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Variation in stem hydraulic capacitance in two Eucalyptus pauciflora subspecies across an elevational gradient : Stem hydraulic capacitance and elevation in Eucalyptus pauciflora
No full textVegetation dieback is a concerning environmental phenomenon whose frequency appears to be increasing globally. The rate of dieback has recently intensified throughout subalpine snow gum woodlands in Kosciuszko National Park for reasons that are not well understood. There is a lack of research focused on the changes in stand hydraulics across elevation and how this may influence snow-gum susceptibility to woodborer-associated dieback. This study examined the relationship between stem hydraulic capacitance and elevation in two subspecies of Eucalyptus pauciflora (Sieber ex Spreng.) which appear to be differentially affected by dieback: Eucalyptus pauciflora subspecies niphophila (Maiden and Blakely) and Eucalyptus pauciflora subspecies pauciflora (Sieber ex Spreng.). Stem hydraulic capacitance and saturated water content was measured in 100 trees, ten from each of ten sites evenly spaced across a 1,000m elevation gradient. Across subspecies, we observed a significant decrease in stem hydraulic capacitance with elevation. The response of stem hydraulic capacitance to elevational change was species-specific. Further research should focus on other drought traits across snow gum subspecies and elevation to create a broader understanding of stand hydraulics and other physiological traits influencing woodborer-associated dieback susceptibility
The Middle Class, The Moral Cornerstone of Society in Weimar Germany: A comparison of the representations of class differences in “Fabian Geschichte eines Moralisten“ and “Babylon Berlin“
No full textThis paper investigates the representation of class differences in Weimar-era Berlin through the novel Fabian Geschichte Eines Moranlisten and the TV series Babylon Berlin with a particular focus on the middle class. It argues that both works emphasize the importance of the middle class to maintain morality in society
Supramolecular Self-Assembly and Investigation of an Anthracene-linked [Pd2L4]4+ Cage.
Get PDFMetallosupramolecular architectures are a relatively recent class of structures which have garnered focus for a wide variety of uses. One of these uses is to bind “guests” of interest within the structure. In order to achieve this binding, cages require cavities of the correct character and shape to bind the guest molecule. This report details the synthesis of a novel ditopic ligand, L1 with pyridyl donors and an anthracene core. This ligand was subsequently used to form a [Pd2L14]4+ cage which was characterised by 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The host-guest properties of this cage were then investigated, demonstrating a lack of affinity for binding hydrophobic guests. Preliminary computational modelling provided a possible rationale for this lack of binding ability, suggesting that π-π interactions between anthracene linkers on the ligands resulted in a flattening of the cage structure and the lack of a well-defined cavity. This modelling was supported by 1H NMR spectroscopy which showed an upfield shift in the anthracene protons upon the formation of the cage which can be attributed to the aforementioned π-π interactions
The effect of elevation on the timing of the dawn chorus: Variation in dawn chorus timing with elevation
No full textDue to rising temperatures driven by climate change, the daily rhythms of the Australian Alps are undergoing profound shifts, impacting a diverse array of species and their behaviours. The ‘dawn chorus,’ a natural symphony where birds unite in melodic harmony in the early morning, is falling out of sync due to evolving environmental cues, notably temperature and light. This study addresses the question of whether the dawn chorus initiation time varies with elevation and explores the hypothesis that bird routines are tied to the availability of food resources. Our findings assessing the calls of the grey fantail, Ripidura albiscapa, derived from autonomous recordings at four sites along an elevational gradient and taking temperature into account, consistently reveal a delayed start to the dawn chorus at higher elevations, with an associated decrease in average temperature. These results not only illuminate the complex interplay between elevation, temperature and the dawn chorus, but also underscore the far-reaching implications of climate change on the delicate rhythms of nature
Microclimatic features of Carlia rubrigularis habitats, a study at Lake Eacham : Characterising Carlia rubrigularis habitat microclimate
No full textThis study looked at the habitats and behavioural characteristics of the leaf litter rainbow-skink (Carlia rubrigularis) at Lake Eacham within the Australian Wet Tropics. The Australian Wet Tropics bioregion contains both complex ecosystems and a diverse range of habitats, and is therefore conducive for studying functional ecology. Here, we aimed to characterise the microclimates of lizard habitats in the forest interior and at the forest edge. We measured two aspects of the lizard microclimates: the leaf litter on the surface of the forest floor, and the topsoil covered by the leaf litter. In the end, we found that leaf litter and topsoil temperatures are similar in the forest interior but are more different at the forest edge. Moreover, leaf litter temperature was found to be more variable in forest-edge habitats. Secondly, basking behaviours in C. rubrigularis were only observed when the leaf litter temperatures were higher than the topsoil covered by the leaf litter. Together, these findings may help guiding the design and parameterisation of more accurate habitat prediction models for C. rubrigularis as well as other more endangered skink species to facilitate conservation in the face of climate change
