Life Sciences Commons^™

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 …

State Of The Fisheries And Aquatic Resources Report 2009/10, W.J Fletcher, K. Santoro

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

As outlined in the CEO’s overview, this year’s renamed State of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Report 2009/10 reflects that the Department of Fisheries has now fully adopted an Ecosystem Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) framework as the basis for management of Western Australia’s aquatic resources (Fletcher, et al., 20101). Consequently, the format for this document has been updated so that it is consistent with this risk-based approach to resource management.

An Inventory And Condition Survey Of The Western Australian Part Of The Nullarbor Region, Peter-Jon A. Waddell, A K. Gardner, P Hennig

Technical Bulletins

The inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region, undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA) between 2005 and 2007, describes and maps the natural resources of the region. This survey report provides a baseline record of the existence and condition of the area's natural resources, to assist with the planning and implementation of land management practices. The report identified and described the condition of soils, landforms, vegetation, habitat, ecosystems, and declared plants and animals. It also assessed the impact of pastoralism and made land management recommendations. The Nullarbor region has …

Trophic Implications Of Light Reductions For Amphibolis Griffithii Seagrass Fauna, Adam Gartner

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The ongoing threat of seagrass loss from reduced light availability, coupled with our lack of knowledge of associated trophic responses has motivated this characterization of the flow-on effects of light reductions to Amphibolis griffithii seagrass fauna. Recently, field manipulations of varying light reductions, induced disturbances in a A. griffithii seagrass meadow that have been shown to effect potential food resources and the structural complexity of seagrass habitats for macroinvertebrates. This offered the opportunity to assess the flow-on effects to seagrass for fauna, a topic that has seldom been examined. This study investigated the effects of different light reduction intensity (high: …

Lucerne Guidelines For Western Australia Principles For Integrating A Perennial Pasture Into Broadacre Dryland Farming Systems, Diana Fedorenko, Perry Dolling, Christopher Loo, Tom Bailey, Roy Latta

Bulletins 4000 -

Lucerne, often regarded as the queen of forages, has been used in agriculture for centuries. In Western Australia, however, its potential has never been fully realised despite its well-documented ability to dewater soils and reduce groundwater recharge. Over the years adoption has been limited by a range of factors including pests and diseases, soil acidity, grazing management and economics. During the last decade research has addressed these issues, paving the way for much greater impact at the farm and catchment level.

Fisheries Research Report No. 195 - Compliance Program Evaluation And Optimisation In Commercial And Recreational Western Australian Fisheries, Timothy J. Green, John P. Mckinlay

Fisheries Research Reports

Final FRDC Report – Project Number 2001/069

Objectives:

1. To undertake data collection in order to measure the level of compliance and enforcement across the range of input and output managed fisheries in Western Australia, with a view to optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall compliance program.

2. In conjunction with representatives from national fisheries compliance groups, to develop national standards for the collection and reporting of fishery-specific enforcement activity levels and compliance rates.

3. To determine how levels of enforcement and compliance vary spatially and temporally, including an examination of how the level and type of enforcement …

Fisheries Research Report No.196 - Management Of Bioeroding Sponges In Wild Stocks Of Pinctada Maxima In Western Australia, Sabine Daume, Jane Fromont, Anthony M. Hart

Fisheries Research Reports

Final FRDC Report – Project 2005/074

The Western Australian fishery is the only remaining significant fishery for pearl oysters in the world and comprises most of the exported pearl product of Australia, currently worth around $125 million annually. The majority of pearl shells used to culture pearls come from the pearling beds in the inshore waters near Broome. The fishery for pearl oysters preferentially targets smaller ‘culture’ shell (4-5 years age class, 120mm - 160mm shell length) that are more suitable for growing pearls, leaving larger MOP oysters (6+ age class, 175mm+) on the fishing grounds.

Silver-lipped pearl oysters (Pinctada …

Current And Future Food Demand In Western Australia. Module 1 Scoping Study, Andrew Weinert, Robert R. Rouda

Farm Systems and Economics published reports

Maintaining and growing our food industries are priorities of the Western Australian Government and its Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia (DAFWA). Understanding our current food consumption levels, imports, exports and production limitations is critical to the formulation of effective agricultural and food polices.

The WA food industries are affected by several factors that include previous domestic policies and market instruments; general lack of scale; geographical isolation; access to suitable land and water; the availability and use of new technology, communication, processing and transport infrastructure that facilitate efficient marketing; sales and administration; social factors; international tariffs and other trade …

Can R&D Investment Offset The Negative Impact Of Climate Change On Agricultural Productivity?, Nazrul Islam, Ruhul A. Salim

Climate Science Published Reports

Productivity growth in agriculture helps maintain the nation's economic prosperity. However, long-run productivity growth in agriculture faces several challenges such as the potential worsening of climate due to global warming and the loss of productive land due to land use competition, salinity, wind erosion and soil acidity. Strategic policy making and appropriate funding for sustained productivity growth in agriculture is therefore crucial.

