ABSTRACT This paper provides a chronological record of the history of poison in vertebrate species control in south-east Australia, since the first instance was recorded to target dingoes in 1814. ...

ABSTRACT Taxonomy plays an important role in defining biodiversity and shaping conservation efforts. However, the biological species concept is a human construct and organisms that do not abide by ...

ABSTRACT Long-term research is vital for understanding long-lived, dynamic systems like forests, yet for bats such research is notable for its absence. Recent advances in technology over the last 10–20 years means that long-term studies of bats are viable and can be cost-effective. I outline three case-studies of long-term research on forest bats using different techniques. These involve annual monitoring of populations at cave roosts, periodic monitoring of forest bat activity with ultrasonic detectors and advanced mark-recapture modelling of annual banding data to describe population dynamics. Annual counts over a 17 year period of a large maternity population of Eastern Horseshoe Bats Rhinolophus megaphyllus in a sandstone cave revealed a relatively stable population in the absence of major perturbations. There were only minor variations with climatic fluctuations, suggesting the cave and associated feeding grounds in a high rainfall gully could function as a climate refuge for the species. The second case study used acoustic detectors over a 14 year period to describe changes in bat use of forest regenerating (harvesting/fire) from the 1970s when specific environmental protection was not practised in New South Wales (NSW) forests. Forest regeneration was a dynamic process, especially in relation to changing vegetation density. Dense regrowth regenerating from harvesting rapidly dominated and persisted over a considerable period of time and provided unsuitable habitat for most bat species. Our third case study used mark-recapture of banded bats to estimate population dynamics in an experimental forest with environmental protection similar to that practised today in NSW forests (protection of riparian zones; habitat trees, rainforest). Analysis of 14 years of annual banding data demonstrated little effect (either no effect, or minor positive and negative effects) of harvesting history on survival and no effect on abundance or body condition. Environmental protection measures (and tracks) appeared to mitigate the impacts of dense regrowth and bats likely used these features at a local landscape scale. Long-term banding data also revealed negligible effects of weather extremes on survival and we suggest our high elevation study site represented a climate refuge that buffered bats from the effects of weather extremes. No single technique provides all the answers to bat ecology, rather each captures a different piece of the puzzle and, most importantly, each can be applied over long periods of time.

ABSTRACT Long-term monitoring of threatened species often reveals processes undermining population recovery that may not be evident over shorter timeframes. When populations are small and isolated,...

ABSTRACT Infrared cameras are now used universally to study wildlife. In this study camera traps were used to report the use of bare-nosed wombat Vombatus ursinus burrows by other species. Eleven species were captured using camera traps. The species observed utilising wombat burrows included wombats, rabbits, macropods, possums, murids, foxes, cats and birds. The utilisation of wombat burrows by these species included entry into the burrow for shelter and hunting, and exploitation of the burrow entrance and spoil for foraging and potentially geophagic purposes.

For 'kiwi' fish enthusiast both amateur and professional, 'The Fishes of New Zealand' has to be the new fish bible.

ABSTRACT The task I am promoting in this paper is to expand the conservation and management focus from just threatened vertebrate species to include all non-threatened vertebrates. I reason that it is easily possible to do so because it lies within our long-standing legal and public interest in our native birds and mammals, and more recently, reptiles and frogs. The shortfall in achieving the aspiration to conserve biodiversity is evident by examining both the Commonwealth and NSW governments' official State of the Environment reports. The rise of threatened species in the conservation agenda, called ‘endangered species’ in NSW until 1995, is examined from the time the legal interpretation of endangered species became important in 1991with a decision by Justice Paul Stein of the NSW Land and Environment Court. Endangered species had captured both the legal and popular imagination, leading to the passage of the Endangered Fauna (Interim Protection) Act 1991 (NSW). In 1992, 26% of the birds, mammals, frogs and reptiles of NSW became listed as endangered species. The non-threatened species became the neglected 74% of the vertebrate fauna of NSW. In short, this emphasis hinders the conservation of biodiversity in its broadest sense. I argue here that expanding beyond threatened species recovery to studying, managing and conserving all of our native vertebrate fauna is a major step forward in achieving our aim of conserving biodiversity.