Biodiversity survey of Big Bush Nature Reserve New South Wales, 30th April - 3rd May 1996: a report to the New South Wales National Parks & Wildlife Service

This report documents the results of a biodiversity survey of Big Bush Nature Reserve near Temora, New South Wales, conducted from 30th April to 3rd May 1996 by students and staff of the Australian National University. As a University exercise the emphasis was as much on the methodology adopted as the results obtained. Standard flora and fauna censusing techniques were employed to determine the presence of vascular plants and terrestrial vertebrates. A combined structural and floristic sampling system was used to make vegetation classifications based primarily on overstorey associations. Direct and indirect evidence of faunal presence was recorded using various search and trapping techniques specific to mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. A total of 51 floral species in 14 different vegetation associations were identified. 15 mammalian, 7 reptilian, 6 amphibian, and 54 avian species were found. Of particular significance is the presence of faunal species classified as 'vulnerable' under Part 1, Schedule 2 of the Threatened Species Conservation Bill 1995 (No.2). One such species, Polytelis swainsonii 'Superb Parrot', was identified in this survey. An additional 10 'vulnerable' faunal species ( 1 mammal and 9 bird species) have been reported by the former landowner. The survey results are discussed in an ecological and conservation context

Hybridisation Between Black (Pteropods alecto) and Grey- Headed (P. poliocephalus) Flying-Foxes (Megachiroptera: Pteropodidae).

The range of the black flying-fox (Pteropus alecto) in Australia overlaps with two morphologically very similar congenerics: the grey-headed flying-fox (P. poliocephalus) and the spectacled flying-fox (P. conspecillatus). Protein electrophoresis was used to examine cases of apparent hybridisation between P. alecto and these other species. Two loci with fixed allelic differences were identified between P. alecto and P. poliocephalus and were used to confirm three cases of interspecific hybridisation, one of which probably occurred in the wild, and one of backcrossing. Hybrid individuals possessed external characteristics that were intermediate between the parental species. Pteropus alecto and P. conspecillatus showed very little genetic differentiation and only one out of 23 scorable loci showed a fixed allelic difference. A reported interspecific hybrid, and two other flying-foxes, considered to be possible P. alecto/P. conspecillatus hybrids, failed to show the expected heterozygous condition at this locus. Further diagnostic loci need to be sought before a definite conclusion can be made concerning the hybrid status of these individuals. The very close morphological similarity of P. alecto and P. conspecillatus, combined with their genetic similarity, suggests that more discriminating DNA based techniques would be necessary to fully describe the relationships between these closely related species. </jats:p

Reflecting on ethical and legal issues in wildlife disease

Disease in wildlife raises a number of issues that have not been widely considered in the bioethical literature. However, wildlife disease has major implications for human welfare. The majority of emerging human infectious diseases are zoonotic: that is, they occur in humans by cross-species transmission from animal hosts. Managing these diseases often involves balancing concerns with human health against animal welfare and conservation concerns. Many infectious diseases of domestic animals are shared with wild animals, although it is often unclear whether the infection spills over from wild animals to domestic animals or vice versa. Culling is the standard means of managing such diseases, bringing economic considerations, animal welfare and conservation into conflict. Infectious diseases are also major threatening processes in conservation biology and their appropriate management by culling, vaccination or treatment raises substantial animal ethics issues. One particular issue of great significance in Australia is an ongoing research program to develop genetically modified pathogens to control vertebrate pests including rabbits, foxes and house mice. Release of any self-replicating GMO vertebrate pathogen gives rise to a whole series of ethical questions. We briefly review current Australian legal responses to these problems. Finally, we present two unresolved problems of general importance that are exemplified by wildlife disease. First, to what extent can or should 'bioethics' be broadened beyond direct concerns with human welfare to animal welfare and environmental welfare? Second, how should the irreducible uncertainty of ecological systems be accounted for in ethical decision making