Doug Benson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Doug Benson

Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 325 plant species of the families Rutaceae to Zyg... more Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 325 plant species of the families Rutaceae to Zygophyllaceae, 236 native and 89 exotics, occurring in the Sydney region, defined by the Central Coast and Central Tablelands botanical subdivisions of New South Wales (approximately bounded by Lake Macquarie, Orange, Crookwell and Nowra). Relevant Local Government Areas are Auburn, Ashfield, Bankstown, Bathurst, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Botany, Burwood, Cabonne, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury, Cessnock, Concord, Crookwell, Drummoyne, Evans, Fairfield, Greater Lithgow, Gosford, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Hurstville, Kiama, Kogarah, Ku-Ring-Gai, Lake Macquarie, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, Mulwaree, North Sydney, Oberon, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, Rylstone, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, South Sydney, Strathfield, Sutherland, Sydney City, Warringah, Waverley, Willough...

Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 668 plant species of the families Lemnaceae to Zo... more Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 668 plant species of the families Lemnaceae to Zosteraceae, 505 native and 163 exotics, occurring in the Sydney region, defined by the Central Coast and Central Tablelands botanical subdivisions of New South Wales (approximately bounded by Lake Macquarie, Orange, Crookwell and Nowra). Relevant Local Government Areas are Auburn, Ashfield, Bankstown, Bathurst, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Botany, Burwood, Cabonne, Camden, Campbelltown, Canada Bay, Canterbury, Cessnock, Crookwell, Evans, Fairfield, Greater Lithgow, Gosford, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Hurstville, Kiama, Kogarah, Ku-ring-gai, Lake Macquarie, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, Mulwaree, North Sydney, Oberon, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, Rylstone, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, South Sydney, Strathfield, Sutherland, Sydney City, Warringah, Waverley, Willoughby, Winge...

Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 149 plant species of the families Nyctaginaceae t... more Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 149 plant species of the families Nyctaginaceae to Primulaceae, 75 native and 74 exotics, occurring in the Sydney region, defined by the Central Coast and Central Tablelands botanical subdivisions of New South Wales (approximately bounded by Lake Macquarie, Orange, Crookwell and Nowra). Relevant Local Government Areas are Auburn, Ashfield, Bankstown, Bathurst, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Botany, Burwood, Cabonne, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury, Cessnock, Concord, Crookwell, Drummoyne, Evans, Fairfield, Greater Lithgow, Gosford, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Hurstville, Kiama, Kogarah, Ku-Ring-Gai, Lake Macquarie, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, Mulwaree, North Sydney, Oberon, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, Rylstone, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, South Sydney, Strathfield, Sutherland, Sydney City, Warringah, Waverley, Willoug...

DArTseq analysis of six Eucalyptus species from south-eastern Australia. The file comprises two d... more DArTseq analysis of six Eucalyptus species from south-eastern Australia. The file comprises two datasets: Silico DArTs (presence/absence markers) and SNPs. The SNPs are presented in both single line format and two line format

Speciation is a complex process that is fundamental to the origins of biological diversity. While... more Speciation is a complex process that is fundamental to the origins of biological diversity. While there has been considerable progress in our understanding of speciation, there are still many unanswered questions, especially regarding barriers to gene flow in diverging populations. Eucalyptus is an appropriate system for investigating speciation mechanisms since it comprises species that are rapidly evolving across heterogeneous environments. We examined patterns of genetic variation within and among six closely related Eucalyptus species in subgenus Eucalyptus section Eucalyptus in south-eastern Australia (commonly known as the ‘green ashes’). We used reduced representation genome sequencing to genotype samples from populations across altitudinal and latitudinal gradients. We found one species, Eucalyptus cunninghamii, to be highly genetically differentiated from the others, and a population of mallees from Mount Banks to be genetically distinct and therefore likely to be a new undescribed species. Only modest levels of differentiation were found between all other species in the study. There was population structure within some species (e.g. E. obstans) corresponding to geographical factors, indicating that vicariance may have played a role in the evolution of the group. Overall, we found that lineages within the green ashes are differentiated to varying extents, from strongly diverged to much earlier stages of the speciation continuum. Furthermore, our results suggest the green ashes represent a group where a range of mechanisms (e.g. reticulate evolution and vicariance) have been operating in concert. These findings not only offer insights into recent speciation mechanisms in Eucalyptus, but also other species complexes

Observations on the longevity and ecology of Isopogon prostratus McGill. (Proteaceae) based on 19... more Observations on the longevity and ecology of Isopogon prostratus McGill. (Proteaceae) based on 1985 and 2009 field measures on Newnes Plateau, near Lithgow, and a seed germination trial are provided. Its survival strategy appears to be that of a stress-tolerator with long-term persistence at (relatively few) suitable sites, and it remains a relatively rare plant. It is conjectured that it is likely to have been a species of greater abundance in the drier, colder and generally treeless conditions of the Newnes Plateau 15-20 000 years ago, but, as conditions became warmer and wetter it has become reduced to isolated populations as taller shrubs outcompeted it for light.