Research and development (R&D) to drive innovation is an acknowledged main source of productivity growth. The development and application of technologies generated through R&D boosts agriculture's productivity. Agricultural R&D activities in Australia and in most other developed economies …

Managing South Coast Sandplain Soils To Yield Potential, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

This book has been written to help farmers reach their rainfall-limited yield potential. It comes from a need to understand the properties and management options for grain production on sandplain soils. It also seeks to address concerns that crop yields on sandplain soils are not increasing at the rate experienced on soils elsewhere in the south coast region of Western Australia.

Five Year Management Strategy For The Recreational Trout Fishery. Discussion Paper For Public Comment On Future Management., The Rfac’S Recreational Freshwater Fisheries Stakeholder Sub-Committee

Fisheries Management Papers

The Recreational Fishing Advisory Committee (RFAC) was concerned over the delay in time in progressing this issue and recommended that the issue of trout stocking for recreational purposes be progressed in isolation. This matter was referred to the Recreational Freshwater Fisheries Stakeholder Sub-Committee (RFFSS) to progress the recreational aspects of stocking trout within State public waters. This strategy represents a significant step in ensuring the appropriate level of management is provided for the translocation of trout into and within Western Australia for recreational purposes. It is also hoped that this policy will serve as a guide for the management and …

Factors Influencing Perennial Pasture Adoption In The Medium Rainfall Zone Of The South West Natural Resource Management Region Of Western Australia, Ned Crossley, Stephen Tunbridge, Kathi Mcdonald

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Esperance Area Acid Sulfate Soil Hazard Mapping, Paul Galloway, Simon Clarendon

Resource management technical reports

This project created a regional scale (1:100 000) acid sulfate soil (ASS) hazard map for the Lake Warden and Esperance town areas, using a combination of existing soil-landscape mapping information and elevation data, supported by field observations and laboratory data from 18 soil cores and 29 additional borelogs with descriptive information useful for identifying ASS and potential ASS materials. All data gathered during this project used common standards and protocols developed in Australia for identifying and mapping ASS materials. The project extends the mapping for acid sulfate soil in the region, complementing existing maps compiled for other parts of the …

Fisheries Management Paper No.245 - Aquaculture Of Coral, Live Rocks And Associated Products. Aquaculture Policy, Department Of Fisheries, Western Australia

Fisheries Management Papers

Aquarium enthusiasts use corals, live rock and associated products (e.g. live sand) for display and to maintain healthy water quality conditions in their marine aquariums. There is a large and growing market for these products. While the wild harvest fisheries for aquarium products in Western Australia are sustainably managed, output is capped, so increased product is needed to meet the market demand. With a trend towards the capping of wild harvest and additional pressures, such as the introduction of Marine Parks and other marine protected areas, the aquaculture of these products is set for industry development and expansion.

The large …

Common Regional Pests Of Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Bulletins 4000 -

Western Australia is free from many exotic animal and plant pests, diseases and weeds that are present elsewhere in Australia. However, the state does have some unwanted intruders. Of these, many are declared plants or declared animals which, for the sake of convenience, we collectively call declared pests.

Preparing For A Changing And Variable Climate, Glynn Ward

Research Reports

Climate change has the potential to reshape the Australian wine industry. Regions will be differentially impacted and will respond according to their unique viticultural, environmental, economic and social characteristics. An industry forum and regional workshop series was held in Western Australia focusing on three wine regions: Margaret River, Pemberton and Mount Barker. Fine scale climate information (mesoscale maps) and overviews of current and emerging technologies and resources that can be used by the wine industry to plan for and manage the risks and opportunities resulting from a changing and variable climate were presented. The information indicated that the wine regions …

Options For Achieving And Maintaining Low Salinity In Agricultural Dams, Tilwin Westrup

Resource management technical reports

No abstract provided.

Fisheries Occasional Publication 74: Report Of The Funding Working Group July 2009, Bruno Mezzatesta, Anna Cronin, Brett Mccallum, Ian Taylor, Kane Moyle, Melanie Barbaro, Ben Fraser

Fisheries Occasional Publications

In recent years the profitability of the fishing industry in Western Australia has been severely impacted by a combination of the high cost and scarcity of labour, high fuel prices, a poor exchange rate and the recent global financial crisis. The prices for some locally caught fish species have been impacted by the significant growth in overseas aquaculture production.

These pressures have led to more serious scrutiny of fishing methods and the cost of business inputs. One of the business input costs that has been the subject of concern from industry is the fees paid by fishers to Government under …

Fisheries Occasional Publication 73: Report Of The Consultation Working Group July 2009, Greg Paust, Anna Cronin, Guy Leyland, Graham Short, Doug Bathgate, Frank Prokop, Ben Fraser

Fisheries Occasional Publications

This report outlines recommendations of a Working Group established by the CEO of the Department of Fisheries to advise on a proposed new model for fisheries consultation in Western Australia.

