Environmental Sciences Commons^™

Drought Stress Responses Of Some Prairie Landscape C4 Grass Species For Xeric Urban Applications, Fatemeh Kazemi, Mansoure Jozay, Farzaneh Salahshoor, Eddie Van Etten, Sahar Rezaie

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Creating xeric landscapes in lawns and prairies is a significant challenge and practical need in arid urban environments. This study examined the drought resistance of some C4 grass species for constructing urban lawns and prairies. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block designs with four replications was conducted. Experimental treatments were two irrigation levels (100% and 50% Field Capacity (FC)) and five warm-season grass species (Andropogon gerardii Vitman, Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash, Panicum virgatum L., Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash, and Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.). The effects of drought on physiological, morphological, and qualitative characteristics of the grass species were …

Environmental Contamination With Clostridioides (Clostridium) Difficile In Vietnam, Peng A. Khun, Long D. Phi, Huong T. T. Bui, Nguyen T. Bui, Quyen T. H. Vu, Luong D. Trinh, Deirdre A. Collins, Thomas V. Riley

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

AIMS: To investigate the prevalence, molecular type, and antimicrobial susceptibility of Clostridioides difficile in the environment in Vietnam, where little is known about C. difficile. METHODS AND RESULTS: Samples of pig faeces, soils from pig farms, potatoes, and the hospital environment were cultured for C. difficile. Isolates were identified and typed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotyping. The overall prevalence of C. difficile contamination was 24.5% (68/278). Clostridioides difficile was detected mainly in soils from pig farms and hospital soils, with 70%-100% prevalence. Clostridioides difficile was isolated from 3.4% of pig faecal samples and 5% of potato surfaces. The four …

Microscale Pollen Release And Dispersal Patterns In Flowering Grass Populations, Carl A. Frisk, Godfrey P. Apangu, Geoffrey M. Petch, Simon Creer, Mary Hanson, Beverley Adams-Groom, Carsten A. Skjøth

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Characterizing pollen release and dispersion processes is fundamental for knowledge advancement in ecological, agricultural and public health disciplines. Understanding pollen dispersion from grass communities is especially relevant due to their high species-specific allergenicity and heterogeneously distributed source areas. Here, we aimed to address questions concerning fine level heterogeneity in grass pollen release and dispersion processes, with a focus on characterizing the taxonomic composition of airborne grass pollen over the grass flowering season using eDNA and molecular ecology methods. High resolution grass pollen concentrations were compared between three microscale sites ( < 300 m apart) in a rural area in Worcestershire, UK. The grass pollen was modelled with local meteorology in a MANOVA (Multivariate ANOVA) approach to investigate factors relevant to pollen release and dispersion. Simultaneously, airborne pollen was sequenced using Illumina MySeq for metabarcoding, analysed against a reference database with all UK grasses using the R packages DADA2 and phyloseq to calculate Shannon's Diversity Index ( -diversity). The flowering phenology of a local Festuca rubra population was observed. We found that grass pollen concentrations varied on a microscale level, likely attributed to local topography and the dispersion distance of pollen from flowering grasses in local source areas. Six genera (Agrostis, Alopecurus, Arrhenatherum, Holcus, Lolium and Poa) dominated the pollen season, comprising on average 77 % of the relative abundance of grass species reads. Temperature, solar radiation, relative humidity, turbulence and wind speeds were found to be relevant for grass pollen release and dispersion processes. An isolated flowering Festuca rubra population contributed almost 40 % of the relative pollen abundance adjacent to the nearby sampler, but only contributed 1 % to samplers situated 300 m away. This suggests that most emitted grass pollen has limited dispersion distance and our results show substantial variation in airborne grass species composition over short geographical scales.

Blue Carbon Opportunities: Seagrass Carbon Storage And Accumulation Rates At Trang, Thailand, Paul Lavery, Anna Lafratta, Rujinun Palahan, Maneewan Sanlee, Milica Stankovic, Janmanee Panyawai, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masque´

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Report prepared as a contribution to the IKI Project “Conservation of biodiversity, seagrass ecosystems and their services – safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities in a changing climate” funded through the International Klimate Initiative (IKI).

