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With the recent introduction of artificial turf outfield playing surfaces in community-level cricket, this paper presents the physical performance and injury-related perceptions of male, senior cricketers. Following validity and reliability testing, 43 cricketers from two clubs completed a questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic information; individual performance; and injury risk and severity. Descriptive variables were computed, and chi-square tests were conducted to identify differences in perceptions based on the field type that players were exposed to and their injury status. Most players preferred artificial turf for training (53.7%) and wet/rainy conditions (64.1%), but natural grass for competitive games (67.4%) and dry conditions (69.0%). There were significant differences in perceptions for game speed (p < 0.001), the need to be fitter (p = 0.015), and the overall physical performance quality based on injury status (p = 0.017) and field (p < 0.021). Skin injuries were the only injuries that were reported as more likely on artificial turf. In general, players did not feel that the technical and physical performance aspects of cricket were affected when playing on artificial turf compared to natural grass. However, the field type that players were exposed to significantly influenced their perceptions and highlights the importance of artificial turf composition for future adoption in cricket. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) was an important finding in Australian science, involving a self-educated field naturalist and a small team of plant pathologists who had to work in relative academic isolation and with inadequate glasshouse facilities. After its discovery in Melbourne in 1915, TSWV rapidly spread throughout Australia and by 1929, it posed an existential threat to the tomato industry. To address this problem, a joint project between the Waite Agricultural Research Institute and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research was initiated in 1926. This collaboration, led by University of Adelaide plant pathologist Geoffrey Samuel, was initially turbulent but ultimately highly productive. Within an eight-year period, significant advances were made in understanding the aetiology of the disease, particularly by establishing that it was caused by a thrips-transmitted virus. Aspects of the epidemiology and control of the virus were also elucidated such as investigating alternative hosts of the virus. This research was made possible through substantial improvements in mechanical inoculation techniques. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is one of the most economically important viruses in the world. Before it became a global problem, it devastated tomato crops in Australia. This paper describes how TSWV was identified and biologically characterised by Australian scientists at a time when few techniques existed to detect the virus. It is a remarkable story of human endeavour by a small team of people working in academic isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous genetic loci and several functionally characterized genes have been linked to determination of lint percentage (lint%), one of the most important cotton yield components, but we still know little about the major genetic components underlying lint%. Here, we first linked the genetic loci containing MYB25-like_At and HD1_At to the fiberless seed trait of 'SL1-7-1' and found that MYB25-like_At and HD1_At were very lowly expressed in 'SL1-7-1' ovules during fiber initiation. We then dissected the genetic components involved in determination of lint% using segregating populations derived from crosses of fuzzless mutants and intermediate segregants with different lint%, which not only confirmed the HD1_At locus but identified the HD1_Dt locus as being the major genetic components contributing to fiber initiation and lint%. The segregating populations also allowed us to evaluate the relative contributions of MYB25-like_At , MYB25-like_Dt , HD1_At , and HD1_Dt to lint%. Haplotype analysis of an Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) population with 723 accessions (including 81 fuzzless seed accessions) showed that lint% of the accessions with the LP allele (higher lint%) at MYB25-like_At , MYB25-like_Dt , or HD1_At was significantly higher than that with the lp allele (lower lint%). The lint% of the Upland cotton accessions with 3 or 4 LP alleles at MYB25-like and HD1 was significantly higher than that with 2 LP alleles. The results prompted us to propose a strategy for breeding high-yielding cotton varieties, i.e. pyramiding the LP alleles of MYB25-like and HD1 with new lint% LP alleles without negative impact on seed size and fiber quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive plants are a growing ecological problem worldwide, but biases and patterns within invasive plant research may affect our understanding of invasive plant ecology. In this study, we analyzed 458 invasive plant papers sampled from the two journals dedicated entirely to the field of invasion biology, i.e., Biological Invasions and Neobiota. From these papers, we collected information on geographic coverage, climate, habitat, taxonomic coverage, plant functional type, and research topic to examine trends across a 21‐year time period from 1999 to 2020. Our analysis found that invasive plant research was consistently biased toward temperate grassland and forest ecosystems particularly within the Americas, Europe, and Australia, and toward smaller, herbaceous invasive plant species (i.e., forbs, grasses, and shrubs), with an increase in interest in invasive nitrogen‐fixing legumes over time. Our analysis also identified "hot" research topics in invasive plant research at specific time periods, such as a peak in the use of genetic analysis methods in 2014–2015 and a more recent focus on plant physiological and functional traits. While current models, concepts, and understanding of plant invasion ecology are still driven by such biases, this has been partially offset by recent increased research in understudied systems, as well as increasing awareness that plant invasion is heavily affected by their growth types, physiological traits, and soil interactions. As the field of invasion biology becomes ever increasingly important over time, focusing invasive plant research on understudied ecosystems and plant groups will allow us to develop a more holistic understanding of the ecology of invasive plants. In particular, given the outsized importance of the tropics to global biodiversity, the threats they face, and the dearth of studies, it is of critical importance that more invasive plant research is conducted within the tropics to develop a more globally representative understanding of invasive plant ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary healthcare is the ideal setting to address diet-related disease through delivery of nutrition services. However, quality nutrition care has not previously been defined from the healthcare consumer perspective.Objectives: To explore, and develop a theoretical model of, healthcare consumer expectations of quality nutrition care in the primary healthcare setting.Methods: A qualitative study design collected data describing healthcare consumer expectations of nutrition care. Consumers were recruited through social media and research networks, screened, and invited to participate in a semi-structured telephone interview. Interviews explored experiences and views of nutrition care. Interviews were thematically analysed, and informed development of a model using an iterative process.Results: Twenty-three healthcare consumers participated in an interview. Five themes were identified. The Quality in Nutrition Care consumer model developed from these themes comprised 5 interconnected components, these being: (i) quality nutrition care occurs within an integrated societal system; (ii) quality nutrition care is available, accessible, and affordable; (iii) quality nutrition care is up-to-date and evidence based; (iv) quality nutrition care is underpinned by positive relationships; and (v) quality nutrition care is personalized to consumer needs.Conclusions: The consumer-derived model of quality nutrition care can be used by providers to inform activities that enhance primary healthcare practice, outcomes, and impact. The model has important implications for primary healthcare system reform and policy. Future research should explore the provision of dietetic services in primary care, with specific focus on factors that influence quality care, and investigate how quality is monitored and improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loss of species from ecosystems can have cascading impacts on species interactions and ecosystem function. Australia has experienced the greatest loss of mammals globally in the past 200 years, but we know little of how the loss of this suite of ecosystem engineers and herbivores has affected vegetation. We used a threatened mammal reintroduction sanctuary to investigate effects of ecologically extinct mammals on plant assemblages. First, we tested the net effects of mammals using a long‐term exclusion experiment within the sanctuary. Second, we used a three‐year disturbance experiment to determine the relative roles of herbivory and physical disturbance in driving changes in plant assemblages. Third, we compared outcomes inside and outside the sanctuary to determine how effects of reintroduced mammals differed from contemporary mammal assemblages. Plant species richness was greatest in mammal exclusion plots and declined across all treatments from 2011 to 2018, probably due to drought. Plant composition changed in response to mammal exclusion, with six species increasing significantly, shrubs and myrmecochorous plants becoming more common and large‐seeded species less common. Responses to experimental disturbance were less clear. Grass and resprouters were more common, and palatable and