Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

ADVERTISEMENT RETURN TO ISSUEPREVViewpointNEXTA New OECD Definition for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl SubstancesZhanyun Wang*Zhanyun WangChair of Ecological Systems Design, Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zürich, John-von-Neumann-Weg 9, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland*Email: [email protected]More by Zhanyun WangView Biographyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9914-7659, Andreas M. BuserAndreas M. BuserSwiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), 3063 Ittigen, SwitzerlandMore by Andreas M. Buser, Ian T. CousinsIan T. CousinsDepartment of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, SwedenMore by Ian T. Cousinshttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7035-8660, Silvia DemattioSilvia DemattioEuropean Chemicals Agency, Telakkakatu 6, 00150 Helsinki, FinlandMore by Silvia Demattio, Wiebke DrostWiebke DrostGerman Environment Agency, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844 Dessau-Roßlau, GermanyMore by Wiebke Drost, Olof JohanssonOlof JohanssonSwedish Chemicals Agency, Esplanaden 3A, 172 67 Sundbyberg, SwedenMore by Olof Johansson, Koichi OhnoKoichi OhnoHealth and Environmental Risk Division, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, JapanMore by Koichi Ohno, Grace PatlewiczGrace PatlewiczCenter for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina 27711, United StatesMore by Grace Patlewicz, Ann M. RichardAnn M. RichardCenter for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, Durham, North Carolina 27711, United StatesMore by Ann M. Richardhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-2116-2300, Glen W. WalkerGlen W. WalkerDepartment of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Australian Government, General Post Office Box 858, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2601, AustraliaMore by Glen W. Walker, Graham S. WhiteGraham S. WhiteNew Substances Assessment and Control Bureau, Safe Environments Directorate, Health Canada, Ottawa K1A 0K9, CanadaMore by Graham S. White, and Eeva LeinalaEeva LeinalaEnvironment, Health and Safety Division, Environment Directorate, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2, rue André Pascal, 75016, Paris, FranceMore by Eeva LeinalaCite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2021, 55, 23, 15575–15578Publication Date (Web):November 9, 2021Publication History Received12 October 2021Published online9 November 2021Published inissue 7 December 2021https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.1c06896https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c06896article-commentaryACS PublicationsCopyright © 2021 American Chemical Society. This publication is available under these Terms of Use. Request reuse permissions This publication is free to access through this site. Learn MoreArticle Views24976Altmetric-Citations69LEARN ABOUT THESE METRICSArticle Views are the COUNTER-compliant sum of full text article downloads since November 2008 (both PDF and HTML) across all institutions and individuals. These metrics are regularly updated to reflect usage leading up to the last few days.Citations are the number of other articles citing this article, calculated by Crossref and updated daily. Find more information about Crossref citation counts.The Altmetric Attention Score is a quantitative measure of the attention that a research article has received online. Clicking on the donut icon will load a page at altmetric.com with additional details about the score and the social media presence for the given article. Find more information on the Altmetric Attention Score and how the score is calculated. Share Add toView InAdd Full Text with ReferenceAdd Description ExportRISCitationCitation and abstractCitation and referencesMore Options Share onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail PDF (2 MB) Get e-AlertscloseSUBJECTS:Alkyls,Aromatic compounds,Carbene compounds,Chemical structure,Chemoinformatics Get e-Alerts

The methods for estimating methane emissions from cattle as used in the Australian national inventory are based on older data that have now been superseded by a large amount of more recent data. Recent data suggested that the current inventory emissions estimates can be improved. To address this issue, a total of 1034 individual animal records of daily methane production (MP) was used to reassess the relationship between MP and each of dry matter intake (DMI) and gross energy intake (GEI). Data were restricted to trials conducted in the past 10 years using open-circuit respiration chambers, with cattle fed forage-based diets (forage >70%). Results from diets considered to inhibit methanogenesis were omitted from the dataset. Records were obtained from dairy cattle fed temperate forages (220 records), beef cattle fed temperate forages (680 records) and beef cattle fed tropical forages (133 records). Relationships were very similar for all three production categories and single relationships for MP on a DMI or GEI basis were proposed for national inventory purposes. These relationships were MP (g/day) = 20.7 (±0.28) × DMI (kg/day) (R2 = 0.92, P < 0.001) and MP (MJ/day) = 0.063 (±0.008) × GEI (MJ/day) (R2 = 0.93, P < 0.001). If the revised MP (g/day) approach is used to calculate Australia’s national inventory, it will reduce estimates of emissions of forage-fed cattle by 24%. Assuming a global warming potential of 25 for methane, this represents a 12.6 Mt CO2-e reduction in calculated annual emissions from Australian cattle.

