The use of new generation geosynthetics in water treatment

The importance of clean drinking water in any community is absolutely vital if we as the consumers are to sustain a life of health and wellbeing. Suspended particles in surface waters not only provide the means to transport micro-organisms which can cause serious infections and diseases, they can also affect the performance capacity of a water treatment plant. In such situations pre-treatment ahead of the main plant is recommended. Previous research carried out using non-woven synthetic as a pre-filter materials for protecting slow sand filters from high turbidity showed that filter run times can be extended by several times and filters can be regenerated by simply removing and washing of the fabric ( Mbwette and Graham, 1987 and Mbwette, 1991). Geosynthetic materials have been extensively used for soil retention and dewatering in geotechnical applications and little research exists for the application of turbidity reduction in water treatment. With the development of new materials in geosynthetics today, it was hypothesized that the turbidity removal efficiency can be improved further by selecting appropriate materials. Two different geosynthetic materials (75 micron) tested at a filtration rate of 0.7 m/h yielded 30-45% reduction in turbidity with relatively minor head loss. It was found that the non-woven geotextile Propex 1701 retained the highest performance in both filtration efficiency and head loss across the varying turbidity ranges in comparison to other geotextiles tested. With 5 layers of the Propex 1701 an average percent reduction of approximately 67% was achieved with a head loss average of 4mm over the two and half hour testing period. Using the data collected for the Propex 1701 a mathematical model was developed for predicting the expected percent reduction given the ability to control the cost and as a result the number of layers to be used in a given filtration scenario.

Not drowning, (hand)waving? Molecular phylogenetics, biogeography and evolutionary tempo of the ‘Gondwanan’ midge Stictocladius Edwards (Diptera: Chironomidae)

Many insect clades, especially within the Diptera (true flies), have been considered classically ‘Gondwanan’, with an inference that distributions derive from vicariance of the southern continents. Assessing the role that vicariance has played in the evolution of austral taxa requires testing the location and tempo of diversification and speciation against the well-established predictions of fragmentation of the ancient super-continent. Several early (anecdotal) hypotheses that current austral distributions originate from the breakup of Gondwana derive from studies of taxa within the family Chironomidae (non-biting midges). With the advent of molecular phylogenetics and biogeographic analytical software, these studies have been revisited and expanded to test such conclusions better. Here we studied the midge genus Stictocladius Edwards, from the subfamily Orthocladiinae, which contains austral-distributed clades that match vicariance-based expectations. We resolve several issues of systematic relationships among morphological species and reveal cryptic diversity within many taxa. Time-calibrated phylogenetic relationships among taxa accorded partially with the predicted tempo from geology. For these apparently vagile insects, vicariance-dated patterns persist for South America and Australia. However, as often found, divergence time estimates for New Zealand at c. 50 mya post-date separation of Zealandia from Antarctica and the remainder of Gondwana, but predate the proposed Oligocene ‘drowning’ of these islands. We detail other such ‘anomalous’ dates and suggest a single common explanation rather than stochastic processes. This could involve synchronous establishment following recovery from ‘drowning’ and/or deleteriously warming associated with the mid-Eocene climatic optimum (hence ‘waving’, which refers to cycles of drowning events) plus new availability of topography providing of cool running waters, or all these factors in combination. Alternatively a vicariance explanation remains available, given the uncertain duration of connectivity of Zealandia to Australia–Antarctic–South America via the Lord Howe and Norfolk ridges into the Eocene.

Use of contract models to improve environmental outcomes in transport infrastructure construction

The type of contract model may have a significant influence on achieving project objectives, including environmental and climate change goals. This research investigates non-standard contract models impacting greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in transport infrastructure construction in Australia. The research is based on the analysis of two case studies: an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) contract and a Design and Construct (D&C) contract with GHG reduction requirements embedded in the contractor selection. Main findings support the use of ECIs for better integrating decisions made during the planning phase with the construction activities, and improve environmental outcomes while achieving financial and time savings. Key words: greenhouse gases reduction; road construction; contracting; ECI; D&C

Practical analysis of big acoustic sensor data for environmental monitoring

Monitoring the environment with acoustic sensors is an effective method for understanding changes in ecosystems. Through extensive monitoring, large-scale, ecologically relevant, datasets can be produced that can inform environmental policy. The collection of acoustic sensor data is a solved problem; the current challenge is the management and analysis of raw audio data to produce useful datasets for ecologists. This paper presents the applied research we use to analyze big acoustic datasets. Its core contribution is the presentation of practical large-scale acoustic data analysis methodologies. We describe details of the data workflows we use to provide both citizen scientists and researchers practical access to large volumes of ecoacoustic data. Finally, we propose a work in progress large-scale architecture for analysis driven by a hybrid cloud-and-local production-grade website.

