Download or read book Practical Conservation Biology written by David Lindenmayer and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2005 with total page 625 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides the essential framework for under-graduate and post-graduate courses in conservation biology and natural resource management by covering the complete array of topics central to these fields. Lindenmayer from ANU, ACT and Burgman from University of Melbourne, Vic.
Download or read book Mallee Bird Communities and the Pastoral Industry in Semi arid South Australia written by Stephanie Lynn Williams and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 576 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Australian Vegetation written by David A. Keith and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-06-15 with total page 771 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Australian Vegetation has been an essential reference for students and researchers in botany, ecology and natural resource management for over 35 years. Now fully updated and with a new team of authors, the third edition presents the latest insights on the patterns and processes that shaped the vegetation of Australia. The first part of the book provides a synthesis of ecological processes that influence vegetation traits throughout the continent, using a new classification of vegetation. New chapters examine the influences of climate, soils, fire regimes, herbivores and aboriginal people on vegetation, in addition to completely revised chapters on evolutionary biogeography, quaternary vegetation history and alien plants. The book's second half presents detailed ecological portraits for each major vegetation type and offers data-rich perspectives and comparative analysis presented in tables, graphs, maps and colour illustrations. This authoritative book will inspire readers to learn and explore first-hand the vegetation of Australia.
Download or read book Conserving Forest Biodiversity written by David B. Lindenmayer and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2013-04-10 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While most efforts at biodiversity conservation have focused primarily on protected areas and reserves, the unprotected lands surrounding those area—the "matrix"—are equally important to preserving global biodiversity and maintaining forest health. In Conserving Forest Biodiversity, leading forest scientists David B. Lindenmayer and Jerry F. Franklin argue that the conservation of forest biodiversity requires a comprehensive and multiscaled approach that includes both reserve and nonreserve areas. They lay the foundations for such a strategy, bringing together the latest scientific information on landscape ecology, forestry, conservation biology, and related disciplines as they examine: the importance of the matrix in key areas of ecology such as metapopulation dynamics, habitat fragmentation, and landscape connectivity general principles for matrix management using natural disturbance regimes to guide human disturbance landscape-level and stand-level elements of matrix management the role of adaptive management and monitoring social dimensions and tensions in implementing matrix-based forest management In addition, they present five case studies that illustrate aspects and elements of applied matrix management in forests. The case studies cover a wide variety of conservation planning and management issues from North America, South America, and Australia, ranging from relatively intact forest ecosystems to an intensively managed plantation. Conserving Forest Biodiversity presents strategies for enhancing matrix management that can play a vital role in the development of more effective approaches to maintaining forest biodiversity. It examines the key issues and gives practical guidelines for sustained forest management, highlighting the critical role of the matrix for scientists, managers, decisionmakers, and other stakeholders involved in efforts to sustain biodiversity and ecosystem processes in forest landscapes.
Download or read book Managing and Designing Landscapes for Conservation written by David B. Lindenmayer and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The distinctive relationships between landscape change, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity conservation are highlighted in this original and useful guide to the theory and practice of ecological landscape design. Using original, ecologically based landscape design principles, the text underscores current thinking in landscape management and conservation. It offers a blend of theoretical and practical information that is illustrated with case studies drawn from across the globe. Key insights by some of the world’s leading experts in landscape ecology and conservation biology make Managing and Designing Landscapes for Conservation an essential volume for anyone involved in landscape management, natural resource planning, or biodiversity conservation.
Download or read book Habitat Fragmentation and Landscape Change written by David B. Lindenmayer and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2013-02-22 with total page 349 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Habitat loss and degradation that comes as a result of human activity is the single biggest threat to biodiversity in the world today. Habitat Fragmentation and Landscape Change is a groundbreaking work that brings together a wealth of information from a wide range of sources to define the ecological problems caused by landscape change and to highlight the relationships among landscape change, habitat fragmentation, and biodiversity conservation. The book: synthesizes a large body of information from the scientific literature considers key theoretical principles for examining and predicting effects examines the range of effects that can arise explores ways of mitigating impacts reviews approaches to studying the problem discusses knowledge gaps and future areas for research and management Habitat Fragmentation and Landscape Change offers a unique mix of theoretical and practical information, outlining general principles and approaches and illustrating those principles with case studies from around the world. It represents a definitive overview and synthesis on the full range of topics that fall under the widely used but often vaguely defined term "habitat fragmentation."