Context Many Australian mammal species are highly susceptible to predation by introduced domestic cats (Felis catus) and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). These predators have caused many extinctions and have driven large distributional and population declines for many more species. The serendipitous occurrence of, and deliberate translocations of mammals to, ‘havens’ (cat- and fox-free offshore islands, and mainland fenced exclosures capable of excluding cats and foxes) has helped avoid further extinction. Aims The aim of this study was to conduct a stocktake of current island and fenced havens in Australia and assess the extent of their protection for threatened mammal taxa that are most susceptible to cat and fox predation. Methods Information was collated from diverse sources to document (1) the locations of havens and (2) the occurrence of populations of predator-susceptible threatened mammals (naturally occurring or translocated) in those havens. The list of predator-susceptible taxa (67 taxa, 52 species) was based on consensus opinion from >25 mammal experts. Key results Seventeen fenced and 101 island havens contain 188 populations of 38 predator-susceptible threatened mammal taxa (32 species). Island havens cover a larger cumulative area than fenced havens (2152 km2 versus 346 km2), and reach larger sizes (largest island 325 km2, with another island of 628 km2 becoming available from 2018; largest fence: 123 km2). Islands and fenced havens contain similar numbers of taxa (27 each), because fenced havens usually contain more taxa per haven. Populations within fences are mostly translocated (43 of 49; 88%). Islands contain translocated populations (30 of 139; 22%); but also protect in situ (109) threatened mammal populations. Conclusions Havens are used increasingly to safeguard threatened predator-susceptible mammals. However, 15 such taxa occur in only one or two havens, and 29 such taxa (43%) are not represented in any havens. The taxon at greatest risk of extinction from predation, and in greatest need of a haven, is the central rock-rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus). Implications Future investment in havens should focus on locations that favour taxa with no (or low) existing haven representation. Although havens can be critical for avoiding extinctions in the short term, they cover a minute proportion of species’ former ranges. Improved options for controlling the impacts of cats and foxes at landscape scales must be developed and implemented.

Mangrove ecosystems are in serious decline around the world and various initiatives are underway to assess their current coverage and loss in cover. These ecosystems occur as thin strips along coastlines or rivers and, due to the strong environmental gradients present, mangroves show high spatial variability along short transects. Remote sensing tools that offer high spatial resolution mapping and high information content are needed to provide good differentiation of the various mangrove zones and types. The added complexities of tropical atmospheric conditions provide further challenges in terms of the selection of sensors and image analysis methodologies. This paper explores the possibility of combining a high spatial/spectral resolution scanner, 'Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager' (CASI), with the airborne National Aeronautics @ Space Administration's polarimetric radar, 'AIRSAR', for mapping and monitoring of mangrove estuaries. The Daintree River estuary in far North Queensland, Australia was chosen for this study due to its diversity of mangrove species. Imagery acquired by both the CASI airborne scanner (14 bands, 2.5 m pixel) and the AIRSAR (L- and P-band polarimetry, C-band interferometry, 10 m pixel) has been used to produce detailed maps of the mangrove zones in the estuary. The advantages and difficulties associated with multi-source data integration are investigated in this paper. While radar provides general structural information in relation to mangrove zonation, high-resolution hyperspectral scanners allow for finer-detailed analysis and green-biomass information. Classifications (maximum likelihood) of both the individual and integrated datasets are performed, with the latter producing more accurate results. Application of a hierarchical neural network classification is also explored, where the more general mangrove zones are separated first based on structural information, then species or specie-complexes are extracted in subsequent levels using spectral differences.

