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BiblioResearchConservation Science : a bibliography W. Aust. Volof research 4 (2) : i-x 1896–2001 and 1-356 (2002) i BiblioResearch : a bibliography of research outputs by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (and its predecessors) relating to the flora, fauna and forests of Western Australia, 1896–2001 COMPILED BY LISA J. WRIGHT Wildlife Science Library, Science Division, Department of Conservation and Land Management, Research Centre, Woodvale, Western Australia 6056. [email protected] ABSTRACT This bibliography, based on an electronic database of material authored by state government department staff since 1896, contains 9138 items on the flora, fauna and forests of Western Australia. An extensive search of staff lists, publications and library catalogues was undertaken to build a comprehensive database and as a result the bibliography provides a history of government research. Only 28 items were produced pre 1920, with 405 produced in the 1920s. After a decline during the 1930s and 1940s, the number of titles has steadily increased to 5122 titles produced in the 1990s. INTRODUCTION departments and authorities such as the Western Australian Museum. The Perth Observatory joined the Department This is a bibliography of publications and materials by in 1996 but, as their research is not biological, their staff of the Forests Department (1896–1984), the publications have not been included. Departments of Fisheries, Fisheries and Fauna and The bibliography commenced as a divisional Fisheries and Wildlife (1898–1984), the State Gardens bibliography incorporating all papers written by RD/SID/ Board (1920–1956), the National Parks Board and CSD/SD staff from 1985. The main guideline for the Authority (1956–1984), the Government Botanist and database was that the paper had to have been written under forest entomologists of the Department of Agriculture the auspices of RD/SID/CSD/SD, so Herbarium staff (1897–1928), the State and Western Australian papers were included after July 1988 when it became part Herbarium (1921–1988) and the Department of of the Department of Conservation and Land Conservation and Land Management’s Research Division Management. It included items of a non-scientific nature, (RD), Science and Information Division (SID), which were omitted from the extract published in 19981. CALMScience Division (CSD) and Science Division (SD) This Inmagic database has been continually maintained, (1985–2001). Journal articles, books, unpublished so that an up-to-date listing of papers (including submitted reports, abstracts, 16 mm films, videos, slides, CDROMs and ‘in press’ titles) can be extracted or viewed at any and ephemeral items such as posters, pamphlets and wall time. charts have all been included. The decision to produce a bibliography that covered This bibliography includes papers and reports about relevant research on the flora, fauna and forests of Western Western Australian flora and fauna by staff of the Australia back to the beginning of responsible government Department of Conservation and Land Management and in 1890 meant that the existing bibliographic database its predecessors. Papers and reports on topics such as would reflect most of the research conducted by employees general departmental management, sheep, wheat, of the State. It also ensures that early research work is not commercial marine fisheries and trout have been excluded. overlooked and will save time for future researchers. Also excluded are papers by staff of other state government 1 Extract published in CALMScience 2(4): 291–355 (1998) ii Lisa J. Wright METHODS not being held. This procedure was not followed for the pre-1985 references. The initial database was started using the Department of As the lists were returned, the bibliography was Conservation and Land Management Library Catalogue. amended and added to. Further sources were noted, with However, it was realised that the creation of staff lists even more records added from these, and authors were should have been the first step, therefore a list of pre- followed up for the return of their lists. As of 25 September 1985 staff was extracted from the Public Service List and 1997 there were 2720 records in the database; however, staff lists appearing in annual reports. The main with the continual updating of the database, the post- disadvantage with using the Public Service List is that only 1985 titles now number 4903. With an additional 4235 salaried officers are included, which has left gaps in a truly titles from pre-1985, the combined total is 9138 published comprehensive list of staff. Post-1985 staff were gathered titles as of 31 December 2001. from thirty one sources of staff names, and two Some of the pre-1985 references are sketchy at best. spreadsheets compiled with the names and presence of Some have been taken from references at the end of staff that name within a source document. Once the lists were papers and full details were often not included. This has compiled, the names not already known were checked in therefore resulted in 159 titles that have not been sighted the Library Catalogue and any records added to the and may actually not exist. Nonetheless these have been Divisional Bibliography. Consultants have also been included in the hope that they may be located in the future. included, if they were funded by a relevant Department Often there was no author attributed to a paper so the at the time. Department has been cited as the author. All the records taken from the Library Catalogue had As many of the titles as possible were sighted and to be amended to comply with the differences imposed reference lists checked. Most of the titles in the by a bibliographic database. This involved the moving of bibliography can be found within the collections of the information around the record and changing the format. Department of Conservation and Land Management The publication lists in research plans, seminars, Library. internal bibliographies and annual reports were checked against the existing database and papers not there were added. Many publications were also checked for papers DISCUSSION that had not been included in the database including journals, conference proceedings, edited publications, The database enables a view of how Western Australian departmental newsletters and CALM News. A large government research has developed during the last century. number of records were added from these various sources. Figure 1 opposite shows that though only a small number The references in the post-1985 bibliography were of publications were produced in the early decades of the initially classed as being in one of six categories. These twentieth century, the number of publications rapidly categories were expanded to 17, and further expanded to increased decade by decade. Only 28 items were produced 44, as new requirements for the database were discovered. pre 1920 and 405 produced during the 1920s. After a These categories are used for various purposes, and are decline during the 1930s and 1940s, the number of titles still utilised internally for various reports. They also enable steadily increased to 5122 titles for the 1990s. the formatting of the records for bibliographic and online The project involved the application of library and purposes. information management skills in database design and Once it was decided that the post-1985 database was reference searching to establish and develop a as complete as possible (2442 records), a list of papers representative database. Now that the bibliographic was produced for each author in the database. All staff database has been fully established, staff and community still with the Department were sent the list with a request members can easily obtain tailored listings of research and to check, amend or add to it as required, to note any gain access to the scientific knowledge base of the authors who had been employed as consultants, and to Department. supply the Library Archives with any papers indicated as BiblioResearch : a bibliography of research 1896–2001 iii Bibliography 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 1896-99 1900-09 1910-19 1920-29 1930-39 1940-49 1950-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99 D ecade Figure 1. Number of titles produced per decade. The 79 titles without dates and the 2070 titles for 2000–2001 have not been included. SOURCES OF INFORMATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS • Department of Conservation & Land Management I thank Christine Farrell for assistance with the compilation Library Catalogue; of the post 1985 records, Melissa Kidd (Library practicum • Woods and Forests Department and Forests student) for finding papers in edited works and conference Department’s annual reports; proceedings and David Whiteford (Battye Library) for • National Parks Board and Authority annual reports; access to materials held there. • Western Australian Wildlife Authority annual reports; • All departmental journals and newsletters; • Research program seminars held by the Department ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO DATABASE of Fisheries and Wildlife; • Research plans by Department of Conservation and An electronic version of this bibliography is available at: Land Management; and http://www.calm.wa.gov.au/science/ • Triennial report 1992/95 by the Department’s Science sciencepapers.html and Information Division. Any errors or omissions should be reported to the compiler. iv Lisa J. Wright Index of authors with page number Boardman, W., 27 Boscacci, L., 22, 41 (To the best of my knowledge, the index only includes Bougher, N., 22, 69 officers