Seminars

Exploring Environmental Education for Sustainability
Date:  Thursday 25 June 2009 Time:   12.30-1.20pm Location:   ES2.59A
Presented by: Dr Catherine Baudains, Environmental Science, Murdoch University
Briefing: This seminar will briefly introduce the key concepts in Environmental Education for Sustainability which guides the work of the group as a whole, and then outline a range of the current interdisciplinary research projects currently underway.  This will include a brief overview of some of the work focusing on: urban biodiversity; lifestyle education programs; the Sustainable Schools Initiative, and; the role of education in the management of small to medium enterprises.
About the speaker:
Catherine Baudains has been involved in the field of Environmental Education for Sustainability since 1996 when she conducted some research in collaboration with the then Department of Environment.  Since completing Doctoral research focused on Environmental Education in the Workplace she has established a research group for Environmental Education for Sustainability and is involved in a wide range of interdisciplinary research.

Modelling of Atmospheric Pollutants in an Urban Environment
Date:  Thursday 18 Jun 2009 Time:   12.30-1.20pm Location:   ES2.59A
Presenter: Rory Donndelly, PhD candidate, Environmental Science
Summary
Rory has examined urban, emergency response, atmospheric dispersion modelling for Fire and Emergency Services WA (FESA). Rory has conducted dispersion field trials within the CBD of Perth, Western Australia and this dispersion data was then used to compare the output from a number of dispersion models. Rory’s presentation will begin with a brief introduction to emergency response atmospheric modelling, an outline of some commonly used atmospheric dispersion models, and datasets used to validate such models. The results of the validation of these models will then be presented, along with validations conducted by Rory on a suite of models at a range of levels of complexity. These models include the tool currently used by FESA (CAMEO/ALOHA), WinMISKAM (a powerful, commercially available fluid dynamics package), and a simple model created by Rory. The output from these models will be compared to observations taken during the most intensive tracer study conducted during this campaign, the urban canyon study set in Murray St. Mall. Conclusions drawn from this study will be outlined and further work discussed.
Brief bio:
Rory began work on the Perth Emergency Response Modelling Study in 2005 as an Honours student under Prof. Tom Lyons, Dr. Sam Saunders (UWA) and Dr. Steve Wilkinson (The Chemistry Centre of WA (CCWA)) after completing a degree in Environmental Science at Murdoch University. Rory was awarded a linkage grant (APAI) to continue this work to a PhD level, funded by the ARC, FESA and CCWA. He has presented aspects of his work at University of Alabama Huntsville and the American Meteorological Society Seventh Symposium on the Urban Environment. He will this year present at the 19th International Clean Air and Environment Conference and at Lohmeyer Engineering Consultancy in Karlsruhe, Germany. Rory hopes to continue his research in to atmospheric flows, both for emergency response applications and beyond.

