DOCSLIB.ORG

Sex Determination by Morphology in New Holland Honeyeaters, Phylidonyris Novaehollandiae: Contrasting Two Popular Techniques Across Regions STEVEN MYERS, DAVID C

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Sex Determination by Morphology in New Holland Honeyeaters, Phylidonyris Novaehollandiae: Contrasting Two Popular Techniques Across Regions STEVEN MYERS, DAVID C December 2012 1 Sex determination by morphology in New Holland Honeyeaters, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae: contrasting two popular techniques across regions SteVeN MYeRS, dAVid C. PAtoN ANd SoNiA KLeiNdoRFeR Abstract dichromatism or dimorphism. In such cases, Sex determination of individuals is often required sex may be determined non-invasively using for ecological and behavioural studies but is difficult behavioural cues (Baeyens 1981), or by the to carry out in the field for species that are only presence of a brood patch on incubating females slightly dimorphic. To address this issue, researchers or a protruding cloaca in males. However, may use a variety of methods that rely solely on these approaches are usually only possible with morphological measurements for sex determination. sexually active individuals during the breeding There are two main groups of morphological methods; season. (1) based on discriminant analysis, and (2) based on resolving mixed-modal distributions. Here, we The difficulties of sex determination for species use one method from each of the two groups to sex with only slight sexual dimorphism may the slightly dimorphic New Holland Honeyeater, be overcome by examining morphological Phylidonyris novaehollandiae, in South Australia, measurements. Two techniques that can be used and we compare results of the two methods in relation to determine sex based solely on morphological to a genetic standard. We found that performance of measurements are cited above all others: (1) both methods was comparable, but varied between more traditional methods based on resolving populations. We also found regional differences in the mixed-modal distributions (Disney 1966; Rogers best discriminating variables for morphological sex et al. 1986; Rogers and Rogers 1995; Higgins and determination. This regional variation in performance Peter 2002; Twedt 2004; Morgan 2005), and (2) of methods indicates that a single method for a more recently emerging method that utilises morphological sex determination cannot be applied discriminant analysis (Phillips and Furness 1997; across regions, even within species; furthermore, Bavoux et al. 2006; Kesler, Lopes and Haig 2006; average morphological trait values should be reviewed Alarcos et al. 2007; Hermosell et al. 2007; Jakubas across years given the possible role of selection or drift and Wojczulanis 2007; Svagelj and Quintana to influence phenotype. We suggest that when accurate 2007; Kochert and McKinley 2008; Pitzer et sex discrimination is important, an alternate, reliable al. 2008). Discriminant analysis explores the method, such as anatomical or genetic identification, predictive ability of a number of user-defined should be favoured above morphological methods. independent variables on a single categorical dependent variable. The best linear combination of traits is used to calculate the discriminant IntRoductioN function. The probability that an individual with given measurements will belong to either sex Sex determination of individuals is often can be calculated from the discriminant function. required for ecological and behavioural studies On the other hand, for the mixed modal method, where sex ratio, paternity, and parental care are researchers identify the single best predictor commonly investigated. For sexually dimorphic trait, and the mean and standard deviation species, visual inspection of individuals is for each sex for this trait are used to construct sufficient for determining sex. However, many normal density curves. The probability that bird species lack consistently observable sexual an individual with a given measurement will 2 South Australian Ornithologist 38 (1 & 2) belong to either sex can be calculated from these development of methods arises through regional curves. This information is used to develop variation in body size (Latham 1790; Mathews upper and lower cut-off values for which any 1918-27; Salomonsen 1966; Pyke and Armstrong individual having a measurement above or 1993; Higgins and Peter 2002). below can be assigned a sex with a given margin of uncertainty chosen by the user. Our study area spans two geographically distinct regions, Fleurieu Peninsula and Kangaroo The New Holland Honeyeater, Phylidonyris Island, for which previous