Palaeontology, the biogeohistory of Victoria

The broad-scale distribution of fossils within Victoria is controlled by general global patterns in the biological evolution of life on Earth, the local development and environmental evolution of habitats, and the occurrence of geological processes conducive to the preservation of fossil floras and faunas. Early Palaeozoic fossils are mostly marine in origin because of the predominance of marine sedimentary rocks in Victoria and because life on land was not significant during most of this time interval. Middle Palaeozoic sequences have both terrestrial and marine fossil records. Within Victoria, marine rocks are only very minor components of strata deposited during the late Palaeozoic, so that few marine fossils are known from this time period. A similar situation existed during most of the Mesozoic except towards the end of this era when marine conditions began to prevail in the Bass Strait region. During long intervals in the Cainozoic, large areas of Victoria were flooded by shallow-marine seas, particularly in the southern basins of Bass Strait, as well as in the northwest of the State (Murray Basin). Cainozoic sediments contain an extraordinary range of animal and plant fossils. During the Quaternary, the landscape of Victoria became, and continues to be, dominated by continental environments including, at times, extensive freshwater lake systems. Fossil floras and faunas from sediments deposited in these lake systems and from other continental sediments, as well as from Quaternary sediments deposited in marginal marine environments, collectively record a history of rapid fluctuations in climate and sea level.

Calcium and bone health : position statement for the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society, Osteoporosis Australia and the Endocrine Society of Australia

This position statement was prepared by the Working Group of the Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society and Osteoporosis Australia. The final statement was endorsed by the Endocrine Society of Australia.

Currently, the balance of evidence remains in favour of fracture prevention from combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation in elderly men and women.

Adequate vitamin D status is essential for active calcium absorption in the gut and for bone development and remodelling.

In adults with a baseline calcium intake of 500–900 mg/day, increasing or supplementing this intake by a further 500–1000 mg/day has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density.

Calcium intake significantly above the recommended level is unlikely to achieve additional benefit for bone health.

Online ordering : report of a trial by the Queensland Institutue of Technology Library

The article reports the methods and results of a trial by The QIT Library of the IDAPS Acquisitions System, specifically for items ordered from James Bennett Pty. Ltd. Hardware problems at Bennetts precluded test of comparative speed of delivery of electronically placed orders but the library reports a clear reduction in order preparation time and an excellent hit rate for bibliographic data on the LYNX and ABN databases viewed as a composite resource.

Palaeo-geomorphological significance of miocene and pliocene euryhaline ostracoda in the Nepean 1 borehole, Port Phillip Basin, SE Australia

Ostracoda able to tolerate significant fluctuations in salinity occur as fossils in latest Late Miocene and earliest Late Pliocene strata of the Nepean 1 borehole within the Port Phillip Basin. The main euryhaline species present are Osticythere baragwanathi (Chapman & Crespin), Leptocythere hartmanni (McKenzie), Xestoleberis cedunaensis Hartmann and Tanella gracilis Kingma. Euryhaline ostracods occur in both high diversity, high abundance fossil ostracod assemblages and in low diversity, high abundance  assemblages. These latest Late Miocene and earliest Late Pliocene fossil ostracod assemblages accumulated close to the maximum point of flooding during respective marine transgressions onto the northern Bass Strait hinterland. The presence of euryhaline Ostracoda in these assemblages  is reminiscent of ostracod occurrences associated with modern day SE Australian barrier coastlines. Euryhaline ostracods are not common in earlier Cenozoic sediments of SE Australia and Osticythere baragwanathi makes its first appearance in the latest Late Miocene beds of the Nepean 1 borehole. This latter occurrence is interpreted to reflect the initial phase of development for the modern SE Australian barrier coastline and in particular, the initial formation of Port Phillip Bay as a coastal geomorphological feature.

The life and times of Peter Snodgrass 1817-1867

Peter Snodgrass, an early pioneer and squatter in the Port Phillip District, died on 27 November 1867. A member of a gentrified military family, he reconstructed his life by overlanding from New south Wales to the Goulburn River District where he established a pastoral holding. Despite his early reputation as 'a wild young man' he became a member of Port Phillip District's first Legeslative Council, first Legislative Assembly and first Prahran Council, and was also a foundation member of a number of professional and sporting clubs in Melbourne. A somewhat enigmatic figure in his lifetime, Snodgrass is yet worthy of study for legacies that became an integral part of our cultural heritage.

Southward range expansion of the Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris on mainland Australia and nearshore islands

The Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris is a species that colonises areas of human habitation and its spread is assisted by humans. This note documents southward range expansion of this species down the Queensland coast.

Geological features of Permian ophiolite in the Jiaomuri area, Qiangtang, Tibet, and its tectonic significance

During the regional geological mapping of the 1∶250000 Mayigangri Sheet, a very complete ophiolite was discovered in the Jiaomuri area, which consists of radiolarian chert, pillow basalt, gabbro, diabase and metaperidotite. This ophiolite is the most intact and complete one in the central Qiangtang area.