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Quantifying the impacts of bushfire on populations of wild koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus): Insights from the 2019/20 fire season Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2021-01-21 Stephen Phillips; Kirsten Wallis; Amanda Lane
The impact of bushfire events on wild Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations is poorly understood. Following the 2019/2020 bushfire season in eastern Australia, we resurveyed 123 field sites for which contemporaneous (current koala generation) pre‐fire survey data were available. Field sites were distributed across six fire grounds between Foster and Ballina on the north coast of New South Wales
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Preliminary evidence for a two‐for‐one deal: Wetland restoration for a threatened frog may benefit a threatened bat Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2021-01-19 Chad T. Beranek; Giorginna Xu; John Clulow; Michael Mahony
Habitat restoration is an integral feature of wildlife conservation. However, funding and opportunities for habitat restoration are limited, and therefore, it is useful for targeted restoration to provide positive outcomes for non‐target species. Here, we investigate the possibility of habitat creation and management benefitting two threatened wetland specialists: the Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria
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Taking the bait: The influence of attractants and microhabitat on detections of fauna by remote‐sensing cameras Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2021-01-16 Anthony R. Rendall; John G. White; Raylene Cooke; Desley A. Whisson; Thomas Schneider; Lisa Beilharz; Eleanor Poelsma; Julia Ryeland; Michael A. Weston
Autonomously triggered cameras are a common wildlife survey technique. The use of attractants and surrounding microhabitats is likely to influence detection probabilities and survey outcomes; however, few studies consider these factors. We compared three attractants (peanut butter‐based, tuna‐based and a control) in a Latin square design through a coastal shrubland with high microhabitat variability
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Harvesting of Onion Grass, Romulea rosea L. by Sulphur‐crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita Latham Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-12-15 Gregory M. Moore
The harvesting of Onion Grass (Romulea rosea) corms by flocks of Sulphur‐crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is well known. Individual birds and large flocks feed on the weed in pastures, grasslands and recreational turf. Flocks of Sulphur‐crested Cockatoo were observed feeding on Onion Grass at seven sites along the Maribyrnong River at Keilor, Victoria. Flock size and feeding habits were noted, as
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Landholder perceptions of revegetation on the Atherton Tablelands, far North Queensland Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-12-07 Amy Vos; Kayt Davies
The need to expand areas of native vegetation is clear to ecologists and governments; however, the privately owned nature of most cleared land means landholder support is critical. To improve landholder engagement in revegetation programmes, insight is needed into the information and attitudes being shared in landholder communities, especially by landholders with experience of participation in revegetation
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Characteristics and preferences of volunteers in a large national bird conservation program in Australia Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-11-09 Janelle L. Thomas; Meghan Cullen; Danielle O'Leary; Caroline Wilson; James A. Fitzsimons
Volunteers and citizen scientists can make an important contribution to bird monitoring and threatened species conservation projects. Members of BirdLife Australia’s Threatened Bird Network (TBN), a programme which encouraged community participation in conservation projects for threatened birds, were surveyed in 2013 to gain an insight into their demographics and volunteering motivation and preferences
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Can we make the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration count? Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Tein McDonald; Bruce Clarkson
Preparations are mounting across the globe for the start of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030). The United Nations Environment Programme team is working with multiple partner non‐profit organisations across Australia and New Zealand to promote the main messages of the Decade ‐ which are to ‘massively scale up the restoration of degraded and destroyed ecosystems as a proven
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Potential benefits of biodiversity to Australian vegetation projects registered with the Emissions Reduction Fund—is there a carbon‐biodiversity trade‐off? Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-09-17 Rachel J. Standish; Suzanne M. Prober
Global assessments show biodiversity has already declined beyond ‘safe limits’ across most biomes, calling for large‐scale conservation and restoration interventions. At the same time, the potential and emerging catastrophic impacts of accelerated climate change have led to increasing investment in climate change mitigation efforts through maintaining or sequestering carbon in vegetation biomass, particularly
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Dirk Hartog Island ‘Return to 1616’ Project – The first six years (2014 to 2019) Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Dave Algar; Keith Morris; John Asher; Saul Cowen
Early European land use of Dirk Hartog Island left a legacy of cats, sheep and goats that led to the local extinction of 10 of the Dirk Hartog Island’s 13 mammal species. A successful programme of eradication of these introduced species has resulted in improved habitat quality and is allowing the translocation of the island’s locally extinct native mammals. The island could potentially support one
