Review Of Complying Development In Greenfield Areas
Bird Walks And Talks 2017: PNHA
Come and see and hear some of our fantastic native birds, many of which you'll never see in your garden. Join in a Sunday guided bird walk with Pittwater Natural Heritage Association. All walks start at 8am and end about 10am.
May 28, Warriewood Wetlands, meet at End of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
August 27 Chiltern Track. Meet at gate, off northern of Chiltern Rd Ingleside.September 17 Irrawong reserve. Meet at corner Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.November 26 Warriewood Wetlands. Meet end of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
Bring binoculars if possible. Drink, hat and comfortable shoes.More information contact pnhabirdwatching@gmail.com or Ph Kerry on 0402605 721.
You don't need to book but if we know you're coming we'll watch out for you. Call if in doubt about weather as we won't go out if it's raining.
Come and see and hear some of our fantastic native birds, many of which you'll never see in your garden. Join in a Sunday guided bird walk with Pittwater Natural Heritage Association. All walks start at 8am and end about 10am.
May 28, Warriewood Wetlands, meet at End of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
August 27 Chiltern Track. Meet at gate, off northern of Chiltern Rd Ingleside.
September 17 Irrawong reserve. Meet at corner Irrawong Rd and Epworth Rd.
November 26 Warriewood Wetlands. Meet end of Katoa Close, north Narrabeen.
Bring binoculars if possible. Drink, hat and comfortable shoes.
More information contact pnhabirdwatching@gmail.com or
Ph Kerry on 0402605 721.
You don't need to book but if we know you're coming we'll watch out for you. Call if in doubt about weather as we won't go out if it's raining.
Fears 179 Koalas Lost To Bulldozers
18 May 2017: WWF AustraliaAs part of a major campaign to save koalas, WWF-Australia today released an analysis to show tree-clearing likely killed 179 koalas in southeast Queensland in just two years, further pushing them towards localised extinctions. Releasing his findings on Endangered Species Day (May 19), WWF-Australia conservation scientist Dr Martin Taylor said after bulldozers destroyed their forest homes the koalas would have perished. The koalas were from the Moreton Bay region and had orthopaedic repairs on their broken limbs and was luckily able to be released. Dr Taylor said Qld Government landclearing reports showed that over 44 sq km of koala bushland – equal to about 4,400 rugby league fields – were bulldozed in SEQ from mid-2013 to mid-2015, following the weakening of tree protection by the former state government. Using koala density maps* from the SEQ Koala Population Modelling Study, Dr Taylor calculated that the destroyed forest would have supported 179 koalas. “Bulldoze their trees and you kiss the koalas goodbye – they’re forced to look for new homes and are then killed by cars or dogs. The only solution is state government action to rein in excessive tree-clearing,” said Dr Taylor. Research shows more than 2,000 koalas suffering fractures were taken to wildlife hospitals in SEQ over a 13-year period. Vehicle collisions and dog attacks caused 93% of the fractures and only 2% of the injured koalas survived.
Koala drinking beside a central Queensland road, March 2017 © Sue Gedda / WWF-Aus
RSPCA Qld also holds grave fears for the long-term survival of koalas in southeast Queensland. “From March 31st 2016 to April 1st 2017, a staggering 323 koalas came into our Wildlife hospital at Wacol,” said RSPCA Qld’s Michael Beatty. “A large percentage of these were victims of traffic accidents and dog attacks and of course these incidents are linked to habitat destruction. There are also increasing concerns about where koalas can be safely re-released,” Mr Beatty said. On the Koala Coast, koalas have declined by about 80% from 1996-2014 and in Pine Rivers koalas have declined by about 55% from 1996-2014. It’s estimated the rate of the Koala Coast and Pine Rivers declines will result in local extinctions for some populations within a small number of generations. A new report prepared for WWF-Australia by Dr Christine Adams-Hosking shows that koalas are declining throughout Queensland – not just SEQ – with the destruction of trees forcing koalas into increasingly fragmented pockets of habitat.
53% decline in koalas across QldA panel of experts estimated that in Queensland overall, koalas have declined by 53% over the past three koala generations and the next three koala generations **In southern inland Queensland, there has been an 80% decline in koala numbers, from an estimated 59,000 in 1995 to 11,600 in 2009.
In Central Queensland, 62 koala road deaths were recorded in a three-year period as traffic volume steadily increased as the mining industry expanded.
Researchers calculated that in some locations, koalas have on average less than 40 seconds to cross the road, and a much shorter window during peak periods. WWF-Australia’s koala campaign wwf.org.au/savekoalas aims to save the iconic species and other wildlife by protecting forests. WWF-Australia is encouraging people to create and send a digital origami koala, called a KIMBY (Koala in my back yard), to key Queensland politicians to encourage them to take action to stop excessive tree-clearing. *The University of Queensland study modelled koala density in forests in eight Local Government Areas: Moreton Bay Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Noosa Shire Council, Ipswich City Council, Brisbane City Council, Redland City Council, Logan City Council and Gold Coast City Council.** A koala generation is 6 to 8 years – the time from birth to peak reproduction.
Current status of the koala in Queensland & New South Wales - A report by Dr Christine Adams-Hosking, Honorary Research Fellow for WWF-Australia, May 2017KEY FINDINGS- Most koala populations in QLD and NSW have declined
- There are many areas where koalas are rapidly declining
- Koalas are currently persisting in increasingly fragmented pockets of habitat
- In QLD, koalas have declined by 53% over the past and future three koala generations
- In NSW, koalas have declined by 26% over the past and future three koala generations
- On the Koala Coast, koalas have declined by 80.25% from 1996-2014
- On the Koala Coast, koalas declined by 51% from 2006-2008
- In Pine Rivers, koalas declined by 54.28% from 1996-2014
- In southwest QLD, koalas declined by 80% between 1995-2009
- In the Pilliga Forests of western NSW, koalas have declined by 80%
- In Coffs Harbour, koala populations are stable to gradually declining
- In the Campbelltown LGA, koala populations are stable or increasing
- In the Eden region, koala probability of occurrence has declined at an average rate of 70% every 10 years
- The Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA has an estimated 2,000 koalas, with 200 – 250 koalas admitted annually to its hospital
- On the Tweed Coast, occupancy by koalas has halved in recent years
- In Lismore, there has been an average range contraction of about 30% over the last three koala generations
- In the Byron region, existing coastal populations may be unsustainable in the absence of improved connectivity and decreasing habitat cover
- In Ballina, the koala population has high mortality and low breeding success which will inevitably lead to its extinction
- New threats such as climate change and mining continue, while the longstanding threats to koalas remain
- In arid and semi-arid regions of QLD and NSW, habitats that may have once provided refugia during times of drought are now highly disturbed and are unlikely to provide the required level of protection for the koala
18 May 2017: WWF Australia
As part of a major campaign to save koalas, WWF-Australia today released an analysis to show tree-clearing likely killed 179 koalas in southeast Queensland in just two years, further pushing them towards localised extinctions.
Releasing his findings on Endangered Species Day (May 19), WWF-Australia conservation scientist Dr Martin Taylor said after bulldozers destroyed their forest homes the koalas would have perished.
The koalas were from the Moreton Bay region and had orthopaedic repairs on their broken limbs and was luckily able to be released. Dr Taylor said Qld Government landclearing reports showed that over 44 sq km of koala bushland – equal to about 4,400 rugby league fields – were bulldozed in SEQ from mid-2013 to mid-2015, following the weakening of tree protection by the former state government.
Using koala density maps* from the SEQ Koala Population Modelling Study, Dr Taylor calculated that the destroyed forest would have supported 179 koalas.
“Bulldoze their trees and you kiss the koalas goodbye – they’re forced to look for new homes and are then killed by cars or dogs. The only solution is state government action to rein in excessive tree-clearing,” said Dr Taylor.
Research shows more than 2,000 koalas suffering fractures were taken to wildlife hospitals in SEQ over a 13-year period.
Vehicle collisions and dog attacks caused 93% of the fractures and only 2% of the injured koalas survived.
Koala drinking beside a central Queensland road, March 2017 © Sue Gedda / WWF-Aus
RSPCA Qld also holds grave fears for the long-term survival of koalas in southeast Queensland.
“From March 31st 2016 to April 1st 2017, a staggering 323 koalas came into our Wildlife hospital at Wacol,” said RSPCA Qld’s Michael Beatty.
“A large percentage of these were victims of traffic accidents and dog attacks and of course these incidents are linked to habitat destruction. There are also increasing concerns about where koalas can be safely re-released,” Mr Beatty said.
On the Koala Coast, koalas have declined by about 80% from 1996-2014 and in Pine Rivers koalas have declined by about 55% from 1996-2014.
It’s estimated the rate of the Koala Coast and Pine Rivers declines will result in local extinctions for some populations within a small number of generations.
A new report prepared for WWF-Australia by Dr Christine Adams-Hosking shows that koalas are declining throughout Queensland – not just SEQ – with the destruction of trees forcing koalas into increasingly fragmented pockets of habitat.
53% decline in koalas across Qld
A panel of experts estimated that in Queensland overall, koalas have declined by 53% over the past three koala generations and the next three koala generations **
In southern inland Queensland, there has been an 80% decline in koala numbers, from an estimated 59,000 in 1995 to 11,600 in 2009.
In Central Queensland, 62 koala road deaths were recorded in a three-year period as traffic volume steadily increased as the mining industry expanded.
Researchers calculated that in some locations, koalas have on average less than 40 seconds to cross the road, and a much shorter window during peak periods.
WWF-Australia’s koala campaign wwf.org.au/savekoalas aims to save the iconic species and other wildlife by protecting forests.
WWF-Australia is encouraging people to create and send a digital origami koala, called a KIMBY (Koala in my back yard), to key Queensland politicians to encourage them to take action to stop excessive tree-clearing.
*The University of Queensland study modelled koala density in forests in eight Local Government Areas: Moreton Bay Regional Council, Sunshine Coast Regional Council, Noosa Shire Council, Ipswich City Council, Brisbane City Council, Redland City Council, Logan City Council and Gold Coast City Council.
** A koala generation is 6 to 8 years – the time from birth to peak reproduction.
Current status of the koala in Queensland & New South Wales - A report by Dr Christine Adams-Hosking, Honorary Research Fellow for WWF-Australia, May 2017
KEY FINDINGS
- Most koala populations in QLD and NSW have declined
- There are many areas where koalas are rapidly declining
- Koalas are currently persisting in increasingly fragmented pockets of habitat
- In QLD, koalas have declined by 53% over the past and future three koala generations
- In NSW, koalas have declined by 26% over the past and future three koala generations
- On the Koala Coast, koalas have declined by 80.25% from 1996-2014
- On the Koala Coast, koalas declined by 51% from 2006-2008
- In Pine Rivers, koalas declined by 54.28% from 1996-2014
- In southwest QLD, koalas declined by 80% between 1995-2009
- In the Pilliga Forests of western NSW, koalas have declined by 80%
- In Coffs Harbour, koala populations are stable to gradually declining
- In the Campbelltown LGA, koala populations are stable or increasing
- In the Eden region, koala probability of occurrence has declined at an average rate of 70% every 10 years
- The Port Macquarie-Hastings LGA has an estimated 2,000 koalas, with 200 – 250 koalas admitted annually to its hospital
- On the Tweed Coast, occupancy by koalas has halved in recent years
- In Lismore, there has been an average range contraction of about 30% over the last three koala generations
- In the Byron region, existing coastal populations may be unsustainable in the absence of improved connectivity and decreasing habitat cover
- In Ballina, the koala population has high mortality and low breeding success which will inevitably lead to its extinction
- New threats such as climate change and mining continue, while the longstanding threats to koalas remain
- In arid and semi-arid regions of QLD and NSW, habitats that may have once provided refugia during times of drought are now highly disturbed and are unlikely to provide the required level of protection for the koala
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A Short-Lived Gas Shortfall
May 18, 2017: Authors: Tim Forcey, Dylan McConnell - Australian-German Cliate and Energy College, University of MelbourneAbstract: With the publication of the 9th March 2017 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO), the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) cautioned that within 18 months, “shortfalls” of gas supply could lead to shortfalls in the supply of electricity generated by burning gas. AEMO suggested solutions to potential shortfalls that included the construction of new pipelines or Coal Seam Gas (CSG) fields.
