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Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
Information
Annual Business Review 2003-04 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
123 Brown St., Heidelberg VIC 3084 (postal: P.O. Box 137 Heidelberg VIC 3084) phone: + 61 3 9450 8600
fax: + 61 3 9450 8799
email: [email protected] website : www.dse.vic.gov.au/ari
ISSN 1832-2468
Disclaimer
This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for you particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication.
Photo on front cover: Big Desert, north-west Victoria, one year after bushfires. Wheel Fruit (Gyrostemon australasicus) is one of the plants that grows in abundance only in the first few seasons after fire, then retreats to a soil seed store, until the next fire.
Information
Our Vision To ensure that natural resource and land managers, policy formulators and the Victorian community are well informed regarding biodiversity conservation requirements and essential ecosystem processes enabling them to make informed choices and thereby help conserve our living wealth.
Our Mission • To make a meaningful contribution to knowledge that assists biodiversity conservation and natural resource management. • To be nationally recognised for quality science. • To undertake strategic research. • To focus on key biodiversity/environmental issues. • To be valued by clients and partners. • To provide quality products, advice, technical solutions and services.
Contents
Annual Business Review 2003-04
Institute overview ...... 1
Funding sources ...... 4
Institute highlights ...... 5
Research capacity ...... 9
Project summaries ...... 12
Institute staff...... 32
Publication benchmarks...... 33
Publications 2002-2004 ...... 34
ARI seminar series ...... 65
References...... 67
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 i
Institute overview
The Institute private consultants. Partnerships with land management agencies such as Parks Victoria and Catchment The Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI) Management Authorities ensure that research is focused on was established in 1970 by the Victorian Government as a finding practical solutions, and that those solutions are leading centre for applied ecological research, with a focus implemented on the ground. on flora, fauna and biodiversity issues. The institute provides services to state, federal and local government agencies, the The Institute has direct, on-site access to a large private sector and the public. ARI works co-operatively with conservation library and substantial peripheral resources, a wide range of clients and professional organisations and including computing facilities, geographical information forms strong partnerships with universities, businesses and systems, mapping, publishing services, laboratories and other agencies, to expand the range of expertise and specialised technical equipment. services available.
Long-term Objectives The staff of the institute have a broad range of skills in flora, fauna, freshwater ecology and land and water management. 1. Australia’s leading centre, and world recognised, for They have worked in all Australian environments from scientific research in biodiversity conservation deserts to the sea, including forests, grasslands, mountains, 2. An ARI/DSE branded paradigm is used as the basis for rivers, wetlands and the coast, in tropical, temperate and conservation management and policy setting in Victoria, alpine climates. Many staff have international experience, and around the world collectively spanning all continents, with particular interests 3. Biodiversity outcomes in our region have improved in Indonesia, New Zealand, Antarctica, the USA, South dramatically, and ARI science has played a America and Papua New Guinea. The staff include fundamental role acknowledged experts in flora and fauna surveys, 4. ARI provides cutting-edge expert ecological knowledge management of threatening processes, recovery plans for that is accessible threatened species, sustainable forest management, river 5. ARI is a place where people want to work: “The” place management and community involvement in biological to work to be credible in the ecology/biodiversity conservation processes. Their expertise includes often- conservation field. neglected groups of flora and fauna such as freshwater fish, invertebrates, mosses, liverworts, frogs and bats. Staff have skills in research tools such as radio-telemetry, Strategic Directions environmental monitoring, statistical modelling and The strategic directions for research are expressed in the geographic information systems. document “Biodiversity Research Strategic Plan 2000-2005”. This document identifies seven core drivers for the ARIs main focus is on providing strategic research and implementation of successful research (see figure top right), management advice to answer key questions affecting strategic objectives for each driver and current activities ecologically sustainable land or water management and identified to meet these objectives. It specifies priority areas resource use policies. The Institute conducts a wide range of for biodiversity research for the next five years and presents projects to help conserve biodiversity on public and private charters of organisational and staff values. This document land across all environments. It specialises in broad scale will be reviewed on an annual basis to assess its progress ecological surveys to provide the information required for towards meeting its objectives and ensure priorities remain in planning, and has the capacity to undertake large or small line with the Departments required outcomes; and to projects involving flora, fauna, resource use and land and undertake science based, well designed and rigorous studies water management, in Australia or overseas. that are appropriately analysed and presented so as to be accepted by peers and considered authoritative by It has a reputation for innovative work, and has helped stakeholders and community. develop novel solutions for a wide range of land resource management issues including controversial matters such as recreational hunting, environmental water flows and sustainable forest management.
The Institute maintains close relationships with other research institutes Victoria and internationally. We form partnerships and conduct joint projects with a range of universities, businesses, State and Commonwealth government agencies, non-government organisations and
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 1
Institute overview
ARI Success Drivers ARI staff continued their record of achievement in gaining recognition for their research endeavours. Special mention Core Drivers for Success in Research should be made of Ivor Stuart and his team for winning the 2004 David Ashton Award, following on from several Quality previous winners from ARI of this prestigious award Science Value to (including Simon Nicol in 2003). The Taiwan National Government Science Council invited members of the Box-Ironbark
Valued research team including Geoff Brown, Lindy Lumsden and Products Cooperative Richard Loyn to participate in a symposium on integrated and Services Approach biodiversity studies. Geoff’s travel costs were able to be
Adoption of Best Practice supported by the Department with Lindy and Richard Results Project Leadership, attending under their own wherewithal. Management and skills and Business Infrastructure Congratulations to Lindy Lumsden for achieving her PhD for her thesis “ The ecology and conservation of insectivorous The major drivers for a successful biodiversity research bats in rural landscapes”. Lindy’s time at the University was program (NRE 2000). funded through the Divisions William B. Emison Award established in 2000 to allow staff to move “off-line” to Institute Director’s Report complete higher degree studies on a part-time basis. Lindy’s This document is the third in our series of annual business efforts to complete a PhD thesis in just over 3 years whilst reviews reporting on the performance and outputs of the maintaining her involvement in many bat related projects as Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research (ARI). well as continuing an extensive program of talks to ARI is a business unit of the Biodiversity and Natural community groups etc on bat conservation is truly Resources Division, Land Stewardship and Biodiversity, remarkable. Lindy also received the Deakin University, Department of Sustainability and Environment. It was School of Ecology and Environment, Loch Postgraduate established to undertake an applied research program to Research Award for 2003 for her work. support conservation and management of the States native biodiversity. It was not just in the areas of science that ARI staff won recognition. A major overhaul of ARIs workplace health and As with previous editions, the purpose of this document is safety practices in 2003 led to the team wining the provide an overview of the institutes capabilities, a snapshot Departmental Safe-T-Care award for achievement and being of current activities and most importantly a convenient one of 3 finalists in the Victorian Worksafe Awards in the reference point for regional staff and other key clients to “committee of the year” category ascertain research outputs (reports, papers etc.). Comparison with previous years and against similar institutes I would like to highlight the efforts of the all staff in their in Australia and overseas enables performance to be tracked contribution to the effective functioning of the institute along more effectively through time. Note, due to the requirement with BNR Divisional Staff (especially Ian Mansergh, Service to divert resources from some core activities during 2002/03 Agreement Manager), Regional Staff and the host of no report was produced in that year; however, outputs for collaborating and partner organisations. Special thanks to both 2002/03 and 2003/04 are included in this document for Phil Papas, Phoebe Macak, Obe Carter and Lilian Spencer completeness. for their work on putting this years report together.
Late in 2002 the Department of Sustainability and Environment was established and one of the key challenges facing ARI staff in the 2003/04 financial year was dealing with the implications of this machinery of government change. It was pleasing to see how responsive staff were to the Departments new priorities, for example the rapid deployment of effort to support projects arising from the Melbourne 2030 process (see page 23). Another major driver for change was the implementation of the Bushfire Recovery Program (see page 12) which required the establishment of several quite large projects under extremely Dr Tim Clancy, Director, Biodiversity Research – ARI tight time frames as well as an increase in the ongoing demand for ecological advice regarding the impacts of fire.
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Institute overview
Client Acknowledgments Administration
We gratefully acknowledge the financial support and Library and Information Services collaborative arrangements with the following agencies and The Knowledge and Information Branch Library Service corporations: provides information services to a wide range of clients. These include Departmental Officers, other agencies, • Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology students, researchers, academics and the public. • Biosis research Pty. Ltd. • Botanicus Australia Pty. Ltd. Collections held by the Knowledge and Information Centre at • Brett Lane and Associates Werribee include printed and audiovisual material, electronic • Corangamite Catchment Management Authority information on CD-ROM and access to on-line databases • Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology from around the world. The collections include some of the • Agriculture Fisheries Forestry Australia most valuable resources of material relevant to officers of the • Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Department. Resources (NSW) Knowledge and Information Branch Library Service aims to: • Department of Natural Resources and Mines (Qld.) • Department of Primary Industries (Victoria) • Provide access to the global literature quickly, easily • Department of Primary Industries (NSW) and efficiently. • Department of Sustainability and Environment • Provide systematic access to DSE/DPIs recorded • East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority knowledge base. • Ecology Australia Pty. Ltd. • Maintain a collection of knowledge generated by the • Forest and Wood Products Research and Development activities of the Department and its predecessor Corporation agencies. • Environment Australia • Provide retrieval of documents not held within on site • Environmental Protection Authority (Victoria) collection. • Goulburn Murray Water • Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority The Heidelberg Library collection specialises in fauna, flora, • Hancock Victorian Plantations Pty. Ltd. wildlife, freshwater ecology and freshwater fisheries. • International Power (Hazelwood) Resources and services include: • Huntsman Corporation Australia Pty. Ltd. • Automated catalogue - Elixir. • Land and Water Australia • Current Awareness Services - Flora and Fauna Bulletin. • Land Water & Wool / Australian Wool Innovations • Full text electronic journals. • Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (NZ) • Database for enhanced literature searching Wildlife • Manningham City Council Worldwide. • Melbourne Water Corporation • Monash University Institute Business Management Services and • Mornington Peninsula Shire Council Administration • Murray Darling Basin Commission The Institutes Business Management Services & • NAP Office Administration section provides business services such as • Nillumbik Shire Council preparation of business plan, co-ordination of the service • North Central Catchment Management Authority agreement negotiation process, development of budgets and • Parks Victoria development of a buildings maintenance plan. A major • RMIT University function of this section is maintenance of the building to • Rural Industries Research and Development ensure that it is a safe, secure and productive environment Corporation for staff. In the 2003-04 financial year, there was a strong • Southern Hydro Partnership Pty. Ltd focus to ensure compliance with the Departments • Sunraysia Environmental Occupational Health and Safety standards. Building • Southern Rural Water operations activities include maintenance of a vehicle fleet of • The Waterways Property Development Company 20 motor vehicles, boats, an aquarium, a laboratory, • West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority workshops and maintenance / repairs and replacement of • Wimmera Catchment Management Authority field based equipment. • Wimmera Mallee Water • Worldwide Wildlife Fund Australia • Woodside Energy Ltd. • Yarra Operations
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 3
Funding sources
Breakdown of major funding sources for the 2003-04 financial year
State Appropriation State Initiative Funding Parks Victoria Commonw ealth National Heritage Trust National Action Plan Murray Darling Basin Commission Catchment Management Authorities Department of Primary Industries Water Authorities Land and Water Universities EPA, CRC and other
Major funding sources for the financial years 2001-2002 to 2003-2004
Funding sources 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004
State Appropriation 2,105,100 2,198,500 1,341,000 State Initiative Funding 0 0 297,900 Parks Victoria 54,600 249,800 452,700 Commonwealth 175,200 540,200 808,200 Natural Heritage Trust 1,960,900 449600 514,000 National Action Plan 0 0 746,500 Murray Darling Basin Commission 25,500 478,700 1,322,700 Other 1,037,400 2,394,400 2,899,300* Total 5,358,700 6,311,200 8,382,300
Debtors 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003-2004 1,700,000 929,500 1,249,300
Accompanying Notes
• In accounting for revenue, it is important to note that invoices issued to clients but have not as yet been received as at 30 June should be accounted. This component is identified as debtors in the above statement. • In 2003-2004, the amount received from Parks Victoria included a one-off transaction of $231,156, which related to the States Fire initiative. • *Other clients which have reimbursed the ARI for scientific services provided in 2003-2004 are as follows: Catchment Management Authorities 734,600 Department of Primary Industries 636,300 Water Authorities 340,400 Land and Water 158,400 Universities 150,900 EPA, CRC and other 878,700 2,899,300
4 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Institute highlights
Awards water carp will try to swim over it while native fish swim David Ashton Award for Biodiversity Research – underneath. When carp jump through this system they are February 2003 caught in cages, while native fish swim on. Evidence to date has shown that more than 90% of adult Minister for Agriculture, Mr Bob Cameron presented the carp can be automatically and safely separated out using this Science Awards during a ceremony with Adam Spencer, simple but highly effective technology. Improved carp control national science presenter and Triple JJJ radio announcer, at is now considered to be both viable and cost effective, with Zinc, Federation Square on Wednesday 19 February. direct positive impacts on recreational fishers, local Dr Simon Nicol and the River Habitat Rehabilitation Team communities and the delicate ecosystem of the Murray- received the David Ashton outstanding achievement award Darling Basin. for their project to develop a scientific method to rehabilitate rivers through resnagging areas with large woody debris. In many rivers across Australia, snags and riverside plants have been removed to improve river navigation and control flooding and erosion. At the same time there has continued to be a reduction in the number of freshwater fish in the river systems.
Dr Nicol’s team developed a method to establish where to put the debris to get maximum benefit for the native fish and scientifically validated this method before it was adopted by river management agencies. Overall the project has led to better water quality, more fish for recreational anglers in the rehabilitated stretches of water, and greatly improved river The Carp Management team: (from left) John Koehn, Matt biodiversity and has improved the amenity of the riverbanks. Jones, John Mahoney, Ivor Stuart, John McKenzie, Tim OBrien, Justin OMahony.
Deakin University Loch Postgraduate Award
Lindy Lumsden received this School of Ecology and Environment award in 2003 in recognition for her PhD work on the ecology of insectivorous bats in rural environments of the Northern Plains region of Victoria. Lindy submitted her thesis earlier this year. See the Project Summaries section of this report for a brief overview of the study.
Occupational Health and Safety Awards
David Ashton award winners (from left to right): (from left to In October 2003 the ARI was one of three state-wide finalists right) Dr Ian Porter, Matthew Baranski, Meg Cole, Adam Spencer, Bruce Kefford, Professor Nancy Millis, Minister for the Work Safe awards under the “Health and Safety Cameron, Chloe Munro, Simon Nicol, Gavin Privett Committee of the Year” category.
David Ashton Award for Biodiversity Research – March In December 2003 Professor Lyndsay Neilson - Secretary for 2004 the Department of Sustainability and Environment presented awards to each ARI OH&S Committee for the DSE Safe-T- Ivor Stuart and the ARI Carp Management Team received Care Initiative Awards for outstanding excellence in the David Ashton Biodiversity and Ecosystems Award for Occupational Health and Safety. their critical research into the behaviour of exotic fish species, such as carp, and their innovative carp jumping cage system. Professional activities As a result of their observations on the habits of both carp ASFB Newsletter Editor and native fish the team developed a cage system, which exploits the jumping behaviour of carp moving through Jarod Lyon was appointed newsletter editor in 2003 for the waterways. When an obstacle is placed across a body of Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB). Jarod’s tasks are to co-ordinate and facilitate the input of material into the
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 5
Institute highlights
newsletter and collate and disseminate the publication to scientists and other international invitees, in the International ASFB members. Details on the society and the newsletter Symposium on Biodiversity: Integrative Studies workshop on can be found at www.asfb.org.au. conservation planning. Three staff from ARI, Geoff Brown, Lindy Lumsden and Richard Loyn, attended the symposium. ASL Vice President The TNSC invited members of the partnership to present, Sabine Schreiber became Vice President of Australian using the Box-Ironbark model, an Australian perspective on Society for Limnology (ASL) for 2003 and 2004. Limnology is collaborative and integrated research for biodiversity the study of inland waters and the society has around 600 conservation and management. Conference attendees also members in Australia. As vice president Sabine was part of visited the Fu Shan Forest Research Centre and Long-Term the ASL Congress Organising Committee for the annual Ecological Research (LTER) Station in the montane region of congress in Warrnambool in December 2003. She also Ilan County, north-eastern Taiwan. represented the ASL on the steering committee establishing the Australia Water Partnership (a subsidiary of the Global An invitation was also extended by the Taiwan Endemic Water Partnership) and on the inaugural committee of the Species Research Institute (TESRI, the Taiwanese AWP. Details on the ASL can be found at: www.asl.org.au equivalent of ARI) to travelling members of the Box-Ironbark
team to visit TESRI and participate in an exchange of ideas Council of the Australian Mammal Society forum with staff of the Institute. The trip included visits to Lindy Lumsden and Graeme Newell have been appointed to local study sites and discussion on specific survey methods the Council of the Australian Mammal Society. Both ARI and potential collaborative studies. Participation provided staff are involved in the management of this scientific new (local) insights into applications of our co-operative society, including the production of the Society’s newsletter. approach in the context of a very different social, economic Details of the society and the newsletter can be found at: and biological environment. www.austalianmammals.org.au.
Fish Management Science Committee
John Koehn is the Victorian representative of the Murray Darling Basin Commission committee; John will be providing technical and strategic advice on freshwater ecology issues.
Fish Passage Reference Group
Tim O’Brien is the Victorian representative of the Murray Darling Basin Commission committee; Tim will be providing technical and strategic advice on fish movement and migration issues.
Australasian Wildlife Management Society Entrance to the greenhouse of the Taichung National Dave Forsyth is the editor of the Australasian Wildlife Museum of Natural History. Photo: Geoff Brown. Management Society newsletter that is published quarterly. Details on the society and the newsletter can be found on the website: http://www.awms.org.nz/ Notable visitors
Associate Professor Richard Barker (Department of
Travel Mathematics and Statistics, University of Otago) visited ARI on 4 occasions in the 03/04. Dr Barker is world-renowned in Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, Chi-Chi, and the field of ecological statistics, specialising in the International Symposium on Biodiversity: Integrative Studies, development and application of mark recapture statistics. Dr Academia Sinica, Taipei, March-April 2004 Barker has established a close working relationship with several key research programs at ARI where he has been The Taiwan National Science Council (TNSC) invited able to assist with the construction of complex statistical members of the Box-Ironbark research partnership ( which models. In April 2004, Dr Barker provided a workshop on played a critical role in the recent ECC Box-Ironbark Forests mark-recapture analysis for ARI and DSE/DPI scientists. and Woodlands Investigation) to participate, with local
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Institute highlights
Dr Darryl MacKenzie (Proteus Research, Dunedin, New visualisation, insect population dynamics, regional Zealand) visited ARI in May 2004. Dr MacKenzie is a assessment of agricultural productivity, Chinese agriculture specialist statistician in occupancy models. These models and land use trends and modelling. He visited ARI in are increasingly important to the analysis of wildlife February 2004 and presented a seminar entitled: distribution data in south-eastern Australia and during his “Application of environmental acoustics to assess ecological visit Dr MacKenzie worked closely with the quantitative change”. ecologist at ARI in developing experimental designs that allow robust estimates of occupancy. Occupational Health and Safety Professor Michael Hamilton is the Resident Director of ARI is committed to providing and maintaining a safe and James San Jacinto Mountains Reserve, University of healthy workplace for all staff, contractors and the California-Riverside. He is also one of four directors of the community. The Occupational Health and Safety Act 1985 Centre for Embedded Network Sensors (CENS) a (Section 21) requires an “employer to provide and maintain, partnership between UCLA, USC, UCR, JPL, CSU and Cal as far as is practicable, a working environment that is safe Tech which has developed a technique for remote logging of and without risk to the health or safety of their staff”. data from environmental and other systems. His research interests include embedded networked sensing of terrestrial A key aspect of the ARI business strategic framework is habitats, K-3 virtual science education, geographic Occupational Health and Safety operating under Worksafe. information systems for studies of landscape ecology, All goals and objectives from this program is to eliminate all wildland fire management planning, natural resources land- work related injuries, illness and unsafe work practices and use planning, data management of ecological and to promote health, safety and welfare for our staff. biodiversity information at biological field stations, and
National Forest management policies and multiple-use The application of ARI OH&S policies and guidelines crosses impacts on rare plants and their communities in the San ARI business partners, stakeholders, suppliers and Jacinto Mountains, California. Professor Hamilton visited ARI contractors, permanent, casual and volunteer staff. in July 2003 and presented a seminar entitled: “Micro- technology and natural resource management”. This financial year has seen the ARI expanding its OH&S
policies and guidelines and the introduction of new risk Richard Aspinall is Professor of Geography in the management systems to identify and address risks to staff Department of Earth Sciences, and Director of the safety. The two actions considered at highest risk to staff are Geographic Information and Analysis Center (GIAC) at driving and working in isolation. Systems now in place to Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana, USA. His minimise and manage risk to staff from these actions are research focuses on land use and land cover change, considered best practice. These practices include all ARI landscape ecology, coupled modelling of natural and human staff attending a defensive driving course if they are to drive systems, and development of geographical information on duty; and all field staff attending four-wheel drive, first aid, science in environmental sciences. He visited ARI in and radio operation courses. February 2004 and presented a seminar entitled:
“Landscape representation for coupled modelling of human This year has seen zero lost time resulting from workplace and natural systems”. accidents, new OH&S systems have been a major factor in
achieving this result. Michael Batty is Professor of Spatial Analysis and Planning, and Director of the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis In October 2003 the ARI was one of three state-wide finalists (CASA) at University College London (UCL). He has made for the Work Safe awards under the “Health and Safety many contributions to the development of computer models Committee of the Year” category. In December 2003 of cities and regions. His recent work has focussed on Professor Lyndsay Neilson - Secretary for the Department of dynamic models of urban development, and the visualization Sustainability and Environment presented awards to each of cities using virtual reality methods. He visited ARI in ARI OH&S Committee for the DSE Safe-T-Care Initiative February 2004 and presented a seminar entitled: “Geospatial Awards for outstanding excellence in Occupational Health Modelling”. and Safety.
Stuart Gage is Professor of Entomology at Michigan State
University, USA. His research interests include landscape ecology, computational biology, scientific visualization, agricultural ecosystem dynamics, systems thinking, digital
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 7
Institute highlights
Environmental Performance
An energy audit has been conducted on the ARI buildings and grounds and improvements suggested in that audit have been carried out. These included the installation of low energy lighting and motion activated office lighting, improved air conditioning controls and timers and modifications to main building boiler controls.
The ARI has enacted long term water saving strategies. The ARI garden and grounds are no longer watered and garden plants suited to no watering will be selected. All ARI aquarium and fish holding water is now fully recycled and reused in the aquarium, this is a saving of 15 million litres per year. ARI has contracted collection of waste paper and glass for recycling.
All ARI field staff attend driving courses for four wheel drive vehicles. A component of the courses is vehicle effects on the environment and measures to reduce impacts on tracks, vegetation and trees, and waterways. ARI staff are conscious of animal habitats and ensure to cause least disturbance while carrying out field research. Sites of significance are considered during research planning and operations also.
ARI Website
The ARI website underwent a major redevelopment in 2003. Significant upgrades were made to both the layout and content of the site that is now aligned more closely with other DSE sites. Along with information on the Institute, the website has the following key areas:
• Publications and downloads – reports, software, brochures and newsletters. • Research themes – the 8 key research areas as outlined in this Review. • Events – highlights of events and awards.
