Life Sciences Commons^™

Towards A Corporeal Aesthetics Of Plants: Ethnographies Of Embodied Appreciation Along The Wildflower Trail, John Charles Ryan

Research outputs pre 2011

This paper argues for the application of ethnographic practice, specifically participant observation and semi-structured interviewing, in the development of a corporeal aesthetics of flora. The study is characterized as an ethnography of botanists and, building upon emerging work in cultural ecology and human–plant geographies, is situated within the proposed context of cultural botany. During the Southwest Australian spring wildflower season between August and October of 2009 I conducted interviews with professional and amateur botanists, as well wildflower enthusiasts and tourists, at two places of remarkable floristic diversity: the Lesueur-Eneabba region and the Fitzgerald River National Park. Interview transcripts suggest the …

Turban Snails As Habitat For Foliose Algae: Contrasting Geographical Patterns In Species Richness, Thomas Wernberg, Fernando Tuya, Mads Thomsen, Gary Kendrick

Research outputs pre 2011

Understanding patterns of species richness is a major goal for ecologists, especially in space-limited habitats where many organisms live on top of others (epibiosis, e.g. by algae growing on gastropods in marine environments). We tested the hypotheses that species richness of epiflora on the gastropod Turbo torquatus would not differ between regions with similarly rich algal floras, and that epifloral richness would increase with increasing gastropod size. Macroalgal floras of Hamelin Bay (HB), Marmion (M), Jurien Bay (JB) and Kalbarri (K), Western Australia, ranged from ~20 to 40 species reef–1 (JB = HB = M ≥ K). Epiflora on small …

Assemblage Turnover And Taxonomic Sufficiency Of Subtidal Macroalgae At Multiplespatial Scales, Dan A. Smale, Gary A. Kendrick, Thomas Wernberg

Research outputs pre 2011

Spatial variability in the structure of subtidal macroalgal assemblages in southwest Australia was examined at multiple spatial scales using a three-factor hierarchal design. Spatial extents ranged from metres (between quadrats) to many hundreds of kilometres (between regions), and the study encompassed N2000 km of temperate coastline. In addition, the influence of taxonomic resolution, from species level data to class level, on spatial patterns was investigated to assess the potential evolutionary timescales of the pattern and for developing cost effective regionally applicable surrogates for biodiversity monitoring. Almost 300 species were identified from 14 sites, representing considerable biodiversity and a significant subset …

The Influence Of Elliptical Chainrings On 10 Km Cycling Time Trial Performance, Jeremiah Peiffer, Chris Abbiss

Research outputs pre 2011

The use of elliptical chainrings (also called chainwheels or sprockets) has gained considerable interest in the amateur and professional cycling community. evertheless, we are unaware of any scientific studies that have examined the performancebenefits of using elliptical chainrings during an actual performance trial. Therefore, this study examined the influence of elliptical chainring use on physiological and performance parameters during a 10 km cycling time trial. Nine male cyclistscompleted, in a counterbalanced order, three 10 km cycling time trials using either a standard chainring or an elliptical chainring at two distinct settings. An attempt was made to blind the cyclists to …

Pines And The Ecology Of Carnaby‘S Black-Cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus Latirostris) In The Gnangara Sustainability Strategy Area, Hugh Finn, William Stock, Leonie Valentine

Research outputs pre 2011

This study examined the behavioural ecology of Carnaby‘s Black-Cockatoo in the Gnangara Sustainability Strategy study area, with a focus on habitat use of pine plantations. The study confirms that the pine is the main food source for Carnaby‘s Black-Cockatoos within the GSS area during the non-breeding season (January-June). The value of the Gnangara-Pinjar-Yanchep pine plantations as a food source for Carnaby‘s Black-Cockatoo should not be underestimated. Large congregations of birds (~3000) utilised the pine plantations for an extended period, mainly January-March but with birds continuing to feeding within the plantations through June. The pine plantations have provided an important and …

Water, Ecology And Health: Ecosystems As Settings For Promoting Health And Sustainability, Margot Parkes, Pierre Horwitz

Research outputs pre 2011

Despite the proposed ecological and systems-based perspectives of the settings-based approach to health promotion, most initiatives have tended to overlook the fundamental nature of ecosystems. This paper responds to this oversight by proposing an explicit re-integration of ecosystems within the healthy settings approach. We make this case by focusing on water as an integrating unit of analysis. Water, on which all life depends, is not only an integral consideration for the existing healthy settings (schools, hospitals, workplaces) but also highlights the ecosystem context of health and sustainability. A focus on catchments (also know as watersheds and river basins) exemplifies the …

