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1
Doole, Graeme John. "Value of perennial pasture phases in dryland agricultural systems of the eastern-central wheat belt of Western Australia." University of Western Australia. School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2007. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2007.0213.
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Over the past thirty years, price relativities and technological development have motivated an increase in the area of land allocated to cropping, as opposed to pasture production, throughout the central wheat belt of Western Australia. Nevertheless, reducing the proportion of pasture in these rotations has challenged the future productivity of farming systems in this area. First, the frequent application of selective herbicides for weed control in extended cropping rotations has promoted the development of herbicide resistance in a number of major agricultural weeds. Second, the primary use of annual plants has promoted the development of soil salinisation by allowing a significant proportion of rainfall to recharge saline water tables. The inclusion of perennial pasture phases between extended periods of cropping may mitigate or delay these constraints to production through (a) allowing the use of costeffective forms of non-selective weed control, and (b) through creating a buffer of dry soil that absorbs leakage occurring beneath subsequent crops. This study consequently explores the value of including perennial pasture phases in dryland agricultural systems in the eastern-central wheat belt of Western Australia, accounting for benefits related to herbicide resistance and water table management. A novel computational algorithm for the solution of multiple-phase optimal control problems is developed and used to conduct a conceptual analysis of the value of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) pasture for managing annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaudin), the primary weed in wheat belt cropping systems. The competitiveness and fecundity of annual ryegrass provide strong economic incentives to maintain a low weed population, irrespective of herbicide-resistance status. Consequently, the ineffectiveness of selective herbicides primarily reduces the profitability of cropping by motivating the adoption of more costly non-selective forms of weed control. The inclusion of lucerne in land-use rotations is only optimal in the presence of severe herbicide resistance given (a) the low efficiency of alternative weed-management practices available during the pasture phase, relative to selective-herbicide application; (b) the significant cost of establishing this perennial pasture; and (c) the high relative profitability of cereal production in the absence of resistance. The value of lucerne, relative to annual pastures, for weed management is explored in greater detail through the use of compressed annealing to optimise a sophisticated simulation model. The profitability of candidate rotations is also manipulated to account for the long-term production losses accruing to the recharge of saline groundwaters that occurs beneath them. Sequences incorporating lucerne are only more profitable than those that include annual pasture at the standard set of parameter values if (a) annual ryegrass is resistant to all selective herbicides, (b) the water table is so shallow (approximately less than 3.5 m deep) that frequent rotation with perennials is required to avert soil salinisation, or (c) sheep production is highly profitable. The value of perennial pasture is sufficient under these circumstances to overcome its high establishment cost. Consistent with intuition, these benefits are reinforced by lower discount rates and higher rates of leakage occurring beneath annual-based systems. Formulation of an effective communication strategy to report these results to producers is justified given the complexity involved in determining the true magnitude of these intertemporal benefits through alternative means, such as field trials.
2
Sounness, Marcus Neil. "Alternative grazing systems and pasture types for the South West of Western Australia : a bio-economic analysis." University of Western Australia. School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2005. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2005.0054.
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Alternative grazing systems and pasture types for wool production in the south west of Western Australia were analysed using bio-economic modelling techniques in order to determine their relative productivity and profitability. After reviewing the experimental and modelling literature on perennial pastures and grazing systems, seven case studies of farmers were conducted in order to investigate the practical application of innovative grazing systems and use of perennial pastures. Together these case studies provided information for identifying relevant variables and for calibrating the modelling work which followed. The core of the work lies in a bio-economic model for investigating the comparative value of the three grazing systems and two pasture families mentioned above. A baseline scenario using currently available and reliable scientific data provides baseline results, after which a number of sensitivity analyses provide further insights using variations of four key parameters: persistence, heterogeneity, water soluble carbohydrates, and increased losses. Results show that perennial pastures are in the studied region more profitable than annual pastures. Under current baseline conditions, continuous grazing with perennial pastures is the most profitable enterprise, but this superiority is not robust under parameter variations defined by other scenarios. The more robust solution in terms of enterprise profitability is cell grazing with perennial pastures. The results indicate that intensive grazing systems such as cell grazing have the potential to substantially increase the profitability of grazing operations on perennial pasture. This result is an encouraging one in light of its implications for water uptake and salinity control. It means that economics and land care can go hand in hand, rather than be competitive. It is to be noted that it is the choice of the grazing system in combination with the pasture species, rather then the pasture species itself, that allows for such complementarity between economics and sustainable land use. This research shows that if farmers adopt practices such as cell grazing they may be able to increase the area that they can profitably plant to perennial pasture thus reducing the impacts of dryland salinity. This finding is consistent with the findings of the case studies where the farmers perceived that, provided grazing was planned, increasing the intensity of their grazing management and the perenniallity of their pastures would result in an increase in the profitability of their grazing operation. As a result this research helps to bridge a gap which has existed in this area of research, between the results of scientific research and those reported in practice.
3
Riffkin, Penelope A., of Western Sydney Hawkesbury University, and Faculty of Science and Technology. "An assessment of white clover nitrogen fixation in grazed dairy pastures of south-western Victoria." THESIS_FST_xxx_Riffkin_P.xml, 1999. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/31.
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Australia is amongst the more efficient milk producers in the world.Milk production in the region of south-western Victoria relies mainly on rainfed white clover/perennial ryegrass pastures.As the demand for efficient and competitive milk production increases, the value of N2 fixation must be maximised. The objective of this thesis was to assess N2 fixation in grazed dairy pastures in south-western Victoria. Several tests and experiments were conducted and results noted. Studies revealed low white clover yields to be the major factor limiting N2 fixation in the region. For N2 fixation to have a significant impact on pasture quality and production, problems associated with legume persistence need to be addressed. Strategies may include the breeding of white clover cultivars with greater tolerance to water stress, improved winter production and increased competitiveness with companion species. Alternatively, the introduction of different legume species, better suited to the environment, may be appropriate. Where N2 fixation is unlikely to satisfy N demands, it may be necessary to introduce the strategic use of supplementary feeds or nitrogenous fertilisers. However, this would need to be carefully considered to ensure high input costs did not jeopardise the competitive advantage of low input pasture-based systemsMasters Thesis
4
Johnston, William Henry. "The role of Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees. complex in temperate pastures in southeastern Australia /." View thesis View thesis, 2003. http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20030506.100204/index.html.
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5
Mayberry, Dianne. "Getting into the guts of a salty problem : poor animal production from saltbush pastures is due to inefficient rumen fermentation." University of Western Australia. School of Animal Biology, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0071.
Full textAbstract:
The main hypothesis tested in this thesis was that poor animal production from saltbush pastures is due to the negative effects of high sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium chloride (KCl) on the ruminal environment, and subsequent effects on microbial populations and products of rumen fermentation. This main hypothesis was tested in two experiments. In the first experiment (Chapter Four) the effects of saltbush and a formulated high-salt diet on the ruminal environment and microbial populations were measured over 24-hours following feeding. Feeding both the saltbush and high-salt diet increased the salinity of the rumen fluid, but the formulated high-salt diet caused a decrease in ruminal pH while the saltbush caused an increase. This resulted in differences in the composition of the ruminal microbial populations between the sheep fed different diets. In the second experiment (Chapter Five) the effects of saltbush and a formulated highsalt diet on rumen fermentation were measured. Sheep fed saltbush had inefficient rumen fermentation and this was only partially explained by the high salt content of the diet. Diets containing high levels of NaCl and KCl provided low levels of net energy to sheep, but sheep fed saltbush lost more energy as methane and faecal energy compared to sheep fed the formulated high-salt diet. Inefficient rumen fermentation could help to explain poor animal production from saltbush pastures. Energy supplements such as barley grain can improve the value of saltbush pastures as feed for sheep, but there is no information on how much supplement is required. A third experiment (Chapter Six) was designed to test the hypothesis that there would be an optimal amount of barley required to improve the efficiency of rumen fermentation in sheep fed saltbush. Barley and straw were combined in a pellet and substituted for saltbush at 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of the maintenance ration. Feeding barley and straw improved the efficiency of rumen fermentation in sheep fed saltbush, with an optimal level of supplementation at 60% of the maintenance diet. This is likely to be lower (approximately 20% of maintenance) if barley is fed without straw.
6
Labuschagne, Johan. "Nitrogen management strategies on perennial ryegrass - white clover pastures in the Western Cape Province /." Thesis, Link to the online version, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/1385.
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7
Valizadeh, Reza. "Summer nutrition of sheep based on residues of annual crops and medic pastures." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1994. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phv172.pdf.