The proposed model provided to the Working Group for advice was developed based on the following objectives

1. Enhanced efficiency, cost effectiveness and flexibility.

2. Clarification between:

• fishing sector representation
• expertise based advice to the Department of Fisheries; and
• Department of Fisheries as the primary source of management advice to the Minister for Fisheries.

3. Enhancement of Department of Fisheries engagement with industry, stakeholders and the public.

State Of The Fisheries Report 2008/2009 Summary, W J. Fletcher, Karen Santoro

Status Reports of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources

The complete State ofthe Fisheries Report 2008/09 is published annually to provide a detailed level of reporting on the management of fisheries resources and their environment undertaken by the Department of Fisheries. The State ofthe Fisheries Report summarises the outcomes of many departmental activities undertaken during 2008/09 including management changes, compliance work and research to assess stock levels, monitor breeding stocks and undertake environmental assessments. It therefore provides a valuable reference point for the status of Western Australian fisheries of major importance to the commercial and recreational sectors, the aquaculture industry and for those interested in aquatic management. This annual …

Exporting Vegetables In Bulk : Reducing Supply Chain Costs Without Compromising Quality, Helen Ramsey, Dennis Phillips

Bulletins 4000 -

Increased competition, a strong Australian dollar and increased production costs have seen Australian grown vegetables steadily lose their share in traditional export markets.

As competition increases, we need to investigate production and handling techniques that improve our price and quality competitiveness.

Improving the effi ciency of the supply chain to export markets is one way Australian growers can reduce production and shipping costs and improve product quality.

Wool Desk Report June 2009: Flock Demographics And Producer Intentions - February 2009 National Survey Results, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia, Kimbal Curtis

Animal production and livestock published reports

This issue of Wool Desk Report presents the results of a survey of 1 410 Australian sheep producers conducted in February 2009. The survey was done to provide information to the Australian Wool Innovation’s Production Forecasting Committee and to update the flock model that is used by the relevant state forecasting committees. The survey methodology follows that reported in the May 2007 issue of Wool Desk Report (Curtis 2007).

The producers in the survey collectively produced 24.3 thousand tonnes of wool from a total of 4.3 million adult sheep and 1.7 million lambs shorn during 2007–2008. This represented a sample …

Barrow Island Ute Guide - Non-Indigenous Insects, Spiders And Snails, Mike Grimm, Kristofer Collett, Peter Davis, Marc Widmer, Andras Szito, Rob Emery, Peter Mangano

Biosecurity published reports

Barrow Island, the second largest island in Western Australia, is a Class A Nature Reserve and home to a variety of rare and endangered fauna and flora, some of which occur nowhere else. The island lies about 70 km off the north-west coast of Western Australia and 150 km west of Karratha.

Oil discoveries in the 1960s and the development of massive Northwest Shelf gas reserves since the 1990s made Barrow Island an important site for these industries. Strict environmental and quarantine conditions are placed on industry seeking permits to drill oil wells and construct gas processing plants. Oil production …

Pasture Condition Guide For The Ord River Catchment, K Ryan, E Tierney, P Novelly

Bulletins 4000 -

This guide has been produced as a tool for assessing pasture condition over a range of pasture types in the Ord River catchment. A pasture type is a distinctive mix of plant species, soil type and landscape position. For example, the Mitchell Grass Alluvial Plain Pasture type is a mixture of Mitchell grasses and other species occurring on black soil alluvial plains.

Pasture condition is an important factor affecting the potential of the rangelands for animal production and is a useful indicator for the sustainability of production.

Integrated Fisheries Management. Allocation Report Roe's Abalone Resource Perth Metropolitan Region., Integrated Fisheries Allocation Advisory Committee

Fisheries Management Papers

The introduction of Integrated Fisheries Management (IFM) is a recent development in the management of fisheries in Western Australia. IFM is an initiative aimed at addressing the issue of how fish resources in Western Australia can be best shared between competing users within the broad context of “Ecologically Sustainable Development”, or ESD.