The World Health Organization defines a zoonosis as any infection naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans. The pandemic of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been classified as a zoonotic disease, however, no animal reservoir has yet been found, so this classification is premature. We propose that COVID-19 should instead be classified an “ emerging infectious disease (EID) of probable animal origin .” To explore if COVID-19 infection fits our proposed re-categorization vs. the contemporary definitions of zoonoses, we reviewed current evidence of infection origin and transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 virus and described this in the context of known zoonoses, EIDs and “spill-over” events. Although the initial one hundred COVID-19 patients were presumably exposed to the virus at a seafood Market in China, and despite the fact that 33 of 585 swab samples collected from surfaces and cages in the market tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, no virus was isolated directly from animals and no animal reservoir was detected. Elsewhere, SARS-CoV-2 has been detected in animals including domesticated cats, dogs, and ferrets, as well as captive-managed mink, lions, tigers, deer, and mice confirming zooanthroponosis. Other than circumstantial evidence of zoonotic cases in mink farms in the Netherlands, no cases of natural transmission from wild or domesticated animals have been confirmed. More than 40 million human COVID-19 infections reported appear to be exclusively through human-human transmission. SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19 do not meet the WHO definition of zoonoses. We suggest SARS-CoV-2 should be re-classified as an EID of probable animal origin.

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Australia , Austroboletus asper on soil, Cylindromonium alloxyli on leaves of Alloxylon pinnatum, Davidhawksworthia quintiniae on leaves of Quintinia sieberi, Exophiala prostantherae on leaves of Prostanthera sp., Lactifluus lactiglaucus on soil, Linteromyces quintiniae (incl. Linteromyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Quintinia sieberi , Lophotrichus medusoides from stem tissue of Citrus garrawayi , Mycena pulchra on soil, Neocalonectria tristaniopsidis (incl. Neocalonectria gen. nov.)and Xyladictyochaeta tristaniopsidis on leaves of Tristaniopsis collina, Parasarocladium tasmanniae on leaves of Tasmannia insipida , Phytophthora aquae-cooljarloo from pond water, Serendipita whamiae as endophyte from roots of Eriochilus cucullatus , Veloboletus limbatus (incl. Veloboletus gen. nov.)onsoil. Austria , Cortinarius glaucoelotus onsoil. Bulgaria , Suhomyces rilaensis from the gut of Bolitophagus interruptus found on a Polyporus sp. Canada , Cantharellus betularum among leaf litter of Betula , Penicillium saanichii from house dust. Chile , Circinella lampensis on soil, Exophiala embothrii from rhizosphere of Embothrium coccineum . China, Colletotrichum cycadis on leaves of Cycas revoluta . Croatia , Phialocephala melitaea on fallen branch of Pinus halepensis . Czech Republic , Geoglossum jirinae on soil, Pyrenochaetopsis rajhradensis from dead wood of Buxus sempervirens. Dominican Republic , Amanita domingensis on litter of deciduous wood, Melanoleuca dominicana on forest litter. France , Crinipellis nigrolamellata (Martinique) on leaves of Pisonia fragrans , Talaromyces pulveris from bore dust of Xestobium rufovillosum infesting floorboards. French Guiana , Hypoxylon hepaticolor on dead corticated branch. Great Britain , Inocybe ionolepis on soil. India , Cortinarius indopurpurascens among leaf litter of Quercus leucotrichophora . Iran , Pseudopyricularia javanii on infected leaves of Cyperus sp., Xenomonodictys iranica (incl. Xenomonodictys gen. nov.) on wood of Fagus orientalis . Italy , Penicillium vallebormidaense from compost. Namibia , Alternaria mirabibensis on plant litter, Curvularia moringae and Moringomyces phantasmae (incl. Moringomyces gen. nov.) on leaves and flowers of Moringa ovalifolia, Gobabebomyces vachelliae (incl. Gobabebomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Vachellia erioloba, Preussia procaviae on dung of Procavia capensis . Pakistan , Russula shawarensis from soil on forest floor. Russia , Cyberlindnera dauci from Daucus carota . South Africa , Acremonium behniae on leaves of Behnia reticulata, Dothiora aloidendri and Hantamomyces aloidendri (incl. Hantamomyces gen. nov.) on leaves of Aloidendron dichotomum , Endoconidioma euphorbiae on leaves of Euphorbia mauritanica , Eucasphaeria proteae on leaves of Protea neriifolia , Exophiala mali from inner fruit tissue of Malus sp., Graminopassalora geissorhizae on leaves of Geissorhiza splendidissima , Neocamarosporium leipoldtiae on leaves of Leipoldtia schultzii , Neocladosporium osteospermi on leaf spots of Osteospermum moniliferum , Neometulocladosporiella seifertii on leaves of Combretum caffrum , Paramyrothecium pituitipietianum on stems of Grielum humifusum , Phytopythium paucipapillatum from roots of Vitis sp., Stemphylium carpobroti and Verrucocladosporium carpobroti on leaves of Carpobrotus quadrifolius , Suttonomyces cephalophylli on leaves of Cephalophyllum pilansii . Sweden , Coprinopsis rubra on cow dung, Elaphomyces nemoreus fromdeciduouswoodlands. Spain , Polyscytalum pini-canariensis on needles of Pinus canariensis , Pseudosubramaniomyces septatus from stream sediment, Tuber lusitanicum on soil under Quercus suber . Thailand , Tolypocladium flavonigrum on Elaphomyces sp. USA , Chaetothyrina spondiadis on fruits of Spondias mombin, Gymnascella minnisii from bat guano, Juncomyces patwiniorum on culms of Juncus effusus , Moelleriella puertoricoensis on scale insect, Neodothiora populina (incl. Neodothiora gen. nov.) on stem cankers of Populus tremuloides , Pseudogymnoascus palmeri fromcavesediment. Vietnam , Cyphellophora vietnamensis on leaf litter, Tylopilus subotsuensis on soil in montane evergreen broadleaf forest. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes.

