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| | Welcome
Over the past few months we have continued to work as best we can, many of us from home, to deliver conservation outcomes for Victoria. Our ongoing bushfire response has included field work to assess the immediate impacts on reptiles and frogs (Nick Clemann holds a Swamp Skink at left, found during surveys along coastal East Gippsland), and on alpine Sphagnum bogs (see one of our featured projects below).
We hope that everyone is continuing to connect with nature in some way. To help us monitor this connection we are inviting Victorians to participate in a survey that will improve our capacity to protect biodiversity together (see the segment on this below).
ARI celebrated a significant birthday on April 8th: it’s been 50 years since the official opening in 1970 by Queen Elizabeth II. We are using this opportunity to reflect on and acknowledge the achievements of our staff, past and present, who have contributed to protecting our environment, while also thinking about our future directions. During the year we will be highlighting our history and impact in various ways, including via a special series of online seminars.
Our other projects featured in this issue investigate how the insights that genetics provides into population dynamics can increase the options for effective management of both threatened species and feral animals. We hope you find these interesting.
Regards
Dr Kim W Lowe
Research Director
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
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| | Bushfire response - assessing the impact on alpine bogs
An assessment has found that around 20% of alpine Sphagnum bogs in north-eastern Victoria were affected by the 2019-2020 bushfires. This work also identified that wide-ranging hoofed animals and weeds presented the greatest risks to alpine bogs in the immediate post-fire period.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Using genetics to guide threatened species translocations
A modelling framework, a case study using Woylies, and a trapping regime to source individuals were developed to improve the success of breeding, and to supplement or establish populations. Ensuring genetic diversity within translocated populations is key for successful species conservation.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Using genetics to help manage feral pigs
Feral pigs are one of the most widespread pest animals in Australia causing significant environmental, agricultural and economic damage. Genetic profiling is being used to help us understand whether populations are self-contained or whether individuals are dispersing to create new ones. This will guide appropriate management actions.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | We welcome our new staff member Dr Lily van Eeden
Lily is our new postdoctoral research fellow and will be exploring behaviour change in the context of conservation. This is a jointly funded position with Monash BehaviourWorks and RMIT. Lily started her career as a consultant ecologist in Melbourne, and also spent a couple of years working in environmental management in China and the USA. She retrained in environmental social sciences through her Masters (University of Oxford) and PhD (University of Sydney). Her PhD explored the human dimensions of wildlife management, seeking to understand different stakeholder groups’ attitudes towards and perceptions of charismatic wild animals and their management.
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| | Nature connection survey - you are invited to participate!
We launched a survey in collaboration with Monash University to monitor Victoria’s connection with nature. All Victorian adults are welcome to participate and contribute to the ongoing protection of our environment. The survey provides the opportunity for an understanding of how we, as Victorians, can better connect and act for nature together. The results will help guide what we need to do, and how, to increase our capacity to protect biodiversity together.
The more Victorians that participate, the better: each person makes a difference and helps to provide a more complete picture and robust results.
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| | ARI quarterly research updates
The aquatic edition features a system-scale approach to conserving Golden Perch, how riparian zone grasses respond to unseasonal flows, and how flow regulation can potentially affect Golden Perch and Murray Cod behaviour.
Terrestrial news includes bushfire response such as fire severity mapping, priority actions and visits to fire-affected communities, Glossy Black-Cockatoo habitat, the Sunshine Diuris, IUCN Red List workshop, and latest publications and presentations.
Interested in receiving these directly? All are welcome to sign up!
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| | Recent journal articles (link to abstract) and reports (link to PDF) include:
Eyre,A.C., Cripps, J., Miritis,V., Watchorn, D., Ashman, K., Burns, P., Fairman, T., Durkin, L., Nelson, J., Macak, P., Lumsden, L. and Harley, D. (2020) Surveys for Leadbeater’s Possum Gymnobelideus leadbeateri at Wallaby Creek, Kinglake National Park. The Victorian Naturalist 137(2): 36-40
Lilleyman, A., Rogers, D.I., Jackson, M.V., Fuller, R.A., O’ Brien, G. and Garnett, S.T. (2020) An artificial site provides valuable additional habitat to migratory shorebirds in a tropical harbour. Pacific Conservation Biology (online early)
Nitschke, C.R., Trouvé, R., Lumsden, L.F., Bennett, L.T., Fedrigo, M., Robinson, A.P., Patrick J. and Baker, P.J. (2020) Spatial and temporal dynamics of habitat availability and stability for a critically endangered arboreal marsupial: implications for conservation planning in a fire-prone landscape. Landscape Ecology 35: 1553-1570
Pacioni, C., Atkinson, A., Trocini, S., Rafferty, C., Morley, K. and Spencer, P.B.S. (2020) Is supplementation an efficient management action to increase genetic diversity in translocated populations? Ecological Management and Restoration 21(2):123-130
Pacioni, C., Atkinson, A., Wayne, A.F., Maxwell, M.A., Ward, C.G. and Spencer, P.B.S. (2020) Spatially sensitive harvest design can minimize genetic relatedness and enhance genetic outcomes in translocation programmes. Journal of Zoology (online early)
Shelley, J.J., David, B.O., Thacker, C.E., Hicks, A.S., Jarvis, M.G. and Unmack, P.J. (2020) Phylogeography of the Cran’s bully Gobiomorphus basalis (Gobiiformes: Eleotridae) and an analysis of species boundaries within the New Zealand radiation of Gobiomorphus. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 130(2): 365-381
Shelley, J.J., Swearer, S.E., Dempster, T., Adams, M., Le Feuvre, M.C., Hammer, M.P. and Unmack, P.J. (2020) Plio‐Pleistocene sea‐level changes drive speciation of freshwater fishes in north‐western Australia. Journal of Biogeography (online early)
Straka, T.M., Lentini, P.E., Lumsden, L.F., Buchholz, S., Wintle, B.A. and van der Ree, R. (2020) Clean and green urban water bodies benefit nocturnal flying insects and their predators, insectivorous bats. Sustainability 12(7):2634
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| | ARI Legacy Seminar Series (online only)
Our online 2020 Seminar Series is currently focused on celebrating ARI’s 50 years of Science that Matters, with some of our most esteemed researchers reflecting on ARI’s achievements. Coming up are Matt White (27th July) and Peter Menkhorst (17th August), both looking back at how conservation and wildlife research has unfolded over the years.
To receive ARI seminar series email alerts, including webinar (live online viewing) details and follow-up summaries, use the automatic ‘Subscribe’ button on our website, or email us at research.ari@delwp.vic.gov.au
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| © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning 2020
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