DOCSLIB.ORG

Colour Vision of Ischnura Heterosticta (Insecta: Odonata)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Colour Vision of Ischnura Heterosticta (Insecta: Odonata) Colour vision of Ischnura heterosticta (Insecta: Odonata): Role in sexual selection, communication and visual plasticity Shao-chang Huang BSc, MSc A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland in 2014 Queensland Brain Institute Abstract Sensory systems are important for any life task of an animal. Vision, and colour vision in particular, is essential for visual–based insects, such as Odonata (damselflies and dragonflies), many of which display colour patterns on their bodies. Numerous behavioural studies suggest that the diverse colour patterns function as a means for intersexual, intrasexual, interspecific, or intraspecific recognition and play a role in sexual selection, particularly in ischnuran damselflies that have sex- limited polymorphism. However, to date there are no comprehensive studies linking behavioural to electrophysiological evidence to support the role of colour patterns and colour vision in mate choice in this group of insects. In my Ph.D. thesis, I investigated the function of body colouration and colour vision in sexual selection and communication of the Australian polymorphic damselfly, Ischnura heterosticta, and examined the mechanisms underlying its colour vision and colour discrimination ability. In an observational study (Chapter 2), I surveyed I. heterosticta reproductive behaviours and daily activity patterns in the field, providing the first detailed account of their colour morphs and behavioural biology. Andromorph females are blue like males, and gynomorph females have colour morphs in green, intermediate, and grey. Mating pairs, usually with gynomorphs, are formed after dawn and mating can last up to 3-4 hours. Oviposition occurs in the days after mating, and ovipositing females are subjected to aggressive male harassment, which varies with female colouration. These data provided the biological foundation regarding colour-based sexual selection in I. heterosticta investigated in the following chapters. In the next set of experiments (Chapter 3), I discovered a unique irreversible ontogenetic colour change in females of I. heterosticta: blue andromorphs are sexually immature individuals that emerge from nymphs. After 4 to 7 days, they turn into green-grey gynomorphs to signal their sexual maturity and advertise readiness to mate. Gynomorphs are the preferred mating partners, which suggests that blue andromorphs avoid unnecessary long mating during sexual immaturity through their male-mimicking colouration. This discovery provided the first indication that colour plays a key role in mate choice and that female polymorphism in I. heterosticta may be maintained via colour signals. In the next study (Chapter 4), I tested whether and how male mating preference was associated with colour cues by manipulating female body colours artificially. The outcomes strongly suggest that female body colouration is the key visual signal for mate choice in I. heterosticta. Males always preferred gynomorph females irrespective of female ratio or prior mating experience. Only under low ambient light males of I. heterosticta occasionally misidentified blue andromorphs as mating ii partners, likely as consequence of the insufficient light. This finding provided the behavioural indication that ischnuran damselflies rely on colour vision for mate recognition. The next study (Chapter 5) examined the morphological structure of the compound eyes of I. heterosticta using histological approaches. The diameter of an ommatidium is about 10 μm, and its length can be up to 400 μm depending on the area of the retina. Several retinula cells were identified distributed along the ommatidium. This provided essential background information on the visual anatomy in this species, and the anatomical indication that I. heterosticta may have colour vision, which was investigated in the next chapter. I used electrophysiological approaches (Chapter 6) to investigate the spectral sensitivities of the visual system of I. heterosticta. The results showed that they have trichromatic vision, being able to detect UV, blue and green light. Contrast calculations confirmed that their colour discrimination ability enables them to distinguish the spectral differences of individual female morphs. These results were congruent with the behavioural findings from previous chapters, showing that I. heterosticta use colour signals