Urban ecology and the future of cities

The role of ecology in a sustainable future is prominent in the media, academic writing and political decisions; as such environmental pressures, as well as economic, social and political, increasingly influence planning for the future. This paper looks at how this translates into the process for planning future cities – highlighting gaps in knowledge and issues of implementation. It draws on interdisciplinary sources to explore three main elements of the debate: What is urban ecology and why is it important to sustainable cities?; What gaps are there in the ecological knowledge of planners and policy makers and why are there gaps?; and How can urban ecology be integrated into the planning of future sustainable cities?. This paper does not aim to provide a definitive answer to the problem; rather it addresses the first two areas and identifies potential directions for the third. It takes Australia, as national, Victoria, as regional and Geelong, as local, points of reference.

Molecular sex-typing in shorebirds: a review of an essential method for research in evolution, ecology and conservation

Knowing the correct sex of individuals is essential both for research in evolutionary ecology and for practical conservation. Recent molecular advances have produced cheap, quick and reliable methods for sexing birds including chicks, juveniles, immatures and adults. Shorebird researchers have not yet fully utilised these advances. Here we provide an overview of work in this area to date with two objectives: (i) to review the major applications of molecular sexing and findings of shorebird research so far, and (ii) to provide an essential guide on how to carry out molecular sexing using current methods whilst avoiding methodological pitfalls. We encourage shorebird researchers to make better use of molecular sex-typing techniques in studies of conservation, migration, foraging ecology and breeding behaviour.

The biology and ecology of the ocean sunfish Mola mola : a review of current knowledge and future research perspectives

Relatively little is known about the biology and ecology of the world’s largest (heaviest) bony fish, the ocean sunfish Mola mola, despite its worldwide occurrence in temperate and tropical seas. Studies are now emerging that require many common perceptions about sunfish behaviour and ecology to be re-examined. Indeed, the long-held view that ocean sunfish are an inactive, passively drifting species seems to be entirely misplaced. Technological advances in marine telemetry are revealing distinct behavioural patterns and protracted seasonal movements. Extensive forays by ocean sunfish into the deep ocean have been documented and broad-scale surveys, together with molecular and laboratory based techniques, are addressing the connectivity and trophic role of these animals. These emerging molecular and movement studies suggest that local distinct populations may be prone to depletion through bycatch in commercial fisheries. Rising interest in ocean sunfish, highlighted by the increase in recent publications, warrants a thorough review of the biology and ecology of this species. Here we review the taxonomy, morphology, geography, diet, locomotion, vision, movements, foraging ecology, reproduction and species interactions of M. mola. We present a summary of current conservation issues and suggest methods for addressing fundamental gaps in our knowledge.

From ecological creativity to an ecology of well-being: 'flows & catchments' as a case study of NVivo

This paper’s research question concerns how the ecological creativity of the Volcanic Plains region of Western Victoria may be transformed into an ecology of well-being of benefit to the local community. Drawing on the philosophies of Spinoza and Gilles Deleuze, we argue that community well-being results from the richness of connections and relationships made within a place. The case study for our investigation is ‘Flows & Catchments’, which is an ongoing, collaborative, creative-arts research project auspiced by Deakin University. Its modus operandi is Practice-Based Research (PBR), and its aim is to promote community well-being in Western Victoria. However, while the whole metier of the creative arts is to make the novel connections and relationships that should bring about community wellbeing, the various artists of ‘Flows & Catchments’ have proved slightly reluctant to make connections outside of their individual or small-group sub-projects. In this way, ecological creativity has not reached its full potential as an ecology of well-being because the rich connections and relationships essential to this well-being have not yet been fully realised. This paper explores the potential of using the NVivo qualitative analysis software package to bring together the creative-arts sub-projects of ‘Flows & Catchments’, as a way of fostering an ecology of well-being out of a currently dispersed ecological creativity.

Spatial ecology of an apex predator over an urban to forest gradient

This research focused on predicting habitat suitability for the Powerful Owl over an urbanization gradient. Zones along the gradient provided different proportions of habitat for this species and tied in with availability of key resources. Urban environments provided limited habitat for the Powerful Owl and may potentially be acting as ecological traps.

Does size matter? Sex differences in white-faced storm petrels’ ecology

Does size matter? In the case of the white-faced storm petrel, yes, it would appear so. The findings of this study make a significant contribution to further our understanding of how even subtle sexual size dimorphism influences aspects of this species’ biology and ecology, and how this relates across Procellariiformes.

Variation in postsampling treatment of avian blood affects ecophysiological interpretations

The fluid component of blood is widely used in ecophysiological investigations, including measures of immune function and stable isotope ecology. After blood collection, delayed separation of blood extracellular fluids from red blood cells is known to affect the concentration of a wide range of biochemical compounds in the resulting fluid, as does prevention of clotting (producing plasma) when compared with blood allowed to clot (producing serum). One challenge when investigating immune function and stable isotope ecology, therefore, is discriminating variation because of the effect of the biological factors of interest from potential methodological artefacts. This study assesses how seven widely used measures of immune function and stable isotope composition respond both to delayed separation of the cellular and fluid components and to the clotting of blood samples from two species of waterfowl. Samples that remained uncentrifuged for up to 12 h did not differ from those centrifuged within 15 min of sampling from the same individuals, indicating that samples from a wide range of field conditions may remain highly comparable. However, the outcome of three of the four immunological assays and two of the three isotopic analyses was highly dependent on the type of fluid, with higher immunological activity and higher relative concentrations of heavy carbon and total nitrogen in plasma compared to serum. Researchers interested in immune function and stable isotope ecology may obtain the most useful results by ensuring that they use a single fluid type in their investigations.

Iridoviruses of copepods: their identification, estuarine ecology and host histopathology

Zooplankton Invertebrate Iridescent viruses (ZoopIIVs: Iridoviridae) were discovered infecting copepods. Assays were developed for monitoring an infectious ZoopIIV; and the virus ultrastructure and host infection sites were described. The pioneering work has advanced research methods and our knowledge of infectious viruses in the zooplankton that provide critical ecosystem services globally