Biology subjects

Hedges, B. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Hedges, B. A..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2024

Environmental DNA reveals temporal and spatial variability of invertebrate communities in arid-lands ephemeral water bodies

ContextThroughout semi-arid and arid Australia surface freshwater is rare, and where it does occur, it is often ephemeral. This is the case for freshwater granite rock-holes that occur throughout much of southern Australia. Rock-holes support freshwater invertebrate communities, however, the ongoing threat of climate change means that this ecosystem is likely to experience hydrological disruptions. Rock-holes are also likely to be heavily impacted by invasive vertebrates. However, the ecology of this ecosystem is poorly understood despite its relative ecological significance and the extent of its associated threats. Aims and methodsTo provide a baseline ecological understanding of this ecosystem we documented species richness and variability at a series of rock-holes in the Gawler bioregion in South Australia using an environmental DNA approach. Key resultsMetabarcoding recorded invertebrates from 22 orders and 45 families. Community composition varied among rock-holes and throughout the year, with a peak in species richness in winter. Conclusions and implicationsThese findings demonstrate the importance of these ecosystems to a range of endemic taxa. We propose establishment of monitoring programs, development of custom barcode reference libraries for the rock-hole ecosystem and future research into the likely impacts of climate change on the communities associated with them.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Environmental DNA and wildlife camera traps uncover complimentary vertebrate visitation patterns at freshwater granite rock-holes

Freshwater ecosystems are in decline globally. In Australia, threatening processes include invasive species, increasing drought frequency, climate change and changes to land use, all of which have been associated with declining vertebrate diversity, particularly in Australias arid interior. Efficient monitoring tools are required to effectively monitor and conserve freshwater ecosystems and their associated vertebrate communities. Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is one tool that shows promise for monitoring these systems, but knowledge of how eDNA data compares to more established ecological assessment techniques is limited. To address this knowledge gap, we sampled vertebrate eDNA from seven freshwater water bodies of proposed conservation importance in the Australian arid-lands, at three timepoints to measure visitation and compare our findings to camera trapping data at the same locations. Using eDNA we detected 19 species of vertebrates, including native species (such as macropods, wombats and emus) and invasive species (such as feral goats, cats and foxes). In contrast, camera traps detected 32 species, and was much more successful at detecting bird visitation than eDNA. These communities varied both spatially between rock-holes, and temporally, with summer collection periods being distinct from winter-spring. Our results demonstrate the success of eDNA metabarcoding as a tool for monitoring vertebrate visitation to arid-lands freshwater ecosystems that is complementary to more traditional survey methods such as wildlife camera trapping. Finally, we provide conservation recommendations for these vertebrate communities and discuss the efficacy of eDNA for monitoring freshwater resources in arid-lands environments.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

Diving into spring biodiversity: A natural heritage assessment of Australia's Great Artesian Basin discharge wetlands

ContextThe Great Artesian Basin (GAB) feeds thousands of springs in Australias arid centre, supporting relictual species not found elsewhere on Earth. Springs are considerably threatened by ongoing water abstraction by industry. Robust management plans are needed to prevent further extirpations of GAB taxa, but fundamental biodiversity knowledge is lacking. AimsWe aimed to characterise major organismal groups in South Australian GAB springs and surrounding wetlands, their conservation and taxonomic status, and potential biodiversity hotspots and connectivity of spring ecosystems. MethodsFocusing on South Australia as a case study, we conducted a comprehensive review of GAB spring biota based on the published scientific and grey literature. Key resultsAlmost 500 taxa have been recorded from GAB springs, the majority being invertebrates. Community composition is highly heterogeneous among spring clusters and the true extent of spring biodiversity is far greater than currently known. ConclusionsGAB springs have intrinsic value as refugia for both endemics and cosmopolitan taxa. GAB invertebrates are poorly conserved and largely lacking in taxonomic knowledge. We highlight several potential biodiversity hotspots that have been overlooked in the literature. ImplicationsFundamental biodiversity information on the GAB is crucial for decision-making in conservation management, for industry, and for Traditional Custodians. Lay summaryThe Great Artesian Basin (GAB) is Australias largest freshwater resource. Springs fed by the GAB support many species not found elsewhere on Earth, but conservation is hindered by a lack of fundamental knowledge about the plants, animals, and fungi reliant on these habitats. Using South Australia as a case study, we provide a comprehensive review of GAB biodiversity in that state.

ecology↗