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Job insecurity is a widespread workplace stressor that has been extensively investigated using quantitative approaches. With the use of a critical organisational psychology framework, we conducted a meta‐synthesis of 20 qualitative studies to investigate the experience of job insecurity among vulnerable employee groups (i.e., women and immigrants). The qualitative meta‐synthesis results suggest that there are meaningful differences. Specifically, whereas women were more concerned with and exposed to deteriorating working conditions, men experienced job insecurity as a threat to their identity. Among immigrants, the experience of job insecurity is viewed as largely intersecting with the legal system, impacting their ability to remain in their country and making them feel powerless. Thematic evidence also emerged regarding individual actions that participants use to attain security in contrast to corporate strategies that enhance job insecurity. We contribute to the critical organisational psychology literature by discussing how these results test common academic theories and neoliberal assumptions pervasive within the job insecurity literature: We highlight how organisations manufacture job insecurity, question the existence of harmonious social exchanges, discuss the use of job insecurity as a form of worker control, consider the role of the legal context in aiding worker exploitation and argue for an intersectional view of job insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability requirement for the SKA telescopes will have a major impact on the design, capital and operating costs. The design‐for‐reliability, maintainability, maintenance planning and performance expectations should be well balanced. Engineering analysis indicates that the SKA telescopes should have an inherent availability of 99% and both telescopes are required to have an operational availability of at least 95%. This paper discusse the availability and support challenges of building and operating two telescopes in Australia and South Africa. It describes the approach to the critical design review of the system, with a special focus on simulation modeling and sensitivity analysis. It also discusses the use of failure data from the precursor telescopes and gives technical insight into the development of a digital twin for decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aim Anthropogenic introductions of Australian Acacia spp. that become classed as alien invasive species have consequences besides the physical, spatial and ecological: there are also cultural, ethical and political considerations that demand attention from scholars in the humanities and social sciences. As practitioners in these disciplines, our aim is to reflect upon some of the social and conceptual ideas and attitudes relating to the spread of Australian Acacia spp. around the world. We therefore provide a longer-term historical and philosophical perspective using South Africa as a key example. We explain some of the cultural aspects of Australian acacias, relating them to history, philosophy and societal ideas that were once, or indeed remain, important, either regarding their exportation from Australia or their importation into other countries. Focussing principally on South Africa and Australia but including brief references to other locations, we augment the literature by making connections between acacia introductions and environmental ethics and aesthetics, national and environmental history and symbolic and other discourses. We evaluate a number of the cultural and philosophical dimensions of invasion biology as a societal response and explicate the interesting contradiction of Australian acacia introductions as simultaneously economically valuable and environmentally transformative in South Africa. Location South Africa, Australia, with references to other parts of the world. Methods This paper has been written by an interdisciplinary team (two historians, two geographers, a philosopher and an ecologist) and is conceptual and historical, conforming in language and structure to the humanities style. It relies on published and unpublished literature from this disciplinary domain and the critical evaluation of these sources. Results Many Acacia spp. from Australia have been introduced around the world, generally guided in different eras by a variety of overarching mindsets, including the colonial ethos of 'improvement' (1800s to mid 1900s), an economically driven mindset of 'national development' (1900s), by a people-centred frame combining concerns of environment and livelihood in 'sustainable development' (1980s onwards), and an aesthetic ethos of ornamental planting that surfaces in all periods. The newest ethos of controlling or managing alien invasive species, a normative attitude deriving from the burgeoning of invasion biology, has more recently shaped the ideology of these plant exchanges and sharpened the focus on species that may be simultaneously both weeds and commercially valuable crops. Our perspective from the humanities and social sciences calls for a more transparent approach that clearly acknowledges such contradictions. Main conclusions We conclude that the global experiment of human-mediated Australian acacia introductions raises a number of issues that reflect changing societal concerns and demand attention from scholars in disciplines apart from the natural sciences. Here we highlight the impact of historical context in plant exchanges, the history and philosophy of science as it relates to invasion biology, and changing - sometimes divisive - societal priorities in terms of aesthetic, economic and conservation values. In particular, the case of Acacia spp. in South Africa highlights the contradictory aspects of introductions in that some species are both commercially important and environment-altering invasive plants. We argue that the contribution of disciplines beyond ecology to the debates about the invasive status of acacias enlarges our understanding and provides useful insights for botanists, foresters, managers and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dual sector universities (or duals) are a growing international phenomenon that cut across the divide that typically exists in post-secondary education. Duals combine ‘further’ and ‘higher’ education within a single institution providing enhanced opportunities for student transition between post-secondary sectors. This paper reports the results of an international survey of duals in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the UK. The results indicate that duals operate divergent operational models in managing the structural challenges of cross-sector education characterised as unitary and binary. Many duals contend that state and provincial government regulation militates against the integration of structures, processes and human resources within a dual sector context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Rainfall reliability has been neglected as a determinant of plant trait convergence and divergence in mediterranean-climate ecosystems. This paper reports on patterns of rainfall reliability — quantified as interannual variation in monthly and seasonal rainfall, and as the frequency of individual events in terms of their size, duration and intensity — for four fire-prone mediterranean-climate ecosystems. Location The four mediterranean-climate regions of the world with fire-prone ecosystems, namely SW Cape (South Africa), SW Australia, California and the Mediterranean Basin (Andalusia, Spain). Methods Using long-term monthly rainfall data from stations dispersed across the four regions, we computed monthly means and interannual variation for each month of the year — the latter quantified as the coefficient of variation (CV) — and divided these into winter and summer seasons. We also computed the mean number of rainfall events, the mean frequency in various categories of event duration (days), the amount of rainfall per event (mm) and the rainfall intensity per event (mm/day) per year for winter and summer seasons for a subset of the rainfall stations. Results The fraction of rain falling in summer was lowest in California (5%) and similarly low ( c. 25%) in the other three regions. The hierarchy of values of coefficient of variation (CV) of monthly rainfall during the winter period was as follows: California > Andalusia >> SW Cape > SW Australia; results for summer were: California > > Andalusia >> SW Australia ∼ SW Cape. SW Australian sites experienced the greatest frequency of short, small and low-intensity rainfall events in both seasons; patterns in the SW Cape were intermediate between Australia and the two northern hemisphere sites which both received fewer, larger and more intense events. Overall, the two southern hemisphere regions (SW Australia and the SW Cape) had significantly more reliable regimes than the two northern hemisphere ones (Mediterranean Basin and California). Main conclusions These differences in rainfall reliability regimes may provide a novel perspective on the distribution of certain plant life-history traits in mediterranean-climate ecosystems. Less reliable regimes would select for germination and seedling survival traits that enable persistence of genets in the face of uncertain moisture conditions during the winter and spring establishment phase. Study systems that accommodate for phylogenetic constraints, namely invasive species derived from mediterranean-climate ecosystems, as well as shared lineages, provide good opportunities to develop and test hypotheses on the implication of different rainfall reliability regimes. One of the novel implications of this study is that the distinctive trait of assemblages in the southern hemisphere regions may be a consequence not so much of their shared nutrient-poor soils as of their similarly reliable rainfall regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Social engagement is an important active aging strategy to promote older adults' mental health. The purposes of this study were to compare social engagement in older populations around the world and explore associations with mental health outcomes. Materials and methods: An international cross‐sectional survey was conducted from 2017 to 2019. Data were retrieved from The International Social Survey Programme for a secondary data analysis across 30 countries. This study applied the Taxonomy of Social Activities and its six levels as operational definitions for a consistent concept of social engagement for international comparisons. Results: In total, 9403 older adults with a mean age of 72.85 ± 6.40 years responded. The highest levels of older adults' social engagement were found in Switzerland, Thailand, and New Zealand. Older adults of a higher age, with a lower educational level, who were permanently sick or disabled, who had no partner, who were widowed or whose civil partner had died, who lived alone, and who had lower self‐placement in society had significantly lower social engagement than did their counterparts. In the regression model, older adults' social engagement positively predicted general health, self‐accomplishment, and life satisfaction, but negatively predicted loneliness and depression. Conclusions: In aging societies worldwide, encouraging older adults' social engagement would be beneficial to promote mental health. Implications for nursing practice and health policies: Community professional nurses can develop strategies of social engagement based on the needs and sociodemographic factors of older adults to improve their mental health. Developing efficient strategies and local policies by learning from successful experiences in other countries is important to promote social engagement in aging societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native to South Africa, fireweed (Senecio madagascariensis Poiret; Asteraceae) is an annual or short‐lived perennial herb that is highly invasive in Australia, where it is a target for biological control. Preliminary research indicates that fireweed may be undergoing adaptive changes along its invasion gradient in Australia. Changes, such as a shift in plant chemical defence, may influence fireweed's interaction with specialist insect herbivores, and hence the efficacy of a biocontrol program. As the testing of biocontrol candidates is a rigorous and lengthy process, confirmation of fireweed's susceptibility to insect attack may assist in fast tracking candidate suitability, where changes in plant defensive chemistry are found. In a large experimental field study in fireweed's native range, we compared the susceptibility of Australian and South African populations to insect natural enemy attack (in terms of plant biomass, insect richness and composition). Simultaneously, we assessed the variation in plant pyrrolizidine alkaloid concentrations and composition to rationalise any differences in natural enemy attack between populations. We found no significant differences in plant biomass across fireweed populations, despite significantly higher alkaloid concentrations in Australian populations. The composition of the endophagous (specialist) insect herbivore assemblage was related to alkaloid composition, but there were only minor differences in the assemblage between Australian and South African fireweed populations. Moreover, we found no significant differences in the abundance, richness or Shannon diversity indices of endophagous or ectophagous (generalist) insect herbivores between Australian and South African fireweed populations. Our results suggest that despite variations in chemical defence, Australian fireweed populations displayed neither reduced nor increased susceptibility to specialist insect herbivore attack, supporting the notion that if host‐specific biocontrol agents are released, their impact in Australia is unlikely to be influenced by any changes in plant chemical defence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On June 1, 2006, the trade associations representing the personal care industry of the European Union, the U.S., Japan and South Africa agreed on an International Sunscreen Protection Method. What will this mean? Sunscreens are regulated throughout the world either as cosmetics, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs which do not require a governmental pre-approval or OTC drugs that require a pre-approval before they are placed on the market. Regardless of how they are regulated, all of these product regulations are very similar concerning sunscreens! Each country has a pre-approved list of permitted UV filters, an accepted method of running efficacy by SPF determination, and regulated labels. Some countries have approved methods for UVA claims and water-resistance testing. The latest changes are in Australia, where some sunscreens will be regulated as cosmetics based on SPF and claims, and Canada, where some sunscreens will be regulated as Natural Health Products depending on their actives! And now here comes a new variable, the harmonized SPF method. What confusion! This paper will cover the different SPF test methods (Harmonized, Australia, and US-FDA) along with the formulations of reference standards, currently approved UVA methods, water-resistant testing, some labeling requirements and finally a brief review of cGMPs and other requirements for the U.S. It will have an update of the recent changes in regulations and cover the approved UV filters permitted in the U.S., EU, Japan, Canada and Australia as well as their maximum use level and correct ingredient designation. There is also a master cross reference list by INCI designation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on benefits reaped by Australia by implementing inflation targeting regime. Revelation that during the 1980's Australia's monetary policy was moving away from a highly regulated environment; Information that implementing inflation targeting mandates choosing a measure of inflation; Comparison of the South African and Australian experience of implementing inflation targeting regime.

