Biodiversity Commons^™

Protecting The Remnants, Glenis Ayling

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Our native flora and fauna do best in their own environment, so one way of protecting them is to conserve and maintain areas of remnant vegetation throughout our farmlands. This is the aim of the Remnant Vegetation Protection Scheme in which the State Government helps private landholders to voluntarily fence off and manage areas of native vegetation on farms.

Can Kangaroos Survive In The Wheatbelt?, Graham Arnold

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

One of the costs of agricultural development in Western Australia over the past 100 years has been the loss of most of the native vegetation and, consequently, massive reductions in the numbers of most of our native fauna. Thirteen mammal species are extinct and many bird and mammal species are extinct in some areas. These losses will increase as remnant native vegetation degrades under the impact of nutrients washed and blown from farmland, from the invasion by weeds and from grazing sheep.

Even kangaroos are affected. Unless the community manages remnant vegetation to minimise degradation and enhance the regeneration of …

Photosynthetic Competence Of An Endangered Shrub, Lindera Melissifolia, Robert D. Wright

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Net photosynthesis and water relations were investigated in situ for a population of Lindera melissifolia in northeast Arkansas. Photosynthetic light use efficiency was found to be characteristic of a shade plant. Response of photosynthesis to temperature and CO₂ was insensitive over ranges found during the growing season. High water use efficiency was demonstrated, but under typical conditions of low light this was marginally beneficial. In comparison -with competing understory plants, the species proved to be photosynthetically competent. The data are evaluated in terms of the survival potential of the species.

Fecundity Of Male White-Tailed Deer On Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge, Thomas A. Nelson, Michael W. Johnson

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

Male reproductive tracts were collected from 57 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) harvested on Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge during the 1988 and 1989 archery deer seasons. Organ weights and total numbers of spermatozoa present were determined for both testes and epididymides. Among yearling and adult males, the mean weights of testes and epididymides peaked during November and decreased through the end of the collection period in mid-December. Total number of spermatozoa in the tract increased through October, peaked during the last half of November, and decreased through mid- December. No significant difference was found between the mean number of spermatozoa …