Ecological studies of Acmena smithii (Poir.) Merrill & Perry with special reference to Wilson's Promontory

1976 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 453 ◽  
Author(s):  
DH Ashton ◽  
J Frankenberg
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
First Year ◽  
Podzolic Soils ◽  
Slow Development ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Closed Forest ◽  
In Fire ◽  
Colluvial Soils

The Acmena smithii species complex occurs in a wide range of rain-forests (closed-forests) from 11� to 39� S. in eastern Australia. At its southernmost limit on Wilson's Promontory, it forms a structurally and floristically simple closed-forest of the microphyll fern type, and usually occurs up to altitudes of 300 m on relatively fertile alluvial and colluvial soils. It is replaced by thickets of Melaleuca spp. on very waterlogged soils and by nanophyll mossy forests of Nothofagus cunninghamii and Atherosperma moschatum at higher altitudes. It is often associated with emergent fire-induced strata of Acacia melanoxylon and Eucalyptus obliqua. On Wilson's Promontory, A. smithii rain-forest is a climax in fire-sheltered lowland gullies. In the prolonged absence of fire many adjacent wet sclerophyll (tall-open) forests are replaced by such rain-forest. A. smithii is extremely shade-tolerant and regenerates readily under dense forest canopy and in gaps. The seed is easily killed by desiccation and is frequently decimated by birds and insects. Slow development of seedlings in the first year renders them susceptible to drought and browsing. After the second year they are extremely persistent owing to the development of a lignotuber. The litter fall is heavy and decays rapidly to form a mull humus on relatively fertile loams and poor podzolic soils. The shoots of A. smithii grow during the frost-prone seasons of the year. This characteristic is correlated with its restriction to low altitudes in a mild maritime environment. The problems of the dispersal and past distribution of A. smithii are briefly discussed.

Dipterocarp seedling growth in rain forest canopy gaps during six and a half years

1996 ◽  
Vol 351 (1344) ◽  
pp. 1195-1203 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Rain Forest ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Niche Differentiation ◽  
Canopy Gaps ◽  
The Other ◽  
Canopy Openness ◽  
Gap Size ◽  
Hardwood Species ◽  
Flexible Response ◽  
Closed Forest

The growth of seedlings of 11 species of Dipterocarpaceae in artificial canopy gaps of different sizes in a lowland evergreen dipterocarp rain forest in Sabah has been followed for 77 months. Three species were abundant and studied in most detail. The main objective was to analyse the foresters’ observation, on which silviculture is based: as gap size increases, species that are more light-demanding win the race to fill the gap. Hopea nervosa seedlings had higher survival in closed forest than those of the other two well represented species, Parashorea malaanonan and Shorea johorensis . From seedling dem ography these two species groups can be called shade-tolerants and light-dem anders respectively. At 40 months the seedlings tallest at gap creation had increased their height advantage in all gap sizes. These were mainly H. nervosa . By 53 months, seedlings of Shorea johorensis had grown ahead of H. nervosa in all but closed forest and tiny gaps of 6 % and 8 % canopy openness (1 and 4 mol m -2 day -1 photosynthetically active radiation (p.a.r.) respectively). By 77 months they were even further ahead. Thus S. johorensis has a more flexible response. It is better able to use the extra p.a.r. of larger gaps 10% openness or more; 10 mol m -2 day -1 p.a.r. or more), and is a light-demander in a second sense, whereas H. nervosa is light-indifferent in this sense. Seedlings of P. malaanonan unexpectedly failed to show rapid height growth in the larger gaps at 53 and 77 months. This species alone suffered very serious apical dam age by herbivory. The 11 species under study occurred in various mixtures. To analyse success in gap-filling in the forest they were grouped by timber density into two classes. With increasing gap size, one group, six light hardwood species, known to be light-demanders, grow progressively ahead of the other group, four medium hardwood species, known to be shade-tolerant. P. malaanonan , also a light hardwood, grows only slowly because of herbivory. We find no evidence for fundamental niche differentiation. All species showed increasing rates of growth with increasing gap size. Species that responded more slowly might succeed in situations where they alone occur.

