Search

Drones are revolutionising earth system observations, and are increasingly used for high resolution monitoring of water quality. The objective of this research was to test whether drone-based multispectral imagery could predict important water quality parameters in an ICOLL (intermittently closed and opened lake or lagoon). Three water quality sampling campaigns were undertaken, measuring temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), chlorophyll (CHL), turbidity, total suspended sediments (TSS), coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM), green algae, crytophyta, diatoms, bluegreen algae and total algal concentrations. DistilM statistical analyses were conducted to reveal the bands accounting for the most variation across all water quality data, then linear correlations between specific band/band ratios and individual water quality parameters were performed. DistilM analyses revealed the NIR band accounted for most variation in March, the Green band in April and the RE band in May, and showed that the most important contributors varied significantly among campaigns and variables. Significant linear correlations with R2 > 0.4 were obtained for eleven of the water quality parameters tested, with the strongest correlation obtained for CHL and the green band (R2 = 0.72). The relative importance of predictor bands and observed water quality parameters varied temporally. We conclude that drones with a multispectral sensor can produce useful 'snapshot' prediction maps for a range of water quality parameters, such as chlorophyll, bluegreen algae and dissolved oxygen. However, a single model was insufficient to reproduce the temporal variation of water parameters in dynamic estuarine systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study maps the evolution of the Australian start-up and innovation ecosystem by exploring policy developments and mapping the key actors, activities, and artefacts. This study unpacks policy developments over the past two decades to show the government's role in shaping the innovation ecosystem and the implications for start-ups. We outline the ecosystem's key actors, including start-ups, scale-ups, support organisations, investors, research institutions, and their growth over time. We examine the artefacts of the ecosystem to understand start-up and innovation performance in a global context. We also explore the activities of the ecosystem in terms of collaboration, research, and development. The study concludes with a discussion of policy gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Queering the Map (queeringthemap.com) is a novel digital platform: a storymap, an anonymous collaborative record, an archive of queer experiences. To contribute to the platform, visitors make their own mark by clicking on an empty space on the map. As to what visitors contribute, the platform's About section suggests, simply, 'If it counts for you, then it counts for Queering the Map'. In this article, we probe this guiding principle. What does count in this context? What matters in the queer archive? Drawing on interviews with 14 site users and an analysis of nearly 2000 stories pinned to Australia on the map, we consider what platform practices reveal about queer collective memory-making, to illuminate the how and why of a queer archive. We see that relatability matters because of the affective, affirming and community-building seeds it can generate; situation matters because it is through participatory practices that recognition, visibility and community place-making are enacted; and, the everyday matters as the archive's visitors collectively claim and gift their varied personal experiences. Through these themes we explore queer contributions or how site visitors are oriented towards giving something of themselves to the archive. We discuss how archival properties of the platform are key to (queer) participation, and to meaning-making – as distinct, as queer, as a valued record. Queering the Map, we argue, is significant in how space is made for queer representation, carving new contours for archival 'evidence' and community histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BatMap is a project that has enabled the development of spatial distribution maps for all mainland Australian and Tasmanian bat species. The distribution maps were developed by bat experts and are actively updated and maintained by utilising the collective knowledge of the members of the Australasian Bat Society. Distribution maps are the most accurate maps that are currently available for Australian bat species. The distribution maps are freely available on-line in a variety of formats. The distribution maps have been used for a variety of purposes, including the assessment of the spatial and taxonomic accuracy of bat records from ecological datasets, particularly datasets that are managed by the Atlas of Living Australia, which are considered by many to be the key source of spatial information for bats. BatMap enables better conservation outcomes for Australian bat fauna through the provision of authoritative, readily accessible and usable maps that can be used to increase the accuracy and reliability of bat records that contribute to decision making processes for conservation purposes. BatMap (https://www.ausbats.org.au/batmap.html) is a set of distribution maps, that have been developed by experts, for every bat species in Australia. The maps can be used for a variety of purposes including: discovering where bats occur; checking the accuracy of bat records; brochures and posters; and assessing areas proposed for development against bat species that are likely to occur there. Knowing what bats occur where can help us to better manage and achieve better conservation outcomes for the Australian bat fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tracking farmland purchases is central to interpreting transnational finance's growing power in agrarian restructuring. Australia's public Register of foreign land ownership reveals little about agrarian change, however. In presenting the first comprehensive mapping of farmland purchases made between 2008 and 2020, this paper examines the ways that financial investments are altering farm ownership patterns in Australia. First, we show that most foreign owned land has been purchased by only 10 pastoral companies, which are implicated in speculative development activities. Second, foreign investment in cropping and horticulture is more significant than it appears in the Register, with investments in agricultural infrastructure increasingly driving land use change. Third, we illustrate the deepening entrenchment of institutional finance. By engaging with the findings from our dataset as well as with the politics of data that have shaped the availability of information, the paper progresses understandings of the financialization of farmland in both its material and ideational aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are distinct bodies of cultural knowledge attached to the sea. In this paper we orient the focus towards the nature and extent of cultural framings of sea territories, as inclusive of submerged landscapes, for Indigenous maritime peoples in northern Australia. This approach is distinguished by a pluralist methodology and reorients the primal focus of a human geography and broader geographical scholarship concerning submerged landscapes to begin with an Indigenous perspective. Engaging ethnographic accounts of Indigenous Australian knowledges of Sea Country, as inclusive of ancient pre‐inundation landscapes that lie out‐of‐sight on Australia's continental shelves, highlights the potential for a more expansive vision of human connections to the past and present continental landmass of Australia. Indigenous oral traditions, Dreaming Ancestor narratives and songlines provide extensive detail to assist in understanding these parts of the greater Australian landmass and in this paper are brought into relation with recent sea floor mapping efforts which operate to draw back the water and reveal commensurable geographies upon which to envision possibilities for socialised realms of human emplacement. Both bodies of knowledge generate information of submerged landscapes that call for an expansion of thinking on where the land ends and the sea begins and how submerged terrestrial landscapes are understood across cultures as part of human geography. The approach outlined here calls for a habit of bringing principled systems of understanding to stand together as part of an explanatory schema for a world populated by and yet differentially known by people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Visible Near infrared and Shortwave Infrared (VNIR/SWIR, 400–2500 nm) remote sensing data is becoming a tool for topsoil properties mapping, bringing spatial information for environmental modeling and land use management. These topsoil properties estimates are based on regression models, linking a key topsoil property to VNIR/SWIR reflectance data. Therefore, the regression model's performances depend on the quality of both topsoil property analysis (measured on laboratory over-ground soil samples) and Bottom-of-Atmosphere (BOA) VNIR/SWIR reflectance which are retrieved from Top-Of-Atmosphere radiance using atmospheric correction (AC) methods. This paper examines the sensitivity of soil organic carbon (SOC) estimation to BOA images depending on two parameters used in AC methods: aerosol optical depth (AOD) in the FLAASH (Fast Line-of-Sight Atmospheric Analysis of Spectral Hypercubes) method and water vapor (WV) in the ATCOR (ATmospheric CORrection) method. This work was based on Earth Observing-1 Hyperion Hyperspectral data acquired over a cultivated area in Australia in 2006. Hyperion radiance data were converted to BOA reflectance using seven values of AOD (from 0.2 to 1.4) and six values of WV (from 0.4 to 5 cm), in FLAASH and ATCOR, respectively. Then a Partial Least Squares regression (PLSR) model was built from each Hyperion BOA data to estimate SOC over bare soil pixels. This study demonstrated that the PLSR models were insensitive to the AOD variation used in the FLAASH method, with R2cv and RMSEcv of 0.79 and 0.4%, respectively. The PLSR models were slightly sensitive to the WV variation used in the ATCOR method, with R2cv ranging from 0.72 to 0.79 and RMSEcv ranging from 0.41 to 0.47. Regardless of the AOD values, the PLSR model based on the best parametrization of the ATCOR model provided similar SOC prediction accuracy to PLSR models using the FLAASH method. Variation in AOD using the FLAASH method did not impact the identification of bare soil pixels coverage which corresponded to 82.35% of the study area, while a variation in WV using the ATCOR method provided a variation of bare soil pixels coverage from 75.04 to 84.04%. Therefore, this work recommends (1) the use of the FLAASH AC method to provide BOA reflectance values from Earth Observing-1 Hyperion Hyperspectral data before SOC mapping or (2) a careful selection