Cities, Nature, Justice: a zoologist's perspective

Cities and nature may seem mutually exclusive, but the animal inhabitants, both native and introduced, from pets to pests, are a major component of city life. Using Sydney as an example, this paper takes a critical look at cities and nature, more narrowly zoology, with a long-term view, i.e. one with intergenerational equity in mind. In the rapid conversion of bush to farmland, then suburbs and industrial areas, flora and fauna have not been given a strong voice. We need a new ethic for this new urban ecosystem, one which encompasses dealing with exotic species, pests and vermin on the one hand, and relic native animal populations on the other. Plans for sustainability in environment, economics and society need to recognise that these are interrelated subjects, not separate entities. I argue that knowing the natural history of Sydney is integral to understanding the city, its history, and its sustainability

Integrating History and Ecological Thinking: Royal National Park in Historical Perspective

This paper aims to develop an ecological history of Royal National Park. The socio-cultural context for the push to reserve such a large tract of land in perpetuity in 1879 includes the Park’s early links to the Royal Zoological Society of NSW (formerly the Acclimatisation Society of NSW), in addition to a strong political movement advocating the reservation of open space in urban areas. A selection of maps of the Park situates it in a broader context. Previously unpublished data from 1879 to the present is evidence of increasing formal support for nature conservation and protected areas. Tim Flannery’s contentious essay ‘Beautiful Lies’ (2003) is challenged on the issue of long-term fauna conservation in Australia’s national parks. The paper concludes that using an ecological approach to interpreting historical data enables us to gain a clearer grasp of the reasons behind the changes to the Park’s boundaries since 1879, the relationship between the Park and its fauna, and the challenges facing the Park as an urban park in the twenty-first century

Charting a Course for Culturally Responsive Physical Education

In this article, we explore the absence of understanding related to culturally responsive pedagogy in physical education for Aboriginal students. In so doing, we examine the limited literature related to culturally responsive physical education and the especially limited literature dedicated to Aboriginal students within physical education. Recognizing that this absence should present a very obvious concern for pre-service physical education teachers, in-service physical education teachers, teacher educators, and most importantly, Aboriginal students themselves, we borrow from the few most notable pedagogues who share our concern and offer a framework and suggestions for future practice and inquiry. We make these suggestions for future practice and inquiry with the wholehearted belief that a commitment to culturally responsive pedagogy can improve upon the immediate and long-term physical education experiences of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. Dans cet article, nous portons notre attention sur le manque de compréhension par rapport à la pédagogie tenant compte de la réalité culturelle des élèves autochtones dans les cours d’éducation physique. Ainsi, nous étudions le nombre limité de publications qui touchent les cours d’éducation physique adaptés à la culture, et notamment celles, encore plus limitées, qui traitent de la culture autochtone. Reconnaissant que cette lacune devrait constituer une préoccupation bien évidente pour les stagiaires en éducation physique, les enseignants en éducation physique, les formateurs d’enseignants et, surtout, les élèves autochtones eux-mêmes, nous puisons chez les pédagogues importants qui partagent nos préoccupations (ils sont peu nombreux) et offrons un cadre et des suggestions pour des pratiques et des recherches futures. Nous proposons ces suggestions pour les pratiques et les études futures, sincèrement convaincus qu’un engagement visant une pédagogie adaptée à la culture peut améliorer, dans l’immédiat et à long terme, les expériences des élèves autochtones et non-autochtones dans les cours d’éducation physique

A spatially explicit habitat selection model incorporating home range behavior

Understanding habitat selection is of primary interest in theoretical and applied ecology. One approach is to infer habitat selection processes from differences in population densities between habitats using methods such as isodar and isoleg analysis. Another approach is to directly observe the movements of individuals. However, habitat selection models based on movement data often fail to adequately incorporate spatial processes. This is problematic if the probability of selecting a particular habitat is dependent upon its spatial context. This would occur, for example, where organisms exhibit home range behavior and the choice of habitat is dependent on its location relative to the home range. In this paper we present a spatially explicit habitat selection model for movement data that incorporates home range behavior as a spatial process. Our approach extends a previous model by formulating the probability of selecting a habitat as a function of its distance from the animal's current location and home range center. We demonstrate that these enhancements lead to more parsimonious models when applied to a koala radiotracking data set from eastern Australia. This approach could also be applied to modeling other spatial habitat selection processes, leading to more biologically meaningful models for a range of species and applications

Developmental trends in voice onset time: some evidence for sex differences

This study reports on an investigation into the voice onset time (VOT) patterns of the plosives /p b t d/ in a group of 30 children aged 7 (n = 10), 9 (n = 10) and 11 (n = 10) years. Equal numbers of girls and boys participated in the study. Each child named a series of letter objects to elicit /p b t d/ in a syllable onset position with a fixed vowel context. VOT data were examined for age, sex and plosive differences with the following hypotheses: Firstly, that there would be sex differences in the VOT patterns of preadolescent children. Secondly, that the sex differences in VOT patterns would be linked to age and development, and that these would eventually become marked by the age of 11 years, by which time adult-like VOT values should have been achieved. Finally, that the extent of sex and age differences would be dependent upon the plosive being investigated. Results indicated patterns of decrease with age in the VOT values of /p b/ for the boys, with some evidence of increases in the VOT values of /t/ for the girls. In addition, 'voiced' and 'voiceless' cognates showed a more marked bimodal distribution in the girls' VOT patterns. This bimodal distribution was investigated by examining the degree of difference between the VOT values of voiced and voiceless cognate pairs /p b/ and /t d/, and examining the effects of age, sex and cognate pair. These results indicated that more marked sex differences in the 'voiced'/'voiceless' contrast emerged between the data of the 9- and 11-year-olds, a pattern, which was more marked for the alveolar plosives. These preliminary results confirmed all three hypotheses. The findings are presented and discussed both within a developmental and sociophonetic framework

