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55 results for “Australian rainforest”
What do we know about the missing millions of Earth's insect species: evidence from Australian tropical rainforest bark beetles?
<p><span>Only 20% of the estimated five million species of insects on Earth are named despite over 240 years of taxonomy. Yet insects are poorly represented in protected area assessments, and insect declines are of concern globally. Here we explore how to increase the discovery of new species and understanding of this group through analysis of 10,097 tropical rainforest bark beetles (Scolytinae) from eight different ecological studies using beetles between 2000 and 2018 in the Australian Wet Tropics. Of the 107 species identified, 58 are undescribed: an increase of 35% on the 166 species known from Australia. As hypothesised, new species are significantly smaller, less abundant and less widespread than described species making them more extinction prone than named species. Rarefaction indicates doubling sampling would increase the number of species by 17. Flight Interception Traps (FIT) collected 84% of individuals and 98% of species confirming the effectiveness of a single sampling method for some beetles. Increased locations and collection from the canopy may sample further species rather than additional collecting methods.<span> </span>Scolytines are relatively well studied with a cadre of taxonomists at the forefront of using modern methods to resolve formerly intractable groups. These new species are more likely to be named than others in many other beetle groups where taxonomy has largely stalled. To increase species description rates and to avoid most species becoming extinct before being named, we call on taxonomists to use new character systems provided by DNA methods and to look at working with Artificial Intelligence tools.<span> </span></span></p>
Laying low: Rugged lowland rainforest preferred by feral cats in the Australian wet tropics
<p>Invasive mesopredators are responsible for the decline of many species of native mammals worldwide. Feral cats have been causally linked to multiple extinctions of Australian mammals since European colonisation. While feral cats are found throughout Australia, most research has been undertaken in arid habitats, thus there is a limited understanding of feral cat distribution, abundance, and ecology in Australian tropical rainforests. We carried out camera-trapping surveys at 108 locations across seven study sites, spanning 200 km in the Australian Wet Tropics. Single-species occupancy analysis was implemented to investigate how environmental factors influence feral cat distribution. Feral cats were detected at a rate of 5.09 photographs/100 days, 11 times higher than previously recorded in the Australian Wet Tropics. The main environmental factors influencing feral cat occupancy were a positive association with terrain ruggedness, a negative association with elevation, and a higher affinity for rainforest than eucalypt forest. These findings were consistent with other studies on feral cat ecology but differed from similar surveys in Australia. Increasingly harsh and consistently wet weather conditions at higher elevations, and improved shelter in topographically complex habitats may drive cat preference for lowland rainforest. Feral cats were positively associated with roads, supporting the theory that roads facilitate access and colonisation of feral cats within more remote parts of the rainforest. Higher elevation rainforests with no roads could act as refugia for native prey species within the critical weight range. Regular monitoring of existing roads should be implemented to monitor feral cats, and new linear infrastructure should be limited to prevent encroachment into these areas. This is pertinent as climate change modelling suggests that habitats at higher elevations will become similar to lower elevations, potentially making the environment more suitable for feral cat populations.</p>
Laying low: Rugged lowland rainforest preferred by feral cats in the Australian wet tropics
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Data from: Fine partitioning of epiphyte habitat within Johansson zones in tropical Australian rainforest trees
For over three decades, the Johansson zones have been widely used in epiphyte studies as a way of stratifying the host tree into habitat zones, however, the usefulness of this system has been questioned. We test the effectiveness of the Johansson zones by grouping epiphyte species by the substrate and microclimatic attributes of their individual occurrences and assessing the fidelity of these groups to the Johansson zones. Habitat characteristics were recorded for every individual epiphyte on 30 trees in the lower montane rainforests of north-eastern Australia. Twenty-four epiphyte species were agglomerated into four groups using Ward's method. Group 4 was highly distinct and included shade loving species and nomadic vines from the lower zones of the host trees. Group 3 contained species from the most exposed habitats. Group 1 had higher light levels and lower substrate thickness than Group 2, yet both groups had close to identical distributions over the Johansson zones. This suggests that groups of epiphyte species may utilise different micro-sites within the same zone. While the Johansson zones are a useful tool in epiphyte studies, finer partitioning of habitat within the host tree may be missed.