Revision of Coronostrongylus (Nematoda : Strongyloidea) parasitic in the stomachs of macropodid marsupials

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 893 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Beveridge
Keyword(s):  
Papua New Guinea ◽  
Host Species ◽  
Related Species ◽  
New Guinea ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Nematode Genus ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Species Occurrences

The monotypic nematode genus Coronostrongylus Johnston & Mawson, 1939 from the stomachs of macropodid marsupials was reviewed and was found to consist of a least seven closely related species. Coronostrongylus coronatus Johnston & Mawson, 1939 is found most commonly in Macropus rufogriseus, but occurs occasionally in M. dorsalis, M. parryi and Petrogale inornata. Coronostrongylus johnsoni, sp. nov. is most commonly found in M. dorsalis, but occurs also in M. rufogriseus, M. parma, Thylogale stigmatica, Petrogale godmani and P. brachyotis. Coronostrongylus barkeri, sp. nov. is most prevalent in Onychogalea unguifera, but occurs also in M. rufus, M. robustus and P. brachyotis. Coronostrongylus closei, sp. nov. is restricted to Petrogale persephone. Coronostrongylus sharmani, sp. nov. occurs only in rock wallabies from eastern Australia: P.�coenensis, P. godmani and P. mareeba; C. spratti, sp. nov. occurs in P. inornata and P. assimilis. Coronostrongylus spearei, sp. nov. is restricted to Papua New Guinea where it is found in Dorcopsulus vanhearni, Dorcopsis hageni and D. muelleri. Although all of the nematode species occur in one principal host species or a series of closely related host species, occurrences in geographically disjunct areas and in phylogenetically distant hosts are features of C. coronatus, C. barkeri, sp. nov. and C. johnsoni, sp. nov. The occurrence of seven closely related nematode species found in a wide range of macropodid host species is more readily accounted for by a hypothesis involving multiple colonisations of hosts than by the hypothesis of co-speciation.

Fire regime shift linked to increased forest density in a piñon–juniper savanna landscape

2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellis Q. Margolis
Keyword(s):  
Regime Shift ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Fire Regime ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Tree Density ◽  
High Severity ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
In Fire

Piñon–juniper (PJ) fire regimes are generally characterised as infrequent high-severity. However, PJ ecosystems vary across a large geographic and bio-climatic range and little is known about one of the principal PJ functional types, PJ savannas. It is logical that (1) grass in PJ savannas could support frequent, low-severity fire and (2) exclusion of frequent fire could explain increased tree density in PJ savannas. To assess these hypotheses I used dendroecological methods to reconstruct fire history and forest structure in a PJ-dominated savanna. Evidence of high-severity fire was not observed. From 112 fire-scarred trees I reconstructed 87 fire years (1547–1899). Mean fire interval was 7.8 years for fires recorded at ≥2 sites. Tree establishment was negatively correlated with fire frequency (r=–0.74) and peak PJ establishment was synchronous with dry (unfavourable) conditions and a regime shift (decline) in fire frequency in the late 1800s. The collapse of the grass-fuelled, frequent, surface fire regime in this PJ savanna was likely the primary driver of current high tree density (mean=881treesha–1) that is >600% of the historical estimate. Variability in bio-climatic conditions likely drive variability in fire regimes across the wide range of PJ ecosystems.

Factors Associated with Maternal Opinion of Infant Development—Clues to the Vulnerable Child?

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 537-543
Author(s):  
Marie C. McCormick ◽  
Sam Shapiro ◽  
Barbara Starfield
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Infant Development ◽  
Infant Health ◽  
Subsequent Development ◽  
First Year ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Slow Development ◽  
First Year Of Life ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship

A mother's expectations about the development of her infant have been found to be a strong determinant of child development, but little is known about the factors that may affect maternal assessment of development. In this study, the relationship of the mother's opinion of the development of her infant with several sociodemographic, antenatal, intrapartum, and infant health variables was examined for a large sample of 1-year-old infants for whom gross motor observations were also obtained at the time of the interview. Among those observed to be developing at an appropriate rate, 4.0% were perceived by their mothers as developing more slowly than the mothers considered normal; among infants developing more slowly, 28.6% were considered to be developing slowly by their mothers. In both groups, the major determinants of maternal opinion of slow development concerned the infant's health: low birth weight, congenital anomalies regardless of severity, hospitalization during the first year of life, and high ambulatory care use. These results indicate that maternal perception of infant development may not reflect the infant's level, but past or present illness, and raise questions about the influence of infant health on maternal-infant interactions and the effect of such interactions on subsequent development in the child.

scholarly journals Root crops agroforestry for greening the sustainability of green revolution

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-37
Author(s):  
Y Widodo ◽  
S Wahyuningsih ◽  
JS Utomo ◽  
A Subagio
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Forest Canopy ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Agricultural Land ◽  
Green Revolution ◽  
Forest Conversion ◽  
World Population ◽  
Root Crops ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Agro Forestry

