DOCSLIB.ORG

Flora and Fauna Assessment of Part of Lot 4 Dp 771597 & Portion 4 Off Leo Drive, Narrawallee December 2006 (Ref: 6266F)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

FLORA AND FAUNA ASSESSMENT OF PART OF LOT 4 DP 771597 & PORTION 4 OFF LEO DRIVE, NARRAWALLEE DECEMBER 2006 (REF: 6266F) Conacher Travers Pty Ltd - ABN 49 083 610 173 ; Central Coast - 40 The Avenue Mt Penang Parklands, Central Coast Highway, Kariong NSW 2250, PO Box 7128, Kariong NSW 2250 Phone: (02) 4340 0677 Fax: (02) 4340 2367 Email: [email protected] & [email protected] North Coast - 75 Elliott Road, South Lismore NSW 2480, PO Box 561, Lismore NSW 2480 Phone: (02) 6622 7522 Fax: (02) 6622 7533 Email: [email protected] FLORA AND FAUNA ASSESSMENT OF PART OF LOT 4 DP 771597 & PORTION 4 OFF LEO DRIVE, NARRAWALLEE DECEMBER 2006 Conacher Travers Environmental Consultants Conacher Travers Pty Ltd A.B.N. 49 083 610 173 40, The Avenue Mt Penang Parklands, Central Coast Highway Kariong NSW 2250 Mail: PO Box 7128 Kariong NSW 2250 (ph) 4340 0677 (fax) 4340 2367 email: [email protected] This document is copyright © Document No Prep’. date Description Issue Verification by Approved by Author/s Director 6266F December 2006 Final December 2006 JT JT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Flora and Fauna Assessment Report has been prepared by Conacher Travers Pty Ltd to identify the flora and fauna characteristics of Lot 4, DP 771597, and Portion 4 off Leo Drive, Narawallee. The document forms the basis of assessment required by Section 5A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (1979). This assessment determines if future development of the site is likely to have a significant effect on threatened species, populations and/or endangered ecological communities. In respect of matters required to be considered in the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act (1979) and relating to the species / provisions of the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995), seven (7) threatened fauna species, no threatened flora species and one (1) threatened ecological communities were recorded within or in close proximity to the subject site. These species included, Osprey (Pandion haliaetus), Gang-gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum), Powerful Owl (ninox strenua), Sooty Owl (Tyto tenebricosa), Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae), Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), and Eastern False Pipistrelle (Falsistrellus tasmaniensis) and Swamp Sclerophyll Forest on Coastal Floodplains. This project has undergone significant ecological surveys and assessment since early 2003, incorporating independent peer reviews initially by Bangalay Botanical Services and subsequently by David Robertson of Cumberland Ecology and Kevin Mills and Associates, on behalf of and in conjunction with, Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR) (formerly the Department of Infrastructure Planning Natural Resources). This extensive consultation and independent review process has resulted in the completion of considerable additional survey effort and assessment to the acceptance of all previous consent authorities. The cumulation of previous additional surveys and assessment have been prepared in the two addendum reports (Conacher Travers January 2004 and July 2004) attached as stand alone documents to this assessment. The results, methodology and assessment of these addendums, in combination with recent additional surveys and assessment have been incorporated within this report. Following extensive survey of the site and significant peer review it is concluded that the proposed development will not cause a significant impact upon threatened species, populations and endangered ecological communities. Therefore a Species Impact Statement should not be required for the proposed development. In respect of matters required to be considered in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999) one (1) threatened fauna species, Grey-headed Flying- fox (Pteropus poliocephalus), was recorded. A referral to Department of the Environment & Heritage should not be required. In respect of matters relative to the Fisheries Management Act 1994 there are no matters requiring further consideration. John Justin Travers B.App.Sc. / Ass. Dip. Alexander John Cockerill – B. Sc (Hons) (Parks & Wildlife) Senior Botanist Director Conacher Travers Pty Ltd Conacher Travers Pty Ltd Mathew Makeham – B. App Sc (Protected Area John Whyte - B. Bio (Zoology, Botany) Management) Botanist Fauna Ecologist Conacher Travers Pty Ltd Conacher Travers Pty Ltd Corey Mead - B.App Sc. (Coastal Management) Fauna Technician Conacher Travers Pty Ltd Licences – National Parks and Wildlife Service Individual staff members are licensed under Clause 20 of the National Parks and Wildlife (Land Management) Regulation 1995 and Section 120 & 131 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974 