Privatised Communities: the use of owners corporations in master planned estates in Melbourne

This paper contributes to the growing body of work on master planned estates in Australia by addressing the issue of the privatisation of assets and facilities, which in more conventional residential developments are in the public realm, owned and managed by local councils or other public bodies. The paper addresses the trend to place assets presented as lifestyle features, such as community and recreational facilities, open space or landscaping features, in a form of collective private ownership, known in Victoria as owners corporations. The provision of these facilities and assets for residents, however, has a number of implications relating to exclusivity, separation from the wider community, and potential conflicts within the master planned community itself. These issues are examined with reference to data gathered through an investigation of recently established master planned communities in the growth areas of Melbourne.     

Metals in sediments and fish from Sea Lots and Point Lisas Harbors, Trinidad and Tobago

Concentrations of heavy metals were determined in nearshore marine sediments and fish tissue from Sea Lots area on the west coast, at Caroni Lagoon National Park, and in the Point Lisas harbor, Trinidad. The most dominant metals found in sediments were Al, Fe and Zn with mean concentrations highest at Sea Lots (Al-39420 μg/g; Fe-45640 μg/g; Zn-245 μg/g), when compared to sediments from Point Lisas (Al-11936 μg/g; Fe-30171 μg/g; Zn-69 μg/g) and Caroni (Al-0400 μg/g; Fe-19000 μg/g; Zn-32 μg/g), High concentration of Cu, Al, Fe and Zn were also detected in fish tissue from Point Lisas and Caroni. Metal concentrations in fish tissue showed significant correlation with sediment metals concentration, which suggests that tissue levels are influenced by sediment concentration. Of the metals, only Zn, Hg and Cu had a bioaccumulation factor (BAF) greater than one, which suggests a high bioaccumulation potential for these metals.     

Preferential groundwater flow through a sorted net landscape,Arctic Canada

Preferential suprapermafrost groundwater flow was observed in deepened channels lying between raised frost mounds. Here, saturated hydraulic conductivity, k, ranged from 90 to 1000 m/day but was only 0·1–1·0 m/day in the mound centres. A high proportion of fines occurs in the frost mound centre due to particle sorting, while channels contain gravels. Three approaches of areal weighting of k and groundwater flow, Q _s, across a wetland–upland boundary were explored. When percentage area covered by channels, mounds or gravel was considered, estimates of water flow on a daily and seasonal basis fell by 30 to 50 per cent. This study is of relevance to northern scientists who require reliable estimates of groundwater flow across patterned ground landscapes. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A mini-review on the microbial continuum: consideration of a link between judicious consumption of a varied diet of macroalgae and human health and nutrition

As the primordial, prokaryotic inhabitants on Earth, microbial entities were responsible for significant influences on the pathways taken in the development of life as we know it. The manifestation of numerous pathologies in humans is considered to be intrinsically associated with microbial dysbiosis in the gut(i.e. a poorly balanced microbiota). Such adverse health conditions include obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer, cardiovascular issues, neurological disorders, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome(IBS), and rheumatoid arthritis. Endosymbiotic events at the single cell level took place billions of years ago, eventually leading to eukaryotes, photosynthesis, and multicellularity. Macroalgae(seaweeds) were amongst the first organisms to develop these characteristics. Microbes and macroalgae interacted in a pattern of co-evolution,a process that applies to most, if not all living organisms. It is recognized that the normal human microbiome consists of over a trillion microorganisms, including about 2 000 commensal bacterial species typically stationed in the gut. Many of these live in the colon, where they function in the digestion of foods, releasing bio-available nutrients, bioactive molecules, and various metabolites. They mediate communication signals between the gut and the brain, and promote the normal development of immune function, metabolic activities, behaviour, and neurological stability. As very early humans foraged for food, some would have benefitted from coastal diets, rich in seaweeds and associated microbes. Such diets would have consistently provided all the nutrients essential for survival and growth, and as such, could have conveyed competitive advantages and contributed to enhanced cognitive sophistication. This mini-review article highlights studies regarding the health benefits of dietary fibres and the production of short chain fatty acids(SCFA). Insights are offered regarding the positive effects the inclusion of macroalgae into the standard, Western diet can deliver in terms of providing appropriate fodder for those microbial populations deemed beneficial to human health and wellness.     