Aim: Given the importance of environmental heterogeneity as a driver of species richness through its effects on species diversification and coexistence, we asked whether the dramatic difference in species richness per unit area between two similar Mediterranean‐type biodiversity hotspots is explained by differences in environmental heterogeneity. Location: The Greater Cape Floristic Region, South Africa (GCFR) and Southwest Australian Floristic Region (SWAFR). Taxon: Vascular plants (tracheophytes). Methods: Comparable, geospatially explicit environmental and species occurrence data were obtained for both regions and used to generate environmental heterogeneity and species richness raster layers. Heterogeneity in multiple environmental variables and species richness per unit area were compared between the two regions at a range of spatial scales. At each scale, richness was also regressed against these individual axes and against a major axis of heterogeneity, derived by principal component analysis (PCA). Results: The GCFR is generally more environmentally heterogeneous and species‐rich than the SWAFR. Species richness per unit area is significantly related to the major axis of heterogeneity across both regions, the latter describing c. 38%–50% of overall heterogeneity, the slope of this relationship differing between the two regions only at the finest spatial scale. Multivariate regressions, and regressions against the first axes of the PCAs (PC1), revealed variations in the dependence of species richness on environmental heterogeneity between the two regions. Main conclusions: Notwithstanding some region‐specific effects, we present evidence of a common positive relationship between floristic richness and environmental heterogeneity across the GCFR and SWAFR. This is dependent on spatial scale, being strongest at the coarsest level of sampling. The generally greater richness per unit area of the GCFR compared to the SWAFR is thus explained by the former's generally greater environmental heterogeneity and is concordant with its greater levels of floristic turnover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer credit is closely regulated in both Australia and South Africa. Nevertheless, unsecured lending often results in financial hardship in low‐income communities. One aspect of this picture is the impact of the consumer debt burden on the Indigenous economy, which is disproportionately affected by poverty in both countries. Here we juxtapose the comparative regulatory regimes and then contextualize the law using an inter‐disciplinary account of each Indigenous economy. We find through this law‐in‐context comparison that neither Australia nor South Africa has fully resolved the problem of Indigenous financial hardship. This mutual failure is confirmed by the recent Kobelt decision of the High Court of Australia and the drastic measures enacted in the South African National Credit Amendment Act 2019. One positive lesson that South Africa provides is that accommodating the Indigenous economy in financial regulation can promote and empower that sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hundreds of Proteaceae species in Australia and South Africa typically grow on phosphorus (P)‐impoverished soils, exhibiting a carboxylate‐releasing P‐mobilizing strategy. In the Southwest Australian Biodiversity Hotspot, two Xylomelum (Proteaceae) species are widely distributed, but restricted within that distribution.We grew Xylomelum occidentale in hydroponics at 1 μM P. Leaves, seeds, rhizosheath and bulk soil were collected in natural habitats.Xylomelum occidentale did not produce functional cluster roots and occupied soils that are somewhat less P‐impoverished than those in typical Proteaceae habitats in the region. Based on measurements of foliar manganese concentrations (a proxy for rhizosphere carboxylate concentrations) and P fractions in bulk and rhizosheath soil, we conclude that X. occidentale accesses organic P, without releasing carboxylates. Solution 31P‐NMR spectroscopy revealed which organic P forms X. occidentale accessed.Xylomelum occidentale uses a strategy that differs fundamentally from that typical in Proteaceae, accessing soil organic P without carboxylates. We surmise that this novel strategy is likely expressed also in co‐occurring non‐Proteaceae that lack a carboxylate‐exuding strategy. These co‐occurring species are unlikely to benefit from mycorrhizal associations, because plant‐available soil P concentrations are too low.Synthesis. Our findings show the first field evidence of effectively utilizing soil organic P by X. occidentale without carboxylate exudation and explain their relatively restricted distribution in an old P‐impoverished landscape, contributing to a better understanding of how diverse P‐acquisition strategies coexist in a megadiverse ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding and childhood obesity. A multinational cross‐sectional study of 4,740 children aged 9–11 years was conducted from 12 countries. Infant breastfeeding was recalled by parents or legal guardians. Height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat were obtained using standardized methods. The overall prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and high body fat were 12.3%, 9.9%, and 8.1%, respectively. After adjustment for maternal age at delivery, body mass index (BMI), highest maternal education, history of gestational diabetes, gestational age, and child's age, sex, birth weight, unhealthy diet pattern scores, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity, sleeping, and sedentary time, exclusive breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of obesity (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.57, 1.00]) and high body fat (OR 0.60, 95% CI [0.43, 0.84]) compared with exclusive formula feeding. The multivariable‐adjusted ORs based on different breastfeeding durations (none, 1–6, 6–12, and > 12 months) were 1.00, 0.74, 0.70, and 0.60 for obesity (Ptrend =.020) and 1.00, 0.64, 047, and 0.64 for high body fat (Ptrend =.012), respectively. These associations were no longer significant after adjustment for maternal BMI. Breastfeeding may be a protective factor for obesity and high body fat in 9‐ to 11‐year‐old children from 12 countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phomopsis husk rot (PHR) in macadamia is a disease of economic importance in major commercial