to conduct flora and fauna surveys within service and non-service areas. NPWS Scientific Licence Numbers: S10359 & S10618. Department of Agriculture The staff of Conacher Travers are licensed under an Animal Research Authority issued by the Department of Agriculture. This authority allows Conacher Travers staff to conduct various fauna surveys of native and introduced fauna for the purposes of environmental consulting throughout New South Wales. TABLE OF CONTENTS FLORA AND FAUNA ASSESSMENT SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Aim of the Assessment 1 1.2 Information Collation 1 1.3 Statutory Requirements 2 1.4 Development Proposal 3 1.5 Site Description 3 SECTION 2 SURVEY TECHNIQUES 4 2.1 Flora Survey Techniques 4 2.2 Fauna Survey Techniques 5 SECTION 3 SURVEY RESULTS 12 3.1 Flora Survey Results 12 3.2 Fauna Survey Results 12 SECTION 4 ECOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT 13 4.1 Previous Surveys Reviewed 13 4.2 Vegetation Communities 16 4.3 Vegetation Connectivity 18 4.4 Flora Species 18 4.5 Regional Significance 19 4.6 Threatened Flora 19 4.7 Endangered Ecological Communities 20 4.8 Fauna Species 21 4.9 Habitat Types 23 4.10 Habitat 23 4.11 Threatened Fauna 24 SECTION 5 7 PART TEST OF SIGNIFICANCE 25 (SECTION 5A EPA ACT 1979) SECTION 6 CONCLUSION 39 BIBLIOGRAPHY 40 APPENDIX 1 FLORA AND FAUNA SPECIES LISTS APPENDIX 2 FAUNA SURVEY DETAILS APPENDIX 3 HOLLOW BEARING TREE DATA APPENDIX 4 INITIAL RESPONSE TO DIPNR (2003) APPENDIX 5 REVIEW OF FLORA AND FAUNA BY KEVIN MILLS AND ASSOCIATES (2004) APPENDIX 6 ADDENDUM FLORA AND FAUNA ASSESSMENT REPORT (CONACHER TRAVERS, JANUARY 2004) APPENDIX 7 ADDENDUM FLORA AND FAUNA ASSESSMENT REPORT (CONACHER TRAVERS, JULY 2004) FLORA AND FAUNA ASSESSMENT OF PART OF LOT 4 DP 771597 & PORTION 4 OFF LEO DRIVE, NARRAWALLEE SECTION 1.0 – INTRODUCTION Conacher Travers Pty Ltd previously prepared a Flora and Fauna Assessment Report (Conacher Travers 2003) that identifies the flora and fauna characteristics of Part of Lot 4 DP 771597 and Portion 4 off Leo Drive, Narrawallee. After extensive consultation and assessment of the proposed development by the former Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources (DIPNR) in Mid 2003 and 2004 a number of additional flora and fauna survey works were required to be undertaken over the site. These additional requirements have been previously dealt within the Addendum Flora and Fauna Assessment Reports prepared in January 2004 and July 2004. This current Flora and Fauna Assessment Report (Conacher Travers 2006) has been prepared to update the previous Flora and Fauna Assessment Report (Conacher Travers 2003) to address the current environmental legislation. The information collated in the Addendum Flora and Fauna Assessment Reports (Conacher Travers January 2004 and July 2004) has also been incorporated into this report. Since our previous reports were prepared there have been minor amendments to the development design. The totality of these amendments have been considered in this report. Also the updating of this report required additional fauna survey works to ensure the veracity of our earlier works and an updated assessment in line with the revised relevant legislation. Figure 1 provides an aerial appraisal of vegetation and landuses within and adjacent to the subject site. 1.1 Aims of the Assessment The aims of the flora and fauna assessment are to: • Carry out a botanical survey to describe the vegetation communities and their condition in accordance with the guidelines adopted by Shoalhaven City Council; • Carry out a fauna survey for the detection and assessment of fauna and their habitats in accordance with the guidelines adopted by Shoalhaven City Council; • Complete target surveys for threatened species, populations and ecological communities; and • Prepare a flora and fauna impact assessment in accordance with the requirements of the Threatened Species Conservation (TSC) Act (1995) and guidelines issued by the National Parks and Wildlife Service. 1.2 Information Collation To achieve the above aims, Conacher Travers Pty Ltd carried out field surveys on • 10, 11, 12,13,14,15 September 2002 • 1, 2, 3, 4 December 2003 • 27, 28, 29 April 2004 • 4, 5, 6,18, 19, 20, 21 May 2004 and • 9, 10 December 2006. Flora and Fauna Assessment – Leo Drive, Narawallee (Ref: 6266F) © Conacher Travers Pty Ltd Ph: (02) 43400677 1 A review of the relevant information pertinent to the subject site was undertaken prior to the initiation of field surveys as background to the study. Information sources reviewed include the following: • Aerial photographs (scale 1:25000) and Topographical maps (scale 1:25000) • Atlas of NSW Wildlife (DEC 2006) for the relevant 1:100,000 scale map sheet • The schedules of the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995) • The schedules of the Fisheries Management Act (1994)
Recommended publications
  • Bat Calls of New South Wales

