Endangered Thick-Lipped Spider Orchids Rediscovered On South Coast
30 November 2016 - NPWS
In recent weeks scientists surveying the Shoalhaven area have identified endangered native orchid species with monikers as intriguing as their biological behaviour is.
The pretty beard, thick-lipped spider and Jervis Bay leek orchids – as they are commonly known – are extremely rare species but this year numerous thick-lipped spider plants have been rediscovered after a long absence during the local annual orchid survey.
Caladenia tessellata_ thick-lipped spider orchid_credit-OEH_03, courtesy Office of Environment and Heritage.
The magnificent florae have begun regenerating following work under the Saving Our Species (SoS) program which has included ecological burns designed to stimulate flowering.
Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) Threatened Species Officer Kylie McClelland is encouraged by this year’s sightings, a result of ongoing efforts in partnership with local orchid experts, Shoalhaven Council, National Parks and Wildlife Service, private landholders and The Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan.
“This year we have found eight endangered pretty beards or Calochilus pulchellus. These are the only plants of this species left in the world so it’s imperative that we do everything we can to ensure their survival,” said Ms McClelland.
Pretty Beard Orchid (Calochius pulchellus). photo credit: Alan Stephenson, courtesy Office of Environment and Heritage
“The even more unusually named thick-lipped spider orchids, known as Caladenia tessellata, have also popped their heads up in an area where we haven’t seen them for seven years! There are at least 30 plants with ten in flower. It’s exciting stuff.
“Using tactics including ecological burns, conservation agreements and seed banking, we’re hoping to improve the long-term conservation prospects for the orchids,” said Ms McClelland.
Orchids are one of the oldest, largest and most successful plant groups on earth with around 35,000 species making up almost 10 per cent of the world’s flowering population.
These amazing flowers are critical for a healthy ecosystem as they interact with underground fungi generating important nutrient exchange. They are also master pollinators, cleverly tricking insects into mating with them by mimicking insect sex pheromones. The insects then unwittingly transfer the pollen from plant-to-plant.
Seventy per cent of Australia’s native orchids are not found anywhere else in the world including some of Shoalhaven’s 100 orchids: about ten per cent of which are on the state’s threatened species list. Several of the area’s orchids are not much bigger than a pea.
“People are always surprised to see how tiny and delicate some of these little guys are – it can be like finding a needle in a haystack so the ongoing monitoring can have its challenges.
“We map out the area we are surveying, transecting across the sites tagging each and every orchid. It’s time consuming but essential work,” Ms McClelland added.
Apart from the ecological burns and ongoing surveys the $650,000 Environmental Trust Saving Our Species Partnership Grant is also funding seed banking, private land conservation, fencing, pest and weed control, protection of sites and educational signage.
These measures are helping ensure the survival of some of Shoalhaven’s most unique native plants. The initiative focuses on eleven species, including six orchids, four of which are endemic to the area.
This year’s surveys have just been completed and seed banking is planned for the thick-lipped spider and Jervis Bay leek orchids.
Jervis Bay Leek Orchid (Prasophyllum affine). photo credit: Alan Stephenson, courtesy Office of Environment and Heritage
Ongoing monitoring is critical to help assess the effectiveness of our efforts to conserve these spectacular florae.
In addition to the Environmental Trust funding, the NSW Government’s Saving Our Species (SoS) program is providing $100 million over the next five years to help protect almost a thousand animals and plants threatened from extinction in NSW.
Saving Grevillea Caleyi – Bushcare At Baha’i
Our last volunteer bush regeneration session at the Baha'i Temple under the GSLLS funding is on Monday December 5.
Meet at the picnic shelter at 8.30 am.
If you haven't been to this event before now is your last chance to join our volunteers end experience this wonderful site and see this lovely rare shrub.The new leaves are as colourful as the flowers. Equipment is provided.
There will be a special morning tea at 10 am
In the event of rain the morning tea will still go ahead.