production areas in Australia and South Africa. Effective control of PHR is hindered by limited knowledge about its aetiology and epidemiology. The diversity and pathogenicity of more than 50 isolates of Diaporthe associated with PHR in macadamia orchards in Australia and South Africa was assessed. Multilocus phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequences of the ITS, tef1α, and tub2 gene loci revealed four novel clades that are described as Diaporthe australiana sp. nov., D. drenthii sp. nov., D. macadamiae sp. nov., and D. searlei sp. nov. Pathogenicity tests with representative isolates found that all four species caused PHR of varying severity between and within species, as well as between the two macadamia cultivars HAES 344 and HAES 816. The Australian species, D. australiana, was the most aggressive species compared with the three South African species. This study improves our understanding of the aetiology of PHR in macadamia and paves the way for more effective disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Mutualisms are often disrupted for plants introduced to new ranges, yet many of these plants have managed to obtain effective mutualistic associations in their new ranges. There are two potential pathways for non‐native plants to reassemble mutualisms: cointroduction (i.e. familiar associations with cointroduced mutualists) or ecological fitting (i.e. forming or adapting novel associations with resident native mutualists). We assessed the importance of each pathway for mutualist reassembly in four Australian Acacia species (A. baileyana, A. dealbata, A. decurrens and A. melanoxylon) and their associated nitrogen‐fixing rhizobial symbionts in two non‐native locations. Location: Native ranges of acacias in south‐eastern Australia and two non‐native ranges in New Zealand and South Africa. Methods: Rhizobia associated with each acacia species in each country were isolated and identified based on DNA sequencing of the housekeeping recA gene and the symbiotic nodA gene. Separate phylogenies were reconstructed for each gene region to infer biogeographic histories of acacia‐associated rhizobia. Selected rhizobial strains for each acacia species by country combination were used as inocula in a glasshouse experiment and early growth kinetics and nitrogen fixation efficiency of acacia seedlings were compared between inoculum treatments to determine symbiotic effectiveness. Results: All isolated rhizobial strains belonged to the genus Bradyrhizobium. Phylogenetic analyses revealed almost no country‐ or species‐specific clusters of these strains for either gene region and indicated that most acacia‐associated bradyrhizobia in New Zealand and South Africa were cointroduced from Australia. These results were supported by little variation in the growth performances of acacia seedlings, irrespective of inoculum treatment. Main conclusions: This study revealed that cointroduction of Australian acacias and their rhizobia may be more prevalent than previously thought. Additionally, a single rhizobium cointroduction event may be sufficient to facilitate the establishment of effective mutualisms in numerous Acacia species, potentially leading to an invasion meltdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Longitudinal integrated clerkships ( LICs) represent a model of the structural redesign of clinical education that is growing in the USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa. By contrast with time-limited traditional block rotations, medical students in LICs provide comprehensive care of patients and populations in continuing learning relationships over time and across disciplines and venues. The evidence base for LICs reveals transformational professional and workforce outcomes derived from a number of small institution-specific studies. Objectives This study is the first from an international collaborative formed to study the processes and outcomes of LICs across multiple institutions in different countries. It aims to establish a baseline reference typology to inform further research in this field. Methods Data on all LIC and LIC-like programmes known to the members of the international Consortium of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships were collected using a survey tool developed through a Delphi process and subsequently analysed. Data were collected from 54 programmes, 44 medical schools, seven countries and over 15 000 student-years of LIC-like curricula. Results Wide variation in programme length, student numbers, health care settings and principal supervision was found. Three distinct typological programme clusters were identified and named according to programme length and discipline coverage: Comprehensive LICs; Blended LICs, and LIC-like Amalgamative Clerkships. Two major approaches emerged in terms of the sizes of communities and types of clinical supervision. These referred to programmes based in smaller communities with mainly family physicians or general practitioners as clinical supervisors, and those in more urban settings in which subspecialists were more prevalent. Conclusions Three distinct LIC clusters are classified. These provide a foundational reference point for future studies on the processes and outcomes of LICs. The study also exemplifies a collaborative approach to medical education research that focuses on typology rather than on individual programme or context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research is to quantitatively compare everyday situational experience around the world. Local collaborators recruited 5,447 members of college communities in 20 countries, who provided data via a Web site in 14 languages. Using the 89 items of the Riverside Situational Q-sort (RSQ), participants described the situation they experienced the previous evening at 7:00 p.m. Correlations among the average situational profiles of each country ranged from r = .73 to r = .95; the typical situation was described as largely pleasant. Most similar were the United States/Canada; least similar were South Korea/Denmark. Japan had the most homogenous situational experience; South Korea, the least. The 15 RSQ items varying the most across countries described relatively negative aspects of situational experience; the 15 least varying items were more positive. Further analyses correlated RSQ items with national scores on six value dimensions, the Big Five traits, economic output, and population. Individualism, Neuroticism, Openness, and Gross Domestic Product yielded more significant correlations than expected by chance. Psychological research traditionally has paid more attention to the assessment of persons than of situations, a discrepancy that extends to cross-cultural psychology. The present study demonstrates how cultures vary in situational experience in psychologically meaningful ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widely and internationally replicated socioeconomic status (SES) gradient of executive function (EF) implies that intervention approaches may do well to extrapolate conditions and practices from contexts that generate better child outcomes (in this case, higher SES circumstances) and translate these to contexts with comparatively poorer outcomes (often low-SES populations). Yet, can the reverse also be true? Using data from equivalent assessments of 1,092 pre-schoolers' EFs in South Africa and Australia, we evaluated: the SES gradient of EF within each sample; and whether this SES gradient extended cross-culturally. The