The site can be found at: www.dse.vic.gov.au/ari
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Research capacity
ARI Research agricultural and other resources in rural and urban areas, Research themes such as grey-headed flying foxes and kangaroos, are also being undertaken. ARI has research capacity in the following key areas:
Forest and park management • Bushfire recovery • Invasive species and wildlife management Victoria is fortunate in having large areas of land in public • Forest and park management ownership and covered with native vegetation (~7 million ha, • River health or a third of the land area). Most of this public land is • Salinity, climate change and other threats classed as Parks (National, State or Regional Parks and • Sustainability in rural and urban landscapes various special reserves) or State Forest. The parks and • Techniques for measuring biodiversity forests are highly valued by Victorians for their natural • Threatened species and communities character, and provide treasured opportunities for recreation and public enjoyment at many different levels. They also These research areas or themes are described in more detail provide water catchments and important economic below. Summaries of some of the key projects in these opportunities, including tourist enterprises and minor themes are presented in this document and others can also extractive uses such as honey production. Some of the be found on the ARI website. forests are used to supply hardwood for the timber industry, and recent reforms have been designed to manage this on Bushfire recovery an openly sustainable basis. All of the parks and forests have important values for flora and fauna, and they form a Several extremely large fires affected Victorian public land major reservoir of natural biodiversity in the State. ARI during the 2002/03 summer, burning approximately 1.1 scientists are working with other staff of DSE and Parks million hectares of bush in the north-east and Gippsland Victoria to meet some of the challenges involved in areas of Victoria, as well as extensive areas of bush in sustainable management, and on integrating objectives for southern NSW. Fires have also recently occurred in other conservation with other social or economic objectives. This parts of the state such as the Big Desert. After the fires DSE work involves obtaining an improved understanding of embarked on a major program to restore ecological assets ecosystems and processes that occur within them, at various which required scientific support. These fires also presented spatial scales. Much of ARI’s recent research has taken a an opportunity to improve our knowledge on the impacts of landscape approach, examining the holistic issues and fire on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. ARI is developing solutions across land tenures. currently undertaking a number of research projects including the recovery of threatened flora in alpine areas and River health examining post-fire impacts on terrestrial flora and fauna and aquatic fauna. Rivers have an immense economic, social and ecological significance for Victoria, and are a key component of the Invasive species and wildlife management State’s natural infrastructure. Our rivers provide drinking water for over four million people, support an irrigated Australia’s historic geographic isolation coupled with the agricultural industry worth over $5 billion, and provide more recent establishment of a large number of exotic significant recreation opportunities such as fishing, boating species is placing numerous endemic species under threat. and holidaying. Despite their vital importance to the In addition, human induced changes to ecological systems community, our rivers have been much abused in the last can result in some native species becoming locally 150 years. A legacy of poor management practices has left overabundant causing impacts on other species. Further, over 1/3 of major rivers in poor or very poor condition, and conflicts between humans and native wildlife may arise in a less than 1/4 in good or excellent condition. This has had a variety of circumstances in which lifestyle or economic significant impact on the aquatic flora, fauna and their values are perceived to be impacted. Better understanding habitats; for instance, three species of freshwater fish have of the ecology of 'priority' species as well as the become extinct in Victorian and about 1/2 of the remainder implementation of scientifically - based management is the are considered threatened. The health or ecological integrity key to effectively dealing with such impacts. ARI scientists of river systems is key research area at ARI. Research are working to support management programs for priority projects include the reintroduction of large woody debris processes threatening native flora and fauna including (snags) into the Murray River, assessing the impacts of foraging by introduced predators and herbivores such as water diversions on freshwater ecosystems and the carp, foxes, cats, rabbits and deer; and the impacts caused examination of fish passage requirements in the Barmah- by overabundant flora and native wildlife such as kangaroos Millewa State Forest. and koalas. Projects on native species that may impact on
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Research capacity
The Institute is also engaged by state and federal agencies development of innovate ways to assess biodiversity allows to undertake river health assessments across the state. us to build a greater understanding of the complex interactions between individual species and the environment Salinity, climate change and other threats in which they live. Utilising these methods provides us with Hundreds of thousands of hectares of the Victorian the ability to undertake inventory and assessment, which is landscape are presently suffering from the impact of salinity essential for the establishment of baseline biological data or are at risk from risking water tables into the future. that will aid in the successful management of our Salinity has the potential to impact on biodiversity values in environment. ARI scientists are involved in the development both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems across large parts of of innovative tools to remotely assess biodiversity values as the State. Similarly, global climate change has been well as developing efficiencies in the application of existing identified as significant potential threat to biodiversity into the techniques to survey and monitor plants and animals. future. As with all large scale threatening processes science is required to underpin a three-pronged approach to Threatened species and communities management revolving around prevention, restoration and There are almost 500 taxa recognised as being at significant adaptation. The impact of salinity on biodiversity in both risk of extinction to warrant listing under Victorian legislation terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems has formed a significant (FFG Act) with many also being listed as threatened at a area of research at ARI. A series of pilot studies on the National level. Further, several ecological communities have potential effects of climate-warming upon Victorian plant been listed in recognition that their long-term persistence in species and vegetation communities is also under the landscape is not assured. Effective scientifically based investigation. management of these species and communities is required if
Victoria’s biodiversity assets are to be protected for future Sustainability in rural and urban landscapes generations. Examples of projects in this theme include the Much of Victoria’s biodiversity assets occur on landscapes development of population modelling software to aid in the heavily relied upon by people for food, shelter, etc. The management of threatened species, assessment of habitat Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (ESAI) projects quality for native mammals and fish and the preparation and were established in 2001 and are focussed on enhancing implementation of recovery plans for the protection of biodiversity outcomes in agricultural landscapes. The threatened plant species. Initiative is a joint venture between the Department of Primary Industries and DSE. The Victorian Resources Research alignment with State Government and Online website (VRO) www.dpi.vic.gov.au/vro is the home for DSE objectives and priorities more information on each of the ESAI projects. Our Rural Landscapes (ORL) is an initiative (2003-2007) funded Research at ARI is strongly aligned with Victorian through State Innovation funds to DPI and staff at ARI are Government and DSE objectives and priorities. The table involved in this project. below shows the alignment of each research theme with the Growing Victoria Together (GVT) priority actions from the Planning for Melbourne’s growth involves among many other Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) and the DSE considerations an assessment of the biodiversity assets objectives and priorities. The GVT actions are listed in a (flora, fauna and natural systems) within and on the fringes booklet on the DPC website: www.dpc.vic.gov.au and the of the existing urban area. ARI has been engaged by DSEs DSE objectives and priorities are contained in the DSE Melbourne 2030 Implementation Strategy Branch to Corporate Plan and Corporate Plan Summary 2003-2006 undertake strategic biodiversity assessments of the (DSE 2003a,b) and are listed below the table. Wyndham and Casey-Cardinia Growth Areas.
Techniques for measuring biodiversity
Applied conservation management requires the ongoing development and refinement of cost effective tools. The
10 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Research capacity
ARI Research Theme GVT Objective DSE Objective DSE Priority Bushfire recovery 1,2 3,4 11 Forest and park management 2 4 10,11 Invasive species and wildlife management 1,2 4 3,5 River health 1 3,4 5,6,7 Salinity, climate change and other threats 1 2,3,4 2,6 Sustainability in rural and urban landscapes 1,4,5 3 Techniques for measuring biodiversity 1,3,4,6 5 Threatened species and communities 2 3,4 5
GVT priority actions
1. Improve the health of our rivers and waterways and take effective action to reduce salinity 2. Increase and provide greater protection for areas of high conservation value including the establishment of a comprehensive system of marine national parks
DSE Objectives for 2003-2006
These objectives set the focus and direction for the organisation over the next three years (2003-2006).
1. Leadership in Environmental Sustainability - establish Victoria as a leader in environmental sustainability debate and practice, making full use of the capabilities of government and strategic partnerships. 2. An Effective Greenhouse Response - contribute effectively to national and international efforts to address the challenges of climate change. 3. Water for the Future - develop innovative water management initiatives, including water conservation and water recycling, to meet the needs of the environment and the Victorian community. 4. Improved Stewardship of Public and Private Land - improve the management and use of public and private land to enhance, protect and restore biodiversity assets and ecosystem services. 5. Sustainable Communities - contribute to the development of sustainable communities across Victoria, including the achievement of more sustainable urban environments. 6. Service and Organisational Excellence - provide Victorians with high quality access to the comprehensive range of information and services available across the department.
DSE Priorities for 2003-2006
The following priority initiatives are highlighted because of their particular significance in delivering the governments policy commitments. 1. Develop a Sustainability Framework and Strategy to facilitate the uptake of sustainability principles and practices across the Victorian community. 2. Further develop and implement the Victorian Greenhouse Strategy to address the threat of climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions. 3. Implement Melbourne 2030 to deliver its vision of Melbourne as one of the most liveable, attractive and prosperous cities in the world. 4. Develop Sustainability in the Built Environment to improve water conservation, recycling and energy efficiency through the planning approvals system. 5. Implement the River Health Strategy to protect rivers that are in good condition. 6. Progress the Snowy River project and the Living Murray project to increase environmental flows and restore the health of these vital rivers. 7. Implement the Smart Water initiative to drive more efficient farm irrigation practices. 8. Implement the Water Industry Review. 9. Manage the Victorian Water Trust to provide a secure source of funding for investment in Victorias vital water resources. 10. Undertake Forest Industry Reform to ensure Victorias forests are sustainable, the timber industry and related communities are viable in the long term. 11. Implement the Bushfire Recovery plan to facilitate the recovery of catchments, waterways, infrastructure assets and ecological and cultural heritage, following the extensive bushfire season of 2002–2003. 12. Finalise the Alpine Resorts 2020 Strategy to set the strategic vision for Victorias six alpine resorts. 13. Develop an Indigenous Land Management Framework to address the land and resource management aspirations of Indigenous communities.
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Project summaries
Bushfire recovery During survey, 201 records comprising 41 species were Post-fire Impacts on Native Fish in North East Victoria inspected. 155 of these were burnt. Most populations and Gippsland appear to be regenerating, although pest plant management is needed in 25 burnt populations and pest The drastic effects of fires on vegetation and terrestrial fauna management is needed for nine populations. animal communities are often immediately apparent. Additional surveys are needed to determine the post-fire However the effects on fish populations in and response for six species. Outcomes of this project include downstream from impacted areas may not be evident for (1) inventory of locations and condition of fire affected many weeks, months, or years after the incident. Post fire populations and habitat, (2) vital attribute data collected, fish surveys undertaken by ARI to determine the effects of and (3) priority species/populations identified for the fires on native fish populations. Surveys were management and monitoring. undertaken throughout the Victorian high-country both directly post-fire and at post-fire + 12 months. Fish Assessing Methods for Monitoring the Effects of populations were most severely effected in areas where Wildfire on Threatened Alpine Herpetofauna large storms caused huge sediment influxes to enter streams. In four of 25 sites surveyed in the high country Several species of threatened herpetofauna are restricted fish populations were effectively extirpated. Recovery of to alpine and subalpine habitats in Victoria, including the native and exotic fishes in the Buckland and Ovens Rivers, alpine she-oak skink (Cyclodomorphus praealtus), alpine which were severely effected by a post-fire sediment slug egernia (Egernia guthega) and alpine tree frog (Litoria was also studied. Four of the 12 sites surveyed within this verreauxi alpina). During 2003-2004 ARI staff, in system were devoid of fish directly after the sediment slug. collaboration with David Steane (La Trobe University, Twelve months later recolonisation has begun to occur Bundoora), undertook a review of potential methods (in and will be monitored until 2006. terms of sample sizes and frequency of data collection) for monitoring the impacts of fire and other disturbances on the status of these and other species of alpine herpetofauna. The work was jointly funded by DSE and Parks Victoria, and was initiated in response to the major wildfires that occurred in north-eastern Victoria during early 2002. The major aim of the project was to determine the most reliable and cost-effective methods for monitoring changes in the status of these species over time. In some cases, existing data allowed the required quantity of sampling to be determined with confidence. For other species, where suitable data are presently lacking, recommendations were made for collection of pilot data to allow assessment of sampling requirements. This included the need to determine the size and location of High silt loads in the Ovens River, downstream of the Buckland River confluence following a storm event in the existing populations. Buckland catchment. Photo: Jarod Lyon.
Post-fire Assessment and Monitoring of Priority Populations of Threatened Flora after 2003 Wildfire in the Victorian Alps
There are 43 rare or threatened plant species distributed within areas affected by the recent fires in north-eastern Victoria which have been identified as having priority for risk management in the post fire environment. This project sought to (1) determine the current status of priority populations of threatened flora species, (2) identify threats to post fire recovery, (3) identify management requirements, and (4) develop a protocol for ongoing The alpine tree frog, a threatened species restricted to the monitoring suitable for wider application to post fire high country, which was extensively burnt in 2002. Photo: monitoring in eastern Victoria. Nick Clemann.
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Project summaries
Post-fire Assessment and Monitoring of Priority Threatened communities After 2003 Wildfire in the Vital attribute data were collected for 141 plant taxa in the Victorian Alps Big Desert and Wyperfeld National Park to augment DSEs Several threatened communities have been identified as existing vital attributes database. A range of fire ages was having priority for risk management within the area assessed to gain insight into the timing of reproductive affected by the recent fires in north-eastern Victoria. stages (life-history transitions) in a range of common and These communities are Silurian Limestone Pomaderris threatened plant taxa. These data can be used to support Shrubland and Montane Swamp Complex. The objectives future planning of applied ecological burning in mallee and of this project was to determine the current status of the heathland vegetation in north-western Victoria and threatened communities, identify threats to post fire elsewhere in the state where these species (or their recovery, determine management requirements and ecological analogs) occur. develop a protocol for ongoing post fire monitoring. Recovery of Mountain Plum-Pine Shrubland after Fire intensity in both communities was severe with the Wildfire vegetation structure grossly modified. The affect of fire on Mountain Plum-pine Shrubland is endemic to high species diversity was assessed with particular emphasis elevation areas. It is likely that the entire range of this on the rare or threatened (VROT) taxa. Recovery of community in the Victorian Alps has been severely burnt. Silurian Limestone Pomaderris Shrubland was very good This project identified threats currently and potentially with eight of the ten VROT species and two of the three acting on the plant community in the post-fire environment disjunct species regenerating. Permanent transect lines in the Alpine National Park at Mts. Cobberras 1 and 2. were set up and basic data was collected for on-going This project sought to identify threats to post fire recovery, monitoring. Potential threats were assessed and identify management requirements and develop a protocol management recommendations made. for ongoing monitoring.
The sedge-dominated sections of Montane Swamp Twenty-five populations were located and inspected. Complex are regenerating well with similar numbers of Individual plants had been killed where the fire had been species recorded in the pre-fire and post-fire surveys. The severe, but there was some regeneration as a result of sphagnum moss beds were severely burnt with 95 – 99% vegetative re-sprouting and from seedling recruitment destroyed. Six permanent plots were set up in three where populations had been scorched at fire low fire vegetation zones. Data was collected on the species intensity. Early results suggest that up to 20% of mountain present. The potential threat from pest plants was plum-pine vegetation at the Cobberas has been considered to be high due to the level of disturbance close irreversibly damaged and that ongoing fire exclusion in the to the community, the severe affect of the fire and fertile future will be critical for regeneration. conditions of the habitat.
Post-fire Recovery of Threatened Flora Following 2003 Wildfire in the Big Desert, North-west Victoria
The status and post-fire recovery of eleven rare and threatened plant species in or near the Big Desert were assessed. Five threatened taxa were observed recruiting successfully within the perimeter of the 2002 Big Desert fire area. They were Comesperma scoparium, Helichrysum adenophorum var. adenophorum, Leucopogon costatus, Phyllota remota and Stenopetalum velutinum. However, only two of these were recruiting in high numbers in areas searched, ie. Comesperma Helichrysum adenophorum var. adenophorum in recently burnt heathy mallee, Big Desert. scoparium and Phyllota remota. Both H. adenophorum Photo: Obe Carter. var. adenophorum and S. velutinum had not been previously recorded for many years and there are no quadrat records of either of these taxa in DSEs Flora Information System. The regionally threatened taxa Haloragis acutangula forma acutangula, Lawrencia berthae and Microcybe multiflora were also assessed from nearby roadsides.
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Project summaries
Forest and park management forests region and hence more robust. The model will be Projects to Support Ecologically Sustainable Forest used to assess impacts from timber harvesting and aid in Management (ESFM) the management of forests in the region. The model will be completed in late 2004. ARI staff continued working on several projects to help conserve biodiversity in forests managed for multiple purposes, including Parks and State Forests. The research has proceeded despite reductions in levels of funding, albeit at reduced rates. The main theme is to assess effects of key management practices (logging and fuel reduction burning) on flora and fauna, and examine alternative approaches for integrating or segregating production and conservation at different spatial scales. In several projects retrospective methods are used to assess effects over decades, in order to provide a picture of how the forest landscape will change over time during the course of proposed rotations for logging. Draft papers on aspects of this work were prepared during the year, for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
New prescriptions for habitat retention have been developed by DSE for use in the General Management Zone of State Forests. ARI established a study in 2001 to monitor their effectiveness in shelterwood coupes in the A reference site in southern NSW used to Wombat State Forest (see the 2001-2002 Annual construct the stream health model. Photo: Di Business Review) (Australian National University staff are Crowther. conducting a similar study in Mountain Ash forests). A base-line report has now been produced on the Wombat Box-Ironbark Ecological Thinning Trial Forest monitoring. Fieldwork for a retrospective study was also completed on multiple sites in Wombat State Forest Historic records show that Box-Ironbark (BIB) forests and with varying numbers of hollow-bearing trees, in parallel woodlands consisted predominantly of large, mature and with previous work in mixed-eucalypt forest in south-west widely spaced trees, patches of younger trees, a wide Victoria and in Mountain Ash forests in the Central array of understorey shrubs and herbs, and a forest floor Highlands. of fallen branches and trees. These forests provided a diverse range of habitats for a variety of species, including A report was produced on field tests of a state-wide model hollow-dwelling birds and mammals, many of which are for Powerful Owls. Habitat models have been developed now endangered. Since settlement, the management of for arboreal marsupials, using data collected for the BIB forests to provide forest products and other resources Regional Forest Agreement surveys. Habitat models for for the community has substantially altered forest large owls are being refined using recently developed structure. We now see forests predominantly of young statistical tools. This will help us assess the effectiveness trees of relatively uniform size, with limited areas of older of current management practices and refine or revise them trees. The consequence has been a loss of biodiversity where necessary. The models are being used to assess and marginalisation of certain species of flora and fauna. the degree to which owls can act as effective umbrella species for arboreal marsupials. In October 2002 the National Parks (Box-Ironbark and Other Parks) Bill was passed proclaiming the Developing a Stream Health Model in Southern establishment of 222 new or expanded parks and reserves Forests of NSW to protect this ecosystem. An important component of the Forestry activities have the potential to impacts on stream establishment of these Parks is a program of forest health through processes such as sedimentation. thinning in re-growth areas. Thinning is advocated as a Sampling for the data collection is complete in stream in way to accelerate successional forest change in these southern NSW state forests. A predictive stream health areas, nominally reducing the time required for the model, similar to the national AUSRIVAS models, is under development of tree-hollows and other structural and development. The model will be specific to the southern floristic forest characteristics thought to benefit native fauna. By improving habitat for native fauna, the re-
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Project summaries
establishment of important ecosystem processes in which area of habitat coincides with a large volume of high-value wildlife plays a critical role (i.e. energy/biomass transfer timber (Eucalyptus delegatensis, E. nitens and E. and sequestration, nutrient cycling etc.) is also regnans). During 2003-2004, ARI staff initiated a project accelerated. However, while thinning may generate to assess the impacts of timber harvesting on the frogs putative longer-term benefits to forest fauna, there has and their habitat, and hence to develop appropriate been no formal evaluation of the extent to which these prescriptions for timber harvesting in identified Baw Baw benefits are realised, or shorter-term implications for frog habitat. Study sites have been selected, in species reliant on earlier-successional forest stages. In collaboration with regional DSE staff, in areas earmarked the absence of this information, it is impossible to develop for timber harvesting, which will occur over the next three a design for the deployment of thinning across relevant years, and in nearby control areas that will remain parts of the conservation estate, which maximises its unharvested. All sites will be regularly monitored for frog benefit to BIB forest ecosystems. populations and have had environmental monitoring equipment installed to track microclimate conditions (such A thinning trial, managed by Parks Victoria, has been as temperature and humidity) before and after harvesting initiated in conjunction with ARI (mammal and understorey operations. floristic composition and structure survey) and Ballarat University (forest mensuration). The aim of this trial is largely to examine the impacts of ecological thinning at Invasive species and wildlife management different spatial intensities and arrangements on the Fencing Systems to Exclude Feral Animals habitat, fauna, flora and forest structure of this system. Exclusion fencing is increasingly being used as a tool to Trial areas have been established in parks near protect areas of high conservation value from the threats Castlemaine, Maryborough, Bendigo and Heathcote, each posed by vertebrate pest species. Consequently, it is of which contains 4 different treatment areas each 30ha in necessary to establish whether exclusion fencing is size. Sub-sites within these areas have been surveyed so necessary and can feasibly achieve the desired outcomes, as to collect pre-thinning baseline data on understorey and whether it is a cost-effective management tool that floristics, diurnal birds, owls, arboreal mammals, can be adequately resourced. ARI, supported by the insectivorous bats and invertebrates. Preliminary National Heritage Trust, through the Department of the multivariate analyses have been used to determine the Environment and Heritage (DEH, formally Environment floristic differences between and within some of these trial Australia), has carried out a comprehensive Australia-wide sites. Thinning has commenced in some areas and fauna audit assessing the cost-effectiveness of fences designed surveys are expected to continue over the next two years. to exclude feral animals (particularly foxes, cats, rabbits, pigs and goats).
Twenty-two fences were assessed via a survey and field visits and information gathered on the purpose of the fence, the fence design, the fencing materials used, the frequency of fence maintenance required, the effectiveness of the fence in excluding feral animals, and any impacts the fence has had on non-target species. The effectiveness of the reviewed fence designs was evaluated and diagrams of these designs, including specifications, have been collated into a catalogue, which is included in the final report. Gaps in the current knowledge regarding the effectiveness of feral animal exclusion fences in protecting native wildlife have also been identified. A relatively old Box-Ironbark forest site. Photo: Arn Tolsma.
It is generally understood that no fence is likely to be 100% Effects of Timber Harvesting on the Baw Baw Frog effective 100% of the time. In accordance with this 70% of 20 fence managers surveyed felt that their fence was The Baw Baw Frog, Philoria frosti, has a highly restricted sufficiently effective despite most being breached geographic range and is currently recognised as a occasionally by feral animals (only three fences reported nationally endangered species. A large proportion of the no known breaches). To maximise the effectiveness of a current range of the species occurs within State Forest on fence, lethal feral animal control programs are often the south-western slopes of the Baw Baw Plateau. This
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Project summaries
conducted in the surrounding buffer area to reduce the information to improve our capacity to limit the impact of frequency with which the fence is challenged. wild dogs on agricultural communities and better understand their role in the ecosystem. Recommendations about the minimum design specifications required for each of the targeted species are based on the measured effectiveness of those designs that have been tested, the effectiveness of fences in situ, as observed by field personnel, combined with knowledge of the relevant physical capabilities and behavioural responses of the feral species. The final report is accessible via the DEH web site, www.deh.gov.au,to assist land-managers in choosing appropriate fence designs for their conservation needs.
Fitting a radio-tracking collar to a sedated wild dog, Photo: David Jenkins.
Identifying Carp Sources Using Otolith Chemistry
Recent research has suggested that the Barmah-Millewa floodplain provides an important spawning ground for carp in the Murray River and that there is a large export of juvenile carp from Barmah-Millewa. This project used chemical analyses of fish otoliths (earstones) to estimate the relative importance of the Barmah-Millewa floodplain lakes as a source of carp. Otolith chemical signatures were analysed for fish from the Barmah-Millewa floodplain and tributaries of the mid-Murray River. A single site downstream of these potential sources of carp recruitment was then examined to estimate the relative contribution of Barmah-Millewa and the tributaries to carp recruitment at this site. The results of the study suggest that at least some of the lakes on the Barmah-Millewa floodplain are important sources of carp in the mid-Murray River. The study demonstrates the potential of otolith chemical Electrified wiring and the floppy top of this exclusion analyses for evaluating and monitoring the impact of water fence effectively prevent cats from climbing over. Photo: Kirstin Long. management on fish recruitment in rivers. A report is available on the ARI website.