Consequences Of Climate-Driven Biodiversity Changes For Ecosystem Functioning Of North European Rocky Shores, Stephen Hawkins, Heather Sugden, Nova Mieszkowska, Philippa Moore, Elvira Poloczanska, Rebecca Leaper, Roger Herbert, Martin Genner, Paula Moschella, Richard Thompson, Stuart Jenkins, Alan Southward, Michael Burrows

Research outputs pre 2011

We review how intertidal biodiversity is responding to globally driven climate change, focusing on long-term data from rocky shores in the British Isles. Physical evidence of warming around the British Isles is presented and, whilst there has been considerable fluctuation, sea surface temperatures are at the highest levels recorded, surpassing previous warm periods (i.e. late 1950s). Examples are given of species that have been advancing or retreating polewards over the last 50 to 100 yr. On rocky shores, the extent of poleward movement is idiosyncratic and dependent upon life history characteristics, dispersal capabilities and habitat requirements. More southern, warm water …

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of An Exercise Intervention Targeting Cardiovascular And Metabolic Risk Factors For Prostate Cancer Patients From The Radar Trial, Daniel Galvao, Nigel Spry, Dennis Taaffe, James Denham, David Joseph, David Lamb, Gregory Levin, Gillian Duchesne, Robert U. Newton

Research outputs pre 2011

Androgen deprivation therapy leads to a number of adverse effects including deterioration of the musculoskeletal system and increased risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic complications. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects, efficacy, retention and compliance of a physical exercise intervention in a large established cohort of prostate cancer patients from the Randomised Androgen Deprivation and Radiotherapy (RADAR) study. Specifically, we aim to compare short- and long-term effects of a prostate cancer-specific supervised exercise program to a standard public health physical activity strategy utilizing printed resources on cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors. Our primary outcomes are cardiorespiratory …

Hyperthermic Fatigue Precedes A Rapid Reduction In Serum Sodium In An Ironman Triathlete: A Case Report, Paul Laursen, Greig Watson, Christopher Abbiss, Bradley A. Wall, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Intensity Of Herbivory On Kelp By Fish And Sea Urchins Differs Between Inshore And Offshore Reefs, Mathew Vanderklift, Paul Lavery, Kris Waddington

Research outputs pre 2011

Interactions between water motion, primary productivity, and herbivory are complex. Rates of grazing by fish on tropical coral reefs and by sea urchins on temperate rocky reefs are usually high, but can be low in areas of extreme water motion. Some herbivores can switch between mobile (grazing) and sedentary (drift-feeding) behaviours, and this can be influenced by water motion. We compared the relative consumption of the kelp Ecklonia radiata at rocky reefs in western Australia with different wave exposures (inshore versus offshore). No herbivory was recorded offshore, suggesting that wave exposure might inhibit herbivory. We also compared grazing by fish …

Interactive Effects Of Timing, Intensity And Duration Of Experimental Shading On Amphibolis Griffithii, Paul Lavery, Kathryn Mcmahon, Michael Mulligan, Andrew Tennyson

Research outputs pre 2011

The responses of the seagrass Amphibolis griffithii to different experimental shading conditions were examined by characterising biomass, morphological and physiological features. In an in situ experiment, the intensity (ambient, moderate shading [13 to 19% of ambient] and high shading [5 to 11% of ambient]), duration (3, 6, 9 mo) and timing (post-summer, post-winter) of light reductions were manipulated. We observed interactive effects of all 3 factors, the most notable being with timing. When moderate shading was imposed at the end of summer there was a 57% loss of leaf biomass and 67% loss of rhizome carbohydrates within 3 mo. The …

A Phase Iii Clinical Trial Of Exercise Modalities On Treatment Side-Effects In Men Receiving Therapy For Prostate Cancer, Robert Newton, Dennis Taaffe, Nigel Spry, Robert Gardiner, Gregory Levin, Bradley Wall, David Joseph, Suzanne K. Chambers, Daniel Galvao

Research outputs pre 2011

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is accompanied by a number of adverse side effects including reduced bone mass and increased risk for fracture, reduced lean mass and muscle strength, mood disturbance and increased fat mass compromising physical functioning, independence, and quality of life. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the effects of long term exercise on reversing musculoskeletal-related side effects, and cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors in men receiving androgen deprivation for their prostate cancer. Specifically, we aim to investigate the effects of a 12-month exercise program designed to load the musculoskeletal system and reduce cardiovascular and diabetes …

Food Resources Of Carnaby’S Black-Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus Latirostris) In The Gnangara Sustainability Strategy Study Area, Leonie E. Valentine, William Stock

Research outputs pre 2011

Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo is an endangered species, with less than 50% of the original population remaining (Garnett and Crowley 2000). A major threatening process includes habitat fragmentation and the removal of critical feeding resources (Cale 2003). The GSS study area in an important foraging area during the non-breeding season for Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo. Both native banksia woodlands and pine plantations have been recognised as an important food resource (Perry 1948; Saunders 1974b; Saunders 1980). Expanding urban populations and agricultural development has resulted in the removal of approximately 50% of native vegetation in the GSS study area. Within the remnant vegetation, the energetics, …