Download or read book Temperate Woodland Conservation and Management written by David Lindenmayer and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2010 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the main discoveries, management insights and policy initiatives in the science, management and policy arenas associated with temperate woodlands in Australia. More than 60 of Australia's leading researchers, policy makers and natural resource managers have contributed to the volume. It features new perspectives on the integration of woodland management and agricultural production, including the latest thinking about whole of paddock restoration and carbon farming, as well as financial and social incentive schemes to promote woodland conservation and management. Temperate Woodland Conservation and Management will be a key supporting aid for farmers, natural resource managers, policy makers, and people involved in NGO landscape restoration and management. KEY FEATURES * High quality chapters from the nation's leading researchers, managers and policy makers in temperate woodlands * New perspectives on the integration of woodland management and agricultural production * Easy to follow format that distills key new insights and lessons for future conservation and management initiatives
Download or read book Biodiversity and Environmental Change written by Emma Burns and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2014-02-06 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Annotation Long-term ecological data are critical for informing long-term trends in biodiversity and trends in environmental change. The Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) is a major initiative of the Australian Government and one of its key areas of investment is to provide funding for a network of long-term ecological research plots around Australia (LTERN). This book highlights some of the temporal changes in the environment and/or in biodiversity that have occurred in different ecosystems, ranging from tropical rainforests, wet eucalypt forests and alpine regions through to rangelands and deserts. Many important trends and changes are documented and they often provide new insights that were previously poorly understood or unknown. These data are precisely the kinds of data so desperately needed to better quantify the temporal trajectories in the environment and biodiversity in Australia.
Download or read book The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020 written by Stephen T. Garnett and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2021-12-01 with total page 952 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2020 is the most comprehensive review of the status of Australia's avifauna ever attempted. The latest in a series of action plans for Australian birds that have been produced every decade since 1992, it is also the largest. The accounts in this plan have been authored by more than 300 of the most knowledgeable bird experts in the country, and feature far more detail than any of the earlier plans. This volume also includes accounts of over 60 taxa that are no longer considered threatened, mainly thanks to sustained conservation action over many decades. This extensive book covers key themes that have emerged in the last decade, including the increasing impact of climate change as a threatening process, most obviously in Queensland's tropical rainforests where many birds are being pushed up the mountains. However, the effects are also indirect, as happened in the catastrophic fires of 2019/20. Many of the newly listed birds are subspecies confined to Kangaroo Island, where fire destroyed over half the population. But there are good news stories too, especially on islands where there have been spectacular successes with predator control. Such uplifting results demonstrate that when action plans are followed by action on the ground, threatened species can indeed be recovered and threats alleviated.
Download or read book Interpreting Soil Test Results written by Pam Hazelton and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2007-04-26 with total page 160 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Interpreting Soil Test Results is a practical reference for those who need to interpret results from laboratory analysis of soil. It has a comprehensive listing of the soil properties relevant to most environmental and natural land resource issues and investigations. The precursor to this book, What Do All the Numbers Mean?, known as The Numbers Book, was widely used and accepted for interpreting soil test results. This new edition has been completely updated and many sections have been expanded, particularly those on acid sulfate soils and soil salinity. It is a handy and straightforward guide to interpretation of the numbers associated with a wide range of soil tests.