Tracking Wild Dogs Point-Source Management of Carp Wild dogs (Dingoes and Dingo/feral dog hybrids) are a declared pest species in most mainland States of Since early 1999, ARI has been investigating the life Australia. GPS technology has been utilised for the first history of carp in the Barmah-Millewa forest. The project is time in Australia to track the nightly movement patterns of testing the assumption that to significantly reduce carp wild dogs (Dingoes and their hybrids) in forested habitat in populations, control efforts must concentrate on key south-eastern NSW. This project is being run in spawning grounds and access points that link them to the partnership with State Forests NSW and the Australian Murray River main stem. If the tests prove successful, Hydatid and Epidemiology Program. To date, nine wild point-source control measures - gatekeeping - will be dogs have been captured, collared and released. The included in a comprehensive and practical Carp-control collars are fitted with a GPS and conventional VHF plan for river managers. Radio-telemetry, boat transmitter. The collars are programmed to collect data at electrofishing, larval netting and trapping have been used regular intervals throughout the night and will provide to determine the movement patterns, population researchers and managers with insights on the movement aggregations through time, spawning requirements and and habitat use of wild dogs during the night; something efficiency of traps on carp, respectively. that until now has not been possible. We hope to use this
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Project summaries
Results indicate that carp are capable of moving 100s of The review found that no studies have experimentally kilometres to reach the productive Barmah-Millewa forest demonstrated an increase in the rate of predation by feral floodplains for spawning. Large numbers of larvae utilise cats on native species following a reduction in fox the forest floodplains and were collected drifting through abundance. Predation appears to have a weak effect on the forest and downstream in the Murray River. Boat rabbits in more temperate environments. Many studies electrofishing surveys found that carp congregate at a have not assessed pre-control population parameters, do number of key locations, waiting to access the floodplains not have control sites, are not replicated, and have not when inundated. Strategic placement of carp traps at key attempted to test alternative hypotheses to predation, such access points onto the floodplain resulted in 76 tonnes of as competition by herbivores. In the studies reviewed, carp being harvested over six-eight weeks. The final both feral cats and foxes shift consumption to the next project report was completed in December 2002 and can most abundant prey item (e.g. invertebrates, reptiles or be downloaded from the ARI website. birds) in the absence or decline of rabbits. Also, there was no evidence to suggest that as a result of a decrease in The Carp Research Team headed by Ivor Stuart won two rabbits there is an increase in predation rates on major awards in 2003 and 2004, including the Eureka populations of rare or endangered species. Little Prize for water research, presented in Sydney in August quantitative information is available on the interactions 2004 and the David Ashton Biodiversity Award presented between introduced predators and native carnivores. in Melbourne in March 2004. Several studies have reported that the combination of ripping rabbit warrens and Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Investigating River Red Gum decline in the Nyah- (RDH), or poison baiting and RHD has enhanced the Piangil area decline of predator species, but to our knowledge no Declining Red Gum health has been reported for decades studies have investigated the costs and benefits of from the Nyah-Piangil area. Anecdotal reports have integrated feral animal control. suggested that Red Gum decline is accompanied by the rapid spread of the semi-parasitic shrub Pale-fruit Ballart The four main areas where further information would (Exocarpos strictus R. Br., Santalaceae). This study was improve our understanding are 1) how to effectively initiated and funded by Mallee Catchment Management monitor changes in abundance of introduced predators, Authority in order to evaluate this assumption. particularly feral cats; 2) the impact of predator control operations on the population dynamics and social The project investigated whether Red Gum decline, organisation of sympatric predators and the impacts on measured by canopy cover, was linked to the presence or native species; 3) the role of rabbits in temperate systems abundance of E. strictus. ARI was also required to provide in supporting elevated numbers of foxes and feral cats; advice as to whether any link was likely to be due to E. and 4) the effects of disease (RHD and myxomatosis), strictus causing the Red Gum decline, and whether any particularly in temperate environments, on the interactions action should be taken to reduce E. strictus. between predators and their prey. The final report is expected to be available on the Department of the It was found that the presence of E. strictus was Environment and Heritage web site in November 2004. associated with Red Gum decline, however this association was weak, and much of the Red Gum decline Review of Feral Animal Control in Australia is likely to be more closely related to other factors. An European rabbits, feral pigs, feral goats, red foxes, wild attempt was made to identify some of these. No evidence dogs and feral cats are believed to be responsible for the of salt or nutrient stress was found, and it was suggested extinction or decline of a wide range of native species and that a lack of recent flooding was the primary cause of the ecological communities in Australia. Many agencies and observed decline. A final report has been delivered to organisations including Federal, State and Local Mallee CMA, and a presentation was recently given in governments commit significant resources managing these Mildura. pest species. However, despite the widespread belief that feral animals are a major threat to the conservation of Interactions Between Feral Cats, Foxes, Native Carnivores and Rabbits in Australia biodiversity and agricultural production, there is limited evidence of the benefits of feral animal control on A major review of interactions between feral cats, foxes, mitigating these threats. native carnivores and rabbits in Australia has been completed for the Department of the Environment and The Department of the Environment and Heritage (formally Heritage. Environment Australia) commissioned ARI to undertake a project aimed at increasing the understanding of feral
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Project summaries
animal threats to native species and ecological management actions. This review indicates that these communities. To our knowledge, this is the first national criticisms apply equally well to our understanding of the audit of feral animal control operations in Australia. consequences of feral animal control. For example, more Information on 1308 feral animal control operations was than 75% of all control actions did not monitor changes in collected via surveys from 27 organisations that have the abundance of the pest or resource, and therefore, undertaken or are undertaking pest control on public land. have no capacity for determining whether on not the The key information collected for each operation included: resource has been protected/enhanced. Until feral animal (1) background information such as agencies funding and control actions use study designs that include replicated conducting the control, and the status of the control treatment and non-treatment areas, and adequate operation; (2) detailed information on the control activities, monitoring of changes in the abundance of both pests and including objectives of control, years of control, area of resources, our knowledge of the costs and benefits of feral control, and control techniques; (3) species listed under animal control for native species will remain unreliable. the Environmental and Biodiversity Protection Act (1999) in the control area; and (4) the monitoring undertaken, including the species/resources being monitored, River health monitoring design, and the presence of non-treatment Resnagging the Murray River areas. The project focused on re-snagging sections of the Murray
River in order to improve fish habitat. The project is now The majority of control information collected related to the being implemented in two parts. The first is continuing the last six years, with foxes and rabbits being the most evaluation of the resnagging trial conducted below frequently targeted species. The primary objective of Yarrawonga on the Murray River. This experiment was control operations targeting foxes, feral cats and wild dogs designed to examine the occupancy of constructed large was the protection of threatened fauna. In contrast those woody debris habitat by native fish. The constructed control operations targeting feral goats, feral pigs and habitat was placed in the Murray River in 2000 and rabbits listed habitat conservation as the primary objective. monitoring of fish occupancy has occurred every year A wide range of control techniques were utilised with the since. Results to date demonstrate that native fish techniques and intensities of control varying between the (Murray cod, trout cod and golden perch) have occupied targeted species. these sites at a similar rate to naturally occurring woody
debris accumulations that were used as references.
The second part of this project is examining the restoration of instream and riparian habitats in the Murray River between Lake Hume and Lake Mulwala. This is a joint # # program between the CRCFE, DSE, NSW DPI, NSW # # # # # DIPNR, NECMA and MDBC. To date a restoration plan ##
# # # # # # # # # and monitoring strategy have been prepared in anticipation # # # # # # # ## # # # ## # # # # # # # # # # ## # # # # # ## # # # # # # # # # of works commencing in the 05/06 financial year. The ### # # # # ## ## # # ### ## ## # # # # # # # # # ### # # # # # ## # # # # #### ### # # # # # # # # # # ## # # # # ## # # # # # # # ## # ## # ## # # # # ## ## # # # # # # project is being implemented under an adaptive # # # # ### # #### ### # ## # # #### # # ##### # # # # # # # # # ######## # ## # ## # # # # # # # ## # # # # # # ## # # # # # # # ### ### ###### # # # # # # # # # # # # # ### ## ### ## # # # ## # # ## ### # ## # management framework and the project is now entering # # # ##### # # # # #### # # # ## # # # ## # the second review cycle within this framework were the # # ### # ## stakeholders are reassessing their learning and restoration goals. Distribution of foxes (grey shading) and location of control operations in 2003 (electronic distribution supplied by Targeted Water Management Strategies ERIN, DEH Canberra). Yellow dots represent those operations with production values being the only objective Unregulated systems do not have large water controlling and red dots those operations with either a conservation or threatened species objective. Figure compiled by Eve structures such as dams and weirs. However, large McDonald-Madden. volumes of the total water volume in some unregulated catchments are extracted for off-stream use. In many systems, major extractions occur in summer, which may The field of wildlife management has been strongly extend the duration and frequency of summer low flow criticised for its heavy reliance on information generated conditions, potentially resulting in significant ecological from descriptive studies and its slow adoption of stress. experimental design to examine the effects of
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Project summaries
Whilst a number of studies have investigated the impacts of large dams and river regulation on large Australian river ecosystems, studies on the effects of extractions on small upland streams are few.
The aim of this case-study project was to investigate the ecological effect of extracting water during summer from unregulated streams by experimentally manipulating replicated reaches. A range of biological indicators were measured including: available habitat, biofilm, water quality and macroinvertebrate richness and abundance. This project will aid in the quantification of ecological impacts caused by water extraction and will lead to improved knowledge and management of these flow stressed systems.
Impact of Regulators on Fish Passage in the Barmah- Millewa Forest
Provision of fish passage to off-channel habitats is an important aspect of restoring the ecology of wetland systems and has been highlighted under the Native Fish Measuring stream velocity for the diversion Management Strategy and the Living Murray initiative. experiment. Photo: Shanaugh McKay. There are however, many significant barriers to off- channel habitats and major anabranches along the Murray
River mainstem. Safe passage of native fish to and from wetland systems along the Murray River, such as the Barmah-Millewa forest, is likely to play a significant role in Salinity, climate change and other threats maintaining healthy native fish populations. Wetlands, Biodiversity and Salt
A multidisciplinary team of researchers are targeting a In light of this, ARI was contracted by the Barmah-Millewa range of wetlands along a salinity gradient in some of Forum to investigate the impacts of flow regulating Victorias NAP priority regions to identify threshold salinity structures on fish in the Barmah-Millewa forest. The aim levels associated with major declines in biodiversity and of the investigation was to highlight specific problems changes in ecological function. Processes by which associated with regulators and fish passage, and to salinisation influences ecological structure and function will identify possible management/operational/structural be targeted further in intensive investigation of selected changes to minimise impacts on native fish populations wetlands and associated experiments. This project within the Barmah-Millewa forest. commenced in August 2003 and involves substantial
stakeholder engagement. To address these aims, boat electrofishing, t-bar tagging and netting were used in combination with pumping out Representatives from CMAs, DSE and DPI, Parks Victoria, stagnant pools of both regulated and unregulated sites. Water authorities, local councils, Greening Australia and Results indicated that both large and small native fish community groups were invited to consultation workshops utilise offstream anabranches of the Barmah-Millewa held in each of the six NAP regions in May and June 2004. forest, and that fish will move into the Murray River The aims of the workshops were to get broad input into the mainstem upon receding flows, if the waterway is project, to identify stakeholder perceptions and concerns, unregulated. In contrast, closure of regulated waterways and to make the project relevant to on-ground (i.e. Gulf Creek) resulted in stranding of many native fish. management. Feedback from the workshops is currently A series of recommendations for regulator operation have being incorporated into the research and communication been formulated to minimise stranding of native fish in strategy, and a series of fact sheets are being revised and offstream areas. Some involve management/operational will be lodged on this website shortly. More information, changes while others are structurally orientated. Adoption including fact sheets, can be found on the ARI website. of some or all of the recommendations will help to maintain healthy fish populations.
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Project summaries
Sustainable Grazing in Saline Lands (SGSL) The purpose of the project is to develop and demonstrate Funded by the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water profitable and sustainable options for grazing systems on Quality and the National Heritage Trust, this project saline land that have positive environmental and social involves: impacts. The project will operate across the four southern • compiling various sources of information to produce a mainland states (Vic, SA, WA and NSW) with the Victorian database of the salt tolerance of Victorian organisms; site located at Dunkeld, Western Victoria. ARI will be • developing modelling tools and decision-frameworks involved with the Victorian site only. ARI became involved for assessing the risks of salinity on selected in the project in April 2004 and will examine the organisms; relationships between biodiversity and ecosystem function • exploring alternative techniques to predicting the salt and agricultural production in salt-land pasture systems. tolerance of organisms, such as using a vital Landscape functional analysis has been undertaken at the attributes approach, where particular features about site and a series of other biodiversity measures will be an organism (eg whether it lays soft or hard shelled recorded. eggs) may affect its ability to survive in salty systems; • producing case studies and examples of the To date, pasture, animal and biodiversity information has application of these models and approaches; and been gathered at the site. Milestone reports have been • linking the outcomes of this project with similar completed when required. The project will conclude in projects and salinity management tools. June 2006, although funding will be sought to enable further understanding of emergent trends. Expected An extensive consultation process with regional outcomes include the development of bet-bet management stakeholders and an external review of the initial stage of systems using trialled pasture species to optimise the project have been completed; the results of which are profitability and sustainability of saline land and a greater being used to refine the modelling approach taken. The understanding of the relationship between biodiversity, next stages of the project involve the collection and sustainability and productivity in these systems. compilation of salt sensitivity information, including researching targeted case studies, and the production of refined Salt Impact Models. More information, including fact sheets, can be found on the ARI website.
Impacts of Increased Salinity on the Flora of Temporary Freshwater Wetlands
Salt is part of the Australian landscape, but secondary salinity, or salinisation due to land use impacts by people, is of increasing concern. Wetlands, as low areas in the landscape, are particularly vulnerable to increased salinity levels through the direct effects of high water tables, saline run-off and through saline water management regimes. Although wetland plants are particularly sensitive to increases in salinity, current knowledge is inadequate to predict the extent and magnitude of the likely impacts of Landscape Function Analysis of saline grazing site in western rising salt levels on wetland flora. Victoria. Photo: M. MacCaskill. The primary objective of this study is to identify salinity Assessing the Risks of Salinity on Biodiversity levels that threaten the floristic biodiversity of temporary freshwater wetlands and to therefore provide information A range of published and unpublished data exists on the which will lead to improved management of these systems salt tolerance of Victorias plants and animals. This in increasingly saline environments. information can be used to develop quantitative Salt
Impact Models that predict the effects of increasing salinity The study has focussed on assessing the impact of salinity on the biodiversity of a particular area. The use of these on the plant communities of shallow freshwater wetlands models has two major aims: 1) to reduce the subjectivity in of the Victorian Riverina, a region at risk of worsening decision making; and 2) to provide a framework for secondary salinisation. Four glasshouse experiments incorporating estimates of uncertainty into assessments of have been completed, evaluating salinity impacts on plant the risks of salinisation on particular plants and animals. emergence, growth, reproduction and community
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Project summaries
structure. Lethal or sub-lethal effects on all species were and experimental work for the NAP funded project Critical clearly evident and analyses are also revealing strong Relationships between Salinity Solutions and Wetland community effects. For example, in experiments Biodiversity, which aims to provide an understanding of the investigating the effect of salinity on the emergence of interaction between salinisation, management and wetland species from seed-banks, emergence decreased as biodiversity. salinity increased above 3000 mg/L (the upper limit of fresh water). Individual species response varied widely. Modelling the Potential Effects of Climate Change upon Victorian Plant Communities Some taxa germinated in all treatment salinities though in reduced numbers at the higher salinities. Others showed Over the last two years DSE has undertaken a series of a very marked decline in germination above 3000 mg/L. pilot studies on the potential effects of climate-warming Some were only common in very fresh water (50 mg/L). upon selected Victorian plant species and vegetation These findings imply that even small increases in salinity communities. Peter Griffioen of Acromap Pty. Ltd. has are likely to impact plant communities. been contracted to provide computational support for these studies, and has been instrumental in the development of DSEs capacity to deliver this type of research. Work conducted in this area was completed in consultation with Dr. Roger Jones, CSIRO Atmospheric Research, Aspendale.
The first phase of this project in 2001 – 2002 created a series climate surfaces that covered Victoria that could be used within the ANUCLIM suite of software. These climate surfaces incorporated a combination of different climate scenarios (i.e. different levels of global warming modelled using several different global and regional climate models) from 1990 to 2100. The utility of this data was that it allowed, for the first time, a modelling approach to examine the likely changes to bio-climates (i.e. surrogates of the distribution of individual species) of several different plant species/communities. This work was essentially proof-of-concept in its nature, but was successful in identifying the practicality of the approach, as well as identifying areas where the approach can be improved.
In the second phase of this work (2000 - 2003) the Keely Ough assesses a freshwater wetland for salinity increase. Photo: R. McClure. approach was broadened to cover the whole of the Australian continent, and a broader suite of species. Other At this stage analyses of growth and reproductive capacity approaches to modelling the distribution of biota through at increased salinity are preliminary, but do indicate even time continue to be investigated, and refinements to the stronger responses. Sublethal effects such as cessation modelling approaches are currently being made. Overall, of flower production were marked for most species at the outputs from this work enable land managers to view salinities above 2000 mg/L, which has implications for the the environmental conditions of the future and what biota long-term persistence of these taxa at slightly elevated these conditions might support. In this way informed salinity. Whereas previous experimental studies have decisions can be made for the practical long-term focussed primarily on a few emergent macrophytes, this conservation of Victorias plants and animals. study takes a community approach, and data will be used Fox Adaptive Experimental Management (AEM) to develop a model of whole plant community responses to increases salinity. The Fox AEM project was initiated in 2001/02 and is being conducted in partnership by Parks Victoria and ARI. This The outcomes will help determine management regimes project arose from a need to improve fox management. and saline water release programs that minimise salt This is the first time such an approach has been used in damage to wetlands and be of benefit to wetland Australia to manage for a conservation outcome. restoration and rehabilitation programs. Results are The main objectives of the Fox AEM project are to currently being used in the planning and design of field measure the effectiveness and efficiency of different fox
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Project summaries
Vulpes vulpes control strategies in protecting and brown bandicoots) responded positively to the fox control, enhancing biodiversity values at risk from fox predation. It although this response was inconsistent, as it did not occur will also assess the effectiveness of the AEM approach for for all species at all sites. However we cannot directly large-scale pest management. There are six park involved relate these differences to treatment effect due to a lack of in the project; Coopracambra National Park, Eumerralla any available data on pre-treatment control levels of Coastal Park, Grampians National Park, Hattah-Kulkyne predators or native mammals, non-randomisation of the National Park, Little Desert National Park, and Wilsons treatments, and small sample sizes. There are a number Promontory National Park. of alternative and plausible hypothesis that could explain the observed results. This highlights the need for Results from the fox baiting programs to date indicate that management to carefully consider the information needed continuous control operations over large areas are more to assess the success of programs before they are likely to suppress fox numbers (as measured by bait take implemented. and fox activity indices) than seasonal or short-term operations over small areas. Detailed monitoring protocols for species at risk from fox predation were implemented in 2003/04. Results indicated that target species were present (in low numbers) at all parks. Increased communication and awareness of monitoring designs within Parks Victoria and the application of the adaptive management approach to other wildlife management issues are additional outcomes from this project.
Predator Initiative: Project Deliverance
Project Deliverance was initiated several years ago by the Orbost Region as a large-scale research project aimed at monitoring the response of medium-sized mammal Robyn Corm (Parks Victoria, right) with a volunteer species in forested habitat to the control of foxes. Study processing a long-nosed bandicoot (in cloth bag) captured sites were located in three areas in coastal heath and cool in Coopracambra National Park. Photo: Alan Robley. temperate rainforest in East Gippsland, Victoria. Mundulla Yellows In 2002/03, ARI undertook sand plot and hair tube monitoring to assess the relative levels of fox activity and Mundulla Yellows is a condition affecting trees and other detection rates of medium-sized mammals respectively on plants, characterised by distinctive yellowing of the foliage, the treated (fox control) and non-treated (no fox control) often followed by death. Its cause is unknown. The sites. Sand plots consisted of sand spread across the objective of this broad project is to determine the cause of breadth of forest vehicle tracks, placed 1km apart. Fox Mundulla Yellows. This is a collaborative study involving activity was measured by monitoring the plots for paw pathologists, microbiologists and botanists, lead by Dr Jo prints. Over 200 sand plots were established in total Luck, DPI, Knoxfield. ARIs involvement was to briefly across the study areas. Six hundred ground-based hair investigate the spatial and taxonomic distribution of tubes were deployed within each study area, which Mundulla Yellows-like symptoms in an area of remnant detected several mammal species including Long-nosed woodland at Desert Camp, South Australia. This Bandicoot Perameles nasuta, Southern Brown Bandicoot information may provide insights into the conditions that Isoodon obesulus and Long-nosed Potoroo Potorous favour the development and spread of Mundulla Yellows. tridactylus. It was found that many species of plants, across many Sand plot data indicates that the program has been taxonomic groups displayed Mundulla Yellows-like successful in reducing fox activity on sites treated for fox symptoms. While no taxonomic pattern could be control compared to sites that have not be treated. There observed, it was noted that long-lived plants with is also evidence to suggest that the fox control program substantial root systems were most affected. Preliminary reduced wild dog activity. observations also suggest that Mundulla Yellow-like symptoms are most pronounced in areas close to clearing Results of the hair tube study indicate that some medium- or disturbance, and in areas of slightly heavier, less sandy sized mammal species (long-nosed potoroos and southern soil. These observations are consistent with the hypotheses that Mundulla Yellows is caused or influenced
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Project summaries
by soil characteristics, or by a pathogen with an extremely landscape questions and choose the right analytical broad host range which takes a long time to cause visible process or model to answer them. symptoms. ARIs component of this project is essentially complete, and our observations have been reported to In February 2004, ARI staff assisted in the organisation of other scientists working on the project. a symposium on New dimensions in planning agricultural landscapes in Ballarat. It had three broad objectives. Firstly to provide an opportunity to examine future Sustainability in rural and urban landscapes agricultural landscapes in Victoria with consideration of Melbourne 2030 - Biodiversity Opportunities and possible scenarios involving changes in climate, land use Constraints suitability, development of new crops and varieties and the influence of global markets. Secondly to consider the In the next 30 years, Melbourne will grow by up to one availability of frameworks to assist with analysis of the million people and potentially by up to 620,000 additional implications of future landscape scenarios for agricultural households. Planning for this growth involves among production, provision of ecosystem services, native many other considerations an assessment of the biodiversity and society as a whole. Finally it endeavoured biodiversity assets (our flora, fauna and natural systems) to examine how we might plan for these changes through within and on the fringes of the existing urban area. ARI consideration of optimal and desirable trade-offs. The has been engaged by DSEs Melbourne 2030 symposium involved over 80 people and included Implementation Strategy Branch, to undertake strategic researchers from Australian and overseas. biodiversity assessments of the Wyndham and Casey-
Cardinia Growth Areas. A collaborative research program is being developed by
staff at ARI through ORL 1with other researchers at The objective of this project is to collate all available Monash, Deakin, RMIT and Melbourne Universities. A biological information and undertake targeted surveys in recent outcome has been the funding of a large ARC poorly known areas. Consult widely with relevant linkage grant with RMIT and that includes ARI staff as ecologists who have local knowledge or specialist advice partner researchers. relevant to species or communities. Modelling will be undertaken to summarise and integrate disparate data Increasing Biodiversity in Eucalypt Plantations sources and types culminating in a landscape scale map product detailing and ranking biodiversity patterns and This 5-year project commenced in 2003, and is funded by values. This will assist in the evaluation of development the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation scenarios, as well as, help to protect and manage the in partnership with DSE and DPI. It seeks to develop biodiversity assets into the future as Melbourne grows. appropriate designs for enhancing biodiversity values in commercial eucalypt plantations. The project will help Our Rural Landscapes Initiative describe the scope for increasing biodiversity values of eucalypt plantations under a range of management Our Rural Landscapes (ORL) is an initiative (2003-2007) scenarios, including those where commercial return is the funded through State Innovation funds to the Department primary objective. It will also help fill a major gap in of Primary Industries (DPI). Staff at ARI are involved with knowledge about the potential of eucalypt plantations to Key Project 1: Our Agricultural Environments. The support different elements of biodiversity. following two sub-projects within this Key Project, 1.1 Our
Landscape and 1.4 Our Biodiversity are the focus for ARI. Through this initiative important linkages between DPI agricultural and spatial scientists, DSE ecological scientists, and ecologists in Victorian Universities are being established in order to investigate biodiversity futures in Victorian rural landscapes.
ORL - New Dimensions in Planning Agricultural Landscapes
This sub-project aims to provide a framework to navigate the complex area of current and future landscape issues – the where and what if this goes there questions. Also it aims to help decision makers in rural Victoria refine the
A 5-year-old eucalypt plantation in Grenville, Victoria. Photo: Ed McNabb.