13c And 15n Translocation Within And Among Shoots In Two Posidonia Species From Western Australia, Patricia Prado, Catherine Jane Collier, Paul Lavery

Research outputs pre 2011

Translocation of 13C and 15N was investigated at the spatial scales of within-shoot (i.e. the seagrass clonal unit including leaves and associated vertical rhizome) and among-shoots in a mixed meadow of Posidonia sinuosa and P. australis. Incubation with 13C and 15N was conducted in either the oldest leaf of a shoot (i.e. within-shoot scale) or in the first shoot on the 4th or 5th branch of the main axis (i.e. among-shoots scale) and collected several times within a 1 mo period. We tested the following hypotheses: (1) developmental features in P. australis such as thicker and more open vascular system, …

Effect Of A 5 Min Cold Water Immersion Recovery On Exercise Performance In The Heat, Jeremiah Peiffer, Chris Abbiss, Bradley Wall, Greig Watson, Kazunori Nosaka, Paul Laursen

Research outputs pre 2011

Background This study examined the effect of a 5-min cold-water immersion (14°C) recovery intervention on repeated cycling performance in the heat. Methods 10 male cyclists performed two bouts of a 25-min constant-paced (254 (22) W) cycling session followed by a 4-km time trial in hot conditions (35°C, 40% relative humidity). The two bouts were separated by either 15 min of seated recovery in the heat (control) or the same condition with 5-min cold-water immersion (5th—10th minute), using a counterbalanced cross-over design (CP1TT1 → CWI or CON → CP2TT2). Rectal temperature was measured immediately before and after both the constant-paced sessions …

Physiological Characteristics Of The Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa Along A Depth-Related Gradient Of Light Availability, Catherine Collier, Paul Lavery, Peter Ralph, Ray Masini

Research outputs pre 2011

Physiological plasticity has the capacity to prolong seagrass survival under reduced light conditions. However, when light is attenuated across a depth gradient, the relative importance of this over other mechanisms for tolerating long-term light reduction (such as morphological adjustments and shoot loss) has been questioned. This study aimed to describe a number of the physiological characteristics of Posidonia sinuosa Cambridge et Kuo along a depth-related gradient of light availability (1.6 to 9.0 m depth) and infer how these characteristics are important for the long-term maintenance of the meadow. Rapid light curve-derived parameters, light harvesting pigments, photoprotective pigments and nutrient and …

Carbohydrate Gel Ingestion And Immunoendocrine Responses To Cycling In Temperate And Hot Conditions, Jonathan Peake, Jeremiah J. Peiffer, Christopher R. Abbiss, Kazunori Nosaka, Paul B. Laursen, Katsuhiko Suzuki

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Historical Datasets Of Dugong (Dugong Dugon) Observations In The Kimberley Region Of Western Australia - Data Report - Report No. 2008-03, David K. Holley, R. I.T. Prince

Research outputs pre 2011

Research Need and Objective :

Many sections of the northern WA coastline have become heavily industrialised in the last three decades particularly throughout the Pilbara region where offshore and onshore oil and gas exploration and processing facilities are abundant. There have been recent moves to develop similar industry along the Kimberley coast to access the Browse Basin, a 140,000 Km2 offshore gas field approximately 300km off the Kimberley Coast. This has resulted in extensive debate and the need to define the natural values of this region, which is considered to be one of the world’s most ecologically diverse (WWF 2008). …

A Light Load Eccentric Exercise Confers Protection Against A Subsequent Bout Of More Demanding Eccentric Exercise, Andrew Lavender, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Retrospective Analysis Of Epiphyte Assemblages In Relation To Seagrass Loss In A Eutrophic Coastal Embayment, Ml Cambridge, Jr How, Paul Lavery, Ma Vanderklift

Research outputs pre 2011

This is a retrospective study of shifts in species composition of epiphytic macroalgae that occurred during a period of seagrass loss in Cockburn Sound, Western Australia. Detailed analysis of data on relative abundances of 108 epiphytic taxa collected over 2 yr from 27 widely dispersed sites around Cockburn Sound showed differences in epiphyte composition between sites with loss of seagrasses (Loss sites) and those with no loss in the the long-term (No Loss sites). Future seagrass losses, however, were not predicted by shifts in species composition. Most species were rare and varied with season of sampling. Hence, varying assemblages of …

Protection Against Muscle Damage Following Fifty Drop Jumps Conferred By Ten Drop Jumps, Motoyoshi Miyama, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Effect Of Leaf Movement On Epiphytic Algal Biomass Of Seagrass Leaves, Paul Lavery, Tara Reid, Glenn Hyndes, Beverley Van Elven