large‐seeded plants were less common outside the sanctuary (exposed to contemporary mammal assemblage). Our study shows that reintroductions of ecologically extinct mammals have substantial impacts on plant assemblages, both through ecosystem engineering and herbivory, and these impacts differ from those of contemporary mammal faunas, suggesting that pre‐European Australian ecosystems were markedly different from contemporary ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Many dry forests and woodlands worldwide are fire‐prone and support bird and plant communities shaped by fire. Changes in fire regimes, including the time between fires, have important implications for population trajectories. We studied the responses of bird and plant communities of heathy woodlands to time since the last fire, a key measure underpinning fire management, to evaluate whether current management strategies will enhance conservation of multiple taxa. Location: Otway Ranges, south‐eastern Australia. Methods: We surveyed birds and plants at 38 sites, stratified by an 80‐year post‐fire chronosequence, and modelled the responses of individual species, functional groups and community composition to fire history. Model outputs were used to evaluate the impacts of fire management as guided by (a) domains of tolerable fire intervals, a concept based on plant life history traits, and (b) the spatial arrangement of post‐fire age classes, a surrogate for animal habitats. Results: Bird and plant communities both responded to time since fire. Notable relationships included the following: a high reporting rate of ground‐foraging birds and high cover and species richness of shrubs immediately after fire; and a gradual increase up to ~50 years and ~20 years post‐fire of birds that forage in the mid‐storey and facultative‐resprouting plants, respectively. Post‐fire age classes had distinct bird and plant assemblages. Tolerable fire intervals currently used by land managers (min 12–max 45 years between fires) encompassed the peak in richness of most plant functional groups but not the preferred habitat of lower‐mid‐storey foraging birds. Main conclusions: Fire management based solely on birds or plants risks population declines in other biota. Use of functional groups can help guide strategic planning, such as spatial representation of post‐fire age classes across the landscape. Maintaining late‐successional vegetation will provide habitat for several groups of birds, while fire is needed at sufficient frequency to prevent loss of plants and ground‐foraging birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost half of Earth's surface is threatened by agriculture, which has extensively degraded ecosystems and resulted in significant biodiversity loss. Remnant ecosystems in fragmented agricultural landscapes are threatened by past and present grazing and land-clearing. Declines in native diversity are common in these ecosystems, and their restoration is a key conservation goal globally. Understanding the drivers of change in floristic condition, reflecting continuity in floristic composition towards native plant communities, is fundamental to inform effective restoration practice. Previous investigations have demonstrated abiotic and biotic drivers of floristic condition independently. However, few consider the combined influence of these drivers on floristic condition, or the interactions between them, which may mediate indirect effects (e.g. plant-soil interactions). Despite this, ecological interactions may underpin changes in floristic condition, and provide critical insights needed to inform restoration. Here, we use structural equation modelling to disentangle the relationships between plants, soils and grass and litter biomass (leaf litter and fine woody debris) to elucidate the direct and indirect drivers of floristic condition in some of the most degraded landscapes globally: the critically endangered box-gum grassy woodlands in south-eastern Australia. We identify divergent plant-soil interactions between native versus exotic plants to key soil properties including soil nitrate and phosphorus. Specifically, native plants were negatively associated with increasing soil fertility, which favored exotic species. We also found evidence of indirect effects on floristic condition, mediated through interactions between litter biomass, soils and the basal area of overstorey trees. Our findings highlight the major role of soils in shaping floristic condition through direct and indirect pathways, and the role of multivariate interactions in mediating these pathways in a highly degraded, critically endangered ecosystem. Effective restoration must therefore consider the multivariate direct and indirect drivers of ecological condition to maximise positive outcomes in these landscapes and those similar., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Elle Bowd reports funding was provided by the NSW Government and Australian Government through the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund. Elle Bowd reports administrative support was provided by NSW Local Land Services. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Biogeographical reconstructions of the Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) have suggested a recent spread across the Sunda and Sahul shelves of lineages with diverse origins, which appears to be congruent with a geological history of recent tectonic uplift in the region. However, this scenario is challenged by new geological evidence suggesting that the Sunda shelf was never submerged prior to the Pliocene, casting doubt on the interpretation of recent uplift and the correspondence of evidence from biogeography and geology. A mismatch between geological and biogeographical data may occur if analyses ignore the dynamics of extinct lineages, because this may add uncertainty to the timing and origin of clades in biogeographical reconstructions. We revisit the historical biogeography of multiple IAA taxa and explicitly allow for the possibility of lineage extinction. In contrast to models assuming zero extinction, we find that all of these clades, including plants, invertebrates and vertebrates, have a common and widespread geographic origin, and each has spread and colonized the region much earlier than previously thought. The results for the eight clades re-examined in this article suggest that they diversified and spread during the early Eocene, which helps to unify the geological and biological histories of IAA.

The native budworm, Helicoverpa punctigera (Wallengren), is an important economic insect pest of cotton and other crops. It is widely distributed in Australia and has been recorded on a range of host plants including native, non-crop hosts in inland regions. To date, there are few records of its occurrence on plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway. Here, we assessed the oviposition preferences of H. punctigera for naturally occurring C3 and C4 plants under glasshouse conditions, to establish their potential as hosts. We conducted bioassays on two C4 plants, saltbushes Atriplex nummularia Lindl. and Atriplex vesicaria Heward ex Benth.; and two C3 plants, legumes Medicago polymorpha L. (burr medic) and Cullen cinereum (Lindl.) J.W.Grimes (annual verbine). The two C4 plants attract egg laying in the field; however, C3 plants are the preferred hosts. Ovipositing females showed a preference for the C3 over the C4 plants but oviposition occurred on both. Of the C4 plants, females preferred to oviposit on A. nummularia (77%) over A. vesicaria (24%) in both a multi- and two-choice test. In addition, ovipositing females preferred the upper leaf surface of A. nummularia (68%) and the under leaf surface of A. vesicaria (64%) as their oviposition site. Our findings suggest that under field conditions, when C4 plants such as saltbushes grow near C3 plants, as occurs in inland regions, the C4 plants could receive eggs along with the C3 plants, enabling the initial stages of larval recruitment to occur in C3 plants. The native budworm (Helicoverpa punctigera) is an important economic polyphagous insect pest and widely distributed in Australia; however, there are few records of its occurrence on plants with the C4 photosynthetic pathway. We assessed the capacity of H. punctigera to oviposit on saltbushes (a group of C4 plants) to establish their potential as hosts. Our findings suggest that saltbushes can support populations of H. punctigera , indicating its potential as a pest of saltbushes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mountain regions are centers of biodiversity endemism at a global scale but the role of arid‐zone mountain ranges in shaping biodiversity patterns is poorly understood. Focusing on three guilds of taxa from a desert upland refugium in Australia, we sought to determine: (a) the relative extent to which climate, terrain or geological substrate predict endemism, and (b) whether patterns of endemism are complimentary across broad taxonomic guilds. We mapped regional endemism for plants, land snails, and vertebrates using combined Species Distribution Models (SDMs) for all endemic taxa (n = 82). We then modelled predictors of endemism using Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) and geology, terrain, and climate variables. We tested for the presence of inter‐ and intraguild hotspots of endemism. Many individual plant and land snail taxa were tightly linked with geology, corresponding to small distributions. Conversely, most vertebrate taxa were not constrained to specific geological substrates and occurred over larger areas. However, across all three guilds climate was the strongest predictor of regional endemism, particularly for plants wherein discrete hotspots of endemism were buffered from extreme summer temperatures. Land snail and vertebrate endemism peaked in areas with highest precipitation in the driest times of the year. Hotspots of endemism within each guild poorly predicted endemism in other guilds. We found an overarching signal that climatic gradients play a dominant role in the persistence of endemic taxa in an arid‐zone mountain range system. An association with higher rainfall and cooler temperatures indicates that continuing trends toward hotter and drier climates may lead to range contractions in this, and potentially other, arid‐zone mountain biotas. Contrasting patterns of endemism across guilds highlight the need to couple comprehensive regional planning for the protection of climate refugia, with targeted management of more localized and habitat specialist taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