The IKI Project is a partnership between the CMS, Edith Cowan University, Project Seagrass, Seagrass Watch, Murdoch University, MRS, Blue Ventures, SAN, C3, ZSL, MareCet and Yapeka. The collaboration enhances the understanding of seagrass ecosystem services and the capacity to develop and deliver science-based policy solutions in seagrass conservation. It brings together scientists, policy experts, business development experts and conservation NGOs across …

Flaws In The Methodologies For Organic Carbon Analysis In Seagrass Blue Carbon Soils, Oscar Serrano, Ines Mazarrasa, James W. Fourqurean, Eduard Serrano, Jeffrey Baldock, Jonathan Sanderman

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The ability to accurately measure organic carbon (OC) in marine sediments or soils is overall taken for granted in scientific communities, yet this seemingly mundane task remains a methodological challenge when the soil matrix contains calcium carbonate (CaCO3), creating inaccuracies in Blue Carbon estimates. Here, we compared five common methods combining acidification, combustion, and wet oxidation pre-treatments for determination of OC in sediments and soils containing CaCO3 based on the analyses of artificial soil mixtures made of different OC and CaCO3 contents, and multiple soils from Australian seagrass cores. The results obtained showed that methods involving acidification pre-treatment entailed −17 …

Drone Images Afford More Detections Of Marine Wildlife Than Real-Time Observers During Simultaneous Large-Scale Surveys, Amanda J. Hodgson, Nat Kelly, David Peel

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There are many advantages to transitioning from conducting marine wildlife surveys via human observers onboard light-aircraft, to capturing aerial imagery using drones. However, it is important to maintain the validity of long-term data series whilst transitioning from observer to imagery surveys. We need to understand how the detection rates of target species in images compare to those collected from observers in piloted aircraft, and the factors influencing detection rates from each platform. We conducted trial ScanEagle drone surveys of dugongs in Shark Bay, Western Australia, covering the full extent of the drone’s range (∼100 km), concurrently with observer surveys, with …

Seas Blue - The Iki Ses Project Se Asian Blue Carbon Dataset, Paul Lavery, Anna Lafratta

Research Datasets

The data set contains seagrass soil carbon (blue carbon) characteristics for four sites in each of Thailand (Trang), Malaysia (Johor and Penang) and The Philippines (Roxas), and for six sites in Indonesia (North Minahasa and Sangihe Island). For each site, four seagrass cores (100 cm long) were collected and then sliced at 1 cm intervals for the top 5 cm and for 5 cm intervals thereafter. Every slice was analysed for dry bulk density and Loss on Ignition (Organic Matter). Approximately 26 slices per core were analysed for Organic Carbon (elemental analysis). The data set provides the location coordinates for …

Further Investigation Of Lead Exposure As A Potential Threatening Process For A Scavenging Marsupial Species, D. J. Hutchinson, E. M. Jones, J. M. Pay, J. R. Clarke, Michael T. Lohr, J. O. Hampton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

There is a growing recognition of the harmful effects of lead exposure on avian and mammalian scavengers. This can lead to both lethal and non-lethal effects which may negatively impact wildlife populations. Our objective was to assess medium-term lead exposure in wild Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii). Frozen liver samples (n = 41), opportunistically collected in 2017–2022, were analysed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine liver lead concentrations. These results were then used to calculate the proportion of animals with elevated lead levels ( > 5 mg/kg dry weight) and examine the role of explanatory variables that may have …

Seagrass Soils Sequester Up To Half The Metal Emissions Of One Of The World's Largest Smelters, Anna Lafratta, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masque´, M. Fernandes, S. Gaylard, Paul Lavery

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

One of the world's largest smelters has been operating in South Australia since 1889, affecting environment and human health. Here we quantified the magnitude of Pb, Zn and Cd emissions from the smelter sequestered in the soil of an adjacent 110 km2 Posidonia australis seagrass meadows. Seagrass core records show that the smelter contaminated the entire area with decreasing sequestration with increasing distance from contamination points. The soil accumulated ~1300 t of Pb, ~3450 t of Zn, and ~ 90 t of Cd since 1889, and sequestered the equivalent of ~20 % of Pb, and ~50 % of Zn and …

Blue Carbon Opportunities: Seagrass Carbon Storage And Accumulation Rates At North Minahasa And Sangihe Island, Indonesia, Paul Lavery, Anna Lafratta, Akbar Ario Digdo, Abie Ariyo Dandoro, Citra Septiani, Topan Cahyono, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masque´

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Report prepared as a contribution to the Seagrass Ecosystem Services Project “Conservation of biodiversity, seagrass ecosystems and their services – safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities in a changing climate” funded through the International Klimate Initiative (IKI).