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Project summaries
be very widespread with preliminary analysis showing the majority sites having at least 3 species. One round of This will be useful in informing policy decisions about an hairtubing (North-east sites only) has recorded few important change in land-use that affects large portions of mammals. These include brushtail possum Trichosurus the rural landscape. spp, black wallaby Wallabia bicolor, wombat Vombatus ursinus, cat Felis catus and cattle Bos taurus. Agile There are two main components to the research. Both antechinus Antechinus agilis was detected at one forest involve standard surveys, at various times, of diurnal birds, site and one plantation site. owls (call play-back), arboreal mammals (spotlighting), bats (ultrasonic detection), small mammals (hair-tubing) Ecological Sustainable Agricultural Initiative (ESAI) and habitat variables. One is an experimental trial of The Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (ESAI) different configurations of planting understorey shrub projects were established in 2001 and are focused on species among the eucalypts. Five experimental sites enhancing biodiversity outcomes in agricultural have been established in north-east Victoria, each with landscapes. The Initiative is a joint venture between The three configurations of understorey planting and a control Department of Primary Industries and DSE. with just eucalypts. These have been surveyed for diurnal birds and bats. The second component is a retrospective ESAI - Grazing for Biodiversity and Profit study of eucalypt plantations established at least five years previously. Altogether 58 sites have been studied in North- This “eco-rich grazing” project aims to examine methods of east Victoria and 30 sites in central western Victoria. managing native pastures in two bioregions of Victoria, These 88 sites include 59 in eucalypt plantations, 18 in Victorian Volcanic Plains and Victorian Riverina, in order to remnant forest and 11 in cleared pasture. increase their native plant species component. In 2003 data were collected from three experimental grazing sites The majority of plantations are monocultures, with blue on farms on the basalt plains. The aim of this study is to gum Eucalyptus globulus the most common tree species. trial a grazing management technique, referred to as Other eucalypts used include shinning gum and to a lesser pasture resting, to enhance habitat opportunities for native degree, river red gum E. camaldulensis and ironbark E. biodiversity. Pasture resting excludes sheep from pasture tricarpa. Results to date show that forest birds were at strategic periods of the year in order to promote an almost as abundant in plantations as they were in forest increase or decrease in the abundance of particular while open country birds favoured the pasture sites but groups of species. In 2002 six replicated treatments were sometimes roosted in plantations. Bark foragers such as established in an open communal design on each of the treecreepers and shrike-tits strongly favoured forest sites farms. The treatments were (1) Spring close (2) summer where the older trees provide loose bark. Canopy close (3) spring and summer close (4) winter close (5) insectivore numbers were similar in plantations to numbers always open (6) always closed. Data are being gathered in forest. High numbers of nectarivores were counted in a on plant species richness and cover, feed-on-offer and plantation where trees were flowering but were generally sward height. less abundant in plantations than in forest. Open ground insectivores such as flame robins Petroica phoenicea favoured pasture but were occasionally observed roosting in plantations. Interestingly, higher numbers of shrub- foraging insectivores including brown thornbills Sericornis frontalis and white-browed scrubwrens Sericornis frontalis were observed in plantations than in forest, often foraging amongst leafy prunings. Introduced birds were significantly less abundant in plantations than in forest or pasture.
The more common sightings include grey fantails Rhipidura fuliginosa, brown thornbills, superb fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus and yellow-faced honeyeaters Lichenostomus chrysops. In contrast, white-throated Plant survey in native pasture on the Western Basalt Plains. treecreepers Cormobates leucophaeus and red-browed Photo: Josh Dorrough. treecreepers Climacteris erythrops have been recorded on only 6 and 2 occasions respectively. Bats have proven to
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Project summaries
In the Riverina, a novel grazier innovation to restore native value to bats, even the smallest remnant, roadside and vegetation, enhance ecosystem function and maintain single paddock tree. In contrast, open paddocks devoid of stable farm production was investigated. The specific trees had significantly lower levels of bat activity and a aims of the project are to (1) increase knowledge of roles different species composition, highlighting the importance played by summer-active native vegetation in ecosystem of trees in the rural landscape as foraging habitat for bats. function (2) determine cost-effective methods for restoration of summer-active native vegetation and (3) Roost sites are a key habitat requirement for bats and may investigate the feasibility of over-cropping restored native be a limiting resource in highly modified environments. vegetation with cereals. Various bluebush species have Roosting ecology was examined for the lesser long-eared been sown under different densities of wheat. Results to bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi and Goulds wattled bat date indicate that the density of wheat does not affect Chalinolobus gouldii using radio-tracking technology. A initial establishment of bluebush. Further, bluebush total of 376 roosts were located in two study areas with establishment is dependent on bare ground at time of contrasting tree cover. The first study area incorporated germination and this may be aided by crash grazing remnant vegetation in farmland and adjacent extensive immediately prior to site preparation. floodplain forest (Barmah Forest); while the second study area consisted only of small remnants within farmland. This work was the stimulus for an Honours project Both species were highly selective in the location of their conducted at La Trobe University on Plant community roosts in the landscape, in roost-site selection and in change and species persistence in a cultivated landscape, roosting behaviour, and responded differently to differing Northern Plains, Victoria, Australia. levels of roost availability. Goulds wattled bats predominantly used dead spouts in large, live trees for ESAI - Protection of Threatened Species in the roosting while lesser long-eared bats used a broader Agricultural Landscape range of roost sites such as under bark and in fissures, The long-term objective of this project is to influence with males in particular also using anthropogenic agricultural practices for the benefit and conservation of structures. threatened species primarily restricted to agricultural land. Two threatened species have been studied, including the nationally threatened Cullen parvum (small scurf-pea) and Eucalyptus strzeleckii (Strzelecki gum). Cullen parvum occurs in Western (Basalt) Plains Grassland and Eucalyptus strzeleckii occurs in the high rainfall region of the Gippsland Plain Bioregion in south-eastern Victoria. It is likely that grazing by livestock other agricultural development has led to declines in the abundance and distribution of these taxa.
Insectivorous bats in rural environments
Lindy Lumsden has completed a PhD study (through Remnant trees in cleared farmland are important to the Deakin University) investigating the ecology and Lesser Long-eared Bat. Photo: Lindy Lumsden. conservation of insectivorous bats in a rural landscape (the Northern Plains of Victoria), with particular focus on Insectivorous bats appear to be less severely affected than foraging and roosting requirements. This increased some other faunal groups by habitat fragmentation and knowledge will assist in the formulation of policy and land-use change. However, these animals are management decisions to ensure the long-term survival of fundamentally dependent on trees for roosting and bats in such altered environments. foraging, and so are vulnerable to habitat loss and ongoing rural tree decline. Protection of the remaining large old Thirteen species of insectivorous bats were recorded trees and measures to ensure regeneration to provide across the region by sampling at 184 sites, ranging from ongoing replacement of hollow-bearing trees through time large blocks (> 200 ha) to small isolated remnants (< 5 ha) are critical to ensure the long-term conservation of bats in and scattered trees in cleared farm paddocks. There was rural landscapes. no significant difference between remnant types in the relative abundance of bat species, in species richness, level of bat activity or in the composition of bat assemblages at study sites. All native vegetation has
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Project summaries
Land Water and Wool / Land and Water Australia Farm analysed and will be documented in a report due out Businesses and Biodiversity shortly. This project is investigating farm business implications of and opportunities for managing and enhancing native biodiversity on livestock grazing properties in central Victoria. The landscapes where the research is being undertaken were originally dominated by grassy forest and woodland vegetation. This vegetation has largely been cleared for livestock grazing and crops although substantial areas of vegetation with varying value for native biodiversity still persist. Part of the research program has involved unravelling those factors that underlie the current spatial distribution of remaining native vegetation and describing those factors contributing to variations in composition and quality. This has required detailed, stratified surveys at over 500 sites and across 18 farms in central Victoria. Research has also examined the Electrofishing to sample fish communities in the lower extent to which natural regeneration can contribute to Goulburn River. Photo: Wayne Koster. future tree cover in these landscapes. Options to enhance native vegetation on farms are also being explored through empirical and deterministic modelling. Vegetation Condition – Further Development
Recent LWA publications outlining the project aims and Many of Victorias vegetation types have been extensively recent findings can be downloaded from the publications cleared; particularly those embedded within the more areas of the Land and Water Australia website: arable lands, or on the urban fringe. The retention of native www.lwa.gov.au vegetation (both quality and quantity) is therefore a serious issue for Victoria’s ecological sustainability. Measuring vegetation quantity or extent (i.e. area) is a simple task that can be easily achieved at a local scale. In contrast, Techniques for measuring biodiversity determining the quality or condition of native vegetation is Development of an Index of Wetland Condition in considered much more difficult. The habitat hectares Victoria system was therefore developed by staff from ARI and Wetlands form a significant part of the Australian other departments within DSE as an objective approach to landscape and provide valuable environmental, social and assessing the condition or quality of vegetation relative to economic values. The condition our wetlands across the natural conditions. However, more research was required state is largely unknown. This project is developing to determine the accuracy, repeatability and relevance of methods for the rapid assessment of wetland condition. the method. The Index of Wetland Condition will be composed of components considered to be universal wetland features The objective of the project was the ongoing refinement of such as wetland soils, biotic communities and hydrology. the habitat hectares approach, with particular emphasis on A fact sheet, presentations and reports can be found on determining the variation in component base estimates the ARI website. between observers, the effects of these variations on component score, and the relationship between Surveys of Fish Communities in the Lower Goulburn component scores and faunal biodiversity. The results River would then be used to propose additional refinements to As part of the Victorian Recreational Fishing Grants the habitat-hectare protocols to improve its accuracy and Program 2002/03, a study has commenced to obtain utility. baseline data on fish populations in the Goulburn River below Lake Nagambie for the Goulburn Valley Association This research project determined that there was a of Angling Clubs. The aims to investigate seasonal and relationship between faunal richness or diversity and the annual variation in fish populations, recruitment from measured state of most of the components, thereby stocking programs and natural breeding, and the status of broadly supporting the validity of the components (as pest species and endangered native species. The results fauna habitat predictors) that underpin the habitat-hectare of the first nine months of the study are currently being system. The proportionate contribution of each habitat
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Project summaries
component to overall faunal richness, and the optimum The use of filtration paddocks for sewage treatment is also weighting in terms of contribution to total score, were not changing and these are surveyed for waterbirds. In precisely determined, but no overwhelming reasons were particular, large numbers of ibis, swans and Australian found to alter them. shelduck congregate on the paddocks at certain times of the year. In 2003/04 peak number of ibis (5714) were The results suggested that there was a degree of volatility recorded in April, with the largest flock consisting of 980 inherent in the scoring system that led individual observers straw-necked ibis Threskiornis spinicollis. to alternately overestimate or underestimate scores at different sites. This was of concern, given the important implications for contingent planning decisions. The three components of concern that contributed most to observer variation were Understorey, Weeds and Recruitment, and together these make up 50% of the total habitat-hectare score. A revision of the component scoring was recommended to reduce the amplitudes of scoring fluctuations. A comprehensive report recommending revisions was completed in October 2003. An internal seminar was also given at ARI that month.
Waterbird Numbers at the Western Treatment Plant
ARI conducts a regular program to monitor numbers of A lagoon at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee. Photo: Kym waterbirds at the Melbourne Water Western Treatment Saunders. Plant, a Ramsar-listed wetland south of Werribee. This 11,000 ha property is one of two main sewage treatment Shorebird counts revealed average numbers of most of the facilities for Melbourne, and it contains an array of natural usual migratory species with the exception of curlew and artificial wetlands and filtration paddocks that attract sandpiper Calidris ferruginea, which has been declining in vast numbers of waterbirds, especially during droughts recent years at many coastal sites in Australia. A detailed when many wetlands in inland southern Australia are dry. study has commenced on the movements of migratory The ARI monitoring program focuses on waterfowl, shorebirds between natural and artificial habitats at and shorebirds (including thousands of migratory shorebirds near the WTP. The movements of 15 red-necked stints that nest in Arctic Asia), ibis, terns and cormorants. Calidris ruficollis were plotted using radio-tracking in the early months of the year. Upgrades in sewage treatment processes are currently being implemented which may alter physiological The Vegetation of North West Victoria parameters such as water quality. Waterfowl densities on the lagoon system are recorded bimonthly to track Over the last 15 years, Victoria’s vegetation has been changes. These changes will then be related to natural progressively described and mapped employing a events and weather patterns, and to changes in water universal typological framework – the Ecological quality and nutrient levels on selected ponds. Numbers of Vegetation Class (EVC). In 2002 the vegetation of north- waterfowl in 2003-04 were truly impressive, and the total west Victoria was the last area of the State yet to be count reached 97,500 in March 2004. High counts for comprehensively described and mapped employing the particular species included 23,800 hoary-headed grebes EVC approach. In 2002 and 2003 Mallee, Wimmera and Poliocephalus poliocephalus, 6,300 Australasian shoveler North-Central Catchment Management Authorities Anas rhynchotis, 595 freckled ducks Stictonetta naevosa engaged botanists from ARI, and its consortium partners and 19 Cape Barren geese Cereopsis novaehollandiae in Ecology Australia Pty Ltd and Spatial Vision Pty Ltd to March; 9,100 Australian shelduck Tadorna tadornoides, complete the Statewide EVC mapping. The task was to 9,700 hardhead Aythya australis and 2,700 whiskered describe and map the remnant native vegetation on public terns Chlidonias hybridus in January; and 31,000 pink- and private land and model or reconstruct the pre- eared ducks Malacorhynchus membranaceus and 8,600 European vegetation across the vast tracts of cleared crop blue-billed ducks Oxyura australis in May. A northern and pastureland. The project spanned an area of over 2 shoveler Anas clypeata (a rare vagrant from the northern 60,000 km (approximately 6 million hectares) hemisphere) was seen in May 2004. encompassing the extensive plains of the Wimmera and Riverina and the varied dunefields of the Mallee.
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Project summaries
Several techniques were employed in this project including GPS is used to navigate to the start point, and the extensive sampling and analysis of vegetation and soils sampling line follows a randomly selected compass data and the use of remotely sensed data such as satellite bearing. Each sampling line consists of 30 3.14 m2 circular imagery, radiometric data, terrain models and climatic data plots spaced at 5 m intervals. The index of abundance is to predict vegetation patterns prior to European settlement. the mean number of pellet groups per plot per sampling Historical sources including survey plans, early settler and line. This protocol has achieved a mean estimate with a explorer accounts were also used to assist in modelling coefficient of variation (CV) of ≤25% in most situations it the pre-settlement vegetation. Workshops were also held has been applied to in both New Zealand and Australia. If in the Mallee CMA, Wimmera CMA and North-Central a smaller CV is desired then the number of sampling lines CMA for landholders and relevant land management should be increased. bodies, to discuss aims and methods of the project and gain useful local information on past and present The next stage of the project involves comparing the vegetation patterns. abundance estimates from the protocol with known densities of deer. This is being done by applying the Over the last 15 years ARI has played a seminal role in protocol on deer farms and safari parks in both New documenting the diversity and distribution of Victorias Zealand and Victoria. This stage is expected to be indigenous vegetation. In the recent past, major completed in June 2005. vegetation description and mapping projects have been completed by ARI staff across Victoria and New South Native Vegetation Information Project Wales including the Box Ironbark region, Port Phillip and Ecological Vegetation Classes (EVCs) are the main tool Westernport catchment, the Grampians, Wilsons used by the Department in classifying and mapping native Promontory, NSW Riverina, North East Victoria, East and vegetation in Victoria. An EVC consists of one or more West Gippsland, Victorian and NSW Alpine regions, and floristic communities that exist under a common regime of the Otway Ranges. ecological processes within a particular environment. ARI
Estimating the Abundance of Wild Deer has been involved over the past few years in mapping and describing over 300 EVCs across the state as part of This three-year project is funded by the New Zealand various regional planning processes including Environment Department of Conservation. The aim is to identify the Conservation Council Investigations and Regional Forest optimal sampling design for estimating the abundance of Assessments and more recently for clients such as the deer faecal pellet groups, and to evaluate the form of the Mallee, Wimmera and North-Central Catchment relationship between the resulting index and the true Management Authorities. In partnership with DSEs abundance of deer. Data collected in pilot studies in both Biodiversity and Natural Resources Group ARI is New Zealand and Victoria have been used to develop a developing a Statewide EVC descriptive progressively sampling protocol for estimating the relative abundance of completing and curating attribute information and revising deer. existing EVC typology and mapping.
To determine general vegetation/habitat quality, DSE has introduced the habitat hectare assessment as part of the Native Management Framework in which native vegetation is assessed by comparing it to an EVC benchmark. ARI has been involved in preparing these Bioregional EVC benchmarks which will also be used as baseline data for incorporation into the Australia-wide Native Vegetation Information System Framework. One of the main purposes of the NVIS Framework is to resolve differences across administrative and program boundaries to provide comparable and consistent vegetation data Australia-wide.
Recording the number of wild deer pellets. Photo: Ryan Modelling the Condition of Native Vegetation across Chick. Northern Victoria
Native vegetation has until now been represented in maps The protocol involves randomly locating start points for a of its extent (i.e. its coverage across the landscape), and minimum of 30 sampling lines within the area of interest. A type (eg. broad vegetation type, ecological vegetation
28 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Project summaries
classes EVCs, etc.). Increasingly Governments and other accurately assessing ecological requirements, and bodies are required to demonstrate their compliance with developing effectively planned and scientifically based policies and legislative requirements that relate to native management programs, anchored in a sound knowledge vegetation. The Victorian Governments Native Vegetation base. This project directly addresses the Commonwealth Framework extends the required knowledge base and priorities under the Environment Protection and representation of native vegetation beyond just extent and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to identify, type, and incorporates the notion of condition. list and develop recovery plans for threatened species & communities, and the State priority to improve stewardship In 2003-2004 the Northern Victorian Catchment of land and protect endangered species and ecosystems. Management Authorities engaged ARI and its business partner Acromap Pty Ltd to undertake research towards In 2003-04 staff prepared new or revised recovery plans the development of a spatially explicit model of vegetation for 32 plant species and 1 plant community (Buloke condition as per the habitat hectare scoring approach woodlands) occurring in Victoria, New South Wales, developed within Victoria. Assessments of condition were Tasmania and South Australia. This involved conducting made at a total of 3449 sites within extant native more than 100 site assessments, identifying threats to vegetation across the northern part of Victoria which populations, determining the research and management covered a total area of approximately 9 million hectares, actions necessary for their survival and recovery, and which equates to approximately 40% of the Victorian regular consultation with land managers and the landmass. Data was collected at 2182 of these sites community. This brings the total number of plant species during this project. A total of 13 mapped (i.e. GIS and covered by recovery plans prepared by ARI staff during remote-sensed data) variables were used to create the last few years to 124. statistical models of the habitat hectare scores. These input variables to the model of vegetation condition included data such as vegetation type, geology, climate, tree density, etc. Several other input data sources were created specifically for this project, and included new metrics in the degree of fragmentation of native vegetation, and classifications of land use that were developed from Landsat satellite imagery.
The final map outputs of this work are available across the majority of the Mallee, North-Central, Goulburn-Broken and North-East CMAs, and will be used for identification of conservation assets and the prioritisation of future conservation and restoration activities on a broad scale. This product is considered unique, particularly at such a large landscape scale, and it is anticipated that future improvements in data quality and additional habitat hectare assessments will continue to improve the utility and availability of these types of models and maps in the future.
A recovery plan was prepared for this nationally Threatened species and communities threatened orchid, Prasophyllum niphopedium. Photo: Michael Duncan. Threatened Flora Species and Communities
Numerous plant species and communities are at risk, ARI has also been involved in the implementation of resulting from changes to native habitat caused directly or recovery plans for a selection of threatened species. This indirectly by human activity. Securing the future of many included conducting demographic censusing, developing of these species is dependent upon developing and and implementing threat abatement measures (e.g. caging implementing a range of management and conservation plants to remove grazing), co-supervision of honours and measures in a planned, cohesive manner. The threatened postgraduate students, and provision of scientific advice to flora species and communities project aims to recover regional state across the state. In addition, staff members populations of threatened species in Victoria through have attended and presented papers on the Threatened
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 29
Project summaries
Flora Species and Communities project at the 2nd hindering effective management or the mitigation of International Orchid Conservation Congress in Sarasota, threatening processes. Florida in May 2004, and the International Orchid Workshop in Haapsalu, Estonia in June 2004. All five Recovery Plans identify the need for survey and monitoring programs to clarify distribution and status of Powerful Owls – Mt Evelyn populations, increase knowledge of biology and ecology, clarify the impact of known and potential threats and to ARI assisted Melbourne Water Corporation in early 2003 reduce the impact of these threats, and actions to increase on the eradication of willows along Olinda Creek. A awareness of the species within the wider community. resident family of powerful owls Ninox strenua Draft plans have been produced and circulated for were known to roost in the shady creek-side willows comment. during hot weather and concerns were held that removal of the willows might force the owls out of the area. The There is limited information available for the stuttering frog favoured willow roosts were identified and stem-injected (also known as the southern barred frog). There are only with herbicide rather than felled. This was to allow the a few, dated records from Victoria, and patchy records owls to continue roosting in them throughout summer. The from New South Wales. Recent visits to many known dead trees were removed in early 2004 and the area localities have failed to record any individuals. The Alpine replanted with suitable indigenous vegetation. Tree Frog is known to occur within alpine regions of
Victoria, Canberra and New South Wales. It has declined One of the owls, a sub-adult, was radio tracked for four from the higher altitude areas within its range, from both weeks until it dispersed in March 2003. This assisted the highly modified and pristine habitats. The growling grass monitoring of the owl family as well as providing new frog has a wider distribution than the other two frog information on the little-known pre-dispersal behaviour of species, occurring across much of Victoria, and from the species. The owls have subsequently been monitored south-east South Australia to southern New South Wales over two breeding seasons to determine any negative as well as Tasmania. Breeding cycle and preferred habitat impacts. They have continued to occupy the area, using differs across its range. Key threatening processes that alternative shady hillside pittosporum roosting sites. They are likely to be affecting all three species include disease, bred successfully in winter 2003 when they raised two habitat degradation and destruction and changes to young and are nesting again in 2004, close to the natural water regimes. replanted area. There have been no notable negative impacts of the willow removal.
National Recovery Plans for Threatened Vertebrates
National Recovery Plans are currently being developed for several vertebrate species (growling grass frog Litoria raniformis, Alpine tree frog Litoria verreauxii, stuttering frog Mixophyes balbus, southern brown bandicoot Isoodon obesulus obesulus and spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus) considered nationally threatened (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999). When completed, the Recovery Plans will include background information on the taxonomy, biology and ecology of the A national recovery plan is being developed for the species. Previous research actions, known and suspected threatened growling grass frog. Photo: Nick Clemann. threatening processes affecting the survival of the species will be detailed. Management and research actions The southern brown bandicoot is restricted to South required to facilitate the recovery of the taxon are an Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. The Recovery important aspect of the Plans, which will also identify the Plan for this species details nine key actions including the agent(s) responsible for implementation of actions and an need to identify key habitat for this taxon. The suggested estimate of costs. The ultimate aim of each Plan is to process for this is by way of accurately surveying known contribute to biodiversity conservation by preventing the habitat and using collected ecological and bioclimatic loss of these taxa. These documents will provide a information to develop predictive models to facilitate blueprint for immediate and long-term management, and identification of potential habitat. There are fewer than 50 for seeking to redress knowledge gaps that may be locations where populations considered necessary to the
30 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Project summaries
long-term survival and recovery of the southern brown bandicoot occur.
The spotted-tailed quoll is widely distributed within south- eastern Australia occurring from North Queensland, through New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria and Tasmania. Consequently the development of the recovery plan has involved input from a wide range of organisations and individuals. A workshop was held at ARI, attended by over 30 scientists representing government and non- government conservation agencies, and recognised spotted-tailed quoll experts, with the aim of identifying key threats and formulating recovery objectives, criteria and actions. Key threats include habitat loss and modification as a result of forest management practices, competition from introduced predators, poisoning during predator A spotted-tailed quoll in Badger State Forest, New South Wales. Photo: Jenny Nelson. control programs, human persecution, road mortality, poisoning by cane toads, and climate change, with the magnitude of threats varying throughout the range.
National Recovery Plans for Threatened Native Fish
A number of National Recovery Plans have been written by staff at ARI and are now in the consultative phase with both Victorian and other State Government Departments and stakeholders for additional comments. These recovery plans provide information on species requirements and threats to their survival, as well as outlining the actions that are required to address these threatening processes. It is anticipated that these recovery plans will provide a coordinated and focused A national recovery plan is under development for the approach to threatened species conservation Australia- threatened yarra pigmy perch. Photo: Cadwallader and wide Backhouse (1983).
