Murphys Flat Conservation Area Management Statement 2010 /Parks and Wildlife Service

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Murphys Flat Conservation Area Management Statement 2010 /Parks and Wildlife Service MANAGEMENT STATEMENT 2010 Murphys Flat CONSERVATION AREA Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment MMMuuurrrppphhhyyysss FFFlllaaattt CCCooonnnssseeerrrvvvaaatttiiiooonnn AAArrreeeaaa MMMaaannnaaagggeeemmmeeennnttt SSStttaaattteeemmmeeennnttt 222000111000 This management statement applies to the Murphys Flat Conservation Area which is managed under the National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 and is subject to the National Parks and Reserves Regulations 2009. The area known locally as Murphys Flat was acquired on 1 May 2001 with the financial assistance of the Commonwealth and State Governments and Norske Skog Boyer Paper Mills. The development of this management statement is a requirement of the acquisition. A draft management statement was prepared and released for public comment from 29 March 2010 until 24 May 2010. The comments were considered and where appropriate, incorporated into this management statement. The management statement has been prepared with the aim of guiding future management activities and to encourage care and interest in the reserve. It describes the reserve and its values and provides strategies and actions which will guide the conservation of the reserve’s natural diversity and cultural values. The Murphys Flat Conservation Area Management Statement was approved on 21 December 2010. It will be implemented by the Parks and Wildlife Service, Southern Region, subject to limitations of funding, staff and resources. Peter Mooney General Manager Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service NNNaaatttiiiooonnnaaalll LLLiiibbbrrraaarrryyy ooofff AAAuuussstttrrraaallliiiaaa CCCaaatttaaallloooggguuuiiinnnggg­­­iiinnn­­­PPPuuubbbllliiicccaaatttiiiooonnn eeennntttrrryyy Title: Murphys Flat conservation area management statement 2010 /Parks and Wildlife Service. ISBN: 9780724665617 (pbk.) 9780724665624 (PDF) Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Subjects: Natural resources conservation areas­­Tasmania­­Murphys Flat. Conservation Area­­Management. Conservation of natural resources­­Tasmania­­Murphys Flat Conservation Area­­Management. Murphys Flat Conservation Area (Tas.)­­Management. Other Authors/Contributors: Tasmania. Parks and Wildlife Service. Tasmania. Dept. of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. Dewey Number: 333.7316099462 Published by: Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, GPO Box 1751 Hobart, Tasmania 7001 Cite as: Parks and Wildlife Service (2010), Murphys Flat Conservation Area Management Statement, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, Hobart. Cover photo: Saline sedgeland with coastal juncus (Juncus kraussii), Murphys Flat Conservation Area (Lynne Sparrow) © Parks and Wildlife Service, Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, 2010 CCCooonnnttteeennntttsss 111 SSSuuummmmmmaaarrryyy ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 111 222 IIInnntttrrroooddduuuccctttiiiooonnn .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 222 2.1 Purpose of this Management Statement .......................................................................................... 2 2.2 General Details ................................................................................................................................................ 2 2.3 Reservation History ....................................................................................................................................... 3 2.4 Management History .................................................................................................................................... 3 2.5 Challenges ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 333 RRReeessseeerrrvvveee MMMaaannnaaagggeeemmmeeennnttt FFFrrraaammmeeewwwooorrrkkk ... ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 444 3.1 Legislation ............................................................................................................................................................ 4 3.2 Tasmanian Reserve Management Code of Practice 2003 .................................................... 5 3.3 Key Desired Outcomes .............................................................................................................................. 5 3.4 Strategic Asset Management ................................................................................................................... 5 444 CCCooonnnssseeerrrvvvaaatttiiiooonnn ooofff RRReeessseeerrrvvveee VVVaaallluuueeesss ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 666 4.1 Vulnerability to Sea Level Rise................................................................................................................ 6 4.2 Geodiversity ....................................................................................................................................................... 6 4.3 Hydrology and Water Quality................................................................................................................ 7 4.4 Native Vegetation .......................................................................................................................................... 9 4.5 Native Fauna ..................................................................................................................................................... 