body size variation novaehollandiae, is a common Australian has been observed (Mathews 1918-27). In this passerine that plays a key role in ecosystem study on P. novaehollandiae in South Australia, function (Ford & Paton 1977; Ford, Paton, and we (1) genetically sex individual birds for which Neville 1979; Paton 1981, 1982; Driskell and we have morphological data, (2) investigate Christidis 2004). Sex determination has been an the extent of sexual size dimorphism for all ongoing challenge in P. novaehollandiae (Disney measured morphological traits in Kangaroo 1966; Rogers et al. 1986; Pyke and Armstrong Island and Fleurieu Peninsula, (3) develop 1993; Rogers and Rogers 1995). Disney (1966) criteria for sex determination by the two reported a morphological sex difference in P. morphologic methods (mixed-modal and novaehollandiae and proposed that measurement discriminant analysis), and (4) compare the of the extreme wingspan could discriminate predictive power of both morphologic methods. between the sexes. However, taking this measurement in live, wild birds is difficult MetHodS and can trigger undesired stress response in small birds; hence, this measurement is seldom We mist-netted birds across sites over a five- taken. A more common measurement that year period, between 2004 and 2008 (see also has been used for sex determination in birds, Oorebeek and Kleindorfer 2008a, b; Oorebeek, including honeyeaters, is the bill-head length Sharrad and Kleindorfer 2009; Oorebeek and measurement (Rooke 1976). Many highly Kleindorfer 2009; Chapman et al. 2009). To regarded bird manuals report use of bill-head minimise sampling bias across the sampling length with the mixed modal method for sex period, banding trips to each site were carried discrimination (Rogers et al. 1986; Schodde and out annually during the same months (May, June, Mason 1999; Higgins and Peter 2002); however, September). We caught and measured a total of reliable criteria for P. novaehollandiae have not 417 adult birds. Each bird was banded with an been published. aluminium identification band, measured for morphological characteristics, and sampled for One factor impeding the development of blood that was stored on FTA paper for DNA morphological methods for sex determination analysis (see Kleindorfer, Lambert and Paton has been the need for a large sample size 2006; Myers et al. 2009). to accurately represent the overall study population (Rogers and Rogers 1995). The Morphologic data were collected at seven sites development of primers for genetic sexing in within South Australia: (1) Newland Head birds (Griffiths et al. 1998; Kahn, St John and Conservation Park, (2) Scott Conservation Park, Quinn 1998; Jensen, Pernasetti and Durrant (3) Cox Scrub Conservation Park, (4) Sandy Creek 2003) enables a reliable method for sex Conservation Park, (5) Scott Creek Conservation determination that can be easily applied to large Park, (6) Flinders Chase National Park, and (7) sample sizes. This approach allows examination Pelican Lagoon Conservation Park. The sites of morphological sex variation at a large scale. span two geographically distinct regions; (1) In P. novaehollandiae, further impediment in Fleurieu Peninsula (FP), and (2) Kangaroo Island December 2012 3 (KI). Dominant flora at each site is described We examined eight morphological traits that in Rix (1976), Ford and Paton (1977, 1982), have been shown to correlate with body size Westphal et al. (2003), Kleindorfer, Lambert and in birds (Rising and Somers 1989; Piersma and Paton (2006), Schlotfeldt and Kleindorfer (2006), Davidson 1991; Senar and Pascual 1997): (1) McGuire and Kleindorfer (2007), and Galligan bill-head length; (2) bill length from the tip of and Kleindorfer (2008). the bill to the base of the bill, where the feathers begin (bill-feathers length); (3) bill length from We determined sex of each bird by genetics the tip of the bill to the anterior extreme of using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the nostril (bill-nostril length); (4) bill depth, method of Kahn, St John and Quinn (1998) and measured at the base of the bill (bill depth); (5) conditions outlined by Jensen, Pernasetti and bill width at the base of the bill (bill width); Durrant (2003). Briefly, each PCR contained 1x (6) tarsometatarsus length (tarsus); (7) length Taq polymerase buffer, 4 mM MgCl2, 0.8 mM of the flattened wing (wing); and (8) mass. To dNTPs, 0.16μM each primer, and 0.02 U/μL Taq determine the extent of sexual dimorphism in polymerase (AmpliTaq Gold). The temperature P. novaehollandiae and the influence of region, profile included an initial denaturation at we carried out MANOVA using the eight 94°C