Poor adoption of ley-pastures in south-west Queensland: biophysical, economic and social constraints.

The present review identifies various constraints relating to poor adoption of ley-pastures in south-west Queensland, and suggests changes in research, development and extension efforts for improved adoption. The constraints include biophysical, economic and social constraints. In terms of biophysical constraints, first, shallower soil profiles with subsoil constraints (salt and sodicity), unpredictable rainfall, drier conditions with higher soil temperature and evaporative demand in summer, and frost and subzero temperature in winter, frequently result in a failure of established, or establishing, pastures. Second, there are limited options for legumes in a ley-pasture, with the legumes currently being mostly winter-active legumes such as lucerne and medics. Winter-active legumes are ineffective in improving soil conditions in a region with summer-dominant rainfall. Third, most grain growers are reluctant to include grasses in their ley-pasture mix, which can be uneconomical for various reasons, including nitrogen immobilisation, carryover of cereal diseases and depressed yields of the following cereal crops. Fourth, a severe depletion of soil water following perennial ley-pastures (grass + legumes or lucerne) can reduce the yields of subsequent crops for several seasons, and the practice of longer fallows to increase soil water storage may be uneconomical and damaging to the environment. Economic assessments of integrating medium- to long-term ley-pastures into cropping regions are generally less attractive because of reduced capital flow, increased capital investment, economic loss associated with establishment and termination phases of ley-pastures, and lost opportunities for cropping in a favourable season. Income from livestock on ley-pastures and soil productivity gains to subsequent crops in rotation may not be comparable to cropping when grain prices are high. However, the economic benefits of ley-pastures may be underestimated, because of unaccounted environmental benefits such as enhanced water use, and reduced soil erosion from summer-dominant rainfall, and therefore, this requires further investigation. In terms of social constraints, the risk of poor and unreliable establishment and persistence, uncertainties in economic and environmental benefits, the complicated process of changing from crop to ley-pastures and vice versa, and the additional labour and management requirements of livestock, present growers socially unattractive and complex decision-making processes for considering adoption of an existing medium- to long-term ley-pasture technology. It is essential that research, development and extension efforts should consider that new ley-pasture options, such as incorporation of a short-term summer forage legume, need to be less risky in establishment, productive in a region with prevailing biophysical constraints, economically viable, less complex and highly flexible in the change-over processes, and socially attractive to growers for adoption in south-west Queensland.

An exploratory investigation of the practice of assessment for learning in Vietnamese higher education: Three case studies of lecturers' practice

In response to limited research conducted on the practice of assessment for learning (AfL) in higher education and in Asian educational settings, this qualitative study, using sociocultural theories of learning and a multiple case study approach, investigates how AfL was implemented by three lecturers in one Vietnamese university. Findings revealed that the lecturers engaged with AfL principles and practices to some extent. However, despite the lecturers' significant efforts, Vietnamese sociocultural factors such as respect for harmony, hierarchy, and examination-oriented learning, impacted on their practice of AfL. This study therefore argues that AfL requires adaptation for it to be effective in the Vietnamese tertiary context.

Impacts of grazing management options on pasture and animal productivity in a Heteropogon contortus (black speargrass) pasture in central Queensland. 2. Population dynamics of Heteropogon contortus and Stylosanthes scabra cv. Seca.

The dynamics of Heteropogon contortus and Stylosanthes scabra cv. Seca populations were studied in a subset of treatments in an extensive grazing study conducted in central Queensland between 1988 and 2001. These treatments were 4 stocking rates in native pasture and 2 of these stocking rates in legume oversown and supplement/spring burning treatments. For the 1999-2000 summer, population data for H. contortus in 5 of these native pasture and supplement/burning treatments were compared with those for an additional burnt treatment. Seasonal rainfall throughout this study was below the long-term mean and mean annual pasture utilisation ranged from 24 to 61%. Increasing stocking rate from 5 to 2 ha/steer in native pasture reduced H. contortus plant density. Increasing stocking rate reduced seedling recruitment as a result of its effect on soil seedbanks. Seedling recruitment was the major determinant of change in plant density, although some individual H. contortus plants did survive throughout the study. Burning in spring 1999, particularly at light stocking rate, promoted seedling recruitment above that in both unburnt native and legume oversown pasture and resulted in increased H. contortus plant density. In the legume oversown treatments, S. scabra cv. Seca density increased rapidly from 15 plants/m2 in 1988 to 140 plants/m2 in 2001 following a lag phase between 1988 and 1993. This increased S. scabra density was associated with an eventual decline in H. contortus plant density through reduced seedling recruitment. It was concluded that H. contortus population density is sustainable at stocking rates of 4 and 5 ha/steer (30% pasture utilisation) and that spring burning at light stocking rate can promote H. contortus populations. Increasing densities of S. scabra need to be managed to prevent its dominance.