of the WV parameter when using ATCOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial extent of terrestrial vegetation types reliant on groundwater in arid Australia is poorly known, largely because they are located in remote areas that are expensive to survey. In previous attempts, the use of traditional remote sensing approaches failed to discriminate vegetation using groundwater from surrounding vegetation. Difficulties in discerning vegetation groundwater use by remote sensing may be exacerbated by the unpredictable rainfall patterns and lack of annual wet and dry seasons common in arid Australia. This study presents a novel approach to mapping terrestrial groundwater‐dependent ecosystems (GDEs) by applying singular value decomposition (SVD) to time‐series of vegetation indices derived from Landsat‐8 data, to isolate the temporal and spatial sources of variation associated with groundwater use. In‐situ data from 442 sites were used to supervise and validate logistic regression models and neural networks, to determine whether sites could be correctly classified as GDEs using components obtained from the SVD. These results were used to produce a probability map of GDE occurrence across a 557 000 ha study area. Overall accuracy of the final classification map was 79%, with 72% of sites correctly identified as GDEs (true positives) and 16% incorrectly classified as GDEs (false positives). The approach is broadly applicable in arid regions globally, and is easily validated if general background knowledge of regional vegetation exists. Globally, and going forward, increased water extraction is expected to severely limit water available for GDEs. Successfully mapping GDEs in arid environments is a critical step towards their sustainable management, and the human and natural systems reliant upon them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrass habitats are recognised as providing essential ecosystem services and being indicators of estuarine health, and are under increasing threat globally. This study examined the spatial and temporal variability of four dominant seagrass genera (Posidonia, Zostera, Halophila and Ruppia) among five geomorphic estuary types and four levels of estuarine maturity in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, over a 40-year period. While there was a decline in total seagrass area across NSW over the last 40 years, this was mostly attributed to Ruppia, the genus with the greatest temporal variability. The composition of seagrasses differed among estuary types and with the maturity of Barrier estuaries. Posidonia was found to be the least temporally variable genus over the last 40 years. The greatest overall annual rate of decline was 1.85% year−1 for Ruppia which is considerably less than the global estimated rate of 5% year−1 over the same time period. Average annual rates of decline were greater over the last 18 years than the last 40 years, but only for the most transient genera and only in some estuary types. Recent declines in Posidonia were greater than those over the last 40 years in two of the most heavily urbanised estuaries. The temporal variability of Zostera differed significantly among estuary types and decreased with increasing water depth across all estuaries. No relationships were found between catchment disturbances, measured as land use or population density, and seagrass change or temporal variability at the estuary scale. Our results highlight the importance of distinguishing among seagrass genera when interpreting changes over time and considering factors such as estuary type, which is effectively a surrogate for environmental conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents findings from a comprehensive mapping exercise of activist responses to, and policy advocacy for, street harassment across the US, UK and Australia. Analysis of activist groups found that the bulk of responses constituted forms of "awareness raising" and documenting the experiences of victims, suggesting that current advocacy is largely situated within the "problem identification" phase of policy development. The extent and focus of activism and advocacy efforts varied across the three locations, with the responses advocated for shaped by local concerns and politics. In particular, activist groups diverged in their support for criminal justice responses to street harassment. Where policy and other initiatives have been developed, these have rarely been evaluated, and there is a clear need to establish an evidence base to better support future policy and practice developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The primary aim was to determine Child Health Utility 9D (CHU9D) utilities from the Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities (CPCHILD) for non-ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP)., Methods: One hundred and eight surveys completed by Australian parents/caregivers of children with CP were analysed. Spearman's coefficients were used to investigate the correlations between the two instruments. Ordinary least square, robust MM-estimator, and generalised linear models (GLM) with four combinations of families and links were developed to estimate CHU9D utilities from either the CPCHILD total score or CPCHILD domains scores. Internal validation was performed using 5-fold cross-validation and random sampling validation. The best performing algorithms were identified based on mean absolute error (MAE), concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and the difference between predicted and observed means of CHU9D., Results: Moderate correlations (ρ 0.4-0.6) were observed between domains of the CHU9D and CPCHILD instruments. The best performing algorithm when considering the CPCHILD total score was a generalised linear regression (GLM) Gamma family and logit link (MAE = 0.156, CCC = 0.508). Additionally, the GLM Gamma family logit link using CPCHILD comfort and emotion, quality of life, and health domain scores also performed well (MAE = 0.152, CCC = 0.552)., Conclusion: This study established algorithms for estimating CHU9D utilities from CPCHILD scores for non-ambulatory children with CP. The determined algorithms can be valuable for estimating quality-adjusted life years for cost-utility analysis when only the CPCHILD instrument is available. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and external validation are recommended to validate these findings., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Old growth forests have many key values, but temporal changes across their spatial extent are poorly understood. This includes large parts of Australia and is a major knowledge gap given the extent of human and natural disturbances in the Australian forest estate over past decades. We integrated spatial data on the timing and extent of fire and logging across mapped forest and woodland cover in different Ecological Vegetation Class (EVC) groups to quantify disturbance of the old growth forest and woodland estate in Victoria since 1995, including after the 2019–20 wildfires. We found ~77% of old growth forest and woodlands have been disturbed by fire and logging over the past 25 years. Disturbance was particularly marked in some EVCs, such as the Wet and Damp Forest and the Subalpine Woodlands. In contrast, relatively little of the Modelled Old Growth Forest and Woodland has been disturbed between 1995 and 2020 in other EVCs such as in Plains Woodlands and Heathy Woodlands. Wildfire was the primary driver of disturbance in Modelled Old Growth Forest and Woodland. We argue that a range of strategies is critical to increase protection of undisturbed old growth forest. These include re-assessing disturbance data layers to ensure that areas of old growth that have been burned at low severity are protected, and reducing the size of old growth patches to be conserved. There is also a need to increase levels of protection of young forests to enable them to grow through to an old growth state. How disturbance changes the spatial extent of old growth forests is often poorly known. Using fire data (including from the 2019–20 wildfires), logging data and vegetation type data, we found that 77% of old growth forests and woodlands across Victoria have been disturbed since 1995. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia has significant offshore wind resources that can support ever-increasing power demand and hence provide a long-term contribution to the net-zero target by 2050. Although some offshore wind farm projects are proposed in Australia, the industry is not mature enough to justify the benefits and display economic opportunities. More specifically, the techno-economic analysis of offshore wind energy has not been systematically mapped in Australia. Therefore, the investigation of the spatial variation of technical feasibility and economic potential of offshore wind is vital to identify the potential regions and to develop strategies for future offshore wind farm developments in Australia. This paper presents detailed mappings of the techno-economic potential of offshore wind energy in Victoria-Tasmania's exclusive economic zone. Offshore wind energy resources are assessed in the paper in terms of energy availability and variability and the feasibility of various offshore wind technologies is investigated, including turbines, foundation types and transmission topologies. In addition, the high-fidelity life-cycle cost models and two innovative evaluation matrices are developed to assess the economic potential of offshore energy farms in South-eastern Australia. The impact of local power system regulation costs and future carbon prices on the viability of offshore wind is also investigated in this paper. It is concluded that the detailed mapping approach and analysis in the paper can provide a systematic tool for industry partners, investors and policymakers at the pre-planning stage of developing offshore renewable energy systems. • The technical feasibility of offshore wind is mapped under various constraints. • The novel LACE and high-fidelity LCC assessment models are developed. • The techno-economic potential is systemically mapped in South-eastern Australia. • The impacts of electricity market regulation and future carbon prices are studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) is a widely used disability-specific outcome measure. This study develops mapping algorithms to estimate Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-4D utilities based on the WHODAS 2.0 responses to facilitate economic evaluation., Methods: The study sample comprises people with disability or long-term conditions (n = 3376) from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Traditional regression techniques (i.e., Ordinary Least Square regression, Robust MM regression, Generalised Linear Model and Betamix Regression) and machine learning techniques (i.e., Lasso regression, Boosted regression, Supported vector regression) were used. Five-fold internal cross-validation was performed. Model