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If palaeoendemic invertebrates depend on palaeoendemic plants, and the latter are threatened by an increase in fire incidence, there is a possibility of an extinction cascade. We test whether there is co‐occurrence of palaeoendemic plants and invertebrates in the proximity of a 52‐year‐old fire boundary in subalpine Tasmania, Australia. We used 2 × 2 m quadrats to record the incidence and cover of vascular plants and trapped invertebrates at each of these 33 sites in six time periods using an alpine Malaise trap and a CD sticky trap. The number of co‐occurrences of palaeoendemic plant taxa with palaeoendemic invertebrate taxa was greater than expected by chance (p = 0.020), but many palaeoendemic invertebrates co‐occurred with non‐palaeoendemic plants. Some of the palaeoendemic invertebrate taxa that were associated with palaeoendemic plants were monophagous, while others were associated with environmental conditions created by a long absence of fire. Many may be threatened if increasing fire incidence destroys vegetation dominated by palaeoendemic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An Adelaide-born pharmacist, Oswald B. Lower, is a neglected figure in the pantheon of early Australian amateur entomologists. Specialising in Lepidoptera, he worked mainly around Adelaide and Broken Hill where he discovered hundreds of new species, especially in the semi-arid zone of southern Australia. Lower named almost 1000 valid new species between 1892 and 1923 based upon his own material and specimens sourced from contacts in other parts of Australia. His legacy of 40 000 specimens, assembled between the 1880s and early 1920s, forms the nucleus of the outstanding Lepidoptera collection at the South Australian Museum. Many are sourced from locations now lost or degraded and the collection will be an invaluable tool in the emerging challenge of habitat restoration in Australia. Insects are a major component of Australia's biodiversity. The early discovery and description of this fauna was largely contributed by talented entomologists. From the late 1880s, Broken Hill pharmacist Oswald Bertram Lower revealed the extraordinary moth fauna of the mallee and arid zone especially. A summary and context for his pioneering work is now available here. The ecological restoration of these habitats will increasingly draw on Lower's historical collection and insights. HR22015_TOC.jpg [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our observation of large numbers of ants Notoncus hickmani (Formicinae) on the flowers of a Tasmanian endemic shrub Richea dracophyllum (Ericacea) during the night in winter prompted us to carry out a more extensive study of pollination of R. dracophyllum at two sites. Terminal panicles bear inflorescences of 300+ flowers whose petals are fused into calyptrae covering the reproductive organs, and the calyptrae must be removed before pollination can occur. To exclude birds, we placed mesh bags over some inflorescences. Inflorescences with exclusion bags had a high proportion of retained calyptra and the numbers of viable seeds were greatly reduced. We found R. dracophyllum to have a very long flowering period (more than 6 months) and a range of floral visitors, including honey‐eaters (Meliphagidae) and flying insects. At one site we observed large numbers (up to 100) of N. hickmani on inflorescences between dusk and midnight during winter at air temperatures down to 2.5°C. They fed on nectar from flowers that had lost their calyptra where they were exposed to pollen from the anthers and scanning electron microscopy showed high numbers of pollen grains being carried on the ants. The feeding behaviour of these ants would facilitate pollination between adjacent flowers (geitonogamy). Smaller numbers of dolichoderine ants (Iridomyrmex bicknelli?) were observed during the daytime in spring but mainly fed under partially detached calyptrae where they had little exposure to pollen. We suggest that R. dracophylla is pollinated by a range of species and functional groups—birds, flying insects and ants, and that the pollinating species will vary during the year and between sites, although insects depend on birds to remove the calyptrae. Ant pollination is rare, nocturnal ant pollination is extremely rare, and pollination by nocturnal cryophilic ants has not been documented previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tasmanian Mountain Pepper is a new crop that produces a valuable flavoring agent derived from its fruit. However, annual yields are unpredictable and its commercial prospects depend upon a reliable fruit set. As poor pollination is a possible cause, the pollination biology of this dioecious plant was examined in natural and plantation settings using direct observations, sticky traps, gas chromatography, and microscopy. A community of small insects visits the flowers, and the insect species represent at least seven families of small flies, three families of beetles, and various wasps and moths. Pollen grains were observed on the bodies of bibionid flies (Bibionidae), syrphid flies (Syrphidae), and snail-flies (Sciomyzidae). The tetrahedral tetrad pollen grains are unlikely to be suitable for dispersal by wind. Similar volatiles were emitted by both males and females; several ocimene compounds are attractants for insect pollen vectors. The female flowers also emitted indole, a known fly attractant. It is therefore likely that Tasmannia lanceolata is dependent on the services of diverse insects, especially Diptera, for promoting fruit set. Plantations should be established in the vicinity of biodiverse native vegetation that supports a wide variety of native flying insects capable of transferring pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree ferns are a conspicuous element of many wet forests in Australia, and in increasing demand in export markets, but little is known about their beetle fauna. The tree fern Dicksonia antarctica Labill. was sampled over four seasons at four sites in Tasmania. A total of 108 species of beetles, representing 35 families, were collected from three discrete microhabitats on 80 individual tree ferns. Beetle numbers were highest in the crown litter, then live fronds and least from the trunk. Curculionoids were the most diverse and abundant group of beetles and an anthribid genus, Xynotropis Blackburn, was most numerous. The crown litter was numerically dominated by species from four families, Anthribidae, Leiodidae, Ptiliidae and Staphylinidae. Two other families, Latridiidae and Coccinellidae, were most abundant on the live fronds, while Tenebrionidae, Staphylinidae and Anthribidae were common on the trunks. Predators, followed by fungivores contributed the highest proportion of species richness, however fungivores, spore-feeders and detritivores were most abundant as individuals. Despite a large foliar biomass, herbivores were notably few in numbers and diversity. The beetle assemblage on each of the three microhabitats associated with tree ferns was distinctive and characterised by sets of species that displayed some degree of geographical variation. Indicator analysis revealed that 13 species were broadly characteristic of site-by-microhabitat combinations. For exported tree ferns, the beetle fauna appears to be low in pest potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]