Nick Reid | University of New England - Australia (original) (raw)

Papers by Nick Reid

Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 2019

Livestock grazing can lead to reduced ground cover and altered composition of pastures through th... more Livestock grazing can lead to reduced ground cover and altered composition of pastures through the loss of palatable forage species and reduced litter cover. This negatively impacts landscape function and ultimately livestock production. Grazing livestock for short periods with high animal density, followed by long rests to allow pasture recovery (short-duration grazing), could be a way to address these issues. In naturalised pastures, we assessed landscape functioning and compared the abundance of six major plant functional groups at 36 sites on 12 commercial grazing properties. Six of the properties had been managed with short-duration grazing for more than 7 years (in most cases over 10 years), while the six control properties were managed with grazing that was more typical of the region (relatively continuous throughout the year with unplanned rests). Under shortduration grazing, there was approximately 19% greater foliar cover of perennial herbaceous species with a corresponding 14% reduction in foliar cover of introduced annual plants. Attributes relating to biophysical functioning of the landscape were enhanced by short-duration grazing, with environmental factors less important in influencing these landscape function attributes. Higher-value forage species were also more abundant on short-duration grazing properties, especially at higher rainfall sites. Conversely, species that tend to increase under heavy grazing pressures, and are of lower forage value, were less abundant under short-duration grazing. Despite the changes in pasture composition in response to grazing management there was a large amount of unexplained variation in herbaceous community composition. This study demonstrates benefits for landscape function and naturalised pasture composition under short-duration grazing that has been in place for several years compared with more usual grazing practices.

Food Webs, Sep 1, 2017

Wolves are widely regarded as top-down regulators of prey and trophic cascades in North America. ... more Wolves are widely regarded as top-down regulators of prey and trophic cascades in North America. Consequent expectations of biodiversity benefits from canid-driven trophic cascades have driven debate around reintroduction plans for dingoes in southeastern Australia. The biophysical characteristics of Yellowstone National park predispose that environment to trophic cascades but it is not clear that Australia provides a comparative context for dingoes. The wolf-elk-willow trophic cascade in Yellowstone National Park provides a key case study for understanding the broader system controls on trophic interactions. Here, we compare similarities and dissimilarities of the Yellowstone National Park model and the southeastern Australian environments where dingo reintroductions have been proposed. Both systems feature a canid top predator in an arid environment, so their superficial comparison is seemingly relevant for dingo reintroduction plans. Climate stability however, critically underpins Yellowstone's trophic cascades with regular and predictable resource supply sustaining the strong trophic interactions there. In contrast, the renowned instability of the climate of inland Australia makes resource availability relatively unpredictable. This fundamental difference means that southeastern Australia is unlikely to sustain trophic interactions of similar strength to those in Yellowstone.

... I certify that any help received in preparing this thesis and all sources used have been ackn... more ... I certify that any help received in preparing this thesis and all sources used have been acknowledged in this thesis. Rhiannon Smith Page 3. ii Abstract ... The support staff at UNE: Paul Lisle, Stuart Green, Cate MacGregor, Dan Alter, Leanne ...

Appendix 2 Reseigh and Nadolny (2002) Appendix 3.1 Ground-storey vegetation species list for seas... more Appendix 2 Reseigh and Nadolny (2002) Appendix 3.1 Ground-storey vegetation species list for seasonal ground-storey data set. .. 16 Appendix 4.1 Site stratification for shading illustrates combinations that were not fully sampled Appendix 4.2 Ground-storey vegetation species list for Northern Tablelands, NSW Appendix 4.3 Relationship between easting and summer and winter precipitation averages

Austral Ecology, Nov 1, 2019

Continuous livestock grazing can have negative effects on biodiversity and landscape function in ... more Continuous livestock grazing can have negative effects on biodiversity and landscape function in arid and semi-arid rangelands. Alternative grazing management practices, such as rotational grazing, may be a viable option for broad-scale biodiversity conservation and sustainable pastoral management. This study compared ground cover, plant species composition and floristic and functional diversity along gradients of grazing intensity between a pastoral property rotationally grazed by goats and an adjacent nature reserve (ungrazed by commercial livestock) in semi-arid southeastern Australia. Understorey plant species composition differed significantly between the rotationally grazed property and the nature reserve, with a greater proportion and frequency of palatable species recorded in the nature reserve. Understorey plant species richness, diversity, functional biodiversity measures and ground cover declined with increasing grazing pressure close to water points under commercial rotational grazing management. However, at a whole-paddock scale, there were few differences in plant biodiversity and ground cover between the rotationally grazed property and the nature reserve, despite differences in overall plant species composition. Flexible, adaptive, rotational grazing should be investigated further for its potential to achieve both socioeconomic and biodiversity conservation outcomes in semi-arid rangelands to complement existing conservation reserves.