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8
Bester, Carien. "Nitrogen management strategies for mixed pastures in the Winelands sub-region of the Western Cape." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/86619.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Three different pasture mixtures were established under irrigation at the Elsenburg research farm with the aim of devising nitrogen (N) management strategies for pastures in the Winelands sub-region of South Africa. The pasture mixtures were as follows: i) a mixed grass pasture consisting of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata); ii) a grass-clover pasture consisting of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, cocksfoot and red and white clover (Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens); and iii) a grass-lucerne pasture consisting of perennial ryegrass, tall fescue and lucerne (Medicago sativa). The effect of fertiliser N on selected nutritive characteristics was also evaluated. The grass-legume pastures were subjected to two management strategies: the once-off application of N and the consecutive application of N over the autumn-early spring period. The reaction of the mixed grass pasture to applied N was mostly characterised by an interaction between the season of N application and N application rate. The productivity of the pasture in terms of the primary dry matter production (PDMP) and the total dry matter production (TDMP) was highest in spring and summer with the application of 60 – 80 kg N ha-1, and decreased in autumn and winter. There was a strong response of the winter residual dry matter production (RDMP) to N, which indicated that not all applied N was utilised during the first regrowth cycle, which might present a risk of nitrate being leached below the root zone. The botanical composition of the mixed grass pasture was determined by season of N application, and not N application rate. The tall fescue content was low over all seasons, presumably due to poor establishment and strong competition from accompanying species. In the cooler months perennial ryegrass and tall fescue was the dominant species, while in the warmer months cocksfoot was the main species. Nitrogen application also had a significant effect on the quality of the pasture, most notably the crude protein (CP) content. The response of the CP content was characterised by a strong interaction between season of N application and N application rate. Crude protein levels in excess of 22 % were recorded in autumn and winter with the application of 40 – 80 kg N ha-1. Other characteristics remained within the expected range. The response of the grass-clover and grass-lucerne pastures in terms of productivity and nutritive characteristics were mainly determined by the season of N application, and not N application rate. Productivity tended to be highest in autumn and early spring for both the once-off and the consecutive N application strategies, emphasizing the effect of temperature on pasture growth. The effect of season of N application and the N application rate on the botanical composition of the respective pastures were inconsistent over the two years of the study. The clover content tended to decrease in response to increasing rates of N, while the grass fraction was stimulated. Lucerne productivity decreased from autumn through winter and reached minimum levels in early spring, and was unaffected by fertiliser N rate. The legume component in both the grass-clover and grass-lucerne pastures remained above recommended levels of 20 – 40 % for optimum animal production, even when N was applied consecutively. The nutritive characteristics measured (dry matter (DM) content, CP, in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD)) remained within the expected range, except the total CP content which was very high in the first year (> 30 %), although N application rate did not have a significant effect. Based on these findings, preliminary recommendations for N fertilisation (on low carbon soils) for a mixed grass pasture is 40 kg N ha-1 during autumn and winter and 60 kg N ha-1 in spring and summer. Based on the poor response of the grass-legume pastures to applied N it is doubtful whether fertilisation will lead to an economical advantage, but low rates of approximately 40 kg N ha-1 could be beneficial in a grass-clover pasture during autumn and late winter/early spring based on the relatively strong response of PDMP to N during this period.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Drie verskillende weidingsmengsels is onder besproeiing te Elsenburg proefplaas gevestig met die doel om stikstof (N) bestuurstrategieë te ontwikkel vir aangeplante weidings in die Wynland distrik van die Wes-Kaap van Suid Afrika. Die weidingsmengsels was as volg: i) ‘n gemengde gras weiding bestaande uit meerjarige raaigras (Lolium perenne), langswenkgras (Festuca arundinaceae) en kropaargras (Dactylis glomerata), ii) ‘n gras-klawer weiding bestaande uit meerjarige raaigras, kropaargras, langswenkgras, wit - en rooi klawer (Trifolium pratense en Trifolium repens), en iii) ‘n gras-lusern weiding bestaande uit meerjarige raaigras, langswenkgras en lusern (Medicago sativa). Die effek van stikstof bemesting op sekere kwaliteitsaspekte van die onderskeie weidings was ook geëvalueer. Die gras-peulplant weidings was onderworpe aan twee bestuurstrategieë, naamlik die eenmalige toediening van N en die agtereenvolgende toediening van N bemesting tydens die herfs – lente periode. Die reaksie van die gemengde gras weiding op N bemesting was hoofsaaklik gekenmerk deur ‘n interaksie tussen die N bemestingspeil en die seisoen van N toediening. Die produktiwiteit van die weidings i.t.v. die primêre droeëmateriaal produksie (PDMP) en die totale droeëmateriaal produksie (TDMP) was die hoogste in die lente en somer met die toediening van 60 – 80 kg N ha-1 en het in herfs en winter afgeneem. Daar was n sterk respons van die winter residuele droeëmateriaal produksie (RDMP) teenoor N, wat aandui dat nie alle toegediende N tydens die eerste hergroei periode benut was nie en dus ‘n moontlike risiko van loging inhou. Die botaniese samestelling van die gemengde gras weiding was deur die seisoen van N toediening bepaal, en nie die N bemestingspeil nie. Die langswenkgras inhoud was baie laag in alle seisoene, vermoedelik a.g.v. swak vestiging en sterk kompetisie van gepaardgaande spesies in die mengsel. Tydens die koeler seisoene van die jaar was meerjarige raaigras en langswenkgras die dominerende spesies, terwyl kropaargras tydens die warmer maande gedomineer het. Stikstof toediening het ook ‘n betekenisvolle effek op die kwaliteit van die weiding gehad, veral die ru-proteien (RP) inhoud. Die respons van RP was weereens gekenmerk deur ‘n betekenisvolle interaksie tussen die seisoen van N toediening en die N peil. Ru- proteien vlakke hoër as 22% was tydens herfs en winter waargeneem met die toedieningspyle van 40 – 80 kg N ha-1. Ander kwaliteits- eienskappe het binne normale perke gebly. Die respons van die gras-klawer en gras-lusern weidings in terme van produktiwiteit en kwaliteitseienskappe was hoofsaaklik deur die seisoen van N toediening bepaal, en nie deur die N bemestingspeil nie. Die produktiwiteit was die hoogste tydens herfs en vroeë lente vir beide die eenmalige en die herhaalde N toedieningsstrategieë. Hierdie bevindinge beklemtoon die belangrike effek van temperatuur op die groei en produksie van weidingsgewasse. Die effek van seisoen van N toediening en N peil op die botaniese samestelling van die gras-peulgewas weidings was inkonsekwent oor die twee jare van die studie. Die klawer-fraksie was geneig om af te neem soos wat die N peil toegeneem het, terwyl die gras-fraksie toegeneem het. Die lusern-inhoud het van herfs tot lente afgeneem en was ongeaffekteer deur die N peil. Die peulgewas-inhoud van beide weidingsmengsels was deurentyd hoër as die voorgeskrewe minimum vlak van 20 – 40%, selfs met opeenvolgende N-toediening. Die kwaliteitseienskappe gemeet in die studie (droeëmateriaal (DM) inhoud, RP en in vitro organiese materiaal verteerbaarheid (IVOMV)) het binne normale perke gebly, behalwe die totale ru-proteien (TRP) inhoud wat baie hoog was tydens die eerste jaar (>30%), alhoewel dit nie deur die N peil beinvloed was nie. Aan die lig van bogenoemde bevindinge is die voorlopige aanbeveling vir N- bemesting (op lae koolstof gronde) van ‘n gemengde grasweiding 40 kg N ha-1 tydens die herfs en winter en 60 kg N ha-1 tydens lente en somer. Gebasseer op die swak respons van die gras-peulgewas weidings op toegediende N, is dit twyfelagtig of N toediening enige ekonomiese voordeel vir die boer sal inhou. Gebaseer op die relatiewe sterk respons van die gras-klawer PDMP op toegediende N tydens herfs en laat winter/vroeë lente kan dit moontlik voordelig wees om lae N-vlakke van ongeveer 40 kg ha-1 tydens hierdie seisoene toe te dien.
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Ireland, Carolyn. "Sustaining the western myall woodlands : ecology and mangement." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1997. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09PH/09phi65.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Bibliography: leaves 227-244. This study is conceived to address various aspects of western myall (Acacia papyrocarpa Benth) recruitment, lifespan, distribution and the effects of major vertebrates on the species' ecology over the major part of its range in South Australia. A study of the population dynamics of the species is done to assess the adequacy of net recruitment. Population structure is examined across the woodlands. The new concept of "fossil paddocks" is adopted to investigate the historical impact of introduced herbivores on the landscape.
10
Gherardi, Mark James. "Availability and management of manganese and water in bauxite residue revegetation." University of Western Australia. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition Discipline Group, 2004. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2005.0038.
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[Truncated abstract] Industrial processing to refine alumina from bauxite ore produces millions of tonnes of refining residue each year in Australia. Revegetation of bauxite residue sand (BRS) is problematic for a number of reasons. Harsh chemical conditions caused by residual NaOH from ore digestion mean plants must overcome extremely high pH (initially >12), saline and sodic conditions. At such high pH, manganese (Mn) is rapidly oxidised from Mn2+ to Mn4+. Plants can take up only Mn2+. Thus, Mn deficiency is common in plants used for direct BRS revegetation, and broadcast Mn fertilisers have low residual value. Added to this, physical conditions of low water-holding capacity and a highly compactable structure make BRS unfavourable for productive plant growth without constant and large inputs of water as well as Mn. However, environmental regulations stipulate that the residue disposal area at Pinjarra, Western Australia, be revegetated to conform with surrounding land uses. The major land use of the area is pasture for grazing stock. Hence, pasture revegetation with minimum requirement for fertiliser and water application is desirable. This thesis investigates a number of avenues with potential for maintaining a productive pasture system on BRS whilst reducing the current level of Mn fertiliser and irrigation input. Emphasis was placed on elucidation of chemical and physical factors affecting Mn availability to plants in BRS
11
Cleland, Jonelle. "Western Australia's salinity investment framework : a study of priority setting in policy and practice." University of Western Australia. School of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0120.
Full textAbstract:
In March 2002 the Western Australian Minister for Environment and Heritage adopted a policy framework to guide investment decisions on salinity management. Promoted as Western Australia's Salinity Investment Framework (or the SIF), it offered a set of principles for prioritising investment decisions that were generally grounded in economic theory. This represented a significant landmark in terms of the government's appreciation of the scale of salinity problem and its acknowledgement that a full turnaround in the situation was beyond the reach of both volunteers and the public purse. The evolution of the SIF policy, including an initial trial in the Avon Basin, provided an opportunity to evaluate pre-policy processes; observe policy on the run; and test stakeholder reactions to the investment principles embodied in the the SIF, as well as their reaction to its implied outcomes. The intention of the study was to highlight any barriers standing in the way of effectively implementing a policy to prioritise investments in salinity management and identify any novel approaches developed in an attempt to overcome them. The evaluation was multifaceted to incorporate retrospective and prospective modes of inquiry. The retrospective investigation involved the construction of a series of policy narratives using evidence from notes and minutes taken at SIF meetings, as well as other formal and informal documents. It systematically captured the influence of key people, events and decisions on the SIF up until June 2008. This evaluation highlighted the impact of (1) policy entrepreneurs; (2) time lags; (3) vertical silos, and (4) priority setting hierarchies. The prospective investigation involved the execution of a community survey featuring attitudinal questions, paired comparisons and a choice modelling experiment. The survey involved 269 personal interviews with rural landholders, townspeople and landcare officers across the Avon Catchment. It captured perceptions towards past funding strategies and proposals for future allocations and explored the nature of priority setting decisions in relation to trade-offs between: (1) the mix of assets protected; (2) the degree of risk; (3) the level of community involvement in the decision, and (4) the distribution of benefits. This evaluation highlighted the importance of (1) incentives and disincentives for change; (2) awareness of priority setting concepts; (3) the capacity of regional bodies; and (4) elements perceived to be crucial in priority setting.
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au, Pendoley@newton dialix com, and Kellie Lee Pendoley. "Sea Turtles and the Environmental Management of Industrial Activities in North West Western Australia." Murdoch University, 2005. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20060612.120104.
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The nesting demographics of sea turtles using beaches within the Barrow, Lowendal,
Montebello (B-L-M) island complex on the North West Shelf of Western Australia were
examined in the context of their spatial and temporal distribution and potential for
exposure to industrially based artificial light sources. The distribution of overnight turtle
tracks throughout the island complex confirmed high density nesting of Chelonia mydas
(green turtles) on deep, sandy and high energy beaches and Natator depressus
(flatback turtles) on deep, sandy and low energy beaches, while Eretmochelys
imbricata (hawksbill turtle) tracks were most visible on shallow, sandy beaches
adjacent to near shore coral reef habitat. The three species exhibited a summer
nesting peak. Hawksbill turtles commenced nesting in September and continued
through to January, green turtles commenced in November and decreased in March.
Flatback turtles displayed the most constrained nesting season reported to date in
Australia with 86% of the animals visits recorded in December and January only.
Nesting population sizes estimated for the three species suggest that on a national
scale the B-L-M complex is a moderately large green turtle and a large flatback rookery
site. The hawksbill rookery is large on an international scale. While none of the green
turtle nesting beaches fell within a 1.5 km radius of industrially based artificial light
sources an estimated 42% of nesting flatback turtles and 12% of nesting hawksbill
turtles were potentially exposed to these light sources.
Testing of green turtle and hawksbill hatchling response to different wavelengths of
light indicate that hatchlings from the B-L-M region respond to low wavelength much
like hatchlings tested in North America (Witherington 1992a). Flatback hatchlings
displayed a similar preference for low wavelength light however their responses to
discrete light wavelengths between 400 nm and 700 nm suggest that this species may
not discriminate well between wavelengths that lie between 450 nm and 550 nm. This
response may be related to the rapid attenuation of visible light that occurs in the turbid
near shore habitats favoured by this species.
Field based arena studies carried out to investigate hatchling behaviour on nesting
beaches with light types commonly used in industrial settings found green turtle and
flatback hatchlings are significantly attracted to these lights compared to controls.
Lights that emit strongly in the low wavelength range (i.e. metal halide and fluorescent)
caused hatchling misorientation at lower intensities than the test light that emitted
relatively poorly in this range (high pressure sodium vapour). Hawksbill hatchlings
tested in situ under the influence of actual oil and gas onshore and offshore facility
based lighting were disrupted from the most direct line to the ocean by these light
emissions. Emergence fan mapping methods that measure hatchling orientation on
nesting beaches were refined and are proposed as an alternative monitoring tool for
use on beaches that are logistically difficult to access for large scale experimental
orientation studies. The hatchling behaviour was clearly complicated by beach
topography and moon phase.