For more information please contact David Palmer on 0404 171 940
Pittwater Natural Heritage Association (PNHA)
Life And Death Following Great Barrier Reef Bleaching
November 29, 2016: James Cook University and ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Dead table corals killed by bleaching on Zenith Reef, on the Northern Great Barrier Reef, November 2016.
Credit: Greg Torda, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
Scientists have confirmed the largest die-off of corals ever recorded on Australia's Great Barrier Reef.
The worst affected area, a 700 km swath of reefs in the northern region of the Great Barrier Reef has lost an average of 67% of its shallow-water corals in the past 8-9 months. Further south, over the vast central and southern regions of the Great Barrier Reef, the scientists were relieved to find a much lower death toll.
"Most of the losses in 2016 have occurred in the northern, most-pristine part of the Great Barrier Reef. This region escaped with minor damage in two earlier bleaching events in 1998 and 2002, but this time around it has been badly affected," says Professor Terry Hughes, Director of the Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies based at James Cook University, who undertook extensive aerial surveys at the height of the bleaching.
"The good news is the southern two-thirds of the Reef has escaped with minor damage. On average, 6% of bleached corals died in the central region in 2016, and only 1% in the south. The corals have now regained their vibrant colour, and these reefs are in good condition," says Professor Andrew Baird, also from the ARC Centre, who led teams of divers to re-survey the reefs in October and November.
"This is welcome news for our tourism industry," according to Craig Stephen, who manages one of the Great Barrier Reef's largest live-aboard tourist operations.
Tourism on the Great Barrier Reef employs 70,000 people, and generates $5 billion in income each year.
"The patchiness of the bleaching means that we can still provide our customers with a world-class coral reef experience by taking them to reefs that are still in top condition."
Another silver lining was revealed in the northern offshore corner of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, where the loss of coral was lower than the other northern reefs.
"We found a large corridor of reefs that escaped the most severe damage along the eastern edge of the continental shelf in the far north of the Great Barrier Reef," says Professor Hughes.
"We suspect these reefs are partially protected from heat stress by upwelling of cooler water from the Coral Sea."
Scientists expect that the northern region will take at least 10-15 years to regain the lost corals, but they are concerned that a fourth bleaching event could happen sooner and interrupt the slow recovery.
Meeting Of Environment Ministers (MEM): Meeting 5
AGREED STATEMENT
25 November 2016
Meeting of Environment Ministers
Commonwealth, state and territory Environment Ministers met today in Sydney to advance the protection of species and habitats, improve the environment for human health, and discuss climate change.
Environmental accounting
Ministers agreed to work together to develop a common national approach to environmental accounts in 2017. This important work will ensure accurate and reliable information is available to governments, communities and business to better understand the condition of the environment and make better decisions. It will improve the ability to track outcomes in specific locations and across state and territory boundaries, and demonstrate the value of the environment to our standard of living.
As a first step, the Australian Government will collaborate with a number of states in bringing together relevant stakeholders, Natural Resource Management organisations and academia to progress environmental accounts. This will take place in early 2017 and will build on action already under way in all jurisdictions to move towards a common national approach.
Biodiversity
Australia’s unique species are an international treasure and a national asset. Ministers considered and agreed to release the review of Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030. The review found that there were opportunities to build on good outcomes achieved so far including by enhancing partnerships to take practical and focused action to implement the strategy.
As the strategy supports our implementation of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, Ministers agreed that it should be updated to meet current and emerging challenges. Ministers highlighted the importance of reform of the strategy to enhance collaboration with Indigenous people, private landowners, businesses, environmental organisations, and communities to achieve tangible on-the-ground improvements for our species and recognised the importance of bringing the broader community along with this reform. This will mean leveraging the resources and effort of government and focusing that effort on a set of shared priorities to ensure there is robust protection of Australia’s globally important species and landscapes. Ministers agreed that closer cooperation across Australia, guided by a national plan, will lead to better outcomes.
