Birds and beaches, dogs and leashes : dog owners' sense of obligation to leash dogs on beaches in Victoria, Australia

Domesticated dogs threaten the conservation of beach-nesting birds in Australia through disturbance, and destruction of eggs and chicks. Leashing of dogs can improve conservation outcomes, but few dogs are leashed on beaches. We surveyed dog owners to explore their sense of obligation to leash dogs on beaches. Dog owners were more likely to feel obliged to leash their dog when they believed other people expected dogs to be leashed, and when they believed their dog was a threat to wildlife or people. Dog owners were less likely to feel obliged to leash their dog if they considered unleashed dog recreation to be important. Improved compliance may be achieved through community-based approaches to foster social norms for dog control, tailoring information products to emphasize the risk that all unleashed dogs may pose to beach-nesting birds and raising awareness of designated off-leash exercise dog recreation areas.

Soldier settlement after World War One in south western Victoria

This thesis addresses the physical aspects of farming on soldier settlement blocks in south west Victoria. The undeveloped land, high establishment costs, stock losses through animal diseases and lack of managerial skills all contributed to the settlers' inability to meet their financial commitments. These factors are analysed, as are the effects of declining rural commodities prices during the 1920s and 1930s. In addition, the relationship between the settlers and the successive administrative agencies is examined. The scheme was administered by the Closer Settlement Board from its inception until 1932 and much of the discussion during this period concerns the interaction between settler and inspector. Soldier settlement after World War One represented one of the last attempts to create a large body of 'yeoman' farmers. From the early 1920s there was an increasing dichotomy between the 'yeoman' and the 'managerial' ideologies. This dichotomy placed additional pressure on soldier settlers who were expected to be 'efficient' without adequate finances. In the post C.S.B. era, the focus shifts to the attempts by the Closer Settlement Commission to salvage the scheme and its greater understanding of the problems faced by the settlers. While this part of the thesis necessarily becomes more political, the physical and financial environment in which the soldier settlers worked was still an important factor in their success or failure. Unlike the C.S.B. which tended to blame soldier settlers for their situation, the Commission acknowledged that settlers' ability to succeed was often constrained by circumstances beyond their control. Under the latter administration, instalments were written off, additional land was allocated and finally the blocks were revalued to guarantee the men at least some equity in their farms. Those settlers who had survived until these changes were instituted received a 'successful outcome of their life's work'.

Cystic fibrosis in children of the eastern Arabian peninsula : a clinical, spatial and genetic study

Aim: The aim of this thesis is to describe the process by which the inherited disease, cystic fibrosis, (CF) was recognised as an important clinical entity in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Sultanate of Oman (Oman). It examines the clinical presentation of the first patients and assesses their degree of severity. Further, it describes the first studies carried out to determine the underlying CF mutations associated with the disease in the UAE and Oman. An estimate is offered of the birth frequency of the condition. Overall, the cultural, geographical and historical aspect of the societies in which the disease occurs is stressed. Methods: An initial literature search was carried out using Medline of any literature pertaining to the Arab World and CF. this was read and classified into the relevance to Arabs in general, the Middle East and then specifically the Arab (Persian) Gulf societies. Thereafter, a clinic was established at Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, UAE, for children presenting With chronic respiratory disease that could serve as a national referral centre. It was run by the Author as a service of the Paediatric Department of the UAE University Medical School. I sent a letter to every Paediatrician working in the UAE informing them of our clinic and offering our services for the diagnosis and management of chronic respiratory disease in children. This was based on the author's experience as a respiratory paediatrician in Australia and New Zealand and as the Professor of Paediatrics in the UAE. No such service then existed in the UAE. Funding was sought to establish a research programme and develop a molecular genetics laboratory in the UAE Medical School. A series of successful research applications provided the grants to commence the investigations. Once a small number of children had been identified as having CF from those referred to the respiratory clinic, the initial project was to assess and report their clinical presentation. Following this an early start was made on the identification of the mutations responsible. Once these were established an attempt was made to estimate the frequency of the condition at birth. Additional clinical studies revolved around assessing the severity of the condition that was associated with the main mutations that were identified. A clinical comparison was made with those with the mutation AF508 and the other main mutation, despite the obvious limitation of small numbers then available. Radiological assessment was made to evaluate the progression of the disease. The final aspect of the study was to assess patients from Oman and compare their findings and mutations with the neighbouring UAE. Based on information gained hypotheses are proposed regarding the spread of the gene mutation by population drift. Thesis outline: A literature review is presented in the form of a critique on the disease and a resume of the relevant aspects of the genetics of CF. Additionally, facts about the two countries' geography and history are presented. Finally, knowledge about CF mutations and population origins from other areas is presented. The second main section deals with the clinical features of the disorder as it presents in the UAE. Molecular findings are then presented and details of the common mutation found in Bedouin Arabs. Hypotheses are then presented based on the information gathered. Results: CF is not a rare disease in the Arab children of the UAE and Oman. These findings refute previous reports of CF being a rare or non-existent disease in Arabs. The condition presents with a severe clinical picture, with early colonisation of the respiratory tract with staphylococcus, haemophilus and pseudomonas organisms, even with conventional CF management practices in place. The CF mutation S549R is prevalent in Arabs of Bedouin stock, while AF508 is found in those of Baluch origin. The former may be descendants of Arabs who left southern Arabia and travelled to the Trucial Coast at the time of the destruction of the great dam at Marib. The origins of this mutation may lie in the area that corresponds to the modern Republic of Yemen. The latter groups are descendants of those who came originally from Baluchistan. It is hypothesised also that the ancestral home of the AF508 mutation may be in the geographical area now known as Baluchistan, that spans three separate modern political territories. The evidence presented supports the concept that the S549R mutation may be associated with a severe, if not the severest, clinical pattern recognised. It equates with that seen with the homozygous AF508 genotype. The absence of an additional mutation in the promoter region accounts for the different clinical pattern seen in previously described patients. Conclusions: There needs to be a major awareness of the presence of CF as a severe clinical disease in the children of the Gulf States. The clinical presentation and findings support the concept of under recognition of the disease. Climatic conditions put the children at special risk of hyponatraemia and electrolyte imbalance. The absence of surviving adults with the disease suggests premature deaths have occurred, but the high fertility rates have maintained the gene pool for this recessive disorder.