The SES Project is a partnership between the CMS, Edith Cowan University, Yapeka, Project Seagrass, Seagrass Watch, Murdoch University, MRS, Blue Ventures, SAN, C3, ZSL, and MareCet. The collaboration enhances the understanding of seagrass ecosystem services and the capacity to develop and deliver science-based policy solutions in seagrass conservation. It brings together scientists, policy experts, business development experts and conservation …

Blue Carbon Opportunities: Seagrass Carbon Storage And Accumulation Rates At Roxas, Palawan, The Philippines, Paul Lavery, Anna Lafratta, Jessa Marie Caabay, Reynante Ramilo, Helbert G. Garay, Maricar Daquioag, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masque´

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Report prepared as a contribution to the IKI Project “Conservation of biodiversity, seagrass ecosystems and their services – safeguarding food security and resilience in vulnerable coastal communities in a changing climate”

The IKI Project is a partnership between the CMS, Edith Cowan University, Project Seagrass, Seagrass Watch, Murdoch University, MRS, Blue Ventures, SAN, C3, ZSL, MareCet and Yapeka. The collaboration enhances the understanding of seagrass ecosystem services and the capacity to develop and deliver science-based policy solutions in seagrass conservation. It brings together scientists, policy experts, business development experts and conservation NGOs across the globe to provide expert and independent …

The Ability Of Ruppia Polycarpa To Regenerate From Seed Depends On Seasonal Porewater Salinity Dynamics And Declining Winter Rainfall Could Delay Recruitment, Chanelle L. Webster, Paul S. Lavery, Simone Strydom, Jessica Billinghurst, Kathryn Mcmahon

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

For many plants, regeneration from seed is vital for population recovery. Climate change is modifying the global hydrological cycle and a primary factor controlling germination of marine plants: salinity. How altered salinity regimes, and especially altered porewater salinity regimes, will regulate early life history stages of estuarine seagrasses is poorly understood. Here, we quantified the porewater salinity dynamics in two ephemeral estuaries that are dominated by the cosmopolitan genus Ruppia. Seedbank, germlings (germinated seeds) and seedlings were found in salinities ranging from 5 to 110 over an annual cycle. To understand the germination ecology of the dominant species, Ruppia polycarpa, …

Edna Metabarcoding Of Avocado Flowers: ‘Hass’ It Got Potential To Survey Arthropods In Food Production Systems?, Joshua H. Kestel, Philip W. Bateman, David L. Field, Nicole E. White, Rose Lines, Paul Nevill

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In the face of global biodiversity declines, surveys of beneficial and antagonistic arthropod diversity as well as the ecological services that they provide are increasingly important in both natural and agro-ecosystems. Conventional survey methods used to monitor these communities often require extensive taxonomic expertise and are time-intensive, potentially limiting their application in industries such as agriculture, where arthropods often play a critical role in productivity (e.g. pollinators, pests and predators). Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding of a novel substrate, crop flowers, may offer an accurate and high throughput alternative to aid in the detection of these managed and unmanaged taxa. Here, …

Methane Emissions In Seagrass Meadows As A Small Offset To Carbon Sequestration, Yvonne Y. Y. Yau, Gloria Reithmaier, Caludia Majtényi-Hill, Oscar Serrano, Nerea Piñeiro-Juncal, Martin Dahl, Miguel A. Mateo, Stefano Bonaglia, Isaac R. Santos

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows are effective carbon sinks due to high primary production and sequestration in sediments. However, methane (CH4) emissions can partially counteract their carbon sink capacity. Here, we measured diffusive sediment-water and sea-air CO2 and CH4 fluxes in a coastal embayment dominated by Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean Sea. High-resolution timeseries observations revealed large spatial and temporal variability in CH4 concentrations (2–36 nM). Lower sea-air CH4 emissions were observed in an area with dense seagrass meadows compared to patchy seagrass. A 6%−40% decrease of CH4 concentration in the surface water around noon indicates that photosynthesis likely limits CH4 fluxes. Sediments …

Voltammetric Determination Of Inorganic Arsenic In Mildly Acidified (Ph 4.7) Groundwaters From Mexico And India, Martijn Eikelboom, Yaxuan Wang, Gemma Portlock, Arthur Gourain, Joseph Gardner, Jay Bullen, Paul Lewtas, Matthieu Carriere, Alexandra Alvarez, Arun Kumar, Shane O'Prey, Tamás Tölgyes, Dario Omanović, Subhamoy Bhowmick, Dominik Salaun, Pascal Salaun