for 9 min; followed by 35 cycles of 94°C morphological traits as independent variables for 45 s, 56°C for 45 s, and 72°C for 45 s; and and sex, as identified by genetics, as a fixed a final extension of 72°C for 6 min. All 417 factor, as well as region (SPSS 14.0; SPSS birds had sex successfully assigned using this Inc., Chicago, IL). The MANOVA showed a method. We assumed 100% accuracy of sex significant effect of sex (F = 52.510; P < 0.001; assignments; however, there is likely to be Wilk’s Lambda = 0.491; Partial ETA2 = 0.509) a small degree of error associated with this and region (F = 17.589; P < 0.001; Wilk’s Lambda method (~ 0.5%) due to contaminating agents = 0.743; Partial ETA2 = 0.257) on morphological entering the PCR (Daniel et al. 2007). While variation, and no significant interaction there are methods available to minimise and effect between sex and region. This result essentially eradicate this error, they are costly suggests that, in this system, regions should be and time consuming, and a 0.5% error is not considered separately for the development of likely to have a significant effect on the results. morphologic methods of sex determination; and Therefore, we opted against using methods to this is how we proceeded. alleviate this small degree of error.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • A 'Slow Pace of Life' in Australian Old-Endemic Passerine Birds Is Not Accompanied by Low Basal Metabolic Rates
    University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health 1-1-2016 A 'slow pace of life' in Australian old-endemic passerine birds is not accompanied by low basal metabolic rates Claus Bech University of Wollongong Mark A. Chappell University of Wollongong, [email protected] Lee B. Astheimer University of Wollongong, [email protected] Gustavo A. Londoño Universidad Icesi William A. Buttemer University of Wollongong, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers Part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Bech, Claus; Chappell, Mark A.; Astheimer, Lee B.; Londoño, Gustavo A.; and Buttemer, William A., "A 'slow pace of life' in Australian old-endemic passerine birds is not accompanied by low basal metabolic rates" (2016). Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health - Papers: part A. 3841. https://ro.uow.edu.au/smhpapers/3841 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] A 'slow pace of life' in Australian old-endemic passerine birds is not accompanied by low basal metabolic rates Abstract Life history theory suggests that species experiencing high extrinsic mortality rates allocate more resources toward reproduction relative to self-maintenance and reach maturity earlier ('fast pace of life') than those having greater life expectancy and reproducing at a lower rate ('slow pace of life'). Among birds, many studies have shown that tropical species have a slower pace of life than temperate-breeding species.
    [Show full text]
  • THE HONEYEATERS of KANGAROO ISLAND HUGH FOB,D Accepted August
    134 SOUTH AUsTRALIAN ORNITHOLOGIST, 21 THE HONEYEATERS OF KANGAROO ISLAND HUGH FOB,D Accepted August. 1976 Kangaroo Island is the third largest of Aus­ In the present paper I discuss morphological tralia's islands (4,500 sq. km) and has been and ecological differences between populations separated from the neighbouring Fleurieu of several species of honeyeaters from Kangaroo Peninsula for 10,000 years (Abbott 1973). A Island and the Fleurieu Peninsula respectively, mere 14 km separates island from mainland; and speculate on how these differences origin­ but the island has a distinct avifauna and lacks ated. many of the mainland species. This paucity of DIFFERENCES IN PLUMAGE species has been attributed to extinction after The Kangaroo Island population of Purple­ isolation and failure to recolonise (Abbott gaped Honeyeater was described as larger and 1974, 1976), and to lack of suitable habitat brighter than the mainland population by (Ford and Paton 1975). Mathews (1923-4). Brightness of plumage is a Nine species of honeyeaters are resident on very subjective characteristic, and in my opinion Kangaroo Island. The Purple-gaped Honey­ Purple-gaped Honeyeaters on Kangaroo Island eater Lichenostomus cratitius (formerly Meli­ are, if anything, duller than mainland ones. phaga cratitia) was described as a distinct sub­ Condon (1951) says that the gape of this species by Mathews (1923-24); and Keast species is invariably yellow on Kangaroo Island (1961) mentions that six other species differ in instead of lilac, although he later comments a minor way from mainland populations and that lilac-gaped individuals do occur on the may merit subspecific status.
