Ecos articles from October 2000

Ecos archives from October 2000

Topping up in a warmer world. (spectrum).(CSIRO study on effects of rising temperatures on milk production in cows)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 1, 2000... Rising temperatures associated with climate change are likely to lower milk yield from cows, according to a CSIRO study. Milk losses will be minimised, say the researchers, if farmers adapt by providing shade and sprinklers for their herd. ...

`Burpmap' in the wind. (spectrum).(Australia's methane gas)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... IF YOU'VE ever wondered where the bulk of Australia's burping ruminants hang out, CSIRO Atmospheric Research has just the map for you. The division's Simon Bentley says a typical cow burps 7.80 litres of methane each day, the result of...

Dangerous dwellings.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... One of the great delights of a new home is its cleanliness -- that pristine environment just waiting to be spiced with spilt drinks, pet hairs and smelly socks. But we shouldn't be fooled by shiny surfaces. A CSIRO study has found that...

A snappy gift for serious seafood lovers.
October 1, 2000... LOOKING for a unique Christmas gift? How about a collector's edition of the award-winning Australian Seafood Handbook -- an identification guide to domestic species? The handbook is touted as an essential reference for anyone who catches,...

Making plans for what tourists can see.(World Heritage Daintree and Cape Tribulation rainforests)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... In the World Heritage Daintree and Cape Tribulation rainforests of north Queensland, biological diversity is a major drawcard. Tourists want to see birds, crocodiles, huge vine-covered trees and other tropical wildlife. But do the growing...

Bubbly solutions: how can you tell if your chemical reactions are on track? Wendy Pyper discovers that it's all in the size of the bubble.
October 1, 2000... Bubbles are the workhorses of industry. From sewage treatment to biscuit baking, metal processing and pharmaceutical production, bubbles are critical to a successful end product. But getting the right size and number of bubbles for the job can...

Seeking galaxies by gaslight: hydrogen gas is telling tales on hundreds of galaxies once shielded by interstellar dust. Wendy Pyper enters the realm of dark matter, dark clouds, and the Great Attractor.
October 1, 2000... Galaxies, stars and mysterious perturbations of space have long tantalised our imaginations and inspired Hollywood directors. But thanks to the stars and dust in our own galaxy -- the Milky Way -- our view of the Universe and the secrets...

Pond life worth preserving: Wendy Pyper seeks small signs of life amid the fickle floodplains of the Murray-Darling Basin.
October 1, 2000... For nine months of the year, the floodplains of the River Murray are pocked with shallow pools that teem with a biological diversity rivalling that of the Amazon Basin. But much of the life in these ephemeral waters is invisible to the naked...

Small signs of a salty past.
October 1, 2000... In the past 60 years, rising ground-water in the wetlands of Western Australia's wheatbelt has resulted in an insidious salinisation and loss of biodiversity. Through its State Salinity Strategy, the WA Government hopes to arrest and in some...

Selective stingers: the stinging tree can kill dogs and horses, and has even led to the death of humans, but countless native animals live content among its poison hairs. Marina Hurley spent many nights among these dangerous plants to discover why.
October 1, 2000... Australia is home to the world's most painful plant to touch: the `stinging tree'. Even gently brushing the leaves of this tree can cause intense pain, an itching, burning sensation which in mild cases can linger for months, and in extreme...

Mulga rebirth begs a fair-dinkum crack at the rabbit: Brad Collis finds a successful battleground in Australia's halfhearted war with the rabbit.(controversy over use of calicivirus to exterminate rabbits)
October 1, 2000... The young mulga sapling, a filigree of delicate green against pink sand and a washed-out sky, bends shakily under a press of wind. The sapling is a miracle. It has survived long enough to actually resemble the skeletal remains of its...

Pooling resources: Wendy Pyper reports on a community based GIS facility that is supporting economic and ecologically sustainable development in the Herbert River catchment.(Herbert Resource Information Centre )
October 1, 2000... Big things are happening in the small town of Ingham, thanks to a collaborative venture between industry, government and primary producers. The north Queensland sugar town has become a model for improved natural resource use, management...

Urban plotting: Brad Collis visits a Canberra scientist whose city garden offers relief from the monocultures of modern agriculture. (champions of science).
October 1, 2000... Every day Richard Stirzaker tends his garden. He breathes its scents, rubs its soil between his fingers, and celebrates its harvests: the first raspberry of summer, the first snow pea of spring, the first cob of corn, the first ripened peach....

Fickle bills of fare.(research on nectar sources used by birds in Australia)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... IN SOME parts of the world, nectar-bearing flowers and the `nectarivorous' birds that feed on them have a highly specialised relationship. For example, some flower shapes are accessible only by bird species with particular bill structures....

Native foods need serious attention.(Australia's edible plants)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... AUSTRALIA'S native edible plants have the potential to provide a rich array of foods and flavourings, and in some cases, medicines, vitamins and cosmetics. Of the more than 700 known species of edible plants however, only 14 have achieved...

What rainforest is that?(national rainforest definition)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... RAINFOREST occurs in patches in every Australian state but South Australia, and in many territories, such as Christmas Island. Across this broad range, they vary significantly in structure and floristic composition, and are subject to a range...

Tracking the bat pack.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... THE LITTLE bat, Myotis moluccarum, may only weigh about 10 grams, but it has big feet and, it seems, a big heart and good stamina. Also known as the large-footed myotis, this species has recently been the subject of a field study by scientists...

Feed the plant meat.(effect of nitrogen supply on growth of carnivorous plants)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... BACK IN 1878, Charles Darwin reported that when insectivorous sundew plants were denied insect prey they showed less vigorous growth, produced fewer flowers and set less seed than plants provided with insects. It is thought that carnivorous...

A shot in the seed for landcare.(growth of some native shrubs boosted by nitrogen-fixing microbes)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2000... Ecologists have identified elite strains of nitrogen-fixing microbes that boost the growth of native shrubs used in revegetation projects. They are preparing to trial their application in a range of environments in southern Australia. Dr...