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 31
Institute staff
Institute Director Koehn, John B.Sc. Clancy, Tim B.Sc. (Hons.) Ph.D. Kohout, Michele BSc. (Hons), Ph.D. Koster, Wayne B.Sc. (Hons.) Flora Ecology Lennie, Ruth B.App.Sc., Ass. Dip. Lab. Tech. Lieschke, Jason B.Sc. (Hons.) Manager: Cheal, David BSc.(Hons), M.Sc, Ph.D, MA.Biol. Lyon, Jarod B.Sc. (Hons.) Carter, Obe B.Sc. (Hons.) Mahoney, John Coates, Fiona B.A. (Sc. Hons.), Ph.D. McKay, Shanaugh B.Sc. (Hons.) Dorrough, Josh B.Sc. PhD. McKenzie, John Dip.App.Sc. Downe, Judy Dip.Hort.Sc., B.Sc, Dip.Ed. Nicol, Michael B.Sc. Lucas, Alicia B.App.Sc. Nicol, Simon B.Sc. (Hons.) Jaimie, Mavromihalis B.Sc. (Hons.) OConnor, Justin B.Sc. Moxhan, Claire B.Sc. (Hons.) OMahony, Damien Dip. Env. Sci. Newell, Graeme B.Sc. (Hons.), Dip.Ed., Ph.D., MA.Biol. OMahony, Justin B.Sc. Oates, Alison B.A, M.Sc. (Prelim.) Papas, Phil B.Sc. (Hons.) Ough, Keely B.Sc. (Hons.) Raadik, Tarmo B.Sc. (Hons). Papst, Warwick B.Agr.Sc., M.Sc. Saddlier, Stephen B.Sc. (Hons.) Sutter, Geoff B.App.Sc., Dip.Hort.Sci. Schreiber, Sabine B.Sc.,M.Sc.,Ph.D Tonkinson, Dale B.Sc. Smith, Michael B. App. Sc. (Hons), Ph.D. Turner, Vivienne B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D. Stapleton, Peter B.Sc., Dip. Frontline Management White, Matt B.For.Sc. Stuart, Ivor B.Sc., M.Sc.
Todd, Charles B.Sc (Hons.), M.Sc. For, Fauna Ecology Tonkin, Zeb B.Sc. (Hons.) Acting Manager: Norman, Ian B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D. Brown, Geoff B.Sc. Ph.D. Institute Support Services Chick, Ryan B.Sc., Grad.Dip.Sc. Buzinskas, Eddie Clemann, Nick B.Sc. (Hons.) Humphry, Bill Einoder, Luke B.Sc. (Hons.) Muscat, Dorothy Forsyth, David B.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D. Muzzin, Mandy Gillespie, Graeme B.Sc. Ph.D. Naidos, George B.Sc. Grgat, Louise B.Sc. Sands, Joy Long, Kirstin B.Sc. (Hons.) Spencer, Lilian B.Ec., FCPA Loyn, Richard M.A
Lumsden, Lindy B.Sc. Library Services Macak, Phoebe B.App.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons.) McNabb, Edward Grad.Cert. App.Sc.(Ornithology) Harris, Carol McDonald-Madden, Eve B.Sc. (Hons.) Staff Placements and contractors Nelson, Jenny B.Sc. (Hons.) Robley, Alan B.App.Sc. (Hons), Ph.D. • Johnson, Sara B.Sc., BA (Waterwatch Victoria) Scroggie, Michael B.Sc. (Hons.) • McDonald, Jed B.Sc. (Hons.) (University of Canberra, Silins, John Dip. Nat. Res. Mgt. CRCFE) • Reddiex, Ben B.P.R.&T.M., M.Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D. Freshwater Ecology (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research) Manager: OBrien, Timothy B.Sc. • Swindley, Bob (contractor) Backhouse, Gary B.Sc. Bearlin, Andrew B.Sc. (Hons.) Crook, David BSc (Hons), PhD Crowther, Diane B.Sc. (Hons.) Dixon, William B.Sc. (Hons.) Fairbrother, Peter Glenane, Terry Dip. App.Sc. Jin, Changhao B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D. Jones, Matt, B.Sc. (Hons.) King, Alison B.App. Sc. (Hons.), Ph.D.
32 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publication benchmarks
Publication outputs 2000-2003
The number of publications produced by ARI staff from 2000-2003 for the following categories: refereed papers and books, conference proceedings and popular articles and scientific reports, are shown in the graph below.
Number of ARI publications from 2000-2003 120
Refereed papers and books
100 Conf erence p roceed ings and po pular art icles
Scientific reports
80
60
40 Number of publications of Number
20
0 2000 2001 2002 2003 Year
Performance Indicators
The number of publications per research staff ARI for 2000-2003 (refereed papers and books and scientific reports respectively) has been compared to those from Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (hereafter named Landcare NZ), an organisation with similar research orientation (Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research 2003). Research team staff are those staff, whatever their role or qualification, that are directly involved in the production of research outputs. Referred papers and books refer to International publication only. Please note that the criteria used for the calculation of publications per staff have changed and data from previous ARI annual business reviews will be slightly different.
Refereed papers and books Scientific reports 1.2 2 NZ Landcare NZ Landcare ARI ARI 1.6
0.8 1.2
staff 0.8 0.4
0.4 Number of publications per 0 0 2001 2002 2003 2001 2002 2003 Year Year
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 33
Publications 2002
Publications for 2002, 2003 and 2004 (January to June) are listed in this section for the following categories:
• Refereed journal articles • Books, book sections theses • Published proceedings and workshop papers • Published reports • Popular articles • Unpublished reports • Major conference presentations • Other external presentations (workshops, seminars, community presentations)
Publication output from ARI staff for2002
Publication Type Total Refereed journal articles 33 Books, book sections theses 4 Published conference proceedings 3 Published reports 4 Popular articles 8 Unpublished reports 55 Major conference presentations 33 Other external presentations 48
Refereed journal articles
1. Alexander, J.S.A., Scotts, D.J. and Loyn, R.H. (2002) Impacts of timber harvesting on mammals, reptiles and nocturnal birds in native hardwood forests of East Gippsland, Victoria: a retrospective approach. Australian Forestry 65(3): 182-210
2. Bearlin, A., Schreiber, E.S.G., Nicol, S.J., Starfield, A.M. and Todd, C.R. (2002) Identifying the weakest link: simulating adaptive management of the re-introduction of a threatened fish. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 11: 1709-1716
3. Bowyer, J.C., Newell, G.R. and Eldridge, M.D.B. (2002) Genetic effects of habitat contraction on Lomholt's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) in the Australian Wet Tropics. Conservation Genetics 3: 61-69
4. Brown, G.W. (2002) The distribution and conservation status of the reptile fauna of the Murray River region in Victoria. Victorian Naturalist 119(3): 133-143
5. Bunce, A., Norman, F.I., Brothers, N. and Gales, R. (2002) Long-term trends in the Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) population in Australia: the effect of climate change and commercial fisheries. Marine Biology 141: 263-269
6. Cheal, D.C. (2002) Acacia obtusifolia - introduction and spread in native bush. Victorian Naturalist 119(5): 231-232
7. Clemann, N. (2002) A herpetofauna survey of the Victorian alpine region, with a review of threats to these species. Victorian Naturalist 119(2): 48-58
8. Clemann, N. (2002) Notes on the threatened endemic Victorian Alpine Bog Skink Pseudemoia cryodroma Hutchinson and Donnellan 1992 (Scincidae: Lygosominae): a range extension, habitat preferences and identification diffuculties. Herpetofauna 32(1): 49-53
9. Coates, F., Walsh, N.G. and James, E.A. (2002) Threats to the survival of the Grampians Pincushion Lily (Borya mirabilis, Liliaceae) – a short-range endemic from western Victoria. Australian Journal of Systematic Botany 15: 477-485
10. Dorrough, J., Yen, A. L., Turner, V., Clark, S., Crosthwaite, J., Hirth, J. R., 2002. Managing for biodiversity conservation in native grasslands on farms. Wool Technology and Sheep Breeding 50: 760-765
34 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2002
11. Forsyth, D.M., Coomes, D.A., Nugent, G. and Hall, G.M.J. (2002) The diet and diet preferences of ungulates (Order: Artiodactyla) in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Zoology 29: 323-343
12. Gillespie, G.R. (2002) Impacts of sediment loads, tadpole density, and substratum on the growth and development of tadpoles of the Spotted Tree Frog Litoria spenceri: an in-stream experiment. Biological Conservation 106: 141-150
13. Kefford, B.J., Papas, P.J., Crowther, D. and Nugegoda, D. (2002) Are salts toxicants? Australasian Journal of Ecotoxicology 8(2): 63-68
14. Kingsford, R.T. and Norman, F.I. (2002) Australian waterbirds - products of the continent's ecology. Emu 102: 47-70
15. Koehn, J.D. (2002) Fish of the Murray River. Victorian Naturalist 119(4): 152-159
16. Korner, S., Schreiber, E.S.G. and Walz, N. (2002) Herbivory on submerged macrophytes. Who's to blame?. Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung fur theoretische und angewandte Limnologie 28: 967-970
17. Loyn R.H. (2002) Patterns of ecological segregation among forest and woodland birds in south-eastern Australia. Ornithological Science 1: 7-27
18. Loyn, R.H. and Loyn, J.A. (2002) Albert’s Lyrebird foraging from epiphytes in rainforest sub-canopy. Australian Bird Watcher 19(6-7): 203-204
19. Loyn, R.H., Lumsden, L.F. and Ward, K.A. (2002) Vertebrate fauna of Barmah Forest, a large forest of River Red Gum Eucalyptus camaldulensis on the floodplain of the Murray River. Victorian Naturalist 119(3): 114-124
20. Lumsden, L.F., Bennett, A.F. and Silins, J.E. (2002) Location of roosts of the lesser long-eared bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi and Gould's wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii in a fragmented landscape in south-eastern Australia. Biological Conservation 106: 237-249
21. Lumsden, L.F., Bennett, A.F. and Silins, J.E. (2002) Selection of roost sites by the lesser long-eared bat (Nyctophilus geoffroyi) and Gould's wattled bat (Chalinolobus gouldii) in south-eastern Australia. Journal of Zoology, London 257: 207- 218
22. Mac Nally, R., Bennett, A.F., Brown, G.W., Lumsden, L.F., Yen, A. Hinkley, S., Lillywhite, P. and Ward, D. (2002) How well do ecosystem-based planning units represent different components of biodiversity? Ecological Applications 12(3): 900-912
23. Norman, F.I., Gibson, J.A.E., Jones, R.T.and Burgess, J.S. (2002) Klarius Mikkelsen's landing site: some further notes on the 1935 Norwegian visit to the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica Polar Record 38: 232-328
24. Robley, A.J., Short, J. and Bradley, S. (2002) Do European Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) impact on the population ecology of the Burrowing Bettong (Bettongia lesueur)? Wildlife Research 29: 423-429
25. Russell-Smith, J., Ryan, P.G. and Cheal, D.C. (2002) Fire regimes and the conservation of sandstone heath in monsoonal northern Australia: frequency, interval, patchiness. Biological Conservation 104: 91-106
26. Saunders, G., Kay, B., Mutze, G. and Choquenot, D. (2002) Observations on the impacts of rabbit haemorrhagic disease on agricultural production values in Australia. Wildlife Research 29: 605-613
27. Schreiber, E.S.G., Lake, P.S. and Quinn, G.P. (2002) Facilitation of native stream fauna by an invading species? Experimental investigations of the interaction of the snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Hydrobiidae: Prosobranchia) with native benthis fauna. Biological Invasions 4: 317-325
28. Short, J., Kinnear, J.E. and Robley, A.J. (2002) Surplus killing by introduced predators in Australia – evidence for ineffective anti-predator adaptations in native prey species? Biological Conservation 103: 283-301
29. Stuart, I.G. and Berghuis, A.P. (2002) Upstream passage of fish through a vertical-slot fishway in an Australian sub- tropical river. Fisheries Management and Ecology 9(2): 111-122
30. Stuart, I.G. and McKillup, S. (2002) The use of sectioned otoliths to age barramundi (Lates calcarifer) (Bloch 1790) [Centropomidae]. Hydrobiologia 479(1): 231-236
31. Thornton, I.W.B., Runciman, D., Cook, S., Lumsden, L.F., Partomihardjo, T., Schedvin, N.K., Yukawa, J. and Ward, S.A. (2002) How important were stepping stones in the colonisation of Krakatau? Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 77: 275-317
32. Todd, C.R., Jenkins, S. and Bearlin, A.R. (2002) Lessons about extinction and translocation: models for eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) at Woodlands Historic Park, Victoria, Australia. Biological Conservation 106: 211-223
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 35
Publications 2002
33. van der Ree, R. and Loyn R.H. (2002) The influence of time since fire and distance from fire boundary on the distribution and abundance of arboreal marsupials in eucalyptus regnans-dominated forest in the Central Highlands of Victoria. Wildlife Research 29: 151-158
Books, book sections and theses
1. Loyn, R.H., McNabb, E.G., Volodina, L. and Willig, R. (2002) Modelling distributions of large forest owls as a conservation tool in forest management: a case study from Victoria, southeastern Australia. Pp 242-254 In Newton, I., Kavanagh, R., Olsen J. and Taylor, I. (Eds) Ecology and Conservation of Owls. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood
2. Loyn, R.H. and Turner, V. (2002) Managing what for whom? Objectives, indicators and research questions for participatory forest management. Pp. 213-217 In Varma, R.V., Bhat, K.V., Muralidharan, E.M. and Sharma, J.K. (Eds) Tropical Forestry Research, challenges in the new millennium. Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, India.
3. McNabb, E.G. (2002) Notes on the diet and observations of the Southern Boobook (Ninox novaeseelandiae) in southern Victoria. Pp 193-198 In Newton, I., Kavanagh, R., Olsen J. and Taylor, I. (Eds) Ecology and Conservation of Owls. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood
4. Soderquist, T.R., Lowe, K.W., Loyn, R.H. and Price, R. (2002) Habitat quality in Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua) territories in the Box-Ironbark forest of Victoria, Australia. Pp 91-99 In Newton, I., Kavanagh, R., Olsen J. and Taylor, I. (Eds) Ecology and Conservation of Owls. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood
Published conference proceedings
1. Loyn, R.H., McCulloch, E., Millsom, R., Living, L., Fisher, B,. Saunders, K.N. and Leeke, S. (2002) Changes in numbers of water birds in Western Port, Victoria, over quarter of a century (1973-1988). Pp 49-64 In Macwhirter, N., Macwhirter, P., Saglioco, J.L. and Southwood, J. (Eds) Le Naturaliste in Western Port 1802-2002 Commemorative Seminar Proceedings, Cranbourne VIC, April 2002. Department of Infrastructure and Mornington Penninsula Shire, Melbourne
2. Cottingham, P., Howell, G., Bennett, P., Boehm, J., Doolan, J., Hannan, G., Harris, J., Hart, B., Koehn, J., Metzeling, L., Quinn, G., Shirley, M., Stewardson, M. and Thoms, M. (2002) Perspectives on the Scientific Panel approach to determining environmental flows for southeastern Australian rivers. In Proceedings of a workshop held at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne, 3rd December 2001. Technical Report 2/2002. Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Canberra
3. Koehn, J. and Nicol, S. (2002) Native fish in the Murray-Darling Basin – 2051. Pp 52-55 In Green Words &Images and Waschka, M. (Eds) Murray-Darling Basin 2051 : setting the vision : biodiversity workshop proceedings, Canberra, 25-26 October, 2001. World Wide Fund for Nature, Sydney
Popular articles
1. Clancy, T., Bearlin, A., Lumsden, L. and Temby, I. (2002) A structured decision-aiding approach for the establishment of an alternate camp site for the grey-headed flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus in Melbourne. Abstract from the 10th Australasian Bat Society Conference, Cairns, Queensland. April 2002. Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 18: 16-17
2. Koehn, J. (2002) Freshwater invaders in Victoria. Under Control – Pest Plant and Animal News 22: 12-14
3. Loyn, R.H. (2002) Migration patterns of bush birds. Interpretive Birding Bulletin 5(4): 9-12
4. Lumsden, L. (2002) The impact of a large number of ticks on a Gould's Wattled Bat Chalinolobus gouldii. Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 18: 51
5. Lumsden, L. and Bennett, A. (2002) Adapting to habitat change in rural environments: a comparison of the roosting ecology of the lesser long-eared bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi and Gould's wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii in contrasting rural landscapes. Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 18: 20-21
6. Lumsden, L.F. and Bennett, A. (2002) Remnant trees on farms: important habitat for bats. Australian Farm Journal BUSH 2002: 4-5
7. Papas, P.J. and Kefford, B. (2002) Bugs in streams give clues on rising salinity. Victorian Landcare and Catchment Management 17: 8
8. Raadik, T.A. and Kuiter, R.H. (2002) Kosciuszko Galaxias: a story of confusion and imminent peril. Fishes of Sahhul 16(2): 830-835
36 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2002
Published reports
1. Clunie, P.E., Ryan, T., James, K. and Cant, B. (2002) Implications for rivers froms salinity hazards: scoping study. Report to the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
2. DNRE (2002) Options for the establishment of an alternate campsite for the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus in Melbourne, Grey-headed Flying-fox Alternate Campsite Task Force (Chair T. F. Clancy). Department of Natural Resources and Environment
3. Raadik, T.A. (2002) Barred Galaxias recovery project 13695 - final report, Endangered Species Program. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
4. Ryan, T., Aland, G. and Cogle, A. (2002) Environmental condition of the upper Mitchell River system:water quality and ecology. Department of Natural Resources, Heidelberg and Department of Primary Industries, QLD
Unpublished reports
1. Braysher, M., Harris, J., Hillman, T., Jackson P., Koehn, J. and Walker, K. (2002) Conceptual model to guide investments for restoring native fish in the Murray-Darling Basin. Report for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission, January 2002. Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Canberra.
2. Brown, J., Murphy, A.H. and Cheal, D. (2002) Monitoring of Cyathea cunninghamii. Report to Parks Victoria for the Rare Species Monitoring Project. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
3. Canale, G., Papas, P.J. and Nicol, M. (2002) Rubicon and Royston Desilting 2001 - Water Quality. Report prepared for Southern Hydro PTY LTD. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
4. Carter, O., Murphy, A.M. and Cheal, D.C. (2002) Natural Temperate Grassland: A report preparatory to nomination of Natural Temperate Grasslands under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Report to Environment Australia. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
5. Cheal, D.C., Carter, O. and Brown, J. (2002) Report on the botanical values of part of the Craigieburn Bypass: Cooper St South to the golf course. Report to VicRoads. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
6. Chick, R.R. (2002) A survey of insectivorous bats on the Gippsland Plains, Victoria. January to April 2001. A report for the Gippsland Plains Environmental Health Monitoring Project. July 2002. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
7. Clancy, T. F. (2002) Proposal for the Establishment of a Grey-headed Flying-fox Campsite at Horseshoe Bend - Environmental Issues. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
8. Close, P.G. (2002) An assessment of the environmental flow requirements for Seven Creeks, Victoria: A component of the Seven Creeks stream flow management plan. Report to Goulburn-Murray Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
9. Close, P.G. and Lieschke J.A. (2002) Rehabilitating Elwood Canal and Elster Creek, Victoria: An assessment of impacts on native freshwater fishes. Report to Earthcare. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
10. Close, P.G., Webb E. and Koster, W.M. (2002) Rehabilitation of Waurn Ponds Creek, Victoria for Yarra Pygmy Perch (Nannoperca obscura) and other native freshwater fishes. Report to Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. Department of Natural Resources and Environmentm Heidelberg
11. Clunie, P. and Lyon, J. (2002) Wetlands Technical Papers. Report to Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
12. Clunie, R., Stuart, I., Jones, M., Crowther, D., Schreiber, E.S.G., McKay, S., O'Connor, J., McLaren, D., Weiss, J., Gunasekera, L. and Roberts, J. (2002) A risk assessment of the impacts of pest species in the Riverine environment in the Murray-Darling Basin. Report to Murray Darling Basin Commission. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
13. Coates, F. (2002) Patterns of appearance and response to management of Prasophyllum correctum D.L. Jones at Munro, Victoria. Internal report. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
14. Coates, F., Jeanes, J. and Pritchard, A. (2002) Recovery plan for twenty-five threatened orchids of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Report to Environment Australia. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 37
Publications 2002
15. Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. (2002) Kiewa Desilting - Water Quality 2002. Report for Southern Hydro Partnership. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
16. Crowther, D. and Papas, P. (2002) Victorian State-wide Salinity Monitoring Program: Shepparton Region Macroinvertebrates 2001. Report to Department of Natural Resources and Environment -Tatura. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
17. Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. (2002) Development of a model for the monitoring of stream health in southeast New South Wales forests. Progress Report for State Forests of New South Wales June 2002. Progress Report. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
18. Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. (2002) Rubicon and Royston Desilting 2002 - Water Quality. Report for Southern Hydro Partnership. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
19. Crowther, D., Canale G. and Papas P.J. (2002) Upper Kiewa River Desilting 2001 - Water Quality. Report prepared for Southern Hydro Pty Ltd. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
20. Dorrough, J. (2002) Grazing in Temperate Grassy Ecosystems: Knowledge gaps. Internal report for the Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Grazing for Biodiversity and Profit Project. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
21. Dorrough, J., Ough, K. and Turner, V. (2002) Short-term vegetation change following timber harvesting on Dashas Coupe, Marysville. Report to Forest Science Centre. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
22. Dorrough, J., Yen, A.L., Turner, V. (2002) Towards compatability: Sustainable production and biodiversity conservation in grazed grassy landscapes. Internal report for the Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Grazing for Biodiversity and Profit, Biodiversity and Profit Project. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
23. Jones, M. (2002) A brief assessment of fish fauna of Richardson's Lagoon. Interim report to Parks Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
24. Jones, M. (2002) An assessment of fish fauna for the Waterways housing development. Interim report to the Portland House Group of Companies. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
25. Kefford, B., Paradise, T., Papas, P., Fields, E. and Nugegoda, D. (2002) Assessment of a system to predict the loss of aquatic biodiversity from changes in salinity-third progress report for Land and Water Australia. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
26. Koster, W. and Zampatti, B. (2002) An assessment of fish movement upstream through a rockramp fishway at Dights Falls. Report produced for Catchment and Waterways, Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Department of Natural Resources and Environment
27. Koster, W. (2002) Ecological impact of removing effluent flows from Craigieburn STP on Merri Creek: assessment of fish and decapod crustacea. Report prepared for Egis Consulting. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
28. Koster, W.M., Raadik, T.A. and Clunie, P. (2002) Scoping study of the potential spread and impact of the exotic fish Oriental Weatherloach in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia: A resource document. Report to Agriculture Fisheries Forestry Australia under the Murray-Darling 2001 FishRehab Program. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
29. Long, K. and Robley, A. (2002) An assessment of the impact of fox activity on the survivorship of released eastern barred bandicoots. Department of Natural Resources and Environmentm Heidelberg
30. Loyn, R.H., Lane, B.A., Tonkinson, D., Berry, L., Hulzebosch, M. and Swindley, R.J. (2002) Shorebird use of managed habitats at the Western Treatment Plant Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
31. Loyn, R.H., Saunders, K. and Nicholls, D.G. (2002) Koalas on French Island: a snapshot study of their distribution and abundance, 2001-2002. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg & Chisholm Institute, Dandenong
32. Loyn, R.H., Schreiber, E.S.G., Swindley, R.J., Saunders, K. and Lane, B.A. (2002) Use of sewage treatment lagoons by waterfowl at the western treatment plant - an overview Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
38 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2002
33. Loyn, R.H., Swindley, R.J., Hulzebosch, M. and Lane, B.A. (2002) Study of Ibis roosting at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
34. Lyon, J. ,Ryan, T., Papas, P.J., O'Brien, T. and Tonkinson, D. (2002) Woorinen Lakes Management Plan. Report for Goulburn Murray Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
35. Lyon, J. and Clunie, P. (2002) Native aquatic and riparian flora and fauna resource papers. Report to Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
36. Lyon, J., Ryan, T., Papas, P., Tonkinson, D., O'Brien, T. and Lennie, R. (2002) Aquatic fauna of the Woorinen Lakes: survey and recommendations for management. Report to Goulburn Murray Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
37. Macak, P. and Nelson, J. (2002) Monitoring effectiveness of habitat patch prescriptions - interim report. Report to the Forest Science Centre. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
38. Macak, P., Loyn, R.H. and Lane, B.A. (2002) Investigation into use of filtration paddocks by Ibis and other waterbirds at the Western Treatment Plant. Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
39. McNabb, E. (2002) Assessment of habitat and recommendations for location of nest boxes for Brush-tailed Phascogale Pascogale tapoatafa, Warrandyte State Park. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
40. McNabb, E.G. and McNabb, J. (2002) Bunyip State Park and Kurth Kiln Regional Park – Distribution and habitat of large forest owls. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
41. Moxham, C. and Tonkinson, D. (2002) Mapping FFG listed communities – Coastal Moonah Woodland. Report to Parks, Flora and Fauna Division. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
42. Moxham, C., Foreman, P. and Turner, V. (2002) ESAI Threatened Species Project: Design methodology for case studies. Internal report for the Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Grazing for Biodiversity and Profit Project. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
43. Nicol, M., McKay, S. and Papas, P.J. (2002) Stream health monitoring in Handcock Victorian Plantations Report to Handcock Victorian Plantations. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
44. Nicol, S. and Lieschke, J.A. (2002) River habitat rehabilitation through re-snagging. Report to Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
45. Norman, F.I. (2002) A report on aspects of hunter's bag surveys conducted over the opening weekend of the annual season on waterfowl, Victoria, 2002. Report to the Game Management Unit. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
46. Norman, F.I. (2002) A report on some results of the 2002 summer waterfowl count in Victoria. Report to the Game Management Unit. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
47. O'Connor, J., O'Mahoney, D. and O'Mahoney, J. (2002) Downstream migration of native fish species in the Murray Darling Basin. Report for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
48. Papas, P. and Crowther, D. (2002) Yarra Ranges survey for the Dandenong Freshwater Amphipod and Sherbrooke Amphipod - two Victorian species of conservation significance. Internal report to Parks, Flora and Fauna Division. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
49. Papas, P., Crowther, D., Canale, G., Nicol, M., McKay, S.and Schreiber, E.S.G. (2002) Melbourne Water Biological Monitoring Program 2001-2002. Report to Catchments and Waterways, Melbourne Water Corporation. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
50. Robertson, P., Heard, G. and Scroggie, M. (2002) The ecology and conservation status of the Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis) within the Merri Creek corridor. Interim report: distribution, abundance and habitat requirements. Report to Department of Natural Resources and Environment, East Melbourne. Wildlife Profiles & Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
51. Robley, A.J. and Choquenot, D. (2002) Assessing the alignment of Parks Victoria’s Fox Control Program with priorities for reducing risk to native fauna. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 39
Publications 2002
52. Robley, A.J. and Wright, J. (2002) Adaptive experimental management of foxes. Annual report Year 1 June 2001 - June 2002. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
53. Stuart, I. and Jones, M. (2002) Control of common carp in the Glenelg River catchment: a review of options. Report to the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg.