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Routine monitoring of inorganic arsenic in groundwater using sensitive, reliable, easy-to-use and affordable analytical methods is integral to identifying sources, and delivering appropriate remediation solutions, to the widespread global issue of arsenic pollution. Voltammetry has many advantages over other analytical techniques, but the low electroactivity of arsenic(V) requires the use of either reducing agents or relatively strong acidic conditions, which both complicate the analytical procedures, and require more complex material handling by skilled operators. Here, we present the voltammetric determination of total inorganic arsenic in conditions of near-neutral pH using a new commercially available 25 m diameter gold microwire (called …

Accuracy Of Spectral Indices Assessing Fire Severity Utilizing Maximum And Minimum Pixel Values, Jarrad Mckercher, David Blake, Eddie Van Etten

Research Datasets

This data set contains all Spectral Indices created using Google Earth Engine through Google Collaborate. 16 Spectral Indices were created that utilise different image collection and pixel value parameters to map the burn severity of the 2021 Wooroloo Bushfire.

Seagrass Soils Sequester The Equivalent Of Up To Half The Metal Emissions By One Of The World’S Largest Smelters [Dataset], Anna Lafratta, Oscar Serrano, Pere Masque´, Milena Fernandes, Sam Gaylard, Paul S. Lavery

Research Datasets

The database compiles published data (in Lafratta et al. 2023, Marine Pollution Bulletin) on physical, biogeochemical and chemical characteristics (coordinates, cm compressed and decompressed, dry weight (DW), dry bulk density (DBD), Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations analysed at Edith Cowan University (ECU), Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations analysed at University Autonoma of Barcelona (UAB), final Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations, organic carbon content (%), < 63 µm sediment particles content (%) and Pb isotopes ratio) of soils underneath Posidonia australis seagrass meadows in Port Pirie, South Australia. Cumulative dry mass, total and excess Pb-210 concentrations are also included. The dataset includes data for a total of twelve cores (PP1, PP2, PP3, PP4, PP5, …

Global Online Trade In Primates For Pets, Vincent Nijman, Thais Q. Morcatty, Hani R. El Bizri, Hassan Al-Razi, Andie Ang, Ahmad Ardiansyah, Sadek Atoussi, Daniel Bergin, Sarah Bell, Franciany Braga-Pereira, Marco Campera, Nabajit Das, Felipe E. Silva, Kim Feddema, Grace Foreman, Anna Fourage, Smitha D. Gnanaolivu, Malene F. Hansen, Elena Račevska, Brittany C. Rapone, Ganga R. Regmi, Chris R. Shepherd, Sofiya Shukhova, Penthai Siriwat, Jaima H. Smith, Seyed A. M. M. Tabar, Aline S. Tavares, Ariana V. Weldon, Angelina Wilson, Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, Mingxia Zhang, Magdalena S. Svensson, K. Anne-Isola Nekaris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The trade in primates as pets is a global enterprise and as access to the Internet has increased, so too has the trade of live primates online. While quantifying primate trade in physical markets is relatively straightforward, limited insights have been made into trade via the Internet. Here we followed a three-pronged approach to estimate the prevalence and ease of purchasing primates online in countries with different socioeconomic characteristics. We first conducted a literature review, in which we found that Malaysia, Thailand, the USA, Ukraine, South Africa, and Russia stood out in terms of the number of primate individuals being …

Coastal Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems Are Falling Through Policy Gaps, Madeleine Dyring, Melissa M. Rohde, Ray Froend, Harald Hofmann

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Coastal groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs), such as wetlands, estuaries and nearshore marine habitats, are biodiversity hotspots that provide valuable ecosystem services to society. However, coastal groundwater and associated ecosystems are under threat from groundwater exploitation and depletion, as well as climate change impacts from sea-level rise and extreme flood and drought events. Despite many well-intentioned policies focused on sustainable groundwater use and species protection, coastal GDEs are falling through gaps generated by siloed policies and as a result, are declining in extent and ecological function. This study summarized then examined policies related to the management of coastal groundwater and connected ecosystems …

Normal Redefined: Exploring Decontextualization Of Lorises (Nycticebus & Xanthonycticebus Spp.) On Social Media Platforms, Luke F. Quarles, Kim Feddema, Marco Campera, K. A.I. Nekaris

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Decontextualization is a concept from psychology whereby new words are learned outside of the context of the here-and-now. Decontextualized language is used for discussing abstract concepts and is crucial to the development of academic language. When it comes to images, a dearth of context can lead to a lack of clarity, such as the use of ambiguous decontextualized images in environmental communication, leading to the promotion of greenwashing. Here we refer to decontextualization as the removal of wildlife from their wild ecological context. Images and videos of globally threatened species are increasingly popular on social media. Showing such taxa …