Right: Front Page of report
Our report investigates AEMO’s gas-and-electricity-system modelling results as well as the communications that followed. We explore reasonable alternate conclusions that can be drawn by analysing AEMO’s published modelling inputs, assumptions, and results, and by contemplating future real-world events.
We find that although a “gas-price crisis” exists in eastern-Australia, a gas-supply shortfall is very unlikely to occur. Our review finds that the size of AEMO’s forecast shortfall is very small, amounting to no more than around 0.2% of annual supply.
In addition, only eleven days after announcing its supply-gap concerns, AEMO essentially closed the gap when it published, on its website, updated (lower) electricity-demand forecasts that therefore lead to less demand for electricity generated by burning gas.
In this report we also consider alternative solutions to gas shortfalls, and find that there is no need to expand gas-supply infrastructure.
May 18, 2017: Authors: Tim Forcey, Dylan McConnell - Australian-German Cliate and Energy College, University of MelbourneAbstract: With the publication of the 9th March 2017 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO), the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) cautioned that within 18 months, “shortfalls” of gas supply could lead to shortfalls in the supply of electricity generated by burning gas. AEMO suggested solutions to potential shortfalls that included the construction of new pipelines or Coal Seam Gas (CSG) fields.
Right: Front Page of report
Our report investigates AEMO’s gas-and-electricity-system modelling results as well as the communications that followed. We explore reasonable alternate conclusions that can be drawn by analysing AEMO’s published modelling inputs, assumptions, and results, and by contemplating future real-world events.
We find that although a “gas-price crisis” exists in eastern-Australia, a gas-supply shortfall is very unlikely to occur. Our review finds that the size of AEMO’s forecast shortfall is very small, amounting to no more than around 0.2% of annual supply.
In addition, only eleven days after announcing its supply-gap concerns, AEMO essentially closed the gap when it published, on its website, updated (lower) electricity-demand forecasts that therefore lead to less demand for electricity generated by burning gas.
In this report we also consider alternative solutions to gas shortfalls, and find that there is no need to expand gas-supply infrastructure.
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Sowing New Seeds Of Knowledge About The Drivers Of Plant Diversity
May 17, 2017: University of QueenslandA new study of Australian wildflower communities is improving understanding of how climatic stress controls plant diversity, based on the strategies different species use to survive, grow and reproduce.
"Plant diversity tends to be lower in more stressful environments," says University of Queensland School of Biological Sciences' lecturer, and CSIRO researcher, Dr John Dwyer.
"However, we have a surprisingly poor understanding of the processes behind this observed pattern."
The study by Dr Dwyer and co-author Professor Daniel Laughlin from the University of Waikato in New Zealand, aims to advance ecological knowledge to better manage Australia's unique ecosystems and landscapes.
"We viewed each plant species as a combination of different characteristics, or 'traits', that determines how they tolerate stress, obtain resources, grow and reproduce," he said.
"Using this approach, we studied combinations of traits within natural wildflower communities along gradients of temperature and rainfall in the Western Australian wheatbelt."
The researchers predicted that many species with different combinations of traits should be able grow together in cool, wet areas where conditions are relatively benign.
"As we moved into more arid communities, we predicted that correlations between traits would strengthen, indicating that species need to combine traits in specific, coordinated ways to tolerate the harsher conditions; and indeed that is what we found," he said.
"Specifically, in semi-arid communities the height of species was positively correlated with seed mass.
"This makes sense, because growing tall is risky in drier regions, but having larger seeds reduces this risk because they are packed with more resources from the mother plant."
Dr Dwyer says the study is not only relevant to Western Australian wildflower communities.
"The next step is to investigate trait coordination in other systems, such as rainforests.
This is part of the Western Australian study area. Credit: Xingwen Loy
"We also think our approach can be used to identify native plant species that are likely to struggle under climate change, and to select hardy species for restoration projects."
John M. Dwyer, Daniel C. Laughlin. Constraints on trait combinations explain climatic drivers of biodiversity: the importance of trait covariance in community assembly. Ecology Letters, 2017; DOI: 10.1111/ele.12781
May 17, 2017: University of Queensland
A new study of Australian wildflower communities is improving understanding of how climatic stress controls plant diversity, based on the strategies different species use to survive, grow and reproduce.
"Plant diversity tends to be lower in more stressful environments," says University of Queensland School of Biological Sciences' lecturer, and CSIRO researcher, Dr John Dwyer.
"However, we have a surprisingly poor understanding of the processes behind this observed pattern."
The study by Dr Dwyer and co-author Professor Daniel Laughlin from the University of Waikato in New Zealand, aims to advance ecological knowledge to better manage Australia's unique ecosystems and landscapes.
"We viewed each plant species as a combination of different characteristics, or 'traits', that determines how they tolerate stress, obtain resources, grow and reproduce," he said.
"Using this approach, we studied combinations of traits within natural wildflower communities along gradients of temperature and rainfall in the Western Australian wheatbelt."
The researchers predicted that many species with different combinations of traits should be able grow together in cool, wet areas where conditions are relatively benign.
"As we moved into more arid communities, we predicted that correlations between traits would strengthen, indicating that species need to combine traits in specific, coordinated ways to tolerate the harsher conditions; and indeed that is what we found," he said.
"Specifically, in semi-arid communities the height of species was positively correlated with seed mass.
"This makes sense, because growing tall is risky in drier regions, but having larger seeds reduces this risk because they are packed with more resources from the mother plant."
Dr Dwyer says the study is not only relevant to Western Australian wildflower communities.
"The next step is to investigate trait coordination in other systems, such as rainforests.
This is part of the Western Australian study area. Credit: Xingwen Loy
"We also think our approach can be used to identify native plant species that are likely to struggle under climate change, and to select hardy species for restoration projects."
John M. Dwyer, Daniel C. Laughlin. Constraints on trait combinations explain climatic drivers of biodiversity: the importance of trait covariance in community assembly. Ecology Letters, 2017; DOI: 10.1111/ele.12781
Dingo Fence Study Shows Dingo Extermination Leads To Poorer Soil
May 9, 2017: University of New South Wales
A comparison of conditions in the outback on either side of Australia's dingo fence has revealed that extermination of these apex predators not only affects the abundance of other animals and plants, but also reduces the quality of the soil.
The UNSW study indicates greater control of kangaroo numbers is needed across a third of the Australian continent where dingoes are rare, to reduce damage on ecosystems.
"We have shown for the first time that the presence of dingoes is linked to healthier soils, because they suppress the numbers of kangaroos that graze on the vegetation," says study senior author UNSW Associate Professor Mike Letnic.
The research by Associate Professor Letnic and his honours research student Timothy Morris is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The dingo fence was erected more than a century ago to keep dingoes out of eastern Australia, and extends approximately 5600 kilometres across the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.
Dingoes are common on the western side of the fence, but rare on the other side, due to intensive control measures including poisoning, trapping and shooting over many decades. This latter area includes most of NSW and Victoria, and southern Queensland and southern South Australia.
"The fence provides a unique opportunity to test the effects of the removal of an apex predator on herbivore abundance, vegetation and nutrients in the soil," says Mr Morris.
The researchers studied four sites -- a national park site and a pastoral site on each side of the fence in the Strzelecki Desert. They drove along outback dirt tracks at night over a period of four years to count dingoes and kangaroos. They also collected dingo scats to determine what they ate, and measured levels of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon in the soil.
This is a dingo in the Australian outback. Credit: Anna Normyle
Kangaroo numbers were high at the two study sites on the "inside" of the fence where dingoes were rare, with just one dingo and 3245 kangaroos spotted, compared with 85 dingoes and only eight kangaroos at the two study sites "outside" the fence.
The researchers also found that where dingoes were rare, overgrazing by large numbers of kangaroos reduced the vegetation cover and led to lower levels of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon in the soil, compared with areas where dingoes were common.
"Our novel finding goes against the conventional wisdom that apex predators like dingoes have little impact on soil," says Associate Professor Letnic.
"We show that removal of dingoes leads to a trophic cascade that extends right down to the depletion of soil nutrients. Allowing dingo populations to increase could enhance the productivity of ecosystems across vast areas of the country by reducing herbivore numbers.
"We need to rethink the idea that kangaroos have benign impacts on ecosystems. Kangaroo numbers are very high across the approximately one third of the continent where dingoes are rare, and are having damaging impacts on soils and vegetation.
"Some of our national parks are at risk of becoming kangaroo 'farms'. We need to be pragmatic about reducing kangaroo numbers so as to reduce their impact on ecosystems," he says.
Herbivores can influence soil quality by reducing vegetation cover, which reduces leaf litter and accumulation of soil nutrients, as well as allowing water and wind to wash and blow away more topsoil. In turn, poor soil leads to reduced vegetation growth.
May 9, 2017: University of New South Wales
A comparison of conditions in the outback on either side of Australia's dingo fence has revealed that extermination of these apex predators not only affects the abundance of other animals and plants, but also reduces the quality of the soil.
The UNSW study indicates greater control of kangaroo numbers is needed across a third of the Australian continent where dingoes are rare, to reduce damage on ecosystems.
"We have shown for the first time that the presence of dingoes is linked to healthier soils, because they suppress the numbers of kangaroos that graze on the vegetation," says study senior author UNSW Associate Professor Mike Letnic.
The research by Associate Professor Letnic and his honours research student Timothy Morris is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
The dingo fence was erected more than a century ago to keep dingoes out of eastern Australia, and extends approximately 5600 kilometres across the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland.
Dingoes are common on the western side of the fence, but rare on the other side, due to intensive control measures including poisoning, trapping and shooting over many decades. This latter area includes most of NSW and Victoria, and southern Queensland and southern South Australia.
"The fence provides a unique opportunity to test the effects of the removal of an apex predator on herbivore abundance, vegetation and nutrients in the soil," says Mr Morris.
The researchers studied four sites -- a national park site and a pastoral site on each side of the fence in the Strzelecki Desert. They drove along outback dirt tracks at night over a period of four years to count dingoes and kangaroos. They also collected dingo scats to determine what they ate, and measured levels of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon in the soil.
This is a dingo in the Australian outback. Credit: Anna Normyle
Kangaroo numbers were high at the two study sites on the "inside" of the fence where dingoes were rare, with just one dingo and 3245 kangaroos spotted, compared with 85 dingoes and only eight kangaroos at the two study sites "outside" the fence.