for mate choice in context of sexual selection. The final study (Chapter 7) examined the molecular basis of colour vision in I. heterosticta, and investigated whether it is plastic and dependent on light experience. I identified three types of opsin genes in I. heterosticta, corresponding to three wavelengths of light (UV, blue and green), confirming that this species is trichromatic. I found that during development opsins are differentially expressed in nymphs (aquatic) and adults (terrestrial/aerial), and opsin expression also changes when individuals are reared or kept under different ambient light conditions. These findings were further supported by electrophysiological experiments, showing an equivalent change in response. This demonstrates that colour vision in I. heterosticta is plastic and that ambient light induces visual plasticity. This plasticity facilitates adaptation to the changing visual environments during development, and ensures that adults can detect the crucial colour cues that are key for mate choice and reproduction. This thesis is the first comprehensive study examining the functional role of colour vision and body colouration in a polymorphic ischnuran damselfly. This body of work also contributes important new insights into the mechanisms underlying sexual selection, evolution and maintenance of female-limited polymorphism in I. heterosticta. iii Declaration by author This thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly authored works that I have included in my thesis. I have clearly stated the contribution of others to my thesis as a whole, including statistical assistance, survey design, data analysis, significant technical procedures, professional editorial advice, and any other original research work used or reported in my thesis. The content of my thesis is the result of work I have carried out since the commencement of my research higher degree candidature and does not include a substantial part of work that has been submitted to qualify for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution. I have clearly stated which parts of my thesis, if any, have been submitted to qualify for another award. I acknowledge that an electronic copy of my thesis must be lodged with the University Library and, subject to the General Award Rules of The University of Queensland, immediately made available for research and study in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. I acknowledge that copyright of all material contained in my thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of that material. Where appropriate I have obtained copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce material in this thesis. Shao-chang Huang iv Publications during candidature Conference Abstracts Huang, S.-c., Reinhard, J., Chiou, T.-h. and Marshall, J. Colour vision influences mate choice in the polymorphic damselfly Ischnura heterosticta. 10th International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park, USA, 2012. Huang, S.-c. and Reinhard, J. Female body colour determines mating preference in the polymorphic damselfly Ischnura heterosticta. Conference of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASSAB), Geelong, Australia, 2012. Huang, S.-c., Marshall, J. and Reinhard, J. Prey catching ability in damselflies: function of ommatidia structure, viewing angle, and visual resolution. 2nd QBI-MCN Symposium on Systems Neuroscience, Munich, Germany, 2012. Huang, S.-c., Reinhard, J., Chiou, T.-h. and Marshall, J. Colour vision influences mate choice in the polymorphic damselfly Ischnura heterosticta. Applied Vision Association (AVA) Animal Vision Meeting, Brighton, UK, 2012. Huang, S.-c., Reinhard, J. and Chiou, T.-h. Colour vision in the damselfly Ischnura heterosticta: a function in sexual selection. 32nd Annual Meeting of the Australian Neuroscience Society (ANS), Gold Coast, Australia, 2012. Huang, S.-c., Reinhard, J., Chiou, T.-h. and Marshall, J. Colour vision in the damselfly Ischnura heterosticta: a function in sexual selection. Colour and Colour Vision Workshop, Sydney, Australia, 2011. Huang, S.-c. and Reinhard, J. Love enters through the eyes: Sexual selection via female colour polymorphism in the damselfly Ischnura heterosticta (Insecta: Odonata). Conference of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASSAB), Adelaide, Australia, 2011. v Peer-reviewed papers Huang, S.-c., Chiou, T.-h, Marshall, J. and Reinhard, J. (2014) Spectral sensitivities and color signals in a polymorphic damselfly. PLoS One 9: e87972. Huang, S.-c. and Reinhard, J. (2012) Color change from male-mimic to gynomorphic: a new aspect of signaling sexual status in damselflies (Odonata, Zygoptera). Behavioral Ecology 23: 1269-1275. Huang, S.-c., Reinhard, J. and Norval, G. (2012) The reproductive biology and daily activity patterns of Ischnura heterosticta (Burmeister) in eastern Australia (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae). Odonatologica 41: 99-107. Manuscripts under review Huang,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Spatiotemporal Pattern of Phenology Across Geographic Gradients in Insects
    Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2017 Spatiotemporal pattern of phenology across geographic gradients in insects Khelifa, Rassim Abstract: Phenology – the timing of recurrent biological events – influences nearly all aspects of ecology and evolution. Phenological shifts have been recorded in a wide range of animals and plants worldwide during the past few decades. Although the phenological responses differ between taxa, they may also vary geographically, especially along gradients such as latitude or elevation. Since changes in phenology have been shown to affect ecology, evolution, human health and the economy, understanding pheno- logical shifts has become a priority. Although phenological shifts have been associated with changes in temperature, there is still little comprehension of the phenology-temperature relationship, particularly the mechanisms influencing its strength and the extent to which it varies geographically. Such ques- tions would ideally be addressed by combining controlled laboratory experiments on thermal response with long-term observational datasets and historical temperature records. Here, I used odonates (drag- onflies and damselflies) and Sepsid scavenger flies to unravel how temperature affects development and phenology at different latitudes and elevations. The main purpose of this thesis is to provide essential knowledge on the factors driving the spatiotemporal phenological dynamics by (1) investigating how phenology changed in time and space across latitude and elevation in northcentral Europe during the past three decades, (2) assessing potential temporal changes in thermal sensitivity of phenology and (3) describing the geographic pattern and usefulness of thermal performance curves in predicting natural responses.
    [Show full text]
  • The Foraging Behavior of Anax Junius (Odonata: Aeschnidae) and Its Potential As a Behavioral Endpoint in Pesticide Testing Sandra Kaye Brewer Iowa State University
    Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Retrospective Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 1997 The foraging behavior of Anax junius (Odonata: Aeschnidae) and its potential as a behavioral endpoint in pesticide testing Sandra Kaye Brewer Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd Part of the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, Environmental Sciences Commons, Fresh Water Studies Commons, Toxicology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Brewer, Sandra Kaye, "The foraging behavior of Anax junius (Odonata: Aeschnidae) and its potential as a behavioral endpoint in pesticide testing " (1997). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 11445. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/11445 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. UMI MICROFILMED 1997 INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter fiice, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reprcduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send UMI a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted.
    [Show full text]
  • HEXAPODA INSECTA Australia's Faunal Extinction Crisis Submission
    SUPPORTING INFORMATION Table S3 Australian insects and allied invertebrates that have been listed under various conservation schedules, including State/Territory Acts, the EPBC Act and the IUCN Red List, and their occurrence in IBRA regions. Listed species Conservation status Conservation status Conservation status IBRA region (State) (various (EPBC Act 1999) (IUCN Red List 2017) State/Territory Acts) HEXAPODA INSECTA BLATTODEA Panesthia lata Walker, 1868, (Lord Howe Island Endangered PSI (NSW) Wood-feeding Cockroach) (Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016) COLEOPTERA Aulacopris matthewsi Storey, 1986 (Flightless Vulnerable WET (QLD) Dung Beetle) Castiarina insculpta (Carter, 1934) (Miena Jewel Endangered TCH (TAS) Beetle) (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 Catadromus lacordairei Boisduval , 1835 (Green- Vulnerable FUR, TNM (TAS) lined Ground Beetle) (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995) Enchymus sp. nov. Pascoe, 1871 (Weldborough Rare (Threatened BEL (TAS) Forest Weevil) Species Protection Act 1995) Goedetrechus mendumae Moore, 1972 (Ida Bay Vulnerable TSR (TAS) Cave Beetle) (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995) Goedetrechus parallelus Moore, 1972 (Junee- Vulnerable TWE (TAS) Florentine Cave Beetle) (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995) Hoplogonus bornemisszai Bartolozzi, 1996 Endangered Critically Endangered BEL (TAS) (Bornemissza’s Stag Beetle) (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 – TAS) Hoplogonus simsoni Parry, 1875 (Simsons Stag Vulnerable Vulnerable BEL, TCH (TAS) Beetle) (Threatened Species Protection Act 1995) Hoplogonus
    [Show full text]
  • Description of the Exuvia and Larva of Pyrrhosoma Elisabethae (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) 159-174 ©Ges
    ZOBODAT - www.zobodat.at Zoologisch-Botanische Datenbank/Zoological-Botanical Database Digitale Literatur/Digital Literature Zeitschrift/Journal: Libellula Jahr/Year: 2013 Band/Volume: 32 Autor(en)/Author(s): Brochard Christophe, Ploeg Ewoud vna der Artikel/Article: Description of the exuvia and larva of Pyrrhosoma elisabethae (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) 159-174 ©Ges. deutschspr. Odonatologen e.V.; download www.libellula.org/libellula/ und www.zobodat.at Description of the exuvia and larva of Pyrrhosoma elisabethae 20. Dezember 2013159 Description of the exuvia and larva of Pyrrhosoma elisabethae (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) Christophe Brochard 1 and Ewoud van der Ploeg 2 1) Marsstraat 77, 9742EL Groningen, the Netherlands, <[email protected]> 2) Slauerhofflaan 60, 9752HD Haren gn, the Netherlands, <[email protected]> Abstract During a field trip to the Greek island of Corfu which took place between 6 to 13 May 2012, a total of 348 exuviae and six larvae of P. elisabethae were collected for the first time. This quantity ofP. elisabethae exuviae allows an accurate description of the species. The exuviae of P. elisabethae are very similar to the exuviae of P. nymphula, the principal differences being in the shape of their labial palps. Zusammenfassung Beschreibung der Exuvie und der Larve von Pyrrhosoma elisabethae (Odonata: Coen- agrionidae) – Während einer Exkursion auf die griechische Insel Korfu zwischen dem 6. und dem 13. Mai 2012 wurden insgesamt 348 Exuvien und sechs Larven von P. elisabethae gesammelt. Die Menge der P. elisabethae-Exuvien erlaubt die präzise Beschreibung der Art. Die Exuvien von P. elisabethae sind denen von P. nymphula sehr ähnlich, die Hauptun- terscheidungsmerkmale finden sich in der Gestalt der Labialpalpen.
    [Show full text]
  • Journal Vol 18 No 1 & 2, September 2002
    Journal of the British Dragonfly Society Volume 18 Number I & 2 September 2002 Editor Dr Jonathan Pickup TheJournal ofthe Bn/ish DragonflySociely, published twice a year, contains articleson Odonata that have been recorded from the United Kingdom and articles on EuropeanOdonata written by members of the Society. The aims of the British Dragonfly Society(B.D.S.) are to promote and encourage the study and conservation ofOdonata and their natural habitats, especially in the United Kingdom. Trustees of the British Dragonfly Society Articles for publicanon (twopaper copes er ('.Ir copy plus disk please) should be sent rothe Chairman: T G. Beynon Editor. Instructions for authors appor inside Vice�Chairma,,: PM. AUen back cover. SecrellJry: W. H. Wain '1rriJJuru: A. G. T Carter Back numbers of the Journal can be purchased Edilnr, J. Pickup from the Librarian/Archivist at ConV<nOrof Dragonfly ConstnJal"'" Group, 1-4 copies £2.75 percopy, P Taylor 5 copies or over £2.60 per copy (members) or £5.50 (non-mcmbe.. ). Ordinary Trustees: M. T Avcrill Ordinary membership annual subscription D.J. Pryce D. Gennard £10.00. D. J. Mann Overseas subscription £12.50. All subscriptions are due on 1st April each year. Late payers will be charged £1 extra. ADDRESSES Life membership subscription £1000. Edilor: Jonathan Pickup, Other subscription rates (library, corporate) on 129 Craigleith Road, application to the Secretary, who will also deal Edinburgh EH4 2EH with membership enquiries. e�mail: [email protected] SW'eUJry: W. H. Wain, The Haywain, Hollywater Road, Bordon, Hants GU35 OAD Ubrarian/Arr:III'VtSl: D.
