Search Results (13)

This paper investigates the cultural landscapes established by nineteenth-century German immigrants in South Australia and the southern Riverina of New South Wales, with particular attention to settlement patterns, architectural traditions and toponymic transformation. German immigration to Australia, though numerically modest compared to the Americas, significantly shaped local communities, especially due to religious cohesion among Lutheran migrants. These settlers established distinct, enduring rural enclaves characterized by linguistic, religious and architectural continuity. The paper examines three manifestations of these cultural landscapes. A rich toponymic landscape was created by imposing on natural landscape features and newly founded settlements the names of the communities from which the German settlers originated. It discusses the erosion of German toponyms under wartime nationalist pressures, the subsequent partial reinstatement and the implications for cultural memory. The study traces the second manifestation of a cultural landscapes in the form of nucleated villages such as Hahndorf, Bethanien and Lobethal, which often followed the Hufendorf or Straßendorf layout, integrating Silesian land-use principles into the Australian context. Intensification of land use through housing subdivisions in two communities as well as agricultural intensification through broad acre farming has led to the fragmentation (town) and obliteration (rural) of the uniquely German form of land use. The final focus is the material expression of cultural identity through architecture, particularly the use of traditional Fachwerk (half-timbered) construction and adaptations such as pug-and-pine walling suited to local materials and climate. The paper examines domestic forms, including the distinctive black kitchen, and highlights how environmental and functional adaptation reshaped German building traditions in the antipodes. Despite a conservation movement and despite considerable documentation research in the late twentieth century, the paper shows that most German rural structures remain unlisted and vulnerable. Heritage neglect, rural depopulation, economic rationalization, lack of commercial relevance and local government policy have accelerated the decline of many of these vernacular buildings. The study concludes by problematizing the sustainability of conserving German Australian rural heritage in the face of regulatory, economic and demographic pressures. With its layering of intangible (toponymic), structural (buildings) and land use (cadastral) features, the examination of the cultural landscape established by nineteenth-century German immigrants adds to the body of literature on immigrant communities, settler colonialism and landscape research. Full article

Casuarina (Australian pine, She-oak) is native to Australia and South East Asia and is known for its abundant wind-borne pollen. Despite not being considered a major aeroallergen, some patients report respiratory symptoms upon exposure, with positive skin prick tests (SPT) to Casuarina pollen extract. This study investigates Casuarina pollen dispersal patterns in Sydney, Australia, over a 10-year period, from 2008 to 2018, revealing a bimodal distribution of pollen from September to October (southern hemisphere spring) and February to March (mid-late summer). Analysis of historical SPT data shows 20% of individuals with respiratory allergies reacting positively to Casuarina pollen extract, with almost 90% of these also reacting to grass pollen, suggesting potential cross-reactivity. Notably, there are no exclusive reactions to Casuarina pollen. Understanding the prolonged pollen season underscores the importance of year-round monitoring for accurate characterization. Currently lacking are commercially available skin test extracts or specific IgE assays for Casuarina sensitization, necessitating challenge studies to confirm clinical symptoms directly attributable to Casuarina pollen. By elucidating the seasonal dynamics and meteorological drivers of Casuarina pollen dispersion, alongside the potential allergenicity suggested by skin prick tests, this study paves the way for improved management of Casuarina-related allergies and highlights the critical need for further research on native Australian plant allergens. Full article

Softwood is widely employed in construction and faces high demand. Australia is grappling with substantial timber scarcity, specifically related to radiata pine, which is the dominant structural timber in the construction sector. However, Australia has a significant hardwood population, which can be utilized to reduce the high demand for radiata pine. This paper aims to investigate the bond properties of both Australian softwood (radiata pine) and hardwood (shining gum). It also discusses the potential to combine softwood and hardwood in glue or cross-laminated timber by evaluating the bond properties of the radiata pine–shining gum interface. For hardwood, the effect of primer is also investigated to determine its efficacy in improving failure mode, bond strength, and stiffness. Lastly, both glulam and cross-laminated timber bonding scenarios are simulated for bond testing by examining the effect of relative fibre orientation on the bond properties of the aforementioned species individually and in combination. Instead of conventional block shear testing, which is predominantly used for same-species bond testing, push-out testing is adopted in this study. However, a comparison with block shear testing is also made in this article. The results indicated that the use of primer on hardwood reduced the inconsistencies in the bond properties and improved wood-side failure rates. It was also concluded that the effect of fibre orientation in a CLT scenario with combined hardwood and softwood failure modes can vary significantly, which leads to a higher standard deviation in the results. Nevertheless, this study outlines the challenges and opportunities for producing hardwood–softwood hybrid glue or cross-laminated timber. Full article