Evolution, 2020

Looks can be deceiving: speciation dynamics of co-distributed Angophora (Myrtaceae) species in a ... more Looks can be deceiving: speciation dynamics of co-distributed Angophora (Myrtaceae) species in a varying landscape

Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 361 plant species of the families Agavaceae to Ju... more Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 361 plant species of the families Agavaceae to Juncaginaceae, 260 native and 101 exotics, occurring in the Sydney region, defined by the Central Coast and Central Tablelands botanical subdivisions of New South Wales (approximately bounded by Lake Macquarie, Orange, Crookwell and Nowra). Relevant Local Government Areas are Auburn, Ashfield, Bankstown, Bathurst, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Botany, Burwood, Cabonne, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury, Cessnock, Concord, Crookwell, Drummoyne, Evans, Fairfield, Greater Lithgow, Gosford, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, Hornsby, Hunters Hill, Hurstville, Kiama, Kogarah, Ku-Ring-Gai, Lake Macquarie, Lane Cove, Leichhardt, Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, Mulwaree, North Sydney, Oberon, Orange, Parramatta, Penrith, Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, Rylstone, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Singleton, South Sydney, Strathfield, Sutherland, Sydney City, Warringah, Waverley, Willoug...

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Oct 24, 2021

Banksia penicillata (northern Blue Mountains) and Banksia paludosa subsp. astrolux (Southern High... more Banksia penicillata (northern Blue Mountains) and Banksia paludosa subsp. astrolux (Southern Highlands) occur in small, isolated populations and occasionally as isolated individuals. We undertook a fi eld study of both species to better understand their population ecology in relation to fi re. Both are large, serotinous, fi re-sensitive shrubs with plant-stored seedbank and a relatively short lifespan (<50 years); both were impacted by the severe December 2019 fi res. Recruitment is generally fi re-related, but some recruitment also occurs in the absence of fi re. At a landscape-scale, populations of Banksia penicillata occupy dry sandstone ridgetops, providing variable protection from major fi res, with occasional intergenerational long-distance seed dispersal establishing populations of variable duration in sites which do not usually act as fi re refugia. Banksia paludosa subsp. astrolux has similar responses, but generally smaller populations and more restricted range. Although some plants have been reported as surviving the 2019 fi re in nearby rocky ridgetop refugia, all plants were killed in our study populations and seedling recruitment has not replaced all pre-fi re occurrences, despite 18 years since the previous fi re. Using a precautionary approach, and in the context of a rapidly changing climate, we recommend that both species would benefi t by having populations of varying fi re histories and ages >15 years old across the landscape, including some sites with fi re intervals >30 years, to provide increased opportunities for distance-dispersal and establishment of new fruiting populations. Applying IUCN threatened species criteria, there is a strong case for listing Banksia paludosa subsp. astrolux as Endangered and Banksia penicillata as Vulnerable.

2 National Trust of Australia (NSW) Observatory Hill, Sydney 2000 AUSTRALIA; Email: dpicone@natio... more 2 National Trust of Australia (NSW) Observatory Hill, Sydney 2000 AUSTRALIA; Email: dpicone@nationaltrust.com.au. Abstract: For the successful long-term management of biodiversity in conservation reserves, science and management need to work together. In 2008 we resampled two transects in a small urban reserve in northern Sydney under long- term conservation management. The transects were established in 1976 and recorded again in 1987 and 1998 (by other workers). We looked at plant species changes by growthforms, family (Fabaceae) and conservation-significance. Over the 30-year period the structure of the understorey has changed markedly, and despite ongoing weeding programs, the frequency of species identified as significant for conservation has continued to decrease. Despite periodic recommendations for ecological burning since 1987, supported by the monitoring data, this has not been attempted. We discuss the lessons for ecology, monitoring and management evident in this long-ter...