    [Show full text]
  • Dragonfly News 66
    Dragonfly News 66 The Magazine of the British Dragonfly Society Autumn 2014 www.british-dragonflies.org.uk Meet the new BDS Chairman, How many Willow Emeralds are David Chelmick ovipositing? Dragonfly hunting....in Sweden? Andy Holt’s unique larval portraits How tatty can a dragonfly be and still fly? Dragonfly News 66 The Magazine of the British Dragonfly Society Published twice a year, in April and October, Dragonfly News covers all aspects of the British Dragonfly Society’s field, recording, monitoring, research, conservation and social activities, as well as information from the wider dragonfly, natural history and conservation world. The emphasis is on dragonflies recorded in the UK. The British Dragonfly Society aims to promote and encourage the study, conservation and understanding of dragonflies and their natural habitats, especially in the UK, and to raise public awareness of dragonflies. Dragonfly News is edited & designed by: Trustees & Officers of the BDS Mark Tyrrell, 8 Warwick Close, Raunds, Chairman: David Chelmick Northants., NN9 6JH Tel. Vice-Chairman: Vacant e-mail: Secretary: Henry Curry, 23 Bowker Way, Whittlesey, Peterborough, PE7 1PY. Tel. Deadlines for inclusion of copy: Spring 31 January Treasurer: Brian Walker, 49 Roman Way, Wantage, Autumn 31 July Oxfordshire, OX12 9YF. Tel. Advertising Rates: Trustees: David Goddard, Stuart Irons, Mick Parfitt. £15 for small-ad (text only); £40 for quarter- Journal Editor: Peter Mill, 8 Cookridge Grove, LEEDS, page; £60 for half-page; £100 for full-page. LS16 7LH. Shop Manager: Lynn Curry, 23 Bowker Way, Whittlesey, Peterborough, PE7 1PY Tel. © British Dragonfly Society 2014 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any Dragonfly Conservation Group (DCG) form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, Convenor: Dave Smallshire, 8, Twindle Beer, Chudleigh, Newton recording or otherwise, without the permission of the British Abbot, Devon, TQ13 0JP.
    [Show full text]
  • The Superfamily Calopterygoidea in South China: Taxonomy and Distribution. Progress Report for 2009 Surveys Zhang Haomiao* *PH D
    International Dragonfly Fund - Report 26 (2010): 1-36 1 The Superfamily Calopterygoidea in South China: taxonomy and distribution. Progress Report for 2009 surveys Zhang Haomiao* *PH D student at the Department of Entomology, College of Natural Resources and Environment, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China. Email: [email protected] Introduction Three families in the superfamily Calopterygoidea occur in China, viz. the Calo- pterygidae, Chlorocyphidae and Euphaeidae. They include numerous species that are distributed widely across South China, mainly in streams and upland running waters at moderate altitudes. To date, our knowledge of Chinese spe- cies has remained inadequate: the taxonomy of some genera is unresolved and no attempt has been made to map the distribution of the various species and genera. This project is therefore aimed at providing taxonomic (including on larval morphology), biological, and distributional information on the super- family in South China. In 2009, two series of surveys were conducted to Southwest China-Guizhou and Yunnan Provinces. The two provinces are characterized by karst limestone arranged in steep hills and intermontane basins. The climate is warm and the weather is frequently cloudy and rainy all year. This area is usually regarded as one of biodiversity “hotspot” in China (Xu & Wilkes, 2004). Many interesting species are recorded, the checklist and photos of these sur- veys are reported here. And the progress of the research on the superfamily Calopterygoidea is appended. Methods Odonata were recorded by the specimens collected and identified from pho- tographs. The working team includes only four people, the surveys to South- west China were completed by the author and the photographer, Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impacts of Urbanisation on the Ecology and Evolution of Dragonflies and Damselflies (Insecta: Odonata)
    The impacts of urbanisation on the ecology and evolution of dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata) Giovanna de Jesús Villalobos Jiménez Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) The University of Leeds School of Biology September 2017 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own, except where work which has formed part of jointly-authored publications has been included. The contribution of the candidate and the other authors to this work has been explicitly indicated below. The candidate confirms that appropriate credit has been given within the thesis where reference has been made to the work of others. The work in Chapter 1 of the thesis has appeared in publication as follows: Villalobos-Jiménez, G., Dunn, A.M. & Hassall, C., 2016. Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata) in urban ecosystems: a review. Eur J Entomol, 113(1): 217–232. I was responsible for the collection and analysis of the data with advice from co- authors, and was solely responsible for the literature review, interpretation of the results, and for writing the manuscript. All co-authors provided comments on draft manuscripts. The work in Chapter 2 of the thesis has appeared in publication as follows: Villalobos-Jiménez, G. & Hassall, C., 2017. Effects of the urban heat island on the phenology of Odonata in London, UK. International Journal of Biometeorology, 61(7): 1337–1346. I was responsible for the data analysis, interpretation of results, and for writing and structuring the manuscript. Data was provided by the British Dragonfly Society (BDS). The co-author provided advice on the data analysis, and also provided comments on draft manuscripts.