The IML PD series Resi is an instrument designed to measure the drilling resistance of wood. Use of the IML PD series Resi instrument is rapidly becoming a routine method among Australian forest plantation growers for wood quality assessments. The major driver in the commercial uptake of the IML Resi is that it is fast, cheap, and sufficiently precise for commercial use, particularly when the data are processed through a user-friendly, web-based processor. This study examined whether the accuracy of wood density predictions was impacted by the use of different Resi tools and different operators, which has never been examined before. Seven Resi instruments were evaluated across six sites with two operators on plantation-grown Southern Pine (Pinus caribaea var. hondurensis (Sénéclauze) or hybrids between Pinus elliottii var. elliottii (Engelm) × P. caribaea var. hondurensis) trees. Two types of Resi instruments were used (IML Resi PD-400 and IML Resi PD-500), and all had been recently serviced or were new. The instruments were operated by experienced operators. Constant sampling conditions of feed speed 200 cm/min and 3500 RPM were used. The order of instrument use, and hence the order of operator assessment at each site, was randomized. The variance between Resi instruments was small. The measured mean basic density of 50 mm outerwood cores across all plots was 542 kg/m³, while Resi-predicted basic density varied among instruments between 535 and 547 kg/m³. One Resi instrument underpredicted basic density by 9 kg/m³ and another overpredicted by 5 kg/m³. The operator had no effect on the basic density prediction. Resi PD400 or PD500 instruments gave similar basic density predictions. Full article

Increasing concerns regarding carbon emissions and climate change are prompting a shift toward the use of sustainable materials in the construction industry. Engineered timber products are gaining attention in the construction industry due to advancements in lamination techniques and adhesives as well as the renewable characteristics of wood. Bond properties play a significant role in engineered timber products. In Australia, Radiata Pine (RP, softwood) and Shining Gum (SG, hardwood) share a large proportion of local and native plantation forest resources. The present paper investigates the bond behaviours of Australian softwoods (RP–RP), hardwoods (SG–SG) and hybrid-wood (RP–SG) combinations in both parallel (PAL) and perpendicular (PER) bonding directions using one-component polyurethane adhesives. The results indicate that most of the softwood samples were subjected to wood-side (timber) failure, whereas hardwood samples failed due to delamination but exhibited higher strength and stiffness regardless of bond direction. In contrast, bond direction had a significant effect on the bond characteristics of hybrid configurations. Improved bond properties were observed when bonded in PAL directions; however, negative effects were seen when bonded in PER directions. Obtained characteristic (5th percentile) shear bond strengths for RP–RP–PAL, RP–SG–PAL and SG–SG–PAL samples were 3.88 MPa, 6.19 MPa and 8.34 MPa, whilst those for RP–RP–PER, RP–SG–PER and SG–SG–PER samples were 3.45 MPa, 2.96 MPa and 7.83 MPa, respectively. Full article

This paper presents an investigation on the influence of various factors on rolling shear (RS) properties of timber feedstock for cross laminated timber (CLT) available from Australian plantation forest resources. Comparison of RS properties between three softwood species namely southern pine, radiata pine and hoop pine are presented. Furthermore, the effect of modulus of elasticity (MOE), equilibrium moisture content (EMC), aspect ratio, knots and projection length on rolling shear behaviour were investigated. Mean RS modulus for radiata pine, southern pine and hoop pine samples were 74.7 MPa, 87.1 MPa and 99.7 MPa, whilst the RS strength of those species were 2.6 MPa, 3.1 MPa and 3.7 MPa, respectively. Radiata pine samples exhibited the lowest values for RS modulus and strength, almost 30% less than those of hoop pine samples. The study confirmed that the density and MOE had a very weak correlation with RS properties for all pine species. There was an obvious decrease in RS modulus (by 18%) when the woods’ conditioned EMC changed from 8% to 12%. A further 33% decrease was observed when the woods’ conditioned EMC increased from 12% to 16%. However, the percentage increase in RS strength was found to be 23% higher in wood with 12% conditioned EMC while compared against wood conditioned to 16% EMC. RS strength improved with increased aspect ratio; however, RS modulus remained almost unaffected. Moreover, the projection length that resulted in the load passing through the centroid of the specimen resulted in lower RS modulus values, but the presence of knots improved both RS strength and modulus for all three tested species. Full article