54. Todd, C.R., McKay, S.F., Conallin, A.T., Close, P.G. and Raadik, T.A. (2002) Aquatic Biota Introduction from Interbasin Water Transfer; Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. Report to Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
55. Zampatti, B.P. and Koster, W.M. (2002) A summary of three years (1998-2000) survey data of fish populations in the Barwon River. Report to Corangamite Catchment Management Authority. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
Major conference presentations
10th Australasian Bat Society Conference, Cairns QLD 3-5 April 2002
1. Clancy, T. F., Bearlin, A. R., Lumsden L. and Temby I. A structured decision-aiding approach for the establishment of an alternate camp site for the Grey-headed Flying-fox Pteropus poliocephalus in Melbourne. Spoken presentation
2. Lumsden, L. and Bennett, A. Adapting to habitat change in rural environments: a comparison of the roosting ecology of the lesser long-eared bat Nyctophilus geoffroyi and Gould's wattled bat Chalinolobus gouldii in contrasting rural landscapes. Spoken presentation
3. Lumsden, L. Radio-tracking insectivorous bats. Spoken presentation
Australian Mammal Society 48th Scientific Meeting and Annual General Meeting, Warrnambool VIC 10-12 July 2002
4. Bowyer, J.C., Newell, G.R. and Eldridge, M.D.B. Molecular genetics of Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) in the Australian Wet Tropics. Spoken presentation
5. Lumsden, L.F. and Bennett, A. Adapting to habitat change in rural environments: a comparison of the roosting ecology of two species of insectivorous bats in contrasting rural landscapes. Spoken presentation
6. McDonald-Madden, E., Schreiber, E.S.G., Clancy, T.F., Choquenot, D. and Clemman, N. Distribution of foraging Grey- headed Flying Fox Pteropus poliocephalus in Melbourne during the period of peak seasonal influx. Spoken presentation
7. Nelson, J.L. Quoll hair and how to trap it. Poster presentation
8. Wilson, B.A., Laidlaw, W.S. and Newell, G.R. The impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi on mammals in south eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
Australian National Committee on Large Dams Inc. Conference on Dams, Adelaide SA October 2002
9. Ryan, T., Todd, C. and Nicol, S. Implications of cold water releases for freshwater fish populations. Spoken presentation
Australian Society for Fish Biology Annual Conference, Cairns QLD 14-17 August 2002
10. Chotipuntu, P., Ryan, T. and O'Brien, T. Salinity tolerance and sublethal effects in fingerling Murray Cod. Spoken presentation
11. Jones, M. and Stuart, I. Movement and habitat use of sub-adult carp and Murray Cod in the Murray River. Spoken presentation
12. Lyon, J., Lennie, R., Ryan, T. and Todd, C. Physical and biological impacts of cold water dam releases. Poster presentation
13. Lyon, J., Ryan, T. and Lennie, R. The effects of water temperature on spacial distribution and burst swimming in some MDB fishes. Poster presentation
14. Stuart, I., Baumgarter, L. and Ye, Q. The Murray fishways: fact or fiction? Spoken presentation
40 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2002
Australian Society of Herpetologists Inc. 29th General Meeting, Birrigai ACT July 2002
15. Brown, G.W. and Horrocks, G. Frogs up the creek & tortoises going under. The changing conservation status of the Vicorian herpetofauna. Poster presentation
16. Clemann, N. High steaks: grazing and other threats to herpetofauna in the Victorian high country. Poster presentation
17. Clemann, N., Odgers, J. and McGee, T. A snake in the grass: investigating urban snake management in southern Victoria. Spoken presentation
18. Scroggie, M., Robertson, P. and Heard, G. Factors influencing the distribution of Litoria raniformis in an urban-fringe landscape: implications for conservation and management. Spoken presentation
Australian Society for Limnology Annual Congress, Margaret River WA 29 September – 3 Oct 2002
19. McKay, S., Close, P.G., Bennett, P., Flett, S. and Finger, L. Topping up the environmental water carafe in Victoria: from minimum summer flows to holistic flow regimes and beyond. Spoken presentation
20. Schreiber, E.S.G., Downes, B.J. and Beardall, J. You are what you eat? Using HPLC to illuminate insect guts. Spoken presentation
21. Close, P.G., Zampatti, B.P. and Covey, T. Sand, salt, flow and the Glenelg River fish community: setting rehabilitation priorities using habitat requirements of native fish. Spoken presentation
22. Koster, W.M. and Zampatti, B.P. Upstream movement of fish through a rockramp fishway on the Yarra River, Melbourne: implications for future monitoring of fishways. Spoken presentation
23. Papas, P.J., Jones, M. and Aarons, S. Livestock, pastures, riparian zones and healthy streams: making the paradigm work in southern Victoria. Spoken presentation
24. Crowther, D., Papas, P.J., Canale, G. and Nicol, D. Turbidity and total suspended solids relationships: clearing murky waters. Spoken presentation
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Inaugural Wool Industry Science & Technology Conference, Hamilton VIC 15-17 October 2002
25. Turner, V., Dorrough, J., Yen, A., Clark, S., Crosthwaite, J. and Hirth, J. Managing for biodiversity conservation in native grasslands on farms. Spoken presentation
Ecological Society of Australia Inc. and New Zealand Ecological Society Inc. 2nd joint meeting, Cairns QLD December 2002
26. Carter, O., Murphy, A.M. and Cheal, D.C. A proposed definition of Natural Temperate Grasslands for south-eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
27. Newell, G.R., Griffioen, P. and Cheal, D.C. Predicting the future of Victoria’s flora: recent progress in modelling the effects of green house warming for flora. Spoken presentation
28. Scroggie, M.P., Todd, C.R. and Gillespie, G.R. Long data-series, mark-recapture analysis, population models and adaptive management of Spotted Tree Frogs. Spoken presentation
29. Wilson, B.A., Laidlaw, W.S. and Newell, G.R. The impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi on mammals in south eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
5th International Biology of Deer Congress, Quebec Canada 25-30 August 2002
30. Forsyth, D.M., Nugent, G. and Coomes, D.A. The trophic interactions of introduced deer in New Zealand forests. Spoken presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 41
Publications 2002
International Ornithological Committee 23rd International Ornithological Congress, Beijing China 11-17 August 2002
31. Loyn, R.H. Assessing and managing effects of commercial forestry on birds in Australian eucalypt forests. Spoken presentation
Prospects for Biodiversity and Rivers in Salinising Landscapes International Conference, Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity and the Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management, Albany WA, 20-27 October 2002
32. James, K., Cant, B. and Ryan, T. What do we know about saline water management for biodiversity? Spoken presentation
33. Ough, K. How will aquatic plants of freshwater wetlands respond to salinity? Poster presentation
Other external presentations (workshops, seminars, community presentations)
Australian Conservation Foundation, Mullum Mullum Group, Box Hill VIC 5 Aug 2002
1. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
ANGAIR (Anglesea, Aireys Inlet Society for the Protection of Flora and Fauna) monthly meeting, Anglesea VIC November 2002
2. Coates, F. Throwing a lifeline to threatened flora – putting science in its place. Spoken presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Bringing Native Fish Back to the Rivers Information Day, Heidelberg VIC 12 November 2002
3. Bearlin, A. Conservation genetics of trout cod, Murray cod and silver perch. Spoken presentation
4. Koehn, J. Native fish strategy for the Murray Darling Basin. Spoken presentation
5. Koster, W. Oriental Weatherloach: a management strategy for an exotic species. Spoken presentation
6. Nicol, S. River rehabilitation through re-snagging. Spoken presentation
7. O’Connor, J. Downstream migration of adult fish. Spoken presentation
8. Ryan, T. Salinity. Spoken presentation
9. Ryan, T. Thermal rehabilitation of the southern Murray Darling Basin. Spoken presentation
10. Saddlier, S. Seven Creeks rehabilitation. Spoken presentation
11. Stuart, I. and Jones, M. Point source management of carp. Spoken presentation
12. Stuart, I. Tri-state Murray River fishways. Spoken presentation
13. Todd, C. A decision tool for the survival of endangered species. Spoken presentation
Banyule, Manningham and Nillumbik Councils Environment Month Seminar Series, Greensborough VIC 17 October 2002
14. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Birds Australia guest speaker, Melbourne VIC November 2002
15. Loyn, R.H. Effects of forest management on wildlife. Spoken presentation
Broken Creek LandCare Group, Nathalia VIC 20 May 2002
42 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2002
16. Lumsden, L. Conservation of bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
Castlemaine Field Naturalists Club, Castlemaine VIC 10 May 2002
17. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Deakin University Department of Ecology and Environment Seminar Series, Burwood VIC 15 May 2002
18. Lumsden, L. The conservation of insectivorous bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation
Deakin University student field trips, Warrnambool VIC 26 September and 10 October 2002
19. Lumsden, L. Techniques used in the study of the ecology of bats. Spoken presentations.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment and partners Box-Ironbark Ecology Course, Puckapunyal VIC 29 October 2002
20. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Department of Natural Resourses and Environment Chief Scientists Invasive Species/Biosecurity Symposium, Knoxfield VIC April 2002
21. Koehn, J.D. Freshwater bioinvasions Spoken presentation
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Rutherglen Research Institute, Labchat series, Rutherglen VIC 1 February 2002
22. Lumsden, L. Conservation of bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Variable Retention in Central Highlands Workshop, Toolangi VIC, October 2002
23. Loyn, R.H. Native fauna research and development of prescriptions for wildlife conservations. Spoken presentation
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Young Scientists Forum, Knoxfield VIC September 2002
24. Long, K.I. Are bandicoots being outfoxed? Spoken presentation
25. Lyon, J., Ryan, T. and Lennie, R. The effects of water temperature on spacial distribution and burst swimming in some MDB fishes. Spoken presentation
Diamond Valley Bushwalking Club, Eltham VIC 18 July 2002
26. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Essendon Bushwalking Group, Essendon VIC 8 May 2002
27. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Friends of Koorwarra Gardens, Dandenong Ranges VIC 7 July 2002
28. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 43
Publications 2002
Friends of the Blackburn Lakes, Blackburn VIC 16 June 2002
29. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority field day, Mt Piper VIC 26 October 2002
30. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
La Trobe University Department of Botany Seminar Series, Bundoora VIC, August 2002
31. Coates, F. Threats to the survival of the Grampians Pincushion lily (Borya mirabilis). Spoken presentation
La Trobe University Department of Botany Seminar Series, Bundoora VIC, March 2002
32. Newell, G.R. and Griffioen, P. Predicting the future for Victoria’s biota – recent progress in modelling the effects of greenhouse warming for flora. Spoken presentation
Land for Wildlife field day, Healesville VIC 16 February 2002
33. Lumsden, L. Conservation of bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
Peppermint Ridge LandCare Group, Tynong North VIC 28 April 2002
34. Lumsden, L. Conservation of bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Rutherglen Research Institute seminar series, Rutherglen VIC 15 November 2002
35. Lumsden, L. The ecological role of bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
Department of Natural Resources and Environment Wombat fire effects and other fire research workshop. Creswick VIC 11 December 2002
36. Loyn, R.H. Effects of fuel reduction burning on birds. Spoken presentation
Science Teachers Association Victoria Science Awards, Bundoora VIC 28 October 2002
37. Lumsden, L. Talk on bats and guest presenter of student awards.
Shire of Cardinia Environmental Awards, Cardinia Council Offices VIC 18 December 2002
38. McNabb, E.G. Cardinia Shire's: Threatened Species. Spoken presentation
South Australian Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, Ecological value of scattered trees from a landscape perspective workshop, Adelaide SA 10 September 2002
39. Lumsden, L. and Bennett, A. The use by bats of scattered trees. Spoken presentation.
University of Melbourne guest lecturer, Parkville VIC, April 2002
40. Gillespie, G.R. The conservation and ecology of Australian frogs. Spoken presentation
44 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2002
41. Lumsdsen, L. The conservation and ecology of Australian bats. Spoken presentation
University of Melbourne guest lecturer, Parkville VIC 1 May 2002
42. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of Australian bats. Spoken presentation.
University of Melbourne Seminar Series, Burnley VIC, April 2002
43. Coates, F. Threats to the survival of the Grampians Pincushion lily (Borya mirabilis). Spoken presentation
Victoria University, A short course in wildlife husbandry and rehabilitation guest lecturer, Werribee VIC 12 June 2002
44. Lumsden, L.F. Microbat care and rehabilitation. Spoken presentation
Victorian Ornithologists Research Group, Heidelberg VIC 5 June 2002
45. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Victorian Threatened Orchid Recovery Team Symposium: Mutual Gains - co-operative orchid conservation in south- eastern Australia. Melbourne VIC 16-18 October 2002
46. Coates, F. and Lunt, I. Maximising flowering and management of Prasophyllum correctum D.L. Jones. Spoken presentation
Yarra Valley Tree Group, Yarra Glen VIC 1 Aug 2002
47. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Youth Hostels Association, Bushwalking Group, Melbourne VIC 11 November 2002
Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 45
Publications 2003
Publication output from ARI staff for2003
Publication Type Total Refereed journal articles 16 Books, book sections theses 3 Published conference proceedings 7 Published reports 9 Popular articles 6 Unpublished reports 97 Major conference presentations 55 Other external presentations 50
Refereed journal articles
1. Bowyer, J.C., Newell, G.R., Metcalfe, C.J. and Eldridge, M.D.B. (2003) Tree-kangaroos (Dendrolagus) in Australia: are D. lumholtzi and D. bennettianus sister taxa? Australian Zoologist 32: 207-213
2. Brown, G.W. (2003) An observation of feeding by the Regal Skink Ctenotus regius Storr, 1971. Herpetofauna 33(1): 37-38
3. Brown, G.W., Cherry, K.A., Nelson, J.L. and Grgat, L.M. (2003) A survey of the terrestrial vertebrate fauna of the Menindee Lakes, western New South Wales. Australian Zoologist 32(3): 381-400
4. Cheal, D.C. (2003) Palmiers du Territoire du Nord de lAustralie. Le Palmier 14(36): 10-15
5. Choquenot, D. and Ruscoe, W.A. (2003) Landscape complementation and food limitation of large herbivores: habitat- related constraints on the foraging efficiency of wild pigs. Journal of Animal Ecology 72(1): 14-26
6. Coomes, D.A., Allen, R., Forsyth, D.M. and Lee, W.G. (2003) How reversible are the impacts of introduced deer in New Zealand forests? Conservation Biology 17: 450-459
7. Ebner, B., Raadik, T.A., and Ivantsoff, W. (2003) Threatened fishes of the world: Craterocephalus fluviatilis McCulloch, 1913 (Atherinidae). Environmental Biology of Fishes 68(4): 390
8. Forsyth, D.M., Coomes, D.A. and Nugent, G. (2003) Framework for assessing the susceptibility of management areas to deer impacts. Science for Conservation 213: 1-39
9. Forsyth, D.M., Hone, J., Parkes, J.P., Reid, G. and Stronge, D. (2003) Feral goat control in Egmont National Park, New Zealand, and the implications for eradication. Wildlife Research 30: 437-450
10. James, K.R., Cant, B.L. and Ryan, T.J. (2003) Responses of freshwater biota to rising salinity levels and implications for saline water management: a review. Australian Journal of Botany 51(6): 703-713
11. Kefford, B.J., Papas, P.J. and Nugegoda, D. (2003) Relative salinity tolerance of macroinvertebrates from the Barwon River, Victoria, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 54: 755-765
12. King, A., Humphries, P. and Lake, P.S. (2003) Fish recruitment on floodplains: the role of patterns of flooding and life history strategies. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 60(7): 773-786
13. Mallen-Cooper, M. and Stuart, I. (2003) Age, growth and non-flood recruitment of two potamodromous fishes in a large semi-arid/temperate river system. River Research and Applications 19(7): 697-719
14. McNabb, E., McNabb, J. and Barker, K. (2003) Post-nesting home range, habitat use and diet of a female Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae in western Victoria. Corella 27(4): 109-117
15. Moll, J., Crosthwaite, J., and Dorrough, J. (2003) Better management of wool businesses and native biodiversity. Connections - Farm, food and resource issues Spring 2003 (web journal come.to/aares)
16. Parkes, D., Newell, G.R. and Cheal, D.C. (2003) Assessing the quality of native vegetation - the Habitat Hectares approach. Ecological Management and Restoration 4: S29-S38
46 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2003
Books, book sections and theses
1. Kunz, T.H. and Lumsden, L.F. (2003) Ecology of cavity and foliage roosting bats. Pp3-89 In Kunz, T.H. and Fenton, M.B. (Eds) Bat Ecology. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago
2. Cheal, D.C. and Coman, B. (2003) Pest plants and animals. Pp 457-473 In Attiwill, P. and Wilson, B. (Eds) Ecology: An Australian Perspective. Oxford University Press, South Melbourne
3. Dorrough, J. and Carter, O. (2003) Herbivore grazing and plant conservation. In C.L. Brown,C.L., Hall, F. and J. Mills (Eds) Plant conservation: Approaches and techniques from an Australian perspective. Australian Network for Plant Conservation, Canberra
Published conference proceedings
1. Clancy, T. (2003) Facilitating balanced discussion and effective decision making: the chairpersons perspective. Pp 70 In Hope, R. (Ed) Animal welfare and animal ethics committees: where are the goalposts now? Proceedings of the conference held at the Gold Coast International Hotel, Queensland October 17-19, 2002. Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching, University of Adelaid, South Australia
2. Koehn, J. (2003) Rationale, results and management implications of recent carp research in Australia. Pp 11-19 In Managing invasive freshwater fish in New Zealand. Proceedings of a workshop hosted by Science & Research Unit, Department of Conservation, 10-12 May, 2001, Hamilton. Department of Conservation, Wellington
3. Koehn, J.D. (2003) Riverine aquatic protected areas: protecting species, communities or ecosystem processes? Pp 614- 624 In Beumer, J.P., Grant, A. and Smith, D.C. (Eds) Aquatic Protected Areas - What works best and how do we know? Proceedings of the World Congress on Aquatic Protected Areas, Cairns, Australia-August 2002. University of Queensland Printery, St. Lucia
4. Lintermans, M. and Raadik, T. (2003) Local eradication of trout from streams using rotenone: the Australian experience. Pp 95-111 In Managing invasive freshwater fish in New Zealand. Proceedings of a workshop hosted by Science & Research Unit, Department of Conservaion, 10-12 May 2001, Hamilton, NZ. Department of Conservation, Wellington
5. Newell, G., Griffioen, P. and Cheal, D. (2003) Effects of greenhouse warming scenarios upon selected Victorian plants and vegetation communities. Pp 53-54 In Howden, M., Hughes, L., Dunlop, M., Zethoven, I., Hilbert, D. and Chilcott, C. (Eds) Climate change impacts on biodiversity in Australia. Outcomes of workshop sponsored by the Biological Diversity Advisory Committee. CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems, Canberra
6. Raadik, T.A. (2003) Government overview and perspectives: 5.6 Victoria. Pp 55-58 In Phillips, B. (Compiler) Managing Fish Translocation and Stocking in the Murray-Darling Basin, workshop held in Canberra 25-26 September 2002: Statement, recommendations and supporting papers. World Wildlife Fund for Nature Australia, Sydney
7. Yunusa, I.A.M., Brown, G.W., Kwong, R.M., Ronnfeldt, G.R., Slater, T., Crouch, A. and Unkovich, M. (2003) Integrating biodiversity and productivity on intensive farms: a potential role for shelter-belts in the Victorian Riverina. Pp 255-277 In Wilson, B.P. and Curtis, A. (Eds) Agriculture for the Australian Environment. Proceedings of the 2002 Fenner Conference on the Environment. Johnstone Centre, Charles Sturt University, Albury
Published reports
1. Carter, O., Murphy, A.M. and Cheal, D.C. (2003) Natural Temperate Grassland. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
2. Cottingham, P, Bunn, S, Price, P, Lovett, S. (Eds.) (2003) Managing wood in streams. River and Riparian Land Management Technical Guideline Update No. 3, July 2003. Land and Water Australia, Canberra. (contributors include Koehn, J. and Nicol, S.)
3. Cottingham, P., Stewardson, M., Crook, D., Hillman, T., Roberts, J. and Rutherford, I. (2003) Environmental flow recommendations for the Goulburn River below Lake Eildon. Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology Technical Report 01/2003. Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Canberra
4. Forsyth, D.M., Webster, R., Warburton, B., Nugent, G., Coleman, M.C., Thomson, C., Nugent, G., Arnold, G., Carter, C. and Link, W.A. (2003) Effect of habitat, season, trap shyness and timing on RTC estimates (R10506). Landcare Research, New Zealand
5. Hewish, M.J. (2003) Fauna values of three sub-coastal wetlands on the Bellarine Peninsula: Lake Victoria, Freshwater Lake and St Leonards Salt Lagoon. Parks Victoria Technical Series 10, Parks Victoria, Melbourne
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 47
Publications 2003
6. King, A., Brooks, J., Quinn, G., Sharpe, A. and McKay, S. (2003) Monitoring programs for environmental flows in Australia - a literature review. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg; Sinclair, Knight, Merz; Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology and Monash University
7. Robley, A.J. and Wright, J. (2003) Adaptive experimental management of foxes. Annual Report Year 2 July 2002 - June 2003. Parks Victoria Technical Series. Parks Victoria, Melbourne
8. White, M., Oates, A., Barlow, T., Pelikan, M., Brown, J., Rosengren, N., Cheal, D., Sinclair, S. and Sutter, G. (2003) The Vegetation of North-West Victoria. A report to the Wimmera, North Central and Mallee Catchment Management Authorities. Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Mildura.
