Ecology of mistletoe parasitism in rural landscapes

This study examined the distribution of native mistletoes in agricultural landscapes. Mistletoes occur in all types of wooded habitat, and provide resources for many species. Landscape structure, particularly the overall extent of tree cover, is vital for conserving mistletoes. Their future status depends on effective management across different land tenures.

Non-linear effects of landscape properties on mistletoe parasitism in fragmented agricultural landscapes

Ecological processes such as plant–animal interactions have a critical role in shaping the structure and function of ecosystems, but little is known of how such processes are modified by changes in landscape structure. We investigated the effect of landscape change on mistletoe parasitism in fragmented agricultural environments by surveying mistletoes on eucalypt host trees in 24 landscapes, each 100 km² in size, in south-eastern Australia. Landscapes were selected to represent a gradient in extent (from 60% to 2% cover) and spatial pattern of remnant wooded vegetation. Mistletoes were surveyed at 15 sites in each landscape, stratified to sample five types of wooded elements in proportion to their relative cover. The incidence per landscape of box mistletoe (Amyema miquelii), the most common species, was best explained by the extent of wooded cover (non-linear relationship) and mean annual rainfall. Higher incidence occurred in landscapes with intermediate levels of cover (15–30%) and higher rainfall (>500 mm). Importantly, a marked non-linear decline in the incidence of A. miquelii in low-cover landscapes implies a disproportionate loss of this species in remaining wooded vegetation, greater than that attributable to decreasing forest cover. The most likely mechanism is the effect of landscape change on the mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum), the primary seed-dispersal vector for A. miquelii. Our results are consistent with observations that habitat fragmentation initially enhances mistletoe occurrence in agricultural environments; but in this region, when wooded vegetation fell below a threshold of ~15% landscape cover, the incidence of A. miquelii declined precipitously. Conservation management will benefit from greater understanding of the components of landscape structure that most influence ecological processes, such as mistletoe parasitism and other plant–animal mutualisms, and the critical stages in such relationships. This will facilitate action before critical thresholds are crossed and cascading effects extend to other aspects of ecosystem function.

Cultural landscapes in Asia and the Pacific : implications of the world heritage convention

The notion of cultural landscape has been accepted in the World Heritage Convention since 1992 but the adoption for World Heritage inscription is different among regions. This paper aims to address the issues of applying the concept of cultural landscape in Asia and the Pacific. The article first takes an overview of the World Heritage List and current issues related to the cultural landscape. This is followed by a discussion of the cultural landscape by referring to previous studies, with detailed analysis pointing out the major characteristics of the listed cultural landscapes in Asia and the Pacific, which are tabulated using the numerical data. The final discussion concludes by addressing the discourse on applying the World Heritage Convention and the current issues on cultural landscape conservation in Asia and the Pacific.

Australian waterbirds : time and space travellers in dynamic desert landscapes

Australia’s waterbirds are mostly nomadic, capitalising on highly variable aquatic resources in the arid interior (70% of the continent) for feeding and breeding. Waterbirds, unlike most aquatic organisms, can move between catchments, exploiting habitat wherever it occurs. In Australia, patterns of resource availability for waterbirds are mostly pulsed with peaks of productivity, coinciding with flooding and differing in time and space, affecting individuals, species and functional groups of waterbirds. Australian waterbirds are no different from waterbirds elsewhere, with their behaviour reflecting broad-scale resource availability. They respond to changing patterns of resource distribution, with rapid movements at spatial and temporal scales commensurate with the dynamics of the resource. The most serious conservation threat to waterbirds is a bottleneck in resource availability, leading to population declines, increasingly forced by anthropogenic impacts. River regulation and other threats (e.g. draining) reduce the availability of wetland habitat and decrease the probability of viable resource patches. It is axiomatic that waterbirds need water and such population bottlenecks may occur when the availability of water across the continent is limited. The rehabilitation of regulated rivers with environmental flows and protection of naturally flowing rivers in the arid region are essential for long-term sustainability of Australia’s waterbird populations.