12 4.6 Aboriginal Heritage ....................................................................................................................................... 14 4.7 History and Historic Heritage ................................................................................................................. 14 555 RRReeessseeerrrvvveee PPPrrrooottteeeccctttiiiooonnn PPPrrrooogggrrraaammmsss ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 111666 5.1 Access and Signs ............................................................................................................................................. 16 5.2 Weed Management ...................................................................................................................................... 17 5.3 Fire Management ............................................................................................................................................ 19 5.4 Introduced Fauna ............................................................................................................................................ 19 666 VVViiisssiiitttooorrrsss aaannnddd ttthhheee CCCooommmmmmuuunnniiitttyyy .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 222000 6.1 Visitors and Recreational Opportunities .......................................................................................... 20 6.2 Visitor Safety ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 6.3 Engaging and Informing the Community.......................................................................................... 21 6.4 Research............................................................................................................................................................... 21 777 EEEffffffeeeccctttiiivvveeennneeessssss MMMooonnniiitttooorrriiinnnggg aaannnddd PPPlllaaannn RRReeevvviiieeewww ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • North Central Waterwatch Frogs Field Guide
    North Central Waterwatch Frogs Field Guide “This guide is an excellent publication. It strikes just the right balance, providing enough information in a format that is easy to use for identifying our locally occurring frogs, while still being attractive and interesting to read by people of all ages.” Rodney Orr, Bendigo Field Naturalists Club Inc. 1 The North Central CMA Region Swan Hill River Murray Kerang Cohuna Quambatook Loddon River Pyramid Hill Wycheproof Boort Loddon/Campaspe Echuca Watchem Irrigation Area Charlton Mitiamo Donald Rochester Avoca River Serpentine Avoca/Avon-Richardson Wedderburn Elmore Catchment Area Richardson River Bridgewater Campaspe River St Arnaud Marnoo Huntly Bendigo Avon River Bealiba Dunolly Loddon/Campaspe Dryland Area Heathcote Maryborough Castlemaine Avoca Loddon River Kyneton Lexton Clunes Daylesford Woodend Creswick Acknowledgement Of Country The North Central Catchment Management Authority (CMA) acknowledges Aboriginal Traditional Owners within the North Central CMA region, their rich culture and their spiritual connection to Country. We also recognise and acknowledge the contribution and interests of Aboriginal people and organisations in the management of land and natural resources. Acknowledgements North Central Waterwatch would like to acknowledge the contribution and support from the following organisations and individuals during the development of this publication: Britt Gregory from North Central CMA for her invaluable efforts in the production of this document, Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority for allowing use of their draft field guide, Lydia Fucsko, Adrian Martins, David Kleinert, Leigh Mitchell, Peter Robertson and Nick Layne for use of their wonderful photos and Mallee Catchment Management Authority for their design support and a special thanks to Ray Draper for his support and guidance in the development of the Frogs Field Guide 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Full Article 1.0MB .Pdf File
    Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria 57( I): 143-165 ( 1998) 1 May 1998 https://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.1998.57.08 FISHES OF WILSONS PROMONTORY AND CORNER INLET, VICTORIA: COMPOSITION AND BIOGEOGRAPHIC AFFINITIES M. L. TURNER' AND M. D. NORMAN2 'Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, PO Box 1379,Townsville, Qld 4810, Australia ([email protected]) 1Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia (corresponding author: [email protected]) Abstract Turner, M.L. and Norman, M.D., 1998. Fishes of Wilsons Promontory and Comer Inlet. Victoria: composition and biogeographic affinities. Memoirs of the Museum of Victoria 57: 143-165. A diving survey of shallow-water marine fishes, primarily benthic reef fishes, was under­ taken around Wilsons Promontory and in Comer Inlet in 1987 and 1988. Shallow subtidal reefs in these regions are dominated by labrids, particularly Bluethroat Wrasse (Notolabrus tet­ ricus) and Saddled Wrasse (Notolabrus fucicola), the odacid Herring Cale (Odax cyanomelas), the serranid Barber Perch (Caesioperca rasor) and two scorpidid species, Sea Sweep (Scorpis aequipinnis) and Silver Sweep (Scorpis lineolata). Distributions and relative abundances (qualitative) are presented for 76 species at 26 sites in the region. The findings of this survey were supplemented with data from other surveys and sources to generate a checklist for fishes in the coastal waters of Wilsons Promontory and Comer Inlet. 23 I fishspecies of 92 families were identified to species level. An additional four species were only identified to higher taxonomic levels. These fishes were recorded from a range of habitat types, from freshwater streams to marine habitats (to 50 m deep).
