Seed and seedling responses to inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi and root nodule bacteria: implications for restoration of degraded Mediterranean-type Tuart woodlands

Inoculation with beneficial soil microorganisms has the potential to enhance success of restoration, particularly in harsh Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs). We investigated the effects of microorganisms (mycorrhizal fungi and root nodule bacteria) and planting material (seed and nursery-raised seedlings) on early establishment and growth of two key postdisturbance colonizing species with different life histories, life forms and functional types (Eucalyptus gomphocephala and Acacia saligna) under field conditions. Establishment and growth were monitored at 13months, following the first MTE drought period. For E. gomphocephala, establishment was higher for seedlings (81%) than for seeding (7.5%). Inoculation with ectomycorrhizal fungal spores was not beneficial. For A. saligna, establishment was also higher for seedlings (84%) than for seeding (42.5%). Mycorrhizal fungal inoculum had no effect on establishment or growth. This study has shown that in harsh MTE conditions, the use of seedlings is more effective than seeding in degraded woodlands even when attempting to reintroduce key colonizing species. The microorganism treatments tested did not result in significant improvement in establishment or growth

Restoring degraded woodlands

In many places on the Swan Coastal Plain Eucalyptus gomphocephala (tuart) woodlands are in decline or are degraded (Bulletin 1). This occurs for many reasons, including grazing by stock, weed invasion, logging and clearing. It is often a combination of these factors that gradually lead to a decline in the tuart populations

Look before planting: using smokewater as an inventory tool to predict the soil seed bank and inform ecological management and restoration

This study tested the efficacy of smokewater to determine the potential germination from soil seed bank in three management sites of the same National Park: a forest site prior to restoration, an ex-pine plantation site and an ex-mine site. This will provide further information to land managers so that more accurate planning can occur. Results showed that smokewater significantly increased the germination from the soil seed bank, and significant differences in the level of germination of weed species from the soil seed bank were seen between the three management sites. This use of smokewater may be a useful tool to help predict differences in the soil seed bank compared with predicting soil seed bank based on land-use history and recent condition

Kirramyces destructans in Australia: biosecurity threat or elusive native pathogen?

Kirramyces destructans was first described in 1996 from north Sumatra, Indonesia, where it caused severe leaf and shoot blight on Eucalyptus grandis in nurseries and young plantations. Since then it has been reported in nurseries and plantations in Vietnam, Thailand and China, with its host range extending to include E. camaldulensis and E. urophylla. K. destructans has also been reported from native E. urophylla in East Timor and was considered a significant biosecurity threat to Australia’s native eucalypt forests and plantations. A study on the population diversity of K. destructans isolates throughout south-east Asia in which 8 gene regions were sequenced (four nuclear genes, one mitochondrial gene and three microsatellite markers) detected very low nucleotide polymorphism. This genetic uniformity is indicative of an introduced population which has subsequently spread throughout Asia via human-mediated movement of germplasm. Surveys of sentinel plantings in northern Australia revealed a complex of Kirramyces spp. among which K. destructans was detected. The same gene regions and markers were sequenced as for the Asian study and diversity among the K. destructans isolates in Australia was found to be much greater than that in Asia. We believe that K. destructans is native to Australia where is resides symptomlessly within the native vegetation. The disease is only expressed when non-endemic eucalypts are planted. As such the pathogen is a major encumbrance to the establishment of commercial eucalypt plantations in Northern Australia. The disease has not been observed in native ecosystems, but the effect of inoculum build up within plantations on adjacent native eucalypt remnants is not known

A comparison of the in vitro and in planta responses of Phytophthora cinnamomi isolates to phosphite

Research in plant pathology often relies on testing interactions between a fungicide and a pathogen in vitro and extrapolating from these results what may happen in planta. Likewise, results from glasshouse experiments are used to estimate what will happen if the fungicide is applied in the field. However, it is difficult to obtain conditions in vitro and in the glasshouse which reflect the conditions where the fungicide may eventually be used, in the field. The aim of this paper is to compare results of the effect of phosphite on P. cinnamomi isolates in vitro and in planta

