Implications of environmental trajectories for Limits of Acceptable Change: a case study of the Riverland Ramsar site, South Australia

2016 ◽  
Vol 67 (6) ◽  
pp. 738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter R. Newall ◽  
Lance N. Lloyd ◽  
Peter A. Gell ◽  
Keith F. Walker

The Riverland Ramsar site in south-eastern Australia has Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) derived on the basis of hydrological regimes and vegetation requirements. This study evaluated LAC for the site against trajectories of environmental change including increasing river regulation and changing climate. The study identified a high likelihood of exceedances of the LAC from changed hydrologic regime and also from changing climate, with the combined influences increasing the likelihood of breaches. Regional climatic variations in the past call into question the concept of baseline conditions for this site and elsewhere, and suggest that management plans based on ecological variation around a point in time will be insufficient. Vulnerability assessment, adaptation enhancement, and regular reviews of site condition and regional significance are suggested components for future management of Ramsar sites.

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 683
Author(s):  
Birte Moser ◽  
Meruyert Beknazarova ◽  
Harriet Whiley ◽  
Thilini Piushani Keerthirathne ◽  
Nikki Harrington ◽  
...  

Iron-related clogging of boreholes, pumps and dripper lines is a significant and costly problem for irrigators worldwide. The primary cause of iron-related clogging is still debated. Previous studies have described complex interactions between biological clogging and inorganic iron/manganese oxide precipitation. This case study examined groundwater bores used for viticulture irrigation in the Limestone Coast region, a highly productive wine growing area in the SE of South Australia. Iron clogging of bore screens, pumps and dripper systems has been a persistent problem in the region and the issue is perceived to be growing, with irrigators suggesting the widespread introduction of iron-related bacteria (IRB) through drilling equipment to be the root cause of the problem. Analysis of the groundwater microbiology and inorganic chemistry found no apparent correlation between the presence of IRB and the clogging status of wells. In fact, IRB proved to be widespread throughout the limestone aquifer. However, a clear correlation could be found between clogging affected bores and the redox potential of the groundwater with the most severely affected bores strongly oversaturated in respect to iron oxide minerals. Elevated dissolved concentrations of Fe(II) thereby tended to be found in deeper bores, which also were generally more recently drilled. Following decades of less than average rainfall, a tendency to deepen bores in response to widespread declines in water levels has been documented for the SE of South Australia. The gradually widening clogging problem in the region is postulated to be related to the changes in climate in the region, with irrigators increasingly driven to rely on deeper, anoxic iron-rich groundwater resources.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 2478
Author(s):  
Tyler Stumpf ◽  
Daniel P. Bigman ◽  
Dominic J. Day

Fort Stanwix National Monument, located in Rome, NY, is a historic park with a complex use history dating back to the early Colonial period and through the urban expansion and recent economic revitalization of the City of Rome. The goal of this study was to conduct a GPR investigation over an area approximately 1 acre in size to identify buried historic features (particularly buildings) so park management can preserve these resources and develop appropriate educational programming and management plans. The GPR recorded reflection events consistent with our expectations of historic structures. Differences in size, shape, orientation, and depth suggest that these responses likely date to different time periods in the site’s history. The GPR recorded other reflection anomalies that are difficult to interpret without any additional information, which suggests that pairing high-density geophysical data with limited excavations is critical to elaborate a complex site’s intricate history.


1995 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Haughton ◽  
J Browett

A case study of the McLaren Vale wine industry is used to challenge four areas of the regulation debate. First, the uniqueness of some of the key features underpinning the periodisations of accumulation regimes and their associated modes of social regulation is questioned. Second, concern is raised over the extent to which ‘new industrial districts’ can really be described as engaging in ‘new’ practices. Third, the importance of local regulatory mechanisms is emphasised. Last, the importance of nonstate, nonlegislative forms of regulation are highlighted.


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