Satellite tracking of post nesting female green and hawksbill turtles from North West
Shelf rookeries has identified the Western Australian location of migratory corridors and
foraging grounds for these species while Scott Reef turtles migrate from their south
Timor Sea rookery to Northern Territory waters. Green turtle nesting on Barrow Island
and Sandy Island (Scott Reef) forage at feeding grounds 200 1000 km from their
nesting beaches. Hawksbill turtles nesting at Varanus Island and Rosemary Islands
forage at locations 50 450 km from their nesting beaches. While all of the nesting
beaches within the B-L-M island complex are protected under the Barrow-Montebello
Marine Conservation Reserves, the only foraging ground similarly protected is the
Northern Territory foraging ground used by Scott Reef green turtles. None of the
foraging grounds used by North West Shelf green or hawksbill turtles is currently
protected by conservation reserves.
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Pendoley, Kellie Lee. "Sea turtles and the environmental management of industrial activities in North West Western Australia." Pendoley, Kellie Lee (2005) Sea turtles and the environmental management of industrial activities in North West Western Australia. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2005. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/254/.
Full textAbstract:
The nesting demographics of sea turtles using beaches within the Barrow, Lowendal, Montebello (B-L-M) island complex on the North West Shelf of Western Australia were examined in the context of their spatial and temporal distribution and potential for exposure to industrially based artificial light sources. The distribution of overnight turtle tracks throughout the island complex confirmed high density nesting of Chelonia mydas (green turtles) on deep, sandy and high energy beaches and Natator depressus (flatback turtles) on deep, sandy and low energy beaches, while Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill turtle) tracks were most visible on shallow, sandy beaches adjacent to near shore coral reef habitat. The three species exhibited a summer nesting peak. Hawksbill turtles commenced nesting in September and continued through to January, green turtles commenced in November and decreased in March. Flatback turtles displayed the most constrained nesting season reported to date in Australia with 86% of the animals visits recorded in December and January only. Nesting population sizes estimated for the three species suggest that on a national scale the B-L-M complex is a moderately large green turtle and a large flatback rookery site. The hawksbill rookery is large on an international scale. While none of the green turtle nesting beaches fell within a 1.5 km radius of industrially based artificial light sources an estimated 42% of nesting flatback turtles and 12% of nesting hawksbill turtles were potentially exposed to these light sources.
Testing of green turtle and hawksbill hatchling response to different wavelengths of light indicate that hatchlings from the B-L-M region respond to low wavelength much like hatchlings tested in North America (Witherington 1992a). Flatback hatchlings displayed a similar preference for low wavelength light however their responses to discrete light wavelengths between 400 nm and 700 nm suggest that this species may not discriminate well between wavelengths that lie between 450 nm and 550 nm. This response may be related to the rapid attenuation of visible light that occurs in the turbid near shore habitats favoured by this species.
Field based arena studies carried out to investigate hatchling behaviour on nesting beaches with light types commonly used in industrial settings found green turtle and flatback hatchlings are significantly attracted to these lights compared to controls. Lights that emit strongly in the low wavelength range (i.e. metal halide and fluorescent) caused hatchling misorientation at lower intensities than the test light that emitted relatively poorly in this range (high pressure sodium vapour). Hawksbill hatchlings tested in situ under the influence of actual oil and gas onshore and offshore facility based lighting were disrupted from the most direct line to the ocean by these light emissions. Emergence fan mapping methods that measure hatchling orientation on nesting beaches were refined and are proposed as an alternative monitoring tool for use on beaches that are logistically difficult to access for large scale experimental orientation studies. The hatchling behaviour was clearly complicated by beach topography and moon phase.
Satellite tracking of post nesting female green and hawksbill turtles from North West Shelf rookeries has identified the Western Australian location of migratory corridors and foraging grounds for these species while Scott Reef turtles migrate from their south Timor Sea rookery to Northern Territory waters. Green turtle nesting on Barrow Island and Sandy Island (Scott Reef) forage at feeding grounds 200 - 1000 km from their nesting beaches. Hawksbill turtles nesting at Varanus Island and Rosemary Islands forage at locations 50 - 450 km from their nesting beaches. While all of the nesting beaches within the B-L-M island complex are protected under the Barrow-Montebello Marine Conservation Reserves, the only foraging ground similarly protected is the Northern Territory foraging ground used by Scott Reef green turtles. None of the foraging grounds used by North West Shelf green or hawksbill turtles is currently protected by conservation reserves.
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Huddleston, Veronica. "Restructuring and adjustment in resource-dependent coastal communities : a case study of the Western rock lobster fleet hosting communities." University of Western Australia. Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2010.0001.
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In an attempt to address the seeming imbalance within studies of rural communities in Australia linked to primary industries, this study examines the broader aspects of policy changes and bio-economic imperatives in the Western Rock Lobster Fishery and the effects of the restructuring of the fishery on communities that host the rock lobster fleet. It is an innovative study in that it is one of the first comprehensive studies of industry restructuring in the fisheries sector; a study of the linkages and implications of restructuring on the social, economic and cultural facets of coastal communities in Western Australia. Globalisation in the fishery sector, aided by technological advances, has resulted in a greater exploitation of high-value fisheries for export. Intensified globalisation has also brought about environmental and social standards that ensure the survival of by-catch species and promote responsible codes of fishing practice. In Australia, the active support of the government for globalisation, led to the adoption of export-oriented policies emphasising competitiveness and efficiency. Consideration of market principles thus govern fisheries regulators when deciding on the management arrangements to adopt for a particular fishery. In considering a number of policy instruments and management measures, government regulators also consider the conservation of marine resources alongside the production of significant economic and social benefits. The Western Rock Lobster Fishery is the most valuable single species fishery in Western Australia with a sizeable financial and employment contribution to coastal communities along the Western Australian coast. Any management scheme adopted for this fishery, as such, not only has to take into account biological and environmental imperatives but also economic and social objectives. The analysis of the fishery undertaken in this thesis underlines the need for a holistic view of fishery management that takes into consideration not only biological sustainability, but also promotes an understanding of fishers' behaviours and fishing patterns and the consequent effects on specific communities. The demographic and social changes that affect rural communities further complicate the economic restructuring at the fishery level, with fishers' responses differing based on their circumstances and preferences. This thesis presents a snapshot of a fishery deliberating changes in management arrangements and its effects on coastal communities whose socio-demographic and economic development historically has depended, and to a great extent is still dependent, upon rock lobster fishing. It provides empirical evidence that lends support to the view that the pro-market policies promoting competition and entrepreneurialism have resulted in a spatially uneven development in regional Australia. Specific localities can deal with the changes brought about by globalisation and policy change. However, the manner in which these communities deal and cope with these changes depends on a number of factors, among others, the level of diversification of the local economy, demographic and social structures, and other factors such as the level of resilience and the social capital base within the community.
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Ritson, Peter. "Growth, yield and carbon sequestration of pinus pinaster established on farmland in south-western Australia /." Connect to thesis, 2004. http://eprints.unimelb.edu.au/archive/00001319.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, School of Forest and Ecosystem Science,Institute of Land and Food Resources, 2005.Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 253-263).
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au, louiseduxbury@westnet com, and Marie-Louise Duxbury. "Implementing a relational worldview: Watershed Torbay, Western Australia connecting community and place." Murdoch University, 2007. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20080617.132132.
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The Australian landcare movement is considered to be a major success, with an extensive community landcare network developed, raised levels and depth of awareness, and a range of demonstration projects undertaken. It has inspired people across Australia and has been emulated overseas. However, negative trends in environmental conditions continue unabated. If the approach of the Australian landcare movement to date has not addressed the current unsustainable farming practices, what approach will?
This Australian study explores the history of the mechanistic worldview, its influence on the attitudes to and treatment of landscapes and indigenous knowledge from colonisation, and the ongoing impacts on current social and natural rural landscapes. Increasing tension between the mechanistic worldview and the growing landcare ethic based on relationships is apparent.
Through the focus project, Watershed Torbay, a different way of seeing and treating the world is explored by praxis. A worldview based on relationships and connection as the end purpose is proffered. Strengthening connection with ones own moral framework, and relationships with people and place in community, are seen as the path to achieving sustainability based on ecological and values rationality.
It is recognised that there are multiple ways of seeing and experiencing the world, and it is important to give voice to all players with a connection to decision making. This also means that there are different forms of knowledge; these can be grouped under the typology of epistemic or scientific knowledge, techne or technical/practical capability, and the central form of knowledge about values and interests.
I have worked with the focus project as a reflective practitioner undertaking action research; this is evident in the movement between theory and practice through the thesis. The thesis concludes in praxis taking the learning from the focus project, and exploration of theory, to answer the question posed at the outset by outlining how the relational worldview can be applied to the regional bodies now delivering major landcare programs.
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Van, Heerden Vicky. "Local government reform in Western Australia: a case study on change readiness." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003897.
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The Western Australian State Government’s local government reform programme, initiated in February 2009, provides the context for this research. Nedlands, a local government in Perth’s western suburbs, resolved to participate in this reform programme and signed a Regional Transition Group Agreement with Subiaco local government in August 2010. The purpose of the Regional Transition Group was to prepare a business plan to investigate the potential benefits and viability of a Nedlands and Subiaco amalgamation. Whilst the local government of Nedlands is currently investigating the more operational and technical aspects of local government reform in the merger feasibility study, this research focused on employee readiness, more intangible but no less important. The difficulties of achieving success with organisational change initiatives are well documented. A number of models of planned organisational change have been developed to address these difficulties and support successful change and are outlined. This research highlights the value of the first phase of planned change, namely readiness for change, where organizational members are prepared for and become supporters of change. It also highlights the importance of change communication with respect to developing employee readiness. Definitions and some of the dimensions of ‘readiness for change’ are outlined. The five dimensions of readiness for change - discrepancy, appropriateness, principal support, efficacy and valence - provide the ‘lens’ through which readiness for change at Nedlands is explored. From this perspective, the documentation communicating local government reform at Nedlands was analysed. These dimensions were also used to ascertain, from the perspective of the Nedlands' managers, their level of readiness and the readiness of the employees of Nedlands for local government reform. The findings suggest that Nedlands local government has not consciously planned to ‘ready’ employees for local government reform. A number of management recommendations are made to strengthen the change readiness message communicated by the Nedlands local government and to support the development of the Nedlands employees’ readiness for change.
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Collins, Shane. "Residue composition influences nutrient release from crop residues." University of Western Australia. School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0171.
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[Truncated abstract] A greater adoption of stubble retention, minimum-till and no-till farming practices for the purposes of conserving soil, water and fertility requires a greater understanding of the complexity of physical and chemical interactions between the soil and crop residues. There is currently insufficient knowledge to allow reliable predictions of the effects of different residue types in different environments on soil fertility and crop growth, owing to the many residue characteristics and environmental interactions that have been shown to affect decomposition or nutrient release. The role of fibre and nutrient composition in nutrient release from crop residues, and implications for residue management techniques, were studied. Canola, lupin and field pea residues, obtained from farmland in Meckering and Northam, Western Australia, were separated into upper and basal stems, leaves, and siliques or pods. This was done to provide materials with a wide range of chemical and physical characteristics, and also allowed consideration of differential residue management of plant organs, such as comparing harvested canola siliques and retained canola stubble. Pre-treatment by chopping and/or humidification was applied to residues to provide some information about the processes of nutrient release. Residues were subjected to simulated rainfall to assess nutrient leaching from plant material, and placed on soil in pots in constant-temperature glasshouse conditions to assess decomposition. Amounts and rates of change of residue fibre and nutrients were determined throughout leaching and decomposition. Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis was used to assess the location of diffusible ions in air-dried residues and the effects of humidification on nutrient positioning and release. ... However, the release of calcium and magnesium depended on the decomposition of the more recalcitrant components such as cellulose and lignin, as supported by microscopy results showing changes in nutrient distribution following humidification. The proportionality of amounts of calcium and magnesium leached and released during decomposition is likely to suggest a similarity of chemical form more than similarity of function or position of the two elements. Management of crop residues for maximising and optimising the timing of release of different nutrients will need to take into account the placement of different plant types and parts, particle sizes distribution and pre-treatment of material to efficiently manage short- and long-term soil fertility to sustain crops, particularly on degraded soils. Significant nutrient release of potassium, sulphur and magnesium from crop residues can be achieved from surface placement, with the release of potassium and sulphur managed by modifying residue particle size through appropriate harvesting, ploughing or sowing implement selection. High nutrient uptake crops and plant parts where they can be economically viable to grow or separated by the harvesting technique are particularly valuable as sources of nutrients and soil organic matter.
