An integrated study of the temporal and spatial variation in the supply of propagules, recruitment and assemblages of intertidal macroalgae on a wave-exposed rocky coast, Victoria, Australia

Recruitment is known to influence distributions and abundances of benthic marine organisms. It is therefore important to document patterns of variability in recruitment and how these relate to patterns in established assemblages. This study provides an integrated assessment of the temporal and spatial variation in supply and recruitment of propagules and established populations of several macroalgae. Propagules in water samples from two stages of the incoming tide, recruitment to artificial substrata and percentage cover of species established on the shore were recorded every 2 months from December 1994 to October 1995, in two zones of an intertidal, wave-exposed rocky shore. Variability in recruitment was measured at three spatial scales: 10s cm, 100s cm and 100s m. Availability and recruitment of most taxa were greatest between April and August, although many species had available propagules and recruited throughout the year. Temporal variation in the established assemblages was, however, more species-specific. Differences in established assemblages between zones were reflected in differences in availability and recruitment of propagules between zones. Recruitment could not be predicted directly from supply of propagules, but the two processes were linked. For most species, the greatest variation in recruitment occurred at the smallest spatial scale of 10s cm, although there was also considerable large-scale (between site) variation in recruitment of several species. Results indicate that while pre-and post-settlement mortality are likely to influence macroalgal distribution and abundance, the temporal and spatial variability in supply and recruitment of propagules can explain much of the patchiness in macroalgal assemblages.

Effects of human activities on rocky shores of the Surf Coast Shire: scientific basis for management at the regional level

The Surf Coast Shire in regional Victoria contains some of the most spectacular coastline in Australia, running from Point Impossible in the east to just west of the resort town of Lorne. The Surf Coast Shire council is committed to ecologically sustainable tourism based on its coastal assets, including the important intertidal environments. The challenge for the Shire is to protect and enhance the biodiversity of its intertidal areas whilst allowing for their sustainable use as a critical component of the local economy. In order to do this the Council needed to identify the conservation values of intertidal areas within the shire and assess the impacts that current human use has on these values. The impacts of shellfish collecting on rocky shores were identified as an issue of particular concern. We have conducted a research project with the Shire to provide a scientific basis for management decisions. The principal aims of this project were to: (1) determine the patterns of human use of intertidal habitats; (2) measure the impacts of human usage on biological communities and species populations; and (3) to identify intertidal sites of regional conservation significance for the Surf Coast Shire. Surveys of human usage identified reef walking, looking in rock pools and fossicking as major uses of rocky shores within the Surf Coast. This poster reports the effects of this usage on gastropod populations of rocky shores within the Surf Coast Shire. A small proportion of visitors collected intertidal organisms. Shores were categorized as high or low use based on total numbers of people observed at each shore over the first year of the project. Mean size and catch per unit effort were compared for several gastropod species between high use and low use shores. The results presented here show that the populations of some gastropod species are of smaller mean size and less abundant on high use shores than on low use shores. There was also a noticeable difference in degree of effect detected between sandstone and mudstone shores. The implications of these results are briefly discussed in terms of management options available to the Shire.

Highlights from the tennis Australia heritage collections : mini-exhibition in the player cafe, Rod Laver Arena

Summary : This 'mini-exhibition' arose as an opportunity to showcase recent acquisitions as well as established holdings of significant items of tennis related heritage within the Tennis Australia Heritage Collections. In general, the Collections have two main strengths, and the mini-exhibition was designed to communicate these. The first strength is the ability to show the evolution of tennis technology and practices over time, from the beginnings of modern tennis in the 1860s, to today. This evolution is a result of tennis being influenced by changes in the wider world, such as the Industrial Revolution. The second strength of the Collections is in showing the impact and influence of tennis on society. Many items in the Collections are evidence of the immense and enduring popularity of the sport across the world. The Collections contain many beautiful, rare and fascinating items of decorative arts, fashion, literature and social history which feature tennis as a motif. These items show the reverse influence - the deep impression tennis has made outside of the sport itself.  This mini-exhibition focuses on these two themes. Some displays focus on the first theme. They demonstrate the evolution of tennis racquets, tennis balls, instructional publications and other tennis related equipment over the past century and a half. Other displays focus on the second theme. There are cases which examine tennis' influence upon global popular culture, in board games, fashion and decorative arts from around the world.  The mini-exhibition includes items from the U.s, U.K., Germany, France, Austria, Japan and Australia, demonstrating the global phenomenon that tennis quickly became, and showcasing the international scope of the Collections.  Each case contains text panels listing the objects and their specifications, and panels providing contextual information about the display. The miniexhibition is expected to be on display until November 2009. A case-bycase breakdown of objects, with images and a layout map follows.