Invasive insects pose an increasing risk to global agriculture, environmental stability, and public health. Giant pine scale (GPS), Marchalina hellenica Gennadius (Hemiptera: Marchalinidae), is a phloem feeding scale insect endemic to the Eastern Mediterranean Basin, where it primarily feeds on Pinus halepensis and other Pinaceae. In 2014, GPS was detected in the southeast of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, infesting the novel host Pinus radiata. An eradication program was unsuccessful, and with this insect now established within the state, containment and management efforts are underway to stop its spread; however, there remains a need to understand the insect’s phenology and behaviour in Australia to better inform control efforts. We documented the annual life cycle and seasonal fluctuations in activity of GPS in Australia over a 32 month period at two contrasting field sites. Onset and duration of life stages were comparable to seasons in Mediterranean conspecifics, although the results imply the timing of GPS life stage progression is broadening or accelerating. GPS density was higher in Australia compared to Mediterranean reports, possibly due to the absence of key natural predators, such as the silver fly, Neoleucopis kartliana Tanasijtshuk (Diptera, Chamaemyiidae). Insect density and honeydew production in the Australian GPS population studied varied among locations and between generations. Although insect activity was well explained by climate, conditions recorded inside infested bark fissures often provided the weakest explanation of GPS activity. Our findings suggest that GPS activity is strongly influenced by climate, and this may in part be related to changes in host quality. An improved understanding of how our changing climate is influencing the phenology of phloem feeding insects such as GPS will help with predictions as to where these insects are likely to flourish and assist with management programs for pest species. Full article

The broad aim of this research is to quantify the effectiveness of fences made of metal mesh around buildings in mitigating risks associated with firebrand showers created in wildland fires. This paper aims to (1) quantify the effectiveness of a mesh complying with Australian Standard 3959:2018 against firebrand showers and (2) identify behaviors of firebrands interacting with the mesh. The study was conducted using Red Gum and Cypress Pinewood firebrands inside a wind tunnel at 40 km/h with and without a mesh present for a total of 50 experiments. Two types of effectiveness were defined using the number of holes and their area burnt by the firebrand. The results show the mesh was highly effective against both large and small firebrands except for some long needle shape firebrands. The results are aligned with AS 3959:2018 and show an effectiveness ratio of the mesh in the range 93.2–98.8% for Red Gum and Cypress Pine firebrands at a wind speed of 40 km/h. It was documented that firebrands in interaction with the mesh show one or a combination of eight different mechanisms: passing, stopping, splitting, shattering, pausing, bouncing, slipping and wandering. Full article

Tannins and essential oils are well recognised as antiherbivore compounds. We investigated the relative effectiveness of the polyphenol, tannin, and the essential oils, 1,8-cineole and pine oil, as feeding deterrents against western grey kangaroos. Both groups of secondary metabolites are naturally abundant in many Australian plants. These three metabolite groups were incorporated separately or together into standard pellets for presentation to kangaroos, and their behaviour (sequence of food choice and feeding time) and amounts consumed were observed. The control (with no secondary metabolites) was much preferred. There was a sharp reduction in the ingestion of pellets containing tannins, 1,8-cineole or pine oil. Combinations of the metabolites resulted in almost no consumption. In association with tannin, pellets containing either 1,8-cineole or pine oil were as effective deterrents as both combined. There was a strong correlation between time spent feeding on the different diets and the amount of food consumed, although the rate of intake was markedly slower when secondary metabolites were present. Behavioural observations showed that the amount of food ingested is initially guided by the presence/absence of essential oils, apparently detected by smell, and later by the presence/absence of tannins, by taste. Both groups of secondary metabolites work in concert by stimulating different senses that minimise herbivory by marsupials, such as the western grey kangaroo, and help to explain their abundance in the Australian flora. Full article