Decline Of Seagrass (Posidonia Oceanica) Production Over Two Decades In The Face Of Warming Of The Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Victoria Litsi-Mizan, Pavlos T. Efthymiadis, Vasilis Gerakaris, Oscar Serrano, Manolis Tsapakis, Eugenia T. Apostolaki

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

* The response of Posidonia oceanica meadows to global warming of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, where the increase in sea surface temperature (SST) is particularly severe, is poorly investigated. * Here, we reconstructed the long-term P. oceanica production in 60 meadows along the Greek Seas over two decades (1997–2018), using lepidochronology. We determined the effect of warming on production by reconstructing the annual and maximum (i.e. August) SST, considering the role of other production drivers related to water quality (i.e. Chla, suspended particulate matter, Secchi depth). * Grand mean (±SE) production across all sites and the study period was 48 …

Co-Designing A Multi-Criteria Approach To Ranking Hazards To And From Australia’S Emerging Offshore Blue Economy, Mischa P. Turschwell, Christopher J. Brown, Myriam Lacharité, Jess Melbourne-Thomas, Keith R. Hayes, Rodrigo H. Bustamante, Jeffrey M. Dambacher, Karen Evans, Pedro Fidelman, Darla H. Macdonald, Ingrid Van Putten, Graham Wood, Nagi Abdussamie, Mathilda Bates, Damien Blackwell, Steven D'Alessandro, Ian Dutton, Jessica A. Ericson, Christopher L. J. Frid, Carmel Mcdougall, Mary-Anne Lea, David Rissik, Rowan Trebilco, Elizabeth A. Fulton

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A multi-sectoral assessment of risks can support the management and investment decisions necessary for emerging blue economy industries to succeed. Traditional risk assessment methods will be challenged when applied to the complex socio-ecological systems that characterise offshore environments, and when data available to support management are lacking. Therefore, there is a need for assessments that account for multiple sectors. Here we describe the development of an efficient method for an integrated hazard analysis that is a precursor to full risk assessments. Our approach combines diverse disciplinary expertise, expert elicitation and multi-criteria analysis to rank hazards, so it encompasses all types …

Spatial Heterogeneity In Sediment And Carbon Accretion Rates Within A Seagrass Meadow Correlated With The Hydrodynamic Intensity, Jiarui Lei, Rachel Schaefer, Phil Colarusso, Alyssa Novak, Juliet C. Simpson, Pere Masqué, Heidi Nepf

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The majority of the carbon stored in seagrass sediments originates outside the meadow, such that the carbon storage capacity within a meadow is strongly dependent on hydrodynamic conditions that favor deposition and retention of fine organic matter within the meadow. By extension, if hydrodynamic conditions vary across a meadow, they may give rise to spatial gradients in carbon. This study considered whether the spatial gradients in sediment and carbon accretion rates correlated with the spatial variation in hydrodynamic intensity within a single meadow. Field measurements were conducted in three depth zones across a Zostera marina L. (eelgrass) meadow in Nahant …

Ranking The Risk Of Co2 Emissions From Seagrass Soil Carbon Stocks Under Global Change Threats, Martin Dahl, Kathryn Mcmahon, Paul S. Lavery, Serena H. Hamilton, Catherine E. Lovelock, Oscar Serrano

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Seagrass meadows are natural carbon storage hotspots at risk from global change threats, and their loss can result in the remineralization of soil carbon stocks and CO2 emissions fueling climate change. Here we used expert elicitation and empirical evidence to assess the risk of CO2 emissions from seagrass soils caused by multiple human-induced, biological and climate change threats. Judgments from 41 experts were synthesized into a seagrass CO2 emission risk score based on vulnerability factors (i.e., spatial scale, frequency, magnitude, resistance and recovery) to seagrass soil organic carbon stocks. Experts perceived that climate change threats (e.g., gradual ocean warming and …

The Role Of Inputs Of Marine Wrack And Carrion In Sandy-Beach Ecosystems: A Global Review, Glenn A. Hyndes, Emma L. Berdan, Cristian Duarte, Jenifer E. Dugan, Kyle A. Emery, Peter A. Hamback, Christopher J. Henderson, David M. Hubbard, Mariano Lastra, Miguel A. Mateo, Andrew Olds, Thomas A. Schlacher

