Academic literature on the topic 'Capricorn (Queensland)'

Periclimenaeus nielbrucei sp. nov., a coral reef sponge associate, is described from specimens from the Capricorn Islands, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. The rostral dentition is unique in Periclimenaeus, with the dorsal carinal teeth diverging irregularly from the midline. The Australian Periclimenaeus fauna is now increased to 24 species.

The golden trapdoor spider genus Euoplos Rainbow, 1914 is endemic to Australia, and currently contains 23 species. In eastern Australia, the genus is known to occur from southern Victoria to the Cape York Peninsula of northern Queensland, however, all described species in the genus are from the southern part of this distribution– all species north of the Tropic of Capricorn are currently undescribed. Here, wetake the first step in rectifying this by describing Euoplos eungellaensis, sp. nov. from the rainforest of the Clarke Range in central-eastern Queensland. We provide diagnostic characters for both males and females, as well as information on burrow morphology.

If the state of Queensland can be said to have true "uplands", then they are to be found in the southern and central region of the state in that place Archibald Meston (1895) called the "Home of the Rivers". There, some 400km inland from Australia's eastern coast and some 600km south of the Tropic of Capricorn, the uplifted and heavily weathered Triassic sandstones form a conspicuous link in the north-south trending mountains collectively referred to as "The Great Dividing Range". These ancient sandstones seldom rise above 650m elevation, and never more than the prominence of Black Alley Peak (Mt. Ackland) at 1000m. Rather, the range here achieves its mass and character by being broad and ruggedly dissected. Plateaus and mesas with sharp precipitous cliffs commingle with alluvial flats, seasonal creeks and the headwaters of several important rivers such as the Dawson, Warrego, Maranoa and Barcoo.

Pollen of Diporites aspis, corresponding to the extant genus Fuchsia, is reported from Late Oligocene to Early Miocene strata in two new localities in Australia. They extend the range of Diporites pollen in Australia from the Otway Basin in Victoria to the Capricorn Basin offshore Queensland, and they bring to six the number of Diporites specimens in Australia, from five different sites. These reports establish the presence of Fuchsia in Australasia from at least the Early Oligocene, when mesic forests were widespread across Australia. Fuchsia reached New Zealand by the Late Oligocene and has survived there until the present, but is not known to have survived in Australia past the late Miocene. These results support the hypothesis of an early Tertiary origin of the genus in southern temperate forests.

The critically endangered Capricorn yellow chat (CYC) is endemic to coastal central Queensland on marine plains where it occurs in three areas, numbering <300 birds. Recent industrial expansion in the region has increased the threat to the CYC. To assist management of the subspecies, a phylogeographical evaluation of the CYC using mitochondrial DNA was undertaken. We found no genetic diversity within, nor genetic divergence between, the two areas at the northern and southern extremes of their current distribution, and only slight morphological differences. These findings suggest that the two groups of CYC represent daughter populations of an ancestral population that was affected by a genetic bottleneck in the recent past. Implications for conservation of the subspecies could be increased vulnerability to environmental change. A preliminary evaluation of the divergence between the CYC and its nearest subspecies, the widespread inland yellow chat, indicate a time to the most recent common ancestor of 215 000 years or less. This timespan overlaps two periods of glacial aridity during which xeric habitats used by yellow chats for breeding, such as semiarid and arid swamps, may have expanded, allowing colonisation of the coastal marine plains. CYCs may represent a relictual population from a previously more xeric era that has subsequently become isolated as the region became wetter following glacial maxima.