Data from: Ants as ecological indicators of rainforest restoration: community convergence and the development of an Ant Forest Indicator Index in the Australian wet tropics
Ecosystem restoration can help reverse biodiversity loss, but whether faunal communities of forests undergoing restoration converge with those of primary forest over time remains contentious. There is a need to develop faunal indicators of restoration success that more comprehensively reflect changes in biodiversity and ecosystem function. Ants are an ecologically dominant faunal group and are widely advocated as ecological indicators. We examine ant species and functional group responses on a chronosequence of rainforest restoration in northern Australia, and develop a novel method for selecting and using indicator species. Four sampling techniques were used to survey ants at 48 sites, from grassland, through various ages (1–24 years) of restoration plantings, to mature forest. From principal components analysis of seven vegetation metrics, we derived a Forest Development Index (FDI) of vegetation change along the chronosequence. A novel Ant Forest Indicator Index (AFII), based on the occurrences of ten key indicator species associated with either grassland or mature forest, was used to assess ant community change with forest restoration. Grasslands and mature forests supported compositionally distinct ant communities at both species and functional levels. The AFII was strongly correlated with forest development (FDI). At forest restoration sites older than 5–10 years that had a relatively closed canopy, ant communities converged on those of mature rainforest, indicating a promising restoration trajectory for fauna as well as plants. Our findings reinforce the utility of ants as ecological indicators and emphasize the importance of restoration methods that achieve rapid closed-canopy conditions. The novel AFII assessed restoration status from diverse and patchily distributed species, closely tracking ant community succession using comprehensive species-level data. It has wide applicability for assessing forest restoration in a way that is relatively independent of sampling methodology and intensity, and without a need for new comparative data from reference sites.
Supplementary material 3 from: Bernich A, French K, Bedward M (2024) Assessing the invasion potential of five common exotic vine species in temperate Australian rainforests. NeoBiota 90: 79-96. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.90.110659
The dry weight of the individuals used as the initial values to calculate relative growth rates for each species
Supplementary material 2 from: Bernich A, French K, Bedward M (2024) Assessing the invasion potential of five common exotic vine species in temperate Australian rainforests. NeoBiota 90: 79-96. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.90.110659
Difference in mean and 95% bounds, as well as the percentage overlap of mean values reported as a probabilty (Probability higher than LL) for the seven species grown in the study
Supplementary material 1 from: Bernich A, French K, Bedward M (2024) Assessing the invasion potential of five common exotic vine species in temperate Australian rainforests. NeoBiota 90: 79-96. https://doi.org/10.3897/neobiota.90.110659
Difference in mean and 95% bounds, as well as the percentage overlap of mean values reported as a probabilty (Probability higher) between species for the physiological measurements taken
Fig. 1 in Leaf fossils show a 40-million-year history for the Australian tropical rainforest genus Megahertzia (Proteaceae)
Fig. 1. Megahertzia paleoamplexicaulis leaf specimens. All except (a) are scans by R. S. Hill, University of Adelaide, of D. C. Christophel photographs that were obtained using yellow filtering and fluorescence to show venation; all such images are held in the D.T. Blackburn collection at the University of Adelaide. Compare features shown in Fig. 3. (a, b) P257421 (holotype); (a) recent image, (b) image first shown as fig. 7C in Christophel et al. (1987). (c) AN1806. Note the amplexicaul leaf base. (d) P257291. Note the spinose, acute apex. (e) P257303. (f) P257294. This specimen is likely to have five lobes (including the terminal lobe). (g) AN1807. Scale bar: 1 cm.
Fig. 2 in Leaf fossils show a 40-million-year history for the Australian tropical rainforest genus Megahertzia (Proteaceae)
Fig. 2. Images of Megahertzia paleoamplexicaulis cuticle under (a–d, i) light and (e–h, j) scanning electron microscopy. Compare features shown in Fig. 3. (a) Slide P231730, showing stomata on abaxial side within small areoles. (b) Slide P231734. Note trichome base at upper left and sinuous anticlinal walls. (c) Slide P231730. Note trichome base at upper left and relatively straight anticlinal walls. (d) Slide P231730. Note striations. (e) Outer abaxial surface from leaf AN1806, showing stomatal pores and fine striations. (f) Inner abaxial cuticle from slide P231732. Note slightly granular surface mostly associated with normal pavement cells, and evidence of subsidiary cell striations. (g) Inner abaxial cuticle from leaf P257295. Note granulations. (h) Inner abaxial cuticle from an uncatalogued leaf specimen. Note granulations especially associated with pavement cells. (i) P231735, showing trichome base on adaxial side associated with 11 cells. Note striations radiating from base. (j) Inner adaxial cuticle from slide P231732, showing the position of a trichome base associated with five cells at upper left. Scale bars: (a) 200 µm; (b, c) 100 µm; (e) 50 µm; (d, i) 25 µm; (f, g, j) 20 µm; (h) 10 µm.