Crop Updates - 2009 Katanning, Murray Scholz, Peter Newman, Glenn Adam, Trevor Bell, Michael Whitehead, W. K. Anderson, Chris Gazey, J. Andrew, R. Pearce, Bill Bowden, Wayne Pluske, Jeremy Lemon, D. C. Edmeades, J. J. Russell, Blakely H. Paynter, David Ferris, Abul Hashen, Catherine Borger, Stephen B. Powels, Qin Yu, Mechelle Owen, Roberto Busi, Sudheesh Manalil, Sally Peltzer, David Minkey, Raj Malik

Crop Updates

This session covers seventeen papers from different authors

1. GM canola – How will it affect the way I farm? Murray Scholz, 2008 Nuffield scholar, Southern NSW

2. Eight years of IWM smashes tyegrass seed banks by 98% over 31 focus paddocks, Peter Newman, Glenn Adam & Trevor Bell, Department of Agriculture and Food

3. The global economic climate and impacts on agriculture, profile on Michael Whitehead Rabobank New York

4. Lessons from five years of cropping systems research, W.K. Anderson, Department of Agriculture and Food

5. Case study of a 17year old agricultural lime trial, C. Gazey, Department of Agriculture …

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Fisheries Research Report No. 187 - Management And Monitoring Of Fish Spawning Aggregations Within The West Coast Bioregion Of Western Australia, Michael C. Mackie

Fisheries Research Reports

Final FRDC Report – Project Number 2004/051

Objectives

1. To identify species that aggregate to spawn within the WCB and to describe (e.g. location, size, timing, nature) the aggregations of key demersal species such as pink snapper and dhufish.

2. To investigate the biology, ecology and fishery for Samson fish with emphasis on the sports fishery targeting deep water spawning aggregations west of Rottnest Island.

3. To establish methods and protocols for monitoring fish aggregations within the WCB.

4. To review relevant information and provide advice on the impact of aggregation fishing and the management of aggregating fish species in …

Fisheries Research Contract Report No. 20 - Risk Assessment Of The Record Brook Inter-Basin Water Transfer Scheme To The Aquatic Fauna Of The Donnelly And Warren Rivers, M. De Graaf, D. L. Morgan, S. J. Beatty, C. W. Hugh

Fisheries Research Contract Reports

Report to the Water Corporation of Western Australia

This report describes the fishes and freshwater crayfishes of the Donnelly and Warren River catchments and provides a risk assessment to these fauna of the proposed extraction of water from Record Brook (tributary of the Donnelly River) and subsequent transfer to Scabby Gully Dam (Warren River catchment). The proposed location of the structure in Record Brook is at the gauging station ~1 km upstream from the confluence with the Donnelly River. The project aims to divert peak flows in the winter and spring flow period, transferring around 500 ML each year. The …

Crop Updates 2009 - Cereals, Jeff Baldock, Doug Edmeades, Mark Seymour, Paul Carmody, Ian Pritchard, Alan Meldrum, Michael Robertson, Roger Lawes, Rob Sands, Peter White, Felicity Byrne, Andrew Bathgate, Kedar Adhikari, Tanveer Khan, Stuart Morgan, Alan Harris, P. Gaur, K. M. H. Siddique, H. Clarke, N. C. Turner, W. Macleod, S. Morgan, Chris Veitch, Tony Leonforte, Kithsiri Jayasena, Geoff J. Thomas, Rob Loughman, Kazue Tanaka, Ravjit Khangura, Mohammad Amjad, Richard Oliver, Dusty Severtson, Peter Mangano, John Botha, Brenda A. Coutts, Manisha Shankar, Kasia Rybak, Michael Baker, Andrea Hills, Shahajahan Miyan, Peter Portmann, Nicole Rice, Robert Henry, Jeff Russell, Blakely H. Paynter, Linda Price, Brenda Shackley, Vicki Scanlan, Darshan Sharma, Christine M. Zaicou-Kunesch

Crop Updates

This session covers twenty seven papers from different authors:

PLENARY

1. Building soil carbon for productivity and implications for carbon accounting, Jeff Baldock, CSIRO Land and Water, Adelaide, SA

2. Fact or Fiction: Who is telling the truth and how to tell the difference, Doug Edmeades, agKnowledge Ltd, Hamilton

3. Four decades of crop sequence trials in Western Australia, Mark Seymour,Department of Agriculture and Food

BREAK CROPS

4. 2008 Break Crops survey Report, Paul Carmody,Development Officer, Department of Agriculture and Food

5. Attitudes of Western Australian wheatbelt growers to ‘Break Crops’, Paul Carmody and Ian …

Wheat Variety Guide 2009 Western Australia, Ben Curtis, Steve Penny, Christine Zaicou, Harmohinder Dhammu, Sarah Ellis, Dorthe Jorgensen, Shahajahan Miyan, Brenda Shackley, Darshan Sharma

Bulletins 4000 -

This guide summarises performance characteristics of commercially available wheats which have undergone testing in the National Variety Testing Project (NVT), breeding organisations crop variety testing and Department of Agriculture and Food (DAFWA) variety specific agronomy projects. This information includes variety summaries, agronomic, disease and herbicide tolerance characteristics and medium to long-term yield performance. A review of regional performance in 2008 is followed by a comprehensive summary of 2008 variety time of sowing experiments and observed flowering dates.

By combining agronomy research outcomes with other related wheat research this document provides current information to assist with variety choice and management for …