The monitoring and assessment of prawn populations in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has been identified as a continuing research priority by both the fishing industry and the fisheries managers. This dissertation presents a series of dynamic population models developed to evaluate the status of the eastern king prawn (Melicertus plebejus) and eastern school prawn (Metapenaeus macleayi) populations within NSW and to analyse the relative performance of a number of alternative management strategies involving the three fisheries that target these species. Monthly commercial prawn catch and effort data from 1984 to 2006 were used to calibrate the stock assessment models. Where possible, the results of previous research were used to develop the structure of the model and to provide estimates of biological parameters. A process of increasing model complexity, including the addition of physical processes, such as river discharge events and economic considerations, was undertaken in an attempt to develop the most appropriate model for the analysis of management strategies. The first model presented was used to undertake a single-species assessment of the eastern king prawn stock and was based on a delay-difference population model with four different representations of recruitment. This model was calibrated to observations using the Bayesian sampling/importance re-sampling method and used to test the effect of significant changes in the future catch on the stock. The second model presented is a size-based metapopulation model which incorporated the dynamics of school prawns over three habitats, being harvested by three different fishing methods. This model was used to test the effect of alternative climate variability scenarios on the stock. The third model presented is a multi-species, multi-fishery bio-economic model. This model was used to examine the impact of nine alternative economic scenarios, incorporating various combinations of input costs and product prices. The results from the use of these models indicated that neither of the prawn population appeared to be over-exploited. The analyses also indicated that none of the alternative management strategies were found to stand-out enough to justify a move away from the current management strategy of input controls and spatio-temporal closures, even under a range of future scenarios including climate change and large movements in input costs and product prices.

No description available.

I studied aspects of the ecology of the Murray River turtle, Emydura macquarii, to determine the impact of the introduced red fox, Vulpes vulpes. The fox is one of Australia's worst vertebrate pests through its predation on livestock and native mammals, but their impact on reptilian communities is not known. I conducted a large-scale mark-recapture study to evaluate population growth of E. macquarii in the Albury region of the upper Murray River by determining growth, reproduction and survival. The study was conducted downstream of the first, and largest, impoundment on the Murray River, Lake Hume. Emydura macquarii predominantly inhabit the lagoons in the upper Murray River, as the mainstream and Lake are possibly too cool to maintain metabolic processes. They are easily captured in hoop traps and the use of live decoys maximises trap success. Over 2000 hatchling turtles were marked and released into two lagoons between January 1997 and January 1998. Growth of these individuals is rapid over the first few years but declines towards maturity, and is indeterminate after maturity. Although growth annuli are not well defined, even on young individuals, the von Bertalanffy model describes the growth of both male and female E. macquarii. Male turtles mature at 5-6 years and females mature at 10-12 years. Female turtles may maximise reproductive potential by delaying maturity and producing one relatively large clutch (mean = 21 eggs) per year, which is positively correlated with body size (PL). Although primarily related to body size, clutch size varies annually because of environmental conditions. If winter and summer rainfalls are below average and temperatures are above average, E. macquarii may reduce clutch size to increase the chance of the eggs surviving. Nesting predominantly occurs during the first major rain-bearing depression in November. Habitat variables, including distance from water, nearest nest, and tree, and soil type were measured for each nest to determine characteristics that attract predators. Nests close to the shoreline and trees are heavily preyed on, and nests constructed in sand are less likely to be destroyed by predators. Foxes detect nests through a combination of chemical cues from eggs and slight soil disturbances, whereas birds only destroy nests observed being constructed during the day. Female turtles alter nesting behaviour and construct nests much further away from water when foxes were removed and as a result, nests are less dense and away from trees. Thus in high predation risk areas, turtles minimise emergence and search times to reduce the risk of direct predation by foxes. Predation is reduced when nests are in lower densities and away from trees, because predators increase search efforts when nests are in higher densities and birds are more likely to destroy nests close to trees. Reproductive success is further reduced in high predation risk areas because more nests are constructed in sandy substrates where clutch success is reduced compared to incubation in more dense substrates. Where predators are a significant source of mortality, prey may use indirect methods, such as chemical recognition, to avoid encounters. Nesting turtles did not avoid areas where fox odour was present, suggesting that they assess predation pressure from foxes by other mechanisms, such as visual recognition. However, an innate response occurs to the odour of a once common predator on the Murray River, the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus), whereby turtles recognise and avoid nesting in areas where quoll odour is present. Therefore nesting turtles show a similar avoidance response to two different predators, using different mechanisms of detection. Similarly, predation risk may influence hatching times and nest emergence. The rate of embryonic development of E. macquarii may increase or eggs may hatch early so that the clutch hatches synchronously, thereby reducing the risk of predation through group emergence from the nest. Emydura macquarii reach densities of over 100 turtles.ha-1, with the majority of the population consisting of sexually mature individuals. Emydura macquarii has a Type III survival curve where mortality is extremely high in the egg stage (93% nest predation), remaining high over the hatchling stage (minimum survival rate- 10%), but decreasing rapidly throughout the juvenile stage (~70% juvenile survival). Adult survival is extremely high, with greater than 95% of adults surviving each year. Foxes through nest predation cause most mortality but a small proportion (~3%) of nesting adult females are killed by foxes each year. A removal program evaluated the impact of foxes. In 1996, fox numbers were monitored around four lagoons by spotlighting and non-toxic bait uptake. Foxes were removed from around two of the lagoons throughout 1997 and 1998, using spotlight shooting and 1080 bait poisoning. Fox numbers were continually monitored around all four lagoons during the study. Nest predation rates remained around 90% in all sites where foxes were present, but fell to less than 50% when foxes were removed. At the same time, predation on nesting female turtles was eliminated where foxes were removed. Demographic models using staged based survival schedules, together with growth and fecundity values for E. macquarii show a decline of 4% per year in these populations. Elasticity analyses shows that survival of adult female E. macquarii has the major influence on population stability and a reduction of nest predation alone is unlikely to address the population decline. Management options, such as reducing foxes prior to nesting around key lagoons, will stabilise the population decline, and eliminating foxes completely from certain areas with high dispersal potential, will promote recruitment of juvenile E. macquarii.