A mini-review on the microbial continuum:consideration of a link between judicious consumption of a varied diet of macroalgae and human health and nutrition

As the primordial,prokaryotic inhabitants on Earth,microbial entities were responsible for significant influences on the pathways taken in the development of life as we know it.The manifestation of numerous pathologies in humans is considered to be intrinsically associated with microbial dysbiosis in the gut(i.e.a poorly balanced microbiota).Such adverse health conditions include obesity,chronic fatigue syndrome,cancer,cardiovascular issues,neurological disorders,colitis,irritable bowel syndrome(IBS),and rheumatoid arthritis.Endosymbiotic events at the single cell level took place billions of years ago,eventually leading to eukaryotes,photosynthesis,and multicellularity.Macroalgae(seaweeds)were amongst the first organisms to develop these characteristics.Microbes and macroalgae interacted in a pattern of co-evolution,a process that applies to most,if not all living organisms.It is recognized that the normal human microbiome consists of over a trillion microorganisms,including about 2000 commensal bacterial species typically stationed in the gut.Many of these live in the colon,where they function in the digestion of foods,releasing bio-available nutrients,bioactive molecules,and various metabolites.They mediate communication signals between the gut and the brain,and promote the normal development of immune function,metabolic activities,behaviour,and neurological stability.As very early humans foraged for food,some would have benefi tted from coastal diets,rich in seaweeds and associated microbes.Such diets would have consistently provided all the nutrients essential for survival and growth,and as such,could have conveyed competitive advantages and contributed to enhanced cognitive sophistication.This mini-review article highlights studies regarding the health benefits of dietary fibres and the production of short chain fatty acids(SCFA).Insights are off ered regarding the positive effects the inclusion of macroalgae into the standard,Western diet can deliver in terms of providing appropriate fodder for those microbial populations deemed beneficial to human health and wellness.     

The use of soft X-ray spectromicroscopy to investigate the distribution and composition of organic matter in a diatom frustule and a biomimetic analog

Diatoms play a significant role in the global carbon cycle through their role in biogenic silica production and the transport of organic matter to the seafloor. Recent work has shown that silicified diatom frustules contain a significant amount of organic matter, and that the proportion of diatom-bound organic matter increases with depth in the water column and sediments. Here, we investigate the association between organic matter and the mineral phase. We used a combination of scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM) and carbon X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to characterize the distribution and composition of organic matter in frustules of the diatom Cylindrotheca closterium and a biomimetic silica gel. To our knowledge, this study represents the first successful attempt to simultaneously image and obtain chemical information about the organic matter within a diatom frustule using X-ray spectromicroscopy near the carbon edge. Organic carbon, most likely protein, was distributed throughout the frustules and was not removed by harsh chemical treatment. The physical structure of the frustules appeared to be related to the chemical composition of this organic matter, with aromatic or unsaturated carbon being concentrated in the most intricately patterned regions of the frustule. A similar physical and chemical structure was observed in a biomimetic silica gel precipitated spontaneously with polylysine. These results are consistent with the theory that organic constituents of diatom frustules direct silica precipitation and become incorporated within the silica matrix as it forms. The relationship between organic matter composition and silica morphology, the failure of harsh chemical treatments to remove this organic matter, and the spontaneous nature of the co-precipitation of silica and organic matter indicate some chemical interaction between the siliceous and organic components of diatom frustules. Frustule-bound organic matter should therefore be protected from decomposition in the water column or diagenetic alteration in sediments unless the frustule dissolves.     

Evangelical Protestantism,Politics, and the Environment: When and How Do Biblical Beliefs Matter?

Abstract

Literature on environment-related outcomes highlights the role of political and religious factors—in particular, political orientation, party affiliation and biblical beliefs. Less is known about how these factors independently and interactively shape attitudes towards policy and environmental behaviors including how political factors may be moderated by religious beliefs. Using structural equation modeling and data from the 2010 GSS, we find that in the United States political orientation and party affiliation independently affect willingness to pay for the environment and to engage in pro-environmental behaviors. Biblical beliefs have no effect on behaviors, but strongly influence willingness to pay. Moreover, biblical beliefs moderate the effects of political orientation: the more politically conservative biblical literalist are the more willing they are willing to pay for the environment. We conclude with a discussion of these surprising results by calling for more intersectional approaches to environment-related behaviors and attitudes.     

Use of electrophoresis for transporting nano-iron in porous media

Research has been conducted to evaluate if electrophoresis could transport surface stabilized nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) through fine grained sand with the intent of remediating a contaminant in situ. The experimental procedure involved determining the transport rates of polymer modified nZVI and hematite in fine grained sands under an applied electrical gradient under different physical and chemical conditions. Results indicated transport of polymer modified nZVI and hematite can be accomplished by electrophoresis, with rates found to be much higher than diffusion alone and comparable to those predicted by electrokinetic theory. This study indicates there is potential for this method to deliver polymer modified nZVI into contaminated zones within fine grained sands for the purpose of remediation.