    [Show full text]
  • Dragonf Lies and Damself Lies of Europe
    Dragonf lies and Damself lies of Europe A scientific approach to the identification of European Odonata without capture A simple yet detailed guide suitable both for beginners and more expert readers who wish to improve their knowledge of the order Odonata. This book contains images and photographs of all the European species having a stable population, with chapters about their anatomy, biology, behaviour, distribution range and period of flight, plus basic information about the vagrants with only a few sightings reported. On the whole, 143 reported species and over lies of Europe lies and Damself Dragonf 600 photographs are included. Published by WBA Project Srl CARLO GALLIANI, ROBERTO SCHERINI, ALIDA PIGLIA © 2017 Verona - Italy WBA Books ISSN 1973-7815 ISBN 97888903323-6-4 Supporting Institutions CONTENTS Preface 5 © WBA Project - Verona (Italy) Odonates: an introduction to the order 6 WBA HANDBOOKS 7 Dragonflies and Damselflies of Europe Systematics 7 ISSN 1973-7815 Anatomy of Odonates 9 ISBN 97888903323-6-4 Biology 14 Editorial Board: Ludivina Barrientos-Lozano, Ciudad Victoria (Mexico), Achille Casale, Sassari Mating and oviposition 23 (Italy), Mauro Daccordi, Verona (Italy), Pier Mauro Giachino, Torino (Italy), Laura Guidolin, Oviposition 34 Padova (Italy), Roy Kleukers, Leiden (Holland), Bruno Massa, Palermo (Italy), Giovanni Onore, Quito (Ecuador), Giuseppe Bartolomeo Osella, l’Aquila (Italy), Stewart B. Peck, Ottawa (Cana- Predators and preys 41 da), Fidel Alejandro Roig, Mendoza (Argentina), Jose Maria Salgado Costas, Leon (Spain), Fabio Pathogens and parasites 45 Stoch, Roma (Italy), Mauro Tretiach, Trieste (Italy), Dante Vailati, Brescia (Italy). Dichromism, androchromy and secondary homochromy 47 Editor-in-chief: Pier Mauro Giachino Particular situations in the daily life of a dragonfly 48 Managing Editor: Gianfranco Caoduro Warming up the wings 50 Translation: Alida Piglia Text revision: Michael L.