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 likely emerged from a wildlife source with transmission to humans followed by rapid geographic spread throughout the globe and severe impacts on both human health and the global economy. Since the onset of the pandemic, there have been many instances of human-to-animal transmission involving companion, farmed and zoo animals, and limited evidence for spread into free-living wildlife. The establishment of reservoirs of infection in wild animals would create significant challenges to infection control in humans and could pose a threat to the welfare and conservation status of wildlife. We discuss the potential for exposure, onward transmission and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in an initial selection of wild mammals (bats, canids, felids, mustelids, great apes, rodents and cervids). Dynamic risk assessment and targeted surveillance are important tools for the early detection of infection in wildlife, and here we describe a framework for collating and synthesising emerging information to inform targeted surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife. Surveillance efforts should be integrated with information from public and veterinary health initiatives to provide insights into the potential role of wild mammals in the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2.

Ecologists trying to understand the value of habitat to animals must first describe the value of resources contained in the habitat to animals and, second, they must describe spatial variation in resource quality at a resolution relevant to individual animal foraging. We addressed these issues in a study of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in a Eucalyptus woodland. We measured beneficial and deterrent chemical characteristics as well as the palatability of trees using a near-infrared spectroscopic model based on direct feeding experiments. Tree use by koalas was influenced by tree size and foliar quality but was also context-dependent: trees were more likely to be visited if they were surrounded by small, unpalatable trees or by large, palatable trees. Spatial autocorrelation analysis and several mapping approaches demonstrated that foliar quality is spatially structured in the woodland at a scale relevant to foraging decisions by koalas and that the spatial structure is an important component of habitat quality.

Analytical solutions are provided for the one-dimensional transport of a pollutant in an open channel with steady unpolluted lateral inflow uniformly distributed over its whole length. This practical problem can be described approximately by spatially variable coefficient advection and advection-diffusion equations with the velocity proportional to distance, and the diffusion coefficient proportional to the square of the velocity. Using a simple transformation, the governing equations can be transformed into constant coefficient problems that have known analytical solutions for general initial and boundary conditions. Analytical solutions to the spatially variable coefficient advection and advection-diffusion equations, written in conservative and nonconservative forms, are presented. The analytical solutions are simple to evaluate and can be used to validate models for solving the advection and advection-diffusion equations with spatially variable coefficients. The analytical solutions show that nonconservative forms of the equations can yield exact solutions that are not consistent with the physical problem.