Event that never happened : the history and politics of decentralisation in Victoria and New South Wales 1885-1985

The thesis is an account of movements and policies for decentralisation of population and economic activity away from metropolitan to non-metropolitan areas in Victoria and N.S.W. in the period 1885-1985. It examines the pull from the country and the push from the capitals for decentralisation. Ballarat (Victoria) and Bathurst (N.S.W.) are used as case studies. Introductory chapters describe the historic pattern of population distribution in the two Colonies/States and discuss theories about the spatial distribution of population and industry. Chapters recounting and discussing the history and politics of decentralisation in Victoria and N.S.W. are organised in three periods: 1885-1940; 1940-1965; 1965-1985. A more decentralised distribution of population in Victoria and N.S.W. was almost always widely accepted as being in the public interest. Decentralisation rose and fell recurrently on the issue attention cycle. The pull from the country was fragmented and locally self-interested. The push from the capitals occurred only when life or its quality was perceived as threatened because of factors related to city size. Governments in both States introduced micro policies ostensibly to counter formidable centralising forces. In the 1970s there was an abortive attempt to implement a selective decentralisation policy in N.S.W. The thesis argues that decentralisation did not happen because: (1) there was not a consistent set of values and goals underlying the pull and push; (2) there was never a sustained, unified constituency for decentralisation, even in the country; (3) the power to influence, subvert or obstruct decentralisation policies was too widely diffused; (4) insufficient account was taken in decentralisation policymaking of the underlying economic, social and political dynamics.

Ecology of fish inhabiting the inter-tidal zone of Swan Bay, Victoria, Australia

Swan Bay is a shallow marine embayment of Port Phillip Bay, just north of Queenscliff, Victoria. It has been part of the Harold Holt Marine Reserves since 1977 and is a seagrass habitat. This study investigated the species of fish present in the inter-tidal zone of Swan Bay, collected information on their ecology, investigated the importance of Swan Bay compared to Port Phillip Bay as a nursery and/or breeding area and compared these results with those of similar seagrsss habitats. Field work was carried out monthly over a two year period, from April 1981 to April 1983, using beach seine nets at Swan Bay and Portarlington. Forty four species of fish were identified from Swan Bay and nineteen from Portarlington. Fish were most abundant during the summer and autumn months when seagrass growth was at a maximum and least abundant during winter due to the absence of seasonal residents and decreased numbers of permanent residents. Swan Bay was found to be an important nursery ground for two commercially-caught species: the Yellow-eye Mullet and the King George Whiting. Juvenile Yellow-eye Mullet were more numerous in Swan Bay than at Portarlington. Smell juvenile King George Whiting were more abundant at Portarlington than in Swan Bay where older juveniles were more numerous. The fish fauna of Swan Bay was found to be similar to western Port but the abundance of species varied. Atherinosome microstoma was the dominant species in terms of abundance and biomass. Diet was found to be different from that reported by Robertson (1979) at Western Port due to the different range of prey items.