Download or read book Vegetation Types of the Dieng Mountains and Their Influences on Bird and Mammalian Communities written by Siti Nurleily Marliana and published by Cuvillier Verlag. This book was released on 2013-01-21 with total page 140 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Kurzbeschreibung Der Druck des Bevölkerungswachstums auf der indonesischen Insel Java hat zu gravierender Entwaldung und Schädigung von Wäldern geführt, so dass nur noch 8,2 Prozent der ursprünglichen Waldfläche in den Jahren 2006-2007 vorhanden waren. Der Bevölkerungsdruck ließ Javas Waldflächen durch Landumwandlung in Siedlungen und Äcker weiter schrumpfen und kleine, isolierte Waldstücke an Berggipfeln wie die in den Dieng Mountains übrig. Das in der Provinz Zentral-Java gelegene Dieng Mountains Ökosystem spielt eine wichtige Rolle bei der Bereitstellung einer breiten Palette von Waren und Dienstleistungen, insbesondere bei der Versorgung angrenzender Gebiete mit Süßwasser und beim Erhalt der biologischen Vielfalt. Allerdings leiden auch die Bergwälder in den Dieng Mountains in Folge des Bevölkerungsdrucks unter Abholzung. Schlechte landwirtschaftliche Anbaumethoden haben zum Auftreten von Pestizidbelastungen, zu einem hohen Maß an Erosion, Sedimentationen von Seen und Stauseen, Erdrutschen, Schlammlawinen und Überschwemmungen geführt. Waldbrände und illegaler Holzeinschlag, gefolgt von Landbeanspruchung und Wanderfeldbau, führten dazu, dass reife Bergwälder durch junge Sekundärvegetation ersetzt wurden. Wiederbewaldungen sind zu einem bedeutenden Vegetationstyp rund um das Dieng Plateau geworden, und angesichts der gegenwärtigen landwirtschaftlichen Anbaumethoden zeigt der Trend ihres Flächenausmaßes, dass sie auch in Zukunft fortbestehen werden. Bisher hat man sich wenig mit den Wiederbewaldungen in den Dieng Mountains beschäftigt; ihr Wert in Bezug auf die Funktionsweise von Ökosystemen und den Erhalt der biologische Vielfalt wurde nur unzureichend untersucht. Da Bergwälder der Dieng Mountains dafür bekannt sind, viele endemische und seltene Tier- und Pflanzenarten zu beherbergen, ist es wichtig zu verstehen, wie Tier- und Pflanzenarten in diesem Gebiet den Habitatwandel bewältigen. Die vorliegende Forschungsarbeit ist ein Versuch, Auswirkungen von Landnutzungsänderungen, die durch anthropogene Störungen hervorgerufen wurden, auf die lokale Flora und Fauna, speziell auf Vogel- und Säugetiergemeinschaften zu untersuchen. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie sollen einen Überblick über den gegenwärtigen Zustand des Dieng Mountains Ökosystems geben und dazu beitragen, Informationslücken früherer Studien zu schließen. Diese Untersuchung soll zuständigen Politikern Wissen über den aktuellen Stand der Dieng Mountains bieten. Sie soll ihnen ermöglichen, ein wirksames Programm mit angemessenen Zielen zu entwickeln und geeignete Maßnahmen zu ergreifen, um die ökologischen Bedingungen der Dieng Mountains zu verbessern. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Entwicklung der Sekundärvegetation der Dieng Mountains stark von der Geschichte ihrer Landnutzung und von den Aufforstungsprogrammen der lokalen Regierung beeinflusst wurde. Die Vegetationsstruktur der Wälder und des Buschlandes der Dieng Mountains waren einander ähnlich. Sie kennzeichnete die typische einfache Struktur mit einem offenen Kronendach und dichtem Unterholz, die in der Regel in einem tropischen Sekundärwald vorgefunden wird. Auf Grünland kamen wenige Bäume vor; kein Anzeichen der Einwanderung von Bäumen wurde in diesem Lebensraum gefunden, trotz seiner unmittelbaren Nähe zu natürlichen Waldstücken. Die relativ niedrigen Anteile von Baumverjüngungen in allen Lebensräumen können den in diesen großen Höhen rauen Umgebungsbedingungen, den Auswirkungen von Kahlschlägen in der Vergangenheit sowie der Konkurrenz von Kräutern zugeschrieben werden. Der Einfluss menschlicher Aktivitäten in diesen Lebensräumen kann auch ein wichtiger Faktor sein, der die Erholung der Vegetation verlangsamt. Die Auswirkungen der Aufforstungen auf die Gestaltung der Zusammensetzung der Sekundärvegetation zeigten sich in der Dominanz der Baumarten, die im Laufe des Programms gepflanzt worden waren: die nicht einheimischen Arten Acacia decurrens und Cupressus sempervirens und die indonesische Bergart Schima wallichii. Der Pionierstrauch Melastoma