Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [279]-287) This thesis examines the growth ring structure of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnhardt and investigates links between ring features and the climatic conditions under which growth took place. Samples of E. camaldulensis from the Barmah Forest (near the River Murray in northern Victoria) were used in the study. E. camaldulensis growth is linked to periodic flooding, and the Barmah Forest contains sites that are frequently flooded. Wood samples were obtained from sites subject to different average flooding frequencies. Trees used in the study grew out of natural regeneration in the 1920's and 1930's and from regeneration trials in the early 1960's. Initial investigation of E. camaldulensis samples revealed ring-like features that were able to be traced on samples by eye. Microscopic investigation showed that there existed considerable variations in the properties of individual rings at different positions on the samples, and that the boundaries between rings were often indistinct. Further examination of E. camaldulensis microstructure was performed on samples from two trees that grew on sites with significantly different flooding regimes. These samples possessed features that formed rings, with rings being successfully matched between samples taken from different heights in the trees. As the complex microstructure of E. camaldulensis did not lend itself to standard dendroclimatological techniques, methods were developed to facilitate the comparison and matching of rings. These methods were also used in the successful matching of ring patterns with the output from a simple climate-based tree growth model. Two sets of E. camaldulensis samples (BS1, with 33 samples, and BS2, with 39 samples) were studied to assess the level of individual variability in ring patterns, and to provide a representative ring pattern for climate comparison. Following the development of methods for identifying samples with similar ring patterns, a subset of similar samples was selected from the BS1 set. A member of this subset was selected to provide a ring-width pattern upon which a representative pattern of ring features for BS1 was based. The rings of the BS2 samples possessed poorer ring definition than the BS1 samples and provided no new or different information. Consequently, the representative ring pattern for BS1 was used in a dendroclimatological investigation for the site. The ring pattern was matched with the output from two tree growth event models. Although rings were matched with growth events over a 27 year period, the high variability of individual ring features prevented matching of particular types of ring features with particular types of climatic events. An investigation of numerical methods for matching ring patterns with ring or growth event patterns, and for identifying samples with similar ring patterns, was performed using signal smoothing and filtering techniques and a dynamic time-warping procedure. Ring matching and identification of similar ring patterns was found to be most successful on samples where the ring patterns, expressed as continuous signals, had similar mean and amplitude values. The techniques were unsuccessful in the matching of signals of different form, such as continuous ring pattern signals and discontinuous growth event signals.

Bibliography: leaves 170-179. / vi, 179 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Describes a deterministic computer model for simulating forest dynamics which is the applied to a number of different timber harvesting scenarios in the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell.) forests of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. Also looks at a number of new mathematical problems in the design of nature reserve systems. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Depts. of Applied Mathematics, Environmental Science and Management, 2000?

The pattern of medical practice that emerged in Victoria, following the introduction of a national system of publicly subsidised voluntary hospital and medical insurance by the Liberal-Country Party Coalition government in the early 1950s, was dominated by the provision of individualised, curative medical services based upon a reductionist model of disease. Older adults, classified officially as aged according to age of eligibility for the Age Pension introduced in 1909 by the Commonwealth government, were prominent in this pattern of practice. The number of adults over the age of sixty-five increased over the early decades of the twentieth century, and the technical advances made in postwar medicine led to a growing clinical engagement with the degenerative diseases associated with old age. / The growing medical involvement with old age , the basis of the specialist fields of medical practice that proliferated throughout the 1960s, was recognised as such only in relation to the work of general practitioners. Specialist practitioners defined their clinical engagement with old age in terms of pathologies of bodily organs or systems. In contrast, the special role of the GP in relation to elderly patients was defined in terms of that practitioners personal knowledge of patients as individuals. Formal designation of the general practitioner as specialist in caring for the sick aged was confined to the Pensioner Medical Service, a component of the national system of remuneration for medical services. Within this pattern of medical practice infirm old people, whose afflictions could not be readily resolved by curative medical services, occupied a residual category outside the field of active medical practice. When poverty compounded the difficulties experienced by these infirm old people they were categorised as a social problem to which the appropriate response was the provision of adequate infirmary beds through the charitable efforts of local communities. (For complete abstract open document)

