Clipmarks | pokkets's Australia collection

Community control key to windfarms

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:48:03 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: The clip is about wind farms in Australia, but there are already working examples elsewhere in the world particularly Germany.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Anna Salleh

Making the most of wind energy in Australia could depend on the community owning and operating small-scale wind farms, say some experts.

Community-owned projects could have greater appeal to those opposed to outisde companies large-scale wind farms

The comments come as a cooperative in Daylesford, Victoria seeks support for their proposal to build and operate Australia's first community-owned and operated wind farm.

"Wind farms are vital if we're going to reduce our carbon emissions," says Professor John Thwaites, chairman of the Monash Sustainability Institute at Monash University.

"But we're not going to be able to do that if we've got widespread community opposition."

He says community owned wind farms are common in some parts of the world, especially in Europe.

"If you look at Germany for example, about a half of their wind farms are community owned or have a community owned component," says Thwaites

"This is a way communities can take control," he says.

Cuckoo chicks are masters of deception

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:19:08 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Stephen Pincock

The chicks of a species of Australian cuckoo can adjust their call in order to fool other species into rearing them, despite never having heard the cry, researchers have found.

The Horsfield's bronze-cuckoo could have a range of call options genetically pre-programmed, researchers say

Like their European counterparts, Australian cuckoos are well known for laying their eggs in the nests of other birds.

Once the chicks hatch, they 'kick' out the host's eggs and set about convincing their foster parents to feed them by imitating the calls of the host's offspring.

But researchers from the Australian National University and the University of Cambridge, report in the latest issue of the journal Evolution, that one species of cuckoo can modify its call depending on which species it has hooked up with.

Chicks that hatch in a fairy-wren nest are known to copy that species' short 'cheep cheep'

chicks that hatch in the nests of thornbills imitate the thornbill's long, rasping whine

Researchers close on chlamidia vaccine

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 06:22:10 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: For the Australian native koala. When combined with habitat destruction, chlamydial disease continues to be a major threat to koalas.
The disease is similar to the strain suffered by humans, and the research could help develop a vaccine in humans.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

A vaccine designed to protect koalas from the infectious disease chlamydia has shown positive results in an early trial, researchers say.

Professors Peter Timms and Ken Beagley from Queensland University of Technology's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation vaccinated 18 female koalas at Brisbane's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary with the experimental vaccine.

"It seems to be going well," says Timms. "We are genuinely excited about the results we've seen so far."

Chlamydia infection is a major problem for Australia's koala population, causing a kind of conjunctivitis that can lead to blindness, and infections that render female animals sterile.

"As many as 25% to 50% of koalas coming into care in both Queensland and New South Wales are showing clinical signs of the disease and it seems to be getting worse," Timms says.

In the long-term, the results of the koala studies could also help in the development of an effective Chlamydia vaccine for humans, he added.

South Australia: Phasing out plastic bags

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:23:22 GMT

clipped by: egsnyder
clipper's remarks: Australia... It's rapidly spreading across the world

Clip Source: www.phoenixarrien.com

Green Travel Blog

South Australia Leads The Way

The state of South Australia (SA) is phasing out plastic bags and I believe the other Australian states should follow. SA is also the only state in Australia offering cash-back for bottles and cans.

Tags: plastic bags, environment

Tasmanian devils breed younger to defy disease

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:42:23 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: Seems like nature is plugging the gap, while we're still running around wondering what to do.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Dani Cooper

Tasmanian devils are mating and breeding much younger in response to the fatal facial cancer that threatens to wipe out the iconic Australian marsupial, researchers say.

In today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, a team of Australian researchers report what they believe to be the first known case of an infectious disease leading to increased early reproduction in a mammal.

Lead author Dr Menna Jones, of the University of Tasmania's School of Zoology, says the move to early mating may help buy enough time for research to beat the fatal devil facial tumour disease (DFTD).

She says the devil is showing its capacity to respond to the disease-induced increased adult mortality with a 16-fold rise in the proportion of females showing early sexual maturity.

"The disease is still going to overwhelm the devil, but it will slow it down," she says. "It gives us more time."

Areas where the disease is present have experienced a loss of up to 95% in devil population

Call to encourage climate-friendly farms

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:00:03 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Anna Salleh

News analysis Australian farmers could have a huge impact on greenhouse emissions and the government needs to start seriously encouraging them to sequester carbon in their soils, say some experts.