    Bat Calls of New South Wales

    Bat calls of New South Wales Region based guide to the echolocation calls of microchiropteran bats Michael Pennay1 , Brad Law2 & Linda Reinhold3 1 New South Wales Department of Environment and Conservation 2 State Forests of New South Wales 3 Queensland Department of Natural Resources and Mines Bat calls of New South Wales Bat calls of New South Wales Published by the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation May 2004 Copyright © NSW Department of Environment and Conservation ISBN 0 7313 6786 3 This guide is the result of a co-operative project between NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, now the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and State Forests of NSW (SFNSW). DEC provided project funding, management, staff, reference calls, preparation and printing. SFNSW provided part funding and granted support of staff time and expertise, reference calls and editing. Research was conducted under NPWS scientific licence number A2753 and SFNSW special purpose permit for research number 05466. Material presented in this publication may be copied for personal use or republished for non-commercial purposes provided that NSW Department of Environment and Conservation is fully acknowledged as the copyright owner. Apart from these purposes or for private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process without written permission from NSW Department of Environment and Conservation. Inquiries should be addressed to the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation. This publication should be cited as follows: Pennay, M., Law, B., Reinhold, L. (2004). Bat calls of New South Wales: Region based guide to the echolocation calls of Microchiropteran bats.
  • Bat Conservation 2021

    Bat Conservation 2021

    Bat Conservation Global evidence for the effects of interventions 2021 Edition Anna Berthinussen, Olivia C. Richardson & John D. Altringham Conservation Evidence Series Synopses 2 © 2021 William J. Sutherland This document should be cited as: Berthinussen, A., Richardson O.C. and Altringham J.D. (2021) Bat Conservation: Global Evidence for the Effects of Interventions. Conservation Evidence Series Synopses. University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. Cover image: Leucistic lesser horseshoe bat Rhinolophus hipposideros hibernating in a former water mill, Wales, UK. Credit: Thomas Kitching Digital material and resources associated with this synopsis are available at https://www.conservationevidence.com/ 3 Contents Advisory Board.................................................................................... 11 About the authors ............................................................................... 12 Acknowledgements ............................................................................. 13 1. About this book ........................................................... 14 1.1 The Conservation Evidence project ................................................................................. 14 1.2 The purpose of Conservation Evidence synopses ............................................................ 14 1.3 Who this synopsis is for ................................................................................................... 15 1.4 Background .....................................................................................................................
  • Phytolacca Esculenta Van Houtte

    Phytolacca Esculenta Van Houtte

    168 CONTENTS BOSABALIDIS ARTEMIOS MICHAEL – Glandular hairs, non-glandular hairs, and essential oils in the winter and summer leaves of the seasonally dimorphic Thymus sibthorpii (Lamiaceae) .................................................................................................. 3 SHARAWY SHERIF MOHAMED – Floral anatomy of Alpinia speciosa and Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae) with particular reference to the nature of labellum and epigynous glands ........................................................................................................... 13 PRAMOD SIVAN, KARUMANCHI SAMBASIVA RAO – Effect of 2,6- dichlorobenzonitrile (DCB) on secondary wall deposition and lignification in the stem of Hibiscus cannabinus L.................................................................................. 25 IFRIM CAMELIA – Contributions to the seeds’ study of some species of the Plantago L. genus ..................................................................................................................................... 35 VENUGOPAL NAGULAN, AHUJA PREETI, LALCHHANHIMI – A unique type of endosperm in Panax wangianus S. C. Sun .................................................................... 45 JAIME A. TEIXEIRA DA SILVA – In vitro rhizogenesis in Papaya (Carica papaya L.) ....... 51 KATHIRESAN KANDASAMY, RAVINDER SINGH CHINNAPPAN – Preliminary conservation effort on Rhizophora annamalayana Kathir., the only endemic mangrove to India, through in vitro method ..................................................................................
  • Insights Into Australian Bat Lyssavirus in Insectivorous Bats of Western Australia