McGuirk, M.T.; Kennedy, D.M.; Konlechner, T., and Chiaradia, A., 2021. Quantifying changes in surface elevation in conjunction with growth characteristics of incipient and foredune vegetation. Journal of Coastal Research, 37(1), 216–224. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Vegetation is critical for the initiation and growth of incipient dunes and foredunes by providing structure to entrap and store sand. Vegetation characteristics (leaf length, width, height, and quantity) directly influence the rate and volume of sand deposition and therefore the final dune morphology. This paper describes a low-cost and highly portable method to quantify changes in sand surface elevation in relation to plant growth character. A sediment elevation platform was constructed from steel and Perspex, from which surface elevation and plant character can be measured with a movable wooden dowel. This was used in conjunction with a point intercept pin frame to quantify leaf height and number of touches, from which leaf density and frequency were calculated. The system is collapsible, lightweight, and costs AUD 360. It may be operated by a single person. It was tested in a pilot study conducted at Phillip Island, Australia. Plant attributes of two dominant coastal grasses (Spinifex sericeus and Thinopyrum junceiforme) were quantified in December 2018 and January 2019, and sand elevation changes were quantified in January and February 2019. Data collected during the measurement period displayed the influence of plant growth on sand accumulation on a monthly scale. Measurements showed an increase in sand surface elevation from January to February. The average vertical sand accretion for the quadrant with T. junceiforme in January was 29 mm and in February was 89 mm, whereas S. sericeus had an average vertical sand accretion for January of 95 mm and for February of 162 mm. The number of leaves of S. sericeus increased from December (48) to January (169). This new method enables tracking of changes in sand morphology, along with the specific plant growth characteristics. This knowledge may enable the planning of specific dune morphologies using specific plant species and assist in dune recovery after erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The loss of traditional ecological knowledge in endangered language communities is a cause of concern worldwide. Given the state of current knowledge, it is difficult to say whether language and TEK transmission levels are correlated, i.e. whether the erosion of one is accompanied by erosion of the other. This case study, focusing on a small Indigenous language from northern Australia, represents a first step towards a systematic investigation of this question. Methods: Speakers of the language Kune (which is currently being transmitted to small children in the community) were asked to identify and name a number of common birds and plants known to occur on Kune traditional lands, through a series of audiovisual stimuli. Results: There was a weak correlation between speaker age and performance for the plant naming task, but not for the birds. Analysis of the ethnotaxa that were or were not named by individual participants showed that only a small number of plants and birds (approx. 13% and 7% respectively) were known to all participants, while many (approx. 30% and 26% respectively) could only be named by one participant, i.e. the oldest. Edible ethnotaxa were common among the plants and birds that could be named by many people. There was a tendency among younger speakers to use a single umbrella term to label similar-looking species from large genera, such as Acacia, whereas older people would have had distinct labels for each species. Conclusions: Performance in the plant and bird naming tasks was lower than expected for a community where language transmission to younger generations is high. The loss of certain plant and bird names from the active lexicons of some younger Kune speakers may be due to lifestyle change, particularly in terms of food habits, or due to inter-individual differences in life histories. Differences between the transmission of plant and bird names may be due to more frequent interactions with edible plants, as compared to birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have documented the individual effects of variables such as vegetation, long‐term climate and short‐term weather on biodiversity. Few, however, have explicitly explored how interactions among these major drivers can influence species abundance. We used data from a 15‐year study (2002–2017) in the endangered temperate woodlands of south‐eastern Australia to test hypotheses associated with the effects of vegetation type, long‐term climate and short‐term weather on population trajectories of seven species of (largely) nocturnal mammals and birds. Despite prolonged drought conditions, there was a significant increase in the abundance of some species over time (e.g. the Eastern Grey Kangaroo). It is possible that destocking of domestic livestock may have reduced competition with Kangaroos, thereby facilitating increases in abundance. The Common Brushtail Possum and Common Ringtail Possum were significantly less likely to occur in replanted woodlands, possibly because of the paucity of nesting sites. We found no evidence that replanted woodlands are refuges for exotic pest species like the European Rabbit and Red Fox. Short‐ and long‐term rainfall and vegetation type had important independent and combined effects on animal abundance. That is, responses to periods of high short‐term rainfall were dependent on vegetation type and whether sites occurred in long‐term climatically wet versus climatically dry locations. For example, the Red Fox responded positively to high levels of short‐term rainfall, but only at climatically dry sites. Our results highlight the complementary value of different vegetation types across the landscape and the context‐specific responses of animals to short‐term fluctuations in moisture availability. They also underscore the value of long‐term monitoring at a landscape scale for examining how multiple interacting factors influence trends in animal abundance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial arrangement of perennial vegetation is critical for ecosystem function in drylands. While much is known about how vegetation patches respond to grazing and abiotic conditions, the size dynamics of individual plants is mostly limited to theoretical studies. We measured the size distribution (mean, variance, skewness) and density of individual grasses, and grass species composition at 451 sites spanning a range of grazing intensities across three broad vegetation communities in semi‐arid eastern Australia. We assessed the relative role of grazing by livestock (cattle and sheep), native (kangaroos) and introduced (rabbits) free ranging herbivores, and several environmental measures (productivity, diversity, composition and groundstorey plant cover) on the size distribution and density of individual grasses. We found mean grass size and density were more sensitive to shifts in grazing intensity and environmental conditions than size variance or the frequency of the smallest individuals (skewness), and shifts were mostly driven by site productivity and cattle and kangaroo grazing. Sheep grazing only reduced mean grass size, and rabbit grazing had no consistent effects. Importantly, we found that site productivity and species composition altered the impacts of grazing on grass density and size distribution. For example, increasing cattle grazing led to larger grasses in low productivity sites. It also led to larger, denser, more variable‐sized grasses among grass species from sites with finer soil texture. Increasing kangaroo grazing led to smaller, denser individuals among grass species from sites with coarse soil texture. At high diversity sites kangaroo grazing led to denser, more homogenised grass sizes with a lower frequency of small individuals. Understanding the in situ response of individual plant sizes gives us insights into the processes driving shifts in perennial vegetation patchiness, improving our ability to predict how the spatial arrangement of ecosystems might change under global change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great desert skink (Liopholis kintorei) of the Egerniinae subfamily (Reptilia: Scincidae) is a communal burrowing lizard that inhabits arid spinifex grasslands in central Australia. Great desert skink activity is centred in and around the burrows which are inhabited for many years. However, it is not known whether skinks select burrow sites with specific attributes or how continuing occupancy of burrows is influenced by the surrounding habitat; especially post‐fire, when plant cover is reduced. Here, we test whether great desert skink burrows in areas burnt 2 years previously and in longer unburnt areas are associated with particular habitat attributes, and whether there are differences between occupied and recently abandoned burrow sites. Vegetation composition, cover and soil surface characteristics at 56 established great desert skink burrows, including occupied and recently unoccupied burrows, were compared with 56 random nearby non‐burrow control sites. Burrow sites had higher plant cover compared with the surrounding landscape in both recently burnt and longer unburnt areas and were more likely to be associated with the presence of shrubs. Soil stability and