Seascape ecology, the marine-centric counterpart to landscape ecology, is rapidly emerging as an interdisciplinary and spatially explicit ecological science with relevance to marine management, biodiversity conservation, and restoration. While important progress in this field has been made in the past decade, there has been no coherent prioritisation of key research questions to help set the future research agenda for seascape ecology. We used a 2-stage modified Delphi method to solicit applied research questions from academic experts in seascape ecology and then asked respondents to identify priority questions across 9 interrelated research themes using 2 rounds of selection. We also invited senior management/conservation practitioners to prioritise the same research questions. Analyses highlighted congruence and discrepancies in perceived priorities for applied research. Themes related to both ecological concepts and management practice, and those identified as priorities include seascape change, seascape connectivity, spatial and temporal scale, ecosystem-based management, and emerging technologies and metrics. Highest-priority questions (upper tercile) received 50% agreement between respondent groups, and lowest priorities (lower tercile) received 58% agreement. Across all 3 priority tiers, 36 of the 55 questions were within a ±10% band of agreement. We present the most important applied research questions as determined by the proportion of votes received. For each theme, we provide a synthesis of the research challenges and the potential role of seascape ecology. These priority questions and themes serve as a roadmap for advancing applied seascape ecology during, and beyond, the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

Abstract Aim After environmental disasters, species with large population losses may need urgent protection to prevent extinction and support recovery. Following the 2019–2020 Australian megafires, we estimated population losses and recovery in fire‐affected fauna, to inform conservation status assessments and management. Location Temperate and subtropical Australia. Time period 2019–2030 and beyond. Major taxa Australian terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates; one invertebrate group. Methods From > 1,050 fire‐affected taxa, we selected 173 whose distributions substantially overlapped the fire extent. We estimated the proportion of each taxon’s distribution affected by fires, using fire severity and aquatic impact mapping, and new distribution mapping. Using expert elicitation informed by evidence of responses to previous wildfires, we estimated local population responses to fires of varying severity. We combined the spatial and elicitation data to estimate overall population loss and recovery trajectories, and thus indicate potential eligibility for listing as threatened, or uplisting, under Australian legislation. Results We estimate that the 2019–2020 Australian megafires caused, or contributed to, population declines that make 70–82 taxa eligible for listing as threatened; and another 21–27 taxa eligible for uplisting. If so‐listed, this represents a 22–26% increase in Australian statutory lists of threatened terrestrial and freshwater vertebrates and spiny crayfish, and uplisting for 8–10% of threatened taxa. Such changes would cause an abrupt worsening of underlying trajectories in vertebrates, as measured by Red List Indices. We predict that 54–88% of 173 assessed taxa will not recover to pre‐fire population size within 10 years/three generations. Main conclusions We suggest the 2019–2020 Australian megafires have worsened the conservation prospects for many species. Of the 91 taxa recommended for listing/uplisting consideration, 84 are now under formal review through national processes. Improving predictions about taxon vulnerability with empirical data on population responses, reducing the likelihood of future catastrophic events and mitigating their impacts on biodiversity, are critical.

Lists of species underpin many fields of human endeavour, but there are currently no universally accepted principles for deciding which biological species should be accepted when there are alternative taxonomic treatments (and, by extension, which scientific names should be applied to those species). As improvements in information technology make it easier to communicate, access, and aggregate biodiversity information, there is a need for a framework that helps taxonomists and the users of taxonomy decide which taxa and names should be used by society whilst continuing to encourage taxonomic research that leads to new species discoveries, new knowledge of species relationships, and the refinement of existing species concepts. Here, we present 10 principles that can underpin such a governance framework, namely (i) the species list must be based on science and free from nontaxonomic considerations and interference, (ii) governance of the species list must aim for community support and use, (iii) all decisions about list composition must be transparent, (iv) the governance of validated lists of species is separate from the governance of the names of taxa, (v) governance of lists of accepted species must not constrain academic freedom, (vi) the set of criteria considered sufficient to recognise species boundaries may appropriately vary between different taxonomic groups but should be consistent when possible, (vii) a global list must balance conflicting needs for currency and stability by having archived versions, (viii) contributors need appropriate recognition, (ix) list content should be traceable, and (x) a global listing process needs both to encompass global diversity and to accommodate local knowledge of that diversity. We conclude by outlining issues that must be resolved if such a system of taxonomic list governance and a unified list of accepted scientific names generated are to be universally adopted.