No description available.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2006. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Populations of strongly endangered species Orchis mascula and endangered Dactylorhiza majalis were monitored at Peklo area since 2000. In May 2002, another strongly endangered orchid species Orchis ustulata was discovered. The major increase in counts of O. ustulata towards stable numbers of O. mascula and D. majalis populations was detected during the seven year period of plant monitoring. The aim of this study was to reveal a connection between the climate conditions and orchid vitality, using biometrical plant data gained between 2005 to 2011. In order to evaluate a steady state of investigated area, the extensive phytocoenological sampling was conducted. The obtained data revealed several different loci at the screened grassland, which can be defined with presence of distinctive species. In blooming individuals of O. mascula, March temperature was the most defining factor. Parameters studied (number of leaves and blossoms, size of leaves, lenght of stems and duration of flowering) increased with decreasing March temperature. The blooming proved to be important factor, if a plant was in flower that year or the preceeding year, the number and the size of leaves was larger. The blooming in two subsequent years enhanced this described effect even more. The comparison of blooming individuals of O. ustulata revealed that plants growing in clusters were non flowering but bigger in size. Other positive correlation with investigated parameters had precipitation in December. However, the comparison of all plants showed generally smaller size of cluster forming plants. This overall analysis pointed out the influence of low temperature in October, the plants were smaller in size and amount of sterile individuals rised. All collected data and generated comparisons support earlier findings about influence of temperature and precipitation on the orchid population dynamics.

Evaluation of biometric data, obtained a long-term monitoring of the species d. majalis and d. fuchsii on Českobudějovicka sites in the context of the specific conditions (Climate, management). Design of any adjustments of the existing management of sites.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A field population survey of Ochetina uniformis (Pascoe, 1881) (Coleoptera: Erirhinidae, Erirhininae) was performed at Santa Maria, RS, in a flooded rice commercial field, between quarterly June 2005 to July 2006 (rice was grown between October 2005 to March 2006). A stratified sampling was used approach; quarterly 90 randomized samples were taken in plots measuring 0.25 x 0.25 m, with total of 24 samples during the survey period. There was a reduction in the population of O. uniformis starting from July 2005 to January 2006. Soil tillage affected the population of O. uniformis in the rice field, and did not affected the population on the hibernation areas. Some areas showed no insects and another showed a few number of individuals, indicting grouping behavior. Adults of O. uniformis, are concentrated in the levees, representing 44% of the total number os insects. The population reduced between the levees to the middle of the field, with averaging 14% inside the field. From January to February, a reduced number of adults were verified in the levee. Outside the cultivated area there were no adults of O. uniformis during the 12 months survey period. In this study high populations of O. uniformis, were concentrated in the levees of the field for a period of six months, from July to December of 2005. It was observed a large number of dead adult of O. uniformis infected by Beauveria bassiana. / Um levantamento populacional de Ochetina uniformis (Pascoe, 1881) (Coleoptera: Erirhinidae) foi realizado no município de Santa Maria, RS, em lavoura comercial de arroz irrigado, no período de junho de 2005 a julho de 2006. Um sistema de amostragem, estratificado foi realizado, onde 90 unidades amostrais, cada uma com dimensão de 25 x 25 cm, ou 0,625 m2/ unidade, foram retiradas quinzenalmente, no momento da amostragem. Foram feitas 24 amostragens da fase adulta. Houve uma redução da população de O. uniformis a partir do mês de julho de 2005 a janeiro de 2006. O preparo do solo interfere na população de espécimens de O. uniformis, principalmente no interior da área cultivada. Em algumas coletas verificou-se áreas desocupadas ou com poucos exemplares e outras com altas densidades populacionais, demonstrando ocorrência agregada entre os insetos. Pode-se afirmar que os adultos de O. uniformis, permanecem concentrados nas bordas da lavoura (taipas), representando 44% do total coletado. O restante encontra-se distribuídos da borda da lavoura para o interior, atingindo valores entre 12,9 e 15,1%. Nos meses de janeiro e final de fevereiro, verificou-se um número reduzido de adultos no refúgio. A ocorrência de adultos de O. uniformis, no exterior da área cultivada, foi inexistente durante os 12 meses de avaliação. No presente trabalho, altas populações de O. uniformis, permanecem concentradas nas bordas da lavoura por um período de seis meses, ou seja, de julho a dezembro de 2005. Houve um elevado número de adultos de O. uniformis, mortos e infectados por Beauveria bassiana.

Kyoto University (京都大学) / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第18312号 / 農博第2037号 / 新制||農||1020(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H26||N4819(農学部図書室) / 31170 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科地域環境科学専攻 / (主査)教授 天野 洋, 教授 田中 千尋, 教授 松浦 健二 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当