Ministers highlighted significant steps already taken to improve and protect biodiversity across the country, in particular:
- Australia’s internationally recognised National Reserve System which covers over 17 per cent of the country. It includes national parks and protected areas on public, private and Indigenous land. This is a significant achievement but there is still more to be done to ensure the system is robust and well managed.
- As it relates to threatened species, the importance of ongoing efforts including close collaboration, pooling of resources and sharing best practice, for example the strong cooperation that the Commonwealth and Tasmania are continuing to protect the nationally endangered orange bellied parrot and the Tasmanian devil.
- Australia’s world leading collaboration between land managers, Landcare groups, Natural Resource Management organisations and local communities across the country which protect Australia’s unique species, improve our productive landscapes and preserve our habitats.
Environment and human health
Ministers were concerned about the impact on communities and business of contamination from fire retardant chemicals, such as per- and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs, including PFOS and PFOA). Ministers welcomed the release of the Commonwealth Environmental Management Guidance on PFOS and PFOA by the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Energy as an important step in the development of practical responses to the management of these toxic chemicals.
Ministers noted that the Commonwealth would be releasing a Regulatory Impact Statement on the ratification of the listing of PFOS under the Stockholm Convention in early 2017.
Ministers acknowledged the challenges of managing PFAS contamination and agreed to work more closely, including in the timely communication of information to the public and around ensuring that regulatory approaches are aligned and effective.
All jurisdictions will have a critical role to play in the development of nationally consistent standards for environmental contamination and will support Victoria in hosting a summit in early 2017 and will report back to Ministers in mid-2017.
Food Waste
Ministers agreed that jurisdictions, led by the Australian Government, will work cooperatively to support initiatives that lead to a 50 per cent reduction in food waste by 2030. Food waste is estimated to cost the Australian economy in the order of $20 billion annually. As a first step, jurisdictions will support the Australian Government in the development of a National Food Waste Strategy and contribute to a National Food Waste Summit in 2017.
Ministers discussed their desire to move quickly on tangible actions that would result in enduring reductions in food waste, and to develop methods to measure progress.
Packaging Waste
Ministers discussed the importance of reducing packaging waste and welcomed the significant update of the Australian Packaging Covenant. There was consensus in favour of the new approach to the Covenant, with NSW and Queensland to finalise their position shortly. These reforms will ensure the Covenant promotes businesses working across their supply chain to reduce waste, design more sustainable packaging and increase the rate of recycling.
Ministers welcomed the new five year strategic plan and the significant investment of resources by industry to support the plan.
Plastic Microbeads
Ministers discussed the need to work with businesses to achieve a voluntary phase out of microbeads. Microbeads are typically found in personal care products, cosmetics and some cleaning products and are having significant impacts on our marine environment. Ministers agreed dumping products containing microbeads on the Australian market was unacceptable and that the industry must meet targets for the ban quickly and comprehensively. Ministers discussed the importance of working directly with smaller manufacturers and importers, alongside peak industry bodies, to make sure all affected businesses understand and ensure that all products containing microbeads were captured under the ban.
Ministers will reassess the effectiveness of voluntary action in mid-2017. Ministers were clear that if the voluntary approach does not result in an effective ban they will move at that time to regulate to give effect to a ban.
Plastic Bags
Ministers noted that Australians consume billions of plastic bags each year and that this contributes to the toll that plastic litter takes on marine life around Australia. Ministers acknowledged the bans on plastic bags already implemented by SA, Tasmania, ACT and the NT and noted Queensland’s announcement today to have a ban in place by 2018. Ministers supported the work Victoria and NSW are doing, including the work NSW is doing to investigate the behaviour of biodegradable plastic bags in the environment . Ministers asked officials to report back at the next meeting on progress being made in other jurisdictions to ban plastic bags.