infiltration were also higher at burrow sites. However, we found no evidence that burrows with lower cover were more likely to be abandoned. Our results suggest that great desert skinks may actively select high cover areas for burrow construction, although differences between burrow and control sites may also partly reflect local changes to plant cover and composition and soil properties resulting from burrow construction and long‐term habitation of a site. Further research should determine if burrows with shrubs or higher plant cover provide greater protection from predators, more structural stability for burrow construction, increased prey abundance or other benefits. We recommend that maintenance of areas with relatively higher plant cover be prioritized when managing great desert skink habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cross-sectional studies suggest that more green space may lower the odds of prevalent diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in cities. We assess if these results are replicable for tree canopy exposure and then extend the study longitudinally to examine incident cardiometabolic outcomes.Methods: The study was set in the Australian cities of Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle. Total green space and tree canopy as percentages of landcover within 1.6 km (1 mile) from home were linked to a residentially stable sample of 46 786 participants in the Sax Institute's 45 and Up Study (baseline 2006-09; follow-up 2012-15). Separate multilevel models were used to investigate whether the odds of prevalent and incident doctor-diagnosed diabetes, hypertension and CVD were associated with total green space and tree canopy provision, adjusting for age, sex, income, education, employment and couple status.Results: Lower odds of prevalent diabetes were observed with 1% increases in total green space [odds ratio (OR) 0.993, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.988 to 0.998] and tree canopy (0.984, 0.978 to 0.989). Lower odds of prevalent CVD were found with a 1% increase in tree canopy only (0.996, 0.993 to 0.999). Lower odds of incident diabetes (0.988, 0.981 to 0.994), hypertension (0.993, 0.989 to 0.997) and CVD (0.993, 0.988 to 0.998) were associated with a 1% increase in tree canopy, but not total green space. At ≥30% compared with 0-9% tree canopy, there were lower odds of incident diabetes (0.687, 0.547 to 0.855), hypertension (0.828, 0.719 to 0.952) and CVD (0.782, 0.652 to 0.935). However, ≥30% compared with 0-4% total green space was associated with lower odds of prevalent diabetes only (0.695, 0.512 to 0.962).Conclusions: Restoring local tree canopy in neighbourhoods may help to prevent the incidence of cardiometabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Dynamic habitat models are developed for a range of water-dependent species. • Change in habitat is predicted over space and time across a large catchment. • The most important environmental habitat drivers are identified. • Several indicators are trialled to summarise spatiotemporal habitat change. • The effectiveness of water management in supporting habitat can be quantified. Improved knowledge of how habitat for water-dependent species is changing over space and time across entire river catchments is important in developing indicators for tracking changes and quantifying the effectiveness of environmentally-targeted water management actions. Such information is often difficult to obtain across large catchments, given that habitat for water-dependent species can change rapidly and typically depends on complex interactions of environmental variables. Models can help in filling these information gaps, by using incomplete data to generalise patterns at fine spatial and temporal resolution across large catchments. We developed dynamic habitat models for seven water-dependent species across the Murray-Darling Basin, the longest river system in Australia. We considered two plant species (river red gum and lignum), two waterbird species (royal spoonbill and straw-necked ibis), two fish species (Murray cod and golden perch) and a macroinvertebrate group (Decapoda). We utilised advances in basin-wide data on stream flow and inundation to derive a range of ecologically meaningful spatiotemporal habitat predictors, and used these to model occurrence and physiological condition for each species. This data-driven approach identified the environmental variables most important in predicting habitat quality for each species, and their associated response functions. The dynamic habitat models were used to generate basin-wide, fine resolution (≈90 m) predictions for each species across a time-series of several decades (1995–2020). The model predictions were summarised into indicators to identify changes in habitat quality over time and identify areas that consistently provided the highest quality habitat. These habitat models and predictions extend our understanding of the environmental drivers of habitat for each water-dependent species studied and enable a variety of assessments to quantify the ecological outcomes of past water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasive flowering plants can disrupt plant-pollinator networks. This is well documented where invasives occur amongst native plants; however, the potential for 'spillover' effects of invasives that form stands in adjacent habitats are less well understood. Here we quantify the impact of two invasive Australian species, Acacia saligna and Acacia longifolia , on the plant-pollinator networks in fynbos habitats in South Africa. We compared networks from replicate 1 ha plots of native vegetation ( n = 21) that were subjected to three treatments: (1) at least 400 m from flowering Acacia; (2) adjacent to flowering Acacia , or (3) adjacent to flowering Acacia where all Acacia flowers were manually removed. We found that native flowers adjacent to stands of flowering Acacia received significantly more insect visits, especially from beetles and Apis mellifera capensis , and that visitation was more generalized. We also recorded visitation to, and the seed set of, three native flowering species and found that two received more insect visits, but produced fewer seeds, when adjacent to flowering Acacia . Our research shows that 'spillover' effects of invasive Acacia can lead to significant changes in visitation and seed production of native co-flowering species in neighbouring habitats-a factor to be considered when managing invaded landscapes.

Methane production by livestock is a substantial component of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. The marine red algae, Asparagopsis taxiformis, has been identified as a possible supplement in livestock feeds due to its potent inhibition of methane production but currently is unable to be produced at scale. Finding additional taxa that inhibit methane production is therefore desirable. Here we provide foundational evidence of methanogenesis-inhibiting properties in Australian freshwater plants and algae, reviewing candidate species and testing species' chemical composition and efficacy in vitro. Candidate plant species and naturally-occurring algal mixes were collected and assessed for ability to reduce methane in batch testing and characterised for biochemical composition, lipids and fatty acids, minerals and DNA. We identified three algal mixes and one plant (Montia australasica) with potential to reduce methane yield in in vitro batch assay trials. All three algal mixes contained Spirogyra, although additional testing would be needed to confirm this alga was responsible for the observed activity. For the two samples that underwent multiple dose testing, Algal mix 1 (predominantly Spirogyra maxima) and M. australasica, there seems to be an optimum dose but sources, harvesting and storage conditions potentially determine their methanogenesis-inhibiting activity. Based on their compositions, fatty acids are likely to be acting to reduce methane in Algal mix 1 while M. australasica likely contains substantial amounts of the flavonoids apigenin and kaempferol, which are associated with methane reduction. Based on their mineral composition, the samples tested would be safe for livestock consumption at an inclusion rate of 20%. Thus, we identified multiple Australian species that have potential to be used as a feed supplement to reduce methane yield in livestock which may be suitable for individual farmers to grow and feed, reducing complexities of supply associated with marine alternatives and suggesting avenues for investigation for similar species elsewhere., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Rebecca E. Lester, Ashley Macqueen, Emily K. Armstrong, David T. Dodemaide, Georgia K. Dwyer, Thomas S. Mock, Stephanie Payne, Michael Smith, Michaela Storen and Lawrence Webb reports financial support was provided by AgriFutures Australia., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become a key concern to both environmental and human health due to their extreme persistence in the environment and their ability to bioaccumulate in plants, animals, and humans. In this mesocosm study, Australian PFAS-contaminated soil with a mean total concentration of 8.05 mg/kg and a mean combined PFHxS + PFOS concentration of 7.89 mg/kg was treated with an immobilisation sorbent (RemBind®) at different application rates (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, and 5% w/w). To assess the efficacy of this immobilisation treatment, PFAS leachability, PFAS plant uptake, and ecotoxicity tests were conducted. Leachability testing was performed according to the Australian Standard Leaching Procedure (ASLP) at pH 5 and 7. A grass species (Dactylis glomerata) was used to measure plant uptake of PFAS from untreated and treated contaminated soil. In addition, the Microtox test was used to assess the associated ecotoxicity. The immobilisation treatment resulted in a significant reduction of 88.5-99.8% in the total PFAS leachability and 88.7-99.8% in the combined PFOS and PFHxS leachability