Many parameters can influence the weight of harvesting residues per hectare that remain on plantation sites after extracting sawlogs and pulpwoods. This study aimed at quantifying the impact of the cut-to-length and whole-tree harvesting methods on the weight of harvesting residues using 26 case studies in Australian plantations. A database was created using case studies conducted in different plantations, to measure the weight of harvesting residues per hectare and the components of harvesting residues. An analysis of variance was applied to test the impact made by the harvesting methods. The results confirmed that the cut-to-length harvesting method produced a larger weight of residues (104.0 tonnes of wet matter per hectare (tWM/ha) without additional biomass recovery and 64.7 tWM/ha with additional biomass recovery after sawlog/pulpwood extraction) than the whole-tree harvesting method (12.5 tWM/ha). The fraction test showed that stem wood formed the largest proportion of the harvesting residues in cut-to-length sites and needles were the largest component of the pine harvesting residues in sites cleared by the whole-tree harvesting method. The outcomes of this study could assist plantation managers to set proper strategies for harvesting residues management. Future research could study the impact of product type, silvicultural regime, stand quality, age, equipment, etc., on the weight of harvesting residues. Full article

Australian montane sclerophyll shrubland vegetation is widely considered to be resilient to infrequent severe fire, but this may not be the case in Tasmania. Here, we report on the vegetative and seedling regeneration response of a Tasmanian non-coniferous woody montane shrubland following a severe fire, which burned much of the Great Pine Tier in the Central Plateau Conservation Area during the 2018–2019 fire season when a historically anomalously large area was burned in central Tasmania. Our field survey of a representative area burned by severe crown fire revealed that more than 99% of the shrubland plants were top-killed, with only 5% of the burnt plants resprouting one year following the fire. Such a low resprouting rate means the resilience of the shrubland depends on seedling regeneration from aerial and soil seedbanks or colonization from plants outside the burned area. Woody species’ seedling densities were variable but generally low (25 m${}^{-2}$). The low number of resprouters, and reliance on seedlings for recovery, suggest the shrubland may not be as resilient to fire as mainland Australian montane shrubland, particularly given a warming climate and likely increase in fire frequency. Full article

Application of biochars in agricultural soils has the potential to reduce groundwater contamination of atrazine, a widely used herbicide in the US, therefore sustaining environmental quality and reducing human health issues. This study was conducted to characterize biochars produced from six feedstocks and investigate their ability to remove and retain atrazine in an organic-rich soil. Australian pine (AP), Brazilian pepper (BP), coconut husk (CH), cypress (Cy), loblolly pine (L), and pecan shell (P) feedstocks were pyrolyzed at 350 °C and 500 °C. Adsorption and desorption behaviors of atrazine were explained using Freundlich isotherms. Higher pyrolysis temperature increased specific surface area (5 times), total pore volume (2.5 times), and aromaticity (1.4 times) of the biochars. CH feedstock produced the most effective biochars (CH350 and CH500), which adsorb 8–12% more atrazine than unamended soils. CH350 biochar performed the best (K_{d ads} = 13.80, K_OC = 153.63, K_{d des} = 16.98) and had significantly higher (p < 0.05) adsorption than unamended soil, possibly resulting from its highest cation exchange capacity (16.32 cmol kg⁻¹). The K_{d des} values for atrazine desorption were greater than the K_{d ads} for adsorption, indicating retention of a considerable amount of atrazine by the biochar-amended soils following desorption. Full article