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Delacy, Caine Robert. "Latitudinal patterns in reef fish assemblage structure : the influence of long-term and short-term processes." University of Western Australia. School of Plant Biology, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0097.
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Latitudinal patterns in reef fish assemblages reflect the influence of long-term environmental conditions, evolutionary processes and the recent, short-term influence of fishing. Long-term processes generate the typically common latitudinal patterns in reef fish assemblages, such as decreases in diversity and herbivory towards higher latitudes. These patterns reflect the global gradient in water temperature and the isolation of temperate regions from the tropics. Fishing also influences reef fish assemblages in that it decreases the abundance of large-bodied carnivore species on reefs, often leading to over-exploitation, depletion and in some cases the extirpation of populations. Indirectly, the removal of these large-bodied carnivores can influence the abundance of their prey, leading to an increase in non-target species. This study examines the latitudinal patterns in reef fish assemblages across a unique biogeographic region, the temperate Western Australian coast, and incorporates an investigation of the influence of fishing on the structure of these assemblages. Seven regions across seven degrees of latitude and seven degrees of longitude covering approximately 1500 km of coastline were sampled. Fish assemblages were characterised at each region using diver operated stereo-video transects. At each region, four locations, and within each location, four reefs were surveyed totalling 1344 transects. A significant gradient in water temperature exists with latitude and longitude. Along the Western Australian coast, and in contrast to other regions species diversity of reef fish increased towards higher latitudes and there was no evidence for a decrease in the biomass and abundance of herbivorous reef fish. The presence of the poleward flowing warm water Leeuwin current combined with the absence of major extinction events means the temperate Western Australian coast contrasts with global latitudinal trends in reef fish assemblage structure. The unique biogeographic history of temperate Western Australia has also generated a high degree of endemism among reef fish. Nearly 30 % of the species found along the west coast in this study are endemic to Western Australia, with the narrow range of these species playing an important role in the large scale patterns and spatial vi heterogeneity in reef fish assemblage structure. Furthermore, many of these endemic species are large-bodied carnivores and targeted by fishers. The impact of fishing on the abundance of large-bodied carnivores throughout the Western Australian temperate region is clear both spatially and temporally. The distribution of fishing effort is greatest along the west coast and decreases towards the south following the gradient in SST. Along the west coast, high levels of fishing effort have reduced the biomass and abundance of target carnivores to well below the standing biomass of the south coast where a low level of fishing effort occurs. This reduction in biomass is related to the historical declines in catch per unit effort (CPUE) of many key target species. These target species include endemic species such as Choerodon rubescens, Glaucosoma herbraicum, Epinephilides armatus Nemadactylus valenciennesi and Achoerodus gouldii.
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Horsnell, Tara Kathleen. "Quantifying thresholds for native vegetation to salinity and waterlogging for the design of direct conservation approaches." University of Western Australia. School of Environmental Systems Engineering, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0082.
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A field-based project was undertaken to develop and test a mechanism which would allow for the correlation of the health of vegetation surrounding playa lakes in south-west Australia with the natural variation in salinity and waterlogging that occurs spatially and temporally in natural systems. The study was designed to determine threshold ranges of vegetation communities using moderately extensive data over short temporal periods which will guide the design of potential engineering solutions that manipulate hydrological regimes to ultimately conserve and protect native vegetation. A pair of playa lake ecosystems, surrounded by primary production land, was modelled with hydro-geological data collected from March 2006 to March 2007. The data was used to determine the hydroperiods of vegetation communities fringing playa lakes and provide insight into the areas and species that are most affected by extreme rainfall events which are hypothesised to have a significant, rapid deleterious effect on the ecosystems. The methodology was multi-faceted and included; a detailed topographical survey; vegetation surveys; hydrological and hydro-geological monitoring over a 12 month period. 4 The hydro-geological data and vegetation data was linked with the topographical survey at a high resolution for spatial analysis in a Geographic Information System (GIS) to determine the degree of waterlogging experienced by vegetation communities over the monitoring period. The study has found that the spatial and temporal variability of hydroperiods has been reduced by rising groundwater levels, a result of extensive clearing of native vegetation. Consequently populations are becoming extinct locally resulting in a shift in community composition. Extreme summer rainfall events also have a significant impact on the health of vegetation communities by increasing the duration of waterlogging over an annual cycle and in some areas expanding the littoral zone. Vegetation is most degraded at lower positions in the landscape where communities are becoming less diverse and dominated by salt tolerant halophytic species as a result of altered hydrological regimes. Some species appear to be able to tolerate groundwater depths of less than 2.0 m from the surface, however there are thresholds related to the duration at which groundwater is maintained at this depth. Potential engineering solutions include groundwater pumping and diverting water through drains to maintain sustainable hydroperiods for vegetation in areas with conservation value. The effectiveness and efficiency of the engineering solutions can be maximised by quantifying thresholds for vegetation that include sustainable durations of waterlogging. The study has quantified tolerance ranges to salinity and waterlogging with data collected over 12 months but species may be experiencing a transition period where they have 5 sustained irreversible damage that will result in their eventual mortality. With long-term monitoring, the methodology developed and tested in the study can be used to quantify the long-term tolerance ranges that are important for the application of conservation approaches that include engineering solutions.
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Kobryń, Halina T. "Land use changes and the properties of stormwater entering a wetland on a sandy coastal plain in Western Australia /." Access via Murdoch University Digital Thesis Project, 2001. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20040519.165016.
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Wong, Susan. "Regional development and telecommunications policy in Western Australia : accessing knowledge to inform policy through complexity and action research /." Wong, Susan (2006) Regional development and telecommunications policy in Western Australia: accessing knowledge to inform policy through complexity and action research. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/455/.
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This study explores how governments use knowledge to inform telecommunications policy-making and policy-implementation in regional development. It focuses on epistemological aspects and assumptions made within the parameters of Enlightenment thinking or the Newtonian paradigm, also known as the classical scientit1c paradigm. It argues that lmowledge formed within this paradigm, usually generated at a distance, has been individ,uated, detached, segmented and abstracted. 'Individuation' focuses on individuals and things rather than communities and processes. 'Detachment' separates the subjective mind from the objective environment to produce reliable information. 'Segmentation' produces validity of information by parsing the objective environment from its social and historical context. 'Abstraction' allows objectivity and systematisation of information. When used to inform policy, such knowledge creates a narrow 'standardising gaze' that 'disciplines' communities to conform to dominant social behaviour and beliefs. Case studies are used to demonstrate that the two major models of development, as products ofthis paradigm, employ this gaze rendering replicability difficult ifnot impossible. These models are the top-down and bottom-up approach that are epitomised by the Silicon Valley model and telecentre moveluent respectively. How this gaze inhibits/facilitates development in policy implementation is then examined in the Goldfields Esperance region in Western Australia. An holistic approach using cotnplex adaptive systems is used to understand the multidisciplinary aspects involved in development. This is combined with action research, a reflexive methodology. Action research has the ability to access local knowledge to provide data and evaluation in situ rather than on a post hoc basis. The findings demonstrate that complex systems analysis and action research provide a modus operandi that: a) recognises the interplay of various factors (such as power relations, economic cycle, social and political institutions) at different levels of the system; b) recognises time, context and path-dependence of regional development; c) provides a filter that minimises the 'standardising gaze' and d) gives an access to knowledge and insight to local issues, which can facilitate policy implementation of development that is sympathetic to regional communities.
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au, andrew@recfishwest org, and Andrew Jay Rowland. "The biology of Samson Fish Seriola hippos with emphasis on the sportfishery in Western Australia." Murdoch University, 2009. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20091120.110541.
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This thesis had two overriding aims. The first was to describe the biology of Samson Fish Seriola hippos and therefore extend the knowledge and understanding of the genus Seriola. The second was to uses these data to develop strategies to better manage the fishery and, if appropriate, develop catch-and-release protocols for the S. hippos sportfishery.
Trends exhibited by marginal increment analysis in the opaque zones of sectioned S. hippos otoliths, together with an otolith of a recaptured calcein injected fish, demonstrated that these opaque zones represent annual features. Thus, as with some other members of the genus, the number of opaque zones in sectioned otoliths of S. hippos are appropriate for determining age and growth parameters of this species. Seriola hippos displayed similar growth trajectories to other members of the genus. Early growth in S. hippos is rapid with this species reaching minimum legal length for retention (MML) of 600mm TL within the second year of life. After the first 5 years of life growth rates of each sex differ, with females growing faster and reaching a larger size at age than males. Thus, by 10, 15 and 20 years of age, the predicted fork lengths (and weights) for females were 1088 (17 kg), 1221 (24 kg) and 1311 mm (30 kg), respectively, compared with 1035 (15 kg), 1124 (19 kg) and 1167 mm (21 kg), respectively for males. Despite these differences, female and male S. hippos attained similar maximum age, i.e. 29 (1470 mm FL) and 28 years (1280 mm FL), respectively. The maximum age determined for S. hippos is greater than that recorded for any other Seriola spp. The largest female and male S. hippos recorded during this study were encountered during the tagging component and had fork lengths of 1600 mm and 1380 mm, respectively.
Seriola hippos has a protracted spawning period, ca four months, which starts in late spring and continues through summer into early autumn during which time many individuals engage in large spawning aggregations on the lower west coast of Australia. The length at which 50 % of the females in the population reached maturity was 831 mm FL (888 mm TL) and approximately 4 years of age, whilst all females over 950 mm FL were mature. Whilst aggregated for spawning S. hippos ceases feeding, however, during the non-spawning period this species can best be described as an opportunistic carnivore which feeds on a variety of pelagic and demersal prey.
This study has greatly increased our understanding of S. hippos movement on the west and south coasts of Australia and has documented, for the first time, the migratory behaviour of a carangid in these waters. Many S. hippos individuals undertake long distance migrations to join spawning aggregation sites near Rottnest Island. Individuals tagged at these aggregation sites where recaptured throughout this species distribution along the south coast of Australia, some after travelling distances of over 2400 km. Many S. hippos individuals displayed strong temporal and spatial spawning ground fidelity as numerous fish released at the spawning aggregations were recaptured at the exact same spawning site at similar times in subsequent years. Tagging data suggest that on the completion of spawning S. hippos individuals return to a resident location and remain in that general vicinity over the winter months.
This study has developed a hypothesis describing larval dispersal associated with the S. hippos spawning behaviour exhibited near Rottnest Island. It is proposed that variations in the prevailing ocean currents, at this important spawning location throughout the protracted spawning period, leads to high intra and inter-annual variation in larval distribution and survival. The affect of this variation on the evolution of the spawning and migratory behaviour displayed by S. hippos is discussed.
