulation. Trials are needed to investigate this factor and to inform general approaches to positioning of artificial hollows. Several distinct management uses exist for artificial hollows, including assisting threatened species recovery, e.g. Kangaroo Island glossy black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus) and orange-bellied parrot (Neophema chrysogaster). Artificial hollows offer an interim solution to hollow shortage but their full potential will only be realised when preferences for different designs are better understood. This will require a commitment to monitoring and should be conducted in an adaptive management context. Increased knowledge of the use of artificial hollows by Australian birds and bats should be of global relevance to the management of hollow-using species because it provides an independent test of ideas and strengthens any generalisations.

scholarly journals Motivational strategies and approaches for single and multi-player exergames: a social perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e230
Author(s):  
Gerry Chan ◽  
Ali Arya ◽  
Rita Orji ◽  
Zhao Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Situational Interest ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Time Frequency ◽  
The Many ◽  
Game Elements ◽  
Physical Activity Duration

Background Exergames have attracted the interest of academics, practitioners, and designers, in domains as diverse as health, human-computer interaction, psychology, and information technology. This is primarily because exergames can make the exercise experience more enjoyable and entertaining, and in turn, can increase exercise levels. Despite the many benefits of exergames, they suffer from retention problems. Thus, the objective of this article was to review theories and game elements that have been empirically examined or employed in an attempt to make exergames more motivating so people engage in sustained physical activity (duration of physical activity) in a repeating pattern over time (frequency of physical activity). Methodology A literature search and narrative review were conducted. Results Five major theories and elements were prevalent in the exergaming literature: (1) self-determination theory, (2) gamification, (3) competition and cooperation, (4) situational interest, and (5) social interaction. These theories and elements are important for encouraging long-term play and show promise for designing exergames to promote sustained engagement and motivate physical activity. We discuss their strengths and weaknesses throughout the paper. Conclusions The long-term effectiveness of exergame interventions is unclear mainly because of the limited amount of long-term studies. Better metrics are also needed to evaluate this effectiveness. We also identified particular attention to social factors and group dynamics, such as multi-player exergames and more effective player matchmaking strategies for increasing social connectedness, as a key area of future research.

scholarly journals Kruger National Park research supersites: Establishing long-term research sites for cross-disciplinary, multiscaled learning

Koedoe ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Izak P.J. Smit ◽  
Edward S. Riddell ◽  
Carola Cullum ◽  
Robin Petersen
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Rainfall Gradient ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Collection Data ◽  
Patterns And Processes

Researchers interested in studying the effects of fire or herbivory in the Kruger National Park (KNP) often focus their research activities on the experimental burn plots or herbivore exclosure camps, respectively. These are manipulated sites that apply treatments, for example annual fires or total exclusion of fire and herbivores. However, many projects aim to study or monitor patterns and processes emerging under non-manipulated conditions, typically at sites with contrasting geologies and rainfall. Yet, these sites are usually selected in a haphazard and uncoordinated manner for different projects and, as a consequence, it is often not possible to integrate datasets and knowledge. An alternative to the ever-increasing number of unrelated sites scattered across the park are the ‘KNP research supersites’ which have been earmarked to geographically focus future research effort, acting as data-rich, long-term sites for monitoring and research. In this paper, we introduced the four recently established KNP research supersites, which cover the rainfall gradient and geological contrast of the KNP, presenting their rationale, selection criteria and location, along with existing datasets that describe their herbaceous biomass, woody cover, phenology, fire history, levels of herbivory. Additional site-specific datasets, which are already available, or which are in preparation, were outlined together with details for assessing these open-source datasets online.Conservation implications: The KNP research supersites will become increasingly used for research, monitoring and remote-sensing calibration and ground-truthing purposes. Scientists are encouraged to gain from, and contribute towards, these sites, which will facilitate long-term data collection, data-sharing and co-learning and, ultimately, lead to a more integrated, multiscaled and multitemporal understanding of savannahs.