Photovoltaic Systems
Ministers discussed the impending rapid growth in the contribution of photovoltaic systems, including PV panels, inverter equipment and system accessories such as energy storage batteries, for domestic, commercial and industrial applications. Victorian analysis has estimated that the waste stream from PV panels will grow from around 580 tonnes in 2015 to around 31,000 tonnes by 2035. Ministers acknowledged the importance of ensuring that programs are in place to deal with this cost. The Victorian government is leading innovative programs working throughout the life cycle of photovoltaic systems to reduce environmental impacts.
Ministers agreed to Victoria leading work to develop an industry led voluntary product stewardship arrangement to address the emerging risks posed by end-of-life photovoltaic systems entering the waste stream. Photovoltaic systems have been listed under the national Product Stewardship Act to signal an intent to consider a scheme to deal with these wastes.
National Pollutant Inventory
Ministers noted the importance of robust information to support the management of pollution in Australia, and noted the role of the National Pollutant Inventory in providing this to governments, industry and the community. Ministers acknowledged that the list of 93 substances reported under the scheme had been almost unchanged since its inception. Ministers agreed to review the NPI focussing on identifying whether the right substances were being reported, the most valuable information was being collected and whether its collection was cost effective. Ministers agreed to terms of reference for a review of the National Pollutant Inventory to be completed in 2017.
Clean Air
Ministers endorsed release of the National Clean Air Agreement Mid-term Review Report. Ministers were pleased to note that good progress has been made over the first 12 months of the Agreement. Air pollution reporting standards have been significantly strengthened and work is well underway on key emission reduction strategies for example, significant progress toward implementing emission standards for non-road spark ignition engines and equipment such as garden tools and outboard motors that contribute to about 10 per cent of smog in our cities.
Tyre Stewardship
Officials will report back to the next meeting on the progress of the ACCC review into Tyre Stewardship with a view to improving outcomes in relation to tyre recycling.
Climate change
Minister Frydenberg relayed the outcomes of the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Marrakech. He noted the strong continued international momentum for action on climate change including recent agreements around phasing out HFCs and reducing emissions in the international aviation sector. Australia’s ratification of the Paris Agreement was warmly welcomed in this context and sends a clear signal of Australia’s commitment to the Agreement.
Minister Frydenberg provided an update on the work of the COAG Energy Council to better integrate climate and energy policies across jurisdictions.
Minister Frydenberg noted the Commonwealth’s 2017 climate change review. State and territory Ministers noted their activities in mitigation, adaptation, policy, targets and programs to address climate change.
Community Declares War On Ocean Microplastics
“If you eat seafood in any fashion whatsoever the plastic pollution and corresponding contaminant problem has relevance to you,” says prominent biologist Dr Jennifer Lavers. “Anything really that comes out of the ocean you cannot certify that as organic any longer.”Microplastic pollution of our ocean is a menace to marine life and a growing health concern. Northern Beaches environment group Living Ocean is harnessing the community to act as Citizen Scientists, gathering microplastics data on our beaches so Jennifer and other research scientists around the world can work toward a solution.
Jennifer, a renowned microplastics authority, is holding a free workshop on Avalon Beach for all interested volunteers, Sunday 4 December 12:30-3:00pm.
Commencing outside the Avalon Surf Life Saving Club, Jennifer will lead a workshop showing how to collect and classify microplastics. This workshop follows on from Living Ocean’s 10am Avalon Beach cleanup that morning, if you would like to be involved in that as well. Registration is not required, all welcome. Look for the Living Ocean banner. You’ll become qualified to participate in our monthly microplastics collections.
A further workshop, for prospective team leaders, will be at the Coastal Environment Centre, Narrabeen, on Saturday 3 December 1:00-3:30pm. Bookings Essential
For anyone appalled by pollution in the ocean but feeling powerless to help, here at last is an opportunity to make a real difference. Further details at facebook.com/livingocean.
About Living Ocean
Living Ocean is a charity that promotes the awareness of human impact on the ocean, through research, education, creative activity in the community and support of others who sustain ocean health and integrity.