Unsteady laminar compressible stagnation-point boundary-layer flow over a three-dimensional body: Higher order effects

The unsteady laminar compressible three-dimensional stagnation-point boundary-layer flow with variable properties has been studied when the velocity of the incident stream, mass transfer and wall temperature vary arbitrarily with time. The second-order unsteady boundary-layer equations for all the effects have been derived by using the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Both nodal and saddle point flows as well as cold and hot wall cases have been considered. The partial differential equations governing the flow have been solved numerically using an implicit finite-difference scheme. Computations have been carried out for an accelerating stream, a decelerating stream and a fluctuating stream. The results indicate that the unsteady free stream velocity distributions, the nature of the stagnation point, the mass transfer, the wall temperature and the variation of the density-viscosity product across the boundary significantly affect the skin friction and heat transfer. The variation of the wall temperature with time strongly affects the heat transfer whereas its effect is comparatively less on skin friction. Suction increases the skin friction and heat transfer but injection does the opposite. The skin friction in the x direction due to the combined effects of first- and second-order boundary layers is less than the skin-friction in the x direction due to the first-order boundary layers for all the parameters. The overall skin friction in the z direction and heat transfer are more or less than the first-order boundary layers depending upon the values of the various parameters.

Improving productivity in mixed-species plantations.

A workshop held in Ballina (NSW, Australia) during 5–7 August 2005 in association with the XXII IUFRO World Congress, sought to quantify the potential of mixtures to sustain and enhance the growth and productivity, soil fertility, tree and stand health, wood quality, and economics of polyculture plantations. Participants were specifically asked to address whether demonstrable productivity gains in mixed-species plantations, compared with monoculture plantations, could make mixtures a commercially attractive option. We specifically sought to attract presentations addressing the operational challenges of making mixed-species plantations practical and successful, and attracted representatives from several industrial plantation agencies.

Selecting hardwood taxa for wood and fibre production in Queensland's subtropics.

Optimal matching of species to sites is required for a sustainable hardwood plantation industry in the subtropics. This paper reports the performance and adaptation of 60 taxa (species, provenances and hybrids) across two rainfall zones and a range of soil types in southern Queensland. Specifically, performance of taxa is compared across five replicated taxon–site matching trials at age 6 y. Three trials are in a 1000-mm y–1 rainfall zone of the Wide Bay region near Miriam Vale and two in a drier (about 750 mm y–1) rainfall zone near Kingaroy in the South Burnett region. In the higher-rainfall zone, the taxa with the fastest growth in the three trials at age 6 y were Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata Woondum provenance, which ranked 1st, 6th and 5th respectively; E. longirostrata Coominglah provenance, ranked 3rd, 2nd and 3rd; and two sources of E. grandis, Copperlode provenance (ranked 4th and 1st) and SAPPI seed orchard (ranked 6th and 4th), which were planted in only two of the three trials. Similarly, in the lower-rainfall zone, E. grandis and its hybrids appear promising from the 6-y growth data., This excellent early growth, however, has not continued in either rainfall zone, with these taxa, 8 y after planting, now showing signs of stress and mortality. Based on trial results in these two rainfall zones, the taxon that appears the most promising for sustainable plantation development with high average annual volume index values and low incidence of borer attack is Corymbia citriodora subsp. variegata (6.7 m³ ha–1). Eucalyptus grandis and E. longirostrata both have better average annual volume indexes (8.2 m³ ha–1 and 7.4 m³ ha–1 respectively) but are very susceptible to borer attack. The current and long-term productivity and sustainability of plantation forestry in these rainfall zones is discussed. Further, the implications of predicted climate change (particularly reduced rainfall) for growing trees for fibre production and carbon sequestration are explored.