    [Show full text]
  • DRAFT Biodiversity Action Plan 2021 - 2026
    DRAFT Biodiversity Action Plan 2021 - 2026 Prepared by: Infrastructure Services & Planning and Ecology Australia Contents Acknowledgments 4 A Vision for the Future 5 Introduction 6 Summary of state and extent of biodiversity in Greater Dandenong 7 Study area 7 Flora and fauna 9 Existing landscape habitat types 10 Key threats to local biodiversity values 12 Habitat assessments 15 Habitat connectivity for icon species 16 Community consultation and engagement 18 Biodiversity legislation considerations 20 Council strategies 22 Actions 23 Protection and enhancement of existing biodiversity values 24 Improving knowledge of biodiversity values 26 Facilitating and encouraging biodiversity conservation and enhancement on private land 27 Managing threatening processes 28 Community engagement and education 30 References 32 Tables Table 1 Summary of most common reasons why biodiversity is considered important from online survey and examples of comments provided 19 Table 2 Commonwealth and Victorian biodiversity legislation 20 Plates Plate 1 City of Greater Dandenong LGA and municipality study area, including surrounding areas of biodiversity significance. 8 Plate 2 Potential connectivity sites within Greater Dandenong for all five icon species 17 DRAFT City of Greater Dandenong Biodiversity Action Plan 2021 – 2026 ii Appendices Appendix 1 Vegetation coverage across the City of Greater Dandenong pre 1750 (left) and today (right). 34 Appendix 2 Fauna species listed as threatened under the EPBC Act 1999 (DAWE 2020), FFG Act 1988 (DELWP 2019b) or the Victorian Threatened Species Advisory List recorded within the City of Greater Dandenong municipality ....................................................................................................... 35 Appendix 3 Flora species listed as threatened under the EPBC Act 1999 (DAWE 2020), FFG Act 1988 (DELWP 2019b) or the Victorian Threatened Species Advisory List recorded within the City of Greater Dandenong municipality ......................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Bush Birds Making Your Place Their Place Too
    BUSH BIRDS MAKING YOUR PLACE THEIR PLACE TOO This fact sheet explains which bush birds may be present or absent from your place and what you can do to encourage a greater diversity to live with you. The drier, settled areas of southern Tasmania, and whistlers. Some, like Pink Robin and Scrubtit, compared to other places, still have much of their prefer wet forest and others, such as Forty- original bush. In many instances the clearing for spotted Pardalote are rarely seen outside their agriculture and urban development has produced preferred specialist habitat. a mosaic of habitats including highly modified The Yellow-throated Honeyeater needs bush with Some species live in the same bush all year, treeless paddocks through to fully vegetated hills, good structure, as it forages high in trees but nests whilst others migrate in the late autumn to in which many species of birds still thrive. But bird in shrubs close to the ground. increase their foraging range, descend in species begin to decline or will be absent where altitude or cross Bass Strait to spend their intact patches of bush are lost or if this mosaic winter on mainland Australia. Bush habitat also BUSH BIRDS’ HOMES becomes too highly modified. supports birds of prey, water birds in creeks and Just like us, birds have three basic needs: About 60 species of birds live within the bush of wetlands, and a small number of other species 1. Their preferred food. southern Tasmania. Common groups of species using heaths or grasslands on the forest fringe. include honeyeaters, parrots, robins, pardalotes 2.