About Microplastics
Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic, up to 5mm in size, that have broken down from larger pieces or are pre-production pellets. As they wash around in the ocean they gather and concentrate ocean pollutants, which pass into the bloodstream of marine animals that ingest them, ultimately entering the human diet.
Cowal Gold Mine Mod 13 - Mine Life Extension
The Cowal Gold Operations Mine Life Modification (the Modification) involves continued operations at the existing CGO within ML 1535 for an additional 8 years to allow an additional 1.7 million ounces (Moz) of gold production (i.e. a total of approximately 5.5 Moz over the life of the modified
CGO).
Existing CGO infrastructure would continue to be used for the Modification, with some alterations where necessary, including modification of the
existing tailings storage facilities to maximise/increase tailings storage capacity (Figure ES-2) and upgrades to the existing leach circuit within the process plant.
The proposed changes to the tailings storage facilities include connection of the existing two tailings storage facilities to utilise the area in between for additional tailings storage. The existing tailings management and seepage control measures would be replicated for this additional tailings storage area.
Project is currently on public exhibition and opportunity for public submissions is available
Exhibition Start 18/11/2016
Exhibition End 08/12/2016
View Documents and Make a Submission at:
LR And SCC Release Low Carbon Pathways 2050 Study
October 19, 2016
Lloyd's Register and Shipping in Changing Climates, a $4m multi-university and cross industry research project funded by EPRSC, have today released Low Carbon Pathways 2050 – a new study that details a number of potential pathways for the shipping industry’s transition to a low carbon future.
The report underlines the need for shipping to start its decarbonisation imminently – as stringency increases over time, increasingly high-cost mitigation steps are required. The later we leave decarbonisation, the more rapid and potentially disruptive it will be for shipping.
The greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of shipping are a consequence of the carbon intensity of shipping’s energy supply, the energy efficiency of shipping and the demand for shipping. The Paris Agreement confirmed that it was not a question of whether climate change should be addressed but a question of how, and it was clear that everyone will have to contribute.
Shipping currently accounts for 2.33% of global CO2 emissions and there will be no space in the carbon budget to allow even the emissions of shipping (currently approximately 1 Gt per annum) to be ignored.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO), agreed at the 69th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to establish a working group to discuss the matter further at MEPC 70 from 24–28 October 2016. There are a number of submissions to MEPC 70 on this subject and we all expect important discussions to take place on how this issue is to be progressed.
Low Carbon Pathways 2050, presented by Katharine Palmer, LR’s Environment and Sustainability Manager, and Carlo Raucci of the Shipping in Changing Climates project, aims to contribute towards these discussions by providing understanding on the potential pathways to the decarbonisation of the global shipping industry. Consistent with the Paris Agreement, the report gives particular focus on the technological and operational specifications of the global fleet and how these may change in relation to a given rate of decarbonisation.
The report asks the question: given the best available evidence, what is a reasonable estimate of how shipping might be required to change and what does this look like?
Three future scenarios for this initial study for the period 2015–2050 were identified to demonstrate varying options for decarbonisation. The first, High Hydrogen, considers the availability of hydrogen, which is used in fuel cell technology, to demonstrate what can be achieved through technology and innovation. The second, High Bio, assumes a mid-range market penetration of biofuels in the shipping industry, and the third, High offsetting, considers the impact of a market-based mechanism. These three future scenarios are compared to a business as usual (BAU) scenario with existing regulatory
commitments.
Key findings of the study include:
- Shipping will need to start its decarbonisation imminently – as stringency increases over time, increasingly high-cost mitigation steps are required. The later we leave decarbonisation, the more rapid and potentially disruptive it will be for shipping.
- All are ‘possible’ options for achieving absolute reductions of a scale and timeliness consistent with the Paris Agreement.
- A substitute for fossil fuel will still be required as energy efficiency improvements alone will not be sufficient in the medium to long term.