Background Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease with a worldwide distribution, caused by pathogenic serovars in the genus Leptospira. Feral pigs are known carriers of Leptospira species and pig hunting using dogs is a common recreational activity in Queensland, Australia. Methodology and principal findings This study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. serovars in pig-hunting dogs above the Tropic of Capricorn in Queensland and by establishing the geographic distribution, serovars and incidence of human cases of leptospirosis in Queensland, identify potential overlap between human and canine exposure. We also explored the knowledge and risk-taking behaviours of pig-hunting dog owners towards zoonotic diseases. Ninety-eight pig-hunting dogs deemed healthy by physical examination and owned by 41 people from Queensland had serum submitted for Microscopic Agglutination Testing (MAT) to determine antibody titres against Leptospira serovars, while 40/41 dog owners completed a survey on their knowledge of diseases relating to pig hunting. Human leptospirosis cases (n = 330) notified to Queensland Health between 2015–2018 were analysed. Approximately one quarter (23/87; 26%) of unvaccinated pig-hunting dogs were seropositive to Leptospira spp. Although harder to interpret, 8/11 (73%) vaccinated dogs were seropositive to Leptospira spp. Pig hunters may be more likely to contract leptospirosis compared with the general Queensland population, based on responses from surveyed hunters. The highest concentration of human leptospirosis was in the wet tropics region of Far North Queensland. There was little overlap between the serovars dogs were exposed to and those infecting humans. The dominant serovar identified in unvaccinated dogs was Australis (13/23; 57%), with serovar Arborea (36/330; 10.9%) responsible for the highest number of human leptospirosis cases. Topaz was the second most common serovar in both humans and dogs and was previously unrecorded in Australian dogs. Most hunters surveyed used hand washing as a zoonotic disease risk reduction technique. Conclusions Leptospirosis is an emerging disease of growing significance. The infection requires a ‘one health’ approach to understand its epidemiology. With shifting climatic patterns influencing human-animal-environment interactions, ongoing monitoring of diseases like leptospirosis is critical to helping prevent infection of individuals and disease outbreaks.

Parkinsonia aculeata is an invasive, introduced shrub that is found in all mainland states of Australia except Victoria. It is especially prevalent north of the tropic of Capricorn. Size-biomass relationships were established for this species using data from 167 shrubs spread across eight sites in the Northern Territory and north-eastern Queensland. Above-ground dry weight (W, kg) can be predicted from plant height (H, m), canopy diameter (D, m) or stem cross-sectional area (A, cm2) using the equations: W = 0.025 H4.47 W = 0.091 D3.64 W = 0.022 A1.61 These relationships are linear when plotted on log-log scales. Although there was a significant effect of "site" on the log-log relationships between above-ground dry weight and size variables, the amount of information lost by not using site-specific equations is relatively small. These results provide reliable methods for estimating above-ground biomass in this species, the most robust being based on measurements of stem diameter at 20 cm above ground level.

Marine organisms are a source of a diverse range of secondary metabolites. This thesis describes the isolation and structure elucidation of novel alkaloid and terpenoid metabolites from marine invertebrates which were collected from the Mackay - Capricorn Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Keppel Bay and the Capricorn Bunker Group).

B-Carboline, its N,N symmetrical dimer and a series of novel asymmetrical dimers of B-carboline, were isolated from a didemnid ascidian (genus Didemnum). The asymmetrical dimers, however, were isolated in such low yield from the ascidian that their structures could not be conclusively determined. Derivatization of B-carboline allowed the preparation of these compounds in sufficient quantities to allow the elucidation of their structures by NMR spectroscopy. Two other new asymmetrical dimers of B-carboline, not observed in the ascidian, were also prepared and their structures elucidated.

Tetronic acids are commonly isolated from sponges of the genus Ircinia. A novel sesterterpene tetronic acid was isolated from the sponge Ircinia (= Psammocinia) wistarii. This novel compound (a sulfate ester) was highly unstable; rapid decomposition of the sulfate ester resulted in the formation of the known compounds ircinianin and wistarin. The isolation and structure elucidation of the novel sulfate ester is described in Chapter 3 of this thesis.

Alcyonolide 5, a novel diterpene triacetate, was isolated from two soft corals of the order Alcyonacea. This compound, is one of a series isolated from corals of the genera Alcyonium and Efflatounaria.

The bastadins are a series of (typically macrocyclic) tyrosine derivatives, commonly isolated from the sponge lanthella basta. During these investigations a new bastadin was isolated from lanthella quadrangulata.

The norcembrenolides, a series of norditerpenes, are commonly isolated from the soft corals of the genus Sinularia. The soft coral Sinularia numerosa was found to contain two of these compounds. One was the known compound norcembrenolide (the first representative of this class), the second was a stereoisomer of norcembrenolide. The chemical literature reports several compounds of this type, however, there appears to be a degree of confusion surrounding the structures of these stereoisomers. This thesis resolves the confusion surrounding the stereochemistry of these isomers, and assigns a structure to the minor metabolite of S. numerosa.