A Review of Hyperacusis and Future Directions: Part II. Measurement, Mechanisms, and Treatment

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 420-436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Pienkowski ◽  
Richard S. Tyler ◽  
Eveling Rojas Roncancio ◽  
Hyung Jin Jun ◽  
Tom Brozoski ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Present Knowledge ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Imaging Studies ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Sound Therapy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Opportune Time ◽  
Social Habits ◽  
The Many

Purpose Hyperacusis can be extremely debilitating, and at present, there is no cure. In this detailed review of the field, we consolidate present knowledge in the hope of facilitating future research. Method We review and reference the literature on hyperacusis and related areas. This is the 2nd of a 2-part review. Results Hyperacusis encompasses a wide range of reactions to sounds, which can be grouped into the categories of excessive loudness, annoyance, fear, and pain. Reasonable approaches to assessing the different forms of hyperacusis are emerging, including brain-imaging studies. Researchers are only beginning to understand the many mechanisms at play, and valid animal models are still evolving. There are many counseling and sound-therapy approaches that some patients find helpful, but well-controlled studies are needed to measure their long-term efficacy and to test new approaches. Conclusions Hyperacusis can make life difficult in this increasingly noisy world, forcing sufferers to dramatically alter their work and social habits. We believe this is an opportune time to explore approaches to better understand and treat hyperacusis.

scholarly journals Beyond pattern to process: current themes and future directions for the conservation of woodland birds through restoration plantings

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna J. Belder ◽  
Jennifer C. Pierson ◽  
Karen Ikin ◽  
David B. Lindenmayer
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Woodland Birds ◽  
Conservation Concern

Habitat loss as a result of land conversion for agriculture is a leading cause of global biodiversity loss and altered ecosystem processes. Restoration plantings are an increasingly common strategy to address habitat loss in fragmented agricultural landscapes. However, the capacity of restoration plantings to support reproducing populations of native plants and animals is rarely measured or monitored. This review focuses on avifaunal response to revegetation in Australian temperate woodlands, one of the world’s most heavily altered biomes. Woodland birds are a species assemblage of conservation concern, but only limited research to date has gone beyond pattern data and occupancy trends to examine whether they persist and breed in restoration plantings. Moreover, habitat quality and resource availability, including food, nesting sites and adequate protection from predation, remain largely unquantified. Several studies have found that some bird species, including species of conservation concern, will preferentially occupy restoration plantings relative to remnant woodland patches. However, detailed empirical research to verify long-term population growth, colonisation and extinction dynamics is lacking. If restoration plantings are preferentially occupied but fail to provide sufficient quality habitat for woodland birds to form breeding populations, they may act as ecological traps, exacerbating population declines. Monitoring breeding success and site fidelity are under-utilised pathways to understanding which, if any, bird species are being supported by restoration plantings in the long term. There has been limited research on these topics internationally, and almost none in Australian temperate woodland systems. Key knowledge gaps centre on provision of food resources, formation of optimal foraging patterns, nest-predation levels and the prevalence of primary predators, the role of brood parasitism, and the effects of patch size and isolation on resource availability and population dynamics in a restoration context. To ensure that restoration plantings benefit woodland birds and are cost-effective as conservation strategies, the knowledge gaps identified by this review should be investigated as priorities in future research.

scholarly journals Distribution, habitat and biology of a rare and threatened eastern Australian endemic shark: Colclough's shark, Brachaelurus colcloughi Ogilby, 1908

2011 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Kyne ◽  
Leonard J. V. Compagno ◽  
Joanna Stead ◽  
Micha V. Jackson ◽  
Michael B. Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Research Effort ◽  
Population Viability ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Shark Species ◽  
Bathymetric Distribution ◽  
Dietary Analysis ◽  
Rocky Reefs ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Gravid Females

Despite increasing research effort and conservation focus on sharks, small species of little commercial value are often overlooked, although they make a considerable contribution to global diversity. The poorly known Colclough’s shark, Brachaelurus colcloughi, is naturally rare to uncommon and is encountered only irregularly. Collating all known records (n = 50), we review the species’ geographic and bathymetric distribution, habitat, reproductive biology and diet. All but four B. colcloughi records are from within a core distribution of <2° latitude on the Australian east coast. Bathymetric distribution is from less than 4 to 217 m depth, with all but three records from less than 100 m depth. The species shelters on rocky reefs during the day and is thought to forage nocturnally around reefs and adjacent substrates. B. colcloughi is viviparous, with litter sizes of 6–7. Mature males and females have been observed from 61.0- and 54.5-cm total length, respectively. Gravid females have been collected in austral winter months. Dietary analysis indicates a predominantly piscivorous diet. Our results are placed in the context of existing threats and future research and management directions, demonstrating that shark species with low abundances and restricted ranges, such as B. colcloughi, require a suite of management arrangements to ensure long-term population viability.