Monitoring the marine environment adjacent to a petroleum refinery on Corio Bay, Victoria, Australia /Peter James Gilbert

The objective of the work reported in this thesis was to design and implement an ecological effects environmental monitoring program which would: 1) Collect baseline biological information on sessile epibiotic fouling communities from an area adjacent to a petroleum refinery located on Corio Bay, Victoria, to allow comparison with results of future monitoring for the assessment of long term temporal water quality trends. 2) Detect and — if possible - estimate the magnitude of any influence on epibiotic fouling communities within the Corio Bay marine ecosystem attributable to operations at the Shell Petroleum Refinery. 3) Investigate the extent of thermal stratification and rate of dispersal of the petroleum refinery main cooling-water outfall plume (discharging up to 350,000 tonnes of warmed seawater per day), and its effect on epibiotic communities within the EPA-defined mixing zone. A major component of the work undertaken was the design and development of artificial-substrate biological sampling stations suitable for use under the conditions prevailing in Corio Bay, and the development of appropriate quantitative underwater photographic sampling techniques to fulfil the experimental criteria outlined above. Experimental and other constraints imposed on the design of the stations precluded the simple suspension of frames from jetties or pylons, a technique widely used in previous work of this type. Artificial substrate panels were deployed along three radial transects centred within and extending beyond the petroleum refinery main cooling-water mixing zone. Identical substrate panels were deployed at a number of control sites located throughout Corio Bay, each chosen for differences in their degree of exposure to such factors as water movement, depth, shipping traffic and/or comparable industrial activity. The rate of colonisation (space utilisation) and the development of epibiotic fouling communities on artificial substrate panels was monitored over two twelve-month sampling periods using quantitative underwater photographic sampling techniques. Sampling was conducted at 4-8 week intervals with the rate of panel colonisation and community structure determined via coverage measurements. Various species of marine algae, polychaete tubeworms, hydroids, barnacles, simple and colonial ascidians, sponges, bivalve molluscs and encrusting bryozoans were all detected growing on panels. Communities which established on panels within the cooling-water mixing-zone and those at control sites were compared using statistical procedures including agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis. A photographic sample archive has been established to allow comparison with similar future studies.

Lichen flora of the Mount Donna Buang Scenic Reserve, Victoria

This report investigated the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve in Victoria, There were several aims: to describe the lichens of the region, to produce a pictorial key enabling field identification and to determine any distribution patterns. A floristic survey covering approximately 50 square km was undertaken to determine lichen diversity of the region generally. Lichens were sampled along roads, tracks, walking trails and in sections of bush, taking into account forest type and, particularly, areas that were lichen rich. Seventy-five lichen species in 43 genera and 27 families were identified and described from the region. An unknown, species H, also was described. Of the 76 lichen species, 22 were crastose and the remainder macrolichens. The best represented families were: Cladoniaceae (8 species), Hypogymniaceae (6), Lobariaceae (7), Lecideaceae (6), Pannariaceae (6) and Parmeliaccae (6). This study described 12 species (17%) which previously were not known for Victoria and which are a first record for the state. These include: Cladonia sarmentosa (J.D. Hook & Taylor) Dodge, Graphis librata Knight, Parmelinopsis neodamaziana (Elix & Johnston) Elix & Hale, Pertusaria novaezelandiae Szatala, Placopsis pardlina f. microphylla Lamb, Porina leptalea AX. Sm., Pseudocyphellaria ardesiaca Galloway, Trapeliopsis congregant (Zahlbr.) Brako, Menegazzia myriotrema (Mull. Arg.) P. James, Bunodophoron scrobiculatum (Church. Bab,) Wedin, Parmelia testacea Stirton and Menegazzia purpurascens S. Louwhoff sp. nov.. The last eight species are new to the mainland and, apart from Menegazzia purpurascens, previously were known only from Tasmania. Five main elements of distribution were identified for the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve: cosmopolitan, austral/australasian, paleotropical, pantropical and western pacific. The majority of species (68%) had austral/australasian distributions, eleven (16%) were endemic to Australia and nine (13%) occurred only in Tasmania , Victoria and New Zealand. A pictorial, dichotomous key was constructed for the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve. Previously, keys to the lichen flora of Tasmanian rainforests were suggested as appropriate to similar areas in Victoria, however, the Victorian forests include a significant sclerophyll element The key presented is specific for the study site but is appropriate to similar regions in Victoria and has been tested in a number of these areas. The key was designed to be ‘user-friendly’ so that the experienced and inexperienced alike are able to use it. A more detailed investigation of the lichen flora of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve was carried out in order to determine distribution. A total of 50 quadrats, each 20m x 20m in size, were sampled. Within each, the dominant vegetation type was determined and individuals were identified and location noted. The cover abundance of each lichen species on each individual tree was estimated using a modified Braun-Blanquet scale. A total of 710 trees, representing 13 different species, were examined. Nothofagus cunninghamii (Hook.) Oerst, Eucalyptus regnans R Mull., Acacia dealbata Link, A. melanoxylon R. Br., Hedycarya angustifolia A. Cunn. and Atherosperma moschatum Labill. were the six most common tree species encountered at the study site. Nothofagus cunninghamii supported the greatest lichen diversity (39 species), although most species occurred on less than 10% of the trees. The majority of lichens occurring on N. cunninghamii A. melanoxylon, A. dealbata and H. angustifolia were foliose or crustose, those on Ł. regnans fruticose and foliose and those on A moschatum crustose. Bunodophoron australe was the only lichen species at the study site to occur on one host, Nothofagus cunninghamiL Many occurred on a number of different hosts, but were most common on one particular tree species. The distribution of lichens at the study site was analysed with a rnultivariate statistical package (PATN) which dealt with ‘pattern analysis’. The program ‘SSH’ in PATN which uses the Bray-Curtis ordination technique, was used to create scatterplots displaying the degree of dissimilarity between quadrats in terms of presence/absence of lichen species. The program ‘TWAY’ in PATN was used to construct a two way table to display which lichen species occurred in each vegetation type. The pattern analysis revealed that the lichens of the Mt Donna Buang Scenic Reserve were not restricted to any particular forest type, but particular lichens, or groups of lichens, tended to predominate in certain vegetation communities. This concurs with work done by others in Tasmanian forests. Quadrats which were situated in cool temperate rainforest were grouped more closely with each other than with quadrats in other vegetation types. These also supported the greatest number of lichen species. This was not surprising since N. cunninghamii the dominant tree species in cool temperate rainforest, supported the greatest lichen diversity.