performance was assessed using a series of goodness-of-fit measures., Results: The robust MM estimator produced the preferred mapping algorithm for the overall sample with the smallest mean absolute error in cross-validation (MAE = 0.1325). Different methods performed differently for different disability subgroups, with the subgroup with profound or severe restrictions having the highest MAE across all methods and models., Conclusion: The developed mapping algorithm enables cost-utility analyses of interventions for people with disability where the WHODAS 2.0 has been collected. Mapping algorithms developed from different methods should be considered in sensitivity analyses in economic evaluations., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Globally, a key ecosystem service provided by sedimentary estuarine habitats is the regulation of nutrient cycles. The nitrogen (N) cycle is driven by complex biogeochemical transformations within these sediments—including nitrogen fixation, denitrification, assimilation and anaerobic ammonia oxidation—mediated by microorganisms. Evaluating ecosystem processes and their functional value is a knowledge gap for the wet-dry tropics and even more limited for macrotidal estuaries. The capacity of these important environments to withstand and assimilate increasing nitrogenous loads as a consequence of accelerating development pressures in tropical Australia is largely unknown. Because of the critical role nitrogen cycling plays in estuarine ecosystems, identifying important habitats that underpin N cycling, particularly denitrification known to mitigate anthropogenic N inputs, is important. Detailed benthic habitat mapping of the Darwin-Bynoe region of northern Australia has provided a rare opportunity to demarcate its key habitats, such as intertidal mudflats, seagrass, mangroves, reef and saltmarsh. Combined with new measurements of benthic nitrogen fluxes, it has been possible for the first time to map these processes and develop a simple integrated functional value for N cycling across key benthic habitats of a tropical macrotidal estuary. Maps generated in this process have provided broadscale identification of the functional importance of habitats with relevance to N removal processes. The role of intertidal sediments in denitrification has been highlighted. Furthermore, the study emphasises connectivity across benthic seascapes, where multiple services are likely to interact, in supporting overall function and ecosystem health. The distillation of composite processes in this mapping format allows resource managers and scientists to communicate outputs visually with a simple classification scheme which could be superimposed with additional data to support environmental assessment and management. • Denitrification hot spots that provide important ecosystem services were identified and mapped. • Intertidal habitats provide valuable zones for biogeochemical processes in the wet-dry tropics. • Connectivity across benthic seascapes is critical for preserving the interaction of multiple ecosystem services. • Mapping tools facilitate management and conservation decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research about ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is influenced by cultural and value-based perspectives. It impacts regulations, funding, and clinical practice, and shapes the perception of ART in society. We analyze trends in the global literature on ELSI of ART between 1999 and 2019. As most output is produced by North America, Western Europe, and Australia, we focus on international research, i.e., academic articles studying a different country than that of the corresponding author., Methods: The corpus, extracted from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus, includes 7714 articles, of which 1260 involved international research. Analysis is based on titles, abstracts and keywords, classification into ART fields and Topic Modeling, the countries of corresponding author, and countries mentioned in abstracts., Results: An absolute increase in the number of international studies, and their relative proportion. Trends of decentralization are apparent, yet geographic centralization remains, which reflects an unequal distribution of research funds across countries and may result in findings that do not reflect global diversity of norms and values. Preference for studying conceptual challenges through philosophical analysis, and for fields that concern only a portion of ART cycles. Less attention was dedicated to economic analysis and barriers to access, or to knowledge of and attitudes. International studies provide an opportunity to expand and diversify the scope of ELSI research., Conclusion: We call on the research community to promote international collaborations, focus on less explored regions, and divert more attention to questions of cost, access, knowledge, and attitudes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: In addition to theoretical justifications, many statistical methods have been used for selecting covariates to include in algorithms mapping nonutility measures onto utilities. However, it is not clear whether using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) as one such method improves the predictive ability of these algorithms.Objective: This question is addressed within the context of mapping a non-utility-based outcome, the core 23-item Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ-23), onto two utility instruments: five-level EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L) and the six-dimensional health state short form (derived from short form 36 health survey) (SF-6D).Methods: Data on all three outcomes were collected from 455 women from the Australian general population participating in a study assessing attitudes toward in vitro fertilization. Statistical methods for selecting covariates included stepwise regression (SW), including all covariates (Include all), multivariable fractional polynomial (MFP), and EFA. The predictive accuracy of 108 regression models was assessed using five criteria: mean absolute error, root mean squared error, correlation, distribution of predicted utilities, and proportion of predictions with absolute errors of less than 0.0.5. Validation of "primary" models was carried out on random samples of the in vitro fertilization study.Results: The best results for EQ-5D-5L and SF-6D predictions were obtained from models using SW, "Include all," and MFP covariate-selection approaches. Root mean squared error (0.0762-0.1434) and mean absolute error (0.0590-0.0924) estimates for these models were within the range of published estimates. EFA was outperformed by other covariate-selection methods.Conclusions: It is possible to predict valid utilities from the WHQ-23 using regression methods based on SW, "Include all," and MFP covariate-selection techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The groundwater dataset developed by Angela Giblin comprises over 5000 samples across much of Australia and is a useful contribution to the mapping of groundwater chemistry across Australia (the ‘Continental Scale Hydrogeochemistry’ initiative). Sampling and analytical methodology used by Giblin differed from many other protocols. In particular, water samples were not filtered in the field, or indeed prior to analysis. However, given the number of samples and their potential utility, it would be advantageous to modify data from these samples so that they can be readily integrated with other studies. The combined data were initially sorted to ensure consistent detection limits. Data that did not pass a thorough QA/QC assessment were rejected. Correction, and where necessary removal, of data (owing to the analytical artefacts from solids contamination during analysis) was applied. The degree of contamination in bailed samples, and what data therefore to reject, is calculated using an algorithm developed and tested for Western Australian groundwaters. Geochemical changes between sampling and delayed analysis (days or weeks later) cannot be directly quantified. Other research predicted which elements should be most affected by this. This was further tested by comparing overlapping results from Giblin with more recent data from the same sites in Western Australia and Queensland. Results showed good agreement for salinities and major ions, and for the ratio indices (K:Na, etc.) determined from such data. Saturation Index calculations for sulfates gypsum, celestine and barite also closely matched between differing datasets. There was good agreement between datasets for F, HCO3, Si, V, As, Mo, Ba and U, and moderate agreement for Li, Cr and Au. Weak agreement for pH meant that saturation indices for carbonate minerals such as calcite, dolomite, magnesite, siderite and rhodochrosite did not align, and there was very poor agreement for P, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Mn and Fe. However, in general, these comparisons indicate groundwater to be a robust geochemical medium. Based on this study, this modified data should now be readily usable and ‘seamlessly’ comparable with other datasets. Combining data, across varying sources if necessary, allows hydrogeochemistry to be used to map geology, alteration, prospectivity and geomorphological factors from mine scale to the size of Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Immediate and foreseeable threats to groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) are widely acknowledged, many linked to altered groundwater regimes including changes in groundwater flow, flux, pressure, level and/or quality (Eamus et al. in Aust J Bot 54:97-114, ). Natural resource managers and other decision-makers often lack sufficient information at an appropriate scale to understand the groundwater dependency of ecosystems and ensure that GDEs are adequately considered in decision-making processes. This paper describes a new catchment scale mapping method for GDEs based on the integration of local expert knowledge with detailed spatial datasets to delineate GDEs at a scale compatible with management and planning activities. This overcomes one of the key criticisms often levelled at broader scale mapping methods-that information from local and regional experts, with significant understanding of landscape processes and ecosystems, is not incorporated into the datasets used by decision-makers. Expert knowledge is conveyed in the form of pictorial conceptual models representing the components, processes and interrelationships of groundwater within a catchment and the ecosystems dependent on it. Each mapped GDE is linked to a pictorial conceptual model and a mapping rule-set to provide decision-makers with valuable information about where, how and why GDEs exist in a landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern Yilgarn Craton, with an extensive mineral exploration history and relatively fresh and neutral groundwaters, was selected to test the utility of regional hydrogeochemical mapping in Australia. The assembled data of 2509 groundwater samples (generally at 4-8 km spacing) are relatively unbiased, allowing robust statistical analysis such as testing sample types (flowing v. 