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| | Welcome
As the year draws to a close, we are adjusting to being able to more easily get out into the field again (see Lauren Johnson and Annique Harris at left, on one of our electrofishing boats) and looking forward to transitioning back to our offices. It has been a particularly tough year for the community, but we are proud of the work we have been able to continue to do despite the many challenges.
It was also an historic year for ARI as we celebrated 50 years of delivering science that matters. We’ve very much enjoyed bringing you our (online) legacy seminars, highlighting some of the many achievements and changes over the years. These presentations are available for viewing - see the Seminars page on our website.
Our projects featured in this issue include post-bushfire impacts on reptiles and frogs, a better understanding of how revegetation benefits biodiversity and how tracking turtle movements will contribute to improving their floodplain habitat. We hope you find these interesting.
All the very best to everyone for 2021, we look forward to connecting with you throughout the new year.
Regards
Dr Kim W Lowe
Research Director
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
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| | What impact have the 2019-20 bushfires had on reptiles and frogs?
Loss of foraging and egg-laying habitat, reduction in food sources and increased exposure to predators are among post-fire impacts on reptiles and frogs identified by pre-winter surveys. Concerns for remaining populations include further habitat damage from trampling and grazing by horses and deer.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Revegetation - assessing the benefits for conservation
A collaborative study with La Trobe University has investigated the value of revegetation: how it changes over time, and how it can be undertaken to have the greatest value for biodiversity. A rapid monitoring protocol has also been designed for land managers and community groups to help assess revegetation outcomes.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Environmental watering - studying the impact on turtles
Acoustic radio-tracking technology is being used to compare movements of the Murray River Turtle during wet and dry periods in Barmah-Millewa Forest. Comparing changes in habitat use with water availability will contribute to how environmental watering may be used to improve turtle habitat.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | ARI quarterly research updates
In case you missed them, recent editions of our Aquatic, Aquatic Influence and Terrestrial Quarterly Updates are now available.
The aquatic editions feature returning animals after fires, the response of riparian vegetation three years after management interventions, and a focus on species including Macquarie Perch, Murray Cod, Murray Crayfish, Estuary Perch and Australian Grayling.
Terrestrial news includes best-practice fox control, virtual reality field work, Banksia expert workshop, a spatial conservation action planning tool, genetics and threatened species conservation, and latest publications and presentations.
Interested in receiving these directly? All are welcome to sign up!
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| | Recent fact sheets (link to PDF) and media release
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| | Recent journal articles (link to abstract) and reports (link to PDF) include:
Barrow, J.S., Yen, J.D.L., Koehn, J.D. and Morrongiello, J.R. (2020) Increasing early life growth of hatchery-reared freshwater fish can improve stocking outcomes. Marine and Freshwater Research (online early)
Clemann, N. (2020) Frogs and reptiles of the Murray-darling basin: A guide to their identification, ecology and conservation [Book Review]. The Victorian Naturalist 137(5): 154-155
Godinho, L.N., Lumsden, L.F., Coulson G. and Griffiths S.R. (2020) Flexible roost selection by Gould's wattled bats (Chalinolobus gouldii) using bat boxes in an urban landscape. Australian Journal of Zoology (online early)
Jellinek, S., O’Brien, T. and Bennett, A. (2020) Evaluating revegetation outcomes through community based monitoring. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 321. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Koehn, J.D., Balcombe, S.R., Baumgartner, L.J., Bice, C.M., Burndred, K., Ellis, I., Koster, W.M., Lintermans, M., Pearce, L., Sharpe, C., Stuart, I. and Todd, C.R. (2020) What is needed to restore native fishes in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin? Marine and Freshwater Research 71(11): 1464-1468