An Ecological History of the Koala Phascolarctos cinereus in Coffs Harbour and its Environs, on the Mid-north Coast of New South Wales, c1861-2000

This paper focuses on changes to the Koala population of the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area, on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, from European settlement to 2000. The primary method used was media analysis, complemented by local histories, reports and annual reviews of fur/skin brokers, historical photographs, and oral histories. Cedar-cutters worked their way up the Orara River in the 1870s, paving the way for selection, and the first wave of European settlers arrived in the early 1880s. Much of the initial development arose from logging. The trade in marsupial skins and furs did not constitute a significant threat to the Koala population of Coffs Harbour in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The extent of the vegetation clearing by the early 1900s is apparent in photographs. Consistent with the probable presence of Koalas in the Coffs Harbour town centre in the early 1900s, available evidence for the period 1920-1950s strongly suggests that Koalas remained present in the town centre and surrounding area. Large-scale development began in the early 1960s. Comparing aerial photographs allows us to discern the speed of change from a largely rural landscape in 1964 to one that is predominantly urbanised by 2009. The 1999 Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management for Coffs Harbour City Council, drawing on the 1990 Community Survey of Koalas in Coffs Harbour, detailed specific examples of habitat fragmentation through development. Local media coverage offered a wealth of information on the persistence, and rapid eradication, of Koala habitat over the 1970s-2000, in addition to the level of community interest in the issue. Taken collectively, the evidence allows us to draw two main conclusions: that the Koala population of Coffs Harbour was widespread but never abundant, and that habitat loss has been relentless since European settlement. The transformation of a rural-forest to a largely urban landscape, particularly in the south-east of the Local Government Area, over the past four decades is the most recent stage in the incremental loss of habitat since European settlement. Consequently, the conclusion can be drawn that the Koala population had been reduced from its pre-European size by 2000. Concurrent research on the Coffs Harbour Koala population showed that it declined during the 1980s, but was relatively stable and endured over the period 1990-2011. These findings point to the necessity of employing historical analysis to interpret change in Koala populations in Coffs Harbour to complement current assessments of population status

An Ecological Reading of the History of the Koala Population of Warrumbungle National Park

The severe Wambelong fire in 2013 focussed attention on the koalas of Warrumbungle National Park, and highlighted the lack of detailed study into their populations. Here we examine the history of land use and management within and surrounding the Park and how the koala populations have changed through the decades. Before the dedication of the Park in 1953 there was little koala habitat and, at best, a very low-density koala population in and around what became the Park. The koala population grew through the 1970s and 1980s, and by the mid- to late 1990s the Park was known for its strong koala population before the onset of the millennium drought (2001-2009). However, sightings were rare after the drought. The fire compounded the drought, showing that the Park on its own is too small to be a long-term refuge, particularly in an era of climate change. A regional approach to population management is needed, with the Park and the private land surrounding it both necessary for the survival of the local koala population. We have witnessed impact of a severe fire in 2013 on the koala population, although one best understood through an ecological reading of the historical record

Interleukin-8, Interleukin-1β, and Interferon-γ Levels Are Linked to PRRS Virus Clearance

Infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) results in a weak antiviral immune response that leads to a persistent infection in a subset of pigs. We investigated the intensity and timing of the early cytokine responses to PRRSV infection to determine their utility as a predictor of persistence. As part of the “Big Pig” project, we evaluated cytokine gene expression in lymphoid tissues collected from pigs for up 202 days post-infection (dpi); serum samples were collected biweekly. Cytokine mRNA levels were compared between pigs that cleared the viral infection from serum and tissues (non-persistent [NP] pigs) to those of persistent (P) pigs, that had viral RNA in their serum for up to 126 dpi. The gene expression studies in the tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN) of all the pigs showed upregulation of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-associated T-helper 1 (Th-1) markers from 14–84 dpi, and of T-regulatory interleukin-10 (IL-10), but no upregulation of innate markers (IFN-A, IL-1B, and IL-8). At later time points (\u3e112 dpi) these genes were no longer differentially expressed and thus were uninformative for persistence studies. Statistical analyses of serum cytokine levels indicated that innate cytokine (IL-1β and IL-8) levels were upregulated early after infection. Interestingly, serum IL-8 levels in NP pigs were significantly higher than in P pigs at 14 dpi. When analyzed together, variations in all three of the serum cytokines tested (IL-8, IL-1β, and IFN-γ) was significantly correlated with virus level, accounting for ∼84% of the variations observed. These results indicate that while each cytokine individually has minor effects on the length of virus replication, the combination of cytokine activities should be considered when understanding the role of immunity in persistence