Spatial and temporal relationships in recreational use at Ningaloo Reef: patterns, pathways and management
Date:  Thursday 11 Jun 2009 Time:   12.30-1.20pm Location:   ES2.59A
Presenter: Claire Smallwood, PhD candidate, Environmental Science
Summary
Worldwide, studies of recreational use at fine temporal and spatial scales within protected areas are rare, even though this knowledge is critical for successful management with respect to biodiversity conservation, resource allocation and visitor satisfaction. Ningaloo is a diverse fringing reef extending ~ 300 km along the coast of north-western Australia and is a gazetted multiple use marine park. Its isolation from major population centres and limited access has shielded the area from high tourism and recreational use. However, a growing population and intensified publicity in recent years have resulted in increased visitor numbers and development pressure.
This study aimed to map the fine-scale patterns of recreation at Ningaloo over a 12-month period using a multi-faceted approach to data collection. Synoptic patterns were described using 34 aerial flights, while specific activities (e.g. recreational line fishing, snorkelling and windsurfing) were characterised using 192 land-based coastal surveys. These surveys documented > 40 000 people and identified greater spatial distribution and density of use during peak periods. Relationships with coastal geomorphology found sandy beaches were preferred sites for recreation and people were clustered around infrastructure (e.g. boat ramps, campsites). Recreational fishers also exhibited a high level of compliance with sanctuary zones. Data from 1 208 face-to-face interviews with people participating in recreational activities on the beach found significant relationships between user characteristics, recreational activities and land tenure (e.g. conservation areas and pastoral leases) located adjacent to the marine park. The intra-regional travel pathways from accommodation to coastal access points (or boat ramps) and recreation sites were also determined using geo-referenced data from interviews. This revealed the node focused nature of visitor use with strong clustering and rapid distance decay, especially at beach access points. These data were collected using a robust and multi-faceted survey design, with high spatial accuracy and strong congruency of results obtained using different techniques. Such as design allows management to focus their resources at high use sites and at peak times of year, contribute to the design of a cost-effective monitoring program and ascertain the effect of future coastal developments in dispersing or concentrating visitor use.
Brief bio:
Claire Smallwood is a PhD student with the School of Environmental Science at Murdoch University under the supervision of Lynnath Beckley and Sue Moore. Her research uses spatial tools to describe patterns of recreation at Ningaloo Reef which are then linked to environmental and social factors. This work contributes to the CSIRO Ningaloo Collaborative Cluster. Claire also works at the Department of Fisheries in the Integrated Monitoring and Analysis group and has previously travelled to Vietnam undertaking fisheries and social assessments as part of the Youth Ambassador for Development Program. She hopes to continue her research in this multi-disciplinary environment and will be presenting her work at the upcoming Australian Society for Fish Biology and Australian Marine Sciences Association conferences.

Date:  Thursday 28 May 2009 Time:   12.30-1.20pm Location:   ES2.59A
Lost at sea? The influence of meso-scale oceanographic features on larval fish assemblages of south-western Australia
Presented by: David Holliday, PhD candidate, Environmental Science, Murdoch University
Abstract
A strong correlation between interannual variation of Leeuwin Current (LC) strength and recruitment variability exists for several key Western Australian fisheries although the exact mechanisms remain unknown.  It is hypothesised that the LC and its eddies may be responsible for the offshore transport and mortality of the larvae of marine populations from the continental shelf.  Meso-scale circulation and cross-shelf transport of larval fishes during the formation of an anticyclonic (warm-core) eddy of the LC were examined during a month-long, multidisciplinary voyage off south-western Australia.  Coupled with oceanographic analyses, larval fishes were applied as time-dependent tracers to elucidate the timing, sources and pathways for the incorporation of larval fishes into a warm-core LC eddy. The oceanography off south-western Australia, particularly the regional dominance of modified LC water typified strong mixing between LC, shelf and oceanic subtropical surface water.  High concentrations of chlorophyll a and larval fishes occurred offshore in a warm-core eddy compared to the surrounding ocean. The occurrence of larvae of tropical neritic fishes offshore in the eddy identified the LC as a major transport route for incorporation of these larvae into warm-core eddies.  The night-time vertical distribution patterns of larval fishes showed highest concentrations between 0 - 80 m depth throughout the study region.  The vertical distributions of larval fishes correlated weakly with a suite of environmental variables and are suggested to be a function of size and developmental stage rather than a response to environmental conditions and the velocity field.  Opportunistic sampling of another eddy in 2007 gave similar results to the 2006 study. Interannual variability in strength of the LC resulted in differences in the position of eddy formation but the distribution of larval fish assemblages was similar between years.  This study confirmed that the larvae of neritic fishes are transported offshore during eddy formation which will result in their mortality if retained in eddies subsequent to detachment and seaward propagation.
Brief bio: David Holliday is a PhD student with the School of Environmental Sciences at Murdoch University under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Lynnath Beckley and Dr Ming Feng (CSIRO).  His research on the influence of Leeuwin Current eddies upon the transport and fate of larval fishes is part of a multidisciplinary investigation of the biophysical properties of anticyclonic, warm-core eddies of the Leeuwin Current.  David was awarded a top-up scholarship with the Western Australian Marine Science Association (WAMSI) which is placed in Node 2: Climate processes, predictability and impacts in a warming Indian ocean.  David was also awarded the Peter Holloway memorial student award for the best oceanography oral presentation at the Australian Marine Sciences Association (AMSA) annual conference in 2007. David hopes to continue research in the field of fisheries oceanography and will be presenting his research at the upcoming Indo-Pacific Fish / Australian Society for Fish Biology and the Australian Marine Sciences Association conferences.