The comments come as the Garnaut Climate Change Review delivers a draft report, which acknowledges changing the way we farm can have a big impact on our greenhouse emissions.

Professor Peter Grace of the Queensland University of Technology, an expert on agriculture and greenhouse emissions, estimates that in an ideal situation, more than 900 Megatonnes of CO2 equivalents could be sequestered per annum through improved pasture management.

It's a very significant amount of carbon

even if only 10% of this amount was achieved it would result in a significant reduction in Australia's carbon emissions.

John Connor of the Climate Institute says the government should give some signal to encourage farmers to sequester carbon in its Green Paper on emissions trading, due out on 16 July.

Savannah cats not worth the risk

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 08:56:52 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks:

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Dani Cooper

A government report into the proposed importation of savannah cats into Australia warns the hybrid breed may introduce enhanced hunting skills into feral cat populations and put keystone native species at risk.

The draft environment report concludes the most cost-effective way of minimising any potential negative impacts is "to prohibit import".

Members of the scientific community have urged the government to ban the importation of the designer cat which is due to become available in Australia next year.

The savannah cat is a cross between the serval, an African wildcat, and a domestic cat. It can grow much larger than a domestic cat and is known to jump about two metres from a standing position.

He says the situation in the US is different because its fauna already have to deal with large cat predators such as the bobcat and cougar.

"We don't have that style of predator here in Australia

Peacock says savannah cat genes would eventually find their way into the feral cat population

Amazing Antarctica

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 07:59:53 GMT

clipped by: einbar

Clip Source: www.aad.gov.au

Australia has collected data on ice flow, ice thickness and other ice sheet characteristics in East Antarctica for over 50 years. These data allow researchers to calibrate and validate new satellite measurements of the ice sheet and to develop models used to project the ice sheet's response to climate change.

Clip Source: images.aad.gov.au

Clip Source: www.aad.gov.au

The intense cold of the Antarctic ice sheet affects the global climate system through changes in surface energy and moisture, clouds, precipitation, and atmospheric and ocean circulation. If the Antarctic ice sheet melted, it would raise global sea level by nearly 60 metres. However, the response of the ice sheet to global warming is the largest unknown in projecting future sea level over the next 100-1000 years.

Clip Source: images.aad.gov.au

Clip Source: www.aad.gov.au

Clip Source: images.aad.gov.au

Wildlife take to the high road

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 05:43:51 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Friday, 13 June 2008 Dani Cooper
ABC

Why did the possum cross the highway? Because it can do so safely - at least that is what an Australian study into the impact of wildlife rope bridges shows.

Roadcrossing is a family affair for these ringtail possums with the advent of a rope bridge across the Hume Highway (Source: Rodney van der Ree)

Dr Rodney van der Ree, a senior ecologist with the Australian Research Centre for Urban Ecology, says his study shows native Australian animals are using wildlife bridges to cross highways.

It also highlights the importance of creating corridors for wildlife across major roads as a way of preventing local extinctions of native species.

Van der Ree says wildlife bridges are becoming more common across Australia.

Eight weeks after the Benalla rope bridge was installed, van der Ree placed cameras on each end of the bridge to record animal movements.

He says early results show the animals have acclimatised to the bridge.

Dingo scent scares off marsupials

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 09:17:15 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: If you get a dingo to water your roses, it also promises to repel relatives, neighbours, encyclopaedia and insurance salesmen, mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, politicians, and news reporters - and people who like the smell of roses..(Not necessarily in that order)

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Wednesday, 11 June 2008 Stephen Pincock
ABC

Gels or sprays infused with the scent of dingo could one day offer a humane way of keeping kangaroos and other marsupials out of places they're not wanted, researchers say.

In a series of field studies conducted over the past two years in Western Australia and Tasmania, Dr Michael Parsons and his colleagues from Curtin University, have seen animals react to the scent with caution and fear.

They hope that the repellent could allow loggers, farmers and even gardeners to reduce their reliance on poison baits or shooting to prevent the marsupials damaging reforestation zones or other sensitive areas.

In a recent three-day study in Tasmania, they used a gel containing fresh dingo urine in front of a feeding station that animals had been visiting.

An earlier test at a private home had shown that urine gels stopped kangaroos from entering a rose garden for 31 days.

Dingo urine has a disgusting odour, the researcher says.

Military transmitter points to flare cure

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:31:20 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: How many transmitters will they need to cover the satellites in orbit? One Each?

