Ash layers within extensive pyroclastic density current (PDC) deposits can be important in understanding the evolution of explosive eruptions. If interpreted as ashfall deposits, they may be used to identify hiatus episodes and determine how many pyroclastic density currents were generated during an eruption. However, such layers, which often contain ash aggregates indicating the presence of moisture, may be variably deposited...

Aim After environmental disasters, species with large population losses may need urgent protection to prevent extinction and support recovery. Following the 2019–2020 Australian megafires, we estimated population losses and recovery in fire‐affected fauna, to inform conservation status assessments and management. Location Temperate and subtropical Australia. Time period 2019–2030 and beyond. Major taxa Australian terrestrial a...

Ecotones have been described as “biodiversity hotspots” from myriad environments, yet have not been studied extensively in the deep ocean. While physiologically challenging, deep‐water methane seeps host highly productive communities fueled predominantly by chemosynthetic pathways. We hypothesized that the biological and geochemical influence of methane seeps extends into background habitats, resulting in the formation of a “c...

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a pest of soybeans in Asia, and in recent years has caused extensive damage to soybeans in North America. Within these agroecosystems, generalist predators form an important component of the assemblage of natural enemies, and can exert significant pressure on prey populations. These food webs are complex and molecular gut‐content analyses offer nondisruptive approach...

Many species from the family Poeciliidae have been transported around the world by the aquarium trade, often establishing populations in areas far outside their natural range. The one‐spot livebearer, Phalloceros caudimaculatus is one such poeciliid species. In March 2002, a nonindigenous population of P. caudimaculatus was discovered at Collaroy, in the Sydney metropolitan area, the first record of this species in eastern Aus...

Identification of arthropod predators is challenging when closely related species are found at a given locality. Identification of the immature stages is especially problematic, because distinguishing morphological features are difficult to use or have not been described. We used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to distinguish closely related carabids and spiders, and to match eggs and larvae (or nymphs) with identified adult p...

An annual disease problem with high levels of mortality in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., on a freshwater farm was investigated. In 2000, mortalities began early in October and peaked in December, being unevenly distributed between tanks. Histopathological changes included severe hyperplasia of gill epithelium, with fusion of secondary lamellae, and extensive necrosis of the haematopoietic centres in the kidney and spleen, t...