History and Attributes of Selected Australian Multi-tenure Reserve Networks

The need for conservation planning across the landscape, regardless of tenure, is widely recognised. In Australia, attempts to coordinate the management of conservation lands are characterised by models such as Biosphere Reserves and Conservation Management Networks. This paper outlines the history behind the formation and development of three networks in Australia—the Bookmark Biosphere Reserve, the Gippsland Plains Conservation Management Network, and the Grassy Box Woodlands Conservation Management Network—with particular emphasis on the tenure and protection attributes of the various components within these networks. Despite?having a similar number of components, the total area represented in the networks varied markedly. There were few similarities in the proportion of components of various tenures and protection mechanisms among networks. Composition of networks is likely to be strongly influenced by both historical factors (degree of subdivision, land ownership and remaining vegetation) and contemporary factors (aims of the network and willingness of landowners to participate). Continued research into both the evolution and the physical and social dynamics of multi-tenure reserve networks enables a better understanding of their operation, and will ultimately assist in improved conservation planning across the landscape.     

Unprecedented last-glacial mass accumulation rates determined by luminescence dating of loess from western Nebraska

A high-resolution chronology for Peoria (last glacial period) Loess from three sites in Nebraska, midcontinental North America, is determined by applying optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating to 35–50 μm quartz. At Bignell Hill, Nebraska, an OSL age of 25,000 yr near the contact of Peoria Loess with the underlying Gilman Canyon Formation shows that dust accumulation occurred early during the last glacial maximum (LGM), whereas at Devil’s Den and Eustis, Nebraska, basal OSL ages are significantly younger (18,000 and 21,000 yr, respectively). At all three localities, dust accumulation ended at some time after 14,000 yr ago. Mass accumulation rates (MARs) for western Nebraska, calculated using the OSL ages, are extremely high from 18,000 to 14,000 yr—much higher than those calculated for any other pre-Holocene location worldwide. These unprecedented MARs coincide with the timing of a mismatch between paleoenvironmental evidence from central North America, and the paleoclimate simulations from atmospheric global circulation models (AGCMs). We infer that the high atmospheric dust loading implied by these MARs may have played an important role, through radiative forcing, in maintaining a colder-than-present climate over central North America for several thousand years after summer insolation exceeded present-day values.     

The evolution from Miocene potassic to Quaternary sodic magmatism in western Turkey: implications for enrichment processes in the lithospheric mantle

New K-Ar dating and major- and trace-element analyses from the U ak-Selendi-Emet (USE) area constrain the timing of changes in the nature of volcanism in the Miocene in western Turkey. The data reveal a change from dominantly calc-alkaline and silicic in the Early Miocene to largely alkaline and more mafic volcanism in the Middle Miocene. This probably reflects a decreasing amount of crustal contamination with time, a result of extensional tectonics. High levels of various incompatible elements (including K) in the more mafic members, suggest an enriched subcontinental lithospheric source region for the Middle Miocene USE lavas. Highly variable Nb/Y, Ti/Y and Th/Nb ratios suggest a lithospheric mantle heterogeneously enriched by two processes: (1) enrichment by subduction-related processes producing high Th/Nb but low Nb/Y and Ti/Y; and (2) enrichment by small degree melts of depleted upper mantle producing low Th/Nb but high Nb/Y and Ti/Y. Both of these enrichment processes have variably contributed to Middle Miocene K-rich lavas in the USE area. The mechanism which initiated the melting of the enriched lithosphere is considered to be extension which produced decompression melting. Comparisons with the nearby Kula lavas reveals that by the Pliocene to Quaternary, volcanism, although still enriched in incompatible elements, had become sodic. It seems likely that continued extension up to this time thinned the lithosphere to such an extent that asthenospheric melts were produced which ascended and mixed with previously enriched lithosphere.     

Morphology,processes and evolution of two waterfalls near Cowra,New South Wales

The morphology and processes of formation and maintenance of waterfalls are more varied and complex than is suggested by the simple caprock‐undercutting model that is closely identified with Niagara Falls. The dominant process of retreat of two buttressed waterfalls near Cowra, NSW, seems to be failure along joint planes at the lips of the waterfalls. In the case of the larger of the two waterfalls, this process is significantly enhanced by the formation and subsequent destruction of potholes at the waterfall lip.     

Combining CSD and isotopic microanalysis: Magma supply and mixing processes at Stromboli Volcano, Aeolian Islands, Italy

Integrating isotopic microanalysis with other analytical techniques creates powerful new methodologies for understanding the evolution of rock samples at the sub-grain scale. Here we present Crystal Size Distribution (CSD) data for a 26,000 year old sample from Stromboli Volcano and accompanying isotopic microanalysis of the phenocrysts. A technique, called the ICSD plot, is introduced which given stated assumptions allows the integration of both sets of data to generate timelines of isotopic evolution through the volcanic system. The combined approach is powerful, allowing investigation of the magma supply, mixing, crystallisation and contamination processes prior to eruption of a volcanic sample. For Stromboli Volcano, the combined analysis suggests that the change in magma type following a cone collapse took roughly five years to complete, similar to the timescale of changes seen in recent decades.     

