Office for Environmental Programs - Theses
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ItemDesign for persistence: graph-based connectivity, habitat reserves and species persistence( 2007)Connectivity is widely thought to play a key role in the persistence of metapopulations. However, there is no generally accepted approach to measuring connectivity in landscapes. Current reserve selection algorithms tend to focus on clustering habitat sites as an approach to maximising connectivity. An alternative approach to understanding connectivity is, however, to focus on the spatial configuration of habitat patches in a landscape. In this study, graph methods are used to represent habitat networks and investigate the relationship between spatial configuration and the flow of species moving across the network. Betweenness Centrality, a graph metric designed to measure the proportion of traffic passing through any node in a network, is applied in modified form as a reserve selection algorithm. The performance of reserves selected using Betweenness Centrality is assessed against species persistence measures from the metapopulation model RAMAS and compared to equivalent reserve selections for other well known reserve selection algorithms. Within the limited set of cases considered, this study found that Betweenness Centrality has a high degree of success in designing reserves for species with high dispersal characteristics, but is unable to predict appropriate reserve sites for low or non-dispersing species. Further directions for research in the field are suggested, with an emphasis on rigorously validating this type of approach to understanding connectivity.
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ItemThe pedagogy of sustainable design: an investigation into the influence of sustainable workplaces on occupants( 2007)This research project looked at the influence that working in a sustainable built environment has on occupants. The majority of research in this area has focused on measurable effects of improved design and theoretical studies of social impacts on occupants, with a lack of research investigating this theory on a case study basis. This research project endeavours to help fill this gap, asking how, if at all, people's beliefs, attitudes and practices are affected by their engagement with sustainable built environments. Using semi-structured interviews, participants from three study sites in Melbourne were interviewed. Participants were asked about their perceptions of their I workplace, noting discussions of topics such as behaviour change and environmental awareness. The interviews were informal, allowing participants to explore areas of the most concern to them, leading to rich descriptions of their workplaces. The findings illustrate that people are concerned about workplace design and aware of how this affects them on a daily basis. Pro-environmental behaviour change I influenced by design was seen in all three study sites, as was a desire to maintain a connection with nature through the workplace design. The findings also indicate that the sustainable design of these sites has encouraged a dialogue around environmental sustainability. The insights from this research can be used to better understand the connection people have with the built environment and potentially to improvements in workplace design, with a focus on maximising the educative potential of sustainable built environments.
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ItemRisk perception and recycled water in Australia( 2007)Beginning with an exploration on the nature and perception of risk, this research examined the perception of recycled water amongst University of Melbourne students in order to determine whether there exists a link between culture and perception in this instance. Results returned that there was no statistically significant difference between students who had spent the majority of their lives inside or outside Australia. However, there was a very clear preference for use of recycled water for laundry/gardening over direct consumption. As well, results indicated an overwhelming number of responses were at least "undecided" and frequently positive in regards to recycled water use and safety, leading to positive ramifications for potential future policy in Australia
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ItemEmissions trading: a review of policy, regulation and success( 2007)Market mechanisms, in particular emissions trading schemes, are increasingly being utilised in multilateral agreements on environmental issues to achieve environmentally acceptable outcomes in the most cost effective manner. The most salient in recent years being the Kyoto Protocol. However it is the US experience of emissions trading schemes, such as the national SDATP and RECLAIM in California, that has influenced the Kyoto Protocol which is the international standard by which countries are developing their own emissions trading schemes, like the EU ETS. Australia stands to gain much knowledge regarding emissions trading through the development, implementation and operation of these schemes internationally for its own proposed domestic program. Already it is clear that compliance is a key element to the success of any emissions trading scheme in both economic and environmental terms. Therefore the design of a transparent and robust regulatory system is required, where penalties are automatically applied, to ensure perfect (or near perfect) compliance and remove incentives for non-compliance. Additionally a regular review process is also required to enable an audit of the system as a whole, and for participants to outline problems faced which can then be solved for future compliance years.