The grand houses of nineteenth century Victoria have been given only superficial consideration in the literature on Australian architectural history, and it has been assumed that the colonial houses in Victoria simply copied British models. However houses are always designed to accommodate the values, beliefs and customs of the society for which they are built, and their spaces must be arranged to accommodate a variety of both utilitarian and social functions. It might therefore be expected that the different physical, economic and social conditions in Victoria would result in variations from the British models which more closely reflected their colonial context. / This thesis seeks to document, analyse and explain the planning of the grand houses of nineteenth century Victoria. It demonstrates that the form and planning of these grand houses in Victoria did indeed resemble the British models in many ways. This is because both the settlers in Victoria and colonial society were predominantly British, and the settlers could only aspire to respectability, and establish a position in the newly developing social hierarchies, by conformity with British norms. The possession of an appropriate house played an important role in this, and the houses therefore were always based on British models. There was conformity with British practice in the specialization and segregation of functions and spaces in the houses, and in the invariable use of closed corridor planning. However although these British planning conventions were observed, the houses differed in significant ways from those in Britain. This was largely because the colonial upper classes differed significantly from the old upper classes in Britain. A higher proportion of the upper classes in Victoria were new rich, and their houses reflect not only the greater informality of colonial society but also the tendency of the new rich towards ostentation. Their houses were built for maximum effect, even when this at times was in conflict with accepted British attitudes towards ostentation and privacy. This resulted in differences from British norms in the arrangement of the spaces in the houses, which more closely reflected the colonial context. The grand houses in Victoria were not therefore purely British, but were always a colonial hybrid.

There is an extensive range of problems and maladaptive behaviours for which people may seek counselling. One of these is problem gambling. The extent of gambling in the community and the incidence of gambling problems have become issues of great concern to many in the Australian community. Counselling in the face-to-face setting may not be available or appropriate for some individuals with gambling difficulties. Potential barriers to the provision of counselling services for problem gamblers means that innovative techniques for counselling service delivery must be developed and evaluated. Provision of counselling services using modern telecommunications technology is one such innovative strategy. (For complete abstract open document)

Overabundant species may have considerable impacts on their habitat, other species and their own populations, thereby threatening biodiversity. Koalas (Phascolarctoscinereus) are overabundant at a number of locations in southeastern Australia due to low mortality and the inability of individuals to emigrate. This has led to the over-browsing of their food resources. Active management is required in order to prevent habitat degradation and the starvation of koalas particularly in populations without Chlamydia-infection, a disease that can cause infertility in females. Predictive population modelling is required if we are to understand the dynamics of the overabundant populations and investigate the consequences and effectiveness of different management strategies. Accurate data for the parameters that contribute to population growth, such as age structure, sex ratio, and age-specific schedules of mortality and fecundity, are therefore needed. In this study, the values of these parameters were determined for overabundant koala populations at Snake Island, Framlingham, Mt Eccles and French Island (Victoria). Data from additional populations were used to ascertain some parameters. These data were used to build stage-structured models to predict population growth of one Chlamydia-free and one Chlamydia-infected koala population.

Bibliography: leaves 170-179. / vi, 179 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Describes a deterministic computer model for simulating forest dynamics which is the applied to a number of different timber harvesting scenarios in the mountain ash (Eucalyptus regnans F.Muell.) forests of Victoria, south-eastern Australia. Also looks at a number of new mathematical problems in the design of nature reserve systems. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Depts. of Applied Mathematics, Environmental Science and Management, 2000?

Pastoralism is the major economic activity in the Victoria River District (VRD), and is dependent on sustainable pasture use. Analysing grazing practices for sustainability requires knowledge of annual pasture production, but little quantitative data is available. A study was undertaken to develop the capacity for predicting native pasture growth in the VRD using systems modelling. Twenty one field sites were studied for two years using a standard methodology, and the Grass Production (GRASP) model was calibrated using this field data. End of growing season total standing dry matter (TSDM) was well predicted (mean = 2513kg/ha, r2(1:1) = 0.966, RMSE = 132kg/ha, and 98% of predictions within measurement variance). Developing generic parameters for common soil and pasture types allowed extrapolation of the model. Predictive skill declined when using generic parameters (r2(1:1) = -0.265, RMSE = 807kg/ha and 64% of predictions within measurement variance). However, observation and prediction means were very similar, indicating that generic parameters are suitable for broad scale applications, but site-specific parameters are necessary if a high degree of accuracy is required. Parameters controlling plant water uptake largely determine pasture growth in low rainfall years, while nitrogen uptake and dilution parameters limit growth in high rainfall years. Pasture growth is constrained by nitrogen supply in 91% of seasons in the northern VRD, and in 25% of seasons in the drier south. Example applications of the model were demonstrated. Current and expected future levels of pasture utilisation in the district were calculated, showing a current average of 16%, rising to an expected 20% in the next decade. These levels are within the safe utilisation rates recommended for the region. Economic analysis shows positive returns ($4.54 million per year) from pasture augmentation with introduced legumes if past problems with establishment and persistence can be overcome. Model performance would be improved by accounting for simultaneous wetting of the entire profile in cracking clay soils, calculating growth of perennial and annual pasture species separately, and simulating variation in nitrogen uptake and dilution between years. Incorporation of these processes must be balanced against the increased complexity of the model and the additional data required for calibration. / Thesis(PhD)-- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2006

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Phil.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-126).