Distribution, ecology and conservation of small mammals in fire-prone landscapes

Management of fire for biodiversity conservation is a global issue. This research provides new insights into the distribution of mammals in fire-prone eco-systems. A key outcome of this thesis is that understanding the role of fire over broad spatial scales and long time periods will benefit ecological and conservation management.

Reimagining poetry : innovative literacies, national agendas and digital landscapes

Renewing engagement with literature and integrating technologies in order to address the needs of an increasingly diverse student cohort are some of the challenges confronting 21st century English teachers as they go about implementing the Australian Curriculum: English. This chapter reports on an action research cycle of classroom inquiry into the interpretation and creation of poetry, drawing on both multimodal and traditional poetic forms. Three middle school teachers, in partnership with three university-based researchers, sought to explore the possibilities of one-to-one computing for creating differentiated literacy curriculum based on personalised learning goals and harnessing the affordances of multimodal literacy pedagogies. The learning gains achieved through this collaboration exceeded the expectations of all concerned: teachers, students and researchers. Student achievement was shown by their enhanced knowledge and creativity when interpreting and composing poetry. Furthermore, students increased their capacities in other ways, through collaborating and problem-solving, as well as increased technological mastery, meta-cognition and self-assessment. Such transformations in student learning challenge standardised notions of accomplishment in English and the kinds of pedagogy necessary to support their learning. The teachers involved in this research engaged in rich forms of collaboration, engaging in professional learning that matched the learning of their students. For academics, the co-creation of professional praxis with middle years teachers and students reaffirmed their sense of the value of generating literacy pedagogies through reflective dialogue within local, situated knowledge communities

Cultural landscapes : a bridge between culture and nature?

Cultural landscapes are intended to increase awareness that heritage places (sites) are not isolated islands and that there is an interdependence of people, social structures, and the landscape and associated ecological systems. The paper explores whether the recognition of the 1992 World Heritage Cultural Landscape categories, the IUCN Protected Landscapes and the 2005 merging of cultural and natural criteria for World Heritage purposes have been effective in bridging the gap between culture and nature philosophically and in practice. With particular reference to opportunities presented in the Asia-Pacific region, where traditionally culture and nature are not regarded as separate, people are part of nature, the paper will further critically review the nature–culture link and its implications for North American-style national parks where cultural associations may not be seen to be necessary or even desirable. It suggests the imperative of highlighting and respecting in heritage nominations and inscriptions deep cultural associations of traditional communities with natural sites and implications for management to protect cultural and biological diversity and the need for thematic studies.

Edge effects in patchy seagrass landscapes : the role of predation in determining fish distribution

Predation is often described as an underlying mechanism to explain edge effects. We assessed the importance of predation in determining edge effects in seagrass using two approaches: a video survey to sample predators at small scales across seagrass edges, and a tethering experiment to determine if predation was an underlying mechanism causing edge effects. Underwater videos were placed at four positions: middle of seagrass patches; edge of seagrass; sand immediately adjacent to seagrass and sand distant from seagrass. Fish abundances and the time fish spent in view were measured. The main predatory fish (Australian salmon, Arripis spp.) spent more time over adjacent sand than other positions, while potential prey species (King George whiting, Sillaginodes punctata (Cuvier), recruits) were more common in the middle of seagrass patches. Other species, including the smooth toadfish, Tetractenos glaber (Freminville), and King George whiting adults, spent more time over sand adjacent to seagrass than distant sand, which may be related to feeding opportunities. King George whiting recruits and pipefish (Stigmatopora spp.) were tethered at each of the four positions. More whiting recruits were preyed upon at outer than inner seagrass patches, and survival time was greater in the middle of shallow seagrass patches than other positions. Relatively few pipefish were preyed upon, but of those that were, survival time was lower over sand adjacent to seagrass than at the seagrass edge or middle. Video footage revealed that salmon were the dominant predators of both tethered King George whiting recruits and pipefish. The distribution of predators and associated rate of predation can explain edge effects for some species (King George whiting) but other mechanisms, or combinations of mechanisms, are determining edge effects for other species (pipefish).