affine, die Gräser Imperata cylindrica und Isachne globosa sowie die Ruderalarten Eupatorium odoratum, Eupatorium riparium, Buddleja asiatica, und Rubus rosaefolius dominierten die Unterholzvegetation. Insbesondere auf Grünland schien die Dominanz des kleinen Farns Gleichenia dichotoma das Wachstum der vorkommenden Grasarten zu unterdrücken, was zur Dominanz einer Krautart, der Conyza javanica, über Pioniergrasarten führte. Naturverjüngungen einheimischer indonesischer Baumarten wurden in einer relativ kleinen Zahl vorgefunden. Verglichen mit ähnlichen Studien in anderen Sekundärwäldern wurde in den Dieng Mountains eine wesentlich geringerer Reichtum an Pflanzenarten, vor allem an Gehölzarten festgestellt. Der Beitrag der Strauch- und Krautkategorien mit mehr als 80 Prozent an der gesamten botanischen Artenvielfalt zeigt den Mangel an Baumarten in unserem Forschungsgebiet an. Generell waren der Reichtum und die Diversität an Pflanzenarten im Buschland am höchsten. Der niedrigste Pflanzenartenreichtum wurde im Wald gefunden, während die geringste Diversität an Pflanzenarten auf Grünland verzeichnet wurde. Diese Ergebnisse können mit dem Grad von Störungen in jedem Lebensraumtyp zusammenhängen, wobei Buschland auf einem mittleren Niveau liegt. Die Ähnlichkeit der Zusammensetzung der Pflanzenarten war zwischen den Habitaten in jeder Kategorie sehr hoch. Dies deutet trotz des Altersunterschiedes zwischen beiden Lebensräumen darauf hin, dass Waldund Buschland noch in einem vergleichbaren Sukzessionsstadium waren, während sich Grünland wohl nicht zu Wald entwickeln wird. Wegen der anhaltenden Bevölkerungsausbreitung in den Dieng Mountains dürfte das Schicksal der sekundären Vegetation dieses Gebietes von dem Ausmaß zukünftiger Störungen durch den Menschen bestimmt werden. Vögel wurden in den verschiedenen Lebensräumen der Dieng Mountains in relativ geringen Dichten gefunden. Nach früheren Studien anderer Autoren sind niedrige Vogeldichten häufig in einer tropischen Landschaft, in der landwirtschaftliche Flächen und Flächen sekundärer Vegetation gemischt in mosaikartiger Verteilung vorliegen. Wald hatte von allen Lebensraumtypen die komplexeste Vegetationsstruktur, und er wies die höchste Dichte und die größte Artenvielfalt von Vögeln auf. Da Vogelabundanzen durch die Lebensraumtypen in ihrer Umgebung beeinflusst werden, kann die Nähe der Waldstücke zu den Urwaldresten auf den Berggipfeln positive Auswirkungen auf die Vogelpopulationen im Wald gehabt haben. Mit einer ähnlichen, aber weniger komplexen Vegetationsstruktur und -zusammensetzung als Wald wies das Buschland ein mittleres Niveau der Dichte und der Artendiversität der Avifauna auf. Trotz seines Mangels an mosaikartiger Heterogenität und des Vorhandenseins von nur einer kleinen Anzahl Bäume zwischen den Flurstücken hatten landwirtschaftliche Flächen die zweithöchste Vogeldichte. Mögliche Ursachen hierfür sind die Nähe von landwirtschaftlichen Flächen zu städtischen Gebieten und zu Buschland mit seinen Randstrukturen holziger Gewächse; diese Faktoren sind dafür bekannt, positive Auswirkungen auf die Abundanz und Artendiversität von Vögeln zu haben. Grünland wies die geringste Artenanzahl, Artendiversität und Vogeldichte auf. Die gesamte Anzahl der Vogelarten in unserem Untersuchungsgebiet war gering im Vergleich zur Anzahl Vogelarten einer früheren Studie, die auch in den Dieng Mountains durchgeführt worden war. Allerdings war die Vogelwelt in unserer Untersuchung sehr heterogen, so dass es wahrscheinlich ist, dass die tatsächliche Artenzahl deutlich höher als die erfasste war. Die meisten der erfassten Vogelarten haben eine niedrige bis mittlere Abhängigkeit von Wald und können ihre Ansprüche in einer breiten Palette von Lebensräumen decken; es wurden nur sechs Vogelarten erfasst, die vom Wald abhängig sind. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass das Dieng Mountains Ökosystem in seinem gegenwärtigen Zustand die Lebensraumansprüche von Populationen verschiedene Vogelarten decken kann. Das beruht vor allem auf dem Vorhandensein von Sekundärvegetation, die als Ersatzhabitat für waldabhängige Arten fungiert. Allerdings wird das Fortdauern dieses Zustandes hauptsächlich von der zukünftigen Ausweitung der Landwirtschaft abhängen. Eine Ausweitung der Agrarlandschaft wird letztendlich die Abundanz und die Vielfalt von Vögeln in den Dieng Mountains verringern. Lässt man es zu, dass sich die Sekundärvegetation zu einer Klimaxgesellschaft entwickelt, so wird die Abundanz und Artendiversität von Vögeln zunehmen. Ähnlich positive Wirkungen kann nach unserer Einschätzung zukünftig die bislang im Untersuchungsgebiet noch nicht praktizierte Agroforstwirtschaft entfalten. Letztendlich muss der Zustand des Dieng Mountains Ökosystems verbessert werden, um seine Eignung als Lebensraum für seine einheimische Vogelwelt sicher zu stellen. Dreizehn kleine bis mittelgroße Säugetierarten wurden in unserem Untersuchungsgebiet mittels direkter Bestandsaufnahmen und Interviews erfasst. Zwei Arten, der schwarze Haubenlangur Trachypithecus auratus und der Java-Leopard Panthera Pardus melas wurden in der Roten Liste der IUCN als gefährdet bzw. vom Aussterben bedroht eingestuft. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass die Sekundärvegetation der Dieng Mountains noch einen geeigneten Lebensraum für die Säugetiergemeinschaft aufwies, wobei im Wald und im Buschland jeweils ein viel höherer Artenreichtum herrschte als auf Grünland. Der Artenreichtum an Säugetieren war auf Ackerland fast so hoch wie im Wald und im Buschland, was bedeutet, dass die landwirtschaftlichen Flächen mit ihren angebauten Kulturen Nahrungshabitate für die meisten Säugetierarten in den Dieng Mountains bot. Die Mehrheit der aufgeführten Arten waren Lebensraumgeneralisten und fähig, sich an gestörte Umgebungen anzupassen. Hiervon sind zwei Primatenarten ausgenommen, der Javaneraffe Macaca fascicularis und der schwarze Haubenlangur Trachypithecus auratus, deren Lebensraum nur auf Wald beschränkt war. Die Ergebnisse der Habitatpräferenzanalysen von vier Arten, die direkt erfasst worden waren, waren bei drei Arten mangels ausreichender Daten wenig aussagekräftig. Das Wildschwein Sus scrofa zeigte eine signifikante Präferenz für Wald und Wiesen, es mied Buschland bei der Nahrungssuche. Die Mitglieder der Säugetiergemeinschaft spielen anscheinend eine wichtige Rolle als Samenverbreiter bei der Erholung der Wälder der Dieng Mountains, und wir erhoffen uns, dass diese Studie als Grundlage für die Schaffung eines wirksamen Naturschutzplans zur Verbesserung des Dieng Mountains Ökosystems dient. Betrachtet man den Trend der menschlichen Bevölkerungsexpansion und die Landnutzungsmuster in den Dieng Mountains, mag das Schicksal der Wälder und der Tierwelt in diesem Gebiet vor allem durch die Höhe zukünftiger Störungen durch Menschen bestimmt werden. Günstigenfalls kann sich eine wechselseitige Beziehung zwischen Wald und den Menschen, die ihn nutzen, entwickeln, was ein nachhaltiges Management von Wald und Landschaft zur Folge haben könnte. Weitere Forschung ist notwendig, um die Folgen der landwirtschaftlichen Praktiken in den Dieng Mountains, einschließlich der Auswirkungen von Pestiziden und Düngemitteln auf die Wildbestände, zu untersuchen. Description The pressure from population growth in Indonesia’s Java Island has resulted in grave deforestation and forest degradation, leaving only 8.2 percent of forest cover remaining in 2006-2007. Population pressure continued to shrink Java’s forest cover through land conversion into settlement areas and agricultural fields, leaving small, isolated forest patches situated on mountain tops, like the ones found in the Dieng Mountains. Located in Central Java Province, Indonesia, the Dieng Mountains ecosystem has an important role in providing a wide range of goods and services, especially in supplying freshwater to its adjacent areas and maintaining biodiversity. However, the montane forests in the Dieng Mountains suffer from degradation caused by population pressure. Poor farming practices have resulted in the occurrence of pesticide pollution, a high level of erosion, soil sedimentation in lakes and reservoirs, landslides, and mud floods. Forest fires, illegal logging, forest looting, followed by land encroachment and shifting cultivation, have replaced the mature montane forests with young secondary vegetation. Regrowth forests have become the major vegetation type surrounding the Dieng Plateau, and with current farming practices, the trend of their formation indicates that they will persist into the future. So far, little has been done to deal with regrowth forests in the Dieng Mountains, and their value in terms of ecosystem functioning and biodiversity