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| | Welcome
As we launch into the new year, and though the pandemic continues, I remain optimistic about 2022. This year, we have outstanding new staff joining the team, important new projects and a renewed energy for our on-going work. It is exciting to see our team of researchers growing in number, expertise and capability to support government, our environment and the community. As always, it is our staff that make ARI a resilient, innovative and agile science organisation. I’m sure you’ll see these characteristics throughout this eNews.
This issue features a new project that is ‘leaps ahead’ of the industry, teaching computers to listen for frog calls, a spotlight on ARI’s role in the Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project, and an update on weed control research in threatened grasslands.
Keep well
Fern Hames
Director
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
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| | Using artificial intelligence to listen for frogs
ARI researchers have recently developed sound recognition software that can analyse recordings and automatically detect the calls of different frog species. This novel method allows researchers to analyse huge datasets with ease, saving time and money and increasing their ability to survey large areas for hard-to-find species.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Victorian Murray Floodplain Restoration Project
The VMFRP is a new project restoring ecologically significant wetlands along the Murray River. It involves large-scale construction of infrastructure to deliver water to the floodplain. ARI has helped to develop the ecological monitoring and evaluation plan for the project and has recently started monitoring of the pre-construction stage.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Weed control in threatened native grasslands
Over several years, ARI has been monitoring the outcomes of weed control in the highly threatened Victorian Volcanic Plains grasslands. Results show that weed control reduced the cover of weeds, but native plants have been slow to respond, meaning that more long-term monitoring is needed, along with other management actions.
Find more about this project on our website
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| | Native Fish Report Cards 2021
Each year, ARI undertakes many fish surveys across the state, which are summarised in Native Fish Report Cards. They are an accessible source of information on the fish populations in key waterways, focusing on species with recreational and conservation value.
Report cards for 2021 are out now!
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| | ARI quarterly research updates
The current edition of our Terrestrial Quarterly Update is now available.
It features information on effective wild dog management, recent research on improving surveys for nocturnal wildlife, and techniques to estimate duck numbers across Victorian wetlands.
Interested in receiving these directly? All are welcome to sign up!
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| | Recent fact sheets (link to PDF) and media releases
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| | Recent journal articles (link to abstract) and report (link to PDF) include:
Cripps, J.K., Nelson, J.L., Scroggie, M.P., Durkin, L.K., Ramsey, D.S.L. and Lumsden, L.F. (2021) Double-observer distance sampling improves the accuracy of density estimates for a threatened arboreal mammal. Wildlife Research 48(8): 756-768
Ellis, I., Bates, W., Martin, S., McCrabb, G., Koehn, J., Heath, P. and Hardman, D. (2021) How fish kills affected traditional (Baakandji) and non-traditional communities on the Lower Darling–Baaka River. Marine and Freshwater Research
McComb, L.B., Lentini, P.E., Harley, D.K.P., Lumsden, L.F., Eyre, A.C. and Briscoe, N.J. (2021) Climate and behaviour influence thermal suitability of artificial hollows for a critically endangered mammal. Animal Conservation (online early)
Pritchard, A., Kelly, E., Biggs, J. Everaardt, A., Loyn, R., Magrath, M., Menkhorst, P., Hogg, C. and Geary, W. (2022) Identifying cost-effective recovery actions for a critically endangered species. Conservation Science and Practice 4(1): e546
Selinske, M.J., Bekessy, S.A, Geary, W.L, Faulkner, R., Hames F., Fletcher C., Squires, Z.E., and Garrard G.E. (2021) Projecting biodiversity benefits of conservation behavior-change programs. Conservation Biology (online early)
Shelley, J.J., Holland, O.J., Swearer, S.E., Dempster, T., Le Feuvre, M.C., Sherman, C.D.H., and Miller, A.D. (2021) Landscape context and dispersal ability as determinants of population genetic structure in freshwater fishes. Freshwater Biology (online early).
Thiem, J.D., Baumgartner, L.J., Fanson, B., Sadekov, A., Tonkin, Z. and Zampatti, B.P., (2021) Contrasting natal origin and movement history informs recovery pathways for three lowland river species following a mass fish kill. Marine and Freshwater Research
van Eeden, L.M., Hames, F., Faulkner, R., Geschke, A., Squires, Z.E., and McLeod, E.M. (2021) Putting the cat before the wildlife: Exploring cat owners' beliefs about cat containment as predictors of owner behaviour. Conservation Science and Practice 3(10): e502
van Harten, E., Lentini, P.E., Eastick, D.L., Bender, R., Lumsden, L.F., Visintin, C., and Griffiths, S.R. (2021) Low rates of PIT-tag loss in an insectivorous bat species. Journal of Wildlife Management 85(8): 1739-1743
Yen, J.D.L., Tonkin, Z., Todd, C., Stoessel, D., Raadik, T., and Lyon, J. (2021) Using population models to estimate expected benefit of management actions. ARI Technical Report No. 331.
Yu, S., Wang, G., Katz, O., Li, D., Wang, Q., Yue, M., and Liu, C. (2021) Shift of seed mass and fruit type spectra along longitudinal gradient: high water availability and growth allometry. Biogeosciences 18: 655-667
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| | ARI Seminar Series 20 (available online)
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| © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning 2022
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