oft-found EF-SES gradients were replicated in both samples. However, contrary to the inferences of EF-SES associations found nationally, the most highly disadvantaged South African subsample outperformed middle- and high-SES Australian pre-schoolers on two of three EFs. This suggests the possibility of EF-protective and -promotive practices within low- and middle-income countries that may aid understandings of the nature and promotion of EFs., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim The aim of the present study was to examine migration- and socioeconomic-related influences on obesity among African migrant adolescents in Melbourne, Australia. Methods Anthropometric data were collected from 99 parents and 100 adolescent offspring who also completed questionnaires eliciting demographic, socioeconomic and migration data. Multiple linear regressions were used to assess the relationship between migration- and socioeconomic-related factors and adolescent body mass index ( BMI). Results Only gender and parental BMI were associated with adolescent BMI after adjusting for adolescent age, adolescent gender, religion, parental BMI, parental education level and annual income. Boys (β = −1.45; P < 0.05) had lower BMI than girls. Parental and adolescent BMI were positively associated (β = 0.11; P < 0.05). In examining migration-related factors and adolescent BMI, after adjusting for gender and parental BMI, parental acculturation patterns and pre-migration life environment were associated with adolescent BMI, explaining, respectively, 6.5 and 4.0% of the variance in BMI. An integrated parental acculturation pattern was negatively associated with adolescent BMI (β = −0.17; P < 0.05) while adolescents whose parents came from rural areas had a higher BMI (β = 1.48; P < 0.05) than those whose parents came from urban areas. Adolescent acculturation patterns and length of stay in Australia were non-significantly associated with their BMI. Conclusions Gender, pre-migration life environment and parental acculturation patterns seem to influence the prevalence of overweight and obesity among African migrant adolescents. Culturally competent obesity prevention programmes targeted towards African adolescents should consider these aspects in their design and delivery; however, further research is required to determine their relative contributions to African adolescent obesity in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation changes can significantly affect catchment water balance. It is important to evaluate the effects of vegetation cover change on streamflow as changes in streamflow relate to water security. This study focuses on the use of statistical methods to determine responses in streamflow at seven paired catchments in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to vegetation change. The non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and Pettitt's test were used to identify trends and change points in the annual streamflow records. Statistically significant trends in annual streamflow were detected for most of the treated catchments. It took between 3 and 10 years for a change in vegetation cover to result in significant change in annual streamflow. Presence of the change points in streamflow was associated with changes in the mean, variance, and distribution of annual streamflow. The streamflow in the deforestation catchments increased after the change points, whereas reduction in streamflow was observed in the afforestation catchments. The streamflow response is mainly affected by the climate and underlying vegetation change. Daily flow duration curves (FDCs) for the whole period and pre-change and post-change point periods also were analysed to investigate the changes in flow regime. Three types of vegetation change effects on the flow regime have been identified. The relative reductions in most percentile flows are constant in the afforestation catchments. The comparison of trend, change point, and FDC in the annual streamflow from the paired experiments reflects the important role of the vegetation change. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primers were designed for RT-nested PCR amplification of the highly variable 293-nt fragment from the 5′ terminal part of the Grapevine virus A (GVA) replicase gene, specific to South African variants of molecular groups I and II. This new technique, along with RT-PCR for simultaneous amplification of variants of groups I, II and III, as well as cloning of amplicons, single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of clones and sequencing, were used to investigate the populations of variants infecting 16 local Shiraz grapevines with different Shiraz disease (SD) status. The techniques were also used to study variants in GVA-infected grapevines from Australia and the USA. The Australian grapevines included seven plants of cvs Shiraz and Merlot affected by Australian Shiraz disease (AuSD), and one plant of cv. Crimson Seedless with unknown AuSD status. Grapevines from the USA included plants of cvs Chardonnay, Thompson Seedless and an unknown cultivar. The results confirmed the association of certain genetic variants of group II with SD and showed the common presence of these variants in AuSD-affected grapevines from Australia. Interestingly, a variant of this group was also detected in grapevine cv. Chardonnay from the USA, although the disease has not yet been reported from that country. The study also supports an earlier observation that members of group II, closely related to variant GTR1-2, are not associated with the disease. The variants were found only in SD-free grapevines. Results show that variants of the most divergent group III, which are common in South Africa, are also present in Australia and the USA. These variants are not associated with SD, but frequently occur in mixed infections with members of group II in plants affected by this disease in South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Niche conservatism is key to understanding species responses to environmental stress such as climate change or arriving in new geographical space such as biological invasion. Halotydeus destructor is an important agricultural pest in Australia and has been the focus of extensive surveys that suggest this species has undergone a niche shift to expand its invasive range inland to hotter and drier environments. We employ modern correlative modelling methods to examine niche conservatism in H. destructor and highlight ecological differences between historical and current distributions. Location Australia and South Africa. Methods We compile comprehensive distribution data sets for H. destructor, representing the native range in South Africa, its invasive range in Australia in the 1960s (40 yr post-introduction) and its current range in Australia. Using MAXENT, we build correlative models and reciprocally project them between South Africa and Australia and investigate range expansion with models constructed for historical and current data sets. We use several recently developed model exploration tools to examine the climate similarity between native and invasive ranges and subsequently examine climatic variables that limit distributions. Results The invasive niche of H. destructor in Australia transgresses the native niche in South Africa, and the species has expanded in Australia beyond what is predicted from the native distribution. Our models support the notion that H. destructor has undergone a more recent range shift into hotter and