The researchers also found that where dingoes were rare, overgrazing by large numbers of kangaroos reduced the vegetation cover and led to lower levels of phosphorus, nitrogen and carbon in the soil, compared with areas where dingoes were common.
"Our novel finding goes against the conventional wisdom that apex predators like dingoes have little impact on soil," says Associate Professor Letnic.
"We show that removal of dingoes leads to a trophic cascade that extends right down to the depletion of soil nutrients. Allowing dingo populations to increase could enhance the productivity of ecosystems across vast areas of the country by reducing herbivore numbers.
"We need to rethink the idea that kangaroos have benign impacts on ecosystems. Kangaroo numbers are very high across the approximately one third of the continent where dingoes are rare, and are having damaging impacts on soils and vegetation.
"Some of our national parks are at risk of becoming kangaroo 'farms'. We need to be pragmatic about reducing kangaroo numbers so as to reduce their impact on ecosystems," he says.
Herbivores can influence soil quality by reducing vegetation cover, which reduces leaf litter and accumulation of soil nutrients, as well as allowing water and wind to wash and blow away more topsoil. In turn, poor soil leads to reduced vegetation growth.
Travel Distances Of Juvenile Fish Key To Better Conservation
May 16, 2017Marine reserves -- sections of the ocean where fishing is prohibited -- promote coral reef sustainability by preventing overfishing and increasing fish abundance and diversity. But to be effective, they need to be sized right, and in a way that accounts for how far juvenile fish travel away from their parents after spawning.
Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), along with researchers from Australia, France, and Saudi Arabia, have successfully measured the dispersal distances of two coral reef fish species across a 3,000 square mile section of the ocean -- an area the size of Yellowstone National Park. The study, published in the May 8, 2017, issue of the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, marks the largest, most comprehensive study of larval dispersal ever conducted and has important implications for the sizing and spacing of marine reserves.
"How far fish will disperse in their lifetimes is critical when you start thinking about how marine reserves should be designed," said Simon Thorrold, co-author of the study and a senior scientist at WHOI. "This is the first time we've been able to measure dispersal distances on spatial scales that are relevant to marine reserves, which means we can now provide data that informs management on optimal spacing and sizing."
As part of the largest, most comprehensive study of larval dispersal ever conducted, scientists were able to determine that most of the juvenile clownfish stayed relatively close to home, settling at mean distances of 10-15 kilometers from their natal reefs. Credit: Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Size matters
Marine reserves come in many shapes and sizes. But if a reserve is too small, it can't accommodate enough larvae to sustain populations. And if it's too big, larvae will simply stay within the confines of the reserve without contributing to surrounding fisheries -- a critical secondary role marine reserves need to play to improve fisheries management.
To get a read on fish dispersal in the past, scientists relied on population genetics approaches that lacked the power to measure dispersal over space and time scales relevant to protected areas of the ocean. More recently, ecologists have turned to computer-generated models of water currents to track particles through virtual oceans. According to Thorrold, this approach also has limitations since there was no way to verify the accuracy of the models. "The software can generate a lot of cool-looking graphs, but it was impossible to test the skill of those models in any real way."
A biodiversity hotspot, Restoff Island in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, is home to hundreds of coral reef fish species, and is one of eight sites sampled by the research team. (Photo by Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
An empirical approach
To overcome these limitations, Thorrold and his colleagues took direct measurements of dispersal distances in the field. They collected DNA samples from thousands of adult and juvenile clownfish and butterflyfish throughout Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, in 2009 and 2011. The entire sampling process occurred underwater, with the 30-person science team spending thousands of man-hours on SCUBA over several weeks in the field each year.
When the scientists returned to the lab, they used DNA parentage analysis, a sequencing technique that allowed them to match the juveniles up with their parents based on the DNA samples and spawning and settlement location data. From that, they were able to determine that most of the juvenile clownfish stayed relatively close to home, settling at mean distances of 10-15 kilometers from their natal reefs. The butterflyfish dispersed further, averaging distances of 43-64 kilometers before settling into their new habitats.
"Since we knew the respective locations of the adults and babies, we were able to come up with the exact linear distances that the larvae had dispersed. We're no longer talking about estimates," said Thorrold.
Benefits beyond design
In addition to helping inform the design of protected areas, the measurements can help to test the ability of reserves to perform key conservation functions. For example, one way a marine reserve network may improve fish population sustainability is through the so-called "rescue effect." In theory, if fish in a reserve suffer catastrophic mortality, the reserve can be repopulated by larvae from other reserves within the network. Thorrold and colleagues were able to track larvae from one reserve to another in the study area, confirming that rescue effect is likely to occur in real-world reserve networks.
The dispersal measurements could also allow fisheries managers to monitor the effectiveness of existing reserves, helping answer the question of whether or not a particular reserve is contributing to fish populations beyond its boundaries. This, according to Thorrold, has been a big unknown.
"If you can trace larvae from one reserve to a place that's fished, you can come up with a direct measure of how many fish the reserve is contributing to exploited populations beyond the reserve," he said. "This helps when trying to convince fishermen that networks of marine reserves are a good management tool."
Future work
According to Thorrold, as coral reef seascapes continue to face pressure from human-made stressors, marine reserves will continue to serve as an important conservation management tool. As such, it will become increasingly important to be able to provide direct measurements of larval dispersal, and find ways to apply the information to other regions of the ocean.
"The next thing we are working on is developing a coupled bio-physical model of the area that will allow us to take the results from this study and generalize them to other coral reef seascapes around the world," he said. "Limited resources for ocean management, particularly in the developing world, means that we need to maximize the chances of successful conservation outcomes from these efforts. These types of scientific insights will be critical for ongoing efforts to promote resilience of coral reef ecosystems in the face of human exploitation and climate change."
How far fish will disperse in their lifetimes is critical when you start thinking about how marine reserves should be designed, according to WHOI biologist Simon Thorrold, co-author of the new study. The research team found that butterflyfish dispersed further than clownfish, averaging distances of 43-64 kilometers before settling into their new habitats. (Photo by Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Glenn R. Almany et al. Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape. Nature Ecology and Evolution, May 2017 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0148
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit www.whoi.edu.
May 16, 2017
Marine reserves -- sections of the ocean where fishing is prohibited -- promote coral reef sustainability by preventing overfishing and increasing fish abundance and diversity. But to be effective, they need to be sized right, and in a way that accounts for how far juvenile fish travel away from their parents after spawning.
Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), along with researchers from Australia, France, and Saudi Arabia, have successfully measured the dispersal distances of two coral reef fish species across a 3,000 square mile section of the ocean -- an area the size of Yellowstone National Park. The study, published in the May 8, 2017, issue of the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution, marks the largest, most comprehensive study of larval dispersal ever conducted and has important implications for the sizing and spacing of marine reserves.
"How far fish will disperse in their lifetimes is critical when you start thinking about how marine reserves should be designed," said Simon Thorrold, co-author of the study and a senior scientist at WHOI. "This is the first time we've been able to measure dispersal distances on spatial scales that are relevant to marine reserves, which means we can now provide data that informs management on optimal spacing and sizing."
As part of the largest, most comprehensive study of larval dispersal ever conducted, scientists were able to determine that most of the juvenile clownfish stayed relatively close to home, settling at mean distances of 10-15 kilometers from their natal reefs. Credit: Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Size matters
Marine reserves come in many shapes and sizes. But if a reserve is too small, it can't accommodate enough larvae to sustain populations. And if it's too big, larvae will simply stay within the confines of the reserve without contributing to surrounding fisheries -- a critical secondary role marine reserves need to play to improve fisheries management.
To get a read on fish dispersal in the past, scientists relied on population genetics approaches that lacked the power to measure dispersal over space and time scales relevant to protected areas of the ocean. More recently, ecologists have turned to computer-generated models of water currents to track particles through virtual oceans. According to Thorrold, this approach also has limitations since there was no way to verify the accuracy of the models. "The software can generate a lot of cool-looking graphs, but it was impossible to test the skill of those models in any real way."
A biodiversity hotspot, Restoff Island in Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, is home to hundreds of coral reef fish species, and is one of eight sites sampled by the research team. (Photo by Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
An empirical approach
To overcome these limitations, Thorrold and his colleagues took direct measurements of dispersal distances in the field. They collected DNA samples from thousands of adult and juvenile clownfish and butterflyfish throughout Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea, in 2009 and 2011. The entire sampling process occurred underwater, with the 30-person science team spending thousands of man-hours on SCUBA over several weeks in the field each year.
When the scientists returned to the lab, they used DNA parentage analysis, a sequencing technique that allowed them to match the juveniles up with their parents based on the DNA samples and spawning and settlement location data. From that, they were able to determine that most of the juvenile clownfish stayed relatively close to home, settling at mean distances of 10-15 kilometers from their natal reefs. The butterflyfish dispersed further, averaging distances of 43-64 kilometers before settling into their new habitats.
"Since we knew the respective locations of the adults and babies, we were able to come up with the exact linear distances that the larvae had dispersed. We're no longer talking about estimates," said Thorrold.
Benefits beyond design
In addition to helping inform the design of protected areas, the measurements can help to test the ability of reserves to perform key conservation functions. For example, one way a marine reserve network may improve fish population sustainability is through the so-called "rescue effect." In theory, if fish in a reserve suffer catastrophic mortality, the reserve can be repopulated by larvae from other reserves within the network. Thorrold and colleagues were able to track larvae from one reserve to another in the study area, confirming that rescue effect is likely to occur in real-world reserve networks.
The dispersal measurements could also allow fisheries managers to monitor the effectiveness of existing reserves, helping answer the question of whether or not a particular reserve is contributing to fish populations beyond its boundaries. This, according to Thorrold, has been a big unknown.
"If you can trace larvae from one reserve to a place that's fished, you can come up with a direct measure of how many fish the reserve is contributing to exploited populations beyond the reserve," he said. "This helps when trying to convince fishermen that networks of marine reserves are a good management tool."
Future work
According to Thorrold, as coral reef seascapes continue to face pressure from human-made stressors, marine reserves will continue to serve as an important conservation management tool. As such, it will become increasingly important to be able to provide direct measurements of larval dispersal, and find ways to apply the information to other regions of the ocean.
"The next thing we are working on is developing a coupled bio-physical model of the area that will allow us to take the results from this study and generalize them to other coral reef seascapes around the world," he said. "Limited resources for ocean management, particularly in the developing world, means that we need to maximize the chances of successful conservation outcomes from these efforts. These types of scientific insights will be critical for ongoing efforts to promote resilience of coral reef ecosystems in the face of human exploitation and climate change."
How far fish will disperse in their lifetimes is critical when you start thinking about how marine reserves should be designed, according to WHOI biologist Simon Thorrold, co-author of the new study. The research team found that butterflyfish dispersed further than clownfish, averaging distances of 43-64 kilometers before settling into their new habitats. (Photo by Simon Thorrold, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)
Glenn R. Almany et al. Larval fish dispersal in a coral-reef seascape. Nature Ecology and Evolution, May 2017 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0148
The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Mass., dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930 on a recommendation from the National Academy of Sciences, its primary mission is to understand the ocean and its interaction with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate a basic understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. For more information, please visit www.whoi.edu.
Have Your Say On NSW Government's Biodiversity Reforms
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Meeting Of Aboriginal Custodians Caring For NSW's National Parks
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Heat On For Australia's Great Barrier Reef When Global Temperatures Hit 1.5C
May 15, 2017: University of New South Wales
If global temperatures hit 1.5°C above pre-industrial conditions -- the target negotiated at the 2015 Paris Agreement -- it will be twice as likely that we will see a repeat of the extreme ocean heat that severely damaged the Great Barrier Reef in 2016.