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Mechanical harvester removes invasive aquatic weeds to restore water quality and fish habitat values on the Burdekin floodplain Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-10-12 Nathan J. Waltham; Merv Pyott; Christina Buelow; Lynise Wearne
Removal of approximately 5 ha of an aquatic weed in late 2016 rapidly improved water quality in a 7 km section of creek on the Burdekin floodplain, northern Queensland – one of many creeks feeding into the Bowling Green Bay RAMSAR wetland. Numbers of native fish species found in the creek increased from one species prior to treatment to 15 species within 2 years. This project concluded that removal
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Modern middens: Shell recycling for restoring an endangered marine ecosystem in Victoria, Australia Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-08-31 Simon Branigan; James Fitzsimons; Chris L. Gillies
Shellfish reefs are one of the most depleted marine ecosystems in the world, and there is considerable interest and efforts to restore the ecosystems. When degraded reefs require the addition of new substrate to support oyster re‐establishment, recycled shells can be used to rebuild new reef bases. Shell recycling as a means of procuring shells was first introduced in Australia by The Nature Conservancy
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Evaluation of intervention aimed at improving reproductive success in Orange‐bellied Parrots Neophema chrysogaster: Lessons, barriers and successes Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-09-09 Dejan Stojanovic; Catherine Young; Shannon Troy; Robert Heinsohn
Assessing feasibility and identifying constraints that affect project implementation is a crucial step for planning long‐term species recovery actions for field‐based programs. We report on the outcomes of a conservation intervention on the most endangered parrot in the world, the Orange‐bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster). We aimed to trial new techniques to increase reproductive success of wild
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Restoring the ecological integrity of a dryland river: Why low flows in the Barwon–Darling River must flow Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-09-16 Martin Mallen‐Cooper; Brenton P Zampatti
For dryland rivers globally, understanding hydro‐ecological function is fundamental to informing trade‐offs between consumptive water use and aquatic ecosystem integrity. The Barwon–Darling is an Australian dryland river system recognised for its hydrological variability, which is considered a primary driver of the riverine ecosystem. Emphasis has been placed on extremes of zero flow and flood but
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Regeneration of native woody species following artificial gap formation in an early‐successional forest in New Zealand Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-09-30 Adrian M. Tulod; David A. Norton
Gap creation in recovering rainforests may reduce the intensity of competition and provide opportunities for later successional species to co‐occur with predominant earlier successional species. This study examined the potential of artificial gaps to facilitate the natural regeneration and establishment of woody species in dense regenerating stands of Kānuka (Kunzea robusta) that have developed following
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Evaluating the success of reintroduction of Pāteke (Brown Teal) to lake and forest habitats in a predator‐controlled preserve in New Zealand Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-10-08 Katie Sheridan; John Waldman
Many of New Zealand’s native bird species have declined due to introduction of exotic mammalian predators and habitat loss. Captive breeding and reintroduction of birds to predator‐controlled environments offer a promising means for species recovery. However, these actions pose challenges to a founder population’s ability to become established. This study evaluates home range attributes and roosting
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Automated broadcast of a predator call did not reduce predation pressure by Sugar Gliders on birds Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-08-09 Giselle Owens; Robert Heinsohn; Sam Eyles; Dejan Stojanovic
Fear may elicit behavioural and physiological responses in animals. We conducted a pilot study aiming to reduce bird nest predation in Tasmania by the introduced Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) by broadcasting calls of predatory owls. We designed a solar‐powered, automated weatherproof stereo for long‐term call broadcast in a forest environment. This device may have useful applications in other environments
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A simple design feature to increase hydro‐period in constructed ephemeral wetlands to avoid tadpole desiccation‐induced mortality Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-09-19 Chad T. Beranek; John Clulow; Michael Mahony
Here, we identify an easily implemented wetland design feature that can prolong tadpole survival of the threatened Green and Golden Bell Frog (Litoria aurea). We observed small depressions that naturally formed within some wetlands following the construction of habitat for this species. We observed that wetlands containing depressions prolonged the survival of Green and Golden Bell Frog tadpoles during
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Monitoring with microchips: Microchip‐automated doors as a potential novel method for tracking the survival of released Northern Brown Bandicoots Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-09-18 Megan C. Edwards; Julia M. Hoy; Sean I. FitzGibbon; Peter J. Murray
Monitoring animals after release to the wild is often limited due to financial and logistical constraints. Microchip‐automated technology has the potential to provide data on microchipped animals’ survival after release and allows access to only the intended, microchipped animals. We aimed to determine whether Northern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus) trained to use microchip‐automated nest boxes