drier inland areas of Australia since establishing a stable distribution in the 1960s. Main conclusions Our use of historical and current data highlights that invasion is an ongoing dynamic process and demonstrates that once a species has reached an established range, it may still expand at a later stage. We also show that model exploration tools help understand factors influencing the range of invasive species. The models generate hypotheses about adaptive shifts in H. destructor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Investigate the relative abilities of different bioclimatic models and data sets to project species ranges in novel environments utilizing the natural experiment in biogeography provided by Australian Acacia species. Location Australia, South Africa. Methods We built bioclimatic models for Acacia cyclops and Acacia pycnantha using two discriminatory correlative models (M axE nt and Boosted Regression Trees) and a mechanistic niche model (CLIMEX). We fitted models using two training data sets: native-range data only ('restricted') and all available global data excluding South Africa ('full'). We compared the ability of these techniques to project suitable climate for independent records of the species in South Africa. In addition, we assessed the global potential distributions of the species to projected climate change. Results All model projections assessed against their training data, the South African data and globally were statistically significant. In South Africa and globally, the additional information contained in the full data set generally improved model sensitivity, but at the expense of increased modelled prevalence, particularly in extrapolation areas for the correlative models. All models projected some climatically suitable areas in South Africa not currently occupied by the species. At the global scale, widespread and biologically unrealistic projections by the correlative models were explained by open-ended response curves, a problem which was not always addressed by broader background climate space or by the extra information in the full data set. In contrast, the global projections for CLIMEX were more conservative. Projections into 2070 indicated a polewards shift in climate suitability and a decrease in model interpolation area. Main conclusions Our results highlight the importance of carefully interpreting model projections in novel climates, particularly for correlative models. Much work is required to ensure bioclimatic models performed in a robust and ecologically plausible manner in novel climates. We explore reasons for variations between models and suggest methods and techniques for future improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim A range of approaches and philosophies underpin national-level strategies for managing invasive alien plants. This study presents a strategy for the management of taxa that both have value and do harm. Location South Africa. Methods Insights were derived from examining Australian Acacia species in South Africa ( c. 70 species introduced, mostly > 150 years ago; some have commercial and other values; 14 species are invasive, causing substantial ecological and economic damage). We consider options for combining available tactics and management practices. We defined (1) categories of species based on invaded area (a surrogate for impact) and the value of benefits generated and (2) management regions based on habitat suitability and degree of invasion. For each category and region, we identified strategic goals and proposed the combinations of management practices to move the system in the desired direction. Results We identified six strategic goals that in combination would apply to eight species categories. We further identified 14 management practices that could be strategically combined to achieve these goals for each category in five discrete regions. When used in appropriate combinations, the prospect of achieving the strategic goal will be maximized. As the outcomes of management cannot be accurately predicted, management must be adaptive, requiring continuous monitoring and assessment, and realignment of goals if necessary. Main conclusions Invasive Australian Acacia species in South Africa continue to spread and cause undesirable impacts, despite a considerable investment into management. This is because the various practices have historically been uncoordinated in what can be best described as a strategy of hope. Our proposed strategy offers the best possible chance of achieving goals, and it is the first to address invasive alien species that have both positive value and negative impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The genetic makeup and evolutionary potential of alien species can be profoundly influenced by their introduction history, but without detailed historical records, it can be difficult to ascertain the strength of this historical contingency. We explore how the known introduction histories combined with phylogeographic patterns in the native range have affected the genetic diversity in the invasive range for five Australian trees introduced to South Africa ( Acacia cyclops, Acacia mearnsii, Acacia pycnantha, Acacia saligna and Paraserianthes lophantha). Location Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales (native and invasive ranges), and South Africa and the Hawaiian Islands (invasive range). Methods DNA sequence data were generated for all study species for either the external transcribed spacer (ETS) or plastid rpl32-trnL(UAG) gene regions (combined total of 180 DNA sequences). Using statistical parsimony networks and genetic diversity indices, we compared genetic structure and variation in native and invasive ranges. Results Australian acacia species tend to have high genetic diversity at the population level in their native ranges, often showing high intra-specific divergence. In most instances, these species have similar levels of population genetic diversity in their adventive ranges in South Africa, but lack structure. For A. cyclops, A. saligna and P. lophantha, we found evidence for intra-specific hybridization between mixed genetic entities in the invasive range, arguably as a result of the structured native range being broadly sampled prior to introduction. Main conclusions Invasive species that have been extensively used in forestry often have complex introduction histories resulting in equally complex genetic signatures in the invasive range. Our results show that extreme caution should be taken when using indirect inferences (molecular genetic data) of introduction histories in the absence of detailed introduction records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the course of a large-scale global survey of mycetozoans, amoeboid organisms that form fruiting bodies, a new species of Acrasis was discovered from several subtropical locales in Hawaii, Australia, Bermuda, and South Africa. We isolated four strains from dead, still attached, plant material, and one strain from attached bark of a tree. Each isolate forms simple uniseriate multicellular fruiting bodies typically consisting of two bottle-shaped, basal stalk cells and a chain of <20 spores. The isolate from Bermuda often forms dichotomous simple branches, each consisting of <10 spores. Amoebae from these new isolates are limax with eruptive pseudopodial formation and display rapid locomotion—characters indicative of amoebae in the excavate taxon Heterolobosea. These isolates form simpler fruiting bodies than