at pH 5. Similarly, significant reductions (5-12-fold) were observed in the plant uptake of total PFAS and combined PFOS and PFHxS in all treated soil samples. In addition, although the Microtox test showed relatively low ecotoxicity in all the experimental samples, including the untreated soil, a significant decrease in the ecotoxicity of treated soil samples was observed. The results from this study highlight that this treatment approach has the potential to reduce both PFAS leachability and plant bioavailability with a relatively low associated ecotoxicity. This is likely to reduce the risk of the transfer of PFAS into higher trophic levels. This immobilisation treatment may, therefore, reduce the risk associated with PFAS-contaminated soils and may be an important remediation tool for managing certain PFAS-contaminated soils., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Gardens in Australia are considered an important site of heritage maintenance and negotiation for their capacity to materialise transformations in everyday life, design, lifestyles, demographics, environment, as well as social and cultural practices. In the case of conservation areas, gardens tend to be valued in terms of their closeness and potential to preserve specific historical elements. Plants in these gardens are cultivated to evoke period designs, such as Federation (c.1890–1915) and cottage gardens. In this article we turn to gardens and gardening to make sense of entanglements between cultural, historical and environmental elements, and we ask: what role do plants play in shaping our understanding of suburban heritage? To answer this question, we draw on oral histories, archival research and ethnography in Haberfield, the first model garden suburb in Australia. We show how plants channel and mediate multiple concerns that contest and extend ideas of heritage circulating in public discourse. Foregrounding the centrality of plants, this article contributes a dynamic definition of heritage that includes the entanglement of environmental stewardship and individual and collective heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical and anti-nutritional, antioxidative and anti-microbial properties of seeds from Acacia cyclops, Acacia microbotrya and Acacia victoriae(which are legumes) traditionally consumed by indigenous Western Australians were studied for the first time for their potential as commercial food components. A. microbotrya (2.7 CIU/g) (α < 0.05) had the highest α-chymotrypsin inhibitor activity, while A. victoriae (0.3 ± 0.03) had the highest trypsin inhibitor activity. Both A. microbotrya (0.2 ± 0.02) and A. victoriae (0.2 ± 0.08) had significantly higher oxalate content than A. cyclops. The anti-microbial properties of wattle seed extracts against the foodborne pathogens Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Typhimurium and Staphylococcus aureus were determined. A. cyclops demonstrated the greatest anti-microbial activity against all the microorganisms studied. A. microbotrya had significantly higher amounts of protein (27.2%), fat (3.4%), fibre (49.2 mg/100 g), iron (5.2 mg/100 g), potassium (1275.5 mg/100 g) and zinc (3.8 mg/100 g) than the other two Acacia species. A. victoriae had the highest DPPH equivalent antioxidant activity (37.1%). The wattle seeds studied are higher in protein, dietary fiber, zinc and potassium compared to some commonly consumed legumes such as lentils and chickpeas. Incorporation of wattle seed in to food may provide additional health benefits to consumers. Their ability to inhibit foodborne bacteria means they may have potential as a natural food additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High levels of sub‐speciation in Australian mesic zone taxa have been attributed to the creation of biogeographic barriers by Pleistocene expansion of the arid zone. However, several of these barriers also align with major floodplains. The Carpentarian Barrier in the Gulf Plains (GUP) – one of Australia's most significant biogeographic barriers – experiences extreme floods on a sub‐decadal timescale. These floods rise suddenly, cover thousands of square kilometres to a depth of several metres and can take weeks to subside. We investigated whether these floods have shaped community composition. If this is the case, species that are particularly vulnerable to extreme flooding – understorey animals and woody plants, particularly shrubs – should be under‐represented, and grasslands should be over‐represented on GUP floodplains. We used Akaike selection of logistic models to assess influence of floodplains and other potential drivers on grassland distribution and shrub abundance, and on representation of understorey fauna. We also compared post‐flood faunal records with the bioregional data set to assess influence of the 2009 flood on representation of understorey reptiles. Grasslands and shrub‐free vegetation were significantly over‐represented and understorey fauna significantly under‐represented on floodplains, even when the influences of other factors were taken into account. Understorey Gekkota were absent from – and understorey skinks under‐represented in – recently flooded areas. Hence, floods appear to have shaped community composition on GUP floodplains by selectively displacing and/or destroying woody plants – particularly shrubs – and understorey animals. Our findings demonstrate association rather than causality, but show that further examination of the ecological and biogeographic impacts of extreme flooding is warranted. Influence of floods on the Australian biota should be considered an ongoing ecological and evolutionary driver, and one that is likely to intensify as extreme floods are expected to become more frequent under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1920s, guanidine, the active component of Galega officinalis, was shown to lower glucose levels and used to synthesize several antidiabetic compounds. Metformin (1,1 dimethylbiguanide) is the most well-known and currently the only marketed biguanide in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia for the treatment of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Although phenformin was removed from the US market in the 1970s, it is still available around the world and can be found in unregulated herbal supplements. Adverse events associated with therapeutic use of biguanides include gastrointestinal upset, vitamin Bi 2 deficiency, and hemolytic anemia. Although the incidence is low, metformin toxicity can lead to hyperlactatemia and metabolic acidosis. Since metformin is predominantly eliminated from the body by the kidneys, toxicity can occur when metformin accumulates due to poor clearance from renal insufficiency or in the overdose setting. The dominant source of metabolic acidosis associated with hyperlactatemia in metformin toxicity is the rapid cytosolic adenosine triphosphate (ATP) turnover when complex I is inhibited and oxidative phosphorylation cannot adequately recycle the vast quantity of H + from ATP hydrolysis. Although metabolic acidosis and hyperlactatemia are markers of metformin toxicity, the degree of hyperlactatemia and severity of acidemia have not been shown to be of prognostic value. Regardless of the etiology of toxicity, treatment should include supportive care and consideration for adjunct therapies such as gastrointestinal decontamination, glucose and insulin, alkalinization, extracorporeal techniques to reduce metformin body burden, and metabolic rescue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quandong or native peach (Santalum acuminatum R.Br.) has been recognised as an important and tasty food resource among Aboriginal Australians in arid and semi-arid areas of southern Australia. It is valued for its fruit that is consumed raw or dried, and for its kernel, which is eaten raw or ground into paste for medicinal and skin care purposes. This paper reports on a study of ground stone implements within the Murray Darling Basin that has identified quandong stones as a distinct type of implement made specifically for the efficient cracking of quandong nuts. Data are presented on 1,327 ground stone implements from collections in 12 different locations in the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), an area almost completely devoid of stone sources. Given the paucity of stone, multi-purpose use of implements is widely documented. Although it was common to find pits present in mortars and other ground stone tools demonstrating multiple functions, including use as anvils, a class of single purpose stones with multiple pits and distinctive form was identified. Most of these were found in areas known for groves of quandong and four were analysed for use-wear and residues along with two other ground stone items from the MDB. The results support their identification as specialised anvil stones for cracking quandong nuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed germination traits are key drivers of population dynamics, yet they are under-represented in community ecology studies, which have predominately focussed on adult plant and seed morphological traits. We studied the seed traits and germination strategy of eight woody plant species to investigate regeneration strategies in the arid zone of eastern Australia. To cope with stochastic and minimal rainfall, we predict that arid seeds will either have rapid germination across a wide range of temperatures, improved germination under cooler temperatures, or dormancy and/or longevity traits to delay or stagger germination across time. To understand how temperature affects germination responses, seeds of eight keystone arid species were germinated under laboratory conditions, and under three diurnal temperatures (30/20°C, 25/15°C and 17/7°C) for 30 days. We also tested for decline in seed viability across 24 months in a dry-aging treatment (~20°C). Six of the eight arid species studied had non-dormant, rapidly germinating seeds, and only two species had physiological dormancy traits. Seed longevity differed