preservation has been insufficiently studied. Since the Dieng montane forests are known to harbor many endemic and rare wildlife species, it is important to understand how wildlife species in this area cope with habitat change. This research is an attempt to examine the impact of land use change resulting from humaninduced disturbances to the local flora and fauna, specifically to bird and mammal communities. The results of this research will provide an overview of the present condition of the Dieng Mountains ecosystem and help to fill in the information gaps left by previous studies. This research will provide policymakers with knowledge of the current state of the Dieng Mountains, allowing them to develop an effective program with reasonable goals and take appropriate actions in their effort to improve the ecological conditions of the Dieng Mountains. Vegetation data were collected in habitats that represent various ages of second-growth vegetation, namely woodland, shrubland, and grassland. A stratified systematic sampling with a random start was used to collect data on various growthforms of plant species. Vegetation parameters (i.e. species density, dominance, diameter class distribution) were then calculated. Plant species richness and diversity, and stands similarity were analyzed using SPADE. The bird census was carried out in the same locations chosen for vegetation surveys using the point transect distance method, with additional data collections in agricultural land. The results were then analyzed using the programs DISTANCE 6.0 release 2 for estimating the bird densities, and SPADE for estimating bird species richness and diversity. Surveys of mammal signs were also carried out in the same locations chosen for vegetation surveys and bird censuses by using a strip transect of 2-m width, crisscrossing the habitats in a random direction. Mammal species richness and the habitat preference of each species were then analyzed. In addition, interviews with local people were also conducted to gather supplementary information regarding the mammalian community in the Dieng Mountains. Our results show that the development of the secondary vegetation of the Dieng Mountains was highly influenced by its land use history and reforestation programs run by the local government. The vegetation structure of woodland and shrubland of the Dieng Mountains were similar, characterized with the typical simple structure normally found in a tropical secondary forest, an open canopy, and dense undergrowth. Few trees populated the grassland; no sign of tree invasion was found in this habitat, despite its close proximity to natural forest patches. The relatively low tree regenerations in all the habitats may be attributed to harsh environmental conditions caused by the high altitudinal location and the impact of forest clearings in the past, as well as competition with herbs. The effect of human activities in those habitats may also be an important factor slowing down the vegetation recovery. The impact of reforestations in shaping the floristic composition of the secondary vegetation was seen in the domination of tree species planted during the course of the program: the non-native species Acacia decurrens and Cupressus sempervirens, and Indonesian mountain species Schima wallichii. Pioneer shrub species Melastoma affine and grass Imperata cylindrica and Isachne globosa, as well as ruderal species Eupatorium odoratum, Eupatorium riparium, Buddleja asiatica, and Rubus rosaefolius dominated the undergrowth vegetation. Specifically in grassland, the small fern Gleichenia dichotoma’s domination seemed to suppress the growth of coexisting grass species, leading to the domination of a herb species, Conyza javanica, over pioneer grass species. Native Indonesian tree species were discovered as natural regrowth in a relatively small number. Compared with similar studies in other secondary forests, the richness of plant species found in the Dieng Mountains was considerably lower, especially that of woody plants. The contribution of the shrub and herb categories to more than 80 percent of the total species richness indicates the scarcity of tree species in our research area. In general, plant species richness and diversity were found highest in shrubland. The lowest species richness was found in woodland, while the lowest plant