Context Over the last 230 years, the Australian terrestrial mammal fauna has suffered a very high rate of decline and extinction relative to other continents. Predation by the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus) is implicated in many of these extinctions, and in the ongoing decline of many extant species. Aims To assess the degree to which Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species are susceptible at the population level to predation by the red fox and feral cat, and to allocate each species to a category of predator susceptibility. Methods We collated the available evidence and complemented this with expert opinion to categorise each Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species (extinct and extant) into one of four classes of population-level susceptibility to introduced predators (i.e. ‘extreme’, ‘high’, ‘low’ or ‘not susceptible’). We then compared predator susceptibility with conservation status, body size and extent of arboreality; and assessed changes in the occurrence of species in different predator-susceptibility categories between 1788 and 2017. Key results Of 246 Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal species (including extinct species), we conclude that 37 species are (or were) extremely predator-susceptible; 52 species are highly predator-susceptible; 112 species are of low susceptibility; and 42 species are not susceptible to predators. Confidence in assigning species to predator-susceptibility categories was strongest for extant threatened mammal species and for extremely predator-susceptible species. Extinct and threatened mammal species are more likely to be predator-susceptible than Least Concern species; arboreal species are less predator-susceptible than ground-dwelling species; and medium-sized species (35 g–3.5 kg) are more predator-susceptible than smaller or larger species. Conclusions The effective control of foxes and cats over large areas is likely to assist the population-level recovery of ~63 species – the number of extant species with extreme or high predator susceptibility – which represents ~29% of the extant Australian terrestrial non-volant mammal fauna. Implications Categorisation of predator susceptibility is an important tool for conservation management, because the persistence of species with extreme susceptibility will require intensive management (e.g. predator-proof exclosures or predator-free islands), whereas species of lower predator susceptibility can be managed through effective landscape-level suppression of introduced predators.

BACKGROUND: Effective conservation management of highly mobile species depends upon detailed knowledge of movements of individuals across their range; yet, data are rarely available at appropriate spatiotemporal scales. Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.) are large bats that forage by night on floral resources and rest by day in arboreal roosts that may contain colonies of many thousands of individuals. They are the largest mammals capable of powered flight, and are highly mobile, which makes them key seed and pollen dispersers in forest ecosystems. However, their mobility also facilitates transmission of zoonotic diseases and brings them in conflict with humans, and so they require a precarious balancing of conservation and management concerns throughout their Old World range. Here, we analyze the Australia-wide movements of 201 satellite-tracked individuals, providing unprecedented detail on the inter-roost movements of three flying-fox species: Pteropus alecto, P. poliocephalus, and P. scapulatus across jurisdictions over up to 5 years. RESULTS: Individuals were estimated to travel long distances annually among a network of 755 roosts (P. alecto, 1427-1887 km; P. poliocephalus, 2268-2564 km; and P. scapulatus, 3782-6073 km), but with little uniformity among their directions of travel. This indicates that flying-fox populations are composed of extremely mobile individuals that move nomadically and at species-specific rates. Individuals of all three species exhibited very low fidelity to roosts locally, resulting in very high estimated daily colony turnover rates (P. alecto, 11.9 ± 1.3%; P. poliocephalus, 17.5 ± 1.3%; and P. scapulatus, 36.4 ± 6.5%). This indicates that flying-fox roosts form nodes in a vast continental network of highly dynamic "staging posts" through which extremely mobile individuals travel far and wide across their species ranges. CONCLUSIONS: The extreme inter-roost mobility reported here demonstrates the extent of the ecological linkages that nomadic flying-foxes provide across Australia's contemporary fragmented landscape, with profound implications for the ecosystem services and zoonotic dynamics of flying-fox populations. In addition, the extreme mobility means that impacts from local management actions can readily reverberate across jurisdictions throughout the species ranges; therefore, local management actions need to be assessed with reference to actions elsewhere and hence require national coordination. These findings underscore the need for sound understanding of animal movement dynamics to support evidence-based, transboundary conservation and management policy, tailored to the unique movement ecologies of species.