widely between species, from one recalcitrant species surviving only months in aging (P50 = <3 months) and one serotinous species surviving for many years (P50 = 84 months). Our results highlight the importance of understanding the reproductive strategies of plant species in arid environments. Rapid germination, the dominant seed trait of species included in this study, allows arid species to capitalise on sporadic rainfall. However, some species also exhibit dormancy and delayed germination; this an alternative strategy which spreads the risk of germination failure over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree stems swell and shrink daily, which is thought to reflect changes in the volume of water within stem tissues. We observed these daily patterns using automatic dendrometer bands in a diverse group of mangrove species over five mangrove forests across Australia and New Caledonia. We found that mangrove stems swelled during the day and shrank at night. Maximum swelling was highly correlated with daily maxima in air temperature. Variation in soil salinity and levels of tidal inundation did not influence the timing of stem swelling over all species. Medium-term increases in stem circumference were highly sensitive to rainfall. We defoliated trees to assess the role of foliar transpiration in stem swelling and shrinking. Defoliated trees showed maintenance of the pattern of daytime swelling, indicating that processes other than canopy transpiration influence the temporary stem diameter increments, which could include thermal swelling of stems. More research is required to understand the processes contributing to stem shrinking and swelling. Automatic Dendrometer Bands could provide a useful tool for monitoring the response of mangroves to extreme climatic events as they provide high-frequency, long-term, and large-scale information on tree water status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypogeococcus pungens, a mealybug native of southern South America, is devastating native cacti in Puerto Rico and threatening cactus diversity in the Caribbean, and potentially in Central and North America. The taxonomic status of H. pungens is controversial since it has been reported feeding not only on Cactaceae but also on other plant families throughout its distribution range. However, in Australia, where the species had been exported from Argentina to control weedy American cacti, it was never found on host plants other than Cactaceae. These conflicting pieces of evidence not only cast doubt on the species identity that invaded Puerto Rico, but also have a negative impact on the search for natural enemies to be used in biological control programs against this pest. Here we present reproductive incompatibility and phylogenetic evidences that give support to the hypothesis that H. pungens is a species complex in which divergence appears to be driven by the host plants. The nuclear EF1α and 18S and the mitochondrial COI genes were used as markers to evaluate the phylogenetic relationships among H. pungens populations collected in Argentina, Australia and Puerto Rico feeding on Cactaceae and/or Amaranthaceae. Additionally, we conducted reciprocal crosses between mealybugs from both hosts. Species delimitation analysis revealed two well-supported putative species within H. pungens, one including mealybugs feeding on Amaranthaceae (H. pungens sensu stricto), and a new undescribed species using Cactaceae as hosts. Additionally, we found asymmetric reproductive incompatibility between these putative species suggesting recent reproductive isolation. The Bayesian species delimitation also suggested that the Australian mealybug population may derive from another undescribed species. Overall, the patterns of genetic differentiation may be interpreted as the result of recent speciation events prompted by host plant shifts. Finally, the finding of a single haplotype in the Puerto Rico population suggests only one invasive event. We still need to identify the geographical origin of the pest in order to enable the use of biological control to reduce the threat to cacti diversity in the Caribbean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the long-term functioning of Australia's tropical savannas is central to the management and conservation of these ecosystems. An environmental history of the Darwin region's mesic savanna is presented from Girraween Lagoon, approx. 25 km southeast of Darwin, where pollen and charcoal analysis of a 5 metre sediment core provides a record spanning the previous 12,700 years. Results show the gradual development of permanent water at the site, surrounded by a dynamic landscape where changing climates and local people's use of fire has shaped the vegetation from that of a savanna to an open forest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-induced landscape salinization, including the effects of dryland salinity, is negatively impacting many catchments in southern Australia. Salinization occurs due to increased recharge and water-table rise following land clearing of deep-rooted native vegetation. In low-lying areas with poor drainage, groundwater-level rise can lead to increased evapotranspiration, mobilization of vadose zone salt, and salt scalding. Alternatively, these same processes of increased recharge and groundwater rise can lead to decreased salinization as accumulated salts are flushed into surface waters. This study in a high-rainfall area of the Mount Lofty Ranges of South Australia documents catchment desalinization. A 28-year record (1989–2016) of flow and salinity in Scott Creek was analysed based on monthly data. Analysis of catchment-scale chloride deposition and export determined that approximately three times more chloride is exported than is input to the catchment from atmospheric sources. Over the time period investigated, salt load exported to surface water decreased by, on average, 6.4 t annually due to catchment freshening. Analysis of monthly salinity balance of a sub-catchment drained by an intermittent stream demonstrates that accumulation of chloride, rather than export, occurs during drought years. In the catchment, as a whole, salts are being flushed via groundwater flow into the permanent stream in all years of the record. Deep groundwater is input to the permanent stream, with mixing of deeper more saline and fresher shallow groundwater. Thus, a complex interaction of landscape hydrologic parameters such as relief, precipitation, chloride deposition and land-use history, determine whether a catchment undergoes salinization or desalinization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop yields are projected to decrease under future climate conditions, and recent research suggests that yields have already been impacted. However, current impacts on a diversity of crops subnationally and implications for food security remains unclear. Here, we constructed linear regression relationships using weather and reported crop data to assess the potential impact of observed climate change on the yields of the top ten global crops–barley, cassava, maize, oil palm, rapeseed, rice, sorghum, soybean, sugarcane and wheat at ~20,000 political units. We find that the impact of global climate change on yields of different crops from climate trends ranged from -13.4% (oil palm) to 3.5% (soybean). Our results show that impacts are mostly negative in Europe, Southern Africa and Australia but generally positive in Latin America. Impacts in Asia and Northern and Central America are mixed. This has likely led to ~1% average reduction (-3.5 X 1013 kcal/year) in consumable food calories in these ten crops. In nearly half of food insecure countries, estimated caloric availability decreased. Our results suggest that climate change has already affected global food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arboreal folivores are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of extreme climate change-driven heatwaves and droughts as they rely on leaf moisture to maintain hydration. During these increasingly frequent and intense weather events, leaf water content may not be enough to meet their moisture requirements, potentially leading to large-scale mortality due to dehydration. Water supplementation could be critical for the conservation of these animals. We tested artificial water stations for a threatened arboreal folivore, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), as a potential mitigation measure during hot and dry weather in New South Wales, Australia. We provided ground and tree drinkers to koalas and investigated changes in use with season, environmental conditions and foliar moisture. Our study provides first evidence of the regular use of free water by koalas. Koalas used supplemented water extensively throughout the year, even during cooler months. Time spent drinking varied with season and depended on days since last rain and temperature. The more days without rain, the more time koalas spent drinking. When temperature was high, visits to water stations were more frequent, indicating that in hot weather koalas need regular access to free water. Our results suggest that future changes in rainfall regimes and temperature in Australia have the potential to critically affect koala populations. Our conclusions can be applied to many other arboreal folivorous mammals worldwide which rely on leaves for their nutritional and water requirements. Artificial water stations may facilitate the resilience of vulnerable arboreal folivores during heat and drought events and may help mitigate the effects of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On coral reefs, depth and gradients related to depth (e.g. light and wave exposure) influence the composition of fish communities. However, most studies focus only on emergent reefs that break the sea surface in shallow waters (<10 m). On the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), submerged reefs (reefs that do not break the sea surface) occupy an area equivalent to all emergent