Research outputs pre 2011

We tested the hypothesis that the movement of seagrass leaves affects the accumulation and composition of algal epiphytes by comparing the standing crop and composition on tethered (T) and untethered (UT) artificial seagrass units (ASUs) over 4 and 8 wk. We also tested whether any effect of leaf movement on standing crop was dependent on the degree of water movement by repeating the experiment over 8 wk at sheltered and exposed sites. To eliminate the possibility of inter-regional differences between exposed and sheltered sites and to test for interactive effects of light availability and leaf movement on epiphyte biomass, we …

Effects Of Experimental Reduction Of Light Availability On The Seagrass Amphibolis Griffithii, P Mackey, Cj Collier, Paul Lavery

Research outputs pre 2011

The response of the meadow-forming seagrass Amphibolis griffithii (Black) den Hartog to light reduction was examined over a 3 mo period and a subsequent 1 mo recovery period. Morphological and physiological variables were measured in meadows subjected to an average reduction in photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 88% relative to unshaded controls. Leaf biomass, leaf cluster density and the number of leaves per cluster all declined in shaded plots, and after 3 mo were about 30, 50 and 60% of the controls, respectively. Leaf extension was one-third that of the control plots. Epiphyte biomass in shaded plots was 44% …

Morphological, Growth And Meadow Characteristics Of The Seagrass Posidonia Sinuosa Along A Depth-Related Gradient Of Light Availability, Cj Collier, Paul Lavery, Rj Masini, Pj Ralph

Research outputs pre 2011

Morphological and growth characteristics of the meadow-forming seagrass Posidonia sinuosa (Cambridge et Kuo), were measured along a depth-related gradient of light to infer its response to long-term differences in light availability. Morphometric measurements were carried out at 6 depths between 1.6 and 9.0 m in summer and winter at Cockburn Sound and summer only at Warnbro Sound in south-western Australia. The minimum light requirement for P. sinuosa of 8.5% sub-surface light was among the lower range reported for seagrasses. Its slow growth rate (0.5–1.5 mgdry shoot–1 d–1), relative to similarly sized species, may contribute to the low light requirements of …

A Review Of Landholder Motivations And Determinants For Participation In Conservation Covenanting Programmes, Thomas Kabii, Pierre Horwitz

Research outputs pre 2011

Conservation covenants (or easements) are flexible but legally enforceable documents attached to a land title restricting the use of that land, providing for the protection of important conservation values, while allowing the landholder to retain possession. Given the attractiveness of covenants to those who seek to expand national and regional nature conservation initiatives, it is important to understand landholder motivations for participation in programmes that covenant for nature conservation. This paper examines the likely influences on landholder decision making when it comes to conservation initiatives. A review of literature highlights key motivations and determinants, such as landholder demographics and the …

An Automated Sampling Soil Reduction-Oxygenation Rf Sensor Network For Cereal Crop Management, Michael Collins, Christopher C. Holme, Keng T. Tan, Leisa Armstrong

Research outputs pre 2011

There is a need for cost effective tools and data collection methods for field measurements: to increase both productivity and volumes of collected data in the quest for enhanced understanding and management of environmental systems. To such end, we explore the various RF technologies that may be combined into a cost effective soil redox sensor network, discuss the merits of each as a component of said network, describe a prototype soil redox sensor network and present the method and results of laboratory and field tests performed. The experiment was conducted by running the prototype RF based equipment alongside a closely …

Responses Of Elbow Flexors To Two Strenuous Eccentric Exercise Bouts Separated By Three Days, Trevor C. Chen, Kazunori Nosaka

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Shuffling Buddies: How An Online Community Supports Heart Patients With Healthier Lifestyle Choices - An Early Indication Of Physical Activity And Exercise Outcomes From The Heartnet Intervention, Leesa Costello, Arshad Omari, Maurice Gerard Swanson

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Amino Acid Supplementation On Muscle Soreness And Damage, Kazunori Nosaka, Paul Sacco, K. Mawatari

Research outputs pre 2011

No abstract provided.

The Hillarys Transect (1): Seasonal And Cross-Shelf Variability Of Physical And Chemical Water Properties Off Perth, Western Australia, 1996-98, Alan Pearce, Mervyn Lynch, Christine Hanson

Research outputs pre 2011

A 27-month study of the water properties across the continental shelf off Perth, Western Australia (the "Hillarys Transect") has provided the first systematic inter-disciplinary climatology of the physical, chemical, optical and biological cycles across the shelf. This paper describes the main features of the seasonal and cross-shelf variability of the physical oceanography and chemistry, while companion papers discuss some of the links between the biology and physics of the region