'stagnant'), contamination, and lithological controls on groundwater characteristics. Lithological indicators were developed to map underlying bedrock through cover. Areas with discrepancies between groundwater results and previous geological mapping were identified. Where these are areas previously discounted as prospective for mineral commodities, they may now be re-considered on this basis. Even in well explored parts of this region, this study identified new areas which may have prospective rocks overlain with a thin (<50 m) veneer of granitic material. A large background data set was produced that has significant benefits for lithological discrimination, mineral exploration, guiding human and livestock drinking water supplies and environmental management (e.g. mine closure). Groundwater chemistry can effectively map large-scale lithological changes in these semi-arid environments, and in turn can reduce uncertainly about the prospectivity of areas within the northern Yilgarn Craton. This should reduce the drilling and associated costs required to delineate a target. The methods and interpretation developed in this study will enhance mineral exploration into covered environments as much of the northern two thirds of Australia has similar groundwater environments. This methodology can be expanded into covered arid terrains worldwide. Additionally, this can be used as background to improve interpretation of other small scale studies. Improving the exploration potential of other more difficult regions of Australia will encourage industry exploration in Australia, and provide potential future economic gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quality of life is included in the economic evaluation of health services by measuring the preference for health states, i.e. health state utilities. However, most intervention studies include a disease-specific, not a utility, instrument. Consequently, there has been increasing use of statistical mapping algorithms which permit utilities to be estimated from a disease-specific instrument. The present paper provides such algorithms between the MacNew Heart Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) instrument and six multi-attribute utility (MAU) instruments, the Euroqol (EQ-5D), the Short Form 6D (SF-6D), the Health Utilities Index (HUI) 3, the Quality of Wellbeing (QWB), the 15D (15 Dimension) and the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL-8D). Methods: Heart disease patients and members of the healthy public were recruited from six countries. Non-parametric rank tests were used to compare subgroup utilities and MacNew scores. Mapping algorithms were estimated using three separate statistical techniques. Results: Mapping algorithms achieved a high degree of precision. Based on the mean absolute error and the intra class correlation the preferred mapping is MacNew into SF-6D or 15D. Using the R squared statistic the preferred mapping is MacNew into AQoL-8D. Implications for research: The algorithms reported in this paper enable MacNew data to be mapped into utilities predicted from any of six instruments. This permits studies which have included the MacNew to be used in cost utility analyses which, in turn, allows the comparison of services with interventions across the health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approaches to curriculum design often occur at the unit or course level within social work education. Only rarely have ‘whole of curriculum’ approaches been discussed in the literature. This paper describes the creation of a ‘whole of curriculum approach’ to social work teaching and learning within an Australian University. The project involved the creation of a methodology and conceptual framework to map assessment across an entire social work curriculum. In doing so, the mapping exercise provided a way to evaluate the sequencing and integration of assessment tasks across the four-year degree pathway, and judge the effectiveness that such assessments fit with theories and research on assessment more broadly, and with the graduate outcomes for a social work degree. This paper outlines the background to the 2013 assessment project and its alignment to the curriculum mapping. It argues and explains how a systematic approach to mapping and improving social work curriculums can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Illegal disposal of waste is a significant management issue for contemporary governments because of the hazards posed to both human and ecosystem health. Understanding the complex distribution pattern of illegal waste and the range of economic, environmental and social factors influencing this distribution is valuable for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of waste management efforts. This article examines the applicability of mapping illegal waste disposal in the Sunshine Coast (Queensland, Australia) through the identification and integration of predictive spatial data in a geographic information system. A statistical model of illegal waste disposal was developed using a binary logistic regression analysis to identify explanatory variables suitable for predicting the distribution of illegal waste. Five statistically significant explanatory variables were identified through this analysis: population density, primary land use, distance to the nearest road, waste facility and roadside amenity. The generated statistical model had a predictive success of 86.1% with all indicators suggesting good model fit (χ2 = 474.3,P = 0 with df = 22) across the study area. Standardised spatial data on each explanatory variable were combined using a weighted linear combination analysis and the results were classified into five categories from very low to very high illegal waste disposal potentials using the equal interval method. The resultant mapping identified 6.9% of the study area as having very high illegal waste disposal potential, and subsequent validation indicated that 32.9% of known illegal waste disposal sites were located within these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To assist in site identification for development of solar energy facilities in Australia, relevant spatial data were drawn from a range of sources. Along with infrastructure and development constraints, spatial solar irradiance estimates were a key requirement. Existing estimates, derived from satellite observations, were found to include significant bias when compared to ground station observations, likely due to the difference in measurement (spatial average for satellite and point location for ground station). Rather than revert to reprocessing the original data, post-processing corrections were developed to compensate for this bias. Investigations were also made into the influence of aerosols on the satellite estimates (aerosols were not included in the existing model), and whether any spatial bias existed in the satellite estimates. In both cases, no evidence was found to indicate that improvements in the data were possible by including these effects. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A new colour vegetation map for Western Australia has been developed at a level of detail appropriate for publishing at the 1:3,000,000 scale. This memoir accompanies the map, which is based on the statewide mapping carried out by John Beard. The published maps and reports have been valuable resources for biologists and planners for decades, and this information is now available as a spatial dataset, making it more accessible for a broader range of uses. This memoir explains how the data were derived and describes the units of vegetation shown on the map. The 1:3,000,000-scale vegetation map shows the distribution of 75 major categories of natural plant cover in Western Australia as they would have been at the time of European settlement, with 50 major vegetation types, five categories of bare and poorly-vegetated ground and 20 vegetation mosaics (combinations of vegetation types). This classification was carried out in 1996-97 and is influenced by the original framework developed by Beard for the earlier 1:3,000,000 map. Vegetation types range from tall forests of karri (Eucalyptus diversicolor) in the high rainfall zone of the South West; through to the forests and woodlands dominated by eucalyptus, melaleuca, allocasuarina or acacia in the medium to low rainfall areas; the sclerophyllous shrublands of the South West; the saltbush, bluebush and samphire shrublands that occur on saline soils throughout the state; and the various grasslands of Triodia (spinifex) in central parts and Sorghum, Astrebla and Chrysopogon in northern parts of the state. These grasslands often have emergent tree cover of over 10% with density and are described as steppe or savanna. The map has been generated from a comprehensive, spatial database of the vegetation of the state, based mainly on the work of JS Beard carried out from 1964 to 1981. Almost 900 vegetation associations, derived from the 1:250,000- scale maps are included in the database. These were grouped into vegetation types based on physiognomy, floristics and, in some cases, ecological and regional attributes, and largely followed the framework developed by Beard. This work was carried out prior to the development of the National Vegetation Information System (NVIS; ESCAVI 2003). A subsequent reclassification of system associations (an intersection of Beard's vegetation associations with his vegetation systems) was described in six levels according to the NVIS, but is not described in this publication. The structure, composition, and general distribution of each of the vegetation types are described in this memoir . The memoir also includes details about the development and current delineation of the bioregions known as the IBRA (Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation of Australia). The description of vegetation types are referenced to these regions. The six most extensive vegetation types are: * low woodland, open low and sparse woodland dominated by Acacia aneura (mulga), which covers over 36 million ha and extends over eight IBRA regions; * a mosaic of open tree steppe and open shrub-steppe that covers over 25.5 million ha and dominates three desert IBRA regions; * shrub-steppe of hummock grassland dominated by Triodia spp. with scattered shrubs of Acacia spp. and Grevillea spp., mapped over nearly 25 million ha; * scrub, open scrub and sparse shrub of Acacia spp., Melaleuca spp. and other species, mapped widely over the state and that covers over 15 million ha; * the woodlands of the Avon Wheatbelt Bioregion, Coolgardie Bioregion, riverine areas and the Northern Kimberley Bioregion that cover nearly 13.5 million ha. These six vegetation types account for 55% of the state. The six most restricted vegetation types identified by the classification process are: * freshwater