Approximately 200 marine invertebrates were collected during the course of these investigations. Many known compounds were isolated from the marine invertebrates that were collected from the Mackay - Capricorn Section of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This afforded an opportunity to survey the natural products which may be found in this region, and highlights some of the difficulties associated with finding novel compounds within this region.

 Towards Better Mathematics Teaching is the report of a systematic investigation of a long-term inservice professional development program. The Years 1-10 Mathematics Inservice Project, a Queensland Department of Education initiative, was conducted in each of three clusters in Capricornia region, 1991, with about twelve teachers participating in each cluster. The Project aimed to (1) bring about changes in teachers' views about what they teach, and teaching and learning approaches and (2) help them to modify their practice accordingly. This investigation focused on participants' beliefs, attitudes and classroom practices. A sample of fourteen teachers, ten from one cluster, four from another, was studied. A qualitative approach to inquiry was employed for this case study. Data sources included interviews, observations, documents and questionnaires. The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program as an inservice model in teacher professional development. The inservice model comprised eight one -day meetings (workshops), an expectation that participants experiment with new/different teaching approaches, classroom visits by consultants or peers (coaching), coordination by a Planning Group in each cluster, action research, and an expectation that participants share or disseminate information within their schools. Three broad criteria for evaluating the program were: participants' perceptions and judgements, participants' responses to implementation of the inservice model, and the effect of the Project on participants' attitudes, beliefs and classroom practices. Findings indicate that the Project overall was worthwhile for the majority of participants. Effectiveness of this inservice model depended on the participants and planners involved, its focus, and the context. There was a complex inter -relationship among these elements. Consequently, the Project's worth would be expected, as is the nature of case study, to vary considerably for different participants within a group, for different groups and from one situation to another.  

This thesis provides an account of how one primary school in the Capncomia Region of the Queensland Education Department set about implementing Central Office Policy, 'Managing Behaviour within a Supportive School Environment' (1993), by developing their own management plan to deal with the occurrence of disruptive and antisocial behaviour in a school environment. This work presents a basis for critical understanding of strategies for developing such a plan. The study provides a focus from which future policy, professional development and community education programs seeking to improve behaviour management in a primary school may be accomplished. Through a reflective analysis of key issues arising from one school's experience. the study raises questions and experiences that heighten the awareness of the problems and issues involved in school based policy implementation. The methodology employed a qualitative case study framework with a critical interpretive intent. Analysis of the data generated several practical recommendations for the successful implementation of Education Department policy at a school management level.

In Queensland, the vast majority of school -aged children attend government state schools, with a significant proportion attending private schools. There is, however, a small but growing number of children who attend no school, but are schooled in their own homes. Some of these, because of distance, have no choice, but there are others who could attend school but do not. It is this latter group in particular, who have become more prevalent in recent times.

This study focuses on the professional development approach utilised by the Capricornia Educators' Professional Development Consortium (CEPDC). From July 1994 until December 1996, three CEPDC Numeracy projects (among others) were implemented in Central Queensland to provide educators with professional development opportunities to enhance the quality of their educational practice and improve student learning outcomes. An action research methodology was employed to examine these projects, funded by the Federal Government's National Professional Development Program (NPDP). Specifically, the intention of this study was to (i) review the use of CEPDC networks of teachers as a mechanism for delivering teacher professional development; (ii) determine the benefits and difficulties of using action research as a teacher professional development process, and (iii) draw conclusions to identify significant implications for future professional development programs.

Conservation and sustainable productivity are vital issues for Australia. In order to manage vegetation well from an agricultural, recreational or conservation point of view, an understanding of individual plant species is important. Plants of Central Queensland provides a guide for identifying and understanding the plants of the region so that pastoralists and others can be better equipped to manage the vegetation resource of our grazing lands. Central Queensland straddles the Tropic of Capricorn, although many of the plants in the book will also be found outside this area, as shown by their distribution maps. The book provides information on the habit, distribution, foliage and fruits of 525 plant species. Informative notes highlighting declared, poisonous, weed and medicinal plants are included, and plants useful for bees and bush tucker are also noted. These are the most important plants you might see if you live in or travel through central Queensland. This book has an easy-to-read, non-botanical format, with helpful photographs and distribution maps that greatly aid anyone interested in the vegetation of central Queensland. It is based on a previous work of the same title but is greatly expanded, incorporating information on an additional 285 plant species.