Date:  Thursday 21 May 2009 Time:   12.30-1.20pm Location:   ES2.59A
The Kirthar National Park (Pakistan) Environmental Survey: people and nature in a desert mountain landscape
Presented by: Prof Neal Enright, Professor in Plant Ecology, Environmental Science, Murdoch University
Abstract:
Neal will present a summary of the objectives and findings of a major interdisciplinary analysis of the natural resources of, and human activities and impacts on, one of Pakistan’s largest national parks (5000 sq. km), located in the low elevation desert mountains of the Kirthar Range, SW Pakistan. The park houses rare and endangered animal species (e.g. ibex, urial), is underlain by significant gas reserves, and is inhabited by a human population of 70-150,000 people. Limited resources for park management and conflicting present and potential future land-use activities challenge conservation objectives.
Brief bio:
Professor Neal Enright is a plant ecologist with particular interests in the ecology and management of fire-prone ecosystems and in the restoration of plant communities to post-mined landscapes. His present research focuses on the high biodiversity shrublands of the northern sandplains of SW Australia, and the effects of fire and climate change on this important ecosystem, and spans a range of areas of investigation in co-operation with collaborating scientists, including ecophysiology, molecular ecology and simulation modeling. He has also published extensively on the population ecology of conifers and palms.

Date:  Thursday 14 May 2009, Time:   12.30-1.20pm, Location:   ES2.59A
What is the Condition of Western Australian Soils?
Presented by: Dr Dan Carter, Natural Resource Science Branch, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia
Overview
The seminar will discuss how well (or poorly) we are managing our agricultural soils by comparing the soil parameters which influence productivity, sustainability and health of the soil.
This topic has risen as a national as well as state responsibility because of the level of funding distributed to many agencies to produce sustainability outcomes. There has been a large effort, both in resources and people, in understanding the processes which cause degradation of soils and equally in the development of farming practices to restore the productivity and health of our soils. However there has been little work done on the effectiveness of these efforts as should be reflected by the improvement of our soils. We are attempting to measure improvements in a spatially and temporally justifiable methodology. The emphasis of this talk will be on the methods and science of monitoring some soil parameters to establish baselines, develop targets and detect change. Outputs are designed to direct policy and management of the soil asset.
Brief bio:
Dan Carter has worked in DAFWA for three decades on areas of research involving remote sensing, water repellency and wind erosion. Some of his research has lead to the change in farming practices, including stubble retention, wind erosion standards for cover and implementation of conservation tillage. The practice of claying soils to overcome water repellency in non-wetting sandy soils was introduced into WA through his research on the South Coast. Dan is now working on soil condition monitoring and measurement of Greenhouse Gas emissions from cropping in WA. Dan has just recently stood down as President of the WA Branch of the Australian Soil Science Society Inc. after three years in the office, but continues on the executive as treasurer. Recently he was member of the National Expert Panel on wind erosion, which established the priorities for the Caring for Our Country Program.  

Date: 28 April Time: 11.30 - 12.20pm Place: Environmental Science Seminar Room 2.059a
Honours seminar 11.30-11.5am : An assessment of the scheme water savings that can be achieved through greywater reuse on a household scale in Perth, Western Australia (Supervisor : Dr Martin Anda)
Masters seminar 11.55-12.10pm : A review of policy instruments for the facilitation of treated wastewater reuse planning in Western Australia (Supervisor : Assoc Prof John Bailey) Abstract: The Western Australian State Government has set a target of achieving reuse of 30% of wastewater flows. To achieve this target, largescale projects are required. New treated wastewater reuse projects will need to go through a planning phase, the outcome of which could be influenced by the use of different policy instruments. The current mixture of policy instruments used in Western Australia is a complicated mixture of informational, regulatory and economic instruments, with a weighting towards information to support planning and regulation to control environmental and health impacts. The approach generally facilitates the planning of projects, although greater use of economic instruments such as subsidies would assist in adjusting financial costs to meet the social objective of increased recycling