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Short‐term impacts of prescribed burning on Orange‐bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) food plant abundance Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-07-30 Dejan Stojanovic; Teresa Neeman; Ross Crates; Shannon Troy; Robert Heinsohn
Fire has important implications for the availability of suitable types of habitat for animals. Different species vary in their responses to fire, and quantifying the responses of key habitat attributes may facilitate manipulation of fire regimes to improve conditions for species of conservation concern. The Orange‐bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster prefers recently burned habitat for foraging when
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A report on a fisheries conflict management training workshop in Laos Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-07-08 Jennifer Bond; Erin Loury; Sinsamout Ounboundisane
A conflict management training workshop was delivered in October 2019 in Vientiane, Laos, to fisheries practitioners. Discussions held during the workshop highlighted conflict as a key issue within community‐based fisheries management and the need for fisheries staff from various sectors, and the communities they work with, to have an understanding of conflict management concepts and related skills
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Drought, fire, flood and COVID – complex systems and disruption Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-05-28 Tein McDonald
The ‘cure’ for maintaining the health of our human populations from COVID‐19 has been halting social functioning, which is unravelling economic systems and damaging the livelihoods of many people. There will be winners and losers, and social institutions and economies may take long timeframes to recover. Indeed, they may not be the same again. This is not dissimilar to the ecological consequences of
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Operation Crayweed: Ecological and sociocultural aspects of restoring Sydney’s underwater forests Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-05-28 Adriana Vergés; Alexandra H. Campbell; Georgina Wood; Lana Kajlich; Aaron M. Eger; Derrick Cruz; Madelaine Langley; Damon Bolton; Melinda A. Coleman; Jennifer Turpin; Michaelie Crawford; Nigel Coombes; Adam Camilleri; Peter D. Steinberg; Ezequiel M. Marzinelli
Operation Crayweed focuses on the restoration of underwater forests that disappeared from the coastline of Sydney, Australia’s largest city, 40 years previously. We show how a combination of science, hands‐on restoration, community engagement and art has helped the project to reach its goals as well as raise awareness about the importance of underwater kelp forests that are experiencing global decline
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Short‐term response of threatened small macropods and their predators to prescribed burns in subtropical Australia Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-05-11 Darren McHugh; Ross L. Goldingay; Jonathan Parkyn; Allan Goodwin; Mike Letnic
Fire is an important ecological process that shapes vegetation structure and habitat for faunal assemblages globally. Prescribed burns are increasingly being used in conservation and management to restore fire regimes in fire‐suppressed vegetation communities. Small threatened macropods require structurally complex habitat that allows them to evade detection by predators. Given that fire can alter
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PVC nest boxes are less at risk of occupancy by feral honey bees than timber nest boxes and natural hollows Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-05-01 Karleah K. Berris; Michael Barth
Feral European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera ) has been identified as a potential nest competitor for Australian hollow nesting species, but few studies have investigated the impact of feral honey bee competition on Threatened species. Our study used data from Glossy Black‐cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami halmaturinus ) nests on Kangaroo Island, monitored and managed over an 11‐year period, and found
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‘Branching’ with complex coarse woody debris reduces herbivory on recovering erosion scalds Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-05-01 Heather Neilly; Peter Cale
Coarse woody debris (CWD) has many benefits in restoration, including protecting seedlings from herbivory, and it is often reintroduced where CWD is depauperate. At Calperum Station on the Murray River floodplain, artificially applied CWD (‘branching’) is being trialled to restore erosion scalds. At two erosion scalds, we applied 900 m2 of branching and created a 900 m2 branching‐free control. We predicted
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Survival of native seedlings planted by volunteers: The Lower Cotter, ACT case study Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-05-01 Sarah Hnatiuk; Ian Rayner; Matthew Brookhouse; David Freudenberger
Volunteer labour is often used for planting native seedlings for revegetation projects. The survival of such plantings is seldom monitored and reported. The overall survival of seedlings at three years of age was assessed for eight years of plantings established by nearly 15,000 volunteers in the Lower Cotter River catchment in the Australian Capital Territory. Mean survival was 66.8% across all years
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Nest box revealed habitat preferences of arboreal mammals in box‐ironbark forest Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-04-28 Ross L. Goldingay; Darren G. Quin; Orlando Talamo; Janice Mentiplay‐Smith
Habitat preferences need to be understood if species are to be adequately managed or conserved. Habitat preferences are presumed to reflect requirements for food, shelter and breeding, as well as interactions with predators and competitors. However, one or more of these requirements may dominate. Tree‐cavity‐dependent wildlife species are one example where shelter or breeding site requirements may