    [Show full text]
  • Recent Honeyeater Migration in Southern Australia
    June 2010 223 Recent Honeyeater Migration in Southern Australia BRYAN T HAYWOOD Abstract be seen moving through areas of south-eastern Australia during autumn (Ford 1983; Simpson & A conspicuous migration of honeyeaters particularly Day 1996). On occasions Fuscous Honeyeaters Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Lichenostomus chrysops, have been reported migrating in company with and White-naped Honeyeater, Melithreptus lunatus, Yellow-faced Honeyeaters, but only in small was observed in the SE of South Australia during numbers (Blakers et al., 1984). May and June 2007. A particularly significant day was 12 May 2007 when both species were Movements of honeyeaters throughout southern observed moving in mixed flocks in westerly and Australia are also predominantly up the east northerly directions in five different locations in the coast with birds moving from Victoria and New SE of South Australia. Migration of Yellow-faced South Wales (Hindwood 1956;Munro, Wiltschko Honeyeater and White-naped Honeyeater is not and Wiltschko 1993; Munro and Munro 1998) limited to following the coastline in the SE of South into southern Queensland. The timing and Australia, but also inland. During this migration direction at which these movements occur has period small numbers of Fuscous Honeyeater, L. been under considerable study with findings fuscus, were also observed. The broad-scale nature that birds (heading up the east coast) actually of these movements over the period April to June change from a north-easterly to north-westerly 2007 was indicated by records from south-western direction during this migration period. This Victoria, various locations in the SE of South change in direction is partly dictated by changes Australia, Adelaide and as far west as the Mid North in landscape features, but when Yellow-faced of SA.
    [Show full text]
  • Regent Honeyeater Identification Guide
    REGENT HONEYEATER IDENTIFICATION GUIDE Broad patch of bare warty Males call prominently, skin around the eye, which whereas females only is smaller in young birds occasionally make soft calls. and females. Best seen at close range or with binoculars. Plumage around the head Regent Honeyeaters are and neck is solid black 20-24 cm long, with females giving a slightly hooded smaller and having duller appearance. plumage than the males. Distinctive scalloped (not streaked) breast. Broad stripes of yellow in the wing when folded, and very prominent in flight. From below the tail is a bright yellow. From behind it’s black bordered by bright yellow feathers. COMMON MISIDENTIFICATIONS YELLOW-TUFTED HONEYEATER NEW HOLLAND HONEYEATER WHITE-CHEEKED HONEYEATER Lichenostomus melanops Phylidonyris novaehollandiae Phylidonyris niger Habitat: Box-Gum-Ironbark Habitat: Woodland with heathy Habitat: Heathlands, parks and woodlands and forest with a understorey, gardens and gardens, less commonly open shrubby understorey. parklands. woodland. Notes: Common, sedentary bird Notes: Often misidentified as a Notes: Similar to New Holland of temperate woodlands. Has a Regent Honeyeater; commonly Honeyeaters, but have a large distinctive yellow crown and ear seen in urban parks and gardens. patch of white feathers in their tuft in a black face, with a bright Distinctive white breast with black cheek and a dark eye (no white yellow throat. Underparts are streaks, several patches of white eye ring). Also have white breast plain dirty yellow, upperparts around the face, and a white eye streaked black. olive-green. ring. Tend to be in small, noisy and aggressive flocks. PAINTED HONEYEATER CRESCENT HONEYEATER Grantiella picta Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus Habitat: Box-Ironbark woodland, Habitat: Wetter habitats like particularly with fruiting mistletoe forest, dense woodland and Notes: A seasonal migrant, only coastal heathlands.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Preprint
    A continental measure of urbanness predicts avian response to local urbanization Corey T. Callaghan*1 (0000-0003-0415-2709), Richard E. Major1,2 (0000-0002-1334-9864), William K. Cornwell1,3 (0000-0003-4080-4073), Alistair G. B. Poore3 (0000-0002-3560- 3659), John H. Wilshire1, Mitchell B. Lyons1 (0000-0003-3960-3522) 1Centre for Ecosystem Science; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia 2Australian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, Australia, 3Evolution and Ecology Research Centre; School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences; UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia *Corresponding author: [email protected] NOTE: This is a pre-print, and the final published version of this manuscript can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1111/ecog.04863 Acknowledgements Funding for this work was provided by the Australian Wildlife Society. Mark Ley, Simon Gorta, and Max Breckenridge were instrumental in conducting surveys in the Blue Mountains. We also are grateful to the numerous volunteers who submit their data to eBird, and the dedicated team of reviewers who ensure the quality of the database. We thank the associate editor and two anonymous reviewers for comments that improved this manuscript. Author contributions CTC, WKC, JHW, and REM conceptualized the data processing to assign urban scores. CTC, MBL, and REM designed the study. CTC performed the data analysis with insight from WKC and AGBP. All authors contributed to drafting and editing the manuscript. Data accessibility Code and data necessary to reproduce these analyses have been uploaded as supplementary material alongside this manuscript, and will be made available as a permanently archived Zenodo repository upon acceptance of the manuscript.