Date: 12h30 Tuesday 28th April, Place: Environmental Science Seminar Room 2.059a, Murdoch University
What has driven regime change and inter-annual variability over the past 50 years in the Southern Benguela system, South Africa?
Presented by: Dr Pedro Monteiro (CSIR, South Africa)
Abstract: In this study we analysed a 50-year record of daily wind vectors from Cape Columbine, one of the most important upwelling centres in the Southern Benguela upwelling system, to explore the basis for observed shifts in biogeochemical and ecological characteristics of the ecosystem.  The results showed that much of the observed change to the ecosystem can be understood through changes in the characteristics of the scales of wind stress variability. The results also suggest that, although the ecology of upwelling systems is well adapted to its highly variable characteristics, there are thresholds to that variability that lead it to re-organize itself into states that are recognizably different.  We explore this using a number of multi-year and multi-decadal ecosystem state indicators (harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, rock lobsters, pelagic fishes and sea birds).  The aim of this work is to develop an improved risk assessment framework for long term, climate driven change on the basis of a better understanding of the drivers and responses of multi-decadal variability. 

Date:  Thursday 23 April 2009 Time: 12.30-1.20pm Location:   ES2.059A
Impacts of Amending Bauxite Residue Sands with Residue Fines for the Establishment of Vegetation on Residue Disposal Areas
Presented by: Johnathan Anderson, PhD Candidate, School of Environmental Science
Abstract: Current and past rehabilitation of residue disposal areas (RDAs) using species native to southwest Western Australia has exhibited varying success.  Current practices at Alcoa World Alumina Australia’s (Alcoa) Western Australia RDAs use residue sands as the growth media in the capping stratum for vegetation establishment.  Despite the inherently hostile properties of residue sand (pH > 10, EC(1:5) > 4 dS m-1, and ESP > 50), reductions in alkalinity (pH), salinity (EC) and sodicity (ESP) are corrected, through freshwater leaching, to a greater extent than is possible with residue fines.  However, due to inconsistencies in vegetation establishment, which are attributed to poor water retention, inherent nutrient deficiencies and rapid loss of nutrients within residue sands, amendments are required.
The aim of this study was to determine if amending the residue sand capping layer with residue fines would enhance its overall growth potential for vegetation establishment.  Additions of fines to residue sands were predicted to 1) increase water retention; 2) add nutrients and increase the ability of the growth media to retain nutrients; 3) improve plant growth responses and nutrient content.
Comparisons were made between treated residue fines (seawater washed, carbonated, or unaltered) at a series of fines additions (1 - 20 % w/w) and a control (residue sand).  Four experiments were set up to measure differences in these variables which included: a glasshouse study involving the growth of Acacia saligna; a germination and emergence study (A. saligna); a two year field study in Western Australia; and a glasshouse column leaching study.
Incorporation of residue fines into residue sands did increase water retention, nutrient concentrations and the nutrient retention capacity, but did not enhance the overall growth potential for vegetation, at least in the short term. Reductions in germination and emergence of seedlings and reduced plant growth were attributed to increases in Na concentrations introduced from the fines. Seawater washed residue fines had lower ESP and greater concentrations of nutrients, thus reducing the negative impacts from the additional Na introduced, and showed the greatest promise as a fines amendment.  As leaching occurs over the first few initial months of rehabilitation, it is expected that the majority of the Na will be removed, from a system with an addition of 5 to 10 % fines, and the positive benefits of the fines additions will than be realized.  Findings also illustrate that delaying the planting of vegetation on RDAs, until adequate leaching has occurred to reduce the Na concentrations, will substantially increase vegetation emergence and establishment.
Brief bio:
Jonathan Anderson has a BSc in Geology and a MSc in Soil Science from the University of Wyoming, USA.  He has been conducting research in mining rehabilitation for 7 years, which has included work assessing carbon sequestration and storage in drastically disturbed lands and identifying indicators of soil recovery.