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ItemIntegrated design as a vital element in the process of progression from sustainable to regenerative design: transitioning from the mechanistic to ecological paradigm as the basis for sustainable building design( 2007)Since the Brundtland Report, there has been a significant impetus towards establishing more sustainable modes of development. The majority of these efforts have been restricted by a mechanistic world view. This world view based on reductionist science has enabled rapid progression in technology and standard of living for portions of the population. However this science is unable to deal with the complexity issues that surround sustainable development. With advances in ecological theory, systems thinking, quantum physics and complex adaptive systems, there has been the emergence of a new ecological or holistic paradigm which views the world as an interconnected whole. The sustainable building industry has evolved in conjunction with sustainable development and is currently restricted by the same mechanistic thinking. Advances in sustainable design, such as restorative and regenerative design posit a new approach to building design that embodies the ecological paradigm. Regenerative design utilises a whole-systems strategies and recognises the human-nature connection in its approach. The Integrated Design Process is an iterative design process, which enables whole-systems thinking to be employed to improve the performance and cost of current sustainable design practice. The Integrated Design Process also has the capability of incorporating progressively deeper levels of systems thinking, therefore establishing a framework for sustainable design that spans current practice to possible future regenerative design practice
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ItemThe potential of adopting global forest carbon initiatives to strengthen forest management in Indonesia and combat deforestation and poverty( 2007)The role of tropical deforestation and forest fire in the climate change debate has become apparent as they contribute to nearly 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto Protocol recognises this issue and incorporates forestry activities as an alternative mitigation effort to combat emissions. Under the Clean Development Mechanism, the Kyoto Protocol provides a legal basis for international carbon trade initiatives in which developed countries with quantified emission reduction targets can invest in forest carbon projects in developing countries to gain carbon credits. For developing countries like Indonesia with a vast forest area and a huge population, forest carbon could serve as a means to strengthen forest management practices through sustaining forest resources and local livelihood. For forest carbon initiatives in Indonesia to be successful, supporting policy and infrastructures particularly in regard to land tenure security and clear market mechanisms have to be provided. While the potential of a forest protection scheme to local benefit is enormous, the problem remains unresolved since the Kyoto Protocol regards sink projects as ineligible under the Clean Development Mechanism, along with the issue of uncertainty in terms of forestry-related definition and forestry activities that can be included. Despite being highly criticised, forest sink projects demonstrate a massive ecological benefit apart from carbon sequestration and carbon reservoir in terms of maintaining biodiversity, improving water quality and preventing soil erosion. In further developing the Kyoto Protocol, clauses that help to protect the existing forests in tropical countries like Indonesia will provide a strong incentive to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
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ItemComparative study of peak heights and ENSO for eastern Australian states( 2007)There is a strong, and statistically significant, relationship between ENSO and flood risk throughout Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. This relationship is stronger in inland catchments than coastal catchments, and strongest overall in New South Wales. The exact mechanisms that drive this process are unclear. This result is to be expected given the established relationship between rainfall and ENSO, and is consistent with results found from other researchers.
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ItemTrajectory and recovery concepts underlying the management of disturbed channels: applications to streams in the Melbourne region( 2007)Many streams in the Melbourne region are incised in response to anthropogenic disturbances. This paper reviews concepts and examples from the broader literature available to inform an understanding of their sensitivity to disturbance, trajectory and methods to enhance recovery. Key concepts covered are Lane's (1955) balance equation, thresholds and incipient instability (Schumm, 1979; Schumm et al., 1984), mediated equilibrium (Brooks and Brierley, 2002; Brooks and Brierley, 2004) and cyclical disequilibrium (Erskine and Warner, 1999). The sensitivity of south-eastern Australian streams to change is examined with regard to the index of flood variability (Iv), valley slope, stream power, vegetation and large woody debris. Incised stream channel evolution models by Schumm, Simon and their co-workers (Hupp and Simon, 1991; Schumm et al., 1984; Simon, 1989; Simon, 1995) are presented. It is identified that lack of coarse sediment in south-eastern Australian streams is key to their large response and long recovery times. As such widening, and the creation of a new floodplain at a lower level are pivotal to their eventual recovery. Although `recovery enhancement' is frequently referred to in the literature, there is a lack of guidance available on how to achieve this
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