The rate of establishment of non-native bark beetle species is accelerating in many parts of the world and is considered a serious threat to forests and forest crops. Distributional data for exotic bark beetles are urgently needed, but they must be based on sound taxonomy. Using primary literature and original records, I review for the first time the invasive bark beetle (Scolytinae) species in Chile and Argentina, and I give a short risk assessment for each. I also provide the best sources for identifying these species. The invasive pine bark beetle commonly referred to in Chilean research as Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston) is not that species: evidence suggests that the only Orthotomicus that is or has been in Chile is O. laricis (Fabricius), which is also the Orthotomicus species reported in the most recent research from Argentina. I add new information on the distributions of two other abundant pine-breeding invasive species, Hylurgus ligniperda (F.) and Hylastes ater (Paykull), and I report that populations of Hylastes linearis Erichson have been found in Chile. This is the first known occurrence of the species in South America. Phloeotribus willei Schedl, a tiny bark beetle collected from domestic fig trees in Chile and Peru, has been considered native heretofore. I argue that it must be an introduced Neotropical species, and I present new localities for Chile. I present the first Chilean records of the Myrtaceae specialist ambrosia beetle Amasa truncata (Erichson), an Australian species recently found in southern Brazil and northeastern Uruguay, and new Argentinian records that seem to be the earliest finds of Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) in South America. The Canary Island palm seed specialist Dactylotrypes longicollis (Wollaston) is reported for the first time from South America, from Chile. The presence in Chile of another spermatophage, Coccotrypes dactyliperda (F.), is confirmed. New Chilean regions and new host records are given for Pagiocerus frontalis (F.), a species that breeds in Lauraceae seeds but also in stored maize. Other exotic species treated briefly include Hylastinus obscurus (Marsham), Hylesinus taranio (Danthione), Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham), S. rugulosus (Müller), Coccotrypes cyperi (Beeson), and Xyleborinus saxeseni (Ratzeburg). Finally, reports of several species from Chile or Argentina are considered unsupported by evidence: Scolytus kirschii Skalitzky, Pityokteines curvidens (Germar), Coccotrypes robustus Eichhoff, and Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari).
La velocidad de establecimiento de especies de coleópteros descortezadores no nativos se está acelerando en muchas partes del mundo y se considera una amenaza seria a bosques y cultivos forestales. Se requiere datos distribucionales urgentemente, pero estos tienen que basarse en taxonomía sólida. Utilizando literatura primaria y registros originales, reviso por primera vez la fauna invasora de especies de descortezadores (Scolytinae) en Chile y Argentina, y ofrezco una evaluación breve del riesgo de cada una. También proporciono los mejores referencias para identificar estas especies. La especie descortezador invasora de pinos comunmente citado en investigaciones chilenas como Orthotomicus erosus (Wollaston) no es esa: la evidencia sugiere que la única especie de Orthotomicus actualmente o históricamente presente en Chile es O. laricis (Fabricius), la cual es la especie de Orthotomicus reportado en las investigaciones mas recientes de Argentina. Agrego información nueva sobre las distribuciones de otros dos especies abundantes invasoras que se reproducen en pinos, Hylurgus ligniperda (F.) y Hylastes ater (Paykull) y comunico que poblaciones de Hylastes linearis Erichson se han encontrado en Chile, siendo esta el primer hallazgo de la especie en Sudamérica. Phloeotribus willei Schedl, una especie minúscula colectado de higueras cultivadas en Chile y Peru, se ha considerado nativa hasta ahora: presento argumentos que debe de ser una especie neotropical introducida y presento nuevas localidades para Chile. Presento los primeros registros chilenos de Amasa truncata (Erichson) coleóptero ambrosial, especialista en Myrtaceae, especie australiana recientemente encontrada en el sur de Brasil y nordeste de Uruguay, y nuevos registros argentinos que parecen ser los primeros hallazgos de Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) en Sudamérica. Se registra la especialista en semillas de palma, Dactylotrypes longicollis (Wollaston), originario de las Islas Canárias pro primera vez de Sudamérica; se confirma la presencia en Chile de otra espermatófago, Coccotrypes dactyliperda (F.). Se presentan nuevos registros regionales de Chile y de hospederas por Pagiocerus frontalis (F.), especie que se reproduce en semillas de Lauraceae pero también en maíz almacenado. Otras especies exóticas tratadas brevemente incluyen Hylastinus obscurus (Marsham), Hylesinus taranio (Danthione), Scolytus multistriatus (Marsham), S. rugulosus (Müller), Coccotrypes cyperi (Beeson), y Xyleborinus saxeseni (Ratzeburg). Finalmente, registros de varias especies de Chile o de Argentina se consideran sin apoyo de evidencia: Scolytus kirschii Skalitzky, Pityokteines curvidens (Germar), Coccotrypes robustus Eichhoff, y Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari). Full article