Integrated Information and Communication Technology Strategies for Competitive Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific

Developing countries in Asia and the Pacific are rapidly reaching middle income economic status. Their competitive advantage is shifting from labor-intensive industries and natural resource-based economies to knowledge-based economies that innovate and create new products and services. Early adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) can allow countries to leapfrog over the traditional development pathway into production of knowledge-based products and services. Since higher education institutions (HEIs) are considered a primary engine of economic growth, adoption of ICT is imperative for securing competitive advantage. ICT is thought to be one of the fastest growing industries and is frequently heralded as a transforming influence on higher education systems globally and, consequently, is enhancing the competitive advantage of countries. It is increasingly becoming evident that an institution-wide ICT strategy covering all evolving functions of competitive HEIs is necessary. Such a system may be designed as an integrated platform but implemented in phases.

Innovations in Knowledge and Learning for Competitive Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific

Competitive advantage in a knowledge economy is dependent on the ability to innovate and create new knowledge products and services, and to find innovative applications for them. Higher education institutions in Asia and the Pacific, modelled on industrial age thinking that demands excellence in routinized capacities, lack the ability to innovate and create new knowledge enterprises. The transition to a knowledge economy is affecting the purpose, content, pedagogy, and methodologies of higher education. Nontraditional stakeholders such as professional bodies, industry experts, think tanks, research institutes, and field experts/practitioners are now involved not only in planning but in providing higher education services. The traditional model of “knowledge versus skills” is no longer relevant. Higher education programs must consider lived experiences, contextual knowledge, and indigenous knowledge.

Australian Property Institute Inc, Submission to the Productivity Commission on Intellectual Property Arrangements – Issues Paper

This submission responds to the document Intellectual Property Arrangements Issues Paper (Issues Paper) released by the Productivity Commission in October 2015 for public consultation and input by 30 November 2015. The API is grateful for the extension of time granted by the Commission to complete and lodge this submission. The overall need for an inquiry into intellectual property is supported by API. In particular it is noted with approval that the Commission states in its Issues Paper that it is to consider the appropriate balance between “incentives for innovation and investments, and the interests of both individuals and businesses in assessing products”.1 However, API is of the view that intellectual property in the area of real property presents a number of issues which are not fully canvassed in the abovementioned Issues Paper. Intellectual property embedded in valuation and other property-related reports of API members involves the acquisition of information which may possibly be confidential. Yet, when engaged in banks and financial institutions the intellectual property in such valuations and/ or reports is commonly required to be passed to the client bank or financial institution. In the Issues Paper it is proposed that there are seven different forms of intellectual property rights.2 It is the view of API that an eight form exists, namely private agreements. The Issues Paper, however, regards private agreements between firms as alternatives to intellectual property rights. The API considers that “secrecy or confidentiality arrangements”3 as identified in the Issues Paper form a much larger part of the manner in which intellectual property is maintained in Australia for the purposes of trade secrecy or more often, financial confidentiality...

Commercial application of polychaete sand filters for wastewater remediation and broodstock feeds