Forest Ecology and Management, Apr 1, 2016

Abstract Thresholds for burning vegetation communities in New South Wales (NSW) are based on plan... more Abstract Thresholds for burning vegetation communities in New South Wales (NSW) are based on plant species’ responses to fire and do not consider other issues such as site attributes or fauna requirements. We investigated knowledge gaps concerning the impact of fire on habitat features of open forests and woodlands, and consider the adequacy of fire management based on the fire responses of flora. The consequences of managing fire at broader scales are complex and this study tests ideas concerning landscape attributes in relation to fire planning and biodiversity conservation. Habitat attributes of long unburnt vegetation were determined at sites with varying time since fire and fuel loads in these communities were measured. Time since fire was the most important variable for explaining the abundance of critical faunal habitat attributes. Tree and log hollows and fallen timber volume were markedly more abundant in long-unburnt vegetation, while fuel loads in open forests and woodlands unburnt for 100 or more years were low to moderate and similar to the hazard in recently burnt sites. Fire-interval thresholds based only on plant responses to fire compromises the achievement of optimal fauna habitat. Recommended upper thresholds are too low to cater for the habitat requirements of fauna. Consequently, long-unburnt vegetation should be identified as a threatened asset in fire planning and management and should be protected and actively promoted.

Pacific Conservation Biology, 2012

The bark of eucalypt trees is a significant habitat attribute of forests and woodlands, with diff... more The bark of eucalypt trees is a significant habitat attribute of forests and woodlands, with different bark types supporting varying populations of invertebrate and vertebrate fauna. Bark also contributes to fuel load in wildfires and hazard reduction burning, with a concomitant loss of habitat and modification of habitat resources. We compared the composition and abundance of tree trunk invertebrates inhabiting four eucalypt bark types and determined the impact of burning the bark on population abundance and community composition. Trees of four bark types (gum, box, stringybark, ironbark) were selected at three sites and arthropod traps placed on burnt and unburnt trees of each type. Traps were left in place for 12 days and arthropod preferences for the four bark types (burnt and unburnt) were analysed. The total number of arthropods differed between bark types, with stringybark and ironbark supporting the largest numbers of invertebrates and the most diverse communities. Burnt stringybark and gum bark had reduced arthropod abundance compared to unburnt bark. The study highlights an ecological consequence of fire on an aspect of invertebrate habitat, with flow-on effects for vertebrates, that should be considered in fire management, as greater areas of land are subject to frequent hazard reduction burning in eastern Australia.

Austral Ecology, Apr 19, 2021

Indigenous knowledge emphasises the importance of cultural connections between humans and the bio... more Indigenous knowledge emphasises the importance of cultural connections between humans and the biophysical world. In the face of threats to the maintenance and transfer of Indigenous knowledge, novel approaches such as seasonal calendars are emerging as tools to share knowledge and guide management of natural and cultural resources. The renewal of Indigenous cultural fire management in southeast Australia provided an opportunity to explore whether the co‐production of a fire and seasons calendar, using Western and Indigenous knowledges, can support cultural fire management. We present a case study of cross‐cultural collaboration between scientists and the Banbai Aboriginal rangers at Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area, New South Wales. We reviewed literature from various disciplines (archaeological, ethnohistorical, Indigenous and ecological) and undertook participatory action research and interviews to collate relevant information. This was synthesised in Winba = Fire, the Banbai Fire and Seasons Calendar, which is used by the Banbai rangers to guide cultural burning, share cross‐cultural knowledge and increase awareness of Indigenous cultural fire management. The process of co‐producing knowledge, revitalising culture, caring for Country, working together and supporting self‐determination is relevant for many Indigenous communities around the world.