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Is supplementation an efficient management action to increase genetic diversity in translocated populations? Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-04-26 Carlo Pacioni; Amanda Atkinson; Sabrina Trocini; Christine Rafferty; Kelly Morley; Peter B. S. Spencer
It is generally assumed that population supplementation will improve the genetic diversity of the recipient populations. However, the genetic outcomes of supplementations are rarely tested. We used population modelling to predict how the supplementation programme in a translocated Woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi ) population influences their genetic makeup. Our model projections were then compared
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Nest box contentions: Are nest boxes used by the species they target? Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-04-16 Ross L. Goldingay; David Rohweder; Brendan D. Taylor
Nest boxes have grown in popularity as a habitat management tool in Australia during the last decade. This management use remains contentious because some studies suggest nest boxes are ineffective. There are three recent contentions: (i) nest boxes mostly benefit common species, (ii) exotic species may be dominant users of nest boxes, and (iii) species of conservation concern use nest boxes infrequently
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Ageing culturally significant relic trees in southeast Queensland to support bushfire management strategies Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-04-09 Michael R. Ngugi; Jon Knight; Quan Hua; Ralph Dowling; David Kington; Darren Burns
Appropriate fire management strategies are needed to protect forests and large old ecologically and culturally significant trees in natural landscapes. The aim of this study was to determine the age of large old and relic trees of cultural significance that included Cypress Pine (Callitris columellaris F. Muell.), a species that is sensitive to crown scorching fires in a fire‐prone landscape, and to
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Conserving the endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi): Establishing a semi‐arid population within a fenced safe haven Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-03-12 Michael Smith; Georgia Volck; Nicola Palmer; Chantelle Jackson; Carly Moir; Raquel Parker; Bryony Palmer; Adele Thomasz
Measuring and monitoring population size and growth are critical to assessing the progress and ultimately the success (or failure) of a reintroduction. The Woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi ) is one of Australia's threatened critical weight range mammals. To increase the species' area of occupancy, extent of occurrence, number of sub‐populations and global population size, in addition to creating
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Some personal reflections on the present and future of Australia’s fauna in an increasingly fire‐prone continent Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-03-11 Chris Dickman; Tein McDonald
Australia already has the highest rate of species loss of any region in the world, yet the risks suddenly worsened in the spring–summer of 2019–20, with an unprecedented chain of wildfires covering 10 M ha of the nation’s forest and woodland estate. Fires of this scale were unprecedented and not factored into recovery plans for Threatened Species or ecosystem management in general. EMR asks one of
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The long view – looking back to more securely move forward Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-01-23 Tein McDonald
The aspiration of EMR is to help bridge the gap between science and practice; and the feature articles that are (uniquely for any journal) published in each issue of EMR play an important role in that aspiration. It is no surprise then, that the mechanisms we decided to use to celebrate the journal’s 20 years of publication was to compile a virtual issue that republishes over 20 feature articles representing
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Australian Island Arks: Conservation, Management and Opportunities Dorian Moro, Derek Ball and Sally Bryant (eds.). CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South, 2018. 272 pp. Price AUD $79.95 (paperback; ePDF also available). ISBN 9781486306602 Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-01-23 Toby Travers
Islands hold a special place in Australia’s conservation landscape. We do not tend to think of Australia as a meta‐archipelago; however, Australia holds stewardship over more islands than the Caribbean Archipelago and New Zealand combined. Islands play an important role in Australia’s conservation landscape not only for their own unique ecosystems but also as safe havens for translocated species that
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The role of historical sources in the restoration of Long Swamp, Discovery Bay, Victoria Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-01-23 Mark R. Bachmann
Inspired by the success of restoration efforts in the adjacent Piccaninnie Ponds Karst Wetlands Ramsar site, the local community was anxious for progress to address observed changes to the hydrology of Long Swamp, near Nelson, Victoria. Uncertainty about the original character and condition of the wetland system required deep exploration of a vast range of historical reference material. This is a story
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Large‐scale, long‐term ecosystem monitoring: Interview with David Lindenmayer Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2020-01-02 David Lindenmayer; Tein McDonald
David Lindenmayer leads six large‐scale, long‐term research programmes in south‐eastern Australia to help conserve biodiversity in restored areas on farmland as well as conservation in reserves, national parks, wood production forests and plantations. What makes this award‐winning researcher tick and how is the research influencing biodiversity management and policy?