Summary Prototype sand-worm filtration beds were constructed at two prawn farms and one fish farm to assess and demonstrate their polychaete (marine worm) production and wastewater remediation capacities at semi-commercial scale. Wastewater treatment properties were monitored and worms produced were assessed and either sold for bait or used by the farms’ hatcheries as broodstock (prawn or fish breeder) feed. More than 34 megalitres of prawn- and fish-pond water was beneficially treated in the 116-319-d trial. The design of the polychaete-assisted sand filters (PASFs) constructed at each farm affected their water handling rates, which on average ranged from 315 to 1000 L m-2 d-1 at the three farms. A low profile design incorporating shallow bunded ponds made from polyethylene liner and timber stakes provided the easiest method of construction. This simple design applied at broad scale facilitated the highest quantities of treated water and the greatest worm production. Designs with higher sides increased the head pressure above the sand bed surface, thus increasing the amount of water that could be treated each day. Most water qualities were affected in a similar way to that demonstrated in the previous tank trials: dissolved oxygen, pH, total suspended solids and chlorophyll a levels were all consistently significantly lowered as pond water percolated through the sand bed, and dissolved forms of nitrogen and phosphorus were marginally increased on several occasions. However, unlike the previous smaller-scale tank trials, total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) levels were both significantly lowered by these larger-scale PASFs. The reasons for this are still unclear and require further research. Maximum TN and TP removals detected in the trial were 48.8% and 67.5%, respectively, and average removals (in unfed beds) at the three farms ranged from 20.0 to 27.7% for TN and from 22.8 to 40.8% for TP. Collectively, these results demonstrate the best suspended solids, chlorophyll and macronutrient removal capacities so far reported for any mariculture wastewater treatment methodology to date. Supplemental feeding of PASFs with fish meal was also investigated at one farm as a potential means of increasing their polychaete biomass production. Whilst fed beds produced higher biomass (152 ± 35 g m-2) compared with unfed beds (89 ± 17 g m-2) after 3.7 months of operation, the low number of replicates (2) prevented statistically significant differences from being demonstrated for either growth or survival. At harvest several months later, worm biomass production was estimated to be similar to, or in slight excess of, previously reported production levels (300-400 g m-2). Several qualities of filtered water appear to have been affected by supplemental feeding: it appeared to marginally lower dissolved oxygen and pH levels, and increased the TN and TP levels though not so much to eliminate significant beneficial water treatment effects. Periodic sampling during an artificial-tide demonstrated the tendency for treated-water quality changes during the first hour of filtration. Total nitrogen and ammonia peaked early in the tidal flow and then fell to more stable levels for the remainder of the filtration period. Other dissolved nutrients also showed signs of this sand-bed-flushing pattern, and dissolved oxygen tended to climb during the first hour and become more stable thereafter. These patterns suggest that the routine sampling of treated water undertaken at mid-inflow during the majority of the wider study would likely have overestimated the levels of TN and dissolved nutrients discharged from the beds, and hence underestimated the PASFs treatment efficacies in this regard. Analyses of polychaete biomass collected from each bed in the study revealed that the worms were free from contamination with the main prawn viruses that would create concerns for their feeding to commercial prawn broodstock in Australia. Their documented proximal and nutritional contents also provide a guide for hatchery operators when using live or frozen stock. Their dry matter content ranged from 18.3 to 22.3%, ash ranged from 10.2 to 14.0%, gross energy from 20.2 to 21.5 MJ kg-1, and fat from 5.0 to 9.2%. Their cholesterol levels ranged from 0.86 to 1.03% of dry matter, whilst total phospholipids range from 0.41 to 0.72%. Thirty-one different fatty acids were present at detectable (≥0.005% of dry matter) levels in the sampled worm biomass. Palmitic acid was by far the most prevalent fatty acid detected (1.21 ± 0.18%), followed by eicosapentaenoic (EPA) (0.48 ± 0.03%), stearic (0.46 ± 0.04%), vaccenic (0.38 ± 0.05%), adrenic (0.35 ± 0.02%), docosadienoic (0.28 ± 0.02%), arachidonic (AA) (0.22 ± 0.01%), palmitoleic (0.20 ± 0.04%) and 23 other fatty acids with average contents of less than 0.2% of dry matter. Supplemental feeding with fish meal at one farm appeared to increase the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content of the worms considerably, and modify the average AA : EPA : DHA from 1.0 : 2.7 : 0.3 to 1.0 : 2.0 : 1.1. Consistent with previous results, the three most heavily represented amino acids in the dry matter of sampled worms were glutamic acid (8.5 ± 0.2%), aspartic acid (5.5 ± 0.1%) and glycine (4.9 ± 0.5%). These biomass content results suggest that worms produced in PASF systems are well suited to feeding to prawn and fish broodstock, and provide further strong evidence of the potential to modify their contents for specific nutritional uses. The falling wild-fishery production of marine bloodworms in Queensland is typical of diminishing polychaete resources world-wide and demonstrates the need to develop sustainable production methods here and overseas. PASF systems offer the dual benefits of wastewater treatment for environmental management and increased productivity through a valuable secondary crop grown exclusively on waste nutrients.

Productivity of plantation hardwood tree species in north-eastern Australia: A report from the Forest Adaptation and Sequestration Alliance

The report summarises data from a large number of trials of species with potential for use by the plantation forest industry in north-eastern Australia and provides information aimed at improving the understanding of growth rates, pest and disease risks and carbon sequestration. Data is summarised and presented at a regional level as opposed to individual trial or plot level. As well, nutritional impediments to tree growth and impacts on forest health are also reported. This report is intended to contribute to policy deliberations about developing forestry opportunities that can that can be integrated into the landscape, with particular consideration given to lower rainfall regions. There are several examples in north-eastern Australia where production forests have developed sub-optimally; this has often been due to poor selection of tree species as little information has been available. This report helps address this deficiency.