If the world pushes temperatures up to 2°C more than the pre-industrial world, then it almost triples the odds of the heat associated with a mass bleaching event.
These findings from University of Melbourne Scientists at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, reported in Nature Climate Change, are the result of research looking at how Australian extremes in heat, drought, precipitation and ocean warming will change in a world 1.5°C and 2°C warmer than pre-industrial conditions.
How specific extreme events will change under 1.5°C and 2°C.Credit: Image courtesy of University of New South Wales
"Most of the action occurred in changes to extreme heat, with big increases in events similar to the Angry Summer of 2012/13. Events like this occurred in most years once global temperatures reached 1.5°C and 2°C warmer than pre-industrial times," said lead author Dr Andrew King.
"But the heat of 2016 in the Coral Sea was unprecedented in our modelling of the pre-industrial period. There was no event where the Coral Sea was as warm as we saw in 2016 but as the globe warms these events will grow in number."
The researchers also looked at other extreme events, like the southeast Australian drought of 2006 and the rain events that led to widespread flooding in Queensland in 2010, to see whether they would occur more often as global temperatures increased.
Rainfall did not show any clear change because the impacts of natural variability, like the El Niño Southern Oscillation, monsoons, Indian Ocean temperatures and the Madden-Julian Oscillation, had more influence on precipitation than rises in global temperatures.
There were some increases in drought intensity as a result of increased heat but the weak reduction in rainfall meant only a slight increase in the frequency of droughts was detected.
The results came after modelling thousands of years under four different scenarios -- pre-industrial conditions, current conditions, the world at 1.5°C and at 2°C -- on supercomputers at National Computational Infrastructure.
The researchers then looked at four key extreme Australian events -- the Angry Summer 2012/13; the Coral Sea marine heatwave of 2016; the severe rain event in Queensland in 2010; and the 2006 drought in southeast Australia -- to model how often similar events could occur under each scenario.
"It quickly became clear that keeping global temperatures under 1.5°C had a clear benefit for Australia in terms of reducing extreme events and the costs that come with them," Dr King said.
"It also gave us a grim warning about what would happen to the Great Barrier Reef if we fail to act on the Paris agreement. Sea temperatures of the scale and frequency we have seen do not bode well for the future of one of our greatest natural wonders."
Andrew D. King, David J. Karoly, Benjamin J. Henley. Australian climate extremes at 1.5 °C and 2 °C of global warming. Nature Climate Change, 2017; DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3296
May 15, 2017: University of New South Wales
If global temperatures hit 1.5°C above pre-industrial conditions -- the target negotiated at the 2015 Paris Agreement -- it will be twice as likely that we will see a repeat of the extreme ocean heat that severely damaged the Great Barrier Reef in 2016.
If the world pushes temperatures up to 2°C more than the pre-industrial world, then it almost triples the odds of the heat associated with a mass bleaching event.
These findings from University of Melbourne Scientists at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, reported in Nature Climate Change, are the result of research looking at how Australian extremes in heat, drought, precipitation and ocean warming will change in a world 1.5°C and 2°C warmer than pre-industrial conditions.
How specific extreme events will change under 1.5°C and 2°C.
Credit: Image courtesy of University of New South Wales
"Most of the action occurred in changes to extreme heat, with big increases in events similar to the Angry Summer of 2012/13. Events like this occurred in most years once global temperatures reached 1.5°C and 2°C warmer than pre-industrial times," said lead author Dr Andrew King.
"But the heat of 2016 in the Coral Sea was unprecedented in our modelling of the pre-industrial period. There was no event where the Coral Sea was as warm as we saw in 2016 but as the globe warms these events will grow in number."
The researchers also looked at other extreme events, like the southeast Australian drought of 2006 and the rain events that led to widespread flooding in Queensland in 2010, to see whether they would occur more often as global temperatures increased.
Rainfall did not show any clear change because the impacts of natural variability, like the El Niño Southern Oscillation, monsoons, Indian Ocean temperatures and the Madden-Julian Oscillation, had more influence on precipitation than rises in global temperatures.
There were some increases in drought intensity as a result of increased heat but the weak reduction in rainfall meant only a slight increase in the frequency of droughts was detected.
The results came after modelling thousands of years under four different scenarios -- pre-industrial conditions, current conditions, the world at 1.5°C and at 2°C -- on supercomputers at National Computational Infrastructure.
The researchers then looked at four key extreme Australian events -- the Angry Summer 2012/13; the Coral Sea marine heatwave of 2016; the severe rain event in Queensland in 2010; and the 2006 drought in southeast Australia -- to model how often similar events could occur under each scenario.
"It quickly became clear that keeping global temperatures under 1.5°C had a clear benefit for Australia in terms of reducing extreme events and the costs that come with them," Dr King said.
"It also gave us a grim warning about what would happen to the Great Barrier Reef if we fail to act on the Paris agreement. Sea temperatures of the scale and frequency we have seen do not bode well for the future of one of our greatest natural wonders."
Andrew D. King, David J. Karoly, Benjamin J. Henley. Australian climate extremes at 1.5 °C and 2 °C of global warming. Nature Climate Change, 2017; DOI: 10.1038/nclimate3296
2017 Eco Schools Grants Program Open For Applications
Media release: 26 April 2017Educators and school communities are once again encouraged to apply for an Eco Schools Grant to ignite and nurture their students’ passion to learn about the environment.
Eighty grants of $3,500 each are now available under the NSW Environmental Trust Eco Schools Grants program, which has supported a variety of environmental projects in schools from waste management to worm farms for nearly 20 years.
Office of Environment and Heritage Executive Director Ian Hunter said the grants help provide curriculum-based environmental education for children and the program proudly funded its 1000th project last year.
“Eco Schools Grants recognise the important work of educators in environmental conservation projects and I encourage schools to apply for one of the eighty grants,” Mr Hunter said.
“Research shows that when young people develop an appreciation of the environment early on it influences their behaviours later in life.
“Schools are uniquely placed to teach students about sustainability, why it’s important to take care of our environment and what good environmental citizenship looks like,” Mr Hunter said.
Teachers from Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney’s west used their Eco Schools Grant to bring history and science to life through environmental education with a medieval food garden.
“Students learned about garden functionality, soil health and sustainable living. Science students also used the plants to study photosynthesis and helped their school create a resource to facilitate hands-on learning for years to come,” Mr Hunter said.
“Grants this year will be offered to student-focused environmental management projects, including water and energy conservation, recycling, bush regeneration, habitat improvement and food gardens.
“Schools are also encouraged to develop projects for students with special needs,” Mr Hunter said. Interested schools in NSW are encouraged to register on theSustainable Schools NSW website and grant applications can be submitted until Monday 19 June, 2017.
All registered schools in NSW can apply for funding for new projects or a separate additional stage of a previous project. Schools currently delivering an existing Eco Schools Grant funded project are not eligible.
For more information visit: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/schools.htm
Photo - Bonnyrigg Highschool Eco Schools Grants GardenEducators and school communities are once again encouraged to apply for an Eco Schools Grant to ignite and nurture their students’ passion to learn about the environment. Photo Courtesy OEH
Media release: 26 April 2017
Educators and school communities are once again encouraged to apply for an Eco Schools Grant to ignite and nurture their students’ passion to learn about the environment.
Eighty grants of $3,500 each are now available under the NSW Environmental Trust Eco Schools Grants program, which has supported a variety of environmental projects in schools from waste management to worm farms for nearly 20 years.
Office of Environment and Heritage Executive Director Ian Hunter said the grants help provide curriculum-based environmental education for children and the program proudly funded its 1000th project last year.
“Eco Schools Grants recognise the important work of educators in environmental conservation projects and I encourage schools to apply for one of the eighty grants,” Mr Hunter said.
“Research shows that when young people develop an appreciation of the environment early on it influences their behaviours later in life.
“Schools are uniquely placed to teach students about sustainability, why it’s important to take care of our environment and what good environmental citizenship looks like,” Mr Hunter said.
Teachers from Bonnyrigg High School in Sydney’s west used their Eco Schools Grant to bring history and science to life through environmental education with a medieval food garden.
“Students learned about garden functionality, soil health and sustainable living. Science students also used the plants to study photosynthesis and helped their school create a resource to facilitate hands-on learning for years to come,” Mr Hunter said.
“Grants this year will be offered to student-focused environmental management projects, including water and energy conservation, recycling, bush regeneration, habitat improvement and food gardens.
“Schools are also encouraged to develop projects for students with special needs,” Mr Hunter said.
Interested schools in NSW are encouraged to register on theSustainable Schools NSW website and grant applications can be submitted until Monday 19 June, 2017.
All registered schools in NSW can apply for funding for new projects or a separate additional stage of a previous project. Schools currently delivering an existing Eco Schools Grant funded project are not eligible.
For more information visit: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/grants/schools.htm
Photo - Bonnyrigg Highschool Eco Schools Grants Garden
Educators and school communities are once again encouraged to apply for an Eco Schools Grant to ignite and nurture their students’ passion to learn about the environment. Photo Courtesy OEH
Aftermath Of Supereruption Shows Toba Magma System's Great Size
May 16, 2017
The rare but spectacular eruptions of supervolcanoes can cause massive destruction and affect climate patterns on a global scale for decades -- and a new study has found that these sites also may experience ongoing, albeit smaller eruptions for tens of thousands of years after.
In fact, Oregon State University researchers were able to link recent eruptions at Mt. Sinabung in northern Sumatra to the last eruption on Earth of a supervolcano 74,000 years ago at the Toba Caldera some 25 miles away.
The findings are being reported this week in the journal Nature Communications.
Southward view of the northern third of the Lake Toba depression produced by the supereruption 74,000 years ago. Credit: Photo by Shan de Silva; Image courtesy of Oregon State University
"The recovery from a supervolcanic eruption is a long process, as the volcano and the magmatic system try to re-establish equilibrium -- like a body of water that has been disrupted by a rock being dropped into it," said Adonara Mucek, an Oregon State doctoral candidate and lead author on the study.
"At Toba, it appears that the eruptions continued for at least 15,000 to 20,000 years after the supereruption and the structural adjustment continued at least until a few centuries ago -- and probably is continuing today. It is the magmatic equivalent to aftershocks following an earthquake."
This is the first time that scientists have been able to pinpoint what happens following the eruption of a supervolcano. To qualify as a supervolcano, the eruption must reach at least magnitude 8 on the Volcano Explosivity Index, which means the measured deposits for that eruption are greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers, or 240 cubic miles.
When Toba erupted, it emitted a volume of magma 28,000 times greater than that of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state. It was so massive, it is thought to have created a volcanic winter on Earth lasting years, and possibly triggering a bottleneck in human evolution.
Other well-known supervolcano sites include Yellowstone Park in the United States, Taupo Caldera in New Zealand, and Campi Flegrei in Italy.
"Supervolcanoes have lifetimes of millions of years during which there can be several supereruptions," said Shanaka "Shan" de Silva, an Oregon State University volcanologist and co-author on the study. "Between those eruptions, they don't die. Scientists have long suspected that eruptions continue after the initial eruption, but this is the first time we've been able to put accurate ages with those eruptions."