Rangeland Journal, 2017

Humans are the most invasive of vertebrates and they have taken many plants and animals with them... more Humans are the most invasive of vertebrates and they have taken many plants and animals with them to colonise new environments. This has been particularly so in Australasia, where Laurasian and domesticated taxa have collided with ancient Gondwanan ecosystems isolated since the Eocene Epoch. Many plants and animals that humans introduced benefited from their pre-adaptation to their new environments and some became invasive, damaging the biodiversity and agricultural value of the invaded ecosystems. The invasion of non-native organisms is accelerating with human population growth and globalisation. Expansion of trade has seen increases in purposeful and accidental introductions, and their negative impacts are regarded as second only to activities associated with human population growth. Here, the theoretical processes, economic and environmental costs of invasive alien species (i.e. weeds and vertebrate pests) are outlined. However, defining the problem is only one side of the coin. We review some theoretical underpinnings of invasive species science and management, and discuss hypotheses to explain successful biological invasions. We consider desired restoration states and outline a practical working framework for managing invasive plants and animals to restore, regenerate and revegetate invaded Australasian ecosystems.

The dataset relating to this thesis can be accessed at: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/215399

Mammal Research

Ecological studies of common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in their extant range have... more Ecological studies of common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in their extant range have been limited by technology and the species’ nocturnal habit. However, camera traps now allow the investigation of possum ethology without observer interference. Here, we analysed terrestrial possum activity patterns using a large dataset collected over 3 years from 133 camera traps in mesic eucalypt woodland and open forest in three national parks on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. We investigated how weather and moonlight intensity influenced possum activity patterns throughout the night, and across seasons and years, by using the timestamps assigned to each detection by the camera trap. Terrestrial possum activity increased as ambient temperatures decreased in autumn and peaked in winter when females were rearing offspring. Nightly possum detections decreased significantly with rain and increasing mean temperature. Possums were almost exclusively nocturnal, wit...

International Journal of Wildland Fire

Indigenous cultural fire management is being recognised and revived across Australia, primarily i... more Indigenous cultural fire management is being recognised and revived across Australia, primarily in the centre and across the north. To explore the benefits of contemporary cultural fire management in southeast Australia and barriers to its revival, we undertook a systematic analysis of the literature. Seventy documented applications of cultural fire management projects were found with the potential for significant upscaling. Over the last decade, eight policies related to Indigenous fire management have been developed by state and territory governments in southeast Australia, with varying levels of implementation. Seventy-eight benefits and 22 barriers were identified in relation to cultural fire management. In the cases where cultural fire management has been successfully reinstated as an ongoing practice, Indigenous leadership, extraordinary relationships, strong agreements and transformational change were identified as drivers of success. For cultural fire management to grow, mor...

Sustainability, 2020

Indigenous fire management is experiencing a resurgence worldwide. Northern Australia is the worl... more Indigenous fire management is experiencing a resurgence worldwide. Northern Australia is the world leader in Indigenous savanna burning, delivering social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits. In 2016, a greenhouse gas abatement fire program commenced in the savannas of south-eastern Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory, managed by the Indigenous Yugul Mangi rangers. We undertook participatory action research and semi-structured interviews with rangers and Elders during 2016 and 2019 to investigate Indigenous knowledge and obtain local feedback about fire management. Results indicated that Indigenous rangers effectively use cross-cultural science (including local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge alongside western science) to manage fire. Fire management is a key driver in the production of bush tucker (wild food) resources and impacts other cultural and ecological values. A need for increased education and awareness about Indigenous burning was consistently emphasized...

Human Ecology, 2019

Globally, Indigenous cultural burning has been practiced for millennia, although colonization lim... more Globally, Indigenous cultural burning has been practiced for millennia, although colonization limited Indigenous people’s ability to access and manage their ancestral lands. Recently, recognition of Indigenous fire management has been increasing, leading to the re-emergence of cultural burning in Australia, the Americas, parts of Asia and Africa. We describe how the Banbai people of south-eastern Australia have reintroduced cultural burning at Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area. Our team of Banbai Rangers and non-Indigenous scientists conducted cross-cultural research to investigate the impact of burning on a cultural keystone species, the Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus). Our comparison of the effects of a low-intensity, patchy, cultural fire in the Wattleridge Indigenous Protected Area to a nearby higher intensity fire in Warra National Park through a Before-After-Control-Impact assessment indicated that the higher intensity fire reduced echidna foraging activity, possibly to avoid predation. Most importantly, we describe a cross-cultural research model whereby Indigenous rangers and non-Indigenous scientists work together to inform adaptive natural and cultural resource management. Such trans-disciplinary and collaborative research strengthens informed conservation decision-making and the social-ecological resilience of communities.