    [Show full text]
  • 3966 Tour Op 4Col
    The Tasmanian Advantage natural and cultural features of Tasmania a resource manual aimed at developing knowledge and interpretive skills specific to Tasmania Contents 1 INTRODUCTION The aim of the manual Notesheets & how to use them Interpretation tips & useful references Minimal impact tourism 2 TASMANIA IN BRIEF Location Size Climate Population National parks Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area (WHA) Marine reserves Regional Forest Agreement (RFA) 4 INTERPRETATION AND TIPS Background What is interpretation? What is the aim of your operation? Principles of interpretation Planning to interpret Conducting your tour Research your content Manage the potential risks Evaluate your tour Commercial operators information 5 NATURAL ADVANTAGE Antarctic connection Geodiversity Marine environment Plant communities Threatened fauna species Mammals Birds Reptiles Freshwater fishes Invertebrates Fire Threats 6 HERITAGE Tasmanian Aboriginal heritage European history Convicts Whaling Pining Mining Coastal fishing Inland fishing History of the parks service History of forestry History of hydro electric power Gordon below Franklin dam controversy 6 WHAT AND WHERE: EAST & NORTHEAST National parks Reserved areas Great short walks Tasmanian trail Snippets of history What’s in a name? 7 WHAT AND WHERE: SOUTH & CENTRAL PLATEAU 8 WHAT AND WHERE: WEST & NORTHWEST 9 REFERENCES Useful references List of notesheets 10 NOTESHEETS: FAUNA Wildlife, Living with wildlife, Caring for nature, Threatened species, Threats 11 NOTESHEETS: PARKS & PLACES Parks & places,
    [Show full text]
  • Catalogue of Protozoan Parasites Recorded in Australia Peter J. O
    1 CATALOGUE OF PROTOZOAN PARASITES RECORDED IN AUSTRALIA PETER J. O’DONOGHUE & ROBERT D. ADLARD O’Donoghue, P.J. & Adlard, R.D. 2000 02 29: Catalogue of protozoan parasites recorded in Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 45(1):1-164. Brisbane. ISSN 0079-8835. Published reports of protozoan species from Australian animals have been compiled into a host- parasite checklist, a parasite-host checklist and a cross-referenced bibliography. Protozoa listed include parasites, commensals and symbionts but free-living species have been excluded. Over 590 protozoan species are listed including amoebae, flagellates, ciliates and ‘sporozoa’ (the latter comprising apicomplexans, microsporans, myxozoans, haplosporidians and paramyxeans). Organisms are recorded in association with some 520 hosts including mammals, marsupials, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates. Information has been abstracted from over 1,270 scientific publications predating 1999 and all records include taxonomic authorities, synonyms, common names, sites of infection within hosts and geographic locations. Protozoa, parasite checklist, host checklist, bibliography, Australia. Peter J. O’Donoghue, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia; Robert D. Adlard, Protozoa Section, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101, Australia; 31 January 2000. CONTENTS the literature for reports relevant to contemporary studies. Such problems could be avoided if all previous HOST-PARASITE CHECKLIST 5 records were consolidated into a single database. Most Mammals 5 researchers currently avail themselves of various Reptiles 21 electronic database and abstracting services but none Amphibians 26 include literature published earlier than 1985 and not all Birds 34 journal titles are covered in their databases. Fish 44 Invertebrates 54 Several catalogues of parasites in Australian PARASITE-HOST CHECKLIST 63 hosts have previously been published.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspects of the Phylogeny, Biogeography and Taxonomy of Galaxioid Fishes
    Aspects of the phylogeny, biogeography and taxonomy of galaxioid fishes Jonathan Michael Waters, BSc. (Hons.) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, / 2- Oo ( 01 f University of Tasmania (August, 1996) Paragalaxias dissim1/is (Regan); illustrated by David Crook Statements I declare that this thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, this thesis contains no material previously published o:r written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text. This thesis is not to be made available for loan or copying for two years following the date this statement is signed. Following that time the thesis may be made available for loan and limited copying in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Signed Summary This study used two distinct methods to infer phylogenetic relationships of members of the Galaxioidea. The first approach involved direct sequencing of mitochondrial DNA to produce a molecular phylogeny. Secondly, a thorough osteological study of the galaxiines was the basis of a cladistic analysis to produce a morphological phylogeny. Phylogenetic analysis of 303 base pairs of mitochondrial cytochrome b _supported the monophyly of Neochanna, Paragalaxias and Galaxiella. This gene also reinforced recognised groups such as Galaxias truttaceus-G. auratus and G. fasciatus-G. argenteus. In a previously unrecognised grouping, Galaxias olidus and G. parvus were united as a sister clade to Paragalaxias. In addition, Nesogalaxias neocaledonicus and G. paucispondylus were included in a clade containing G.