- Energy storage in batteries and renewable energy sources will have important roles to play, but are likely to still leave a requirement for a liquid fuel source.
- Additional regulations that may be developed for other emissions need to be considered, for example; methane, black carbon and particulate matter.
- Technological and operational characteristics are just some of the considerations that need to be taken into account.
Katharine Palmer, LR’s Environment and Sustainability Manager, commented: “There are many issues to debate as the industry tries to consider what the strategy might be for handling the simultaneously inevitable and uncertain changes ahead. What is clear is that any future regulation needs to provide the right incentive to drive the change needed and we hope that business strategies and consistent policies can be combined to reduce shipping emissions.”
Carlo Raucci of the Shipping in Changing Climates project added: “Clearly many questions remain and will need further thought and consultation. But at least this study makes clear that we need to advance thinking beyond marginal gains in energy efficiency and alternative fossil fuels if we are to identify the sector’s least cost decarbonisation pathways.”
Following this initial study, LR and SCC will convene industry roundtable discussions on the findings of the report and facilitate the development of future possible scenarios in collaboration with the industry to create and share knowledge and tools that can contribute to reducing GHGs from shipping.
LCP2050 thumbanil 2Low Carbon Pathways 2050 is the latest in LR’s series of reports looking at fuel and technology trends for the marine industry, aimed at developing new knowledge and tools that can contribute to policy debate. Previous reports include Global Marine Trends 2030, Global Marine Fuel Trends 2030 and Global Marine Technology Trends 2030.
To download a PDF of the study go to www.lr.org/lcp2050
Ancient Rocks Hold Evidence For Life Before Oxygen
This is a microscopic image of 2.5 billion-year-old sulfur-oxidizing bacterium. Credit: Andrew Czaja, UC assistant professor of geology
November 29, 2016
Somewhere between Earth's creation and where we are today, scientists have demonstrated that some early life forms existed just fine without any oxygen.
While researchers proclaim the first half of our 4.5 billion-year-old planet's life as an important time for the development and evolution of early bacteria, evidence for these life forms remains sparse including how they survived at a time when oxygen levels in the atmosphere were less than one-thousandth of one percent of what they are today.
Recent geology research from the University of Cincinnati presents new evidence for bacteria found fossilized in two separate locations in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.
"These are the oldest reported fossil sulfur bacteria to date," says Andrew Czaja, UC assistant professor of geology. "And this discovery is helping us reveal a diversity of life and ecosystems that existed just prior to the Great Oxidation Event, a time of major atmospheric evolution."
The 2.52 billion-year-old sulfur-oxidizing bacteria are described by Czaja as exceptionally large, spherical-shaped, smooth-walled microscopic structures much larger than most modern bacteria, but similar to some modern single-celled organisms that live in deepwater sulfur-rich ocean settings today, where even now there are almost no traces of oxygen.
In his research published in the December issue of the journal Geology of the Geological Society of America, Czaja and his colleagues Nicolas Beukes from the University of Johannesburg and Jeffrey Osterhout, a recently graduated master's student from UC's department of geology, reveal samples of bacteria that were abundant in deep water areas of the ocean in a geologic time known as the Neoarchean Eon (2.8 to 2.5 billion years ago).
"These fossils represent the oldest known organisms that lived in a very dark, deep-water environment," says Czaja. "These bacteria existed two billion years before plants and trees, which evolved about 450 million years ago. We discovered these microfossils preserved in a layer of hard silica-rich rock called chert located within the Kaapvaal craton of South Africa."
With an atmosphere of much less than one percent oxygen, scientists have presumed that there were things living in deep water in the mud that didn't need sunlight or oxygen, but Czaja says experts didn't have any direct evidence for them until now.
Czaja argues that finding rocks this old is rare, so researchers' understanding of the Neoarchean Eon are based on samples from only a handful of geographic areas, such as this region of South Africa and another in Western Australia.