    Insights Into Australian Bat Lyssavirus in Insectivorous Bats of Western Australia

    Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease Article Insights into Australian Bat Lyssavirus in Insectivorous Bats of Western Australia Diana Prada 1,*, Victoria Boyd 2, Michelle Baker 2, Bethany Jackson 1,† and Mark O’Dea 1,† 1 School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, Perth, WA 6150, Australia; [email protected] (B.J.); [email protected] (M.O.) 2 Australian Animal Health Laboratory, CSIRO, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia; [email protected] (V.B.); [email protected] (M.B.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +61-893607418 † These authors contributed equally. Received: 21 February 2019; Accepted: 7 March 2019; Published: 11 March 2019 Abstract: Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) is a known causative agent of neurological disease in bats, humans and horses. It has been isolated from four species of pteropid bats and a single microbat species (Saccolaimus flaviventris). To date, ABLV surveillance has primarily been passive, with active surveillance concentrating on eastern and northern Australian bat populations. As a result, there is scant regional ABLV information for large areas of the country. To better inform the local public health risks associated with human-bat interactions, this study describes the lyssavirus prevalence in microbat communities in the South West Botanical Province of Western Australia. We used targeted real-time PCR assays to detect viral RNA shedding in 839 oral swabs representing 12 species of microbats, which were sampled over two consecutive summers spanning 2016–2018. Additionally, we tested 649 serum samples via Luminex® assay for reactivity to lyssavirus antigens. Active lyssavirus infection was not detected in any of the samples.
  • Native Plants Sixth Edition Sixth Edition AUSTRALIAN Native Plants Cultivation, Use in Landscaping and Propagation

    Native Plants Sixth Edition Sixth Edition AUSTRALIAN Native Plants Cultivation, Use in Landscaping and Propagation

    AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS SIXTH EDITION SIXTH EDITION AUSTRALIAN NATIVE PLANTS Cultivation, Use in Landscaping and Propagation John W. Wrigley Murray Fagg Sixth Edition published in Australia in 2013 by ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Reed New Holland an imprint of New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd Sydney • Auckland • London • Cape Town Many people have helped us since 1977 when we began writing the first edition of Garfield House 86–88 Edgware Road London W2 2EA United Kingdom Australian Native Plants. Some of these folk have regrettably passed on, others have moved 1/66 Gibbes Street Chatswood NSW 2067 Australia to different areas. We endeavour here to acknowledge their assistance, without which the 218 Lake Road Northcote Auckland New Zealand Wembley Square First Floor Solan Road Gardens Cape Town 8001 South Africa various editions of this book would not have been as useful to so many gardeners and lovers of Australian plants. www.newhollandpublishers.com To the following people, our sincere thanks: Steve Adams, Ralph Bailey, Natalie Barnett, www.newholland.com.au Tony Bean, Lloyd Bird, John Birks, Mr and Mrs Blacklock, Don Blaxell, Jim Bourner, John Copyright © 2013 in text: John Wrigley Briggs, Colin Broadfoot, Dot Brown, the late George Brown, Ray Brown, Leslie Conway, Copyright © 2013 in map: Ian Faulkner Copyright © 2013 in photographs and illustrations: Murray Fagg Russell and Sharon Costin, Kirsten Cowley, Lyn Craven (Petraeomyrtus punicea photograph) Copyright © 2013 New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd Richard Cummings, Bert
  • Budawangia and Rupicola, New and Revised Genera of Epacridaceae.Crossref