Previous argon dating studies had provided rough ages of eruptions at Toba, but those eruption dates had too much range of error, the researchers say. In their study, the OSU researchers and their colleagues from Australia, Germany, the United States and Indonesia were able to decipher the most recent volcanic history of Toba by measuring the amount of helium remaining in zircon crystals in erupted pumice and lava.
The helium remaining in the crystals is a remnant of the decaying process of uranium, which has a well-understood radioactive decay path and half-life.
"Toba is at least 1.3 million years old, its supereruption took place about 74,000 years ago, and it had at least six definitive eruptions after that -- and probably several more," Mucek said. "The last eruption we have detected occurred about 56,000 years ago, but there are other eruptions that remain to be studied."
The researchers also managed to estimate the history of structural adjustment at Toba using carbon-14 dating of lake sediment that has been uplifted up to 600 meters above the lake in which they formed. These data show that structural adjustment continued from at least 30,000 years ago until 2,000 years ago -- and may be continuing today.
The study also found that the magma in Toba's system has an identical chemical fingerprint and zircon crystallization history to Mt. Sinabung, which is currently erupting and is distinct from other volcanoes in Sumatra. This suggests that the Toba system may be larger and more widespread than previously thought, de Silva noted.
"Our data suggest that the recent and ongoing eruptions of Mt. Sinabung are part of the Toba system's recovery process from the supereruption," he said.
The discovery of the connection does not suggest that the Toba Caldera is in danger of erupting on a catastrophic scale any time soon, the researchers emphasized. "This is probably 'business as usual' for a recovering supervolcano," de Silva said. It does emphasize the importance of having more sophisticated and frequent monitoring of the site to measure the uplift of the ground and image the magma system, the researchers note.
"The hazards from a supervolcano don't stop after the initial eruption," de Silva said. "They change to more local and regional hazards from eruptions, earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis that may continue regularly for several tens of thousands of years.
"Toba remains alive and active today."
As large as the Toba eruption was, the reservoir of magma below the caldera is much, much greater, the researchers say. Studies at other calderas around Earth, such as Yellowstone, have estimated that there is between 10 and 50 times as much magma than is erupted during a supereruption.
Adonara E. Mucek, Martin Danišík, Shanaka L. de Silva, Axel K. Schmitt, Indyo Pratomo, Matthew A. Coble. Post-supereruption recovery at Toba Caldera. Nature Communications, 2017; 8: 15248 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15248
May 16, 2017
The rare but spectacular eruptions of supervolcanoes can cause massive destruction and affect climate patterns on a global scale for decades -- and a new study has found that these sites also may experience ongoing, albeit smaller eruptions for tens of thousands of years after.
In fact, Oregon State University researchers were able to link recent eruptions at Mt. Sinabung in northern Sumatra to the last eruption on Earth of a supervolcano 74,000 years ago at the Toba Caldera some 25 miles away.
The findings are being reported this week in the journal Nature Communications.
Southward view of the northern third of the Lake Toba depression produced by the supereruption 74,000 years ago. Credit: Photo by Shan de Silva; Image courtesy of Oregon State University
"The recovery from a supervolcanic eruption is a long process, as the volcano and the magmatic system try to re-establish equilibrium -- like a body of water that has been disrupted by a rock being dropped into it," said Adonara Mucek, an Oregon State doctoral candidate and lead author on the study.
"At Toba, it appears that the eruptions continued for at least 15,000 to 20,000 years after the supereruption and the structural adjustment continued at least until a few centuries ago -- and probably is continuing today. It is the magmatic equivalent to aftershocks following an earthquake."
This is the first time that scientists have been able to pinpoint what happens following the eruption of a supervolcano. To qualify as a supervolcano, the eruption must reach at least magnitude 8 on the Volcano Explosivity Index, which means the measured deposits for that eruption are greater than 1,000 cubic kilometers, or 240 cubic miles.
When Toba erupted, it emitted a volume of magma 28,000 times greater than that of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington state. It was so massive, it is thought to have created a volcanic winter on Earth lasting years, and possibly triggering a bottleneck in human evolution.
Other well-known supervolcano sites include Yellowstone Park in the United States, Taupo Caldera in New Zealand, and Campi Flegrei in Italy.
"Supervolcanoes have lifetimes of millions of years during which there can be several supereruptions," said Shanaka "Shan" de Silva, an Oregon State University volcanologist and co-author on the study. "Between those eruptions, they don't die. Scientists have long suspected that eruptions continue after the initial eruption, but this is the first time we've been able to put accurate ages with those eruptions."
Previous argon dating studies had provided rough ages of eruptions at Toba, but those eruption dates had too much range of error, the researchers say. In their study, the OSU researchers and their colleagues from Australia, Germany, the United States and Indonesia were able to decipher the most recent volcanic history of Toba by measuring the amount of helium remaining in zircon crystals in erupted pumice and lava.
The helium remaining in the crystals is a remnant of the decaying process of uranium, which has a well-understood radioactive decay path and half-life.
"Toba is at least 1.3 million years old, its supereruption took place about 74,000 years ago, and it had at least six definitive eruptions after that -- and probably several more," Mucek said. "The last eruption we have detected occurred about 56,000 years ago, but there are other eruptions that remain to be studied."
The researchers also managed to estimate the history of structural adjustment at Toba using carbon-14 dating of lake sediment that has been uplifted up to 600 meters above the lake in which they formed. These data show that structural adjustment continued from at least 30,000 years ago until 2,000 years ago -- and may be continuing today.
The study also found that the magma in Toba's system has an identical chemical fingerprint and zircon crystallization history to Mt. Sinabung, which is currently erupting and is distinct from other volcanoes in Sumatra. This suggests that the Toba system may be larger and more widespread than previously thought, de Silva noted.
"Our data suggest that the recent and ongoing eruptions of Mt. Sinabung are part of the Toba system's recovery process from the supereruption," he said.
The discovery of the connection does not suggest that the Toba Caldera is in danger of erupting on a catastrophic scale any time soon, the researchers emphasized. "This is probably 'business as usual' for a recovering supervolcano," de Silva said. It does emphasize the importance of having more sophisticated and frequent monitoring of the site to measure the uplift of the ground and image the magma system, the researchers note.
"The hazards from a supervolcano don't stop after the initial eruption," de Silva said. "They change to more local and regional hazards from eruptions, earthquakes, landslides and tsunamis that may continue regularly for several tens of thousands of years.
"Toba remains alive and active today."
As large as the Toba eruption was, the reservoir of magma below the caldera is much, much greater, the researchers say. Studies at other calderas around Earth, such as Yellowstone, have estimated that there is between 10 and 50 times as much magma than is erupted during a supereruption.
Adonara E. Mucek, Martin Danišík, Shanaka L. de Silva, Axel K. Schmitt, Indyo Pratomo, Matthew A. Coble. Post-supereruption recovery at Toba Caldera. Nature Communications, 2017; 8: 15248 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15248
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Sydneysiders Urged To Listen Out For 'Powerful Owls'
April 7th, 2017Beth Mott, Birdlife Australia is asking Sydney residents to report the presence of Powerful owls in their area.
Please report any sightings to beth.mott@birdlife.org.au
If you are interested in becoming a Powerful Owl Project volunteer or would like to submit a sighting of a Powerful Owl, please contactpowerfulowl@birdlife.org.au.
You can help us learn more about the Powerful Owls by letting us know if you see or hear one in your area (particularly around Sydney, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, Central Coast, Illawarra). Send an email (to the email addresses above) with your location (street address or GPS location), an attached photo or call recording (if you have it), details of when you saw or heard the bird, and anything interesting you noticed about where it was or what it was doing (e.g. holding prey, perched on a tree branch).
Caution: rarely, some birds can get very aggressive while nesting and it can be very dangerous for people to be too close to the nest tree at night. If you come across a Powerful Owl nest hollow, use caution and please do not approach it (especially at night). Do not use flash photography at the nest as this may disturb the birds and cause them to abandon the nest.
Powerful owl Ninox strenua- picture by Paul Wheeler, 2014 - at Clareville.
April 7th, 2017
Beth Mott, Birdlife Australia is asking Sydney residents to report the presence of Powerful owls in their area.
Please report any sightings to beth.mott@birdlife.org.au
If you are interested in becoming a Powerful Owl Project volunteer or would like to submit a sighting of a Powerful Owl, please contactpowerfulowl@birdlife.org.au.
You can help us learn more about the Powerful Owls by letting us know if you see or hear one in your area (particularly around Sydney, Blue Mountains, Newcastle, Central Coast, Illawarra). Send an email (to the email addresses above) with your location (street address or GPS location), an attached photo or call recording (if you have it), details of when you saw or heard the bird, and anything interesting you noticed about where it was or what it was doing (e.g. holding prey, perched on a tree branch).
Caution: rarely, some birds can get very aggressive while nesting and it can be very dangerous for people to be too close to the nest tree at night. If you come across a Powerful Owl nest hollow, use caution and please do not approach it (especially at night). Do not use flash photography at the nest as this may disturb the birds and cause them to abandon the nest.
Powerful owl Ninox strenua- picture by Paul Wheeler, 2014 - at Clareville.
Battle For Berrima | Write A Submission Today & Let Your Voice Be Heard
Department Seeks Community Input On Hume Coal Project Proposal
Call For Public Comment On Draft Seabird Threat Abatement Plan
15th March 2017
Public comment is now being sought on the draft Threat abatement plan for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations (Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds). The public consultation period is open until 30 June 2017.
The draft Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds provides a national strategy to guide the activities of government, industry and research organisations in abating the impact of oceanic longline fishing operations on seabirds in Commonwealth fisheries.
The consultation paper and related documents are available on theDepartment of the Environment and Energy website. Your comments on this consultation paper are welcome.
Further information about the existing Threat abatement plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations is available at the Threat Abatement Plan – seabirds page
A black-browed albatross with chick, on Macquarie Island. (Photo: Kim Kliska)
15th March 2017
Public comment is now being sought on the draft Threat abatement plan for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations (Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds). The public consultation period is open until 30 June 2017.
The draft Threat abatement plan for incidental catch of seabirds provides a national strategy to guide the activities of government, industry and research organisations in abating the impact of oceanic longline fishing operations on seabirds in Commonwealth fisheries.
The consultation paper and related documents are available on theDepartment of the Environment and Energy website. Your comments on this consultation paper are welcome.
Further information about the existing Threat abatement plan 2014 for the incidental catch (or bycatch) of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations is available at the Threat Abatement Plan – seabirds page
A black-browed albatross with chick, on Macquarie Island. (Photo: Kim Kliska)
Australian Researchers Pioneer Life-Extending Treatment For Advanced Melanoma Patients With Brain Tumours
18 May 2017: Melanoma Institute Australia
Australian researchers are the first to demonstrate that patients with advanced melanoma which has spread to the brain can have increased life expectancy and possibly even beat the disease.
The promising results from a clinical trial developed and run by investigators at Melanoma Institute Australia are being presented in Chicago at the world’s largest oncology conference, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, attended by more than 30,000 delegates from around the world. The ground-breaking Anti-PD1 Brain Collaboration (ABC) clinical trial involved advanced melanoma patients being given a combination of two different immunotherapy drugs: nivolumab (Opdivo®) and ipilimumab (Yervoy®).
Results from an early analysis of this trial show 79% of advanced melanoma patients with brain metastases treated with the combination immunotherapy were still alive at six months. 66% of those who got nivolumab alone were also alive after six months.
