Psittacid herpesvirus 3 (PsHV-3) has recently been implicated as the cause of a severe respiratory disease in Bourke's parrots (Neopsephotus bourkii) in the United States. In this report, the clinical manifestations and gross and microscopic lesions of PsHV-3 infection in 2 eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus) in Australia are described. The presence of a PsHV-3 infection was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of PsHV-3 DNA using degenerate and PsHV-3 primers. Electron microscopy of infected cells demonstrated the assembly of herpesvirus virions as well as intranuclear tubular structures. The detection of PsHV-3 in Australia in 2 eclectus parrots broadens the list of known affected species and confirms the presence of this virus in Australia.
to chance. The models also suggested that fledgeling success increased in seasons that were slightly cooler and wetter than average. Modelling studies were also carried out on a historical dataset of penguin population variables in the 1930s. It was found that the population tended to increase in seasons that were warmer and drier than average. Average temperatures have risen and average precipitation levels have become highly variable in the study area during this time. Therefore, long term climate change in general, rather than the El Nino-Southern Oscillation events in particular, could be among the underlying causes of gradual decline in yellow-eyed penguin numbers.Keywords Megadyptes antipodes; yellow-eyed penguin population variables; climate variables; computer models; causal link; climate change Abstract Since 1980, the yellow-eyed penguin Megadyptes antipodes has had three seasons of poor breeding success or low adult survival. Causes for poor seasons are not identified but could be related to climate -in particular, the El Nino-Southern Oscillation event, which affects ocean currents and climate over the penguins' range. We carried out an exploratory analysis to determine whether fluctuations in penguin population variables were correlated with fluctuations in climate variables. Population variables across breeding areas showed consistently strong correlations with rainfall and sea surface temperature. We modelled changes in climate variables and penguin population variables to test whether the effect could be explained as a chance correlation. Investigations using these models indicated that the observed relationship was unlikely to have been due
In this study the biological and ecological traits of two groups of phytophagous insect pests were examined to determine attributes that may influence establishment in New Zealand Biological and ecological attributes of a group of insect species that is established in New Zealand were compared with species that are not currently established It was found that the species established in New Zealand had a significantly wider host plant range than species that have not established The lower developmental threshold temperature was on average 4C lower for established species compared with nonestablished species These data suggest that species that establish well in New Zealand have a wide host range and can tolerate lower temperatures compared with those that have not established
Global regions climatically analogous to Auckland, New Zealand were identified by an eco-climatic assessment model, CLIMEX, to determine possible sources of new insect pest invasions. World distribution maps of recognised insect pest species were used to record the presence or absence of each species within the identified analogous regions. South-east Australia, western Europe and the east coast of the United States are climatically very similar to Auckland, New Zealand, and furthermore, New Zealand shares many insect pest species with these regions. Since these regions also have close trade and tourism links with New Zealand, any new insect incursions recorded within these analogous climates should be of concern to biosecurity authorities in New Zealand. Consequent risk analysis could be more efficient at identifying potentially harmful organisms and reduce the chances of a new pest establishing in New Zealand.
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