Date:  Thursday 16 April 2009, Time:   12.30-1.20pm, Location:   ES2.59A
EIA in Finland – should Australians care?
Presented by: Kimmo Jalava, PhD candidate, University of Jyväskylä Finland
Kimmo Jalava is a PhD student in environmental sciences at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland. He has been working in a multidisciplinary research project called “Effectiveness of Environmental Impact Assessment”, and has focused on studying the quality of Finnish EIA. In his presentation he will tell about his experiences of working in a project, which has combined legal, political and environmental sciences. He will also outline a view to the current state of Finnish EIA system based on the project results and will eventually answer the question presented in the title.

Date:  Thursday 26 March 2009   Time:   12.30-1.30pm Location:   ES2.59A in the Environmental Science Building
Dynamics of genome change in wheat
Presented by: Prof Rudi Appels, Centre for Comparative Genomics, Murdoch University
Overview
Transposable elements (TEs) constitute 80% of the wheat genome but their dynamics and contribution to the size variation and evolution of wheat genomes (Triticum and Aegilops species) remain unexplored. In the seminar the genomic regions that have been sequenced from wheat chromosome 3B are discussed in order to examine, in particular, the dynamics of genome change focused on class I retrotransposons. It is evident that specific types of TEs have undergone waves of differential proliferation in the B and A genomes of wheat.  The impacts of genome change at this level are discussed.
Brief bio:
Prior to coming to Murdoch University in 2001, Professor Appels was a Program Leader in CSIRO involved in DNA sequence characterization of a disease resistance gene and a seed storage protein locus, detailed evolutionary analysis of repetitive gene (5S in rRNA) in wheat and the discovery of major factors underpinning the molecular genetics and cereal chemistry of wheat flour quality attributes at the level of new proteins as well as the details of wheat starch biosynthesis.  In Murdoch University he established the molecular marker-biotechnology laboratory in the SABC/DAFWA facility. Currently he is a research leader in the Centre for Comparative Genomics and co-chair of the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium (IWGSC) which published the paper in Science (Paux et al October 2008) reporting the first large-scale assembly of chromosome 3B of wheat.

Date:  Thursday 12 March 2009   Time:   12.30-1.30pm Location:   ES2.59A in the Environmental Science Building
Science, conservation, politics and pragmatism: Lane Poole and the forests of Western Australia
Presented by: John Dargavel, Visiting Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, E: John.Dargavel@anu.edu.au
Overview
Charles Lane Poole was passionate about harnessing science to forest conservation in an era when the major challenges were to reserve forests from agricultural settlement, control logging to a sustainable level and prevent waste. He came to Western Australia as Conservator of Forests in 1916 to put forestry on a modern, science-based footing. He had legislation passed, reorganised the Forests Department, and started systematic forest surveys, long-term planning, herbarium collections, arboreta, wood science investigations and much else. To Lane Poole, nothing was more important than forest conservation. When soldiers were returning from WWI, he opposed giving them licences to hew sleepers, and when Premier Mitchell extended concessions to a monopolistic British timber company against his advice, he resigned in 1921. His life epitomises the enduring tangle of science, conservation, politics and pragmatism.
Bio
Dr John Dargavel is an honorary Visiting Fellow in the Fenner School for Environment and Society at the Australian National University where he is actively engaged in forest history research. He has degrees in forestry from the Universities of Edinburgh and Melbourne. His doctorate from the Australian National University presented a radical analysis of the development of the Tasmanian wood industries. He worked as a forester in government and industry for over twenty years, before moving to the Australian National University in 1978. He has researched and taught in the areas of forest economics, politics and history. He is the immediate past President of the Australian Forest History Society. He is the author of more than 70 published papers covering forest management, industrial and labour history, trade, forest and environmental politics, and cultural aspects of landscape and remembrance. He has edited 10 books of conference proceedings on forest policy and history. His book on Australian forest history, Fashioning Australia's Forests (Oxford University Press) was published in 1995 and a biography, The Zealous Conservator: a life of Charles Lane Poole (University of Western Australia Press) in 2008.

Past Seminars