Germination Biology and Occurrence of Polyembryony in Two Forms of Cats Claw Creeper Vine, Dolichandra unguis-cati (Bignoniaceae): Implications for Its Invasiveness and Management

Cat’s claw creeper vine, Dolichandra unguis-cati (L.) Lohmann (syn. Macfadyena unguis-cati (L.) Gentry), is a major environmental weed in Australia. Two forms (“long” and “short” pod) of the weed occur in Australia. This investigation aimed to evaluate and compare germination behavior and occurrence of polyembryony (production of multiple seedlings from a single seed) in the two forms of the weed. Seeds were germinated in growth chambers set to 10/20°C, 15/25°C, 20/30°C, 30/45°C and 25°C, representing ambient temperature conditions of the region. Germination and polyembryony were monitored over a period of 12 weeks. For all the treatments in this study, seeds from the short pod form exhibited significantly higher germination rates and higher occurrence of polyembryony than those from the long pod form. Seeds from the long pod form did not germinate at the lowest temperature of 10/20°C;in contrast, those of the short pod form germinated under this condition, albeit at a lower rate. Results from this study could explain why the short pod form of D. unguis-cati is the more widely distributed form in Australia, while the long pod form is confined to a few localities. The results have implication in predicting future ranges of both forms of the invasive D. unguis-cati, as well as inform management decisions for control of the weed.

Wild dogma： An examination of recent ＂evidence＂ for dingo regulation of invasive mesopredator release in Australia

There is growing interest in the role that apex predators play in shaping terrestrial ecosystems and maintaining tro- phic cascades. In line with the mesopredator release hypothesis, Australian dingoes （Canis lupus dingo and hybrids） are assumed by many to regulate the abundance of invasive mesopredators, such as red foxes Vulpes vulpes and feral cats Fells catus, thereby providing indirect benefits to various threatened vertebrates. Several recent papers have claimed to provide evidence for the bio- diversity benefits of dingoes in this way. Nevertheless, in this paper we highlight several critical weaknesses in the methodologi- cal approaches used in many of these reports, including lack of consideration for seasonal and habitat differences in activity, the complication of simple track-based indices by incorporating difficult-to-meet assumptions, and a reduction in sensitivity for as-sessing populations by using binary measures rather than potentially continuous measures. Of the 20 studies reviewed, 15 of them （75%） contained serious methodological flaws, which may partly explain the inconclusive nature of the literature investigating interactions between invasive Australian predators. We therefore assert that most of the ＂growing body of evidence＂ for meso- predator release is merely an inconclusive growing body of literature only. We encourage those interested in studying the eco- logical roles of dingoes relative to invasive mesopredators and native prey species to account for the factors we identify, and cau- tion the value of studies that have not done so [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 568-583, 2011].

Molecular phylogenetic analysis reveals six new species of Diaporthe from Australia

t Six new species of Diaporthe,D.beilharziae on Indigofera australis,D.fraxini-angustifoliae on Fraxinus angustifolia subsp.oxycarpa,D.litchicola on Litchi chinensis,D.nothofagi on Nothofagus cunninghamii,D.pascoei on Persea americana and D.salicicola on Salix purpurea from Australia are described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular analyses.Three of the new species no longer produced sporulating structures in culture and two of these were morphologically described from voucher specimens.Phylogenetic relationships of the new species with other Diaporthe species are revealed by DNA sequence analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer(ITS)region,and partial regions of theβtubulin(BT)and translation elongation factor 1-alpha(TEF).

Wild dogma II： The role and implications of wild dogma for wild dog management in Australia

The studies of Allen （2011） and Allen et al. （2011） recently examined the methodology underpinning claims that dingoes provide net benefits to biodiversity by suppressing foxes and cats. They found most studies to have design flaws and/or observational methods that preclude valid interpretations from the data, describing most of the current literature as ＇wild dogma＇. In this short supplement, we briefly highlight the roles and implications of wild dogma for wild dog management in Australia. We discuss nomenclature, and the influence that unreliable science can have on policy and practice changes related to apex predator management