Glass Ceiling Commission - The Impact of the Glass Ceiling and Structural Change on Minorities and Women

Glass Ceiling ReportGlassCeilingBackground12StructuralChange.pdf: 9391 downloads, before Oct. 1, 2020

Morska fauna Nacionalnog parka Mljet (Jadransko more, Hrvatska). 4. Mollusca: Polyplacophora

During the summers from 1995–2000 the benthos was studied at 63 sites by scuba- and skin-divers. Polyplacophora molluscs were recorded at 36 sites. Ten species were identified, i.e. 63 % of the Adriatic Sea chitons, and 34 % of taxa recorded in the Mediterranean. Synonyms, habitat, depth range and general distribution are noted for each species. With the aim of updating the distributional pattern of chitons in the Adriatic Sea, the authors’ unpublished records of a number of species have been appended.U Nacionalnom parku Mljet, na 36 ronilački istraženih obalnih postaja u razdoblju 1995–2000, nađeno je deset vrsta poliplakofornih mekušaca – babuški. To je čak 63 % vrsta poznatih za Jadran odnosno 34 % vrsta koje žive u Sredozemnom moru. Za svaku se vrstu navode sinonimi, staništa, te dubinska i opća rasprostranjenost. S ciljem boljeg poznavanja rasprostranjenosti babuški u Jadranu, dodani su i do sada neobjavljeni nalazi oba autora

Ectomyeorrhiza formation in Eucalyptus. V. A tuberculate ectomycorrhiza of Eucalyptus pilularis

The structure of mature tubercles collected from a Eucalyptus pilularis forest in Queensland, Australia, is described. The smooth, pale yellow tubercles (5‐20 mm diam.) consisted of a rind (200‐250 μm thick) enclosing a dense coralloid mass of ectornycorrhizas (150‐300 μm diam.) and rhizomorphs (200‐300 μm diam.). The outer rind region was cemented together with an interhyphal matrix of carbohydrate containing embedded lipid deposits. Dolipores were common in the inner rind indicating the fungal component to be a basidiomycete. Mycorrhizas had thin mantles and well‐formed Hartig nets. Protein and lipid reserves were present in mantle hyphae. Rhizomorphs formed around non‐mycorrhizal roots inside the tubercles. The central zone of rhizomorph tissue contained thick‐walled hyphae which stained positively for lignin‐like material. The tubercles are similar to structures formed in associations between Rhizopogon and conifers in the northern hemisphere

Variability of Western Australian isolates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and the potential of Local Biological Control Agents

Stem rot disease caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum has emerged as a serious problem for canola (Brassica napus L.) production in Western Australia (WA) over the past few years where crop losses can be up to 40% in the worst affected crops. The biological characteristics and pathogenicity of the pathogen in WA is poorly understood. Also the potential for local biological control agents (BCAs) to be used in the management of the disease has not been explored. This paper provides preliminary data in these fields. One hundred and forty isolates of S. sclerotiorum were collected from WA canola growing regions for identification of biological characteristics which include colour of mycelia, growth rate, production of sclerotia, and pathogenicity. Other fungal isolates with potential biological control activity were collected from southern regions of WA. Colour of mycelia of Sclerotinia isolates varied from white, yellowish white, greyish white, brownish white, grey, dark grey to brown. Each isolate had its 24 and 48 hour growth rate recorded after sub-culture on PDA + ampicillin medium. ANOVA showed highly significant differences between growth rates of isolates 24 and 48 hours after being sub-cultured (P≤0.001). There were significant differences in number of sclerotia produced by each isolate. Two potential fungal biological control agents were found in WA, namely isolate KEN1 and isolate MTB1. These local fungal BCAs were found to be effective in inhibiting in vitro both the growth and ability to produce sclerotia of S. sclerotiorum