is typical of the well-known Acrasis rosea. Although in the original description, A. rosea is known to form uniseriate fruiting bodies similar to our isolates, A. rosea isolates typically form more complex fruiting structures along side simple ones, but never strictly simple ones. Nuclear-encoded 18S rRNA gene phylogenies demonstrate that our five isolates form a highly supported clade that is sister to A. rosea. Given the differences both in gene sequences and fruiting body morphology between our isolates and A. rosea, we propose the new species, Acrasis helenhemmesae n. sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim We review several aspects of the structure of regional and local assemblages of nectar-feeding birds and bats and their relationships with food plants to determine the extent to which evolutionary convergence has or has not occurred in the New and Old World tropics. Location Our review is pantropical in extent and also includes the subtropics of South Africa and eastern Australia. Within the tropics, it deals mostly with lowland forest habitats. Methods An extensive literature review was conducted to compile data bases on the regional and local species richness of nectar-feeding birds and bats, pollinator sizes, morphology, and diets. Coefficients of variation (CVs) were used to quantify the morphospace occupied by the various families of pollinators. The extent to which plants have become evolutionarily specialized for vertebrate pollination was explored using several criteria: number and diversity of growth forms of plant families providing food for all the considered pollinator families; the most common flower morphologies visited by all the considered pollinator families; and the number of plant families that contain genera with both bird- and bat-specialized species. Results Vertebrate pollinator assemblages in the New World tropics differ from those in the Old World in terms of their greater species richness, the greater morphological diversity of their most specialized taxa, and the greater degree of taxonomic and ecological diversity and morphological specialization of their food plants. Within the Old World tropics, Africa contains more specialized nectar-feeding birds than Asia and Australasia; Old World nectar-feeding bats are everywhere less specialized than their New World counterparts. Main conclusions We propose that two factors – phylogenetic history and spatio-temporal predictability (STP) of flower resources – largely account for hemispheric and regional differences in the structure of vertebrate pollinator assemblages. Greater resource diversity and resource STP in the New World have favoured the radiation of small, hovering nectar-feeding birds and bats into a variety of relatively specialized feeding niches. In contrast, reduced resource diversity and STP in aseasonal parts of Asia as well as in Australasia have favoured the evolution of larger, non-hovering birds and bats with relatively generalized feeding niches. Tropical Africa more closely resembles the Neotropics than Southeast Asia and Australasia in terms of resource STP and in the niche structure of its nectar-feeding birds but not its flower-visiting bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we argue that theories of transnationalism have value in exploring the historical context of migration and that historical contexts help to shape such theoretical conceptualizations. Historians of migration have now begun to engage more directly with the literature of transnationalism, focusing on the networks that linked settler and home communities. Here we add to this by examining a nineteenth-century migrant community from a British region through the lens of transnationalism, applying the concept to the case of the Cornish, whose economic specialization produced culturally distinct Cornish communities on the mining frontiers of North America, Australia and South Africa. In doing so, we bring together the issues of scale and time. We review the multiple levels of the Cornish transnational space of the late nineteenth century, which exhibited aspects of both core transnationalism and translocalism. This waned, but in the later twentieth century, a renewed interest in a transnational Cornish identity re-emerged, articulating with changing identity claims in Cornwall itself. To capture better the experience of the Cornish over these two very different phases of transnationalism we identify another subset of transnationalism - that of transregionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reviewed in retrospect the selection process of agents for the biological control of bridal creeper ( Asparagus asparagoides) in Australia. Selection of agents was facilitated by first investing resources, mostly in South Africa, to clarify identification of the target weed, locate most suitable areas to search for natural enemies, make preliminary observations on phenology, host range and impact of natural enemies and experimentally demonstrate indirect impact of a foliage feeder on below-ground biomass of bridal creeper. Although only limited climate modelling was performed to predict abundance of prioritised agents in Australia, their widespread distribution in South Africa was a good indication that they were likely to establish. No attempts were made to predict possible levels of parasitism that could be encountered in Australia and no formal assessment was undertaken to decide in what order prioritised agents should be released. Three of the four agents prioritised have now been released in Australia. The rust fungus Puccinia myrsiphylli (Thüm.) G. Winter and leafhopper Zygina sp. have widely established and have already demonstrated their capacity to reduce significantly density of bridal creeper populations. It is still too early to determine the contribution that the third agent released, the Crioceris sp. leaf beetle, will make to the program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the unconditional and conditional gold betas of four country-based gold industry portfolios. First, we document the similarity of unconditional gold betas across countries. Second, we find that the factors affecting conditional gold betas are different in the Australian and South African gold sectors relative to their North American counterparts. Only the gold bullion return volatility shows a negative association with conditional gold betas in Australian and South African gold mining firms. Moreover, gold price does not appear to play a systematic role in determining Australian or South African conditional gold betas. We discuss possible explanations for these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe the clinical characteristics and contemporary treatment of a broad spectrum of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) randomised in the Candesartan in Heart failure—Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and morbidity (CHARM) programme, consisting of three component studies comparing placebo to candesartan. Methods and results: CHARM Alternative, CHARM Added and CHARM Preserved enrolled 2028 low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ACE inhibitor intolerant patients, 2548 low LVEF ACE inhibitor treated patients and 3025 preserved LVEF patients, respectively. Patients in CHARM Preserved were more often female. The proportion of women in CHARM Preserved was 40% compared to 32% in CHARM Alternative and 21% in CHARM Added. Patients in CHARM Preserved were also more often hypertensive than