    Budawangia and Rupicola, New and Revised Genera of Epacridaceae.Crossref

    Volume 5(1): 229–239 TELOPEA Publication Date: 30 September 1992 Til. Ro)'al BOTANIC GARDENS dx.doi.org/10.7751/telopea19924966 Journal of Plant Systematics 6 DOPII(liPi Tm st plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/Telopea • escholarship.usyd.edu.au/journals/index.php/TEL· ISSN 0312-9764 (Print) • ISSN 2200-4025 (Online) 229 Budawangia and Rupico/a, new and revised genera of Epacridaceae Ian R. H. Telford Abstract Telford, I.R.H. (Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra, ACT, Australia 2601) 1992. Rupicola and Budawangia, new and revised genera of Epacridaceae. Telopea 5(1): 229-239. Rupicola Maiden & Betche consists of four species endemic in New South Wales. Besides the type species, R. sprengelioides Maiden & Betche, R. ciliata Telford and R. decumbens Telford are described as new and a new combination is made for R. apiculata (Cunn.) Telford, which is transferred from Epacris. R. gnidioides Summerh. is transferred from Rupicola to the monotypic new genus Budawangia Telford as B. gnidioides (Summerh.) Telford. Introduction Rupicola Maiden & Betche (1898) was established as monotypic with its only species, R. sprengelioides, endemic to New South Wales in the southern Blue Mountains. A second species, R. gnidioides Summerh., was described from the Southern Tablelands escarpment SW of Nowra, N.S.W., in 1927. This species has been shown to be mis­ placed and is here transferred from Rupicola to a new monotypic genus. More recent discoveries have yielded two new species of Rupicola described in this paper. Studies in staminal morphology have shown that a species previously included in Epacris must also be transferred to Rupicola.
  • Jervis Bay Territory Page 1 of 50 21-Jan-11 Species List for NRM Region (Blank), Jervis Bay Territory

    Jervis Bay Territory Page 1 of 50 21-Jan-11 Species List for NRM Region (Blank), Jervis Bay Territory

    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.
  • Pollination Ecology and Evolution of Epacrids

    Pollination Ecology and Evolution of Epacrids

    Pollination Ecology and Evolution of Epacrids by Karen A. Johnson BSc (Hons) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Tasmania February 2012 ii Declaration of originality This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma by the University or any other institution, except by way of background information and duly acknowledged in the thesis, and to the best of my knowledge and belief no material previously published or written by another person except where due acknowledgement is made in the text of the thesis, nor does the thesis contain any material that infringes copyright. Karen A. Johnson Statement of authority of access This thesis may be made available for copying. Copying of any part of this thesis is prohibited for two years from the date this statement was signed; after that time limited copying is permitted in accordance with the Copyright Act 1968. Karen A. Johnson iii iv Abstract Relationships between plants and their pollinators are thought to have played a major role in the morphological diversification of angiosperms. The epacrids (subfamily Styphelioideae) comprise more than 550 species of woody plants ranging from small prostrate shrubs to temperate rainforest emergents. Their range extends from SE Asia through Oceania to Tierra del Fuego with their highest diversity in Australia. The overall aim of the thesis is to determine the relationships between epacrid floral features and potential pollinators, and assess the evolutionary status of any pollination syndromes. The main hypotheses were that flower characteristics relate to pollinators in predictable ways; and that there is convergent evolution in the development of pollination syndromes.
  • Phylogeny and Subfamilial Classification of the Grasses (Poaceae) Author(S): Grass Phylogeny Working Group, Nigel P

    Phylogeny and Subfamilial Classification of the Grasses (Poaceae) Author(S): Grass Phylogeny Working Group, Nigel P

    Phylogeny and Subfamilial Classification of the Grasses (Poaceae) Author(s): Grass Phylogeny Working Group, Nigel P. Barker, Lynn G. Clark, Jerrold I. Davis, Melvin R. Duvall, Gerald F. Guala, Catherine Hsiao, Elizabeth A. Kellogg, H. Peter Linder Source: Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden, Vol. 88, No. 3 (Summer, 2001), pp. 373-457 Published by: Missouri Botanical Garden Press Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3298585 Accessed: 06/10/2008 11:05 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=mobot. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. JSTOR is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1995 to build trusted digital archives for scholarship. We work with the scholarly community to preserve their work and the materials they rely upon, and to build a common research platform that promotes the discovery and use of these resources. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
  • GENOME EVOLUTION in MONOCOTS a Dissertation