species diversity was recorded in grassland. These results may be related to the level of disturbance in each habitat, which shrubland experienced at an intermediate level. The similarity of plant species composition among habitats in each category was very high. This suggests that woodland and shrubland were still in a comparable stage of succession, despite the age difference between both habitats, while grassland may not succeed in developing into a forest. Considering the trend of population expansion in the Dieng Mountains, the fate of the secondary vegetation in this area may be determined by the level of future interference by humans. In various habitats in the Dieng Mountains, birds were found in relatively low densities. Based on previous studies by other authors, the occurrence of birds in low densities is common in a tropical landscape in which farmland and secondary vegetation are mixed into mosaics. The woodland of the Dieng Mountains, which had the most complex vegetation structure compared with the other habitat types, bore the highest bird density and species diversity. As bird assemblages are influenced by their surrounding habitat types, the bird populations in woodland may have been positively affected by woodland’s proximity to the patches of remnant forests on the mountain tops. With a similar, yet less complex vegetation structure and composition than woodland, shrubland had an intermediate level of bird density and species diversity. Despite its lack of mosaic heterogeneity and the presence of only a small number of trees between plots, agricultural land placed second in bird density. Possible causes for this include the proximity of agricultural land to urban areas and its adjacency to shrubland, which provided woody edge habitat; these factors are known to have positive effects on bird abundance and diversity. Grassland had the lowest species richness, species diversity, and bird density. The overall bird species diversity in our study area was low compared with the number of bird species listed in a previous study that also took place in the Dieng Mountains in 2001. However, the bird community was highly heterogeneous, making it likely that the actual species richness was considerably higher than the observed one. Most of the bird species encountered have a low to medium dependency on forest and a broad range of habitat suitability; only six forest-dependent species were recorded. Our results suggest that in its current state, the Dieng Mountains ecosystem can still meet the needs of various bird species populations. This is mainly because of the presence of secondary vegetation, which functions as a substitute habitat for forest-dependent species. However, the persistence of this condition will depend mainly on future agricultural expansion. An expanding agricultural landscape will eventually reduce the abundance and diversity of birds in the Dieng Mountains. Allowing the secondary vegetation to develop into a climax community will increase avian abundance and species diversity. Agroforestry, not yet widely practiced in the study area, also has the potential to have similar positive effects on the avifauna. Nevertheless, the condition of the Dieng Mountains ecosystem still needs to be improved to assure its suitability as a habitat for its native avifauna. Thirteen small to medium-sized mammal species were recorded in our study area through direct surveys and interviews. Two species, the Javan langur Trachypithecus auratus and Javan leopard Panthera pardus melas, were categorized as vulnerable and critically endangered, respectively, under the IUCN Red List. Our results suggest that the second-growth vegetation of the Dieng Mountains still provided a suitable habitat for the mammalian community, with woodland and shrubland each supporting much higher species richness than grassland. The species richness observed in agricultural land was almost as high as that of woodland and shrubland, implying that agricultural land with ist cultivated crops provided food and habitat for most mammal species in the Dieng Mountains. The majority of species listed were habitat generalists and capable of adapting to disturbed environments, except for two primate species, the long-tailed macaque Macaca fascicularis and Javan langur, whose habitat was confined only to woodland. The results of