    [Show full text]
  • Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River Ramsar Site Ecological Character Description
    Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River Ramsar Site Ecological Character Description March 2012 Citation: Newall, P.R. and Lloyd, L.N. 2012. Ecological Character Description for the Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River Ramsar Site. Lloyd Environmental Pty Ltd Report (Project No: LE0944) to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPaC), Australian Government. Lloyd Environmental, Syndal, Victoria, 2nd March 2012. Copyright © Copyright Commonwealth of Australia, 2012. The Ecological Character Description for the Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River Ramsar site is licensed by the Commonwealth of Australia for use under a Creative Commons By Attribution 3.0 Australia licence with the exception of the Coat of Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia, the logo of the agency responsible for publishing the report, content supplied by third parties, and any images depicting people. For licence conditions see: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/au/ This report should be attributed as ‘Ecological Character Description for the Flood Plain Lower Ringarooma River Ramsar site, Commonwealth of Australia 2012’. The Commonwealth of Australia has made all reasonable efforts to identify content supplied by third parties using the following format ‘© Copyright, [name of third party] ’. Acknowledgements: • Chris Bobbi, Senior Water Environment Officer, Water Assessment Branch, Water Resources Division, Department of Primary Industries and Water (DPIW) • Sally Bryant, Manager Threatened Species Section, Biodiversity Conservation
    [Show full text]
  • The Genome 10K Project: a Way Forward
    The Genome 10K Project: A Way Forward Klaus-Peter Koepfli,1 Benedict Paten,2 the Genome 10K Community of Scientists,Ã and Stephen J. O’Brien1,3 1Theodosius Dobzhansky Center for Genome Bioinformatics, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russian Federation; email: [email protected] 2Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz, California 95064 3Oceanographic Center, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33004 Annu. Rev. Anim. Biosci. 2015. 3:57–111 Keywords The Annual Review of Animal Biosciences is online mammal, amphibian, reptile, bird, fish, genome at animal.annualreviews.org This article’sdoi: Abstract 10.1146/annurev-animal-090414-014900 The Genome 10K Project was established in 2009 by a consortium of Copyright © 2015 by Annual Reviews. biologists and genome scientists determined to facilitate the sequencing All rights reserved and analysis of the complete genomes of10,000vertebratespecies.Since Access provided by Rockefeller University on 01/10/18. For personal use only. ÃContributing authors and affiliations are listed then the number of selected and initiated species has risen from ∼26 Annu. Rev. Anim. Biosci. 2015.3:57-111. Downloaded from www.annualreviews.org at the end of the article. An unabridged list of G10KCOS is available at the Genome 10K website: to 277 sequenced or ongoing with funding, an approximately tenfold http://genome10k.org. increase in five years. Here we summarize the advances and commit- ments that have occurred by mid-2014 and outline the achievements and present challenges of reaching the 10,000-species goal. We summarize the status of known vertebrate genome projects, recommend standards for pronouncing a genome as sequenced or completed, and provide our present and futurevision of the landscape of Genome 10K.