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Objectives versus realities: Spatial, temporal, financial and social deficiencies in Australia’s public revegetation investment model Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-12-30 Stuart J. Collard; Patrick J. O’Connor; Thomas A. A. Prowse; Daniel Gregg; Anthelia J. Bond
Past and continuing fragmentation and modification of ecosystems, as well as other threatening processes, cause ongoing biodiversity losses and species extinctions in Australia. At the same time as biodiversity declines, government funding for conservation and restoration is diminishing, leading to reduced action and greater reliance on private investment and community groups. In order to maintain
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Should I plant or should I sow? Restoration outcomes compared across seven riparian revegetation projects Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-12-20 Joe Greet; Fiona Ede; Dan Robertson; Scott McKendrick
To revegetate native plant communities, it is often cheaper to direct seed than to plant nursery‐grown stock. However, the outcomes of direct seeding can be quite variable, and it is unclear whether direct seeding or planting is more likely to facilitate the restoration of diverse plant communities. To address this question, we compared the outcomes of each method across several recent riparian revegetation
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Values of weedy regrowth for rainforest restoration Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-12-17 Carla P. Catterall
Can weedy regrowth be sometimes useful in restoration? Former pastures, created historically by deforestation and other interventions but then retired from agricultural use, now provide a major opportunity for forest restoration. Globally, forest has begun to regenerate spontaneously at large scales on many such retired pasture lands. Additionally, non‐native species are increasingly often the first
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Habitat preferences and habitat restoration options for small‐bodied and juvenile fish species in the northern Murray–Darling Basin Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-12-09 Michael Hutchison; Andrew Norris; David Nixon
Degradation of instream habitats in the northern Murray–Darling Basin has occurred through numerous stressors, including siltation, clearing of bankside vegetation, intrusion of livestock and impacts of pest species. A better understanding of habitat preferences of native fish species could help guide future instream habitat restoration actions. The habitat choices of seven native fish species, juvenile
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Restoration goals: Why are fauna still overlooked in the process of recovering functioning ecosystems and what can be done about it? Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-11-12 Sophie L. Cross; Philip W. Bateman; Adam T. Cross
Despite the evidence that fauna play complex and critical roles in ecosystems (e.g. pollination and nutrient cycling) and the knowledge that they need to be considered in restoration, fauna often remain poorly represented in restoration goal setting, monitoring and assessments of restoration success. Fauna clearly are integral to the aspirations of achieving full ecosystem recovery. However, over‐reaching
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A structured analysis of risk to important wildlife elements in three Australian Wildlife Conservancy sanctuaries Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-10-31 Michael Smith; Chantelle Jackson; Nicola Palmer; Bryony Palmer
Where data and information are lacking, structured expert risk assessments can provide a powerful tool to progress natural resource planning. In many situations, practitioners make informal assessments of risk within small groups that typically constitute employees. In this study, we report on three small (in terms of experts) structured expert‐based risk assessment case studies conducted by expert
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Efficacy of intervention to relieve nest box competition for Orange‐bellied Parrot Neophema chrysogaster Ecol. Manag. Restor. (IF 1.086) Pub Date : 2019-10-25 Dejan Stojanovic; Catherine M. Young; Shannon Troy
We use an experimental approach to evaluate the effectiveness of removing nests of a dominant competitor to create vacant nest boxes for a critically endangered parrot. We compared the number of times that Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans – the dominant competitor at nest boxes) perched at or entered nest boxes intended for Orange‐bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster – the subordinate nest competitor)
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