A recent increase in the popularity of S. hippos as a catch-and-release sportfish has led to concerns by some anglers about post release survival of this species, particularly due to the depth of capture. Short term mortality of S. hippos capture at the sportfishing sites was assessed by monitoring fish held within an enclosure near the site of capture for up to 31 hours post release. The total hooking mortality of S. hippos subjected to catch-and-release angling within the Rottnest Island sportfishery is approximately 8%. Most of this observed mortality is delayed and occurs sometime after release. Although best handling practises require ongoing development, the current level of mortality associated with this catch-and-release fishery is considered acceptable. Furthermore, this mortality is likely to have little effect on the S. hippos population due to the high abundance of this species and the fact that even the highest fishing effort yields a relatively low catch. Seriola hippos exhibits a typical teleost neuroendocrine stress response associated with catch-and-release. The physiological dysfunction associated with the stress of capture in this species does not appear to cause any post release mortality. Instead, most mortality was attributable to barotrauma, however, although mortality in S. hippos increases with capture depth, this species is much less susceptible to depth induced mortality than other commonly targeted species in which barotrauma has been observed.
This study developed key handling protocols for fishers who catch-and-release S. hippos at the Rottnest Island aggregation sites. These protocols cover aspects of catch-and-release fishing such as hook type, water depth, time at surface, release method and shark predation.
Almost all S. hippos observed during capture from deep water released large quantities of gas from the opercular region, particularly during the last 10 to 20 m before reaching the surface. This phenomenon has also been witnessed by divers and fishers to occur under natural conditions. Investigations into this release of gas revealed this physoclistous species to exhibit unique swim bladder characteristics. Seriola hippos possess a membranous tube that connects the posterior-dorsal surface of the swim bladder internally to a region under each operculum externally. This connection, termed the swim bladder vent, allows the escape of expanding swim bladder gases on rapid ascent. The presence of the swim bladder vent provides an explanation as to why the incidence of external barotrauma symptoms in S. hippos captured from the deepwater was low. The ability to expel excess swim bladder gases during rapid ascent whilst retaining full swim bladder function is likely to offer this semi-pelagic species considerable advantages when hunting prey, avoiding predators and engaging in spawning activities.
Preliminary estimates of total mortality indicated that S. hippos is not currently subjected to a high level of fishing pressure. However, managers must remain mindful of the fact that the size at which females reach sexual maturity, i.e. 888 mm TL, is greater than the current minimum legal length, i.e. 600 mm, and thus fishers are currently allowed to harvest sexually immature fish. Furthermore, the effectiveness of future conservation measures must consider the large scale migration and spawning strategy undertaken by this species in order to ensure its protection.
The collaborative research approach undertaken during this study demonstrated that a high level of community engagement produced a large amount of research interest, increased stakeholder satisfaction from project input, improved understanding of research outcomes, and increased research uptake, all of which has led to increased stewardship and conservation of the S. hippos fishery and fisheries resources in general. Indeed, projects of this nature would not be possible without this type of approach.
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O'Shea, Keith. "An examination of the theory and practice of project management knowledge and its transferability in Western Australia." Curtin University of Technology, Curtin Business School, 2008. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=21429.
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Acceptance and understanding of project management tends to be limited by project managers (PMs) who have a specific technical training and follow one or two major theories on project processes. Consequently, project managers may encounter difficulty in being ‘recognised’ by employers and moving from one professional discipline to another. The current research examines knowledge areas applied ‘in the field’ by project managers (PMs), and provides them with knowledge about the constancy of application of project theories; further, a new model of what constitutes PM and enables flexibility for PMs is suggested. As there was little extant literature about PMs being able to transfer from one professional discipline to another, or to what degree different knowledge areas were applied, it was determined that exploratory research was appropriate. The results strongly indicate that organisations that rely on programs and projects to support the delivery of their strategic objectives will benefit from implementation of the project management revised hypothetical model (Figure 13). The model incorporates the nine knowledge areas of The Project Management Institute (USA) and six knowledge areas extracted from the PM methodology PRINCE2. Further, the additional focus of People Specific Management (PSM) at Level 3 of the revised hypothetical model (Figure 13) is recommended. Qualifications for PMs do make a difference! In addition to demonstrating the importance of PM qualifications to augment PM’s successful transfer across disciplines, further research is suggested regarding the need for training to be ‘compulsory’ and follow the developmental levels described in the up-to-date model developed during the research (Figure 13).
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O'Brien, Eleanor K. "Local adaptation and genetic variation in south-western Australian forest trees : implications for restoration." University of Western Australia. School of Animal Biology, 2007. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2007.0132.
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[Truncated abstract] Spatial structuring of genetic variation is commonly observed in plant species due to limited dispersal and local adaptation. Intraspecific genetic variation has significant implications for ecological restoration because the source of seed or plants influences patterns of gene flow, and may affect performance if there is adaptive divergence among source populations. This study assessed quantitative trait variation, local adaptation and molecular variation within three common, widespread, long-lived forest tree species from south-western Australia to understand the distribution of intraspecific genetic variation and predict the consequences of seed transfer for restoration. The geographic distribution of quantitative trait variation of jarrah Eucalyptus marginata was assessed through measurement of 15-year-old trees grown in a provenance trial. Survival of trees from the northern jarrah forest was significantly higher than that of trees from southern jarrah forest provenances, where mean annual rainfall is much higher, but stem diameter at breast height (d.b.h.) of southern jarrah forest trees was greater, implying faster growth. D.b.h. of trees from within the northern jarrah forest also exhibited a positive relationship with mean annual rainfall, with maximum d.b.h. observed in trees from provenances in the high rainfall zone. These patterns may reflect selection for faster growth under high rainfall conditions or environmentally-induced parental effects. The percentage of trees bearing buds and flowers varied among latitudinal divisions. ... Neither genetic variation within nor among populations of any species could explain variation of emergence and establishment in reciprocal transplant trials. Collectively, the findings of this study suggest structuring of genetic variation in these species at a broad, rather than a very local, scale. This is expected for widespread, long-lived species, where extensive gene flow and temporal variation are likely to favour high within, relative to among, population genetic variation. However, there is evidence that the source of seed may have a significant influence on the success of restoration of these species, whether as a result of genetic variation among populations or due to other factors affecting seed quality. These results highlight the importance of integrating studies of molecular and adaptive trait variation when seeking to understand the causes and consequences of genetic variation within plant species and contribute to the development of seed sourcing practices for improved restoration success.
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Ingram, Colin Barry. "Parks, people and planning: local perceptions of park management on the Ningaloo Coast, North West Cape, Western Australia." Curtin University of Technology, School of Media, Society and Culture, Dept. of Social Sciences, 2008. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=18012.
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Attaining the ‘appropriate’ balance between human use of national parks and their protection is a topic of considerable public, scientific and business interest and is thus an important focus for research. An increasingly affluent and mobile western society has made tourism the world’s largest industry; an industry with a significant reliance on the attractions of protected areas such as national parks and their wildlife. Regional communities have benefited from protected areas through local tourism expenditure and government recognition of the economic and social values realized from protected areas. High levels of visitation, and the management of this human use require effective management. But tensions arise when park managers invoke policies and management prescriptions to mitigate the adverse affects of human use. These actions and the way they are implemented can have an alienating impact on local communities, particularly those with a direct business dependency on park tourism. This thesis explores the notion that truly sustainable management of national parks can only be achieved if park managers and communities living adjacent to parks work together in a partnership to meet each other’s needs and through this process, foster the long-term environmental, social and economic benefits that can be derived from these parks. This thesis documents how a local community perceives its park managers and thereby the impact that park management has on local communities. It then seeks to identify the opportunities for park managers and communities to improve the way they view each other and the skills, attitudes and approaches necessary to create the environment for a sustainable relationship and can deliver sustainable outcomes for both parties.Three methods were employed to progress this research; an extensive review of literature and theory on relevant aspects of the people and parks relationship; the use of a case study of communities adjacent to parks on the Ningaloo Coast; and, qualitative and quantitative surveys to inform those case studies. A resident perception survey of the Exmouth and Coral Bay communities was conducted in August 2005. At the same time key stakeholder representatives were interviewed. Secondary quantitative data on the areas economy and demographics was also collected to triangulate aspects of the primary data. The Ningaloo coast community’s perception of park management has been adversely affected by a recent (2004) management planning process for Ningaloo Marine Park that culminated in significant constraints being placed on recreational fishing access. Both the planning process and the decision have been the focus of community anger. Currently the levels of trust and respect within the community for the park agency and its management performance are low. Despite evidence that the parks of the Ningaloo coast make important social and economic contributions to the local communities of this area, the local community holds negative perceptions of the social and economic impacts of park management, and are influenced strongly by the local community’s attitudes, perceptions and feelings towards the park agency. The park agency’s inability to consult, involve and communicate with the local community (to the satisfaction of the local community) contributes to these attitudes, feelings and perceptions.
Key findings include; the prevailing norms and belief systems within the park agency reinforce the classic managerial paradigm; park management fails to accommodate broader social and economic measures, which diminishes trust and undermines attempts to foster community involvement and stewardship; ineffectual leadership, poor communication and outmoded approaches to planning and community engagement, local apathy to involvement in park planning and a lack of community education in regard to the promotion of park values, programs and activities compound this situation. The Ningaloo coast has the potential to provide an exceptionally bright future for its local communities, based largely on the inherent natural and cultural values of Ningaloo Marine Park, Cape Range National Park and other associated reserves. Whether the potential to develop community stewardship of the parks of the Ningaloo coast is fully met depends largely on the willingness of park management to relinquish some of its power, establish a suitable governance model in order to work collaboratively with the community and communicate effectively with it in order to achieve sustainable futures for both the park and the community.
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au, gjackson@fish wa gov, and Gary Jackson. "Fisheries biology and management of pink snapper, Pagrus auratus, in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, Western Australia." Murdoch University, 2008. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20081222.105104.
Full textAbstract:
This study explored an important aspect of the basis for the highly complex population structure of pink snapper (Pagrus auratus) within the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, investigated how growth and reproduction differ among these closely-adjacent but separate stocks, and obtained biomass estimates for each stock that are essential for the sustainable management of the regionally-important recreational pink snapper fishery. Using ichthyoplankton data in combination with hydrodynamic modelling, P. auratus eggs and larvae were shown to be retained within localized meso-scale eddies that were coincident with the main inner gulf spawning areas. Such hydrodynamic retention, in conjunction with tagging and otolith chemistry data that indicates very limited movement of juvenile and adult fish, explains how separate pink snapper populations can exist in the adjacent waters of the Eastern Gulf, Denham Sound and Freycinet Estuary. The study found significant variation in maximum age, growth, maturity and spawning time at fine spatial scales. Such variation, unusual for a large, potentially mobile fish inhabiting a marine environment with no obvious physical barriers, is linked to the inner gulfs marked environmental heterogeneity, the low levels of mixing and historic differences in fishing pressure among the three areas. The daily egg production method (DEPM) was used, for the first time with this species in Western Australia, to provide estimates of spawning biomass of the three separate inner gulf P. auratus stocks. While relatively imprecise, mostly due to imprecision in estimation of daily egg production, these estimates demonstrated that these stocks are very small (measured in tens of tonnes) compared with P. auratus stocks elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand. Biological data and DEPM estimates obtained from this study were incorporated in age-based stock assessment models that have been used to determine the status of inner gulf pink snapper stocks since 2002.
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Jackson, Gary. "Fisheries biology and management of pink snapper, Pagrus auratus, in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, Western Australia." Jackson, Gary (2008) Fisheries biology and management of pink snapper, Pagrus auratus, in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, Western Australia. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/664/.