Treatment of shrimp farm effluent with omnivorous finfish and artificial substrates

Long-term environmental sustainability and community acceptance of the shrimp farming industry in Australia requires on-going development of efficient cost-effective effluent treatment options. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a shrimp farm treatment system containing finfish and vertical artificial substrates (VAS). This was achieved by (1) quantifying the individual and collective effects of grey mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) and VASs on water and sediment quality, and (2) comparing the retention of N in treatment systems with and without the presence of finfish (M. cephalus and the siganid Siganus nebulosus (Quoy & Gaimard)), where light was selectively removed. Artificial substrates were found to significantly improve the settlement of particulate material, regardless of the presence of finfish. Mullet actively resuspended settled solids and reduced the production of nitrate when artificial substrates were absent. However, appreciable nitrification was observed when mullet were present together with artificial substrates. The total quantity of N retained by the mullet was found to be 1.8– 2.4% of the incoming pond effluent N. It was estimated that only 21% of the pond effluent N was available for mullet consumption. When S. nebulosus was added, total finfish N retention increased from 1.8% to 3.9%, N retention by mullet also improved (78±16 to 132±21-mg N day−1 before and after siganid addition respectively). Presence of filamentous macroalgae (Enteromorpha spp.) was found to improve the removal of N from pond effluent relative to treatments where light was excluded. Denitrification was also a significant sink for N (up to 24% N removed). Despite the absence of algal productivity and greater availability of nitrate, denitrification was not higher in treatments where light was excluded. Mullet were found to have no effect on the rates of denitrification but significantly reduced macroalgal growth on the surface of the water. When mullet were absent, excessive macroalgal growth led to reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations and nitrification. This study concludes that the culture of mullet alone in shrimp farm effluent treatment systems does not result in significant retention of N but can contribute to the control of macroalgal biomass. To improve N retention and removal, further work should focus on polyculturing a range of species and also on improving denitrification.

EUF-analysis of tea soils of Southern India and tea productivity

The relationship between EUF extractable nutrients and conventional soil test extractable nutrients in the acid soils of Southern India on one hand and that between EUF values and tea productivity on the other are described. Close correlation exists between EUF-NO3–N at 20°C and CuSO4–Ag2SO4-extractable NO3–N (r=0.98***), EUF-Norg and Morgan's reagent extractable NH4–N (r=0.97***), total EUF-N and CuSO4–Ag2SO4-extractable NO3–N plus Morgan's reagent NH4–N (r=0.96***), EUF-P at 20°C and modified Bray II-P (r=0.93***) and EUF-P at 20°C plus that at 80°C and modified Bray II-P (r=0.91***). The EUF-K at 20°C shows close correlation with NH4OAc–K (r=0.80***), Ag-thiourea-K (r=0.86***) and Morgan's reagent-K (r=0.84***) whereas the EUF-K at 80°C shows close correlation with the difference in K contents of NH4OAc–K and Ag-thiourea-K (r=0.92***) or of NH4OAc–K and Morgan's reagent-K (r=0.93***) and fixed NH4–N (r=0.89***). EUF-Ca, EUF-Mg and EUF-Mn do not show any relationship with conventional soil test values. Tea productivity is strongly associated with EUF-N and EUF-P extracted at 20°C.

Sustaining productivity of tropical red snappers using new monitoring and reference points

OBJECTIVES: 1. Analyse current monitoring and logbook data sets, as well as survey and other information,to establish whether these data provide sufficient power to develop critical indicators of fishery performance. 2. Provide a risk analysis that examines the use of age structure and catch rate information for development of critical indicators, and response rules for those criteria, in the absence of other fishery information. 3. Develop a monitoring program that uses commercial vessels from the fishery to provide independent data.

Increase water use efficiency and productivity, and reduce energy and water usage and costs, of dairy and fodder enterprises, to reduce costs of milk production

Increase water use efficiency and productivity, and reduce energy and water usage and costs, of dairy and fodder enterprises, to reduce costs of milk production.