Fig. 3 in Leaf fossils show a 40-million-year history for the Australian tropical rainforest genus Megahertzia (Proteaceae)
Fig. 3. Images of extant Megahertzia foliage (a, b), and cuticle, under (c–e, h) light and (f, g, i) scanning electron microscopy. Compare features shown in Fig. 1 and 2. (a) Note amplexicaul leaf bases (courtesy G. Sankowsky, Tolga, Qld). (b) AQ020534. Note lobes, spinose teeth and the acute apex of the lobe at upper right. (c) AQ645333. Note the stomata within obvious areoles. (d) AQ645333. Note cuticular striations; a trichome base is located near centre. (e) AQ645333. Note cuticular striations. (f) Outer abaxial surface, showing stomatal pores and striations. (g) Inner abaxial cuticle associated with a stomate. Note granulations. (h) AQ645333, showing obvious striations. (i) Outer adaxial cuticle showing a trichome base at lower left with radiating striations. Scale bars: (c) 200 µm; (d) 100 µm; (i) 50 µm; (e, h) 25 µm; (f, g) 20 µm.
FIGURE 6 in A new Raspy Cricket from the northern Australian Rainforests (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae)
FIGURE 6. Adult female. Chauliogryllacris acaropenates Rentz, Su, Béthoux, sp. nov. attacked by ants in early evening as she attempts to leave burrow.
FIGURE 5 in A new Raspy Cricket from the northern Australian Rainforests (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae)
FIGURE 5. Chauliogryllacris acaropenates Rentz, Su, Béthoux, sp. nov., male tegmina and wing venation.
FIGURE 3 in A new Raspy Cricket from the northern Australian Rainforests (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae)
FIGURE 3. Chauliogryllacris acaropenates Rentz, Su, Béthoux, sp. nov., A, male, stridulatory pegs on side of abdomen. B, left hind femur. Note stridulatory tubercles, including some in the middle of the femur.
FIGURE 2 in A new Raspy Cricket from the northern Australian Rainforests (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae)
FIGURE 2. Chauliogryllacris acaropenates Rentz, Su, Béthoux, sp. nov. A, Adult male with mandibles agape. B, male left hind tibia. C, male right fore tibia. D, female left hind femur. E, male ventral view thorax and first abdominal segments.
FIGURE 1 in A new Raspy Cricket from the northern Australian Rainforests (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae)
FIGURE 1. Chauliogryllacris acaropenates Rentz, Su, Béthoux, sp. nov. A, Adult male abroad at night. B, Adult female within rolled leaf just prior to dark. C, Second last instar male feeding at oatmeal trail at night. D, Adult female.
FIGURE 4 in A new Raspy Cricket from the northern Australian Rainforests (Orthoptera: Gryllacrididae)
FIGURE 4. Chauliogryllacris acaropenates Rentz, Su, Béthoux, sp. nov., A, lateral view left side male abdomen. Note truncated projection from subgenital plate. B, male tip of abdomen, dorsal view. Note protruding genital hooks and prongs of subgenital plate and truncated tenth tergite with surface rugulose. C, male subgenital plate ventral view. D, soft portion of male genitalia with stout setae. E, male, tip of abdomen, subgenital plate removed revealing genital hooks. F, female subgenital plate, ventral view.
FIGURE 20 in Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: new Phaneropterine Katydids from Queensland Rainforests (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Phaneropterinae)
FIGURE 20. Currimundria delicata Rentz, Su & Ueshima, new species. a, karyotype; b, spermatogonial metaphase; c, first metaphase; d, second metaphase with X; e, seconds metaphase without X. Scale 10 µm.
FIGURE 24 in Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: new Phaneropterine Katydids from Queensland Rainforests (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Phaneropterinae)
FIGURE 24. Diastella hilleri Rentz, Su & Ueshima, new species. a, karyotype; b, first metaphase; c, first anaphase. Scale 10 µm.
FIGURE 15 in Studies in Australian Tettigoniidae: new Phaneropterine Katydids from Queensland Rainforests (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Phaneropterinae)
FIGURE 15. Diastella kuranda Rentz, Su & Ueshima, new species. A, B, adult males. C, Adult female. Note variation in size and colour of abdominal spot.
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Allen Brain Atlas
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DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
DANDI is a BRAIN Initiative archive for publishing and sharing neurophysiology data, including electrophysiology, optophysiology, and behavioral data packaged as NWB and related standards.
International Brain Laboratory public data
The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
OpenNeuro is a free, open platform for sharing neuroimaging datasets, with public search, dataset pages, and download paths for web, S3, DataLad, and the OpenNeuro CLI.