Full textAbstract:
This study explored an important aspect of the basis for the highly complex population structure of pink snapper (Pagrus auratus) within the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, investigated how growth and reproduction differ among these closely-adjacent but separate stocks, and obtained biomass estimates for each stock that are essential for the sustainable management of the regionally-important recreational pink snapper fishery. Using ichthyoplankton data in combination with hydrodynamic modelling, P. auratus eggs and larvae were shown to be retained within localized meso-scale eddies that were coincident with the main inner gulf spawning areas. Such hydrodynamic retention, in conjunction with tagging and otolith chemistry data that indicates very limited movement of juvenile and adult fish, explains how separate pink snapper populations can exist in the adjacent waters of the Eastern Gulf, Denham Sound and Freycinet Estuary. The study found significant variation in maximum age, growth, maturity and spawning time at fine spatial scales. Such variation, unusual for a large, potentially mobile fish inhabiting a marine environment with no obvious physical barriers, is linked to the inner gulfs' marked environmental heterogeneity, the low levels of mixing and historic differences in fishing pressure among the three areas. The daily egg production method (DEPM) was used, for the first time with this species in Western Australia, to provide estimates of spawning biomass of the three separate inner gulf P. auratus stocks. While relatively imprecise, mostly due to imprecision in estimation of daily egg production, these estimates demonstrated that these stocks are very small (measured in tens of tonnes) compared with P. auratus stocks elsewhere in Australia and New Zealand. Biological data and DEPM estimates obtained from this study were incorporated in age-based stock assessment models that have been used to determine the status of inner gulf pink snapper stocks since 2002.
29
Jackson, Gary. "Fisheries biology and management of pink snapper, Pagrus auratus, in the inner gulfs of Shark Bay, Western Australia /." Murdoch University Digital Theses Program, 2007. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20081222.105104.
Full text
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au, A. Eades@murdoch edu, and Anne-Marie Eades. "Factors that influence participation in self-management of wound care in three Indigenous communities in Western Australia: Clients' perspectives." Murdoch University, 2008. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20090702.111437.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to identify any barriers or enablers as influences on wound care self-management by Indigenous people. A qualitative, interpretive study sought to investigate how participants perceived their wounds and their general health, and to identify the influences on them accessing wound care services.
There is a dearth of information on culturally appropriate practice in wound management for Indigenous Australians. This research project was therefore significant in attempting to bridge the gap in nursing knowledge of Indigenous clients' perceptions of barriers and enablers for seeking wound care services,especially in relation to lower leg ulcers. The lack of culturally sensitive wound management practices potentially impacts on Indigenous clients' behaviours in seeking treatment from their health service providers.
Participant observations and semi-structured interviews with the research participants investigated the management of their wounds, and the ways in which their culture influences wound management. The main aim was to understand participants' comprehension of the importance of wound care through reflection. Understanding the enhancing or obstructive influences on wound management practices was expected to provide a foundation for teaching self care of wounds in Indigenous populations and inform health professionals' approach to health education.
The data were analysed using thematic analysis, which generated common themes related to the research questions. These themes are: visibility, of the problem,4 perceived versus actual level of knowledge, acceptance of co-morbid health conditions and pre-determined path of ill health. These findings indicated that in one region, participants' perception of poor health was related to visibility of the problem. Participants chose to have their visible wounds managed by Silver Chain Nursing Association, whereas Diabetes and Hypertension and any other non-visible disorders were seen as appropriate to the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS). Further to this finding, most participants displayed a sense of helplessness and hopelessness when sharing information about their diagnosis of diabetes, believing this was the norm. Many also believed that having a strong family history of a particular disease resulted in the participants also inheriting the disease. During post interview educational sessions many of the Indigenous participants were surprised by the evidence based-research reported to them by the researcher that diabetes is a manageable disease with life style changes.
Another issue highlighted was the perceived level of knowledge the participants had about wound care. Reassurance was given by the participants that their level of knowledge about how to manage their wounds was adequate. However, none of the participants were concerned about the length of time that their wound/s had or were being managed, between 3 months and 5 years. This acceptance that although a wound is not getting any worse and not getting any better was the norm is cause for concern, and indicates a low level of health literacy. This theme was 'perceiving an imbalance in perceptions of wound care knowledge with actual knowledge'.
The most important recommendation from the study findings is the need to consider health literacy more carefully in the development of health promotion and health education for Indigenous clients with wounds.
31
Eades, Anne-Marie. "Factors that influence participation in self-management of wound care in three Indigenous communities in Western Australia: Clients' perspectives." Eades, Anne-Marie (2008) Factors that influence participation in self-management of wound care in three Indigenous communities in Western Australia: Clients' perspectives. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/707/.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this study was to identify any barriers or enablers as influences on wound care self-management by Indigenous people. A qualitative, interpretive study sought to investigate how participants perceived their wounds and their general health, and to identify the influences on them accessing wound care services.
There is a dearth of information on culturally appropriate practice in wound management for Indigenous Australians. This research project was therefore significant in attempting to bridge the gap in nursing knowledge of Indigenous clients' perceptions of barriers and enablers for seeking wound care services,especially in relation to lower leg ulcers. The lack of culturally sensitive wound management practices potentially impacts on Indigenous clients' behaviours in seeking treatment from their health service providers.
Participant observations and semi-structured interviews with the research participants investigated the management of their wounds, and the ways in which their culture influences wound management. The main aim was to understand participants' comprehension of the importance of wound care through reflection. Understanding the enhancing or obstructive influences on wound management practices was expected to provide a foundation for teaching self care of wounds in Indigenous populations and inform health professionals' approach to health education.
The data were analysed using thematic analysis, which generated common themes related to the research questions. These themes are: visibility, of the problem,4 perceived versus actual level of knowledge, acceptance of co-morbid health conditions and pre-determined path of ill health. These findings indicated that in one region, participants' perception of poor health was related to visibility of the problem. Participants chose to have their visible wounds managed by Silver Chain Nursing Association, whereas Diabetes and Hypertension and any other non-visible disorders were seen as appropriate to the Aboriginal Medical Service (AMS). Further to this finding, most participants displayed a sense of helplessness and hopelessness when sharing information about their diagnosis of diabetes, believing this was the norm. Many also believed that having a strong family history of a particular disease resulted in the participants also inheriting the disease. During post interview educational sessions many of the Indigenous participants were surprised by the evidence based-research reported to them by the researcher that diabetes is a manageable disease with life style changes.
Another issue highlighted was the perceived level of knowledge the participants had about wound care. Reassurance was given by the participants that their level of knowledge about how to manage their wounds was adequate. However, none of the participants were concerned about the length of time that their wound/s had or were being managed, between 3 months and 5 years. This acceptance that although a wound is not getting any worse and not getting any better was the norm is cause for concern, and indicates a low level of health literacy. This theme was 'perceiving an imbalance in perceptions of wound care knowledge with actual knowledge'.
The most important recommendation from the study findings is the need to consider health literacy more carefully in the development of health promotion and health education for Indigenous clients with wounds.
32
Eades, Anne. "Factors that influence participation in self-management of wound care in three indigenous communities in Western Australia : clients' perspectives /." Murdoch University Digital Theses Program, 2008. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20090702.111437.
Full text
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Dedman, Graeme Lee. "The dimensions of efficiency and effectiveness of clinical directors in Western Australia's public teaching hospitals." Curtin University of Technology, Graduate School of Business, 2008. http://espace.library.curtin.edu.au:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=115896.
Full textAbstract:
The management of healthcare has changed dramatically over the past two decades. Such change has not just been in the way medicine is practiced, but also in the way the health dollar is spent. Hospitals have found themselves under constant and increasing pressure to not only reduce costs in relative terms, but also at the same time, provide new and expanded services. These pressures caused hospitals worldwide to closely examine the means by which they met the demands that were placed upon them (Royal Perth Hospital, 1994a; Asay and Maciariello, 1991). One common response was to embrace New Public Management strategies, such as devolved management. That is, to place the responsibility for managing diminishing health care resources, into the hands of those who use them the most - doctors (Chantler, 1993). To achieve this many hospitals adopted organisational structures known as clinical directorates (Chantler, 1993). Following international trends, the clinical directorate model was adopted by all of Western Australia’s public teaching hospitals in the mid 1990s. The belief was that by devolving hospital management to doctors, the clinical knowledge they possess will lead to improved clinical outcomes through the better allocation of resources. From the perceptions of Clinical Directors, Chief Executives, Nurse Managers, Business Managers and Department Heads, this research has developed a model, termed the Clinical Director Efficiency and Effectiveness (CD2E) model, that describes the dimensions of efficiency and effectiveness of Clinical Directors in the Western Australian public teaching hospital context.The model proposes that there are three perceived dimensions of efficient and effective clinical directorship. They are: those that are brought to the role by doctors and governed by the health environment in which they develop (Domain Knowledge and Skills), those that are learned (Business Skills) and those that are innate (Personal Attributes). The three perceived dimensions consist of nine components. ‘Domain Knowledge and Skills’ comprise clinical expertise, peer influence, political expertise and environment knowledge. ‘Business Skills’ comprise financial management, strategic management and human resource management. ‘Personal Attributes’ comprise commitment and participation, and communication. The CD2E model not only describes the perceived dimensions of efficiency and effectiveness, it also outlines those dimensions that are brought to the role of a Clinical Director by the medical profession and those areas where there are perceived deficiencies. Whilst the final CD2E model can be used to assist in developing and selecting future Clinical Directors who are more appropriately equipped to improve healthcare delivery within Western Australia, the literature suggests that the model also has features which are common and applicable to other health environments.
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Walsh, Fiona Jane. "To hunt and to hold : Martu Aboriginal people's uses and knowledge of their country, with implications for co-management in Karlamilyi (Rudall River) National Park and the Great Sandy Desert, Western Australia." University of Western Australia. School of Plant Biology, 2009. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0127.
Full textAbstract:
[Truncated abstract] This ethnoecological study examines land uses by modern Martu Aboriginal people on their country. They occupy very remote settlementsParnngurr, Punmu and Kunawarritjiin the Great and Little Sandy Deserts. In 1990, their country included Crown Lands and Rudall River National Park. The study investigated the proposition that the knowledge and practices of Martu were of direct relevance to ecosystem processes and national park management. This research commenced in the wider Australian research context of the late 1980s early 90s when prevailing questions were about the role of customary harvest within contemporary Aboriginal society (Altman 1987; Devitt 1988) and the sustainability of species-specific harvests by Australian indigenous people (Bomford & Caughley 1996). Separately, there was a national line of enquiry into Aboriginal roles in natural resource and protected area management (Williams & Hunn 1986; Birckhead et al. 1992). The field work underpinning this study was done in 19861988 and quantitative data collected in 1990 whilst the researcher lived on Martu settlements. Ethnographic information was gathered from informal discussions, semi-structured interviews and participant observation on trips undertaken by Martu. A variety of parameters was recorded for each trip in 1990. On trips accompanied by the researcher, details on the plant and animal species collected were quantified. Martu knowledge and observations of Martu behaviour are interpreted in terms of the variety of land uses conducted and transport strategies including vehicle use; the significance of different species collected; socio-economic features of bush food collection; spatio-temporal patterns of foraging; and, the 'management' of species and lands by Martu. The research found that in 1990, hunting and gathering were major activities within the suite of land uses practiced by Martu. At least 40% of trips from the settlements were principally to hunt. More than 43 animal species and 37 plant food species were reported to be collected during the study; additionally, species were gathered for firewood, medicines and timber artefacts. Customary harvesting persisted because of the need for sustenance, particularly when there were low store supplies, as well as other reasons. The weight of bush meats hunted at least equalled and, occasionally, was three times greater than the weights of store meats available to Parnngurr residents. ... Paradoxically, hunting was a subject of significant difference despite it being the principal activity driving Martu expertise and practice. There is potential for comanagement in the National Park but it remains contingent on many factors between both Martu and DEC as well as external to them. The dissertation suggests practical strategies to enhance co-management.
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Meyer, Paula. "Will the show go on? a marketing concept analysis of the management effectiveness of agricultural show societies in Australia /." View thesis, 2008. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/35888.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (M. Commerce (Hons.)) -- University of Western Sydney, 2008.A thesis submitted to the University of Western Sydney, College of Business, School of Marketing, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Commerce (Honours). Includes bibliographical references.