lakes, which total nearly 22,700 ha; * samphire with scattered trees or low trees, mapped over nearly 39,000 ha; * pockets of low forest of acacia, Rottnest cypress, coastal moort or mixed tropical forest (rain forest), which cover 55,600 ha; * sedgelands of the South West (59,000 ha); * thickets with medium open woodland or scattered trees (62,600 ha); * low woodland or open low woodlands over bluebush and/or saltbush (87,700 ha). Some of these could be incorporated into other units in future classifications. The 1:3,000,000-scale map gives a general impression of the vegetation of the state, as well as aspects of the geology, geomorphology and climate patterns. The vegetation database that underpins this map is currently being used for a wide range of research and planning purposes, including the on-going development of the terrestrial nature conservation reserve system. It is not ideal for this latter purpose as the scale of the mapping at 1:250,000 is relatively broad. More detailed vegetation datasets will be required to undertake more effective land use planning as conserving Western Australia's unique and fragile native vegetation communities becomes more challenging into the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tick paralysis is a serious and potentially fatal condition of Australian companion animals induced by the paralysis ticks, Ixodes holocyclus and Ixodes cornuatus. Limited published information is available on the distribution, seasonality and risk factors for tick paralysis mortality in dogs and cats. This study describes 3479 cases of canine and feline tick paralysis in Australia using data extracted from a real-time disease surveillance program. Risk factors for mortality were identified, and maps of the distribution of cases were generated. Cluster analysis was performed using a space-time permutation scan statistic. Tick paralysis was found to be distinctly seasonal, with most cases reported during spring. Most cases were located on the eastern coast of Australia with New South Wales and Queensland accounting for the majority of reported cases. A cluster of cases was identified on the south coast of New South Wales. Dogs were found to be at significantly higher risk (P <0.05) of death if less than 6 months of age or if a toy breed. No significant risk factors for mortality were identified for cats. Some animals receiving chemoprophylactic treatment for tick infestation experienced tick paralysis during the products’ period of effectiveness. There is a high risk of tick paralysis in dogs and cats on the eastern coast of Australia during the spring months. The risk factors for mortality identified can be used by veterinarians to determine prognosis in cases of canine tick paralysis and potentially to improve the treatment of cases. Daily tick searches of pets – particularly in high risk areas and during high risk periods – are recommended since the prevention of tick paralysis via chemoprophylaxis is not 100% guaranteed across the whole population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Many production landscapes are complex human-environment systems operating at various spatio-temporal scales and provide a variety of ecosystem goods and services (EGS) vital to human well-being. EGS change over space and time as a result of changing patterns of land use or changes in the composition and structure of different vegetation types. Spatio-temporal assessment of EGS can provide valuable information on the consequences of changing land use and land cover for EGS and helps to deal with this complexity. We carried out a quantitative and qualitative appraisal of selected EGS (timber production, carbon stock, provision of water, water regulation, biodiversity, and forage production) to understand how these have altered in a complex mosaic of landscape that has undergone significant change over the past 200 years. Land use and land cover types and their associated EGS were assessed and mapped using a wide range of readily available data and tools. We also evaluated the trade-offs among services associated with observed land use change. In contrast to work elsewhere, we found the recent changes in land use and land cover have an overall positive impact on various EGS due mainly to the conversion of pasture to managed plantations which are connected to the larger areas of remnant vegetation. Results also indicate that there was a high level of variation in the distribution of the EGS across the landscape. Relatively intact native vegetation provides mainly regulating services whereas the modified landscapes provides provisioning services such as timber and forage production at the cost of regulating services. Rapidly changing demand and supply of certain goods and services (e.g., timber, pulp or carbon) may also have positive and negative impact on other services. For example, increasing plantation rotation has positive impacts for biodiversity and carbon stock but reduces stream flow and water yield. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Non-preference-based patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are popular in health outcomes research. These measures, however, cannot be used to estimate health state utilities, limiting their usefulness for economic evaluations. Mapping PROMs to a multi-attribute utility instrument is one solution. While mapping is commonly conducted using econometric techniques, failing to specify the complex interactions between variables may lead to inaccurate prediction of utilities, resulting in inaccurate estimates of cost-effectiveness and suboptimal funding decisions. These issues can be addressed using machine learning. This paper evaluates the use of machine learning as a mapping tool. We adopt a comprehensive approach to compare six machine learning techniques with eight econometric techniques to map the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health 10 (PROMIS-GH10) to the EuroQol five dimensions (EQ-5D-5L). Using data collected from 2015 Australians, we find the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model out-performed all machine learning techniques and the adjusted limited dependent variable mixture model (ALDVMM) out-performed all econometric techniques, with the LASSO performing better than ALDVMM. The variable selection feature of LASSO was then used to enhance the performance of the ALDVMM in a hybrid model. Our analysis identifies the potential benefits and challenges of using machine learning techniques for mapping and offers important insights for future research., (© 2022 The Authors. Health Economics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Abstract: This paper presents a novel approach for automatic segmentation and object detection of tree crowns in airborne images captured from a low-flying Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in ecology monitoring applications. Cost effective monitoring in these applications necessitates the use of vision-band-only imaging on the UAV platform; the reduction in spectral resolution (compared to multi- or hyper-spectral imaging) is balanced by the high spatial resolution available (20cm/pixel) from the low-flying UAV, when compared to existing satellite or manned-aerial survey data. Our approach to object detection thus uses both geometry and appearance information (through the use of tree shape and shadow information) in addition to spectral information to help accurately distinguish tree crowns within our application. A predictive geometric template for tree detection is constructed using on-board UAV navigation data, sun lighting information and information about the geometry of the target crown. A two-stage detection algorithm is then used to segment tree crowns based on spectral (colour) information convolved with information from the predictive template. Results of our approach are presented using airborne image data collected from a fixed-wing UAV during a weed monitoring and mapping mission over farmland in West Queensland, Australia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With 2 figures and 4 tables Abstract Net type net blotch (NTNB) is an important barley disease in Australia and elsewhere, inducing significant yield reduction. 'WPG8412' was resistant against Australian NTNB isolates 97NB1 and NB73, whereas 'Pompadour' and 'Stirling' showed differential responses to these isolates. Using these lines, three F1-derived double haploid populations that comprised 194 double haploid lines (DHLs) of 'WPG8412' ×'Stirling', 116 DHLs of 'WPG8412' × 'Pompadour' and 206 DHLs of 'Pompadour' × 'Stirling' were tested against these two isolates. Bimodal segregation indicated a major gene for resistance was operative: in 'WPG8412' × 'Stirling' against 97NB1; in 'WPG8412'×'Pompadour' against NB73; and in 'Pompadour' × 'Stirling' against either of the isolate. This major gene was mapped using simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers on chromosome 6H in the centromeric region in all three populations. This work demonstrated that 6H region controlling NTNB is a complex locus, where at least three alleles or closely linked genes are possible in these parents against these isolates. This is a first report of 6H complexity for NTNB resistance against Australian isolates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on a research program that has developed new methodologies for mapping the Australian blogosphere and tracking how information is disseminated across it. The authors improve on conventional web crawling methodologies in a number of significant ways: First, the authors track blogging activity as it occurs, by scraping new blog posts when such posts are announced through Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds. Second, the authors use custom-made tools that distinguish between the different types of content and thus allow us to analyze only the salient discursive content provided by bloggers. Finally, the authors are able to examine these better quality data using both link network mapping and textual analysis tools, to produce both cumulative longer term maps of interlinkages and themes, and specific shorter term snapshots of current activity that indicate current clusters of heavy interlinkage and highlight their key themes. In this article, the authors discuss findings from a yearlong observation of the Australian political blogosphere, suggesting that Australian political bloggers consistently address current affairs, but interpret them differently from mainstream news outlets. The article also discusses the next stage of the project, which extends this approach to an examination of other social networks used by Australians, including Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. This adaptation of our methodology moves away from narrow models of political communication, and toward an investigation of everyday and popular communication, providing a more inclusive and detailed picture of the Australian networked public sphere. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many government and non-statutory registers utilise point datasets to represent cultural heritage places. An effect of this approach is to emphasise that cultural heritage comprises a series of spatially discrete material remains or 'sites', suggesting discrete locations which are somehow disconnected from their broader historical and landscape contexts. We advocate an alternative in which spatial representation of heritage is set within a cultural landscape framework, acknowledging that all parts of the landscape have inter-connected cultural histories, associations and meanings resulting from long-term and ongoing human-environmental interactions. Results from a collaborative cultural heritage research project undertaken at Culgoa National Park in Australia demonstrate the advantage of this approach. The mapping products produced by the work comprise an interactive electronic DVD Atlas and hard copy maps. Both focus on meeting the management needs of field-based park staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for the analysis of cathodoluminescence spectra is described that enables quantitative trace-element-level distributions to be mapped within minerals and materials. Cathodoluminescence intensities for a number of rare earth elements are determined by Gaussian peak fitting, and these intensities show positive correlation with independently measured concentrations down to parts per million levels. The ability to quantify cathodoluminescence spectra provides a powerful tool to determine both trace element abundances and charge state, while major elemental levels can be determined using more traditional X-ray spectrometry. To illustrate the approach, a scheelite from Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, is hyperspectrally mapped and the cathodoluminescence is calibrated against microanalyses collected using a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Trace element maps show micron scale zoning for the rare earth elements Sm3+, Dy3+, Er3+, and Eu3+/Eu2+. The distribution of Eu2+/Eu3+ suggests that both valences of Eu have been preserved in the scheelite since its crystallization 1.63 billion years ago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pockmarks are geohazards that can impact offshore developments, and an understanding of their formation assists in determination of their physical characteristics and in the prediction of their future behaviour. This study documents how the presence of submarine landslides - either on the seafloor or buried - can favour pockmark formation through the characterisation of two pockmark fields from the Australian North West Shelf. Analysis was carried out through an innovative workflow combining full-volume interpretation of exploration 3D seismic data and semi-automated mapping of seismic horizons. The Gorgon Pockmark Field (GPF) extends over ∼125 km2 in water depths ranging from 210 to 480 m. It contains ∼500 pockmarks with diameters of ∼150–200 m. The pockmark field overlies a submarine landslide and was likely created by the expulsion of fluids and/or liquefied sediment during or after the formation of the landslide. The Carnarvon Pockmark Field (CPF), located 100 km southwest of the GPF, covers around ∼150 km2 in water depth ranging from 680 to 930 m. It contains ∼250 pockmarks, each having a diameter of ∼250–300 m. The CPF developed on a buried paleo-landslide. While the seafloor pockmarks and the paleo-landslide are physically disconnected by a sedimentary drape, seafloor pockmarks are abundant above the paleo-landslide and present a characteristic morphology, then suggesting that fluids circulating through the paleo-landslide induced the formation of the seafloor pockmarks. Study of the Gorgon and Carnarvon pockmark fields presents new evidence that submarine landslides - either on the seafloor or buried - can control the development of pockmarks over huge areas of the seafloor. [Display omitted] • Pockmark fields >100 km2 developed on submarine landslide and paleo-landslide in Australian NWS. • Mapping of 3D seismic horizons indicates pockmark morphology is specific to each landslide. • New evidence that formation of a submarine landslide can trigger pockmark development. • Buried paleo-submarine landslides can also control the organisation of seafloor pockmarks. • Behaviours possibly enabled by the presence of small amount of gas in the sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attempts to measure the bundle of activities termed the creative industries commenced with the UK's Department of Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) release in 1998 of its Creative Industries Mapping Study. Like many earlier attempts to study the size and impact of the cultural industries, these focused on the employment and business activities (within selected industrial classifications) of either census of industry employment or surveys of businesses within industries. Since then, there have been mapping exercises in several countries, based to a greater or lesser extent on the 1998 UK exercise. This paper proposes that there have been three iterations of creative industries mapping to date. It outlines the issues faced, the methodologies applied and the findings produced by representative projects in each iteration. Research on which this article is based was supported by an Australian Research Council Linkage-Project grant administered by Queensland University of Technology in partnership with the Australian Government Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and the Australian Film Commission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A portable radiance research nephelometer was used to measure the variation in woodsmoke pollution in Armidale (a small town of 22,000 people), New South Wales, Australia, on 14 winter nights in 1996. Winter nights are characterised by inversions that trap the air within the valley and reduce winds to very low speeds (averaging 0.15ms−1). Pollution varied considerably with location. Mean scattering coefficients (bsp/10km) for 14 measurement nights ranged from less than 1.0 on the undeveloped fringes of the city to 8.7, the latter representing a 14-night average of 200μgm−3 of PM2.5. Pollution was generally highest in the residential areas on either side of the valley, where the smoke was generated, rather than the low-lying central creeklands. In places, average pollution levels increased 4-fold within 41m. The correlation between nephelometer and gravimetric pollution measurements ranged 0.95–0.99. The presence of large, sudden but repeatable changes in air pollution, and high correlations between nephelometer and gravimetric measurements, indicate that mobile pollution monitoring devices provide a useful and accurate estimate of spatial variability. Estimated exposure for the town as a whole was 1.02 for the 6 months from April to September, 0.25 in October as heater use declines, and 0.12 in normal summer months. For comparison, published 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles of the distribution of nephelometer coefficients in Sydney were 0.15, 0.24 and 0.37, respectively. Thus annual exposure to PM2.5 pollution in Armidale from woodsmoke is more than double that from all sources in Sydney, a city of 4 million. Overseas estimates of 6% increased mortality for each additional 10μgm−3 of PM2.5 suggest that wood heaters in Armidale may increase mortality in Armidale by about 7%, with estimated cost of about $4270 per woodheater per year. Alternative cheap and environmentally friendly methods of keeping houses warm in winter, such as solar heating, should therefore be developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Up-to-date, reliable information on the type, extent and condition of vegetation is increasingly required at a range of scales for a range of policy, regulation and management purposes. This paper describes the development of national level vegetation information frameworks for mapping vegetation across Australia. Vegetation mapping and monitoring in Australia have historically been the responsibility of state governments. In the late 1980s, the Australian and State and Territory governments developed the National Forest Inventory to facilitate the collection and availability of contemporary, valid and standardised forest data to assist in the planning and management for the conservation and use of Australia''s forests. The National Vegetation Information System framework () expanded this concept for compiling vegetation structure and floristic information for entire landscapes. The National Vegetation Information System framework has recently been used to integrate data from a range of sources to provide a whole-of-landscape view of vegetation, including native, non-native and non-vegetation land covers. Map compilation approaches to vegetation assessment provide only one form of information required for policy, regulation or management decisions. Compiling and updating such snapshots of Australia''s vegetation cover provide little, if any, information on the condition of the vegetation. Differences between repeated snapshots through time using this approach are often the result of differences in classification approaches or mapping technologies rather than actual changes in the structure and/or floristics of the vegetation. It is argued that efficient assessment of change in vegetation condition requires repeated measurements of condition indicators at the same sites over time. We present a continental forest monitoring framework design concept to address this concern. Issues that need to be addressed relating to monitoring framework data and map-based information are also discussed in the context of adaptive management for improved natural resource management. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The loss and recovery of intertidal seagrass meadows were assessed following the flood related catastrophic loss of seagrass meadows in February 1999 in the Sandy Strait, Queensland. Region wide recovery rates of intertidal meadows following the catastrophic disturbance were assessed by mapping seagrass abundance in the northern Great Sandy Strait region prior to and on 3 occasions after widespread loss of seagrass. Meadow-scale assessments of seagrass loss and recovery focussed on two existing Zostera capricorni monitoring meadows in the region. Mapping surveys showed that approximately 90% of intertidal seagrasses in the northern Great Sandy Strait disappeared after the February 1999 flooding of the Mary River. Full recovery of all seagrass meadows took 3 years. At the two study sites (Urangan and Wanggoolba Creek) the onset of Z. capricorni germination following the loss of seagrass occurred 14 months post-flood at Wanggoolba Creek, and at Urangan it took 20 months for germination to occur. By February 2001 (24 months post-flood) seagrass abundance at Wanggoolba Creek sites was comparable to pre-flood abundance levels and full recovery at Urangan sites was complete in August 2001 (31 months post-flood). Reduced water quality characterised by 2–3 fold increases in turbidity and nutrient concentrations during the 6 months following the flood was followed by a 95% loss of seagrass meadows in the region. Reductions in available light due to increased flood associated turbidity in February 1999 were the likely cause of seagrass loss in the Great Sandy Strait region, southern Queensland. Although seasonal cues influence the germination of Z. capricorni, the temporal variation in the onset of seed germination between sites suggests that germination following seagrass loss may be dependent on other factors (eg. physical and chemical characteristics of sediments and water). Elevated dissolved nitrogen concentrations during 1999 at Wanggoolba Creek suggest that this site received higher loads of sediments and nutrients from flood waters than Urangan. The germination of seeds at Wanggoolba Creek one year prior to Urangan coincides with relatively low suspended sediment concentrations in Wanggoolba Creek waters. The absence of organic rich sediments at Urangan for many months following their removal during the 1999 flood may also have inhibited seed germination. Data from population cohort analyses and population growth rates showed that rhizome weight and rhizome elongation rates increased over time, consistent with rapid growth during increases in temperature and light availability from May to October. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Social-ecological justice is an emerging field that argues for nature's agency, social-ecological awareness, recognition of nature's capabilities, and participation in decision-making processes. A social-ecological justice perspective lifts the analysis out of a distribution of environmental impacts to humans, to a recognition of social-ecological complexities. However, bringing this perspective to urban planning requires a suite of methods and tools in coordination with existing planning methods that do not address issues of social-ecological justice, or, justice for nature. Drawing from existing methods and tools, this paper presents a novel methodology to define, identify, and map social-ecological injustices in urban landscapes. Three dimensions of social-ecological justice (distribution, recognition, and participation) are operationalised into a set of indicators, which are added to create a Social-Ecological Injustices Index that identifies place hotspots. A fourth dimension, capabilities, is discussed, but not operationalised in the paper. The urban region of Melbourne, which has been undergoing intense urbanisation processes, is used as a case study to test the applicability of this index. The geospatial analysis reveals various degrees of social-ecological injustices across the Melbourne Metropolitan region and unveils the location of the most deprived areas. This methodology can be applied as a systematic and effective way for urban planners and decision-makers to identify and target social-ecological injustice hotspots as areas of prioritisation for urban regeneration with nature-based solutions. • Social-ecological injustices are complex and often unrecognised in city planning. • This reflects a lack of recognition and representation of humans and nature. • A systematic methodology to identify social-ecological injustices exposes planning blind spots. • This allows for priority actions to address the needs and capabilities of local ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A lack of core food accessibility negatively affects diet quality, potentially increasing the prevalence of health risk factors such as obesity. The purpose of this study was to investigate core food access in an Australian regional center through the use of data visualization techniques., Methods: Supermarkets were used as a proxy for core food accessibility and were identified and mapped by town region with a combination of Google Maps and Stata/IC 15.1 software. A statistical analysis comparing the demographics of each town region was also completed using Stata., Results: The maps generated suggest that there may be a disparity in core food accessibility between town regions. The analysis of demographics demonstrated that one town region had a greater proportion of disadvantaged residents, with statistically significant variation between regions., Conclusion: Data visualization and analysis may be a useful tool for clinicians to communicate accessibility information experienced by local residents. This need not be limited to food accessibility and extended to health services.

Purpose: Preference-based measures are essential for producing quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) that are widely used for economic evaluations. In the absence of such measures, mapping algorithms can be applied to estimate utilities from disease-specific measures. This paper aims to develop mapping algorithms between the MacNew Heart Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) instrument and the English and the US-based EQ-5D-5L value sets., Methods: Individuals with heart disease were recruited from six countries: Australia, Canada, Germany, Norway, UK and the US in 2011/12. Both parametric and non-parametric statistical techniques were applied to estimate mapping algorithms that predict utilities for MacNew scores from EQ-5D-5L value sets. The optimal algorithm for each country-specific value set was primarily selected based on root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and r-squared. Leave-one-out cross-validation was conducted to test the generalizability of each model., Results: For both the English and the US value sets, the one-inflated beta regression model consistently performed best in terms of all criteria. Similar results were observed for the cross-validation results. The preferred model explained 59 and 60% for the English and the US value set, respectively. Linear equating provided predicted values that were equivalent to observed values., Conclusions: The preferred mapping function enables to predict utilities for MacNew data from the EQ-5D-5L value sets recently developed in England and the US with better accuracy. This allows studies, which have included the MacNew to be used in cost-utility analyses and thus, the comparison of services with interventions across the health system.

Background: Mapping algorithms can be used to convert scores from a non-preference based instrument to health state utilities. The objective of this study was to develop mapping algorithms which will enable the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) scores to be converted into EQ-5D-5L utility scores that can be used in heart failure related cost utility studies., Method: Patients diagnosed with heart failure were recruited from Australia. Mapping algorithms were developed using both direct and indirect response mapping approach. Three model specifications were considered to predict the EQ-5D-5 L utility score using MLHFQ total score (Model 1), MLHFQ domain scores (Model 2), or MLHFQ item scores (Model 3). Six regression techniques, each of which has the capability to cope with either skewness, heteroscedasticity, ceiling effects and/or the potential presence of outliers in the data set were used to identify the optimal mapping functions for each of the three models. Goodness-of-fit of the models were assessed using six indicators. In the absence of an external validation dataset, predictive performance of was assessed using three-fold cross validation method. In the indirect response mapping, EQ. 5D 5 L responses were predicted separately using the MLHFQ item scores using ordered logit model., Results: A total of 141 patients participated in the study. The lowest mean absolute error (MAE) was recorded from the multivariable fractional polynomials (MFP) model in all three-model specifications. Regarding the indirect response mapping, results showed that the performance was comparable with the direct mapping approach based on root mean squared error (RMSE) but was worse based on MAE., Conclusion: The MLHFQ can be mapped onto EQ-5D-5 L utilities with good predictive accuracy using both direct and indirect response mapping techniques. The reported mapping algorithms would facilitate calculation of health utility for economic evaluations related to heart failure.

Objective: The objective of the mapping project was to develop an expert derived map between the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) clinical modifications (CM) and the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) to be able to relate AIS severity to ICD coded data road traffic collision data in EU datasets. The maps were developed to enable the identification of serious AIS3+ injury and provide details of the mapping process for assumptions to be made about injury severity from mass datasets. This article describes in detail the mapping process of the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and the International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes to the Abbreviated Injury Scale 2005, Update 2008 (AIS08) codes to identify injury with an AIS severity of 3 or more (AIS3+ severity) to determine 'serious' (MAIS3+) road traffic injuries. Methods: Over 19,000 ICD codes were mapped from the following injury categories; injury ICD-9-CM (Chapter 17) codes between '800 and 999.9' and injury ICD-10-CM (Chapter 19) 'S' and 'T' prefixed codes were reviewed and mapped to an AIS08 category and then relate the severity to three groups; AIS3+, AIS < =2 and AIS 9 (no-map). The mapping was undertaken by ICD coding experts and certified AIS specialists from Europe, North America, Australia and Canada in face-to-face working groups and subsequent webinars between May 2014 and October 2015. During the process, the business rules were documented to define guidelines for the mapping process and enable inter-rater discrepancies to be resolved. Results: In total 2,504 ICD-9-CM codes were mapped to the AIS, of which 780 (31%) were assigned an AIS3+ severity. For the16,508 ICD-10-CM mapped codes a total of 2,323 (14%) were assigned an AIS3+ severity. Some 17% (n = 426) and 27% (n = 4,485) of ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM codes respectively were assigned to AIS9 (no-map) following the mapping process. It was evident there were 'problem' codes that could not be easily mapped to an AIS code to reflect severity. Problem maps affect the specificity of the map and severity when used to translate historical data in large datasets. Conclusions: The Association for the Advancement in Automotive Medicine, AAAM-endorsed expert-derived map offers a unique tool to road safety researchers to establish the number of MAIS3+ serious injuries occurring on the roads. The detailed process offered in this paper will enable researchers to understand the decision making and identify limitations when using the AIS08/ICD map on country-specific data. The results could inform protocols for dealing with problem codes to enable country comparisons of MAIS3+ serious injury rates.