Application of the strain localization CAFE model to investigate extrusion with various die shapes

Multi scale CAFE model for the prediction of initiation and propagation of the micro shear bands and shear bands in metallic materials subjected to plastic deformation is presented. The CAFE approach is the combination of the Cellular Automata (CA) and the Finite Element (FE) methods. The application of the developed CAFE model to analyze material flow during extrusion is the objective of the present work. The proposed CAFE approach is applied in this work to simulation of the extrusion with flat face and convex dies and to investigate differences in the material flow. The initial FE meshes with the set of the CA point are generated for the numerical tests and the results of the metal flow predicted by the CAFE method are presented in the paper.

Metaphoric use of the mountain symbol in painting

This paper consists of two parts. The focus of Part I is the symbol of the mountain and its metaphoric use in art history and in the mythology of many cultures. Part II links an examination of twentieth century contemporary artists and relevant issues, the mythology and historical references covered in Part I and the paintings that make up the body of the thesis. The study is concerned with the role of the symbol and the form of its interpretation in the expression of ideas and images that are relevant to it. These themes have been developed in order to place the paintings in a context of continuity and establish iconographic links with the past. One particular site has been chosen through which to examine the symbolic associations between the mountain and the metaphoric quest. The metaphor of pilgrimage to the site and of searching for a lost unity is implicit in this process. The realisation reached at the summit confirms the significance of this journey. Each painting is discussed and linked with the themes that are relevant to it, linking the research recorded in Part I with the execution of the paintings, aiming at a synthesis of theory and practice.

Cafe urgency

The idea of Cafe urgency was to create a loose and social atmosphere in which performers, audience and everyone present explored the ideas of the evening together. What Urgency do we have in our lives? Which pressing ideas, compelling needs, burning desires fill a day? Which insistent thoughts, driving wishes, forceful longings span a lifetime? Our delectable menu of musings, meditations and magnificent imaginations will provide bite-sized morsels and overlapping slabs of creative sustenance to suit all tastes: song, sound, spoken word, dance, music, live art, installation.

Foraging behaviour of two rodent species inhabiting a kopje (rocky outcrop) in Tsavo West National Park, Kenya

We employed patch use theory to evaluate how several environmental factors influence the foraging behaviour of two rodent species: Grammomys dolichurus and Acomys cahirinus. Foraging efficiency was determined by measuring the remaining food in artificial food patches (giving-up densities: GUDs) from two experiments. In the first experiment, we placed patches in different microhabitat types (cover vs open) and at varying distances from cover. This experiment was conducted during three moon stages (waxing, full, waning). We found that the rodents had higher GUDs (lower foraging efficiency) in the open microhabitat. The distance from nearest shelter had a marginally significant positive effect on GUDs. GUDs were higher in both microhabitat types during the waxing and full phases, but decreased sharply once the moon began to rise after sunset. These results are likely due to higher predation risk away from cover and in more illuminated environments. In the second experiment, we examined mouse responses to seeds impregnated with plant toxins. Seeds impregnated with oxalic acid were avoided by the rodents, while seeds soaked in tannic acid did not differ significantly from control seeds. Our results highlight important ecological factors affecting the foraging behaviour of these rodents.

Selectivity in separation using π electron-rich stationary phases for the comprehensive two-dimensional analysis of cafe espresso

The multidimensional high-performance liquid chromatography separations of the complex sample matrix found in café espresso coffee were completed on the propyl phenyl and butyl phenyl columns that contain 3 and 4 carbon atoms in the spacer chain, respectively. Phenyl type stationary phases are able to undergo unique π–π interactions with aromatic compounds. Previous works have found that there are differences in retention characteristics between these chain lengths and this was explored further here. It was found that when analysing the separations by quadrants, using a geometric approach to factor analysis and by measuring the normalised mean radius, subtle differences in the separations were observed and the butyl phenyl phase was more selective for the high to medium polarity species. However, there was very little difference in separation behaviour for the hydrophobic components within the coffee sample. Overall, the analysis of the entire separation showed very little difference.