Assessing agronomic and environmental implications of different N fertilisation strategies in subtropical grain cropping systems on Oxisols

A multi-season 15N tracer recovery experiment was conducted on an Oxisol cropped with wheat, maize and sorghum to compare crop N recoveries of different fertilisation strategies and determine the main pathways of N losses that limit N recovery in these agroecosystems. In the wheat and maize seasons, 15N-labelled fertiliser was applied as conventional urea (CONV) and urea coated with a nitrification inhibitor (DMPP). In sorghum, the fate of 15N-labelled urea was monitored in this crop following a legume ley pasture (L70) or a grass ley pasture (G100). The fertiliser N applied to sorghum in the legume-cereal rotation was reduced (70 kg N ha−1) compared to the grass-cereal (100 kg N ha−1) to assess the availability of the N residual from the legume ley pasture. Average crop N recoveries were 73 % (CONV) and 77 % (DMPP) in wheat and 50 % (CONV) and 51 % (DMPP) in maize, while in sorghum were 71 % (L70) and 53 % (G100). Data gathered in this study indicate that the intrinsic physical and chemical conditions of Oxisols can be extremely effective in limiting N losses via deep leaching or denitrification. Elevated crop 15N recoveries can be therefore obtained in subtropical Oxisols using conventional urea while in these agroecosystems DMPP urea has no significant scope to increase fertiliser N recovery in the crop. Overall, introducing a legume phase to limit the fertiliser N requirements of the following cereal crop proved to be the most effective strategy to reduce N losses and increase fertiliser N recovery.

Giving and volunteering in Australia 2014 : Environmental Scan/Literature Review

Giving and Volunteering in Australia: literature review summarises the findings of a comprehensive literature search that identifies relevant research on giving and volunteering in Australia. The report comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the methods used and the lessons that can be learned for the development of a future research agenda. The report arranges the findings in separate sections under the headings government sources, industry sources, university/peer-reviewed sources and international comparative sources. We learned that in the last 25 years there has been a growing body of knowledge about the dimensions of giving and volunteering in Australia, but much of the available data is not easily comparable or collected at regular intervals.

Spinning a sustainable yarn : environmental sustainability and brand story in the Australian fashion industry

In the Australian fashion industry, few fashion brands have intervened in the design of their products or the systems around their product to tackle environmental pollution and waste. Instead, support of charities (whether social or environmental) has become conflated with sustainability in the eyes of the public. Thus it is difficult to assess with any accuracy fashion brands’ response to sustainability. This article aims to address this through proposing a categorization system to structure the various interventions that a company may make. This system is applied to two case studies, analysing campaigns that respond to environmental sustainability by two established Australian brands, Country Road and Billabong. The case studies demonstrate how the interventions employed by a company, at least in the Australian context, are carefully developed to align with their brand story, revealing the interplay between the intangible aspects of a brand’s positioning and the tangible, measurable impacts of their garments.

Reconciliation and Early Childhood Education for Sustainability : Broadening the Environmental Paradigm

The uptake of sustainability initiatives in early childhood education curricula continues to gain momentum in Australia and internationally. Growing awareness about the fragility of natural environments in local and global contexts, along with prioritising sustainability in educational policy, has resulted in more broad-scale responses to sustainability in early years settings. To address issues of sustainability, many childcare centres and schools focus on environmental initiatives such as garden projects, recycling and water conservation. While important, such initiatives respond to just one dimension of sustainability. With expanding focus on sustainability initiatives in early childhood education, it is timely to consider why the environmental dimension receives the most attention and what this means for social, political and economic areas of concern.

Sex-specific roost selection by bats in clearfell harvested plantation forest : improved knowledge advises management

To maximize energetic savings, female bats often roost communally whilst pregnant or with non-volant dependents, whereas male bats more often roost alone; however, differences in selection of roosts by sex have not often been investigated. Better understanding of female colony locations could focus management to protect the majority of bats. New Zealand's long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus) roost in exotic plantation forest, where sex-specific roost selection has not been investigated, and therefore such management is not possible. We investigated sex-specific roost selection by long-tailed bats for the first time. Roosts and paired nonroosts were characterized testing predictions that males and females select roosts that differ from non-roosts, and males and females select different roosts. Females and males chose Pinus radiata roosts that differed from non-roost trees. Results suggest each sex chose roosts that maximized energetic savings. Female bats used roosts closer to water sources, that warmed earlier in the day, which allowed maintenance of high temperatures. Males appeared to choose roosts that allowed torpor use for long periods of the day. Males may be less selective with their roost locations than females, as they roosted further from water sources. This could allow persistence of male bats in marginal habitat. As all female long-tailed bats chose roosts within 150 m of waterways, management to protect bats could be focused here. To protect bats least able to escape when roosts are harvested, harvest of forest stands selected by female bats as roost sites should be planned when bats are not heavily pregnant nor have non-volant dependents.

