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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Landscape Differences In The Ecology Of The Rufous Treecreeper Climacteris Rufa, Gary W. Luck Jan 2000

Landscape Differences In The Ecology Of The Rufous Treecreeper Climacteris Rufa, Gary W. Luck

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Anthropogenic habitat modification is a significant threat to the conservation or global biodiversity. The fragmentation and alteration of woodland habitat has resulted in the substantial decline of many woodland bird species in the agricultural regions of southern Australia. The Rufous Treecreeper Climacteris rufaa, a once common woodland resident, has declined in abundance in the wheatbelt of Western Australia and appears to be sensitive to habitat fragmentation. The reasons for this are unclear because our knowledge of the species and the threats posed by fragmentation arc limited. In this study, I compared the social organisation, habitat selection, reproductive success, dispersal and …


Origin And Fate Of Organic Matter In South-West Australian Wetlands, Darren Stuart Ryder Jan 2000

Origin And Fate Of Organic Matter In South-West Australian Wetlands, Darren Stuart Ryder

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The development and local distribution of organic soils in Australia have been poorly documented. Within Western Australia, conditions conducive to the accumulation of organic matter are geographically restricted and generally occur in coastal and/or forested landscapes. An extensive system of wetlands with peal soils occurs in the Muir-Unicup region in the far south west of Western Australia. Bokarup Swamp, Kodjinup Swamp and Noobijup Lake are representative of the wetlands occurring in this region. They arc shallow (


The Role Of Benthic Macroalgae In Sediment-Water Nutrient Cycling In The Swan-Canning Estuarine System, Western Australia, Helen Lee Astill Jan 2000

The Role Of Benthic Macroalgae In Sediment-Water Nutrient Cycling In The Swan-Canning Estuarine System, Western Australia, Helen Lee Astill

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This study documented the macroalgal assemblages of the Swan-Canning Estuarine System (SCES) over a two year period, and the influences of several environmental parameters on the assemblages. In addition, the Impacts of unattached macroalgal accumulations on benthic nutrient fluxes and microbial communities were investigated. Benthic macroalgal assemblages and physico-chemical regimes were monitored in the SCES, to determine temporal and spatial changes in macroalgal communities and the influence of environmental factors in these changes. Physico-chemical regimes demonstrated strong seasonal changes, which revolved around the onset and cessation of freshwater flows in winter (May to September). In the months after freshwater flows, …


Acari (Mite) Abundance And Diversity In Soil And Litter Layers Of Eucalyptus Globulus Labill (Tasmanian Bluegum) Plantations In Southwest Western Australia, Honi M. Adolphson Jan 2000

Acari (Mite) Abundance And Diversity In Soil And Litter Layers Of Eucalyptus Globulus Labill (Tasmanian Bluegum) Plantations In Southwest Western Australia, Honi M. Adolphson

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

With the increased planting of E. globulus monoculture plantations, concerns surround the impact these mass plantings will have on the soil environment and wider ecosystem. Soil and litter mites are the dominant saprophages of terrestrial ecosystems, contributing to decomposition processes through their comminution and grazing activities. Despite the importance of mites to decomposition processes, there have been no investigations to date of the litter and soil communities under these plantations within Australia. This study investigated the impact of Eucalyptus globulus subsp. globulus (Tasmanian bluegum) monoculture plantations on the diversity and abundance of the soil and litter acarine (mite) fauna. Mite …


Changes To The Distribution Of Posidonia Seagrass Communities Of James Point, In Response To The Development Of Cockburn Sound, Western Australia, Anthony Muscara Jan 2000

Changes To The Distribution Of Posidonia Seagrass Communities Of James Point, In Response To The Development Of Cockburn Sound, Western Australia, Anthony Muscara

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Australia’s oceans provide many economic and environmental benefits both nationally and regionally, and are of particular social, recreational and cultural importance. Western Australia's most intensively used marine embayment is Cockburn Sound, is Cockburn Sound, it supports one of the most extensive Posidoni seagrass communities in Western Australia. The protected coastal waters off the southern metropolitan coastline of Perth arc utilised intensively for industrial, commercial and recreational purposes. Over the past 50 years, wastes have been routinely discharged into Cockburn Sound causing extensive phytoplankton and epiphyte blooms, particularly during the 1960's and 1970's. The development of industrial and naval facilities and …


Factors Affecting The Recruitment Of Riparian Vegetation On The Ord And Blackwood Rivers In Western Australia, Neil Pettit Jan 2000

Factors Affecting The Recruitment Of Riparian Vegetation On The Ord And Blackwood Rivers In Western Australia, Neil Pettit

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis provides baseline information on the ecological processes involved in the recruitment and regeneration of riparian vegetation. As there has been a paucity of basic ecological studies on riparian vegetation in Australia, the project is broad in scope, and gives a general picture of the factors influencing, the regeneration of riparian vegetation and provides a starting point for more detailed work. The project focuses on factors determining recruitment events and the life history traits of particular species in a river in the cool temperate zone of south western Australia (Blackwood River) and on a river in the dry tropics …