Nutrients in Pirron Yallock Creek, southwestern Victoria : paleolimnological and management considerations

The concentrations of various forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in the main stream and selected tributaries of Pirron Yallock Creek, southwestern Victoria were examined over a two-year period. Exceedingly high levels of both nutrients were found within a particular tributary, while generally high nutrient levels were observed throughout the catchment. The speciation results indicated that dairy effluent was the primary source of nutrients to Pirron Yallock Creek. A palaeolimnological study was undertaken to determine the impact of European settlement upon waterway nutrient concentrations within the region. The palaeolimnological study focused primarily on the diatom flora preserved within the sediments of nearby Lakes Corangamite and Bullen Merri. Lack of preservation of diatoms within the sediments of Lake Corangamite resulted in no water quality inferences for this lake. The preserved diatoms within Lake Bullen Merri suggested an increase in trophic status of this lake during the last 500 years. While a change in the diatom flora of Lake Bullen Merri was evident, it was not possible to differentiate the impact of European settlement upon nutrient status of this waterway from long-term trophic status change. In light of the particularly high nutrient concentrations observed in Pirron Yallock Creek, improved nutrient management strategies are proposed for the catchment. These strategies, which consider current nutrient management activities, are predominantly focussed on the dairy industry, which occupies the majority of the catchment.

Ecology of Powerful Owls (Ninox strenua) in contrasting habitats of the Yarra Valley Corridor, Victoria, Australia

In this research I investigated ecological attributes of Powerful Owls (Ninox strenua) in a continuum of habitats throughout the Yarra Valley corridor of Victoria, Australia. These habitats ranged from a highly urbanized parkland (the Yarra Valley Metropolitan Park) to a relatively undisturbed closed forest (Toolangi State Forest). Different aspects of the owls' ecology were investigated at six sites to determine whether their behaviour changed when they occupied habitats with different levels of urbanization and disturbance. The ecological attributes investigated were habitat utilization and habitat requirements (for both roosting and nesting), adult behaviour (through radio-tracking), juvenile behaviour and dispersal (through radio tracking), diet (through analysing regurgitated food pellets) and breeding success rates. A number of methods were used to capture adult Powerful Owls. These are described and their effectiveness discussed. The types of radio-transmitters and colour bands used for identification of owls are also described. The results showed that Powerful Owls are present and successfully breed in urban and suburban areas and that they can tolerate moderate levels of disturbance. However, Powerful Owls do require sites with high prey densities, roost trees and trees with suitable breeding hollows. In comparison with Powerful Owls living elsewhere in forests, the urban owls displayed higher tolerance levels to disturbance and were less selective in terms of habitat usage and diet. Home range sizes of urban Powerful Owls also appeared much smaller than those of the forest-dwelling Powerful Owls. This is probably due to the high prey densities in the urban areas. The ecology of the Powerful Owl is compared with that of two owl species from North America, the Northern Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis caurind) and the Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus). In particular, I compared the similarities and differences in habitat requirements and breeding successes in different habitats for the three species. Overall, it would appear that urban areas can support Powerful Owls providing some old-growth trees are maintained to provide nest hollows. Implications for the long-term management of Powerful Owls in urban areas are also discussed.