habitat preference analyses of mammal species recorded directly in the field were mostly inconclusive, owing to the lack of sufficient data. The most meaningful result was with the wild boar Sus scrofa, which showed a significant preference towards woodland and grassland, while avoiding shrubland for foraging. With their function as seed dispersers, the mammalian community’s members play important roles in the Dieng Mountains forest recovery, and therefore we expect this study to serve as a basis for establishing an effective conservation plan towards the improvement of the Dieng Mountains ecosystem. Considering the trend of human population expansion and land use patterns in the Dieng Mountains, the fate of forests and wildlife in this area may mostly be determined by the level of future interference by humans. At best, a mutual relationship can develop between the forest and humans utilizing it, which would give rise to sustainable forest and landscape management. Further research is needed to study the consequences of agricultural practices in the Dieng Mountains, including the effects of pesticides and fertilizers on wildlife populations.
Download or read book Large Scale Landscape Experiments written by David Lindenmayer and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-03-05 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An overview of relationships between landscape change, habitat fragmentation and biodiversity conservation, using key lessons from the Tumut Fragmentation Study.
Download or read book Australian Soils and Landscapes written by Neil N. McKenzie and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2004-07-01 with total page 433 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This essential reference provides an introduction to the remarkable soils and landscapes of Australia. It reveals their great diversity and explains why an understanding of soil properties and landscape processes should guide our use of the land. Using striking photographs of characteristic landscapes, it begins by describing the basic properties of soils and how Australia's distinctive soils and landscapes have co-evolved. We gain a greater understanding of why particular soils occur at certain locations and how soil variation can influence landscape processes, agricultural productivity and ecosystem function. The book explains the impact of various forms of land use and the changes they can bring about in soil. This is followed by an invaluable compendium that describes and illustrates over 100 of the more important and widespread soils of Australia, along with their associated landscapes. There is a brief account of each soil's environment, usage and qualities as well as details on chemical and physical properties so we can make more informed decisions about appropriate land-use. Australian Soils and Landscapes will be a valuable resource for farmers, natural resource managers, soil and environmental scientists, students and anyone with an interest in Australia's unique environment.
Download or read book Fire Regimes in Desert Ecosystems Drivers Impacts and Changes written by Eddie John Van Etten and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2022-10-14 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Conservation Biology in Australia written by T. R. New and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2006 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introductory textbook for conservation biology that explains the issues facing Australia's unique environments and biota and the measures needed to protect them.
Download or read book Flammable Australia written by Ross A. Bradstock and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 488 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fire is pivotal to the functioning of ecosystems in Australia, affecting the distribution and abundance of the continent's unique and highly diverse range of plants and animals. Conservation of this natural biodiversity therefore requires a good understanding of scientific processes involved in the action of fire on the landscape. This book provides an up-to-date synthesis of current knowledge in this area and its application in contemporary land management. Central to the discussion is an exploration of the concept of the fire regime and its interactions with biodiversity.