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au, jporsini@bigpond net, and Jean-Paul Orsini. "Human impacts on Australian sea lions, Neophoca cinerea, hauled out on Carnac Island (Perth, Western Australia): implications for wildlife and tourism management." Murdoch University, 2004. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20040520.154341.
Full textAbstract:
Over the last 15 years, pinniped tourism has experienced a rapid growth in the Southern Hemisphere, and particularly in Australia and New Zealand where at least four sites attract more than 100,000 visitors per year. Tourism focused on the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), a protected species endemic to Australia, occurs in at least nine sites in South Australia and Western Australia. Australian sea lions haul out on several offshore islands in the Perth region.
Carnac Island Nature Reserve is one of the main sites where people can view sea lions near Perth, either during recreational activities or on commercial tours.
This study sought: (1) to investigate the potential impact of human visitors on Australian sea lions hauled out on Carnac Island, (2) to consider implications of the results for the management of Carnac Island Nature Reserve, and (3) to examine under which conditions tourism and recreation around sea lions can be sustained in the long term.
Sea lion numbers, rate of return to the site, behavioural response to human presence and incidents of disturbances of sea lions by visitors were recorded over a period of four months on Carnac Island. A survey of 207 visitors was also carried out.
Findings indicated that there were two main types of human impacts on the sea lions:
A specific state of sea lion vigilance induced by low level, but ongoing, repetitive disturbances from human presence, sustained at various approach distances ranging to more than 15 m, vigilance that is different from the behaviour profile observed in the absence of human disturbance,
Impacts resulting from incidental direct disturbances of sea lions by visitors from inappropriate human recreational activities or from visitors trying to elicit a more active sea lion response than the usual sleeping or resting behaviour on display; these impacts included sea lions retreating and leaving the beach, or displaying aggressive behaviour.
Impacts on sea lions from these disturbances may range from a potential sea lion physiological stress response to sea lions leaving the beach, a reduction in the time sea lions spend hauling out, and, in the longer term, the risk of sea lions abandoning the site altogether. Repeated instances of visitors (including unsupervised young children) approaching sea lions at very short distances of less than 2.5 m represented a public safety risk.
Results also indicated that (1) the numbers of sea lions hauled out and their rate of return to the beach did not appear to be affected by an increase in the level of human visitation (although longer-term studies would be required to confirm this result); and (2) there appeared to be a high turnover rate of sea lions at the site from day to day, suggesting that there are frequent arrivals and departures of sea lions to and from Carnac Island.
The visitor survey indicated that many visitors to Carnac Island had a recreational focus that was not primarily directed towards sea lion viewing (incidental ecotourists). Although many visitors witnessed incidental disturbance caused by humans to sea lions, they did not seem to recognise that they themselves could disturb sea lions through their mere presence. Visitors also seemed to have a limited awareness of the safety risk posed by sea lions at close range. Visitors expressed support for the presence of a volunteer ranger on the beach and for more on-site information about sea lions. Finally, visitors indicated that they greatly valued their sea lion viewing experience. It is anticipated that the continued increase in visitation to Carnac Island from recreation and from tourism will result in intensified competition for space between humans and sea lions. Long-term impacts of human disturbances on sea lions are unknown, but a physiological stress response and/or the abandonment of haulout sites has been observed in other pinniped species.
The findings of this study highlight the need to implement a long-term strategy to reduce disturbance levels of sea lions by visitors at Carnac Island to ensure that tourism and recreation around sea lions can be sustained in the long term. Recommendations include measures to control visitor numbers on the island through an equitable allocation system between various user groups, the development of on-site sea lion interpretation and a public education and awareness program, the setting up of a Sea Lion Sanctuary Zone on the main beach, ongoing monitoring of sea lion and visitor numbers and other data, and a system of training and accreditation of guides employed by tour operators.
37
Orsini, Jean-Paul. "Human impacts on Australian sea lions, Neophoca cinerea, hauled out on Carnac Island (Perth, Western Australia) : implications for wildlife and tourism management /." Orsini, Jean-Paul (2004) Human impacts on Australian sea lions, Neophoca cinerea, hauled out on Carnac Island (Perth, Western Australia): implications for wildlife and tourism management. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2004. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/238/.
Full textAbstract:
Over the last 15 years, pinniped tourism has experienced a rapid growth in the Southern Hemisphere, and particularly in Australia and New Zealand where at least four sites attract more than 100,000 visitors per year. Tourism focused on the Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea), a protected species endemic to Australia, occurs in at least nine sites in South Australia and Western Australia. Australian sea lions haul out on several offshore islands in the Perth region.
Carnac Island Nature Reserve is one of the main sites where people can view sea lions near Perth, either during recreational activities or on commercial tours.
This study sought: (1) to investigate the potential impact of human visitors on Australian sea lions hauled out on Carnac Island, (2) to consider implications of the results for the management of Carnac Island Nature Reserve, and (3) to examine under which conditions tourism and recreation around sea lions can be sustained in the long term.
Sea lion numbers, rate of return to the site, behavioural response to human presence and incidents of disturbances of sea lions by visitors were recorded over a period of four months on Carnac Island. A survey of 207 visitors was also carried out.
Findings indicated that there were two main types of human impacts on the sea lions:
* A specific state of sea lion vigilance induced by low level, but ongoing, repetitive disturbances from human presence, sustained at various approach distances ranging to more than 15 m, vigilance that is different from the behaviour profile observed in the absence of human disturbance,
* Impacts resulting from incidental direct disturbances of sea lions by visitors from inappropriate human recreational activities or from visitors trying to elicit a more 'active' sea lion response than the usual 'sleeping or resting' behaviour on display; these impacts included sea lions retreating and leaving the beach, or displaying aggressive behaviour.
Impacts on sea lions from these disturbances may range from a potential sea lion physiological stress response to sea lions leaving the beach, a reduction in the time sea lions spend hauling out, and, in the longer term, the risk of sea lions abandoning the site altogether. Repeated instances of visitors (including unsupervised young children) approaching sea lions at very short distances of less than 2.5 m represented a public safety risk.
Results also indicated that (1) the numbers of sea lions hauled out and their rate of return to the beach did not appear to be affected by an increase in the level of human visitation (although longer-term studies would be required to confirm this result); and (2) there appeared to be a high turnover rate of sea lions at the site from day to day, suggesting that there are frequent arrivals and departures of sea lions to and from Carnac Island.
The visitor survey indicated that many visitors to Carnac Island had a recreational focus that was not primarily directed towards sea lion viewing ('incidental ecotourists'). Although many visitors witnessed incidental disturbance caused by humans to sea lions, they did not seem to recognise that they themselves could disturb sea lions through their mere presence. Visitors also seemed to have a limited awareness of the safety risk posed by sea lions at close range. Visitors expressed support for the presence of a volunteer ranger on the beach and for more on-site information about sea lions. Finally, visitors indicated that they greatly valued their sea lion viewing experience. It is anticipated that the continued increase in visitation to Carnac Island from recreation and from tourism will result in intensified competition for space between humans and sea lions. Long-term impacts of human disturbances on sea lions are unknown, but a physiological stress response and/or the abandonment of haulout sites has been observed in other pinniped species.
The findings of this study highlight the need to implement a long-term strategy to reduce disturbance levels of sea lions by visitors at Carnac Island to ensure that tourism and recreation around sea lions can be sustained in the long term. Recommendations include measures to control visitor numbers on the island through an equitable allocation system between various user groups, the development of on-site sea lion interpretation and a public education and awareness program, the setting up of a Sea Lion Sanctuary Zone on the main beach, ongoing monitoring of sea lion and visitor numbers and other data, and a system of training and accreditation of guides employed by tour operators.
38
Kenna, Therese E. "Private community? the lived experiences of privatism and community in the development and management of a private residential estate in Sydney, Australia /." View thesis, 2009. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/43635.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2009.A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Social Sciences, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographies.
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Johnston, Louise C. "The relevance of strategic human resource management (SHRM) for the growing small business." University of Western Australia. Graduate School of Management, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2008.0111.
Full textAbstract:
[Truncated abstract] The commercial developments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries have come to signify profound and far-reaching change in the way that goods and services are designed, produced, marketed and delivered to customers in the world's international and domestic markets. In order to respond to a more intensively competitive trading environment that demands ever-increasing levels of product quality, customer service, organisational efficiency and business performance, the management of business entities has undergone fundamental alteration in form and content. It is within this context that two traditionally disparate business disciplines have emerged to play an important role in the new economic commercial order, that of small business management and that of Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM). Historically eclipsed by the large and powerful mass-producing corporations, the small business sector has been more recently viewed as playing an increasingly prominent part in the creation of national and regional prosperity within the developed countries. The unprecedented interest in smaller firms and the desire to see them fulfill their economic and social potential have resulted in legislative reform and widespread initiatives by governments and other institutions designed to support and protect the smaller operators in their commercial endeavours. Similarly, in the post-industrial knowledge economy people have risen in prominence over other organisational resources as a key source of competitive commercial advantage. The role of intellectual capital in securing business success has fuelled the development of management technology and methods designed to enhance the contribution of human resources to business performance. Heralded by many as the defining managerial approach for enterprises that wish to build sustainable competitive advantage in the markets of today and the future, SHRM has come to the fore as a means to re-evaluate the importance of human contribution to business outcomes and guide management practice in leveraging the latent potential of a company's human assets. ... In general, the management of business strategy was found to possess low levels of structure and formality, effectively merging into the collective activities associated with owning and operating a small business. Similarly, when compared with the key elements of a strategic human resource management framework constructed specifically for this study, the data indicated that the strategic management of people is prevalent in smaller firms but that this again represents only partial adoption of normative models as commonly promoted for the larger business management context. It was concluded that the theoretical principles and concepts of SHRM demonstrate relevance for small companies on account of the status of the contemporary external commercial environment in which they must compete as well as the range of managerial benefits associated with strategic methodology and practice. However, currently there exist no suitable models of practice with supporting guidelines that respond to the unique contextual and operational needs and experiences typical of smaller firm owner-managers.
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Underwood, Jim. "Routine and rare genetic connections in corals off northwest Australia and the implications for conservation." University of Western Australia. School of Animal Biology, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2008.0158.
Full textAbstract:
[Truncated abstract] The extent to which marine populations are connected by larval dispersal is crucial to their distribution, maintenance and diversity. Thus, for the effective conservation of threatened systems such as coral reefs, understanding patterns of connectivity is essential. However, the biophysical mechanisms that retain or disperse larvae within and among populations are poorly understood. Though the open ocean environment provides the opportunity for long-distance dispersal, if this potential is only rarely realised, recruits produced from afar are unlikely to contribute to the local-scale demography of populations over ecological time frames, but will limit broad-scale genetic diversification over evolutionary time. This thesis explores the extent of genetic and demographic connectivity of two species of reef-building corals over a range of spatial scales among the discontinuous reef systems of northwest Australia. ... Putative source and sink dynamics were not random, but were associated with levels of disturbance and recovery from a recent and catastrophic coral bleaching. When S. hystrix samples from another two offshore systems were included in the analysis, large differences among systems showed that gene flow over hundreds of kilometres is rare over microevolutionary time scales that account for connections over multiple generations. Levels of subdivision over the same spatial scales were markedly lower in the acroporid coral, Acropora tenuis, than in S. hystrix. These results are congruent with expectations based on reproductive mode; in contrast to S. hystrix, which releases brooded larvae that are competent to settle immediately, A. tenuis broadcasts its gametes, and after external fertilisation, the larvae need to develop for several days before they are competent to settle. Despite the differences in levels of broad-scale subdivision, in both species significant differentiation was detected between reefs within systems (>10 km), and between sites within some reefs (< 10 km). These results indicate not only that dispersal between reefs and even some reef patches is restricted, but also that hydrodynamics influence retention of brooded and spawned larvae in similar ways. Further analysis of A. tenuis populations from two coastal systems detected significant differences in genetic diversity among the four major systems of northwest Australia. Additionally, genetic divergence between the coastal and offshore zones was greater than expected by the geographic separation of systems, indicating that connectivity between these zones via transport of A. tenuis larvae on oceanic currents occurs rarely even over microevolutionary time scales. This study has two primary implications for conservation. First, since coastal and offshore reefs of northwest Australia appear to be discrete genetic entities, they have independent evolutionary potential to adapt to local conditions and environmental change. Second, systems, reefs and some reef patches of northwest Australia are demographically independent units. Therefore, designs of coral reserve networks should consider routine dispersal distances of kilometres to a few tens of kilometres.