Typically, patients with active brain metastases survive only four to five months and never even used to be admitted to clinical trials because their prognosis was so dire.
“This is an absolute game-changer for how we treat patients with advanced melanoma which has spread to the brain. It provides new hope to the 1,800 Australians expected to die from melanoma this year,” said Professor Georgina Long, the study’s chief investigator, Conjoint Medical Director of Melanoma Institute Australia and Chair of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Translational Research at The University of Sydney.
“Quite simply, having brain metastases is no longer a death sentence,” she said. “We can now offer additional years of life and also the hope of ultimately beating this disease to a significant number of people.”
In February 2016, Australia approved the use of nivolumab for advanced melanoma patients as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with ipilimumab.
However, patients with brain metastases were excluded from previous clinical trials, including the ones that led to the drugs’ approval. This was what prompted Melanoma Institute Australia to develop and run the world-first ABC trial.
“I have melanoma patients with brain metastases who would not be alive today if they had not participated in this trial,” Professor Long said.
The study also examined patients who had no previous drug therapy prior to joining the trial, and those who received previous targeted drug therapy which is effective in patients with BRAF mutations in their melanoma.
It found that the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab was more active in patients who had not received prior targeted BRAF-directed drug therapy.
Under the current Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in Australia, doctors are restricted in the order in which they can prescribe the targeted BRAF-directed drug therapies and immunotherapy as treatments for melanoma. The restrictions make it very difficult to give immunotherapy first to patients who have the BRAF mutation in their melanoma (approximately 40% of all melanoma patients).
However, this new research strongly suggests that immunotherapy should be the first-line treatment in suitable patients, in particular, those with brain metastases.
Young dad, Leigh Miller (pictured here), is just one of the patients on the ABC Trial who has had a remarkable turnaround.
Advanced Form Of Cancer Treatment Under Consideration In Australia
May 17, 2017: ANTSO
An international collaboration between human health researchers at ANSTO, the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics at the University of Wollongong and the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), Japan, has undertaken research relating to carbon ion therapy, an advanced form of cancer treatment being proposed for introduction in Australia.
The study investigated the use of a beam of positron-emitting radionuclides for the precise delivery of non-invasive and highly conformal radiotherapy.
The radioactive beam matched the therapeutic performance of current non-radioactive heavy ion beams, but offers a greatly improved ability to verify the delivered dose distribution during treatment, through the use of in-beam PET imaging.
“The mechanism provides a potential way to experimentally verify that the actual delivered dose is the same as the treatment plan in real time” said co-author Dr Mitra Safavi-Naeini, Imaging Quantification Research Lead, Human Health at ANSTO.
The research has been submitted and is under review for publication in Physics in Medicine and Biology.
Cancer treatment with heavy ions
Particle therapy using heavy ions such as carbon delivers a highly targeted peak dose of therapeutic radiation at a specific depth that coincides with the treatment region.
Most of the energy is deposited within a very narrow depth range, minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue.
Carbon ion therapy diagram
“Because of the intensity of the dose, treatment approaches tend to be very conservative,” said Safavi-Naeini .
“The research was exploring enhanced quality control measures for treatment delivery verification.”
“Because a large proportion of positron fragments produced in collisions with the nuclei of target cells stop very close to where the maximum dose is delivered, you have a means of verifying the site of deposit using PET,” said Safavi-Naeini.|
The study compared the use of stable ions and radioactive ions to produce positrons for PET imaging and found the radioactive beam greatly outperformed the stable beam.
A comparison was undertaken using ions at different energy levels in several phantoms (simulated human tissues and organs).
The radioactive ion beam was found to have a relative biological effectiveness (RBE) within 4% of the stable beam, showing that it was therapeutically equivalent.
“If you can deliver a radioactive beam with the correct fluence, the appropriate number of particles at the right energy to the target, then you should be able to use it therapeutically,” said Safavi-Naeini.
Enhanced PET imaging
Using a beam of positron-emitting radionuclides has advantages over a stable ion beam, as it enhances the signal and provides better visualisation of the deposited dose distribution.
While most of the heavy ions in the beam stop and deposit their kinetic energy close to the planned target depth (at the site of the tumour) without undergoing a nuclear interaction, a fraction will collide with nuclei in the target, producing a range of nuclear fragments.
Some of these fragments are unstable, and decay via positron emission over the next few seconds to minutes. These positrons annihilate with electrons in the target and produce pairs of gamma rays, which can be imaged during and immediately after treatment.
The use of a beam of ions which are, by themselves, short-lived positron-emitting radionuclides greatly increases the number of positrons emitted in the target region, leading to a better-quality image.
PET images carbon ion therapy research
Spatial distribution of positron creation in a lung phantom, for each beam type
The study included generation of experimental and simulated 3D and 4D PET images of positron yields for multiple ion types and energies, and an estimate of the corresponding relative biological effectiveness for each.
The investigators used simulations to calculate the dose deposited as a function of depth, utilising advanced microdosimetric modelling techniques to evaluate the relative biological effectiveness of each beam and predict the yield of positrons in targets.
Experimental validation of the simulation model for depth-dose profiles was performed using the Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC), Japan.
The simulation reported only a 0.8 mm difference in the location of maximum dose compared with experimental data.
“The approach could reduce the time needed for post-treatment PET imaging while improving the accuracy of the result, both leading to better patient outcomes” said Safavi-Naeini.
ANSTO is supporting the introduction of a National Particle Therapy and Research Centre in Australia in association with leading hospitals, research centres, universities and industry.
There are more than 70 particle therapy facilities worldwide, and another 41 under construction. A proton therapy centre will be built in Adelaide with Federal and State funding.
NFSA Online Exhibition Of Graham Kennedy
Celebrating the life and work of Graham Kennedy, 'The King' of Australian television.
The boy from Balaclava conquered the small screen, and for four decades was Australia's greatest television star.
As well as clips from his all-conquering TV career, this collection features highlights from his parallel professions as a radio broadcaster and film actor.
Also included are the crown and throne that symbolised his TV status, personal letters and photos and his Gold Logie Hall of Fame award. Extracts from oral history interviews with Graham's friends and colleagues reveal something of his private life and what it was like to be part of the inner circle of The King.
This collection complements our online exhibition, Graham Kennedy: The King.
Changing The Perceptions Of Men’s Mental Health
15 May 2017: Sydney University
Why we need to reframe psychological help as a pathway
In the lead-up to Men’s Health Week, Sydney University will host a special Banksia Project forum focusing on men’s health in sport. Joining the panel is PhD candidate Zac Seidler, whose research focuses on men’s mental health.
Master of Clinical Psychology and PhD candidate Zac Seidler. Photo: Jayne Ion
For decades, it has been perceived common knowledge that men do not want to seek help or express their emotions, especially about psychological concerns like anxiety or depression. But third year Master of Clinical Psychology and PhD candidate Zac Seidler, whose research project, Man Island, explores what men like, dislike, and think needs changing about psychological treatment, believes otherwise.
“What we have recently learned in our research though is that men do want to seek help, and will engage in treatment, if they are given the type of help tailored to their needs.”
Zac believes that the way forward is to reframe psychological help as a pathway towards empowerment rather than something shameful.
“Masculinity is not ‘one-size fits all’, it comes in all shapes and sizes. Psychologists and psychiatrists need to understand the importance of this breadth, focusing on the strengths men have, whether it be their independence, fathering, or mateship, will improve their mental health moving forward and the lives of those who love them,” Zac said.
"Men do want to seek help, and will engage in treatment, if they are given the type of help tailored to their needs."
Zac is a guest speaker at an upcoming free forum on Men’s Mental Health in Sport. The forum is presented by the Banksia Project, a men’s mental wellness initiative combining awareness building with constructive action.
“The audience will hear stories of triumph, failure, resilience, and dealing with the depths of mental illness in professional sport,” Zac said. “We will be talking about the importance of staying on top of your mental health, especially when things seem to be going well, and how social connectedness and empowerment are the key to preventing mental illness in men.”
Also appearing at the forum will be athlete Matt Shirvington, cricketer Ed Cowan and Professor of Mental Health Nursing at Sydney Nursing School, Niels Buus, amongst others.
Zac’s passion for this important topic stems from his personal experience.
“Having lost my Dad to suicide almost four years ago, and now working clinically with men of all backgrounds, from those with HIV to refugees, I’ve personally experienced the challenges mental health clinicians have engaging and treating men.”
Zac saw the staggering male suicide rate continue to rise despite vast sums of money being contributed to treating the problem.
“I realised someone needed to focus on what was happening behind the closed therapy doors. If it takes such effort to get a man to seek help, it makes sense we expend as much time ensuring they get something they want. Too many men are slipping through the cracks, and I want to do my best to improve our treatment options so we have a reliable safety net to catch them,” Zac said.
Long term, Zac hopes to use both his clinical and research training to open Australia’s first mental health clinic focused on the treatment of men that continues to strive to better understand the ways we can improve men’s wellbeing.
“The University of Sydney is one of the only universities in Australia which offers this combined research and clinical program. It’s allowed me to see firsthand what the clinical psychology landscape looks like, and directed me towards the gaps that my research can fill.”
The opportunities to connect with other researchers across the medical, social work, and nursing disciplines has allowed Zac to better understand the whole picture of men’s mental health. “Undertaking my project and working with researchers from across other disciplines has really challenged and motivated me to continue to seek answers.”
Register to attend the free Mental Health in Sport forum, presented by theBanksia Project, on May 30. Free Event - All Welcome
Men's Health Week runs from June 12 -18.
Australian Stay-At-Home Dads Not All ‘Mr Mums’
Media Release — 16 May 2017 - Australian Institute of Family Studies
Australian Institute of Family Studies Director, Anne Hollonds said there were now 75,000 stay-at-home-dad families, accounting for about 4 per cent of two-parent families around the country.
“Men opting for full time fatherhood while their wives and partners bring in the family income are not common and their numbers have changed little over the last five years,” Ms Hollonds said.
“Stay-at-home dads come from diverse backgrounds and their roles and responsibilities are quite different from those mothers carry out in the 31 per cent of stay-at-home-mum families.
“For many, becoming a stay-at-home dad is an economic decision, driven by unemployment, under-employment or disability and not a lifestyle choice to spend more time parenting.
“The fathers tend to be older, with older children and they don’t tend to pick up the full domestic work-load to the same extent that stay-at-home mothers traditionally have.
“For example, mothers in stay-at-home-dad families do a significant proportion of the unpaid housework and slightly more of the actual hands-on childcare.”
AIFS’ Senior Research Fellow, Dr Jennifer Baxter said the research released as part of National Families’ Week, revealed stay-at-home-dad families had little in common with stay-at-home-mum families.
“In line with other countries, for this research stay-at-home dads were defined as those who were not working; who had children under 15 and a spouse or partner who was working,” Dr Baxter said.
“These stay-at-home dads were either unemployed or were not looking for work for a variety of reasons, while others were on leave. In these families, mothers worked part-time or full-time hours.
“Our analysis showed that stay-at-home-dad families were not simply the reverse ‘mirror’ image of stay-at-home-mum families, just with the gender roles reversed.
“In stay-at-home-dad families, for example, dads spent an average of 19 hours a week on childcare, while mothers spent 21 hours.
“Stay-at-home dads spent 28 hours a week on housework, while mothers spent 23 hours which they managed to combine with an average 35-hour working week paid job.