reefs. However, submerged reefs have received comparatively little research attention, and fish communities associated with submerged reefs remain poorly quantified. Here, we quantify fish assemblages at each of three depths (10, 20 and 30 m) on eight submerged reefs (four mid-shelf and four outer-shelf) and two nearby emergent reefs in the central GBR where reef habitat extends from 0-~25 m depth. We examine how total fish abundance, the abundance of 13 functional groups, and the functional composition of fish communities varies among depths, reef types (submerged versus emergent reefs), and shelf position (mid-shelf versus outer-shelf). Overall fish abundance decreased sevenfold with depth, but declined less steeply (twofold) on outer-shelf submerged reefs than on both mid-shelf submerged reefs and emergent reefs. The functional composition of the fish assemblage also varied significantly among depths and reef types. Turnover in the functional composition of the fish community was also steeper on the mid-shelf, suggesting that shallow-affiliated groups extend further in deeper water on the outer-shelf. Ten of the 13 functional groups were more strongly associated with the shallowest depths (the upper reef slope of emergent reefs or the ‘crests’ of submerged reefs), two groups (soft coral/sponge feeders and mesopredators) were more abundant at the deepest sites. Our results confirm that submerged reefs in the central GBR support a wide range of coral reef fishes, and are an important component of the GBR ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large trees are keystone structures in many terrestrial ecosystems. They contribute disproportionately to reproduction, recruitment and succession, and influence the structure, dynamics and diversity of forests. Recently, researchers have become concerned about evidence showing rapid declines in large, old trees in a range of ecosystems across the globe. We used ≥10 cm diameter at breast height (DBH) stem inventory data from 20, 0.5 ha forest plots spanning the wet tropical rainforest of Queensland, Australia to examine the contribution of large-diameter trees to above ground biomass (AGB), richness, dominance, mortality and recruitment. We show consistencies with tropical rainforest globally in that large-diameter trees (≥70 cm DBH) contribute much of the biomass (33%) from few trees (2.4% of stems ≥10 cm DBH) with the density of the largest trees explaining much of the variation (62%) in AGB across plots. Measurement of AGB in the largest 5% of trees allows plot biomass to be predicted with ~85% precision. In contrast to rainforest in Africa and America, we show that a high proportion of tree species are capable of reaching a large-diameter in Australian wet tropical rainforest resulting in weak biomass hyperdominance (~10% of species account for 50% of the biomass) leading to high potential resilience to regional disturbances and global environmental change. We show that the high AGB in Australian tropical forests is driven primarily by the high density of large trees coupled with contributions from high densities of medium size trees. Australian wet tropical rainforests are well positioned to maintain the current densities of large-diameter trees and high AGB into the future due to the species richness of large trees and a high density of replacement smaller trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late Pleistocene ice-age climates are routinely characterized as having imposed moisture stress on low- to mid-latitude ecosystems 1-5 . This idea is largely based on fossil pollen evidence for widespread, low-biomass glacial vegetation, interpreted as indicating climatic dryness 6 . However, woody plant growth is inhibited under low atmospheric CO 2  (refs. 7,8 ), so understanding glacial environments requires the development of new palaeoclimate indicators that are independent of vegetation 9 . Here we show that, contrary to expectations, during the past 350 kyr, peaks in southern Australian climatic moisture availability were largely confined to glacial periods, including the Last Glacial Maximum, whereas warm interglacials were relatively dry. By measuring the timing of speleothem growth in the Southern Hemisphere subtropics, which today has a predominantly negative annual moisture balance, we developed a record of climatic moisture availability that is independent of vegetation and extends through multiple glacial-interglacial cycles. Our results demonstrate that a cool-moist response is consistent across the austral subtropics and, in part, may result from reduced evaporation under cool glacial temperatures. Insofar as cold glacial environments in the Southern Hemisphere subtropics have been portrayed as uniformly arid 3,10,11 , our findings suggest that their characterization as evolutionary or physiological obstacles to movement and expansion of animal, plant and, potentially, human populations 10 should be reconsidered., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Summary: Feral Horse (Equus caballus) impacts in northern Kosciuszko National Park, New South Wales, Australia are directly occurring in habitat of the nationally threatened Broad‐toothed Rat (Mastacomys fuscus). This species is endemic primarily to the mountain regions of south‐eastern mainland Australia and Tasmania, with a disjunct population at Barrington Tops. The Broad‐toothed Rat's preferred habitat is being increasingly impacted by browsing and trampling associated with the expansion of feral horse populations. This study surveyed 180 sites supporting preferred habitat for this species to determine Broad‐toothed Rat presence and relative abundance in relation to the level of feral horse impacts within the reserve. There was a significant negative relationship between feral horse impacts and both Broad‐toothed Rat presence and abundance. No scats were identified at localities where feral horse impacts were severe, and at moderate horse impact sites, there was a proportion (34%) without scats found. Locations with low horse impacts had little impact on Broad‐toothed Rat occurrence. As feral horse populations increase, Broad‐toothed Rat populations may be further impacted. Such impacts will be due to the loss of vegetation cover from feral horse trampling and grazing, making animals more vulnerable to predation by predators or impacting on their ability to disperse to more suitable habitat. Habitat remnants and vegetation corridors along drainage lines require protection from feral horses to prevent localized extinctions of Broad‐toothed Rat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoheterotrophs, i.e. plants that acquire carbon from root-associated soil fungi, often have highly degraded plastomes, reflecting relaxed selective constraints on plastid genes following the loss of photosynthesis. Geosiris Baill. is the only mycoheterotrophic genus in Iridaceae and comprises two species in Madagascar and nearby islands, and a third recently discovered species in north-eastern Australia. Here, we characterise the plastomes of the Australian and one Madagascan species to compare patterns of plastome degradation in relation to autotrophic and other mycoheterotrophic taxa and investigate the evolutionary and biogeographical history of the genus in Iridaceae. Both examined species have lost approximately half their plastid-encoded genes and a small but significant reduction in purifying selection in retained non-photosynthetic genes was observed. Geosiris is confirmed as monophyletic, with initial divergence of the genus occurring c. 53 million years ago, and subsequent diversification occurring c. 30 million years ago. Africa (including Madagascar) is reconstructed as the most likely ancestral area of the genus, implying a major range-expansion event of one lineage to Australia after its divergence in the Oligocene. Our study has highlighted the dynamic evolutionary history of Geosiris , contributed to the characterisation of mycoheterotrophic plastomes, and furthered our understanding of plastome structure and function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-eight clonal trials of radiata pine planted across Australia and New Zealand were used to investigate genetic variation and genotype by environment (G×E) interaction for diameter-at-breast-height (DBH), height and Dothistroma resistance (DO_R). The average narrow-sense heritabilities were 0.11, 0.21 and 0.30 while the average broad-sense heritabilities were 0.27, 0.34 and 0.40 for DBH, height and Dothistroma resistance, respectively. Dothistroma resistance was assessed as the percentage of needles that were not affected by Dothistroma needle blight. G×E interactions were analysed using an approximate reduced factor analytic model. Apparent G×E interactions were estimated for DBH, height and Dothistroma resistance. Estimates of G×E interactions and their standard errors were strongly influenced by the level of connectivity between trials, in terms of common clones and common parents. When there was sufficient connectivity between trials (more than 30% common clones between trials), a high level of G×E interaction was found for DBH and height but not for Dothistroma resistance. In two simulated clonal trials planted in two environments, low connectivity between environments resulted in a lower estimated genetic correlation between environments with an increased standard error. These results suggest that the number of clones in common between clonal trials is a key factor for inclusion in future experimental designs for estimating G×E interaction. When designing clonal trials for use in multiple environments for accurately estimating the level of G×E, if the resource for creating connectivity between environments is limited, at least 30% of the clones need to be in common between environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The orthodox notion of agriculture cumulatively and inevitably developing from foragers' gathering practices is increasingly untenable. Recent archaeological, botanical and genetic research from Asia and Australia