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Sandy beaches are iconic interfaces that functionally link the ocean with the land via the flow of organic matter from the sea. These cross-ecosystem fluxes often comprise uprooted seagrass and dislodged macroalgae that can form substantial accumulations of detritus, termed ‘wrack’, on sandy beaches. In addition, the tissue of the carcasses of marine animals that regularly wash up on beaches form a rich food source (‘carrion’) for a diversity of scavenging animals. Here, we provide a global review of how wrack and carrion provide spatial subsidies that shape the structure and functioning of sandy-beach ecosystems (sandy beaches and adjacent surf …

Regeneration Time: Ancient Wisdom For Planetary Wellbeing, Anne Poelina, Sandra Wooltorton, Mindy Blaise, Catrina Luz Aniere, Pierre Horwitz, Peta J. White, Stephen Muecke

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In these regenerative times prompted by the Anthropocene, Aboriginal voices are situated to draw on ancient wisdom for local learning and to share information across the globe as ecological imperative for planetary wellbeing. In this paper, postqualitative research foregrounds the sentient nature of life as ancestral power and brings the vitality of co-becoming as our places into active engagement. It enables coloniality to surface and reveals how it sits in our places and lives, in plain sight but unnoticed because of its so-called common sense. Postqualitative research relates with ancient knowledges in foregrounding Country's animacy and presence, revealing the essence …

Wetlands As Social Ecological Systems, And Relationality In The Policy Domain, Pierre Horwitz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

A wetland policy perspective based on social ecological systems accepts that wetlands are part of landwaterscapes, that people are part of wetland ecosystems, and that the health of wetlands and the health of people are interdependent, evidence of the close, reciprocal and indivisible relationships between nature and culture. These relationships are storied and place-based, associated with place attachment, and are representations of relational values. They are most easily located wherever and whenever Indigenous and local peoples’ knowledge and interests are at play in wetland settings. Legal and administrative processes that recognise Chthonic law and rights for wetlands will elevate relational …

Design, Development, And Characterization Of Highly Efficient Colored Photovoltaic Module For Sustainable Buildings Applications, Mohammad Khairul Basher, Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Momtazur Rahman, Steven Hinckley, Kamal Alameh

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

The building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) system is one of the contributors which has enormous potential to reach the goal of net-zero energy buildings (NZEB) that significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels that contribute to global warming. However, the limitations of the visual and aesthetic appearance of current BIPV systems make this aspiration unlikely. This study investigates the limitations of the single-color-based PV modules that are dull in appearance and have low photo-conversion efficiency (PCE). In order to solve this issue, we designed, developed, and characterized micro-patterned-based multicolored photovoltaic (MPCPV) modules which are applicable to net-zero building and development. Our …

The Risk Of Multiple Anthropogenic And Climate Change Threats Must Be Considered For Continental Scale Conservation And Management Of Seagrass Habitat, Kathryn Mcmahon, Kieryn Kilminster, Robert Canto, Chris Roelfsema, Mitchell Lyons, Gary A. Kendrick, Michelle Waycott, James Udy

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Globally marine-terrestrial interfaces are highly impacted due to a range of human pressures. Seagrass habitats exist in the shallow marine waters of this interface, have significant values and are impacted by a range of pressures. Cumulative risk analysis is widely used to identify risk from multiple threats and assist in prioritizing management actions. This study conducted a cumulative risk analysis of seagrass habitat associated with the Australian continent to support management actions. We developed a spatially explicit risk model based on a database of threats to coastal aquatic habitat in Australia, spanning 35,000 km of coastline. Risk hotspots were identified …

Perceptions Of Drinking Water Access And Quality In Rural Indigenous Villages In Fiji, Sarah Nelson, Jacqueline Thomas, Aaron Jenkins, Kelera Naivalu, Timoci Naivalulevu, Vilisi Naivalulevu, Kinikoto Mailautoka, Shylett Anthony, Mereia Ravoka, Stacy D. Jupiter, Sangeeta Mangubhai, Pierre Horwitz, Seye Abimbola, Joel Negin

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Poor rural water quality is a health challenge in Fiji. A mixed-methods study in six iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) villages was conducted to understand local perceptions of drinking water access and quality, how this changes drinking water source choices, and impacts of age and gender. Seventy-two household surveys, 30 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 12 focus group discus-sions (FGDs) were conducted. Household surveys revealed 41.7% of community members perceived their water as dirty and 76.4% perceived their water as clean. Two-thirds of households reported that they always or usually had enough water. FGDs and KIIs revealed water access and quality was …