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Anna Salleh

A chance observation by scientists studying the atmosphere above an Australian military transmitter suggests a new way to combat the damaging effects of solar flares on orbiting satellites.

Solar flares disturb the magnetic field surrounding the earth and cause a build up of electrons, that can damage satellites orbiting the earth, says researcher Rory Gamble

of the University of Otago

research suggested radio waves could be used to dissipate this build up of charge, by discharging electrons into the atmospher

scientists always thought this would need to be done from space

"We were able to determine that this transmitter has a direct effect on the electrons in the radiation belts

[It caused

those electrons to crash into the top of the atmosphere and be removed from the radiation belts

specially-designed radio transmitters could be aimed towards to sky to dissipate the electrons, once a solar flare was detected.

Extinct thylacine genome brought to life

Tue, 20 May 2008 01:47:37 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: Known as the Tasmanian Tiger, it was one of the few marsupial predators that were in Australia before the arrival of the west. The other is the Tasmanian Devil, which survives, but is threatened by a disease that causes ulcers.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Stephen Pincock

A genetic fragment of Australia's extinct Tasmanian tiger has been brought back to life by Melbourne researchers.

From extinction to gene expression ... a mouse foetus expressing the thylacine gene, shown by the blue staining

Dr Andrew Pask and Professor Marilyn Renfree from the University of Melbourne have inserted part of a gene involved in bone growth from the fabled animal into mice, and confirmed that it functioned.

"We've brought a fraction of this extinct genome back to life," Pask, at the Department of Zoology, says. "No one has done this in a living organism before."

The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was a large, meat-eating native Australian marsupial that was hunted to extinction in the wild in the early 1900s.

Last of the Tasmanian tigers at the Hobart Zoo

The last-known animal died in captivity in the Hobart Zoo in 1936.

The latest breakthrough

published this week in the journal PLoS One, is the culmination of nine years of effort

Nuclear reactor 'flawed from the start'

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:50:53 GMT

clipped by: pokkets
clipper's remarks: What is described as an 'oversight' is a flaw in a newly commissioned reactor built 40km from Sydney, Australia's largest city.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Dani Cooper

News analysis A flaw in the original design of Australia's only nuclear reactor is partly responsible for the shutdown of the facility in July last year, just months after it was officially opened.

Dr Greg Storr, who heads reactor operations for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), says an "oversight" at the commissioning stage of the A$400 million (US$376 million) Open Pool Australian Lightwater (OPAL) reactor left it vulnerable.

ANSTO staff begin reloading fuel into the reactor, based at Lucas Heights south of Sydney, following approval today from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) to restart the reactor

Storr says he expects the reactor to be operating at full power by the end of the month

But the OPAL reactor was shut down three months after it opened when staff discovered during routine maintenance that some fuel plates had become dislodged and were projecting above, but still attached to the fuel assembly.

Indigenous at risk from taser rollout

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:09:59 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Dani Cooper

News analysis The continuing rollout of electric stun-guns to Australian police raises concerns that Indigenous Australians will be over-represented as targets of the controversial technology.

Academics also say that research into the physical harm these weapons inflict is inadequate because the guns are tested on healthy people in controlled environments.

Front-line police officers in Western Australian and the Northern Territory are now being issued with the stun-guns, known as tasers.

Tasers, which deliver up to 50,000-volt electrical pulses over 5 seconds to immobilise people, are also due to be introduced across Queensland police services from July

In South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, tasers are restricted to use by special response teams

The latest three jurisdictions to adopt the tasers have Australia's highest Aboriginal populations

Professor Chris Cunneen

says Indigenous Australians are always over-represented as the victims of new public-order policing policy

Climate change threatens native animals

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:22:31 GMT

clipped by: pokkets

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

Native Australian animals are at increased risk of extinction due to climate change, according to a report that found invasive species could benefit from rising temperatures.

Bilbies, like this greater bilby, may suffer from changes in food distribution and availability as the planet warms

Species at risk from higher temperatures and lower rainfall include the albatross, the bilby, rock wallaby, quoll and tree kangaroo, says the report by environment group WWF-Australia.

These animals are already battling bushfires, loss of habitat and introduced predators such as the cane toad and the European fox, threats likely to be exacerbated by climate change, WWF says.

climate change is likely to make all of the existing threats to species worse

"Pests such as the cane toad will thrive in warmer conditions and move into new areas."

A WWF spokesperson says Australia already has the worst rate of mammal extinction in the world, with close to 40% of global mammal extinctions in the past 200 years.