Benson, Doug and McDougall, Lyn (National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sy... more Benson, Doug and McDougall, Lyn (National Herbarium of New South Wales, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, Australia 2000. Email: doug.benson@rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au) 2000 Ecology of Sydney plant species: Part 7b Dicotyledon families Proteaceae to Rubiaceae. Cunninghamia 6(4) 1016-1202. Ecological data in tabular form are provided on 246 plant species of the families Proteaceae to Rubiaceae, 216 native and 30 exotics, occurring in the Sydney region, defined by the Central Coast and Central Tablelands botanical subdivisions of New South Wales (approximately bounded by Lake Macquarie, Orange, Crookwell and Nowra). Relevant Local Government Areas are Auburn, Ashfield, Bankstown, Bathurst, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Blayney, Blue Mountains, Botany, Burwood, Cabonne, Camden,

The Botanists Way is a promotional concept developed by the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mt T... more The Botanists Way is a promotional concept developed by the Blue Mountains Botanic Garden at Mt Tomah for interpretation displays associated with the adjacent Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA). It is based on 19th century botanical exploration of areas between Kurrajong and Bell, northwest of Sydney, generally associated with Bells Line of Road, and focussed particularly on the botanists George Caley and Allan Cunningham and their connections with Mt Tomah. Based on a broader assessment of the area’s botanical history, the concept is here expanded to cover the route from Richmond to Lithgow (about 80 km) including both Bells Line of Road and Chifley Road, and extending north to the Newnes Plateau. The historical attraction of botanists and collectors to the area is explored chronologically from 1804 up to the present, and themes suitable for visitor education are recognised. Though the Botanists Way is focused on a relatively limited geographic area, the general se...

Mires or peat swamps have a restricted distribution in Australia and are limited to areas where h... more Mires or peat swamps have a restricted distribution in Australia and are limited to areas where hydrological inputs exceed evapotranspiration. In NSW, mires are restricted to the coast, adjacent ranges or tablelands, and along the Great Dividing Range; most are listed as threatened ecological communities under State or Commonwealth legislation. Due primarily to the relatively high rainfall and suitable geology, the Blue Mountains region includes a number of such threatened mire ecological communities. Most of these mire types are largely included within the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, although there are notable exceptions, such as the endangered Newnes Plateau Shrub Swamps. This paper reports on a little-known group of diverse, relatively isolated and largely unprotected mires, in a relatively low rainfall area in the upper Cudgegong River catchment, east of Rylstone in the NSW Central Tablelands, and of their floristic, hydrogeomorphic and typological relationship w...

Sydney Harbour National Park encompasses much of the surviving natural vegetation on the foreshor... more Sydney Harbour National Park encompasses much of the surviving natural vegetation on the foreshores of Sydney Harbour, on the doorstep of the Sydney City CBD, and provides the backdrop to many harbour activities. Because its precincts are located close to the homes and workplaces of a large and influential urban population, the Park has a significant role in demonstrating the value and importance of conservation management as well as protecting the diversity of a sample of Sydney’s natural landscape. The contribution of the wildlife, particularly the birds, to the harbour environment is widely recognised, but the green backdrop, the vegetation and flora, is equally important. Indeed 21 Century views of the natural harbour foreshores can provide a direct connection with the first 18 Century European visitors. ... It suggests to the Imagination Ideas of luxuriant Vegetation and rural Scenery, consisting of gentle risings and & Depressions, beautifully clothed with variety of Verdures ...

The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), immediately west of Sydney (33° 53'S... more The Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area (GBMWHA), immediately west of Sydney (33° 53'S; 151° 13'E), on the east coast of Australia was listed as World Heritage for its outstanding natural values, a major component of which is the high number of eucalypt species and eucalypt-dominated communities present, some 13 per cent of all eucalypt species in the world. They grow in a great variety of plant communities, from tall closed forests, through open forests and woodlands, to stunted mallee shrublands. Thispaperprovidesadefinitivelistofthe�96�eucalypts�(speciesofthegeneraEucalyptus, Angophora and Corymbia in the family Myrtaceae), that have been recorded there (55 widespread, 41 restricted), together with the distribution of theeucalyptsintheeightreservesthatmakeuptheGBMWHA,�andinformationontheclassificationandhabitatofthe� different species. The information is based on records held at the National Herbarium of New South Wales and the results of surveys by the NSW Departm...

The first scientific observations on the flora of eastern Australia were made at Botany Bay in Ap... more The first scientific observations on the flora of eastern Australia were made at Botany Bay in April-May 1770. We discuss the landscapes of Botany Bay and particularly of the historic landing place at Kurnell (lat 34˚ 00' S, long 151˚ 13' E) (about 16 km south of central Sydney), as described in the journals of Lieutenant James Cook and Joseph Banks on the Endeavour voyage in 1770. We list 132 plant species that were collected at Botany Bay by Banks and Daniel Solander, the first scientific collections of Australian flora. The list is based on a critical assessment of unpublished lists compiled by authors who had access to the collection of the British Museum (now Natural History Museum), together with species from material at National Herbarium of New South Wales that has not been previously available. The list includes Bidens pilosa which has been previously regarded as an introduced species. In 1770 the Europeans set foot on Aboriginal land of the Dharawal people. Since t...

Heredity, Jan 10, 2018

Evolution, 2020

Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Oct 24, 2021

Heredity, Jan 10, 2018