    [Show full text]
  • Accepted Version
    ACCEPTED VERSION Patrick L. Taggart Are blood haemoglobin concentrations a reliable indicator of parasitism and individual condition in New Holland honeyeaters (Phylidonyris novaehollandiae)? Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 2016; 140(1):17-27 © 2016 Royal Society of South Australia "This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia on 01 Mar 2016 available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03721426.2016.1151970 PERMISSIONS http://authorservices.taylorandfrancis.com/sharing-your-work/ Accepted Manuscript (AM) As a Taylor & Francis author, you can post your Accepted Manuscript (AM) on your personal website at any point after publication of your article (this includes posting to Facebook, Google groups, and LinkedIn, and linking from Twitter). To encourage citation of your work we recommend that you insert a link from your posted AM to the published article on Taylor & Francis Online with the following text: “This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in [JOURNAL TITLE] on [date of publication], available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/[Article DOI].” For example: “This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Africa Review on 17/04/2014, available online:http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/12345678.1234.123456. N.B. Using a real DOI will form a link to the Version of Record on Taylor & Francis Online. The AM is defined by the National Information Standards Organization as: “The version of a journal article that has been accepted for publication in a journal.” This means the version that has been through peer review and been accepted by a journal editor.
    [Show full text]
  • Eastern Australia: October-November 2016
    Tropical Birding Trip Report Eastern Australia: October-November 2016 A Tropical Birding SET DEPARTURE tour EASTERN AUSTRALIA: From Top to Bottom 23rd October – 11th November 2016 The bird of the trip, the very impressive POWERFUL OWL Tour Leader: Laurie Ross All photos in this report were taken by Laurie Ross/Tropical Birding. 1 www.tropicalbirding.com +1-409-515-9110 [email protected] Page Tropical Birding Trip Report Eastern Australia: October-November 2016 INTRODUCTION The Eastern Australia Set Departure Tour introduces a huge amount of new birds and families to the majority of the group. We started the tour in Cairns in Far North Queensland, where we found ourselves surrounded by multiple habitats from the tidal mudflats of the Cairns Esplanade, the Great Barrier Reef and its sandy cays, lush lowland and highland rainforests of the Atherton Tablelands, and we even made it to the edge of the Outback near Mount Carbine; the next leg of the tour took us south to Southeast Queensland where we spent time in temperate rainforests and wet sclerophyll forests within Lamington National Park. The third, and my favorite leg, of the tour took us down to New South Wales, where we birded a huge variety of new habitats from coastal heathland to rocky shorelines and temperate rainforests in Royal National Park, to the mallee and brigalow of Inland New South Wales. The fourth and final leg of the tour saw us on the beautiful island state of Tasmania, where we found all 13 “Tassie” endemics. We had a huge list of highlights, from finding a roosting Lesser Sooty Owl in Malanda; to finding two roosting Powerful Owls near Brisbane; to having an Albert’s Lyrebird walk out in front of us at O Reilly’s; to seeing the rare and endangered Regent Honeyeaters in the Capertee Valley, and finding the endangered Swift Parrot on Bruny Island, in Tasmania.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2016 Vol
    Castlemaine Naturalist December 2016 Vol. 41.11 #449 Monthly newsletter of the Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club Inc. Powerful Owl chick - photo Noel Young Moths of Victoria – and Castlemaine CFNC members were fortunate to have Marilyn Hewish as guest speaker at the Club’s November meeting. Marilyn is a distinguished naturalist, who received the Australian Natural History Medallion in 2013 for her decades of work on Australian birds and her more recent contributions to studies of the moths of Victoria. She told us how she had become a “moth addict” and that most of the commonly stated ways to distinguish moths and butterflies are myths – some moths are active during daylight, many are highly coloured (not “brown and boring”), some have clubbed antennae. The technical difference is in the way the forewings and hindwings are linked – needing microscopic examination! Moths and their caterpillars play a major ecological role, for example as a significant food source for birds, bats, reptiles, small mammals and larger invertebrates. Some caterpillars feed on leaf litter, thus recycling nutrients and reducing the intensity of fires. Some day-flying moths pollinate flowers. Though butterflies are more familiar to most naturalists, they are far outnumbered by moth species in Australia: about 400 species of butterflies and more than 20,000 moths (the exact figure is not known). The studies of Victorian moths are in very early stages compared to our knowledge of Australian birds. Marilyn and Dean are frequently in the field – at night (even when cold and wet), surveying moths at sites across Victoria. They often record large extensions in distributions, species not previously known from the state, and even species new to science.