    [Show full text]
  • Exotic Frog Incursion Limnodynastes Dumerilii Is an Australian Frog Exotic to New Zealand
    Exotic frog incursion Limnodynastes dumerilii is an Australian frog exotic to New Zealand. It is an Notification of incursion aggressive coloniser and a In mid-October 1999 a member of the public took some unusual potential threat to New Zealand tadpoles to the Auckland Museum for identification, saying they had invertebrates and small been reared from a foamy egg-mass found in mid-August in a small vertebrates. A delimiting survey forested stream in the southern Waitakere Ranges. Once occurred in response to an metamorphosed, the tadpoles were identified as belonging to the incursion of the frog in Australian family Myobatrachidae – probably a species of Limnodynastes. Limnodynastes are exotic to New Zealand and their November 1999. presence was regarded as a biosecurity threat due to their predatory Tony Whitaker, co-author nature and their ability to rapidly colonise a variety of habitats. In during the day for egg-masses, tadpoles and frogs, and at night for the Waitakere Ranges they swere considered a particular threat to frogs and the sound of their highly distinctive ‘bonk’ call. Playback native Hochstetter’s Frogs (Leiopelma hochstetteri). tapes of calls were used to try to elicit a response. The survey covered The investigation, and identification all five catchments of the Waitakere Ranges (Fig. 1) During this period a consultant specialist(b) on Myobatrachid frogs arrived from At the home of the informant, were 15 outdoor aquaria containing Australia to advise on the ecology and reproductive cycles of several thousand tadpoles at various stages of development. These L. dumerilii and to comment on the suitability of the habitat in the appeared to be all of the same species and were said to have been Waitakere Ranges and west Auckland for establishment of this raised from the single egg-mass collected in August.
    [Show full text]
  • Aire River Estuary Management Plan
    SCOPING STUDY: Aire River estuary management plan August 2009 Document history Revision: Revision no. 02 Author/s M. Stacey R. Hardie S. Tilleard Checked R. Hardie Approved R. Hardie Distribution: Revision no. 01 Issue date 28 May 2009 Issued to Simone Wilkie (CCMA) Description: Draft for comment Revision no. 02 Issue date 26 August 2009 Issued to Simone Wilkie (CCMA) Description: Final Citation: Please cite this document as: Stacey, M, Hardie, R and Tilleard, S. (2009). Aire River estuary management plan: scoping study. Report P109021R01 by Alluvium for Corangamite CMA, Colac Ref: L:\Projects\2009\021_Aire_River_Mgt_Plan\1_Deliverables\P109021 _R01V02b.docx Contents 1 Introduction 1 2 Approach 1 2.1 Site inspection and familiarisation 1 2.2 Literature and legislative review 1 Definition of a watercourse 8 2.3 Review and collation of additional background information 9 Historic ground photography 9 Development of a program logic 9 2.4 Development of a spatial activity plan 9 Public land boundaries 10 Attachment A Spatial activity plan and program logic Attachment B Historic ground photography Attachment C Historic aerial photography comparison Attachment D Tasmanian Mudfish ( Neochanna Cleaveri) information Tables Table 1. Planning and management literature reviewed for the project 2 Table 2. Key legislation reviewed for the project 3 Table 3. Relevant management recommendations identified in the literature reviewed for this project 4 Abbreviations Alluvium Alluvium Consulting Pty Ltd CCMA Corangamite Catchment Management Authority CRHS Corangamite river health strategy. DSE Department of Sustainability and Environment MERI Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Improvement Aire River estuary management plan: scoping study i 1 Introduction The Corangamite Catchment Management Authority (CCMA) commissioned Alluvium Consulting Pty Ltd (Alluvium) to undertake a scoping study for the Aire River Management Plan.
    [Show full text]
  • Guidelines for Dredging Best Practice Environmental Management
    BEST PRACTICE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR DREDGING BEST PRACTICE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR DREDGING Environment Protection Authority 40 City Road, Southbank Victoria 3006 AUSTRALIA © Environment Protection Authority, October 2001 Publication 691 ISBN 0 7306 7578 5 Printed on recycled paper FOREWORD Dredging is necessary to create and maintain shipping and boating channels so that we can continue to engage in international trade and to enjoy safe fishing and recreational boating. However, dredging has the potential for significant environmental impact. These guidelines identify such impacts and suggest measures that may be taken to minimise them. They have been developed in consultation with organisations that undertake dredging, dredging contractors and conservation interests. In many cases impacts are minimal, but any impacts can cause considerable public concern. For example, discharge of black anaerobic sand onto sandy beaches looks and smells unpleasant, but the environmental impacts are minimal, and a typical sand colour returns after a few days exposure to air. Where the impacts of dredging are poorly known these are identified in the guidelines and addressed through monitoring or targeted research where this is considered more appropriate. A new mandatory process for consideration of dredging proposals is outlined. This represents a new step towards better control of the impacts of dredging that started when EPA developed the Trial Dredge Protocol in 1992. It involves a cooperative approach between Environment Protection Authority and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the issuing of a Coastal Management Act 1995 consent for dredging works. Further advances in dredging technology and in our understanding of the major impacts will, in time, lead to further improvements to these guidelines.