in the other two trials (64% vs. 50% and 48%, respectively). Symptoms and signs (with the exception of a third heart sound) were similar in all three patient groups. Beta-blockers were used in over half of patients in all three groups. Digoxin and spironolactone were used less frequently and calcium antagonists more frequently in CHARM Preserved. Spironolactone was used most frequently in CHARM Alternative, i.e. in ACE inhibitor intolerant patients. Conclusions: The CHARM Programme provides the largest and most detailed comparison to date of patients low- and preserved-LVEF CHF. It also describes the causes of ACE-inhibitor intolerance in a large cohort of patients and the other treatment which these patients receive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The theory of convergence predicts that, given similar selective regimes, both present and past, unrelated ecological communities will show similar attributes. Mild Pleistocene climate, highly infertile soils, and similar fire regimes explain the remarkable convergence between mediterranean-type vegetation from South Africa (fynbos) and Australia (kwongan). Heathlands in the Aljibe Mountains, at the western end of the Mediterranean basin, constitute a single vegetation type within the Mediterranean region. We studied the association between endemism and plant life form in a flora from environmentally similar areas of the South African Cape region (fynbos) and the Al jibe Mountains by contingency table analysis. We included two non-acid, neighbouring areas to the latter region in the analysis as contrasts. We also compared the patterns of variation in three components of biodiversity (species richness, endemism level and taxonomic singularity) of fynbos and Aljibe heathland woody plant communities along similar soil fertility gradients by means of two-way ANOVAs. At the regional (flora) level, our results show two common features in the biological aspects of endemism between the two regions: (1) edaphic endemism and (2) association of endemism with the shrub growth form. At the community level, we detected strong similarities in the patterns of variation of endemism and taxonomic singularity of woody communities from both regions along an ecological gradient related to soil fertility. We interpret these similarities, both at the regional and community levels, as suggestive of convergence between fynbos and Al jibe heathland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on the follicle and seed morphology of 94 Hakea species in southwestern Australia and their relationship with serotiny. Ability to retain mature seeds on the plant for an extended period (serotiny) is characteristic of many species inhabiting fire-prone environments in Australia, South Africa and the U.S.; Relationship of follicle size and wall thickness with the ability of follicles to protect seeds from external heat; Analysis of data collected for the study using one-way analysis of variance with residual plots of each analysis examined for homogeneity of variances.

In the Mediterranean ecosystems of South Africa and Australia, the role of ants in the dispersal of seeds is well known and antagonistic interactions as well as myrmecochory occur. The high prevalence of seed dispersal by ants, environments. Ant dispersal has been considered unimportant in the Mediterranean region and , until now, no systematic study of ant-seed interaction has been undertaken. In the Mediterranean shrubland of Southern Italy the seed content of functioning nests of the ant Messor minor (André) has been quantitatively analyzed. The existence in the nest of seeds from shrub species, as well as those of the Fabacease and Poaceae, suggest that ant dispersal may be much more widespread in the Mediterranean environments than has been realized. A large proportion of the seeds came from fleshy-fruited shrub species previously reported to be bird dispersed, e.g. Rhamnus alaternus L., Myrtus communis L., Smilax aspera L., Pistacia lentiscus L. and Phillyrea latifolia L. Analysis of nest mounds showed that, although many seeds had been partially predated by the ants, a very large number had been collected, transported to the nest and subsequently removed to the mound without damage. Examination of the structure of the fruits and seeds of R. alaternus and M. communis, and summer fruiting phenology of R. alaternus, provided further evidence of specific adaptation to ant dispersal. The presence of an elaiosome on the seed is reported for the first time in both species. Feeding trials showed that ants selectively remove specific diasporas, preferentially collecting the seeds with the elaiosome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) The effects of dung arthropod fauna on the survival and size of the buffalo flies Haematobia thirouxi potans (Bezzi) in Africa and the introduced H. irritans exigua De Meijere in Australia were examined in the field to assess prospects for improving biological control of the latter. (2) Female flies were induced to oviposit on prepared dung pads, which were then placed in the field, either on a platform 2 m high where they were not colonized by dung arthropods (control pads), or on the ground where they were accessible to these fauna (fauna pads). The difference in egg to adult fly survival between control pads and fauna pads, expressed as a percentage of survival in control pads, gave an estimate of the fauna-induced mortality. (3) Dung pads were exposed on eight occasions at each of four localities: (i) in grassveld on sandy loam at Boekenhoutskloof near Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa; (ii) and (iii) in grassveld and bushveld, respectively, on a clay loam in Hluhluwe Game Reserve, Natal, South Africa;. and (iv) in grassveld on a clay loam at Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. The abundance of dung beetles and the amount of dung dispersal (removal and shredding of pad remains) were assessed at each exposure. (4) On most occasions in. all localities, the dung fauna caused considerable mortality of immature Haematobia and stunting of adults. At Boekenhoutskloof, where dung removal by dung beetles was substantial and rapid, the mean fauna-induced mortality was 97.6±2.l% (±S.E.). At Hluhluwe, fauna-induced mortality was lower (92.8±2.9% in grassveld, 84.3 ± 5.7% in bushveld) and much of this mortality could be attributed to the activity of predators or parasitoids. At Rockhampton, fauna-induced mortality (66.7 ±9.8%) was significantly lower and more variable than in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the stationarity of the correlation coefficients between the monthly returns of the share market indices from selected countries from January 1970 to December 1977 after adjusting for exchange gains and losses. The inter-country correlation coefficients were calculated over one-year, two-year and four-year to test for stationarity. The inter-country correlation coefficients were all important at the five percent level over the eight-year period of study. The results on the stationarity of the inter-correlation coefficients between Australia and Japan for four year sub-periods and between Denmark and South Africa, Japan and New Zealand, and New Zealand and the U.S. for the final two year sub-periods were different at the five per cent level. Correlations between Australia and Germany, Australia and the U.S., and Denmark and the U.S. indicate that none of the inter-country correlation coefficients was time dependent at the five per cent level.