9. Zampatti, B.P., Koster, W. and Crook, D. (2003) Assessment of the rock-ramp fishway at Dights Falls, lower Yarra River, Melbourne. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
Popular articles
1. Cheal, D.C. (2003) Bogong High Plains after the 2003 fires. Victorian Naturalist 120(5): 201-203
2. Clemann, N. (2003) The Mountain Dragon Tympanocryptis diemensis (Gray, 1841): a complex issue (with notes on the conservation of the Anglesea Mountain Dragon). Monitor 11(2): 1-8
3. Gibson, M. and Lumsden, L. (2003) The AnaScheme automated bat call identification system. Australasian Bat Society Newsletter 20: 24-26
4. Heislers, A. and Loyn, R. (2003) Wings over Western Port. Bird Observers Club of Australia, Nunawading
5. Hewish, M.J. (2003) The waterbirds of Lake Victoria, a sub-coastal wetland on the Bellarine Peninsula. Geelong Bird Report 2002: 73-110
6. Lumsden, L. and Bennett, A. (2003) Bats and paddock trees. Insights from recent research. Information Sheet. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg and Deakin University, Burwood
Unpublished reports
1. Bearlin, A. and Tikel, D. (2003) Conservation Genetics of Murray-Darling Basin Fish; Silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus), Murray cod (Maccullochella peeli) and Trout cod (M. macquariensis). Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg and Bribie Island Aquaculture Research Centre, Department of Primary Industries, Queensland.
2. Brown, G.W. (2003) The role of connected habitat in the conservation of biodiversity (with special focus on the Victorian Riverina). A Literature Review. A report for the Ecologically Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (ESAI) Project: Biodiversity and intensive agriculture: a fruitful marriage in the Victorian Riverina. February 2003. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
3. Brown, G., Clemann, N., Horrocks, G., Long, K., Macak, P. and Scroggie, M. (2003) Monitoring vertebrate faunal diversity: accuracy, effort and efficiency. Unpublished Report. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg.
4. Bunn, S., Cottingham, P., Brooks, a., Croker, K., Davies, P.M., Glaister, A., Hughes, V., Jackson, M., Koehn, J., Lake, S., Marsh, N., Nicol, S., Rutherfurd, I., Seymour, S. and Treadwell, S. (2003) Managing large woody debris in Australian streams and rivers. Riparian land management technical guide update number 3, May 2002. Report to Land and Water Australia. Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Canberra
5. Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Carex paupera (Dwarf Sedge) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
6. Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Eucalyptus strzeleckii (Strzelecki Gum) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
7. Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Grevillea infecunda (Anglesea Grevillea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
8. Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Leiocarpa gatesii (Wrinkled Buttons) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
9. Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Pimelea pagophila (Grampians Rice-flower) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
48 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2003
10. Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Pultenaea williamsoniana (Williamsons Bush Pea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
11. Carter, O. and Cheal, D. (2003) Maintenance of Basalt Plains Grassland in Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
12. Carter, O. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Spyridium sp. 1 (Forked Spyridium) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
13. Carter, O. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Trichanthodium baracchianum (Dwarf Yellow Heads) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
14. Carter, O., Downe, J. and Murphy, A. H. (2003) Recovery Plan for Grevillea montis-cole subsp. brevistyla (Langi Ghiran Grevillea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
15. Carter, O., Downe, J. and Murphy, A. H. (2003) Recovery Plan for Hibbertia humifusa subsp. debilis (Dergholm Guinea- flower) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
16. Carter, O., Murphy, A. H. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Grevillea bedggoodiana (Enfield Grevillea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
17. Carter, O., Murphy, A. H. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Grevillea floripendula (Ben Major Grevillea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
18. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Kelleria laxa (Kelleria) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
19. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Acacia caerulescens (Limestone Blue Wattle) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
20. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Babingtonia crenulata (Fern-leaf Baeckea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
21. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Boronia galbraithiae (Aniseed Boronia) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
22. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Callistemon kenmorrisonii (Betka Bottlebrush) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
23. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Cassinia rugata (Wrinkled Cassinia) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
24. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Correa lawrenceana var. genoensis (Genoa River Correa) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
25. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Deyeuxia pungens (Narrow-leaf Bent-grass) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
26. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Epilobium brunnescens subsp. beaugleholei (Bog Willow-herb) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
27. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Euphrasia eichleri (Bogong Eyebright) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
28. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Grevillea celata (Colquhoun Grevillea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
29. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Lobelia gelida (Snow Pratia) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
30. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Nematolepis frondosa (Leafy Nematolepis) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
31. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Nematolepis squamea subsp. coriacea (Harsh Nematolepis) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
32. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Olearia astroloba (Marble Daisy-bush) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 49
Publications 2003
33. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens (Spiny Rice-flower) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
34. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Poa sallacustris (Salt-lake Tussock-grass) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
35. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Pomaderris sericea (Bent Pomaderris) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
36. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Pomaderris subplicata (Concave Pomaderris) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
37. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Prostanthera galbraithiae (Wellington Mint-bush) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
38. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Rulingia prostrata (Dwarf Kerrawang) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
39. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Senecio laticostatus (Fin-fruit Fireweed) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
40. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Westringia cremnophila (Snowy River Westringia) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
41. Carter, O. and Walsh, N. (2003) Recovery Plan for Xerochrysum palustre (Swamp Everlasting) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
42. Carter, O., Walsh, N. G. and. Murphy A. H. (2003) Recovery Plan for Euphrasia crassiuscula subsp. glandulifera (Thick Eyebright) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
43. Crook, D. (2003) Glenelg River salinity trade-off project: Glenelg River fish communities. Report to Glenelg-Hopkins Catchment Management Authority. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
44. Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. (2003) Macroinvertebrate Survey of Wallaby Creek, William Ricketts Sanctuary, Dandenong Ranges, Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
45. Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. (2003) Rubicon and Royston desilting 2003 – Water quality. Report to Southern Hydro Pty Ltd. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
46. Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. (2003) Upper Kiewa River desilting 2003 – Water quality. Report to Southern Hydro Pty Ltd. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
47. Crowther, D. and Papas, P. (2003) Victorian State-wide salinity monitoring program - Glenelg Region macroinvertebrates 2002. Report for Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Hamilton. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg, Victoria.
48. Duncan, M.J. (2003) Summary information for all known sites of 15 threatened orchids in Victoria and South Australia. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
49. Duncan, M.J., Pritchard, A. and Coates, F. (2003) Recovery plan for fifteen threatened orchids in Victoria and South Australia 2004-2008. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg.
50. Forsyth, D.M., McDonald-Madden, E. and Clancy, T. (2003) Aerial survey of kangaroos in Mallee Parks. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
51. Forsyth, D.M., McDonald-Madden, E. and Clancy, T. (2003) Aerial survey of feral goats in Murray Sunset National Park. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
52. Kefford, B. J., Paradise, T., Papas, P. J., Fields, E. and Nugegoda, D. (2003). Assessment of a system to predict the loss of aquatic biodiversity from changes in salinity. Final Report to Land and Water Australia - Project No: VCE 17. Department of Sustainability and Environment and RMIT University. April 2003.
53. King, A. and Koehn, J. (2003) Attachment 1. Ecological assessment of various flow scenarios in Regional Evaluation Group A (Mitta Mitta River), of the Living Murray Initiative. In Scientific Reference Panel for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission (Ed) Ecological Assessment of Environmental Flow Reference points for the River Murray System. Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Canberra
50 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2003
54. Koster, W.M. (2003) Assessment of the effect of Cowwarr Weir on fish passage through Rainbow Creek, west Gippsland, Victoria Report to West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
55. Koster, W.M. (2003) Assessment of the rock-ramp fishway on the Thomson River at Cowwarr Weir, west Gippsland, Victoria. Report to West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
56. Koster, W.M. and Crowther, D. (2003) Assessment of the effect of Horseshoe Bend tunnel on fish passage and aquatic biota in the Thompson River, west Gippsland, Victoria. Report to West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
57. Koster, W., Raadik, T.A. and Clunie, P. (2003) Scoping study of the potential spread and impact of the Exotic Fish Oriental Weatherloach in the Murray – Darling Basin, Australia. A resource document for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
58. Loyn, R.H., Kavanagh, R., Catling, P., Smith, G., Turner, V., Whipp, R. and Yen, A. (2003) Which plant and animal species are sensitive to logging, and how do we monitor their abundance to get early warning of major environmental change? A compilation of indices from selected empirical studies in Victoria and Tasmania (south-eastern Australia), and a suggested design protocol. Unpublished report for the Forests & Wood Products Research & Development Corporation under the Wood & Paper Industry Strategy. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
59. Loyn, R.H., McNabb, E.G., McNabb, J., Mitchell, T., Scroggie, M. and Willig, R. (2003) Field tests of a state-wide model of powerful owl distribution. Report to Forest Science Centre. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
60. Loyn, R.H., Newell, G., Scroggie, M., Wainer, J. and Yen, A. (2003) The quest for indicator species or groups: patterns of response to disturbance and geography among taxonomic faunal groups (vertebrates and ants) in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. Unpublished report for the Forests & Wood Products Research & Development Corporation under the Wood & Paper Industry Strategy. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
61. Loyn, R.H., Savage, E. and Papas, P. (2003) Waterbirds at the RAAF Lake, Point Cook, 2001-03. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg in association with Parks Victoria, Point Cook Coastal Park
62. Macak, P.V. (2003) Hollow-bearing trees and arboreal fauna in non-commercial forest stands of south-west Victoria. Report to Forests Service. Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
63. McKay, S., Crowther, D. and Papas, P. (2003) Victorian state-wide salinity monitoring program -Shepparton region macroinvertebrates 2002. Report for Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Tatura. Freshwater Ecology, Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
64. McMahon, A.R.G., Moysey, E.D., Papas, P., Koster, W., Barlow, T., McMahon, J. and Conole, L.E. (2003) Wimmera Mallee pipeline – environmental flow benefits Report to Conel-Wagner Pty Ltd. Ecology Australia and Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
65. Moxham, C. and Dorrough, J. (2003) Protection of threatened species in the agricultural landscape Eucalyptus strzeleckii K. Rule (Strzelecki Gum), Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Flora Species Progress Report, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
66. Moxham, C., Turner, V. and Dorrough, J. (2003) Protection of threatened species in the agricultural landscape Cullen parvum, Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Flora Species Progress Report, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
67. Murphy, A. H. (2003) Recovery Plan for Myriophyllum porcatum (Ridged Water-milfoil) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
68. Murphy, A. H. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. limaensis (Lima Stringybark) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
69. Murphy, A. H. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Euphrasia collina subsp. muelleri (Purple Eyebright) 2003 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
70. Murphy, A. H. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Hibbertia humifusa subsp. erigens (Euroa Guinea-flower) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
71. Murphy, A. H., Downe, J. and Carter, O. (2003) Recovery Plan for Daviesia laevis (Grampians Bitter-pea) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 51
Publications 2003
72. Murphy, A. H., Johnson, G and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Eucalyptus cadens (Warby Range Swamp-gum) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
73. Murphy, A. H., White, M. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Nematolepis wilsonii (Shiny Nematolepis) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
74. Nicol, S., Lieschke, J., Lyon, J. and Hughes, V. (2003) Resnagging revolution: river habitat rehabilitation through resnagging. Final project report to Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
75. Nicol, M., McKay, S. and Papas, P.J. (2003) Monitoring macroinvertebrates prior to and following Lake Bellfield upgrade works, 2003-2003. Report to Wimmera-Mallee Water, Horsham. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
76. Nicol, S., Todd, C., Bearlin, A., Koehn, J., OMahoney, J., McKenzie, J., Barker, R., Burgman, M., Reynolds, J. and Kolz, L. (2003) Application of adaptive management to Australia freshwater fish: recovery of threatened Trout cod. Project C 210 final report. Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Canberra.
77. Norman, F.I. (2003) A report on some results of the 2003 summer waterfowl count in Victoria. Report to the Game Management Unit. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
78. Norman, F.I. and Bearlin, A. (2003) Adaptive modelling and waterfowl management in Victoria: a draft report. Report to Biodiversity and Natural Resource Division, DSE. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
79. Oates, A.M. (2003) Cultural Perspectives: Aboriginal associations. In Course Notes for 3rd. Mallee Ecology Course, Walpeup VIC. November 10-13, 2003. Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Mildura
80. Oates, A.M. and Brown, J. (2003) Opening up the Mallee: exploration and settlement. In Course Notes for 3rd. Mallee Ecology Course, Walpeup VIC. November 10-13, 2003. Mallee Catchment Management Authority, Mildura
81. Papas, P. and Saddlier, S. (2003) Freshwater ecology education and awareness program for stream-side land-holders. Final report to the Natural Heritage Trust March 2003. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
82. Papas, P.J. (2003) Water quality of three Maribyrnong River pools and the potential impact on native fish. Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
83. Papas, P.J. and Crowther, D. (2003) Macroinvertebrate assessment of armstrong creek following desilting in May 2002. Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
84. Robley, A.J., Parkes, J. and Forsyth, D. (2003) Feasibility study for red fox eradication and a predator proof fence across the Yanakie Isthmus, Wilsons Promontory National Park. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
85. Ryan, T. and Preece, R. (2003) Potential for cold water shock in the Murray-Darling Basin. A scoping study for the Murray-Darling Basin Commission. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
86. Ryan, T., OConnor, J., Lyon, J., Lennie, R. and Lieschke, J. (2003) Fish fauna and aquatic habitat in the Yarra River and potential impact of the Henley Golf Course Development. Report to Yarra Valley Golf Pty Limited, Wonga Park. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
87. Saddlier, S. (2003) Birches Creek: habitat rehabilitation for Freshwater Blackfish - final report. Unpublished report to North Central Catchment Management Authority. Arthur Rylah Institute of Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
88. Scroggie, M. and Clemann, N. (2003) Habitat assessment and ecological requirements of the Growling Grass Frog Litoria raniformis in the area of proposed drainage works, Benwell-Koondrook Region. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
89. Stuart, I., Jones, M., McKenzie, J., Mahoney, J. and OMahony, J. (2003) Ecology and management of Common Carp in the Barmah-Millewa Forest. Final Report of the Point Source of Carp Project to Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry Australia. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
90. Stuart, I., McKenzie, J., Williams, A. and Holt, T. (2003) Separation cages for removal of carp from Murray-Darling Basin fishways. Final report to the Murray Darling Basin Commission. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
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Publications 2003
91. Todd, C.R., McKay, S.F., Conallin, A., Close, P.G. and Raadik, T.A. (2003) Scoping study of aquatic biology introduction from inter-basin transfer: Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. Report for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Heidelberg
92. Tolsma, A. and Newell, G.R. (2003) Assessing the quality of native vegetation: further development of the Habitat Hectares approach. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
93. Tolsma, A., Carter, O. and Moxham, C. (2003) Ecological Processes in Box-Ironbark Forest: Summarising Knowledge Gaps Research Report. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
94. Tonkinson, D. and Taranto, M. (2003) Report on mapping and condition assessment of vegetation in Tootgarook Swamp for Mornington Peninsula Shire. Arthur Rylah Institute, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
95. Tonkinson, D. and Taranto, M. (2003) Report on mapping and condition assessment of remnant native vegetation for Mornington Peninsula Shire. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
96. White, M., Carter, O. and Cheal, D.C. (2003) Celmisia sericophylla: rare plant species monitoring report. Report to Parks Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
97. White, M., Murphy, A. H. and Downe, J. (2003) Recovery Plan for Eucalyptus crenulata (Buxton Gum) 2004 – 2008. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
Major conference presentations
Australian Mammal Society 49th Scientific Meeting and Annual General Meeting, Sydney NSW 7-9 July 2003
1. Lumsden, L. and Bennett, A. The value of scattered paddock trees in rural landscapes as foraging and roosting habitat for insectivorous bats in south-eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
Australian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society 10th National Conference, Perth WA 10-12 February 2003
2. Chambers, L.E. and Loyn, R.H. Water and climate as predictors of waterbird abundance. Spoken presentation
5th Australian Network for Plant Conservation National Conference, Geelong VIC 25-26 February 2003
3. Dorrough, J. Questioning grazing management paradigms in grassy ecosystems. Spoken presentation
4. Moxham, C. Coastal Moonah Woodland. Poster presentation
5. Ough, K. How will aquatic plants of freshwater wetlands respond to salinity? Poster presentation
6. Ough, K. Conserving floristic biodiversity in clearfelled forest. Spoken presentation
Australian Society for Fish Biology Annual Conference, Wellington New Zealand 2-4 July 2003
7. Crook, D., Gillanders, B. and Sanger, A. Assessing the potential of otolith chemistry for determining recruitment sources of golden perch (Maquaria ambigua) in inland rivers. Spoken presentation
8. Jones, M. and Stuart, I. Fish passage and stranding of native fish in off-channel habitats of the Murray River. Spoken presentation
9. Lieschke, J., Todd, C., Barker, R. and Nicol, S. What do tag returns tell us? Spoken presentation
10. Lyon, J. and OConnor, J. The effects of a post-fire sediment "slug" on the fish fauna of the Ovens River, Victoria. Spoken presentation
11. OConnor, J.P., OMahoney, D.J. and OMahoney, J.M. Movements of golden perch, Macquaria ambigua, in the Murray River, south eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
12. Raadik, T.A. and Adams, M. Systematic review of the widely distributed mountain galaxias (Galaxias olidus) species complex in eastern Australia: biodiversity loss before our eyes! Spoken presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 53
Publications 2003
13. Ryan, T.J. How low can they go? Impacts of cold water releases on larval and juvenile native Murray-Darling basin fish species. Spoken presentation
14. Stuart, I. and McKenzie, J. Automated carp removal from fishways. Spoken presentation
15. Todd, C.R. and Ryan, T. Was population decline inevitable? Modelling the impacts of cold water releases on native fish. Spoken presentation
Australian Society for Fish Biology Invasive species: fish and fisheries workshop, Wellington New Zealand 30 June – 1 July 2003
16. Choquenot, D., Nicol, S. and Koehn, J. Bioeconomic modelling in the development of invasive species policy. Spoken presentation
17. King, A. Niche overlap between larvae of introduced and native fish in an Australian lowland river. Spoken presentation
18. Koehn, J. and Mackenzie, R. Priority management actions to reduce the future impacts of existing invasive freshwater fish species in Australia. Spoken presentation
19. Nicol, S., Lyon, J. and Lieschke, J. Will restoring native fish habitat in the Murray-Darling basin simply increase the availability of habitat for European carp? Spoken presentation
20. Raadik, T.A. and Koster, W. Potential spread and impact of a little known alien fish introduced into Australia: the Oriental Weatherloach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus). Spoken presentation
21. Raadik, T.A., Lintermans, M., Jackson, J. and Hammer, M. Impacts of alien salmonids on freshwater biota in Australia: Part 1 - background, review of impacts and defining the issues. Spoken presentation
22. Raadik, T.A., Lintermans, M., Jackson, J. and Hammer, M. Impacts of alien salmonids on freshwater biota in Australia: Part 2 - impediments to effective management, and future directions. Spoken presentation
23. Stuart, I., Lyon, J. and McKay, S. The rise and rise of Gambusia holbrooki in Australia - serious threat or scapegoat for poor environmental management? Spoken presentation
Australian Society for Limnology 42nd Annual Conference and New Zealand Limnological Society Joint Congress, Warrnambool VIC 1-5 December 2003
24. Cant, B.L., James, K. and Ryan, T.J. Salt impact model. Knowledge behind the numbers. Spoken presentation
25. Crook, D. and Pickworth, A. Using otolith chemistry to trace the diadromous migrations of fish in Victorian coastal streams. Spoken presentation
26. Koster, W.M. and Raadik, T.A. Potential spread and impact of the exotic fish Oriental Weatherloach in Australia. Spoken presentation
27. Lennie, R., Lyon, J. and Ryan, T.J. Salinity tolerance of Murray Hardyhead. Spoken presentation
28. McKay, S. Assessing effects of alternate forestry management on small streams. Spoken presentation
29. Saddlier, S.R., Crowther, D. and Papas, P.J. Monitoring and evaluating restoration works for Trout Cod in Seven Creeks. Spoken presentation
30. Schreiber, E.S.G. The Australia Water Partnership and the Australian Society for Limnology. Poster presentation
Ecological Society of Australia 28th Conference & General Meeting, Armidale NSW 8-10 December 2003
31. Cant, B.L., James, K. and Ryan, T.J. Salt impact model. Review and synthesis of salinity impacts on biodiversity. Spoken presentation
32. Dorrough, J., Moll, J., Crosthwaite, J and Moxham, C. Can wool growers contribute to regional biodiversity targets and meet farm financial goals? Spoken presentation
33. MacHunter, J., Loyn, R. and Wright, W. Temporal changes in bird assemblages in forest fragments in Gippsland. Poster presentation
54 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2003
34. MacHunter, J., Wright, W. and Loyn, R. A comparison of bird assemblages in fragmented Lowland Forest and Damp Forest vegetation communities in Gippsland, Victoria. Poster presentation.
Genetics Society of Australia 29th International Congress of Genetics, Melbourne VIC 6-11 July 2003
35. Sinclair, S.J., Cane, K.A., Brimblecombe, R., Neale, A.D. and Hamill, J.D. Characterization of QPRTase (QPT) genes in Nicotana. Poster presentation
International Association for Landscape Ecology 6th World Congress, Darwin NT 13-17 July 2003
36. Choquenot, D., Ruscoe, W. Landscape complementation and large herbivores: habitat composition and wild pig population dynamics. Spoken presentation
37. Dorrough, J. and Ash, J. Plant species coexistence at multiple spatial scales in grazed grassland. Spoken presentation
38. Loyn, R. and Cheers, G. Contrasting effects on landscape pattern on birds in agricultural and forest environments. Spoken presentation
39. Newell, G.R., Parkes, D., Cheal, D.C., Tolsma, A. and Griffioen, P. Habitat hectares - a general method of assessing habitat quality. Spoken presentation
2nd International Conference on Rodent Biology and Management, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation Australia and Central Research Institute for Food Crops Indonesia, Canberra ACT 10-14 February 2003
40. Ruscoe, W.A., Choquenot, D., Heyward, R., Yockney, I., Young, N. and Drew, K. Seed production, predators and house mouse population eruptions in New Zealand beech forests. Spoken presentation
3rd International Wildlife Management Congress incorporating the 16th Australasian Wildlife Management Society Conference, Christchurch New Zealand 1-5 December 2003
41. Forsyth, D.M., Robley, A.J., Choquenot, D., Kean, A., Parkes, J.P. and Pelikan, M. The role of spatial modelling in the adaptive experimental management of vertebrate pests: two case studies. Spoken presentation
42. Gillespie, G.R., Howard, S., Scoggie, M.P. and Lockie, D. Herpetofaunal assemblage composition in relation to habitat disturbance in Sulawesi, Indonesia: implications for management and conservation of vertebrate biodiversity. Spoken presentation
43. Long, K.I. Directing rabbit control programs to maximise biodiversity gains. Spoken presentation
44. McDonald-Madden, E. Simple rules govern foraging by grey-headed flying-foxes in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Australia. Spoken presentation
45. Nelson, J.L., Choquenot, D. and Ward, S.J. A sampling protocol using hair-tubes for the detection of a rare forest carnivore: the spot-tailed quoll. Spoken presentation
46. Nicol, S. Linking biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and conservation management: implications for investment in conservation management. Spoken presentation
47. Parkes, J.P., Forsyth, D.M. and Choquenot, D. Adaptive management as a way of optimising strategies for vertebrate pest control. Spoken presentation
48. Robley, A.J. The management of foxes in conservation reserves in Victoria, Australia: an adaptive experimental management approach. Spoken presentation
49. Scroggie, M., Todd, C.R. and Gillespie, G.R. Using mark-recapture analysis and population models to investigate management strategies for spotted tree frogs. Spoken presentation
50. Todd, C.R. Applying adaptive management in the Murray-Darling Basin - well planned experiments for learning or an excuse for ad-hoc unplanned changed in monitoring. Spoken presentation
51. Todd, C.R. Modelling interaction between overabundant koala populations and their food resources Spoken presentation
52. Loyn, R.H. and Cheers, G. Effects of landscape pattern on birds in farmland and forest. Spoken presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 55
Publications 2003
9th International Conference on River Research and Applications, Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Albury VIC July 2003
53. King, A., Quinn, G.P., Sharpe, A., McKay, S. and Brooks, J. Generic guidelines for environmental flow monitoring studies. Poster presentation
National Conference on Wildlife Rehabilitation, Wildlife Victoria and Victoria University, Werribee VIC 1 July 2003
54. Lumsden, L.F. Microbat rehabilitation. Spoken presentation
Wildlife Diseases Association Conference, Healesville VIC 1-5 December 2003
55. McNabb, E.G. Biology of Powerful Owl. Spoken presentation
Other external presentations (workshops, seminars, community presentations)
Australasian Bat Society Anabat and Techniques workshop, Sydney NSW 22-23 February 2003
1. Gibson, M. and Lumsden, L. The new Anascheme automatic echolocation call software. Spoken presentation.
Australian Conservation Foundation Seminar, Box Hill VIC 4 August 2003
2. Newell, G.R. and Griffioen, P. Predicting the future for Victorias biota: recent progress in modelling the effects of greenhouse warming for flora. Spoken presentation
Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group Biannual Workshop, Narooma NSW 13-17 October 2003
3. McNabb, E.G. Victorian nocturnal fauna. Spoken presentation
Ballarat University Seminar Series, Ballarat VIC 4 July 2003
4. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of insectivorous bats in northern Victoria. Spoken presentation
Bendigo Wildlife Information and Rescue Group, Bendigo VIC 5 April 2003
5. Lumsden, L. The conservation and care of bats. Spoken presentation.
Deakin University guest lecture, Burwood VIC 18 August 2003
6. Lumsden, L. The conservation and management of bats. Spoken presentation.
Department of Primary Industries/Department of Sustainability and Environment Entomology Symposium, Rutherglen VIC 7-8 May 2003
7. Papas, P.J. Entomology at ARI. Spoken presentation
Department of Primary Industries Tatura Research Institute Research Day, Tatura VIC 9 May 2003
8. Lumsden, L. The ecological role of insectivorous bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
56 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2003
Department of Sustainability and Environment/Department of Primary Industries Workshop on Sustainable Forest Management, Marysville VIC 5 March 2003
9. Loyn, R.H. Biodiversity monitoring for ecologically sustainable forest management. Spoken presentation
Department of Sustainability and Environment and partners Box-Ironbark Ecology Course, Puckapunyal VIC 28 October 2003
10. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Department of Sustainability and Environment/Department of Primary Industries Young Scientists Forum, Bendigo VIC 2 Oct 2003
11. Lumsden, L.F. Keynote address: your research can change the world! Spoken presentation
East Gippsland Catchment Management Network workshop, Bairnsdale VIC 25 March 2003
12. Loyn, R.H. Wildlife in fragmented forests in rural landscapes, with a focus on the Noisy Miner issue. Spoken presentation
Field Naturalists Club and Australasian Bat Society workshop, Kinglake VIC 8 February 2003
13. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
Friends of the Grampians, Halls Gap VIC 15 February 2003
14. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation and field excursion.