    GENOME EVOLUTION in MONOCOTS a Dissertation

    GENOME EVOLUTION IN MONOCOTS A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the Graduate School At the University of Missouri In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy By Kate L. Hertweck Dr. J. Chris Pires, Dissertation Advisor JULY 2011 The undersigned, appointed by the dean of the Graduate School, have examined the dissertation entitled GENOME EVOLUTION IN MONOCOTS Presented by Kate L. Hertweck A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy And hereby certify that, in their opinion, it is worthy of acceptance. Dr. J. Chris Pires Dr. Lori Eggert Dr. Candace Galen Dr. Rose‐Marie Muzika ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am indebted to many people for their assistance during the course of my graduate education. I would not have derived such a keen understanding of the learning process without the tutelage of Dr. Sandi Abell. Members of the Pires lab provided prolific support in improving lab techniques, computational analysis, greenhouse maintenance, and writing support. Team Monocot, including Dr. Mike Kinney, Dr. Roxi Steele, and Erica Wheeler were particularly helpful, but other lab members working on Brassicaceae (Dr. Zhiyong Xiong, Dr. Maqsood Rehman, Pat Edger, Tatiana Arias, Dustin Mayfield) all provided vital support as well. I am also grateful for the support of a high school student, Cady Anderson, and an undergraduate, Tori Docktor, for their assistance in laboratory procedures. Many people, scientist and otherwise, helped with field collections: Dr. Travis Columbus, Hester Bell, Doug and Judy McGoon, Julie Ketner, Katy Klymus, and William Alexander. Many thanks to Barb Sonderman for taking care of my greenhouse collection of many odd plants brought back from the field.
  • The Vegetation of the Western Blue Mountains Including the Capertee, Coxs, Jenolan & Gurnang Areas

    The Vegetation of the Western Blue Mountains Including the Capertee, Coxs, Jenolan & Gurnang Areas

    Department of Environment and Conservation (NSW) The Vegetation of the Western Blue Mountains including the Capertee, Coxs, Jenolan & Gurnang Areas Volume 1: Technical Report Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY The Vegetation of the Western Blue Mountains (including the Capertee, Cox’s, Jenolan and Gurnang Areas) Volume 1: Technical Report (Final V1.1) Project funded by the Hawkesbury – Nepean Catchment Management Authority Information and Assessment Section Metropolitan Branch Environmental Protection and Regulation Division Department of Environment and Conservation July 2006 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This project has been completed by the Special thanks to: Information and Assessment Section, Metropolitan Branch. The numerous land owners including State Forests of NSW who allowed access to their Section Head, Information and Assessment properties. Julie Ravallion The Department of Natural Resources, Forests NSW and Hawkesbury – Nepean CMA for Coordinator, Bioregional Data Group comments on early drafts. Daniel Connolly This report should be referenced as follows: Vegetation Project Officer DEC (2006) The Vegetation of the Western Blue Mountains. Unpublished report funded by Greg Steenbeeke the Hawkesbury – Nepean Catchment Management Authority. Department of GIS, Data Management and Database Environment and Conservation, Hurstville. Coordination Peter Ewin Photos Kylie Madden Vegetation community profile photographs by Greg Steenbeeke Greg Steenbeeke unless otherwise noted. Feature cover photo by Greg Steenbeeke. All Logistics
  • Alternative Translation Initiation Codons for the Plastid Maturase Matk: Unraveling the Pseudogene Misconception in the Orchidaceae Michelle M

    Alternative Translation Initiation Codons for the Plastid Maturase Matk: Unraveling the Pseudogene Misconception in the Orchidaceae Michelle M

    Barthet et al. BMC Evolutionary Biology (2015) 15:210 DOI 10.1186/s12862-015-0491-1 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Alternative translation initiation codons for the plastid maturase MatK: unraveling the pseudogene misconception in the Orchidaceae Michelle M. Barthet1,2* , Keenan Moukarzel3, Kayla N. Smith1, Jaimin Patel3 and Khidir W. Hilu3 Abstract Background: The plastid maturase MatK has been implicated as a possible model for the evolutionary “missing link” between prokaryotic and eukaryotic splicing machinery. This evolutionary implication has sparked investigations concerning the function of this unusual maturase. Intron targets of MatK activity suggest that this is an essential enzyme for plastid function. The matK gene, however, is described as a pseudogene in many photosynthetic orchid species due to presence of premature stop codons in translations, and its high rate of nucleotide and amino acid substitution. Results: Sequence analysis of the matK gene from orchids identified an out-of-frame alternative AUG initiation codon upstream from the consensus initiation codon used for translation in other angiosperms. We demonstrate translation from the alternative initiation codon generates a conserved MatK reading frame. We confirm that MatK protein is expressed and functions in sample orchids currently described as having a matK pseudogene using immunodetection and reverse-transcription methods. We demonstrate using phylogenetic analysis that this alternative initiation codon emerged de novo within the Orchidaceae, with several reversal events at the basal lineage and deep in orchid history. Conclusion: These findings suggest a novel evolutionary shift for expression of matK in the Orchidaceae and support the function of MatK as a group II intron maturase in the plastid genome of land plants including the orchids.