    [Show full text]
  • Memoirs of the Queensland Museum
    Memoirs OF THE Queensland Museum W Brisbane Volume 45 29 February 2000 PARTl Memoirs OF THE Queensland Museum Brisbane © Queensland Museum PO Box 3300, SouthBrisbane 4101, Australia Phone 06 7 3840 7555 Fax 06 7 3846 1226 Email [email protected] Website www.qm.qld.gov.au National Library of Australia card number ISSN 0079-8835 NOTE Papers published in this volume and in all previous volumes of the Memoirs of the Queensland Museum maybe reproduced for scientific research, individual study or other educational purposes. Properly acknowledged quotations may be made but queries regarding the republication of any papers should be addressed to the Editor in Chief. Copies of the journal can be purchased from the Queensland Museum Shop. A Guide to Authors is displayed at the Queensland Museum web site A Queensland Government Project Typeset at the Queensland Museum CATALOGUE OF PROTOZOAN PARASITES RECORDED IN AUSTRALIA PETER J. ODONOGHUE & ROBERT D. ADLARD O'Donoghue, P.J. & Adlard, R.D. 2000 02 29: Catalogue ofprotozoan parasites recorded iii -1 Australia. Memoirs ofThe Oiwenslcmd Museum 45( 1 ): I 63. Brisbane. ISSN 0079-8835. Published reports ofprotozoan species from Australian animals have been compiled into a host-parasite checklist, a parasite-host checklist and a cross-referenced bibliography. Protozoa listed include parasites, commensals and s\ mbionls but free-living species have been excluded. Over 590 protozoan species are listed including amoebae, flagcllalcs.ciliates and 'sporo/oa" (tlie latter comprising apicomplexans, microsporans, myxozoans, haplo- sporidians and paramyxeaiis). Organisms are recorded in association with some 520 hosts including eulherian mammals, marsupials, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.
    [Show full text]
  • Mudfish (Neochanna Galaxiidae) Literature Review
    1 0 . 2 C omp E tition and pr E dation Analysis of NZFFD records indicates that Neochanna species occurred in habitats without any other fish species on more than half of the occasions they were recorded (Table 10). Although a wide variety of other fish species may sometimes co-occur with Neochanna species, the incidence of co-occurrence is typically low except for one or two species. It is thought that Neochanna species are generally intolerant of competition because of their small size, general lack of aggression, small mouth and low metabolic rate, all of which may reduce their potential to be dominant competitors (Meredith 1985). While Neochanna are not inherently territorial or aggressive towards con-specifics, Barrier & Hicks (1994) reported that adult N. diversus were aggressive towards G. affinis, and Eldon (1969) found N. apoda were aggressive when outnumbered, or in the presence of a multitude of species in aquaria (Eldon 1969). It has also been suggested (Meredith 1985) that Neochanna species may lack predator-avoidance mechanisms. However, when disturbed suddenly, N. cleaveri can jump to a height of 50–60 mm above the water before immediately diving down to the pool bottom. Fish may repeat this manoeuvre two or three times in quick succession and it is likely used to facilitate their escape from aquatic predators (Andrews 1991). Juvenile N. burrowsius exhibit a similar behaviour when startled, although not jumping as high (L. O’Brien, pers. obs.). The following sections provide further information on commonly occurring inter-specific interactions. 10.2.1 Anguilla species Eels (Anguillidae; Anguilla) prey on Neochanna, including larger (120 mm) individuals (Mitchell 1995; Eldon 1978b, 1979a), and there is a surprisingly low level of co-occurrence between Neochanna species and eels, considering the ubiquitous distribution of Anguilla species (Table 10).
    [Show full text]