Abstract A commonly applied policy to India's ongoing depletion of groundwater is feeder separation. Introduced in Gujarat as the Jyotigram Yojana (JGY) scheme, it provides a separate and rationed electricity supply to farmers and an unrationed power supply to non‐agricultural users. JGY is claimed to increase groundwater storage. By using Gujarat district‐level data from 1996 to 2011 and by separately applying difference‐in‐differences and Bayesian regressions, we find that groundwater storage has continued to decrease with JGY. We contend that our empirical results show that JGY has been implemented without adequate consideration of (1) a publication bias whereby researchers have a greater likelihood of having their results published if they are statistically significant and show a positive outcome and (2) a ‘barrier’ effect such that communicating evidence across science and policy divides means that evidence may not be accepted, even when true, and this limits policy advice and options.

Abstract Seven grass species were grown in monocultures and in multispecies mixtures along a gradient of total nutrient levels that ranged from 1/64 to 16× the normal level of nutrient solution. The seven grasses represented three ecological groups: (i) three perennial species native to Australia ( Themeda triandra, Poa labillardieri and Danthonia carphoides ); (ii) two introduced annuals ( Vulpia bromoides and Hordeum leporinum ); and (iii) two introduced perennials ( Lolium perenne and Dactylis glomerata ). We hypothesized that the native grasses would prove less competitive when grown at increased nutrient levels than those introduced from Europe. Results supported the hypothesis. The native species were unable to compete in mixtures even at the lowest nutrient level, where T. triandra was the most productive species in monoculture. Lolium perenne and Dactylis glomerata dominated mixtures at intermediate nutrient levels. The responses of the annual introduced grasses differed in that Vulpia bromoides showed an optimum at intermediate nutrient levels in both monoculture and in mixtures, whereas Hordeum leporinum dominated at the highest nutrient levels in mixture but was suppressed by V. bromoides, L. perenne and D. glomerata at intermediate levels. The results are discussed in terms of predicting species responses in mixtures from their performance in monocultures as well as in terms of previous observations on the sequential changes in botanical composition of south‐eastern Australian grasslands after 150 years of continuous grazing by sheep.

Feedlot production of beef cattle results in concentrated sources of gas emissions to the atmosphere. Reported here are the preliminary results of a micrometeorological study using open-path concentration measurements to determine whole-of-feedlot emissions of methane (CH4) and ammonia (NH3). Tunable near-infrared diode lasers were used to measure line-averaged (150–400 m) open-path concentrations of CH4 and NH3. A backward Lagrangian stochastic model of atmospheric dispersion and the software package WindTrax were used to estimate greenhouse gas fluxes from the measured concentrations. We studied typical Australian beef feedlots in the north (Queensland) and south (Victoria) of the continent. The data from a campaign during summer show a range of CH4 emissions from 146 g/animal.day in Victoria to 166 g/animal.day in Queensland and NH3 emissions from 125 g/animal.day in Victoria to 253 g/animal.day Queensland.