Green revolution started at mid of twentieth century was the answer of anxiousness reminded by Malthusian that food scarcity problems in relation with population growth. In concurrence with exploitation of fossil fuel for agriculture mechanization as well as agrochemicals in the form of inorganic fertilizer and pesticide, green revolution by introducing high yielding varieties of cereals and grains was able to nourish the world population by increasing productivity. Indeed, from beginning of mechanization with fossil fuel based as advised by Rudolf Diesel then Arrhenius would be affected to the release of CO2 to the atmosphere and consequently exaggerating climate change as suffered by current and future generations. Under green revolution based on cereals and grains affected forest conversion into open agricultural land, because both commodities are sun-loving crops, which are hate to the shade. On the other hand, to slow the severity of climate change natural forest must be conserved tightly. Entering third millennium demand of food production with ecologically friendly is stronger. Hence, green revolution needs to be amended into greener perspectives. Thus, implementation of agro-forestry into wide range of agro-ecological zone is urgently innovated. Fortunately, shade tolerant of root crops has significant advantage to be developed under agro-forestry. Under shade of forest canopy at basal forest strata, root crops are able to sequester CO2 to be converted into carbohydrate and other compounds to provide food for the dweller. Back to nature is not only a slogan, with root crops under agro-forestry is a reality; fresh root up to 30 t ha-1 can be harvested yearly as the source of food and renewable fuel as well. This potential is very worthy to improve and greening the existing green revolution to be more sustainable.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (1): 26-37, June, 2018

scholarly journals Sea-surface CO<sub>2</sub> fugacity in the subpolar North Atlantic

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 535-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Olsen ◽  
K. R. Brown ◽  
M. Chierici ◽  
T. Johannessen ◽  
C. Neill
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Mixed Layer Depth ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
First Year ◽  
Layer Depth ◽  
High Resolution Data ◽  
Chl A ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Summer Warming

Abstract. We present the first year-long subpolar trans-Atlantic set of surface seawater CO2 fugacity (fCO2sw) data. The data were obtained aboard the MV Nuka Arctica in 2005 and provide a quasi-continuous picture of the fCO2sw variability between Denmark and Greenland. Complementary real-time high-resolution data of surface chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentrations and mixed layer depth (MLD) estimates have been collocated with the fCO2sw data. Off-shelf fCO2sw data exhibit a pronounced seasonal cycle. In winter, surface waters are saturated to slightly supersaturated over a wide range of temperatures. Through spring and summer, fCO2sw decreases by approximately 60 μatm, due to biological carbon consumption, which is not fully counteracted by the fCO2sw increase due to summer warming. The changes are synchronous with changes in chl-a concentrations and MLD, both of which are exponentially correlated with fCO2sw in off-shelf regions.

scholarly journals Does the grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) exhibit agonistic pectoral fin depression? A stereo-video photogrammetric assessment off eastern Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Kirby R. Smith ◽  
Carol Scarpaci ◽  
Brett M. Louden ◽  
Nicholas M. Otway
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Methods ◽  
Pectoral Fin ◽  
Nurse Shark ◽  
Management Guidelines ◽  
Life History Stages ◽  
Stereo Video ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Stereo Photogrammetry ◽  
Carcharias Taurus

Underwater stereo-video photogrammetry was used to document the pectoral fin positions of various life-history stages of the critically endangered east Australian population of the grey nurse shark (Carcharias taurus) during normal swimming behaviour at multiple aggregation sites. A wide range in pectoral fin positions was recorded with dihedral pectoral fin angles ranging from –25 to 88°. Pectoral fin angles varied significantly among sites and this was attributed to the differing navigational and energetic requirements of the sharks. There was no significant relationship between pectoral fin angles and distances separating the shark and scuba diver. The wide range in pectoral fin angles, interactive use of the fins during swimming, low-energy behaviours of the sharks at aggregation sites and absence of ‘fight’ response agonistic behaviour indicated that the species does not exhibit agonistic pectoral fin depression. Reports of agonistic pectoral fin depression in the grey nurse shark obtained with visual estimates should be treated as preliminary observations requiring further testing using accurate sampling methods such as stereo photogrammetry. It is important that diver compliance with existing management guidelines that prohibit divers from chasing or harassing grey nurse sharks and blocking cave and gutter entrances is maintained.

scholarly journals Visual and refractive status of children with Down's syndrome and nystagmus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asma A A Zahidi ◽  
Lee McIlreavy ◽  
Jonathan T Erichsen ◽  
J Margaret Woodhouse
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Down's Syndrome ◽  
Down’S Syndrome ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
First Year ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
First Year Of Life ◽  
Refraction Data

Background/Aims: Children with Down's syndrome (DS) are known to have poorer visual acuity that neurotypical children. One report has shown that children with DS and nystagmus also have poor acuity when compared to typical children with nystagmus. What has not been established, is the extent of any acuity deficit due to nystagmus and whether nystagmus impacts on refractive error is within a population with DS. Methods: Clinical records from The Cardiff University Down's Syndrome Vision Research Unit were examined retrospectively. Binocular visual acuity and refraction data were available for 50 children who had DS and nystagmus (DSN) and 176 children who had DS but no nystagmus. Data were compared between the two groups, and with published data for neurotypical children with nystagmus. Results: The study confirms the deficit in acuity in DS, compared to neurotypical children, of approximately 0.2 LogMAR and shows a further deficit attributable to nystagmus of a further 0.2 logMAR beyond the first year of life. Children with DS and no nystagmus appear to have acuity that mirrors that of typical children with nystagmus, while children with both DS and nystagmus have a significant additional impairment. Children with DS have a wide range of refractive errors, but nystagmus increases the likelihood of myopia. Prevalence and axis direction of astigmatism, on the other hand appears unaffected by nystagmus. Conclusion: Nystagmus confers an additional visual impairment on children with Down's syndrome and must be recognised as such by families and educators. Children with both DS and nystagmus clearly need targeted support.