    [Show full text]
  • Wellington Shire Council Implementation of Coastal Strategy Land Capability Assessment
    Wellington Shire Council Implementation of Coastal Strategy Land Capability Assessment March 2008 Contents 1. Background 1 1.1 Recent Strategy and Policy Decisions 1 1.2 Current Implementation Process 1 2. Methodology 2 2.1 Initial Methodology 2 2.2 Data Availability 2 2.3 Revised Methodology 3 3. Data 4 3.1 Data Sorting 4 3.2 Critical Data Sets 4 4. Analysis 12 4.1 Stage 1: Areas Inappropriate for Additional Dwellings 12 4.2 Stage 2: Capability Assessment for Dwelling Densities 12 4.3 Assigning Capability Scores for Dwelling Densities 13 5. Findings 18 5.1 Key Constraints to Development of Dwellings 18 5.2 Implications for Current Adopted Settlement Structure 21 5.3 Implications of Land Capability Assessment 23 5.4 Utilising the Outcomes of the Land Capability Assessment 23 Appendices A Flora and Fauna Report B Landscape Assessment Report C Table of Capability Scores for Dwelling Density Scenarios D Land Capability Mapping Implementation of Coastal Strategy i Land Capability Assessment 31/20287/138968 1. Background 1.1 Recent Strategy and Policy Decisions The Wellington Shire Council adopted the Wellington Coast Subdivision Strategy Option 4 – Nodal Urban settlement pattern at its meeting of 20th September, 2005 and the preparation of the Wellington Coast Subdivision Strategy: The Honeysuckles to Paradise Beach was finalised in February 2007. The Strategy was developed in accordance with the relevant coastal planning and management principles of the Victorian Coastal Strategy, 2002 prepared by the Victorian Coastal Council, and the Gippsland Coastal Board’s Coastal Action Plans. This strategy provides a preferred settlement structure for the Wellington Coast between Paradise Beach and The Honeysuckles, as a way to encourage development that responds appropriately to environmental values and community needs, and is consistent with established policy in the Victorian Coastal Strategy.
    [Show full text]
  • 2015-Birds-Of-ML1.Pdf
    FREE presents Birds of Mawson Lakes Linda Vining & MikeBIRDS Flynn of Mawson Lakes An online book available at www.mawsonlakesliving.info Republished as an ebook in 2015 First Published in 2013 Published by Mawson Lakes Living Magazine 43 Parkview Drive Mawson Lakes 5095 SOUTH AUSTRALIA Ph: +61 8 8260 7077 [email protected] www.mawsonlakesliving.info Photography and words by Mike Flynn Cover: New Holland Honeyeater. See page 22 for description © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording or otherwise, without credit to the publisher. BIRDS inof MawsonMawson LakesLakes 3 Introduction What bird is that? Birdlife in Mawson Lakes is abundant and adds a wonderful dimension to our natural environment. Next time you go outside just listen to the sounds around you. The air is always filled with bird song. Birds bring great pleasure to the people of Mawson Lakes. There is nothing more arresting than a mother bird and her chicks swimming on the lakes in the spring. What a show stopper. The huge variety of birds provides magnificent opportunities for photographers. One of these is amateur photographer Mike Flynn who lives at Shearwater. Since coming to live at Mawson Lakes he has become an avid bird watcher and photographer. I often hear people ask: “What bird is that?” This book, brought to you by Mawson Lakes Living, is designed to answer this question by identifying birds commonly seen in Mawson Lakes and providing basic information on where to find them, what they eat and their distinctive features.
    [Show full text]