According to Czaja, scientists through the years have theorized that South Africa and Western Australia were once part of an ancient supercontinent called Vaalbara, before a shifting and upending of tectonic plates split them during a major change in the Earth's surface.
Based on radiometric dating and geochemical isotope analysis, Czaja characterizes his fossils as having formed in this early Vaalbara supercontinent in an ancient deep seabed containing sulfate from continental rock. According to this dating, Czaja's fossil bacteria were also thriving just before the era when other shallow-water bacteria began creating more and more oxygen as a byproduct of photosynthesis.
"We refer to this period as the Great Oxidation Event that took place 2.4 to 2.2 billion years ago," says Czaja.
Early recycling
Czaja's fossils show the Neoarchean bacteria in plentiful numbers while living deep in the sediment. He contends that these early bacteria were busy ingesting volcanic hydrogen sulfide -- the molecule known to give off a rotten egg smell -- then emitting sulfate, a gas that has no smell. He says this is the same process that goes on today as modern bacteria recycle decaying organic matter into minerals and gases.
"The waste product from one [bacteria] was food for the other," adds Czaja.
"While I can't claim that these early bacteria are the same ones we have today, we surmise that they may have been doing the same thing as some of our current bacteria," says Czaja. "These early bacteria likely consumed the molecules dissolved from sulfur-rich minerals that came from land rocks that had eroded and washed out to sea, or from the volcanic remains on the ocean's floor.
There is an ongoing debate about when sulfur-oxidizing bacteria arose and how that fits into the earth's evolution of life, Czaja adds. "But these fossils tell us that sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were there 2.52 billion years ago, and they were doing something remarkable."
Andrew D. Czaja, Nicolas J. Beukes, Jeffrey T. Osterhout. Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria prior to the Great Oxidation Event from the 2.52 Ga Gamohaan Formation of South Africa. Geology, 2016; 44 (12): 983 DOI: 10.1130/G38150.1
Predation On Pollinating Insects Shaped The Evolution Of The Orchid Mantis
A typical male orchid mantis, Hymenopus coronatus, from Sarawak, Borneo showing brown and white coloration with transparent wings.
Credit: Gavin Svenson
December 1, 2016
A team of scientists at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Australia, and Germany discovered that the orchid mantis looks like a flower due to the exploitation of pollinating insects as prey by its praying mantis ancestors.
By studying the evolutionary relationships of the orchid mantis and its distant relatives, the team discovered that females in the orchid mantis lineage increased in size and changed color over their evolutionary history to gain advantage over large pollinating insects, such as bees, as well as the ability to attract them for predation. However, the morphologically dissimilar males are small and camouflaged, enabling them to live a life of predator avoidance and mate finding. The team found that this difference in males and females, termed sexual dimorphism, was likely the result of female predatory success that favored larger and more conspicuously colored individuals. This result challenges the traditional explanation for sexual dimorphism in arthropods as an increase in female egg production and suggests female predation strategy led to the differing male and female ecologies in the orchid mantises.
The research was published online in the journal Scientific Reports.
Lead author Dr. Gavin Svenson of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History and co-authors used their evolutionary reconstruction of the group to demonstrate that a size increase in floral associated mantises provided access to more prey options, which set the stage for the evolution of floral simulation through size, shape, and color modifications that helped attract insect pollinators as prey. Thanks to a body of ecological research on the orchid mantis previously conducted by co-author Dr. James O'Hanlon of Macquarie University in Australia, it was known that females masquerade as flowers (floral simulation) to attract pollinating insects to eat, but that they do not sit on flowers themselves. This knowledge helped the team decipher the likely evolutionary scenario that gave rise to floral simulation in the orchid mantises and provided the opportunity to correct the long-held misunderstanding that orchid mantises sit on orchids, which their namesake incorrectly suggests.
"This study is a demonstration of how basic systematics research can inform our understanding of evolution by establishing patterns not previously seen," said co-author Henrique Rodrigues.