Analysis Of Increases In Fishing Power In The Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus Cygnus) Fishery, John Fernandez Jan 1999

Analysis Of Increases In Fishing Power In The Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus Cygnus) Fishery, John Fernandez

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, fishery represents a significant commercial asset to Western Australia, and it is therefore important that appropriate strategies are developed to effectively manage it. Because the fishery has a very high level of exploitation, researchers and managers rely significantly on annual stock assessments which are based on catch and effort data. This study will identify and assess the effects that changes in fishing power factors (e.g. advances in fish-finding technology) have had on estimates of catch and effort. The fishing power increases can be used to adjust nominal fishing effort to produce a time series …


Evaluation Of Revegetation Techniques Used On Degraded Agricultural Land In The Central Avon Catchment, Western Australia, Scott J. Bartholomew Jan 1998

Evaluation Of Revegetation Techniques Used On Degraded Agricultural Land In The Central Avon Catchment, Western Australia, Scott J. Bartholomew

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The agricultural region in the central Avon catchment is declining in both arable land and native vegetation. This decline has been due to the clearance of large tracts of native vegetation and its subsequent replacement by exotic crops and pasture species. The loss of vegetation has led to regional land degradation in the form of soil erosion and land salinisation. Therefore, changes in land management practices are required to make agricultural production more compatible with land conservation. Revegetation using native plants is the only management solution that integrates both land and ecological conservation with agricultural productivity. The continuation of current …


The Mathematical Modelling Of The Ross River Virus Transmission, Yoon-Hong Choi Jan 1997

The Mathematical Modelling Of The Ross River Virus Transmission, Yoon-Hong Choi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Ross River virus is one of the most severe communicable diseases in Australia. During the 1995/96 outbreak of Ross River virus in south-western Australia, over 1 ,300 human cases were reported. Since the symptoms of the disease are sometimes too weak to be diagnosed, it is important to determine the number of humans who actually contracted the virus during outbreaks. To do this, several mathematical models with different hypotheses are constructed and analysed mathematically. The threshold mathematical conditions of these models suggest that as well as the size of the vector mosquito population, the population size and length of viraemia …


Influence Of Adjacent Seagrass On The Fish Assemblages Off Sandy Beaches, Matthew A. Vanderklift Jan 1996

Influence Of Adjacent Seagrass On The Fish Assemblages Off Sandy Beaches, Matthew A. Vanderklift

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As we attempt to maintain marine biodiversity mainly by focussing on habitats, we need to understand how marine biodiversity is affected by seagrass loss. Although managers and researchers widely acknowledge that habitat loss results in changes to marine biodiversity, quantitative knowledge of these changes is generally poor. In this study, fish assemblages (as one component of the biodiversity of sandy beaches) were examined in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia, to assess patterns that may be related to presence or absence of adjacent seagrass beds, If consistent patterns are evident, they may enable predictions regarding the effects of seagrass loss on the …


Modelling And Risk Analysis Of The Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus Cygnus) Fishery Of Western Australia, C. S. Yap Jan 1995

Modelling And Risk Analysis Of The Western Rock Lobster (Panulirus Cygnus) Fishery Of Western Australia, C. S. Yap

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The predictive power for short-term forecasting of selected biomass dynamic models was examined using the standardised catch and effort data from the 1944/45 to 1990/91 season of the western rock lobster. Risk analysis of the fishery based on the predicted fishing efforts with the Deriso-Schnute delay-difference model indicates a high probability of recruitment failure. Some hypothetical management strategies of reducing fishing effort were evaluated by taking into consideration the total catch and biological risk to the fishery.


Comparative Evaluation Of Commercially Grown Lupin And Mung Sprouts, Sant B. Kaur Jan 1994

Comparative Evaluation Of Commercially Grown Lupin And Mung Sprouts, Sant B. Kaur

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

More than one million tonnes of lupin seed are produced per annum in Western Australia. Lupin can be considered as an alternative to staple pulse food items such as soybeans, peas, chick peas and mung beans. This research was designed to provide potential investors with objective scientifically obtained evidence of the feasibility, and marketing potential, of using lupin as a basis for the commercial development of value added foods, in this case commercially grown lupin sprouts. Sprouts were selected because sprouted lupins are comparable with mung bean sprouts, the market leader, as regards yield and consumer acceptance as a food …


The Effect Of Canteen Menu On Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes And Behaviour Of Year Five Students, Sharon Mcbride Jan 1992

The Effect Of Canteen Menu On Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes And Behaviour Of Year Five Students, Sharon Mcbride

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Eating habits are learned during childhood, and patterns of behaviour established in childhood have important health ramifications throughout life. Over half of all deaths in Australia are linked to diet with over-consumption of saturated fat, sugar and salt, and lack of fibre being identified as particular problem areas. Nutrition education is an important component of primary health education curricula, and yet school canteens, and integral part of the school environment, do not necessarily offer healthy food choices that support nutrition instruction in the classroom. This study investigated the effect of canteen menu on student knowledge and attitudes toward nutrition and …