“In stay-at-home-dad families, parents still often share in child care activities, such as putting children to bed and playing with them. These activities are more often shared rather than being primarily mum’s role, compared to other families. In some stay-at-home-dad families, child care becomes primarily dads’ role, especially caring for sick children and ferrying them to and from places.
“The analysis shows that while stay-at-home dads do take on more responsibility for child care than fathers in other family types, the average stay-at-home dad is still far from being ‘Mr Mum’.
“Despite dividing their time differently, parents in these families were the most likely to agree that children do just as well if the mother earns the money and the father takes care of the home and children.”
The ‘Stay-at-home dads’ facts sheet drew on ABS Census and Labour Force data, as well as data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia study.
Shedding Light On Earth's First Animals
May 17, 2017
More than 550 million years ago, the oceans were teeming with flat, soft-bodied creatures that fed on microbes and algae and could grow as big as bathmats. Today, researchers at the University of California, Riverside are studying their fossils to unlock the secrets of early life.
In their latest study, published today in the journal PLOS ONE, Scott Evans, a graduate student in the Department of Earth Sciences, and Mary Droser, a professor of paleontology, both in UCR's College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, show that the Ediacaran-era fossil animal Dickinsonia developed in a complex, highly regulated way using a similar genetic toolkit to today's animals. The study helps place Dickinsonia in the early evolution of animal life, and showcases how the large, mobile sea creature grew and developed.
Dickinsonia was a flat, oval-shaped creature that ranged in size from less than an inch to several feet, and is characterized by a series of raised bands -- known as modules -- on its surface. These animals are of interest to paleontologists because they are the first to become large and complex, to move around, and form communities, yet little is known about them. For years, scientists have been debating the taxonomic status of Dickinsonia -- placing it with fungi, marine worms and jellyfish, to name a few. It is now generally accepted that Dickinsonia was an animal, now extinct.
"Part of this study was trying to put Dickinsonia in context in the development of early life. We wanted to know if these creatures were part of a group of animals that survived or a failed evolutionary experiment. This research adds to our knowledge about these animals and our understanding of life on Earth as an artifact of half a billion years of evolution," Droser said.
To study Dickinsonia, the researchers travelled to South Australia's desert outback, which was once underwater and is now home to an abundance of Ediacaran fossils.
Researchers at UC Riverside are studying the world's oldest fossil animal, Dickinsonia, to learn more about the evolutionary history of animals.
Credit: University of California, Riverside
They measured the size, shape and structure of almost 1,000 specimens of Dickinsonia costata, paying attention to the number and size of the modules. The work was done in collaboration with James Gehling of the South Australian Museum in Adelaide, Australia, who is a coauthor on the paper.
The study showed that Dickinsonia's development, and particularly that of the modules, was complex and systematic to maintain the oval shape of the animal. The accumulation of new modules, by a process called terminal addition, suggests that Dickinsonia developed in a related way to bilaterians, a complex group that display bilateral symmetry, including animals ranging from flies and worms to humans. However, the researchers do not believe Dickinsonia was ancestrally related to bilaterians, since it lacked other features that most bilaterians share, most notably a mouth, gut and anus.
"Although we saw some of the hallmark characteristics of bilateral growth and development, we don't believe Dickinsonia was a precursor to today's bilaterians, rather that these are two distinct groups that shared a common set of ancestral genes that are present throughout the animal lineage," Evans said. "Dickinsonia most likely represents a separate group of animals that is now extinct, but can tell us a lot about the evolutionary history of animals."
Scott D. Evans, Mary L. Droser, James G. Gehling. Highly regulated growth and development of the Ediacara macrofossil Dickinsonia costata. Plos One, 2017 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0176874
Family Initiatives To Stop The Obesity Cycle
15 May 2017: NSW Dept. of Health
An innovative video teaching families how to make healthy choices at the supermarket, and a healthy weight calculator for children, are just two of the practical tools offered by a new website, Healthy Kids for Professionals, launched today in the battle against childhood obesity.
The back-to-basics approach follows the release of new data indicating that parents have limited awareness of overweight and obesity in their children.
Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said more than one in five school-aged children is above a healthy weight and obesity remains unacceptably high.
“We have to find new and clear ways of reaching the families of these children to improve their understanding of healthy weight ranges and healthy habits.”
The new supermarket tour video, developed in collaboration with the Australian Medical Association (NSW), takes viewers on a guided tour of a supermarket with a dietician, to help show how to make healthy food choices.
AMA (NSW) Vice-President Dr Kean-Seng Lim said the video has been designed for health professionals to help patients make diet and lifestyle changes.
“The choices made when buying food have the potential to impact on the whole household,” Dr Lim said. “It’s especially important in the case of young people, as the habits a child learns will continue into adulthood.”
The video features on the new NSW Health website, Healthy Kids for Professionals, along with a healthy weight calculator for children, so parents can easily find out whether their child is a healthy weight .
“It’s not always easy to tell if your child is a healthy weight for their age and this was identified as an important issue in the latest NSW School Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) report,” Dr Chant said.
“The survey found almost three quarters of parents of primary school children who were in the overweight category, and one third of parents of obese children perceived their child to be ‘about the right weight’. This is critical as more than 80 per cent of obese children go on to become obese adults.”
The new website goes live from 10am: Healthy Kids for Professionals
The latest SPANS report can be viewed at: NSW Schools Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (SPANS) 2015: Full Report
Tiny Wild Boar In Tiny Mud Puddle
The wild boar (Sus scrofa), also known as the wild swine or Eurasian wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia, North Africa, and the Greater Sunda Islands. Human intervention has spread its range further, making the species one of the widest-ranging mammals in the world, as well as the most widely spread suiform. Its wide range, high numbers, and adaptability mean that it is classed as least concern by the IUCN and it has become an invasive species in part of its introduced range. The animal probably originated in Southeast Asia during the Early Pleistocene, and outcompeted other suid species as it spread throughout the Old World.
As of 1990, up to 16 subspecies are recognised, which are divided into four regional groupings based on skull height and lacrimal bone length. The species lives in matriarchal societies consisting of interrelated females and their young (both male and female). Fully grown males are usually solitary outside the breeding season. The grey wolf is the wild boar's main predator throughout most of its range except in the Far East and the Lesser Sunda Islands, where it is replaced by the tiger and Komodo dragon respectively. It has a long history of association with humans, having been the ancestor of most domestic pig breeds and a big-game animal for millennia.
Industrial Finds Unearth Palaeontological Past From 112 Million Years Ago
A new exhibit at the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology welcomes Albertans (Canada)to discover spectacular fossil finds from across the province.
As one of the best places in the world for fossil preservation and discovery, Alberta is an exciting window into prehistoric life. The museum’s new exhibit,Grounds for Discovery, showcases some of the most significant fossils that have been discovered through industrial work.
Thousands of cubic metres of soil, gravel, and bedrock are excavated in Alberta every year through road construction, urban development, mining and other industrial activity. When fossils are exposed during these activities, Royal Tyrrell Museum scientists and industrial workers cooperate to safely excavate and protect Alberta’s fossils for scientific study and display.
Each discovery that has been reported and excavated contributes to global research.
“The new Grounds for Discovery exhibit shows visitors first-hand the positive outcomes of reporting fossil discoveries and working with industry. Through personal stories and exceptional specimens, the Royal Tyrrell Museum shows us once again why it is a premier palaeontological research centre and a world-class tourist attraction in this province.” – Ricardo Miranda, Minister of Culture and Tourism
The centrepiece of the exhibit is a new species of dinosaur discovered at the Suncor Millennium Mine near Fort McMurray in 2011. A Suncor employee spotted something unusual while excavating in the mine. Little did he know that this would turn out to be one of the most significant dinosaur discoveries in the world.
This new species of nodosaur (armoured dinosaur) is the oldest dinosaur known from Alberta – approximately 112 million years old – and is the best preserved armoured dinosaur ever found.
nodosaur (armoured dinosaur) - copyright Royal Tyrrell Museum
Since its discovery, the public have been able to share in the nodosaur’s journey by watching its painstaking preparation by technicians through the lab gallery window. For the first time, all the pieces have been put together so it can finally share its story.
Shawn Funk, a heavy-equipment operator, noticed the fossil because the texture and color looked different than the surrounding rock, according toNational Geographic.
"It was a very slow reveal, but it was a very exciting one nonetheless," said Caleb Brown, a postdoctoral fellow at the museum, and a co-author of a study describing the new species, which he expects to be published in a peer-reviewed journal this summer (northern hemisphere).
When the dinosaur died, Alberta was warm and sat on the coast of a shallow inland seaway that stretched from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. It's unclear if the dinosaur drowned in the seaway or died on land and then got swept out to sea. Either way, the carcass would have undergone a phenomenon called "bloat and float" as the body decomposed and filled with gases.
After severe bloating, the carcass would have exploded and sunk to the bottom of the seaway. "It must have been a very quiet, a very muddy, fine-grained and low-oxygenated environment where it settled, because there is no scavenging on the animal," Brown said.
"It must have fallen pretty rapidly, because we actually have a little impact crater from where it hit the bottom," Brown said. "It hit the bottom pretty hard."
Because the specimen was covered in marine sediment, museum researchers didn't know the specimen was a dinosaur. At first, they thought that the fossils belonged to a prehistoric marine creature, such as an ichthyosaur or a plesiosaur, because "we were getting marine reptiles from another mine about 20 kilometers [12 miles] away," said Donald Henderson, the curator of dinosaurs at the museum and co-author of the forthcoming study.
But after getting a good look at part of the specimen, museum technician Darren Tanke made the right call: The beast was a dinosaur, no doubt about it, Henderson said.
Mr. Henderson spent 17 days at the Millennium Mine in 2011, taking safety classes with Tanke so they could go into the mine to help excavate the specimen. The dinosaur was encased in a block of extremely hard rock known as a concretion, but the fossil inside was as soft as talcum powder, Henderson said.
The crew learned that the hard way, when they tried to remove the entire 35,000-lb. (15,800 kilograms) concretion at once. The insides were so soft, the block broke in two as they tried to remove it from the mine. After that, the paleontologists opted to remove the fossils in several thousand-pound chunks, which were then covered in burlap and plaster for protection.
After a 12-hour truck ride, the fossils arrived at the museum, still shrouded in stone. Museum technician Mark Mitchell has spent almost six years revealing the spectacular specimen, and because it was so fragile, "he's put a drop of glue or more on every square millimeter that you see," Mr. Henderson said.
The 3,000-lb. (1,360 kg) nodosaur is so complete, it looks like a statue.
"It was very low to the ground, very squat on very short legs," Brown told Live Science. "The entire back, sides, neck and tail were covered in large osteoderms — bony plates that are embedded in the skin."
Normally, osteoderms fall off and become displaced when a dinosaur dies. "In this case, those osteoderms are still preserved in the skin," Brown said. "Not only that, the osteoderms are capped with layers of keratin, the same stuff your fingernails are made of. Normally, it doesn't fossilize."
This herbivore probably ate conifers, cycads (woody plants with seeds) and ferns. "They had very wimpy teeth," Mr. Henderson explains. "They had a beak like a turtle, and they would just gather the food. [There was] very little chewing, a system of stomachs would have processed the fibrous food," he said.
The researchers found a soccer-ball-size mass of fossilized food in the stomach of the specimen that he hopes to analyze soon.