"Bringing together ecological research with an evolutionary analysis enabled us to explain how such a remarkable, flower masquerading lineage of praying mantis could evolve," said co-author Sydney Brannoch. Co-authors Rodrigues and Brannoch are both Ph.D. candidates at Case Western Reserve University and are based at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History in Svenson's laboratory.
The research project, under the direction of Svenson, was primarily focused on the systematics and taxonomy of a broader lineage of praying mantises, which included the orchid mantises. Acting on a suggestion made by co-author Dr. Frank Wieland of the Palatinate Museum of Natural History in Germany, the team took notice of a small group of extremely large and colorful mantises that grouped together in the evolutionary analysis. Although these relationships were never before outlined, they suggested a clear pattern of extreme sexual dimorphism in the orchid mantis lineage.
"It was not our intention to study the orchid mantises specifically, but when a unique pattern emerges, one must pursue fascinating results," said Svenson, curator of invertebrate zoology at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History and adjunct assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University. "Finding the first case of males and females of a praying mantis species living extremely different adult lives was interesting and unique, but discovering the first case of arthropod sexual size dimorphism caused by female predatory success rather than investment in reproduction was both surprising and rewarding. This is particularly true when the original research focus was to fix the classification system to reflect true evolutionary relationship. Finding patterns in your study group that inform broader evolutionary understanding is the holy grail of systematics research."
Gavin J. Svenson, Sydney K. Brannoch, Henrique M. Rodrigues, James C. O’Hanlon, Frank Wieland. Selection for predation, not female fecundity, explains sexual size dimorphism in the orchid mantises. Scientific Reports, 2016; 6: 37753 DOI: 10.1038/srep37753
50,000 Preschools To Receive Free Water Safety Education Packs
1 December 2016: Media Release - The Hon Sussan Ley MP
Minister for Health and Aged Care
Minister for Sport
Summer can be a time of fun in the sun and in the water, but it is also a time to be extra careful about children’s water safety.
Minister for Health and Sport Sussan Ley today urged all families and teachers involved with young children to use free water safety education resources proudly supported by the Australian Government.
New packs to promote water safety for toddlers, including songs, videos and books, will be distributed by Australia Post to more than 50,000 pre-schools, early learning centres and play groups around Australia over the next two weeks.
The resource packs are part of the Kids Alive Do the Five program developed by Laurie Lawrence. The program will receive $1 million from the Federal Government this financial year.
“The resource pack reflects Laurie’s technical expertise and passion for improving children’s water survival skills,” Ms Ley said.
“I encourage parents, carers and teachers to use these new resources. Please take the time to learn about water safety and teach your kids - it could save their life.”
Australia Post spokesperson Michelle Skehan said: “Australia Post is proud to provide support to the Water Safety Program - it is an important initiative and plays a vital role in teaching children how to be safe in and around water.”
Children under five years old are a priority for the Government’s water safety initiatives. The 2016 Drowning Report released by the Royal Life Saving Society of Australia found that the number of children under five who drowned was 30 per cent below the 10-year average.
“While the great work being undertaken by Laurie Lawrence is having a real impact, 21 youngsters tragically lost their lives to drowning in the past 12 months, so we still need to push the message that many of these deaths are preventable,” Ms Ley said.
“We have to stay vigilant and ensure our pre-schoolers are properly supervised whenever they are near water and improve water safety skills as early as possible.”
A DVD on infants’ water safety produced by Mr Lawrence as part of the Kids Alive program is also distributed to new mothers in hospitals throughout the country.
The water safety curriculum materials along with other water safety resources can be accessed free from the Kids Alive website www.kidsalive.com.au.
The Government provides $11 million a year to organisations such as Laurie Lawrence Swimming Enterprises, the Royal Life Saving Society Australia, Surf Life Saving Australia and AUSTSWIM, to keep Australians and our visitors safe at our beaches, pools and inland waterways, including rivers and dams.