scholarly journals ARKEOFAUNA KAWASAN KARST BONTOCANI KABUPATEN BONE SULAWESI SELATAN

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Nfn Fakhri
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Comparative Studies ◽  
Rain Forest ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Karst Area ◽  
Forest Environment ◽  
Faunal Composition ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bone Fragments

This study aims to provide a description of the fauna that once interacted with a human in the Bontocani karst Area in Bone District. Of the few excavated sites providing data availability of bone fragments that can be analyzed by conducting comparative studies with existing faunal composition of the fauna. The method of data collection is by excavation at some sites in this Karst Area. The results of this study document a wide range of vertebrates in the Balang Metti fauna including fish, frogs/toads, lizards, snakes, birds, Strigocuscus, Ailurops ursinus, insectivorous bats, Sulawesi monkeys, rats, Sulawesi pigs, babirusa and Anoa. In some layers of culture, the absence of anoa, indicates the environmental change from the environment of the fields and the weeds to the wet rain forest environment around the site, along with the extinction of this fauna. Based on the identified fauna bone analysis, it is illustrated that past habitats and environments in Bontocani Karst area have not changed much. Penelitian ini bertujuan memberikan gambaran secara lebih jelas tentang fauna-fauna yang pernah berinteraksi dengan manusia pendukung kebudayaan yang ada di Kawasan Karst Bontocani di Kabupaten Bone. Beberapa situs yang telah diekskavasi memberikan ketersediaan data berupa fragmen tulang yang dapat dianalisis dengan melakukan studi komparasi dengan komposisi tulang fauna yang ada saat ini. Metode pengumpulan data yang dilakukan adalah dengan ekskavasi di beberapa situs yang ada di Kawasan Karst ini. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa sebagian besar jenis fauna yang ditemukan di situs ini adalah fauna bertulang belakang antara lain: ikan, kodok/katak, kadal, ular, burung, strigocuscus, Ailurops ursinus, kelelawar pemakan serangga, monyet sulawesi, tikus, babi sulawesi, babi russa dan anoa. Pada beberapa lapisan budaya, tidak adanya temuan fauna anoa, menunjukkan perubahan lingkungan dari lingkungan padang dan ilalang menjadi lingkungan hutan hujan basah di sekitar situs, seiring dengan punahnya fauna ini. Berdasarkan analisis tulang fauna yang berhasil diidentifikasi digambarkan bahwa habitat dan lingkungan masa lampau di Kawasan Karst Bontocani tidak banyak mengalami perubahan.

scholarly journals Reproductive trajectories over decadal time-spans after fire for eight obligate-seeder shrub species in south-eastern Australia

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette M. Muir ◽  
Peter A. Vesk ◽  
Graham Hepworth
Keyword(s):  
Seed Storage ◽  
Fire Frequency ◽  
Reproductive Maturity ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Reproductive Response ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Maturity Period ◽  
Fire Planning ◽  
In Fire ◽  
South Eastern Australia

Intervals between fires are critical for the persistence of obligate-seeding shrubs, and are often used in planning fires for fuel reduction and biodiversity conservation in fire-prone ecosystems worldwide. Yet information about the trajectories of reproductive performance for such species is limited and information is often qualitative. To test existing assumptions about reproductive maturity periods for eight obligate-seeding shrubs (with both canopy and soil seedbanks) in foothill forests of south-eastern Australia, we used a chronosequence approach, with sites from 2 years to >40 years post-fire. Quantitative measurements of flowering and fruiting were used to fit models of reproductive response in relation to time-since-fire for each species. Inferred reproductive maturity for each species, based on modelled times to reach 80% of maximum flower production, varied from 5 to 18 years post-fire. For a subset of three species, models predicted 80% maximum seed production occurring 1–7 years later than flowering. Our results confirmed or extended assumptions about post-fire reproductive maturity for these species, and provided a basis for improved incorporation of plant life-history in ecological fire planning. We infer that increased fire frequency makes one of our study taxa, Banksia spinulosa var. cunninghamii (Sieber ex Rchb.) A.S.George, vulnerable to decline because of its long reproductive maturity period and serotinous seed storage.

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