Geelong Field Naturalists Club monthly meeting, guest speaker, Geelong VIC 4 November 2003
15. McNabb, E.G. Nightlife at the Dandenong and Otway Ranges Spoken presentation
Goulburn Murray Landcare Network, Arcadia VIC 23 November 2003
16. Lumsden, L. The ecological role of insectivorous bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
Deakin University Wildlife Management Course guest lecturer, Burwood VIC 3 August 2003
17. Clemann, N. Management of threatened alpine herpetofauna in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Deakin University guest lecturer, Burwood VIC 14 October 2003
18. Lumsden, L.F. Urban bats. Spoken presentation
Greening Australia Infotech Training Course guest lecturer, Heidelberg VIC 29 August 2003
19. Clemann, N. The Fauna Ecology Section, Arthur Rylah Institute. Spoken presentation
20. Lieschke, J. The Freshwater Ecology Section, Arthur Rylah Institute. Spoken presentation
Honeysuckle Creek Catchment Group Research Forum, Caniambo VIC 12 August 2003
21. Loyn, R.H. A study of vertebrate wildlife in eucalypt plantations. Spoken presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 57
Publications 2003
22. Dorrough, J. Farm business and biodiversity. Spoken presentation
Department of Primary Industries Kyabram Research Institute Seminar Series, Kyabram VIC 8 October 2003
23. Lumsden, L.F. Insect-eating bats: farmers allies. Spoken presentation
Mallee Catchment Management Authority, 3rd Mallee Ecology Course lecture, Walpeup VIC November 2003
24. Oates, A.M. A social and environmental history of the mallee. Spoken presentation
Mallee Catchment Management Authority Vegetation Mapping and Spatial Information workshop. Mildura VIC October 2003
25. Oates, A.M. A Social and Environmental History of the Mallee. Spoken presentation.
Mammal Survey Group of Victoria, Burwood VIC 12 June 2003
26. Lumsden, L. Bats of the world. Spoken presentation.
Melbourne Water Wildlife Consultative Committee, Werribee VIC February 2003
27. Loyn, R.H. Results of waterbird monitoring programs at the Western Treatment Plant, Werribee. Spoken presentation
Monash University Seminar Series, Burwood July 2003
28. Loyn, R.H. Owls, gliders and forest management. Spoken presentation
Montrose Environment Group meeting, guest speaker, Montrose VIC 26 July 2003
29. McNabb, E.G. Nightlife of the Dandenongs Spoken presentation
Maroondah Australian Plant Group, Blackburn VIC 11 April 2003
30. Lumsden, L. The conservation and care of bats. Spoken presentation.
Melbourne Junior Field Naturalists, Blackburn VIC 27 June 2003
31. Lumsden, L. Bats. Spoken presentation.
Monash University Biological Society seminar series, Clayton VIC 29 April 2003
32. Lumsden, L. The conservation and care of bats. Spoken presentation.
Mt Evelyn Environment Protection Association monthly meeting, guest speaker, Mt Evelyn VIC 11 November 2003
33. McNabb, E.G. Nightlife at the Dandenongs Spoken presentation
Murray-Darling Basin Commission Downstream Fish Migration workshop, Canberra ACT 3-4 June 2003
34. Humphries, P. and King, A.J. Drifting fish larvae in Murray-Darling rivers: composition, timing and distance drifted. Spoken presentation
58 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2003
Naring Landcare group, Naring VIC 4 November 2003
35. Lumsden, L. The ecological role of insectivorous bats in rural landscapes. Spoken presentation.
National Museum of Natural History seminar, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC USA April 2003
36. Clemann, N. Herpetofauna of Victoria, Australia. Spoken presentation
Nillumbik Council Environmental Program, Eltham VIC 28 August 2003
37. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
North Central Catchment Management Authority Natural Resource Management Research Forum, La Trobe University, Bendigo VIC 3 December 2003
38. Dorrough, J. Integrating native vegetation conservation into wool production systems. Spoken presentation
Rosanna Golf Links Primary School class presentation, Rosanna VIC 29 August 2003
39. Loyn, R.H. Owls. Spoken presentation
Rosanna Golf Links Primary School Environment Club presentation, Rosanna VIC 5 September 2003
40. Lumsden, L.F. Bats. Spoken presentation
Sherbrooke Lyrebird Survey Group meeting, guest speaker, Ferntree Gully VIC 15 November 2003
41. McNabb, E.G. Nightlife of the Dandenongs Spoken presentation
St Peter Julians Primary School class presentation, Mooroolbark VIC 22 July 2003
42. Clemann, N. Reptiles in the neighbourhood. Spoken presentation
Timboon Field Naturalists Club field day, Timboon VIC 26 January 2003
43. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of bats. Spoken presentation.
University of Melbourne guest lecturer, Parkville VIC April 2003
44. Gillespie, G. R. The conservation and ecology of Australian frogs. Spoken presentation
University of Melbourne guest lecturer, Parkville VIC 5 May 2003
45. Lumsden, L. The conservation and ecology of Australian bats. Spoken presentation.
Urban Biodiversity Advisory Consortium Urban Wildlife Forum, Brisbane QLD 14-16 June 2003
46. McDonald-Madden, E., Schreiber, E.S.G., Forsyth, D.M., Clancy, T.F. and Choquenot, D. Simple rules govern foraging by Grey-headed Flying-foxes in the Melbourne metropolitan area, Australia. Poster presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 59
Publications 2003
Warringal Conservation Society monthly meeting, Heidelberg VIC 7 August 2003
47. Loyn, R.H. Owls, gliders and forest management. Spoken presentation
Waverley Historical Society guest speaker, Mt Waverley VIC 25 September 2003
48. Sinclair, S.J. Flora of the Mt Waverley Area. Spoken presentation
Wildlife Victoria and Victoria University, A short course in wildlife husbandry and rehabilitation; guest lecturer, 23 July 2003
49. Lumsden, L.F. Microbat care and rehabilitation. Spoken presentation
Workshop on Generic Framework for Designing Environmental Flow Monitoring Programs, Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Monash University, VIC 15-16 December 2003
50. King A.J. Monitoring programs of environmental flows in Australia– a literature review. Spoken presentation
60 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2004
Publication output from ARI staff for January-June 2004
Publication Type Total Refereed journal articles 20 Books, book sections theses 0 Published conference proceedings 0 Published reports 1 Popular articles 1 Unpublished reports 17 Major conference presentations 14 Other external presentations 11
Refereed journal articles
1. Berger, L., Spear, R., Hines, H, B., Marantelli, G., Hyatt, A. D., Olsen, V., McDonald, K. R., Clarke, J., Gillespie, G., Mahony, M., Sheppard, N., Williams, C. and Tyler, M. (2004). Mortality in amphibians due to chytridiomycosis increases in winter and with lower experimental temperatures. Australian Veterinary Journal 82: 31-36
2. Clemann, N., McGee, T. and Odgers, J. (2004) Snake management on private properties in Melbourne, Australia. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 9(2): 133-142
3. Crook, D.A. (2004) Is the home range concept compatible with the movements of two species of fish in an Australian lowland river? Journal of Animal Ecology 73: 353-366
4. Crook, D.A. (2004).A method for externally attaching radio transmitters to minimize dermal irritation. Journal of Fish Biology 64: 258-261
5. Dorrough, J. and Ash, J. E. (2004) The impact of livestock grazing on the persistence of a perennial forb in a temperate Australian grassland. Pacific Conservation Biology 9: 302-307.
6. Dorrough, J., Yen, A.L., Turner, V., Clark, S.G., Crosthwaite, J. and Hirth, J.R. (2004) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 55(3): 279- 295
7. Forsyth, D.M., Duncan, R.P., Bomford, M. and Moore, G. (2004) Climatic suitability, life-history traits, introduction effort and the establishment and spread of introduced mammals in Australia. Conservation Biology 18: 557–569
8. Forsyth, D.M., Tustin, K.G., Gaillard, J.M. and Loison, A. (2004) Gestation date rather than maternal attributes predict foetal sex ratio in the highly dimorphic and polygynous Himalayan tahr. Behavioural Ecology 15: 572–578
9. Huynh, T.T., McLean, C.B., Coates, F. and Lawrie, A.C. (2004) Effect of developmental stage and peloton morphology on success in isolation of mycorrhizal fungi in Caladenia formosa (Orchidaceae) Australian Journal of Botany 52(2): 231-241
10. Jackson, J.E., Raadik, T.A., Lintermans, M. and Hammer, M. (2004) Alien salmonids in Australia: impediments to effective impact management, and future directions. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38: 447-455.
11. Kefford, B.J., Papas, P.J., Metzeling, L. and Nugegoda, D. (2004) Do laboratory salinity tolerances of freshwater animals correspond with their field salinity? Environmental Pollution 129(3): 355-362
12. Koehn, J.D. (2004) Carp (Cyprinus carpio) as a powerful invader in Australian waterways. Freshwater Biology 49: 1-13
13. McDonald-Madden, E., Elgar, M.A. and Handasyde, K.A. (2004) Responses to threat by female bobucks, Trichosurus caninus, during different stages of offspring development. Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology (56): 322-327
14. Norman, F.I. and Cooper, C. (2004) Recoveries, recaptures and resightings of Australasian gannets Morus serrator banded at Lawrence Rocks, Victoria. Corella 28: 24-30
15. OConnor, J.P. and Mahoney, J. (2004) Observations of ovariuan involoutuion in the Australian grayling (Prototroctes mareana). Ecology of Freshwater Fish 13(1): 70-73
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 61
Publications 2004
16. Parkes, D., Newell, G. and Cheal, D. (2004) The development and raison detre of habitat hectares: A response to McCarthy et al. (2004). Ecological Management and Restoration 5(1): 28-29
17. Todd, C.R., Nicol, S. and Koehn, J.D. (2004) Density-dependance uncertainty in population models for the conservation of trout cod, Maccullochella macquariensis. Ecological Modelling 171: 359-380
18. Walsh, C.J., Papas, P.J., Crowther, D., Sim, P.T. and Yoo, J. (2004) Stormwater drainage pipes as a threat to a stream- dwelling amphipod Austrogammarus australis, in south-eastern Australia. Biodiversity and Conservation 13: 781-793
19. Warman, L.D., Forsyth, D.M., Sinclair, A.R.E., Freemark, K., Moore, H.D., Barrett, T.W., Pressey, R.L. and White, D. (2004) Species distributions, surrogacy, and important conservation regions in Canada. Ecology Letters 7: 374–379
20. Young, W.J., Chessman, B.C., Erskine, W.D., Raadik, T.A., Wimbush, D.J., Tilleard, J., Jakeman, A.J., Varley, I. And Verhoeven, T.J. (2004) Improving expert panel assessments through the use of a composite river condition index - the case of the rivers affected by the Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme, Australia. River Research and Applications (online)
Published reports
1. Murray-Darling Basin Commission (2004) Native Fish Strategy for the Murray-Darling Basin 2003-2013. Murray-Darling Basin Commission, Canberra (contributors include Koehn, J. and Nicol, S.)
Popular articles
1. Kohout, M. (2004) Wetlands, biodiversity and salt – a new DSE project. Greening Australia Around the Lakes – the Borrell- a-kandelop Project Newsletter 2 (June 2004)
Unpublished reports
1. Carter, O. (2004) Recovery Plan for Acacia glandulicarpa (Hairy-pod Wattle) 2005 – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
2. Carter, O. (2004) Recovery Plan for Carex tasmanica (Curly Sedge) 2005 – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
3. Carter, O. (2004) Recovery Plan for Lepidium aschersonii (Spiny Pepper-cress) 2005 – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
4. Carter, O. (2004) Recovery Plan for Taraxacum cygnorum (Coast Dandelion) 2005 – 2009. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
5. Chick, R., Henry, S., Kambouris, P. and Tennant, P. (2004) The effects of timber harvesting on the Long-footed Potoroo (Potorous longipes). Unpublished final report to Forest Management (DSE) Department of Sustainability and Environment, Orbost
6. Conole, L.E., Quin, D,G., McMahon, A.R.G., Moysey, E.D., Papas, P.J., Koster, W.M., Barlow, T., Robertson, P. and McMahon, J. (2004) Wimmera Mallee Pipeline - ecological assessment of channels and channel-fed water-bodies in the Wimmera Mallee Region. Final report. Report to Conel-Wagner Pty Ltd. Ecology Australia and Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
7. Duncan, M.J., Pritchard, A. and Todd, J. (2004) Recovery plan for twelve threatened spider orchids (Caladenia R.Br.) in Victoria and South Australia. Report to the Department of the Environment and Heritage, Canberra. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
8. Forsyth, D.M. and Parkes, J.P. (2004) Maximising the conservation benefits of the commercial goat industry in Australia. Report to Department of the Environment & Heritage, Canberra. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
9. Gillespie, G. R. and Scroggie, M. (2004). Assessing Conservation Priorities for Australian Frogs. Unpublished report for the World Wide Fund for Nature Conservation, Sydney. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
10. Heard, G., Robertson, P. and Scroggie, M. (2004) The ecology and conservation status of the Growling Grass Frog (Litoria raniformis) within the Merri Creek Corridor: second report: Additional field surveys and site monitoring. Report to Department of Sustainability and Environment. Wildlife Profiles
11. McNabb, E.G. (2004) Powerful Owl Ninox strenua at the Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve: Mitigation of impacts of removal of weed tree roosts & monitoring response of the owls. Report to Melbourne Water. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
62 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
Publications 2004
12. Moxham, C. and Dorrough, J. (2004) Protection of threatened species in the agricultural landscape. Eucalyptus strzeleckii K. Rule (Strzelecki Gum). Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Flora Species progress report, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
13. Moxham, C. and Dorrough, J. (2004) Protection of threatened species in the agricultural landscape: Cullen parvum F. Muell. (Small scurf-pea). Ecological Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Flora Species progress report, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
14. Papas, P., Suter, P. and Doeg, T. (2004) Alpine aquatic macroinvertebrates. pp 41-48. In The Alpine Ecology Course Bogong High Plains 10-16 January 2004 Course Notes. The Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology, La Trobe University, VIC
15. Schulz, M. and Lumsden, L.F. (2004) National Recovery Plan for the Christmas Island Pipistrelle Pipistrellus murrayi. Prepared for the Australian Government, Department of the Environment and Heritage.
16. Scroggie, M.P., Steane, D. and Gillespie, G.R. (2004) An assessment of methods for monitoring the effects of wildfire and habitat disturbance on threatened Alpine herpetofauna in Victoria. Unpublished report to Department of Sustainability and Environment. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
17. Todd, C.R., Forsyth, D.M. and Choquenot, D. (2004) Outcomes and options arising from a workshop on the adaptive management of koalas. Report to Parks Victoria, Melbourne. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Heidelberg
Major conference presentations
11th Australasian Bat Society Conference, Toowoomba QLD 13-16 April 2004
1. Campbell, S., Lumsden, L.F. and Coulson, G. Fixed foraging, flexible roosting: can we call Myotis macropus an ecological specialist? Spoken presentation
2. Gibson, M. and Lumsden, L.F. Automated identification of bat calls. Spoken presentation
3. Lumsden, L.F. and Bennett, A. The value of scattered paddock trees in rural landscapes as foraging and roosting habitat for insectivorous bats in south-eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
Biodiversity Across the Borders Conference, Centre for Environmental Management, School of Science and Engineering, University of Ballarat, Mt Helen VIC 10 June 2004
4. Gibson, M. and Lumsden, L.F. Automated identification of bat calls. Spoken presentation
5. Lumsden, L.F. and Bennett, A. The value of scattered paddock trees in rural landscapes as foraging and roosting habitat for insectivorous bats in south-eastern Australia. Spoken presentation
Grassland Society of Southern Australia 45th Annual Conference, Launceston TAS June 2004
6. Moll, J., Dorrough, J., Crosthwaite, J. and Moxham, C. Maintaining wool profits and meeting biodiversity goals. Poster presentation
International Orchid Conservation Congress II, Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, Sarasota, Florida USA 16-21 May 2004
7. Backhouse, G.N. and Cameron, D. Application of the IUCN 2001 Red List Categories for determining the conservation status of the native orchids of Victoria, Australia. Spoken presentation.
8. Duncan, M.J., Pritchard, A. and Coates, F. Significant threats to endangered orchids in Victoria, Australia. Spoken presentation
International Symposium on Biodiversity: Integrative Studies, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 29-31 March 2004
9. Brown, G.W. The impacts of ground-layer disturbance on Box-Ironbark fauna. Spoken presentation
10. Loyn, R.H. Modelling habitats of large forest owls. Spoken presentation
11. Loyn, R.H. Invasive species. Spoken presentation
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 63
Publications 2004
12. Loyn, R.H. Conservation in Australia: Victoria as a case study. Spoken presentation
13. Lumsden, L.F. Ecological survey of fauna in the Box-Ironbark area. Spoken presentation
14. Lumsden, L.F. Communicating research results. Spoken presentation
Other external presentations (workshops, seminars, community presentations)
Deakin University guest lecturer, Burwood VIC 11May 2004
1. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Eltham Community Health Centre Take Heart guest speaker, Eltham VIC 25 February 2004
2. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Guildford Landcare Group guest speaker, Guilford VIC 8 June 2004
3. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Kyneton Primary Livestock Group guest speaker, Barfold VIC 18 January 2004
4. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
La Trobe University Botany Department Seminar Series, Bundoora VIC 31 March 2004
5. Dorrough, J. Can we integrate native vegetation conservation and productive livestock grazing management? Spoken presentation
Melbourne University guest lecturer, Parkville VIC 26 April 2004
6. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Mornington Peninsula Land for Wildlife guest speaker, The Briars VIC 28 February 2004
7. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
National Working Group 4 on native forest managment workshop, Marlo VIC May 2004
8. Loyn, R.H. Forest ecology research in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Newstead Landcare Group guest speaker, Newstead VIC 13 May 2004
9. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Northcote Garden Club guest speaker, Northcote VIC 6 May 2004
10. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria. Spoken presentation
Tunghai University Biology Department presentation, Taichung Taiwan 22 March 2004 11. Lumsden, L.F. The conservation and ecology of bats in Victoria, Australia. Spoken presentation
64 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
ARI Seminar series
Seminars are held on the third Monday of each month between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. in the ARI conference room. The series facilitates discussion between staff and others working and studying in a wide range of areas. Each seminar includes time for discussion. Enquiries about these seminars and to join the seminar email list please email [email protected].
ARI seminar series July 2003-June 2004
Date Presenter Topic 21 July 2003 Prof Michael Hamilton (University of Microtechnology and natural resource management California-Riverside)
22 July 2003 Dr Tim Jessop (San Diego Zoo) Population ecology and demography of the Komodo Dragon
4 August 2003 Dr. Alistair Hamilton (Monash University, Fire grazing and the management of blanket-bogs in School 0f Biological Sciences) north-west Scotland
18 August 2003 Dr Alan Robley (ARI, Fauna) Fox initiative project
1 September 2003 Dr David Cook (ARI, Freshwater) Assessing the use of otolith (ear bone) chemistry as a means of identifying recruitment sources of fish
15 September 2003 Dr Alan Yen (ARI, Fauna) Invertebrates and the Uluru fauna surveys
6 October 2003 Dr Arn Tolsma (ARI, Flora) Vegetation condition initiative
20 October 2003 Dr Michelle Jones (DPI: Ellinbank) Reproductive ecology of the black-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale lateralis
10 November 2003 Dr Melody Serena (Australian Platypus Ecology and conservation of the Platypus in Victoria Conservancy)
17 November 2003 Quentin Farmer-Bowers (DSE: Parks, The importance of framing the question in sustainable Flora and Fauna, East Melbourne) development
15 December 2003 Dr Jim Radford (Deakin University, Landscape level thresholds for the conservation of School of Ecology & Environment) biodiversity in rural environments
15 March 2004 Dr Steven Sinclair (DSE/ARI: Flora) Plant chemical defences against insect herbivores- ecology, evolution and biochemistry
29 March 2004 Dr Rosa Crnov (DPI: Knoxfield) New research on the eucalyptus syndrome, Mundulla Yellows
5 April 2004 Joanne Potts (DSE/ARI: Freshwater) Population viability analysis, habitat and abundance modelling
15 April 2004 Prof. Alistar Robertson (University of Livestock management for river restoration Western Australia, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences)
19 April 2004 John Weiss (DPI, Frankston) Bhutan - Flora of the Eastern Himalayas and potential weed issues
26 April 2004 Oliver Berry (University of Canberra, Molecular methods and wildlife ecology Applied Ecology Research Group)
4 May 2004 Bob Edgar (DPI, Frankston) Perceptions and environmental values - human response to remnant vegetation
10 May 2004 Bill Hill (Grazier, Warrenbayne, Victoria) Adaptive Frameworks for sustainability: creating supportive environments
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 65
ARI Seminar series
ARI seminar series July 2003-June 2004 (continued)
Date Presenter Topic 18 May 2004 Janet Pritchard (University of Adelaide) Boom and bust ecology in the Lake Eyre Basin - an aquatic perspective 31 May 2004 Dr Gary Sheridan and Pat Lane (FESI, The impact of the 2002-03 Victorian forest fires on water Heidelberg) quantity and quality 15 June 2004 Ben Kefford (RMIT, Biotechnology and Models to predict the effect of salinity on freshwater Environmental Biology) invertebrates 28 June 2004 Mandy Joyce (University of New Drayton saline irrigation trial England, Ecosystem Management)
66 Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04
References
Cadwallader, P.L. & Backhouse, G.N. (1983) A Guide to the Freshwater Fish of Victoria. Ed. F.D.Atkinson. Government Printer, Melbourne, Australia.
DSE (2003a) Corporate Plan Summary 2003-2006. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne, Victoria.
DSE (2003b) Corporate Plan 2003-2006. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne, Victoria.
Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research (2003) Annual Report 2003.
NRE (2000) Biodiversity Research Strategic Plan 2000-2005. Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Melbourne, Victoria.
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research - Annual Business Review 2003-04 67