    [Show full text]
  • East Gippsland, Victoria
    Biodiversity Summary for NRM Regions Species List What is the summary for and where does it come from? This list has been produced by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (SEWPC) for the Natural Resource Management Spatial Information System. The list was produced using the AustralianAustralian Natural Natural Heritage Heritage Assessment Assessment Tool Tool (ANHAT), which analyses data from a range of plant and animal surveys and collections from across Australia to automatically generate a report for each NRM region. Data sources (Appendix 2) include national and state herbaria, museums, state governments, CSIRO, Birds Australia and a range of surveys conducted by or for DEWHA. For each family of plant and animal covered by ANHAT (Appendix 1), this document gives the number of species in the country and how many of them are found in the region. It also identifies species listed as Vulnerable, Critically Endangered, Endangered or Conservation Dependent under the EPBC Act. A biodiversity summary for this region is also available. For more information please see: www.environment.gov.au/heritage/anhat/index.html Limitations • ANHAT currently contains information on the distribution of over 30,000 Australian taxa. This includes all mammals, birds, reptiles, frogs and fish, 137 families of vascular plants (over 15,000 species) and a range of invertebrate groups. Groups notnot yet yet covered covered in inANHAT ANHAT are notnot included included in in the the list. list. • The data used come from authoritative sources, but they are not perfect. All species names have been confirmed as valid species names, but it is not possible to confirm all species locations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Value of Urban Ponds for Odonata and Plant Biodiversity
    The Value of Urban Ponds for Odonata and Plant Biodiversity Mary Ann Perron Thesis submitted to the School of Graduate Studies and Research University of Ottawa In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in the Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6N5 Thèse soumise à l’École des Études Supérieures et de la Recherche Université d’Ottawa En vue de l’obtention du diplôme de doctorat (Ph.D.) au Département de Biologie, Université d’Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1N 6N5 Mary Ann Perron, Ottawa, Canada, 2020 I dedicate this thesis to my father, Jules Perron, who is my biggest inspiration. I love you dad. ii Abstract Urbanization involves the conversion of natural areas to impervious surfaces, which can lead to an increase in the frequency and severity of flood events in cities. To mitigate flood risk, stormwater ponds are constructed to manage urban runoff. Stormwater ponds can also be colonized by wildlife, but their suitability as habitat is disputed due to potential toxicological risks. This study assessed the suitability of stormwater ponds as habitat for the bioindicators Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) and determined environmental factors that impact their community structure. Odonata (adults, nymphs and exuviae) were sampled at 41 stormwater ponds and 10 natural reference ponds across the National Capital Region of Canada, with a subset of ponds sampled over four years (2015-2018). Plant communities, water quality and surrounding land cover were analyzed at each pond to determine their impacts on Odonata community structure. Overall, stormwater ponds had lower Odonata abundance and a greater variation in species richness and community structure compared to natural ponds but had comparable dragonfly reproduction rates.
    [Show full text]
  • Linnean Society
    V PROCEEDINGS OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF NSW O PROCEEDINGS L . 1 VOLUME 138 3 of the 8 D E C CCEDER A E E S M LINNEAN O THE F O R B LINNEAN N G T E E E T SOCIETY S R N I OF NEW SOUTH WALES 2 M V 0 D I 1 SOCIETY C X C C L X 6 of NEW SOUTH WALES P R CONTENTS O VOLUME 138 C Volume 138 E E Papers published in 2016, compiled 31 December 2015 D I Published at http://escholarship.library.usyd.edu.au/journals/index.php/LIN N G (date individual papers were published online at eScholarship) S O Volume 138 F Compiled 31 December 2016 T H E TABLE OF CONTENTS L I 01 Lunney, D., Wells, A. and Miller, I. (2015). An ecological history of the Koala Phascolarctos cinereus in Coffs N Harbour and its environs, on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, c1861-2000. N E A 49 King, R.J. (2016). Julian Tenison Woods: natural historian. N S O 57 Fulton, G.R. (2016). New information about the holotype, in the Macleay Museum, of the Allied Rock-Wallaby C Petrogale assimilis Ramsay, 1877 (Marsupialia, Macropodidae). I E T 59 Fulton, G.R. (2016), Bramble Cay Melomys Melomys rubicola Thomas 1924: specimens in the Macleay Museum. Y O F 61 Timms, B.V. (2016). A study on the pools of a granitic mountain top at Moonbi, New South Wales. N . S . 69 Mo, M. (2016). The beach stone-curlew (Esacus magnisrostris) in the Sydney Basin and South East Corner W bioregions of New South Wales.
    [Show full text]