• Monitoring biophysical metrics of sugarcane through UAV remote sensing. • Side-by-side comparison of surface-from-motion photogrammetry and LiDAR imaging. • Micro-scale resolution in monitoring sugarcane crop-height. • Multi-temporal crop modelling and change detection. The capabilities and utility of UAV LiDAR and surface from motion photogrammetry have been of wide discussion in the remote sensing community and assumptions made, often speculative, about the potential strengths and limitations of these systems. Here, we employ a side-by-side test of the CSIRO Hovermap LiDAR and Micasense RedEdge multispectral camera simultaneously mounted to a single UAV platform to acquire a time-series data set from both sensors over the growth cycle of a sugarcane crop in northeast Queensland, Australia. The primary aim was to compare the ability of each system to accurately measure crop height, over a single growing cycle. A secondary aim examined the correlation between these measures and the sugarcane biophysical parameters of stalk population (stalks·m−2), total fresh biomass (TFB, t·ha-1) and cane yield (Yield , t cane·ha-1). The experimental design included a randomised complete block design of four nitrogen fertiliser treatments (0, 70, 110, 150 and 190 Nkg·ha-1) with four replications to assess if either optical measure could detect significant effects of nitrogen application on crop growth. Both systems demonstrated similar capabilities for accurately measuring crop heights throughout the growth period with statistically significant coefficients of determination observed when comparing the maximum (Adj R2 =.885, F(1,118) = 910.806, p ≤.001) and mean (Adj R2 =.929, F(1,118) = 1548.404, p ≤.001) crop height estimations of both instruments. In addition, both systems responded similarly in the detection of differences in crop structural properties response to nitrogen treatments. Only Hovermap, however, demonstrated the capacity to obtain sufficient ground returns over the course of the growth period to enable comparisons to the biophysical samples using a ground-to-non-ground return ratio (Stalk Population: Adj R2 =.788, F(1,18) = 70.688, p ≤.001, TFB: Adj R2 =.713, F(1,18) = 48.198, p ≤.001, Yield: Adj R2 =.707, F(1,18) = 46.921, p ≤.001) with the best results of RedEdge obtained when comparing mean height measures (Stalk Population Adj R2 =.502, F(1,18) = 20.172, p ≤.001, TFB: Adj R2 =.309, F(1,18) = 9.481, p = 0.006, Yield: Adj R2 =.322, F(1,18) = 10.028, p ≤.005). The results suggest that although both systems are comparable for accurate crop height measurements, and as such, provide early detection of potential problems, UAV LiDAR provided more consistent and significant correlations with optical remotely sensed data to the biophysical parameters of sugarcane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve accuracy and efficiency of monitoring remediated sites, the current study proposed the use of bivariate linear mixed modelling and subsequent hypothesis testing to determine significant change in contaminant concentrations over time. The modelling method integrated soil heavy metal (arsenic–As, lead–Pb and zinc–Zn) concentrations obtained from Bicentennial Park, Sydney, Australia, in the years 1990 (n = 144) and 2015 (n = 60), alongside potential influencing factors as predictor variables. Following variable selection, significant predictors included As (1990)—plan curvature, land cover change; As (2015)—multi-resolution ridge top flatness (MRRTF); Pb (1990)—elevation, MRRTF, type of nearest road; Pb (2015)—land cover change; Zn (1990)—distance to the nearest road and road type; and for Zn (2015)—aspect and land cover change. Model quality statistics (standardised squared prediction error; SSPE) indicated relatively good estimates of the prediction variance (mean ~ 1.0 for all metals, median = 0.512 for As (1990), 0.420 for As (2015), 0.417 for Pb (1990), 0.388 for Pb (2015), 0.342 for Zn (1990) and 0.263 for Zn (2015)), however Lin's concordance correlation coefficient indicated poor prediction of point estimates (LCCC = 0.263 for As (1990), 0.414 for As (2015), 0.250 for Pb (1990), 0.166 for Pb (2015), 0.233 for Zn (1990) and 0.408 for Zn (2015)). Pb in 1990 exceeded the Australian guide value of 600 mg kg−1 in small, isolated areas of the park, and by 2015, these 'hotspots' had significantly diminished (P < 0.05). Concentrations of As were low in both 1990 and 2015, not exceeding the 300 mg kg−1 guide; yet, in 2015, As had significantly increased in the south of the study area (P < 0.2). Zn concentrations in 1990 were elevated but did not exceed the guide value of 30,000 mg kg−1. Overall, the models exhibited good estimation of prediction variance and therefore are suitable for hypothesis testing; however, they exhibited poor prediction quality at times. Despite this, bivariate linear mixed modelling is worth exploring as it provides an advantage over modelling single time points and can assist with tracking potential contaminant sources before they cause harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Detailed information about the current and future geographic distribution of Australia's frail population provides critical evidence to inform policy, resource allocation and planning initiatives that aim to treat and reverse frailty. Frailty is associated with poor health outcomes, including disability and death. It is also characterised by increased health care usage and costs. Understanding the distribution and growth of frailty is important for planning and budgeting service provision and health interventions aimed to support the needs of Australia's growing ageing population. The objective of this research is to provide baseline mapping and area level population estimates of Australia's current and future frail and pre-frail populations., Research Design and Methods: Geospatial modelling was applied to national frailty prevalence rates to provide estimates of the size, distribution and potential growth of Australia's frail and pre-frail population., Results: It is estimated that in 2016 approximately 415,769 people living in Australia aged 65 years or more are frail and almost 1.7 million people are pre-frail. In future years, as the population ages, these figures will increase rapidly, reaching 609,306 frail and 2,248,977 pre-frail by 2027, if prevalence continues at current levels. The geographic distribution of this projected growth is not uniform and while the largest frail populations will continue to be located in the major cities, the fastest growth will be in the outer metropolitan, regional and remote areas., Discussion and Implications: The projected growth of frail populations in outer metropolitan, regional and remote areas may be reduced by targeting health interventions in these areas and improving access to support services. Frailty is a dynamic condition that is amenable to intervention. Reducing frailty will lead to benefits in wellbeing for older Australians in addition to reductions in health care costs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: Shallow sub-tropical and warm temperate east Australian coastal lagoons and estuaries were used as case studies to develop a system for assigning functional value to shallow seascapes. Nine habitat classes (mangroves, sands/muds with large burrowing macrofauna, stable seagrass communities, ephemeral seagrass communities, channels, subtidal shoals, intertidal shoals, depositional mud basins, permeable sands) and ten ecosystem processes (gross benthic production, gross benthic respiration, net benthic production, net benthic respiration, benthic dissolved organic and inorganic nitrogen fluxes, denitrification, denitrification efficiency, n-fixation and secondary production) were used to assign functional values and construct maps. These functional value maps of ecosystem processes and overall functional value were used to identify “hot spots” that have high conservation value. Some habitats had a high overall functional value across all 4 systems (e.g. stable seagrass communities), while other habitats had a high overall functional value in some systems and a low overall functional value in other (e.g. channels). A case study from southern Moreton Bay was used to illustrate the application of the process functional value and overall functional maps. A comparison of these maps with a map of impact (decrease in light), associated with the discharge from a wastewater treatment facility, showed that areas of highest impact coincide with open water benthic habitat of medium overall functional value. Areas of low impact were mostly in areas of highest overall functional value. Comparison of the map of impact with maps of the individual benthic processes showed that the functional value of net benthic production was medium in the high-impact areas suggesting there may be some loss of net primary production from southern Moreton Bay associated with the wastewater discharges. This type of impact would not have been detected by standard environmental assessments. A multiple overlay of maps of the functional value of each benthic process, the overall benthic functional value and the potential impacts would improve our understanding, and assist with the management and conservation, of shallow coastal systems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper explores data compatibility issues arising from the assessment of remnant native vegetation condition using satellite remote sensing and field-based data. Space-borne passive remote sensing is increasingly used as a way of providing a total sample and synoptic overview of the spectral and spatial characteristics of native vegetation canopies at a regional scale. However, integrating field-collected data often not designed for integration with remotely sensed data can lead to data compatibility issues. Subsequent problems associated with the integration of unsuited datasets can contribute to data uncertainty and result in inconclusive findings. It is these types of problems (and potential solutions) that form the basis of this paper. In other words, how can field surveys be designed to support and improve compatibility with remotely sensed total surveys? Key criteria were identified for consideration when designing field-based surveys of native vegetation condition (and other similar applications) with the intent to incorporate remotely sensed data. The criteria include recommendations for the siting of plots, the need for reference location plots, the number of sample sites and plot size and distribution, within a study area. The difficulties associated with successfully integrating these data are illustrated using real examples taken from a study of the vegetation in the Little River Catchment, New South Wales, Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]