Public and stakeholder values and knowledge of wildlife in Victoria, Australia

Prompted by a lack of human dimensions research in Australia, this study investigated the values and knowledge relating to wildlife held by members of the public within distinct demographic subsets of the Victorian population and members of wildlife management stakeholder groups; and compared these characteristics with how Victorian wildlife managers perceive these groups. A combination of semi-structured interviews and postal questionnaires were used. Fifteen in-depth interviews were conducted to explore how wildlife managers perceive the values and knowledge of wildlife held by members of various subsets of the Victorian population. A total of 1,431 questionnaires were completed by members of 13 public and stakeholder groups throughout Victoria, and these were analysed to explore values and knowledge relating to wildlife in Victoria. The findings of this study suggest that Victorian people have a strong emotional attachment to individual animals (the humanistic value), and an interest in learning about wildlife (the curiosity/learning/interacting value). The dominionistic/wildlife-consumption, utilitarian-habitat, aesthetic and negativistic values were not expressed by the majority of respondents from the public samples. The data also suggest that Victorian people have relatively low levels of factual knowledge about Australian wildlife. Thus, wildlife managers should expect support for wildlife management objectives that reflect the strong humanistic orientation of Victorians and tailor management and education programs to appeal to this value and Victorians' interest in learning about wildlife. Members of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (FNCV), Bird Observers Club of Australia (BOCA), Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) stakeholder groups and management agency Parks Victoria expressed a strong interest in learning about wildlife. Members of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) obtained high humanistic value scores; and members of the Victorian Field and Game Association (VFGA) obtained high domimomstic/wildlife-consumption value scores. Importantly, the humanistic and curiosity/learning/interacting values were the most strongly expressed values in all six groups and these values could be the key to more effective communication and collaboration between groups. Relationships between demographic factors, and values and knowledge relating to wildlife were found. For example, rural Victorians held a stronger dominionistic/ wildlife-consumption value than urban Victorians; females held stronger humanistic, curiosity/learning/interacting and negativistic values than males; young Victorians (18-34 years) held a lower curiosity/learning/interacting value and lower factual knowledge of wildlife than older Victorians; and more highly educated Victorians were more knowledgeable about wildlife than people with less formal education. No statistically significant differences were found between the values and knowledge of wildlife held by different income classes. While relationships between demographic factors, and values and knowledge relating to wildlife were found, they were generally much smaller than expected based on wildlife managers' perceptions and previous research. For example, the results suggest that Victorian females have a slightly stronger humanistic value of wildlife than males do. However, the important message emerging from the data is that males and females both express a strong emotional attachment to individual animals. Importantly, the results indicate that the effects of demographic factors on values and knowledge relating to wildlife are not always consistent across different geographic locations and stakeholder groups. For example, the slightly stronger interest in learning about wildlife among females when compared with males was observed in the rural and urban-fringe samples but not in the urban samples. This suggests that caution must be used when generalising the findings from human dimensions studies from one type of community or stakeholder group to another. Management programs should be tailored to the specific characteristics of the target audience. The findings also indicate that Victorian wildlife managers have diverse perceptions about the values and knowledge of wildlife held by members of different publics and stakeholder groups, and that the perceptions held by wildlife managers are not always consistent with the actual values and knowledge of wildlife held by members of different publics and stakeholders. For example, counter to the perceptions expressed by the interviewed wildlife managers, the interest in and factual knowledge of wildlife held by members of voluntary conservation groups equalled or surpassed that of wildlife managers; young Victorian adults (18-34 years) held a slightly lower curiosity/learning/interacting value and slightly lower level of factual knowledge of wildlife than older Victorians; and rural and urban communities in Victoria held low dominionistic and utilitarian values. Such discrepancies highlight the importance of investigating the actual values and knowledge held by members of such groups, so that appropriate and effective wildlife management programs can be implemented. Inaccurate perceptions and assumptions may contribute to ineffective communication between managers, stakeholders and publics; and adversely effect the success of wildlife management programs.