A multiple case study of NAPLAN numeracy testing of Year 9 students in three Queensland secondary schools

This thesis reports on a multiple case study of the actions of three Queensland secondary schools in the context of Year 9 NAPLAN numeracy testing, focusing on their administrative practices, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. It was established that schools have found it both challenging and costly to operate in an environment of educational reform generally, and NAPLAN testing in particular. The lack of a common understanding of numeracy and the substantial demands of implementing the Australian Curriculum have impacted on schools' ability to prepare students appropriately for NAPLAN numeracy tests. It was concluded that there is scope for schools to improve their approaches to NAPLAN numeracy testing in a way that maximises learning as well as test outcomes.

Environmental colour and well-being

Significance of colour schemes in appraisal of the urban aesthetic has been traditionally recognised by design professionals. However, the proven psychological and emotional impacts of urban colour remain overlooked in design thinking. This paper argues that health-conscious approach to environmental colour design requires consideration of phenomenological human needs in addition to aesthetic and stylistic preferences of a designer. A body of knowledge accumulated in environmental colour psychology provides a foundation for a shift in the environmental colour design. Though, some architectural critics suggest that design professionals have little understanding of how different aspects of colour psychology can be integrated in design process. Lack of an explicit design methodology has been described as a main constraint to applicability of the related knowledge in design process. Understanding the notion of environmental colour is essential in developing health-conscious approach to environmental colour design. Therefore, this paper is primarily focused on conceptualisation of environmental colour and experiential environmental colour design. Additionally, a role of environmental colour design in the delivery of health-enhancing environments and balanced sensorial experiences is briefly discussed.

Linking pedagogical knowledge practices and student outcomes in STEM education for primary schools

STEM education is a new frontier in Australia, particularly for primary schools. However, the E in STEM needs to have a stronger focus with science and mathematics concepts aligned to the presiding curricula. In addition, pedagogical knowledge practices such as planning, preparation, teaching strategies, assessment and so forth need to be connected to key concepts for developing a STEM education. One of the aims of this study was to understand how a pedagogical knowledge practice framework could be linked to student outcomes in STEM education. Specifically, this qualitative research investigated Year 4 students’ involvement in an integrated STEM education program that focused on science concepts (e.g., states of matter, testing properties of materials) and mathematics concepts (such as 3D shapes and metric measurements: millilitres, temperature, grams, centimetres) for designing, making and testing a strong and safe medical kit to insulate medicines at desirable temperatures. Eleven pedagogical knowledge practices (e.g., planning, preparation, teaching strategies, classroom management, and assessment) were used as a framework for understanding how teaching may be linked to student outcomes in STEM education. For instance, “planning” involved devising a student booklet as a resource for students to understand the tasks required of them, which also provided space for them to record ideas, results and information. Planning involved linking national and state curriculum documents to the STEM education activities. More studies are required around pedagogical knowledge frameworks to understand what students learn when involved in STEM education, particularly with the inclusion of engineering education.

Hydrostratigraphic analysis of the MADE site with full-resolution GPR and direct-push hydraulic profiling

Full-resolution 3D Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) data were combined with high-resolution hydraulic conductivity (K) data from vertical Direct-Push (DP) profiles to characterize a portion of the highly heterogeneous MAcro Dispersion Experiment (MADE) site. This is an important first step to better understand the influence of aquifer heterogeneities on observed anomalous transport. Statistical evaluation of DP data indicates non-normal distributions that have much higher similarity within each GPR facies than between facies. The analysis of GPR and DP data provides high-resolution estimates of the 3D geometry of hydrostratigraphic zones, which can then be populated with stochastic K fields. The lack of such estimates has been a significant limitation for testing and parameterizing a range of novel transport theories at sites where the traditional advection-dispersion model has proven inadequate.

Participation in Environmental Organizations

For decades, social scientists have searched for factors that shape pro-environmental behaviour. However, only a few studies have investigated the causes and consequences of participation in environmental organizations. This book fills the gap by analysing in detail the determinants of environmental participation and its consequences in different parts of the world. Benno Torgler, María A. García-Valinas and Alison Macintyre seek the answer to several questions regarding who is working towards positive outcomes for our environment, what sort of social and institutional context will assist voluntary participation, what sort of attitudes are related to positive environmental behavior, and which countries are active on the intergovernmental stage. By focusing on voluntary participation in environmental organizations, we are able to determine the level of willingness to work towards a solution for environmental problems. This allows an insight into the motivations and attitudes of individuals and nations and how these factors can affect environmental cooperation. Participation in Environmental Organizations sheds light on who is liable to participate and will help to see whose priorities and values are forwarded through voluntary activities and to what extent voluntary participation can become representative. Thus, the book provides a unique examination of citizens’ willingness to participate in environmental organizations. The book will be of interest to Economics students and researchers alike who seek a deeper understanding of the theory and practice of environmental participation.