New Zealand since 1984: Elite succession, income distribution and economic growth in a small trading economy

Four interrelated patterns of structural change in the New Zealand economy since 1980 are identified and analysed, against the backdrop of a growth rate which fell substantially behind the rest of the OECD in the late 1980s and early 1990s before recovering, but without catchup, from 1993. The changes discussed are: a shift in sharemarket capitalization from formerly-dominant productive activities in agriculture, manufacturing and construction to the current predominance of utilities, transport and finance; a sharp increase in overseas investors' share of the economic surplus, from around 20% to over half of post-tax corporate profits; a steady rise in international indebtedness at the same time as sovereign foreign-currency debt was eliminated; hence overseas debt was successfully privatized; a weakening of regulatory control over monopoly profits, opening the way for a surge of rent-seeking activity during the 1990s. The neoliberal reform programme has achieved fiscal and monetary sustainability, increased market flexibility, and insulated the economy against external shocks. At the same time it has led to denationalisation of economic surplus, ongoing current account deficits, and a significant diversion of resources from productive use into rent-seeking. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Numerical simulation on tendency mining fracture evolution characteristics of overlying strata and coal seams above working face with large inclination angle and mining depth

In order to master the tendency mining-fracture-evolution characteristics of overlying strata and coal seams above working face with large inclination angle and mining depth in mining process, the 1221 working face in Zhao mine is selected as the engineering background and a mathematical model is established. The displacement variation, stress and strain of overlying strata and coal seams are simulated by using ANSYS software. In the mining process, the movement characteristics, displacement variation laws and fracture evolution characteristics of overlying strata and coal seams above working face with large inclination angle and mining depth along inclination direction are discussed. Simulation results show that with the advance of working face, the fracture development of overlying strata and coal seams is larger and larger; the area of gob is gradually expanding and the transverse stress of overlying strata and coal seams is also expanding. Stress contour of overlying strata and coal seams at both ends of gob becomes denser and denser; the activity of the overlying strata and coal seams near the up-roadway side of the gob is violent. The pressure relief zone is formed in the upper part of the strata and the roof above the gob. Large inclination angle of coal seam results in larger supporting pressure in the underside of the gob and smaller supporting pressure in the upper side of the gob. Along the inclination direction of the working face, the pressure relief zone is mainly concentrated in the outlet roadway of the working face; the fracture development and strata separation are obvious, which offer good passage for gas flow and migration.     

The glutathione antioxidant system as a biomarker suite for the assessment of heavy metal exposure and effect in the grey mangrove, Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh

Alterations in the glutathione antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation in Avicennia marina were studied under laboratory and field conditions. The activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was found to respond to Zn exposure, and a significant positive relationship between leaf Zn concentration and GPx activity was observed after 96 h and 8 weeks. Lipid hydroperoxides increased proportionally with increasing leaf Zn concentration after 2 and 8 weeks, while no changes in total glutathione were observed. Induction of GPx at 96 h predicted effects at the individual level at a later time interval (reduced biomass at 8 weeks). Results from the field revealed that increasing leaf metal concentration (Zn, Cu or Pb) produced a proportional increase in GPx activity whereas lipid hydroperoxides and total glutathione were not affected. The utility of GPx as an early warning biomarker is suggested, since GPx activity increases in a dose-dependant fashion in response to accumulated leaf metals, and is predictive of later effects on growth.     

Palaeomagnetism of the Tan y Grisiau granite,North Wales: Evidence for a subvolcanic origin in Late Ordovician times

Progressive thermal demagnetization of samples from the Tan y Grisiau granite defines a coherent easterly positive characteristic remanence (D/I = 124.9/60.3°;, 42 samples, R = 40–51, a₉₅ = 4.8°;) residing in magnetite. An ancient reversal of magnetization is recovered in the highest blocking temperature spectrum of a few samples and suggests that a cooling-related dipolar axis is recorded by this pluton. Only facies of the granite which have been reddened, probably by submagmatic streaming, have recorded a stable remanence. Adjustment for tilt yields a very steep remanence (D/I = 193/88°;) incompatible with any known Early Palaeozoic and younger field direction from Britain. The in situ remanence has a similar declination to the primary magnetization in Late Ordovician dolerites from the Welsh Borderlands and yields a comparable palaeolatitude (41.5°;S). It is concluded that the Tan y Grisiau pluton was magnetized in Late Ordovician times after deformation. Folding in this region is therefore interpreted to be substantially of Taconic (Late Ordovician) origin and not Acadian in age. As both in situ and tilt-adjusted remanence directions are incompatible with Silurian and younger palaeofield directions from Britain, the pluton is interpreted as a subvolcanic component of the North Wales igneous province. Large anticlockwise rotation of Avalonia is identified between Late Ordovician and Late Silurian times.