The earliest nodosaurs are known from the Jurassic (a period lasting from 199.6 million to 145.5 million years ago), but most, including the newfound beast, lived during the Cretaceous period (145.5 million to 65.5 million years ago), Brown said.
Nodosaurs have been found on every continent except Antarctica.
Though the nodosaur specimen is in superb condition, it's not the most well-preserved dinosaur on record. That honor likely goes to one of the bird-like dinosaurs with fossilized feathers that farmers and researchers have discovered in China's Liaoning province.
Research on this extraordinary nodosaur was supported through the National Geographic Society and is being featured in their June 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine, available online today and on print news-stands on May 30. The magazine feature includes an interactive featuring a 3D model of the nodosaur, both how it looked and lived in its day, and how it came to be fossilized for millions of years before its discovery.
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03)
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03) was an Adelaide-class guided-missile frigate of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The frigate was one of six modified Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates ordered from 1977 onwards, and the third of four to be constructed in the United States of America. Laid down and launched in 1980, Sydney was named for the capital city of New South Wales, and commissioned into the RAN in 1983.
During her operational history, Sydney has been involved in Australian responses to the 1987 Fijian coups d'état and the Bougainville uprising. The frigate was deployed to the Persian Gulf on five occasions in support of United States operations during the Gulf War, War in Afghanistan, and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and has completed two round-the-world voyages.
Sydney was originally expected to remain in service until 2013, but was retained in service until 2015; ceasing active deployments on 27 February and serving as a moored training ship until her decommissioning on 7 November. The frigate will be replaced in service by a Hobart-class destroyer.
Following the cancellation of the Australian light destroyer project in 1973, the British Type 42 destroyer and the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate were identified as alternatives to replace the cancelled light destroyers and the Daring-class destroyers. Although the Oliver Hazard Perry class was still at the design stage, the difficulty of fitting the Type 42 with the SM-1 missile, and the success of the Perth-class acquisition (a derivative of the American Charles F. Adams-class destroyer) compared to equivalent British designs led the Australian government to approve the purchase of two US-built Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates in 1976. A third (Sydney) was ordered in 1977, followed by a fourth, with all four ships integrated into the USN's shipbuilding program. A further two ships were ordered in 1980, and were constructed in Australia.
As designed, the ship had a full load displacement of 3,605 tons, a length overall of 135.6 metres (445 ft), a beam of 13.7 metres (45 ft), and a draught of 24.5 metres (80 ft). Starting in February 1989, Sydney was modified from the Oliver Hazard Perry FLIGHT II design to FLIGHT III, requiring a lengthening of the helicopter deck for the RAST helicopter recovery system, which increased displacement to 4,100 tons and pushing the overall length to 138.1 metres (453 ft). Propulsion machinery consisted of two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, which provided a combined 41,000 horsepower (31,000 kW) to the single propeller shaft. Top speed was 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph), with a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph). Two 650-horsepower (480 kW) electric auxiliary propulsors were used for close manoeuvring, with a top speed of 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph). Standard ship's company was 184, including 15 officers, but excluding the flight crew for the embarked helicopters. Sydney was the first ship of her class to carry female sailors and officers, requiring the installation of partitioning to some mess decks.
Original armament for the ship consisted of a Mark 13 missile launcher configured to fire RIM-66 Standard and RGM-84 Harpoon missiles, supplemented by an OTO Melara 76-millimetre (3.0 in) gun and a Vulcan Phalanx point-defence system. As part of the mid-2000s FFG Upgrade Project, an eight-cell Mark 41 Vertical Launch System was fitted, with a payload of RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missiles. For anti-submarine warfare, two Mark 32 torpedo tube sets were fitted; originally firing the Mark 44 torpedo, the Adelaides later carried the Mark 46, then the MU90 Impact following the FFG Upgrade. Up to six 12.7-millimetre (0.50 in) machine guns could be carried for close-in defence, and since 2005, two M2HB .50 calibre machine guns in Mini Typhoon mounts were installed when needed for Persian Gulf deployments. The sensor suite included an AN/SPS-49 air search radar, AN/SPS-55 surface search and navigation radar, SPG-60 fire control radar connected to a Mark 92 fire control system, and an AN/SQS-56 hull-mounted sonar.Two helicopters could be embarked: either two S-70B Seahawk or one Seahawk and one AS350B Squirrel.
The last ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry Flight II design, Sydney was laid down at Todd Pacific Shipyards on 16 January 1980. She was launched on 26 September 1980, and commissioned into the RAN on 29 January 1983. During construction, the ship was identified by the United States Navy hull number FFG-35.
Operational history
From commissioning until mid-1984, Sydney was attached to the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet as a unit of Destroyer Squadron 9. During this time, the frigate conducted working-up and training exercises.
In May 1987, Sydney visited Fiji, and was alongside in Suva when the first of the 1987 Fijian coups d'état occurred on 14 May. Sydney and sister ship Adelaide, alongside in Lautoka, were instructed to remain off Fiji to aid in any necessary evacuation of Australian citizens; the first component of what became Operation Morris Dance. Sydney remained on station until at least 29 May, when a phased withdrawal began.
Following the acquisition of the Vulcan Phalanx close-in weapon system and the Seahawk helicopter, Sydney underwent a modification refit to be capable of using these weapons. This refit occurred over 1987 and 1988, and also saw the installation of fin stabilisation systems.
Commemorative badge of the 1990 world voyage, on display in the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney.
In January 1990, Sydney, Tobruk, and Jervis Bay were placed on standby to evacuate civilians from Bougainville Island following the Bougainville uprising. Sydney and Tobruk stood down in February, and the two ships departed with the submarine Oxley on a deployment to Turkey to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove. Following Anzac Day, Sydney continued on a round-the-world voyage, which included numerous diplomatic visits to European and American ports, the first visit of a RAN vessel to Sweden, and participation in a United States counter-narcotics operation in the Caribbean. The frigate arrived home in September.
On 3 December 1990, Sydney and the Perth-class destroyer Brisbane arrived in the Persian Gulf to relieve HMA Ships Adelaide and Darwin as part of Operation Damask; the Australian military contribution to the Gulf War. Sydney was assigned to the escort screen around Battle Force Zulu (Task Force 154), a naval force built around four United States Navy aircraft carriers, and also participated in surveillance and boarding operations.The two Australian warships remained in the area until 26 March 1991. Sydney was awarded the Meritorious Unit Citation on 4 November 1991 for this deployment, and later received the battle honour "Kuwait 1991"
Sydney was deployed back to the Persian Gulf for Operation Damask from September 1991 to February 1992, and again from June 1993 to December 1993.
On 14 March 1994, Sydney rescued the crew of a yacht which had been participating in the Trans-Tasman Yacht Race before encountering difficulties.In early October, the frigate was called on to search for survivors of a light aircraft that ditched into the Tasman Sea.
In May 1995, Sydney became the first RAN warship to visit the Russian port of Vladivostok, as support for a diplomatic and trade mission.
In 1997, Sydney was one of several RAN vessels placed on standby following the outbreak of political disturbances in Papua New Guinea as part of the Sandline affair. No action was required by the Australian warships.
Sydney was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 3 November to 19 December 1999. She received the battle honour "East Timor 1999" for this deployment.
On 1 October 2000, Sydney took over from sister ship Newcastle as the RAN vessel assigned to support the peace negotiation process in the Solomon Islands that resulted in the signing of the Townsville Peace Agreement.
In October 2001, Sydney returned to the Persian Gulf to operate in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of the War in Afghanistan. The frigate was joined by sister ship Adelaide and the amphibious warfare vessel Kanimbla in early December, and returned to Australia in March 2002. Sydney was sent back to the Gulf in support of 2003 invasion of Iraq, operating from May to August 1993 as part of Operations Falconer and Catalyst. The battle honours "Persian Gulf 2001–03" and "Iraq 2003" recognise these deployments.
Sydney was the first of four frigates selected to go under the A$1 billion FFG Upgrade, with HMA Ships Darwin, Melbourne and Newcastle following. The upgrade features an 8-cell Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) for 32 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), upgrades to fire control and air warning radars, and replacement of the hull-mounted sonar and diesel generators. This refit commenced in 2002, but problems with integrating the frigates' anti-missile and anti-torpedo detection and defence systems meant that when Sydney was finished in 2007, she was initially not accepted back into service. By November 2008, the problems with the upgrade had been solved.
Sydney (rear) maneuvers with Ballarat in 2009 - U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Chad R. Erdmann
On the morning of 13 March 2009, Sydney was one of seventeen warships involved in a ceremonial fleet entry and fleet review in Sydney Harbour, the largest collection of RAN ships since the Australian Bicentenary in 1988. The frigate led the line of thirteen ships involved in the ceremonial entry through Sydney Heads, and anchored in the harbour for the review.
On 20 April 2009, Sydney and the Anzac-class frigate HMAS Ballarat departed from Sydney as part of Operation Northern Trident, a six-month round-the-world voyage by the two vessels, with numerous diplomatic visits and joint exercises with foreign navies. On 17 May, Sydney and Ballarat provided aid to two merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, driving off two separate groups of Somali pirates attacking the ships. Sydney remained in the area to report the incidents to Combined Task Force 151, while Ballarat escorted an impromptu convoy of eight ships, including the two that were attacked, to safety. The two warships visited ports in Western Europe, North America, the Pacific and northern Asia, with Sydney arriving back in her namesake city on 19 September.
In May 2013, Sydney began a three-month deployment with the United States Seventh Fleet, attached to Carrier Strike Group Five as an escort for the carrier USS George Washington.
In October 2013, Sydney participated in the International Fleet Review 2013 in Sydney.
Sydney visited Hobart in February 2015 for the Royal Hobart Regatta. During the weekend of 7–8 February,[date missing] the frigate was anchored in the River Derwent to free up wharf space for a civilian vessel. On attempting to return to Macquarie Wharf, the anchor chain broke, leaving the anchor 25 metres (82 ft) below. The anchor was later recovered by divers. The loss of the anchor prevented Sydney from fulfilling duties as the regatta flagship, as the ship would be unable to maintain a stationary position during the event.
Sydney sailed into her namesake city for the final time on 27 February 2015. Despite flying a decommissioning pennant, the ship was not paid off until 7 November 2015; two years later than originally expected. In the interim, she was moored at Fleet Base East as an alongside training ship.
On 6 November, the day prior to paying off, a parade of 350 current and former personnel from the ship marched in Sydney. At the time of decommissioning, Sydney had travelled 959,627 nautical miles (1,777,229 km; 1,104,319 mi). She will be replaced by one of the three Hobart-class destroyers.
Five ships of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) have been named HMAS Sydney, after Sydney, the capital city of New South Wales.
HMAS Sydney (1912), a Town-class light cruiser launched in 1912, decommissioned in 1928, and broken up for scrap
HMAS Sydney (D48), a Leander-class light cruiser launched in 1934, and sunk following a battle with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran on 19 November 1941
HMAS Sydney (R17), a Majestic-class light aircraft carrier launched in 1944, decommissioned in 1973, and broken up for scrap
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03), an Adelaide-class guided missile frigate launched in 1980, and decommissioned in 2015
HMAS Sydney (DDGH 42), a Hobart-class air warfare destroyer slated to enter service in 2020
HMAS Sydney (FFG 03). (2017, January 21). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HMAS_Sydney_(FFG_03)&oldid=761135160