Abstract Aim Encroachment or densification by woody plants affects natural ecosystems around the world. Many studies have reported encroachment in temperate Australia, particularly in coastal ecosystems and grassy woodlands. However, the degree to which published studies reflect broad‐scale changes is unknown because most studies intentionally sampled areas with conspicuous densification. We aimed to estimate changes in woody vegetation cover within lowland grassy woodland and coastal ecosystems in Victoria from 1989 to 2005 to determine whether published reports of recent encroachment are representative of broad‐scale ecosystem changes. Location All lowland grassy woodland and coastal ecosystems ( c . 6.11 × 10 5 ha) in Victoria, Australia. Four major ecosystems were analysed: Plains woodlands, Herb‐rich woodlands, Riverine woodlands and Coastal vegetation. Methods Changes in woody vegetation cover from 1989 to 2005 were assessed based on state‐wide vegetation maps and Landsat analyses of woody vegetation cover conducted by the Australian Greenhouse Office’s National Carbon Accounting System. The results show changes in woody cover within mapped patches of native vegetation, rather than changes in the extent of woody vegetation resulting from clearing and revegetation. Results When pooled across all ecosystems, woody vegetation increased by 18,730 ha from 1989 to 2005. Woody cover within Riverine woodlands and within Plains woodlands each increased by >7000 ha. At the patch scale, the mean percentage cover of woody vegetation in each polygon increased by >5% in all four ecosystems: Riverine woodlands (+9.2% on average), Herb‐rich woodlands (+7.6%), Plains woodlands (+6.7%) and Coastal vegetation (+5.9%). Regression models relating degree of encroachment to geographic and climatic variables were extremely weak ( r 2 ≤ 0.026), indicating that most variation occurred at local scales rather than across broad geographic gradients. Main conclusions At the scale of observation, woody vegetation cover increased in all lowland woodland and coastal ecosystems over the 16‐year period. Thus, published examples of encroachment in selected coastal and woodland patches do appear to reflect widespread increases in woody vegetation cover in these ecosystems. This densification appears to be associated with changes in land management rather than with post‐fire vegetation recovery and is likely to be ongoing and long‐lasting, with substantial implications for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services.

Abstract Rainfall and runoff depths were analysed for 47 storms recorded on three urban drainage basins in Canberra, Australia. Three runoff mechanisms have been identified: runoff generated on effective impervious surfaces in all storms; runoff from pervious areas of small storage capacity during both large and small storms; and runoff from pervious areas of large storage capacity for larger storms. The data indicate that pervious surface runoff is generated on only a small part of the total basin area. Prédiction des écoulements afférents à des averses sur les surfaces perméables et imperméables de bassins hydrographiques urbains Résumé Cette étude est consacrée à l'analyse des précipitations et des écoulements relatifs à 47 averses sur trois bassins hydrographiques urbains de la ville de Canberra (Australie). Les trois mécanismes d'écoulement identifiés sont: l'écoulement produit par des surfaces effectivement imperméables pour l'ensemble des averses; l'écoulement produit par des surfaces perméables à faible capacité d'emmagasinement pour les petites averses et les averses importantes; et enfin l'écoulement produit par des surfaces perméables à forte capacité d'emmagasinement pour les averses importantes. Les données montrent que la surface perméable génératrice d'écoulements ne représente qu'une faible proportion de la surface totale du bassin.

Mounting evidence supports the connections between exposure to environmental typologies(such as green and blue spaces)and human health. However, the mechanistic links that connect biodiversity (the variety of life) and human health, and the extent of supporting evidence remain less clear. Here, we undertook a scoping review to map the links between biodiversity and human health and summarise the levels of associated evidence using an established weight of evidence framework. Distinct from other reviews, we provide additional context regarding the environment-microbiome-health axis, evaluate the environmental buffering pathway (e.g., biodiversity impacts on air pollution), and provide examples of three under- or minimally-represented linkages. The examples are (1) biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples' health, (2) biodiversity and urban social equity, and (3) biodiversity and COVID-19. We observed a moderate level of evidence to support the environmental microbiota-human health pathway and a moderate-high level of evidence to support broader nature pathways (e.g., greenspace) to various health outcomes, from stress reduction to enhanced wellbeing and improved social cohesion. However, studies of broader nature pathways did not typically include specific biodiversity metrics, indicating clear research gaps. Further research is required to understand the connections and causative pathways between biodiversity (e.g., using metrics such as taxonomy, diversity/richness, structure, and function) and health outcomes. There are well-established frameworks to assess the effects of broad classifications of nature on human health. These can assist future research in linking biodiversity metrics to human health outcomes. Our examples of underrepresented linkages highlight the roles of biodiversity and its loss on urban lived experiences, infectious diseases, and Indigenous Peoples' sovereignty and livelihoods. More research and awareness of these socioecological interconnections are needed.