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Worth, David John. "Reconciliation in the forest? : an exploration of the conflict over the logging of native forests in the south west of Western Australia." Murdoch University, 2004. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20040804.161830.
Full textAbstract:
Over the past 30 years in Western Australia (WA), there has been a heated debate about the future use of the remaining temperate old-growth forests of karri and jarrah in the south-west of the State. This debate revolved around policy proposals from two social movements: one social movement wanted to preserve as much of the remaining old-growth forests as possible, and an opposing social movement supported a continued sustainable logging of the forests for hardwood products. This research project undertook a comparative case study analysis of Australia (TCA) on the pro-logging side and Liberals For Forests (LFF) on the anti-logging side. It drew on a macro-level European theoretical approach (New Social Movement theory) and a US organizational approach (Resource Mobilisation Theory). The study also investigated the extent to which these two social movement organisations (SMOs) had been effective in
Over the past 30 years in Western Australia (WA), there has been a heated debate about the future use of the remaining temperate old-growth forests of karri and jarrah in the south-west of the State. This debate revolved around policy proposals from two social movements: one social movement wanted to preserve as much of the remaining old-growth forests as possible, and an opposing social movement supported a continued sustainable logging of the forests for hardwood products. This research project undertook a comparative case study
analysis of one WA organisation from each of these two social movements- Timber Communities Australia (TCA) on the pro-logging side and Liberals For Forests (LFF) on the anti-logging side. It drew on a macro-level European theoretical approach (New Social Movement theory) and a US organizational approach (Resource Mobilisation Theory). The study also investigated the extent to which these two social movement organisations (SMOs) had been effective in influencing the development of State forest policy. For this purpose Schumakers (1975) framework for judging the political effectiveness of social movements was used. The key research problem investigated in this thesis is why these two SMOs continued to debate the forest policy issue after more than 30 years of public controversy?
Interviews with a key range of stakeholders were the key research method of this study. Additionally, an investigation into important economic and social changes in the south west was undertaken using census and other data between 1971 and 2001 and this was supported by an historical analysis of the timber industry in WAs south west. Finally, a 3-year study of the reporting of forest issues by two local and one national newspaper was completed. The 1998-2000 period was chosen for the newspaper analysis as this was when the new Regional Forest Agreement was being finalised.
This research shows that new values toward the old-growth forests developed among the WA public over the past 30 years and this has created an unbridgeable policy gap between those such as the TCA who wanted the past policies to continue and those such as the LFF who wanted to preserve the remaining native forests. ABS data confirm that the south-west region of WA changed dramatically between 1970 and 2000 as the wine and tourism industries developed and that these changes were different to those occurring in the other wine regions and non-city areas of Australia. As the population increased in this region, a key segment attracted by these new employment opportunities were middle class, well-educated people with new values toward the natural environment.
The interview and newspaper article data clearly showed that the debate in WA in the late 1990s over the proposed RFA provided a new political opportunity for the anti-logging movement to raise their concerns and to establish a renewed public debate about the appropriateness of the WA forest policies. This came at a time when the traditional policy power of the timber industry stakeholders and the government department in charge of the forests (Conservation And Land Management) had been dramatically diminished. The combination of these factors led to the election of the new ALP government and the introduction of a new, non-logging policy for WAs old-growth native forests.
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Dixon, John. "The reform of the Australian Public Service : commercialisation and its implications for public management education /." View thesis, 1995. http://library.uws.edu.au/adt-NUWS/public/adt-NUWS20030818.114628/index.html.
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Omari, Maryam. "Towards dignity and respect at work an exploration of bullying in the public sector /." Connect to this title online, 2007. http://adt.ecu.edu.au/adt-public/adt-ECU2007.0005/01front-Omari,M.pdf.
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Mamouni, Limnios Elena Alexandra. "Incorporating complex systems dynamics in sustainability assessment frameworks : enhanced prediction and management of socio-ecological systems performance." University of Western Australia. Faculty of Business, 2008. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2009.0012.
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[Truncated abstract] The application of reductionism, breaking down problems to simpler components that can be solved and then aggregating the results, is one of the bases of classical science. However, living organisms, ecosystems, social and economic structures are complex systems, characterised by non-linear interactions between their elements and exhibit emergent properties that are not directly traceable to their components. Sustainability assessment frameworks oversimplify system interactions, achieving limited predictive capacity and causing managerial behavior that may reduce system's ability to adapt to external disturbance. Intrigued by the importance of complexity, we explore the central theme of how complex thinking can influence the understanding and progress towards sustainability. The purpose is to conceptualize the relationship of key terms (such as sustainability, functionality and resilience), and consecutively develop new or adjust existing sustainability frameworks to take into account complex systems interactions. We aim at developing theory and frameworks that can be used to raise awareness of the pitfalls of the growth paradigm and direct towards modest positions when managing complex systems. We seek to define the structural elements that influence system adaptive capacity, allowing identification of early signs of system rigidity or vulnerability and the development of knowledge and techniques that can improve our predictive and managerial ability. The focus has been on a variety of system scales and dynamics. At the collective community level, a number of stakeholder engagement practices and frameworks are currently available. However, there is limited awareness of the complexity challenges among stakeholders, who are commonly directed to a triple bottom line analysis aiming at maximizing a combination of outputs. An attempt is conducted to measure the functionality of the processes underlying a standing stock, in contrast to sustainability measures that only assess the variations of the standing stock itself. We develop the Index of Sustainable Functionality (ISF), a framework for the assessment of complex systems interactions within a large-scale geographic domain and apply it to the State of Western Australia. '...' Finally, we focus on smaller systems scales and develop a methodology for the calculation of Product Ecological Footprint (PEF) including elements from the accounting method of activity based costing. We calculate PEF for three apple production systems and identify significant differences from first stage calculations within the same industry. Cross-industry application will provide a practical way to link individuals' consumption with their ecological impact, reduce misperceptions of products' ecological impacts and develop a market-driven approach to internalizing environmental externalities. At the firm level PEF can be compared with investment costs, resulting in the opportunity to optimize both functions of financial cost and ecological impact in decision making. We have developed methods for incorporating complexity in sustainability assessment frameworks. Further work is required in testing and validating these methodologies at multiple system scales and conditions. Integrating such tools in decision making mechanisms will enhance long-term management of socioecological systems performance.
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Huber, Anita. "Internal mixing in a mine lake." University of Western Australia. School of Environmental Systems Engineering, 2007. http://theses.library.uwa.edu.au/adt-WU2007.0103.
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[Truncated abstract] Mine lakes are a water body created after an open-cut mine ceases operating. The lakes develop in the former mine-pit due to the combination of groundwater inflow, surface run-off and, in some cases, due to rapid filling from river diversion. While potentially valuable water resources, these lakes often have poor water quality and managing the water body is an important part of the overall process of mine site rehabilitation. As mine lakes form in man-made pits, they have a bathymetry that is typically quite distinct from natural lakes and this can, in turn, strongly influence the hydrodynamics and hence the water quality of the water body. Despite the potential importance of these water bodies, there have been very few studies on the hydrodynamics of mine lakes. This study describes a field investigation of the hydrodynamics of a former coal mine lake, Lake Kepwari, in south-western Western Australia. In particular, this study examines the hydrodynamic processes in both the surface mixing layers and the internal mixing in the density stratified lake. Wind sheltering in the surface mixing layer occurs due to the presence of the steep walls and lake embankments. A week long field experiment was conducted in December 2003 using a combination of moored thermistor chains with meteorological stations and the deployment of rapid vertical profiling turbulent microstructure instruments and CTD drops from two boats operating on the lake. ... Simulations indicated that inclusion of a site specific sheltering effect, based on the results of the field campaign, significantly improved the models‘ performance in capturing the surface mixed layer deepening associated with episodic strong wind events that occur on the lake. Considerable internal mixing was indicated by the high dissipation rates observed, particularly near the boundaries. Large basin-wide diffusivities were also calculated from the heat budget method over long periods, showed a consistency with time, and were slightly higher in summer than during the Autumn Winter period. Although light, there are persistent winds over the lake and yet little basin-scale internal wave activity or seiching. It is hypothesized that any seiching motion was rapidly damped by strong mixing over the hydraulically rough bathymetry bathymetry created by the remnant benches from the open cut mining operation itself. This boundary mixing, in turn, drives secondary relaxation currents that transport mixed fluid from the boundaries to the interior, resulting in high effective basin-wide diffusivities. A simple boundary mixing model is proposed to describe this process.
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Walker, Roz. "Transformative strategies in Indigenous education a study of decolonisation and positive social change." Click here for electronic access, 2004. http://adt.caul.edu.au/homesearch/get/?mode=advanced&format=summary&nratt=2&combiner0=and&op0=ss&att1=DC.Identifier&combiner1=and&op1=-sw&prevquery=OR%28REL%28SS%3BDC.Identifier%3Buws.edu.au%29%2CREL%28WD%3BDC.Relation%3BNUWS%29%29&att0=DC.Title&val0=Transformative+strategies+in+indigenous+education+&val1=NBD%3A.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Western Sydney, 2004.Title from electronic document (viewed 15/6/10) Presented for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, University of Western Sydney, 2004. Includes bibliography.
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Ru, Ying Jun. "The influence of cultivar variation on the potential productivity of swards of subterranean clover when utilised by grazing animals / by Yingjun Ru." 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/18931.
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Bibliography: leaves 144-163.xv, 163 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm.
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
This thesis examines genetic variation in growth rate and growth form among subterranean clover cultivars in winter. The effect of plant density and sowing time on growth rate and sward structure of subterranean clover in winter and the impact of grazing intensity on morphology and nutritive value of subterranean clover is studied. It explores also genetic variation in the nutritive value of subterranean clover.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Agronomy and Farming Systems, 1997
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Chaichi, Mohammad Reza. "Grazing management of annual medic pastures / by Mohammad Reza Chaichi." 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/18733.
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Bibliography: leaves 300-321.xiii, 321 leaves [11] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm.
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
This thesis aims to extend knowledge and understanding of the seed-seedling dynamics and productivity of annual Medicago pastures. In particular this study concentrates on the impact of grazing by sheep on Medicago pasture herbage and seed production and sheep body weight gains.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Depts. of Agronomy and Farming Systems and Plant Science, 1997
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Ireland, Carolyn. "Sustaining the western myall woodlands : ecology and management / by Carolyn Ireland." 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/18893.
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Bibliography: leaves 227-244.xiv, 244 leaves : ill.[some col.], maps ; 30 cm.
Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library.
This study is conceived to address various aspects of western myall (Acacia papyrocarpa Benth) recruitment, lifespan, distribution and the effects of major vertebrates on the species' ecology over the major part of its range in South Australia. A study of the population dynamics of the species is done to assess the adequacy of net recruitment. Population structure is examined across the woodlands. The new concept of "fossil paddocks" is adopted to investigate the historical impact of introduced herbivores on the landscape.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Environmental Science and Rangeland Management, 1997
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Latta, Roy A. (Roy Alexander). "Improving medic pastures in pasture-wheat rotations in the Mallee district of North-Western Victoria." 1994. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09A/09al364.pdf.
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