scholarly journals Online appendix 1:Kruger National Park research supersites: Establishing long-term research sites for cross-disciplinary, multiscaled learning

Koedoe ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Izak P.J. Smit ◽  
Edward S. Riddell ◽  
Carola Cullum ◽  
Robin Petersen
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Rainfall Gradient ◽  
Online Appendix ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Patterns And Processes

Researchers interested in studying the effects of fire or herbivory in the Kruger National Park (KNP) often focus their research activities on the experimental burn plots or herbivore exclosure camps, respectively. These are manipulated sites that apply treatments, for example annual fires or total exclusion of fire and herbivores. However, many projects aim to study or monitor patterns and processes emerging under non-manipulated conditions, typically at sites with contrasting geologies and rainfall. Yet, these sites are usually selected in a haphazard and uncoordinated manner for different projects and, as a consequence, it is often not possible to integrate datasets and knowledge. An alternative to the ever-increasing number of unrelated sites scattered across the park are the ‘KNP research supersites’ which have been earmarked to geographically focus future research effort, acting as data-rich, long-term sites for monitoring and research. In this paper, we introduced the four recently established KNP research supersites, which cover the rainfall gradient and geological contrast of the KNP, presenting their rationale, selection criteria and location, along with existing datasets that describe their herbaceous biomass, woody cover, phenology, fire history, levels of herbivory. Additional site-specific datasets, which are already available, or which are in preparation, were outlined together with details for assessing these open-source datasets online.Conservation implications: The KNP research supersites will become increasingly used for research, monitoring and remote-sensing calibration and ground-truthing purposes. Scientists are encouraged to gain from, and contribute towards, these sites, which will facilitate long-term data collection, data-sharing and co-learning and, ultimately, lead to a more integrated, multiscaled and multitemporal understanding of savannahs.

Meaning in Life

2009 ◽  
pp. 678-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael F. Steger
Keyword(s):  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Meaning In Life ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Motivating Factors ◽  
Search For Meaning ◽  
The World ◽  
The Many

In this chapter, it is argued that meaning in life is an important variable for human well-being. Literature supporting this contention is reviewed, and complexities regarding defining meaning in life are discussed. Definitions of meaning have focused on several components, two of which appear central and unique to meaning in life, suggesting a conceptual framework of meaning in life comprised of two pillars: comprehension and purpose. Comprehension encompasses people's ability to find patterns, consistency, and significance in the many events and experiences in their lives, and their synthesis and distillation of the most salient, important, and motivating factors. People face the challenge of understanding their selves, the world around them, and their unique niche and interactions within the world, and the notion of comprehension unifies these domains of understanding. Purpose refers to highly motivating, long-term goals about which people are passionate and highly committed. In the framework presented in this chapter, it is suggested that people devote significant resources to the pursuit of their purposes and that the most effective and rewarding purposes arise from and are congruent with people's comprehension of their lives. Literature is reviewed regarding where meaning might come from, and other dimensions of meaning are considered (i.e., sources of meaning and search for meaning). Suggestions for future research are proposed.

Physical and Psychological Benefits of Written Emotional Expression

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kállay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Psychological Benefits ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment ◽  
Meta Analyses

Abstract. The last several decades have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of individuals suffering from both diagnosable and subsyndromal mental health problems. Consequently, the development of cost-effective treatment methods, accessible to large populations suffering from different forms of mental health problems, became imperative. A very promising intervention is the method of expressive writing (EW), which may be used in both clinically diagnosable cases and subthreshold symptomatology. This method, in which people express their feelings and thoughts related to stressful situations in writing, has been found to improve participants’ long-term psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social functioning. Based on a thorough analysis and synthesis of the published literature (also including most recent meta-analyses), the present paper presents the expressive writing method, its short- and long-term, intra-and interpersonal effects, different situations and conditions in which it has been proven to be effective, the most important mechanisms implied in the process of recovery, advantages, disadvantages, and possible pitfalls of the method, as well as variants of the original technique and future research directions.

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