Koehn, J.D., Raymond, S.M., Stuart, I., Todd, C.R., Balcombe, S.R., Zampatti, B.P., Bamford, H., Ingram, B.A., Bice, C.M., Burndred, K., Butler, G., Baumgartner, L., Clunie, P., Ellis, I., Forbes, J.P., Hutchison, M., Koster, W.M., Lintermans M., Lyon, J.P., Mallen-Cooper, M., McLellan, M., Pearce, L., Ryall, J., Sharpe, C., Stoessel, D.J., Thiem, J.D., Tonkin, Z., Townsend, A. and Ye, Q. (2020) A compendium of ecological knowledge for restoration of freshwater fishes in Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin. Marine and Freshwater Research 71(11): 1391-1463
Koster, W.M., Stuart, I., Tonkin, Z., Dawson, D. and Fanson, B. (2020) Environmental influences on migration patterns and pathways of a threatened potamodromous fish in a regulated lowland river network. Ecohydrology (online early)
Lutz, M.L., Tonkin, Z., Yen, J.D.L., Johnson, G., Ingram, B.A., Sharley, J., Lyon, J., Chapple, D.J., Sunnucks, P. and Pavlova, A. (2020) Using multiple sources during reintroduction of a locally extinct population benefits survival and reproduction of an endangered freshwater fish. Evolutionary Applications (online early)
Moxham, C., Fanson, B. and Kenny, S. (2020) Vegetation responses to stock exclusion: synthesis report. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 320. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Pacioni, C., Ramsey, D.S.L., Schumaker, N.H., Kreplins, T. and Kennedy, M.S. (2020) A novel modelling framework to explicitly simulate predator interaction with poison baits. Wildlife Research (online early)
Ramsey, D.S.L. (2020) Design of a monitoring program for game ducks in Victoria. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 314. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Robley, A., Cockman, L., Donald, S., Hoskins, M., Shiells, A. and Stringer, L. (2020) Assessing factors that influence the use of Curiosity® feral cat baits in Victoria: a Biodiversity Response Planning project. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 317. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Robley, A., Moloney, P., Stringer, L. and Donald, S. (2020) Glenelg Ark 2005–2019: long-term predator and native mammal response to predator control. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 318. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Shelley, J.J., Delaval, A., Le Feuvre, M.C., Dempster, T., Raadik, T.A. and Swearer, S.E. (2020) Revision of the genus Hannia (Teleostei, Terapontidae), with description of a new species, Hannia wintoni, from the Kimberley, Western Australia. Zootaxa 4869(4): 562-586
Sinclair, S.J., Avirmed, O., Batpurev, K., Griffioen, P.A., White, M.D. and Olson, K. (2020) Condition metrics for Elm Forest and Saxaul ecosystems in the Gobi Desert. Report for Oyu Tolgoi and Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 310. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Sinclair, S.J., Kohout, M., Batpurev, K., Bryant, D., Bruce, M., Muir, A. Downe, J., Macak, P., Leevers, D. and Brown, G. (2020) State-wide assessment of fringing vegetation for the index of estuary condition. Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Technical Report Series No. 319. Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Heidelberg
Thomson, J., Regan T.J., Hollings, T., Amos, N., Geary W.L., Parkes, D., Hauser, C.E. and White M. (2020) Spatial conservation action planning in heterogeneous landscapes. Biological Conservation 250: 108735
Walker, M.J., Griffiths, S.R., Jones, C.S. and Robert, K.A. (2020) The influence of meal size on the digestive energetics of Gould’s wattled bat, Chalinolobus gouldii. Australian Journal of Zoology (online early)
Whiterod, N.S., Todd, C.R., Zukowski, S., Raymond, S.M.C., Asmus, M. and Todd, M. J. (2020) A population model provides support for management decisions, enables ongoing research and reinforces strong partnerships to manage a threatened freshwater crayfish. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 30(9): 1836–1840
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| | ARI Legacy Seminar Series (available online)
Our online 2020 Seminar Series focussing on celebrating ARI’s 50 years of Science that Matters is now complete. We hope you enjoyed hearing some of our researchers reflecting on ARI’s achievements and future. Recordings of these plus others from the year are available via YouTube – please tune in if you missed them!
To receive ARI seminar series email alerts, including webinar (live online viewing) details and follow-up summaries, use the ‘Subscribe’ button on our website, or email us at research.ari@delwp.vic.gov.au
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| | Sign up to our eNews
If you know someone who may like to receive the ARI eNews, forward this email on using the 'Share this' option at the top. If this has been forwarded on to you there is an option to sign-up below, or use the ‘Subscribe’ button on our website, or email research.ari@delwp.vic.gov.au to be added to the ARI eNews mailing list.
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| © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning 2020
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