show precocious manipulation of plant resources that continue for millennia within a forager ideology and practice without culminating in ‘agriculture’. Australia's Kimberley is an especially productive research region with a wide range of environmental niches on a topographically varied landscape that has had human settlement spanning over the last 50,000 years. Previously characterised as ‘foragers’ until contact with travellers from Indonesia and then Europeans over the last few hundred years; new research questions this simplistic characterisation of Aboriginal people, and suggests instead a particularly complex and enduring set of people-plant relationships. This complexity is given material witness in the form of Kimberley rock art, which stands out globally in having an enormous body of direct and indirect depictions of plants, including: grasses, trees, tubers; pigment-soaked plants imprinted on rock shelter walls; anthropomorphism of plants; and plant-based material culture such as digging sticks, dilly bags, and wood-hafted stone axe. These are more than simple illustrations of a forager economic base. Instead, rock art is a primary record of long-term sophisticated physical and symbolic manipulation of plants that fits neither into the simplistic categories of ‘foraging’ or of ‘agriculture’. Rather, we have a society in which people actively chose not to pursue orthodox agriculture while according plants a central place in their lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, turnip weed has been rapidly emerging as one of the major weeds in conservation agricultural systems. Germination and emergence of turnip weed were examined for two populations collected from Gatton and St George regions of Australia; two locations with high and low rainfall, respectively. The seeds of turnip weed germinated at all the tested temperatures, but germination was the lowest at 15/5°C, intermediate at 20/10°C and highest at 25/15°C and 30/20°C. The results indicated a high adaptability of turnip weed to warm environmental conditions, although it is a major problem in the winter season. Germination was higher in dark than light/dark regimes except at 30/20°C. Three was a concomitant reduction in germination as the osmotic potential values decreased from 0 to -1.0 MPa. There was 2 and 4% germination at -0.8 MPa for Gatton and St George populations, respectively, and no germination occurred at an osmotic potential of -1.0 MPa. There was a reduction in germination when the sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration was increased from 0 to 150 mM, and no germination was observed at 200 and 250 mM of NaCl. Turnip weed germinated over a broad range of pH (4 to 10). Seedling emergence was higher at 1 cm depth compared to 0.5 cm or at the soil surface. There was 28 and 33% emergence at the surface for the Gatton and St George populations, respectively, compared to 48 and 56% emergence from 1 cm depth for the Gatton and St George populations, respectively and no emergence was observed from 6 cm depth. The results indicated that tillage leading to shallow burial would promote the emergence of turnip weed; on the contrary, tillage that could bury seeds deep into the soil profile might minimise the emergence. Under ideal conditions and lack of integrated weed management programmes, this weed will emerge, set seeds and enrich the soil seed bank and thereby continue to be a problem in the northern grain region of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia's vast tropical savannas contain outstanding biodiversity and cultural values. The region supports many industries, with broad-scale pastoralism being the most widespread. Hundreds of plant species were introduced into northern Australia to support the pastoral industry; some species have since been termed 'contentious' or 'conflict' species due to their perceived positive value for industry but negative impacts on non-pastoral values when they invaded non-pastoral landscapes. Heated political and public debate ensued about the appropriate policy and management response to these species based on people's perceptions of values being altered by invasion by these species, and conflicting views on what constituted appropriate management actions to control their use and spread. Here we share our insights into the role of scientific evidence in progressing this debate, by quantifying the impacts of species on environmental, socioeconomic and cultural values. We reflect on the importance of science for underpinning evidence-based risk management tools, the outputs of which supported policy response by politicians and other policy decision-makers. We also assess the gap in translation from policy to coordinated on-ground action at the national scale, and provide our insights into the contribution that science can make to bridging this gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of the present study was to develop a framework for assessing regulatory options for medicinal cannabis in Australia. Methods. International regulatory regimes for medicinal cannabis were reviewed with a qualitative policy analysis approach and key policy features were synthesised, leading to a conceptual framework that facilitates decision making across multiple dimensions. Results. Two central organising dimensions of medicinal cannabis regulation were identified: cannabis supply and patient authorisation (including patient access). A number of the different supply options can be matched with a number of different patient authorisation options, leading to a matrix of possible regulatory regimes. Conclusions. The regulatory options, as used internationally, involve different forms of cannabis (synthetic and plant-based pharmaceutical preparations or herbal cannabis) and the varying extent to which patient authorisation policies and procedures are stringently or more loosely defined. The optimal combination of supply and patient authorisation options in any jurisdiction that chooses to make medicinal cannabis accessible will depend on policy goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports the translocation of six plant species threatened by the upgrade of Australia's Pacific Highway from Warrell Creek to Urunga in New South Wales (NSW). It provides information on the combination of methods including plant propagation, introduction, and transplanting used in the translocation of the species Marsdenia longiloba, Dendrobium melaleucaphilum, Alexfloydia repens, Niemeyera whitei, Hickesbeachia pinnatifolia, and Artanema fimbriatum.

The article presents a study on translocation of the threatened plant species endemic to South Australia, Haloragis eyreana, commonly known as Prickly raspwort. The study examined the impact of the proximity of the translocation site to the water table, excavated trenches to create artificial microhabitats, and concluded that trenches and similar low-lying areas were the best microsites for the regeneration of the species.

Open-cut coal mining in Queensland results in the formation of extensive saline overburden spoil-piles with steep slopes at the angle of repose (approximately 75% or 37o). These spoil-piles are generally found in multiple rows, several kilometers in length and heights of up to 50 or 60 m above the original landscape. They are highly dispersive and erodible. Legislation demands that these spoil piles be rehabilitated to minimize on-site and off-site discharges of sediment and salt into the surrounding environment. To achieve this, the steep slopes must be reduced, stabilized against erosion, covered with topsoil and re-vegetated. Key design criteria (slope gradient, slope length and vegetation cover) are required for the construction of post-mining landscapes that will result in acceptable erosion rates. A novel user-friendly hillslope computer model MINErosion 3.4 was developed that can accurately predict potential erosion rates from field scale hillslopes using parameters measured with a 3m laboratory tilting flume-rainfall simulator or using routinely measured soil physical and chemical properties. This model links MINErosion 2 with a novel consolidation and above ground vegetation cover factors, to the RUSLE and MUSLE equations to predict the mean annual and storm event erosion rates. The RUSLE-based prediction of the mean annual erosion rates allow minesites to derive the key design criteria of slope length, slope gradient and vegetation cover that would lead to acceptable erosion rates. The MUSLE-based prediction of storm event erosion rates will be useful as input into risk analysis of potential damage from erosion. MINErosion 3.4 was validated against erosion measured on 20 m field erosion plots established on post-mining landscapes at the Oakey Creek and Curragh coalmines, as well as on 120 and 70 m erosion plots on postmining landscapes at Kidston Gold Mine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutritional composition of the kernels of two types of Pindan walnut (Terminalia cunninghamii), a native nut consumed traditionally by Australian Indigenous peoples, is reported for the first time. Results showed that Pindan walnut kernels contained high levels of fat, protein and ash, approximately 50, 30 and 5% fresh basis, respectively. The levels of minerals in the kernels were much higher than common walnuts and macadamia nuts, especially those of phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. The high amounts of polyphenols in the kernels provided strong hydrophilic antioxidant capacities, of up to 2004 mg Trolox equivalents/100 g fresh basis using the hydrophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity assay. Both free polyphenol content and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of the kernels were higher than those of macadamia nuts, although the lipophilic oxygen radical absorbance capacity was lower. These preliminary studies indicate high potential for wider use of the Pindan walnut as a novel, nutritious and health-promoting food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]