The objectives of the project were to develop an understanding of the disease dynamics caused by Phytophthora citricola in native plant communities in the south of Western Australia. Prior to 1983, the pathogen had only been reported twice from Australian forests. Since then, P. citricola has been extensively recorded from plant communities north and south of Perth, and is currently the second most frequently recovered Phytophthora species from the northern jarrah forest and the northern sandplains. The objectives were addressed by examining the biology, ecology and taxonomy of isolates of P. citricola local to the southwest. Examination of the intraspecific variation of P. citricola by isozyme analysis resolved three major electrophoretic subgroups (SG), and these were aligned with morphological and cultural variation within the species. One electrophoretic SG was confined to forested areas. This SG differed from other SGs in sporangial dimensions, growth rate on two media and in vitro sensitivity to phosphonate. A redescription of the species may be warranted. P. citricola was positively associated with two roads in the northern jarrah forest. Road surfaces were sampled, then soil overburden was removed and the surface of the concreted lateritic layer beneath was sampled. Isolation of P. citricola declined away from the road into the adjacent forest and was more frequently recovered from the caprock (up to 1 metre below soil surface) than from the soil surface. The most probable source of introduction was from infested soil on vehicles using the roads. Oospores were shown to be produced in two soils, a lateritic gravelly loam and sand, and in plants. In soil, the electrophoretic SG confined to the forest (loamy soil) produced only limited numbers of oospores in the sandy soil of the northern sandplain. The restriction of this SG to the forested areas is probably physiological, rather than limited dispersal, with the SG currently occupying the full extent of its range. Estimation of the relative persistence of oospores, zoospores and plant material colonised by P. citricola established that only oospores (either free in soil or in colonised plant material) were important in long tern survival in soil. Oospores were still viable after six months at two field sites, and after 18 months in soil in the laboratory. Phosphonate is currently the most promising method of control of Phytophthora induced disease in native plant cornmunites of the southwest. The efficacy of phosphonate against P. citricola was examined in vivo and in vitro against two SGs. Phosphonate successfully inhibited lesion growth of both SGs in vivo, but of only one electrophoretic subgroup in vitro. The ecological implications of infestation of native plant communities in the southwest of Australia are discussed.

The decline of public transport in Western Australia is observed in four separate historical studies which narrate the political and administrative history of each major urban transport mode. Perth's suburban railway system is examined as part of the State's widespread rail network, including the extravagantly-equipped short-lived suburban railway in Kalgoorlie. Political interference in early railway operations is studied in detail to determine why Perth's rail-based public transport systems were so poorly developed and then neglected or abandoned for much of the twentieth century. The llnique events in Kalgoorlie at the turn of the century are presented as potent reasons for the early closure of Perth's urban tramway system and the fact that no purpose-built suburban railways were constructed in Perth until 1993. The road funding arrangements of the late nineteenth century are considered next, in order to demonstrate the very early basis for the present lavish non-repayable grants of money for road construction and maintenance by all three layers of government. The development of private and government bus networks is detailed last, with particular attention paid to the failure of private urban bus operators in the 1950s and the subsequent formation of a government owned and operated urban bus monopoly. The capital structure and accounting practices of public transport modes are analysed to provide a critique of popular myths concerning the merits of each. In order to obtain an impression of the changing political view of different transport modes, the attitude of politicians to public transport and the private motor car over the last one hundred and twenty years is captured in summary narrations of some of the more important parliamentary transport debates. Two possible explanations of public transport decline are discussed in conclusion; one relying a neoclassical economic theory of marginal pricing, and the other on an observation on the fate of large capital investments in the modern party-based democratic system of government.

In 1996 the Police Service of Western Australia embarked on a major and ongoing period of change regarding all aspects of local policing. Part of this program involved the adoption of a number of practices that included an undertaking to pay increased attention to issues such as a customer focus, problem solving, a commitment to developing and motivating personnel, a localised delivery of policing services and improved management practices. This research was conducted for the purpose of uncovering the factors that create the unique environment of the Police Service of Western Australia and exploring how these might impact upon the manner in which officers conduct their daily duties. More specifically the purpose was to determine if there existed any aspects of organizational culture or structure that have an influence on the ability and/or willingness of officers to carry out their duties according to the processes and procedures of either the problem solving or the problem-oriented policing philosophy. The research methodology was guided by the grounded theory approach. Twenty-eight interviews were conducted with constables, sergeants, inspectors and superintendents as it was considered that these ranks best represented the views of the members of the organization in terms of numbers and those most affected by day-to-day events. The data analysis revealed the existence of 13 factors that all exhibit negative aspects and collectively create a Basic Social Problem that has been termed “Feeling Vulnerable”. Although all of these factors have been well known for many years, the current research integrates these in a new way in order to produce a model of the organization that demonstrates how they combine to create an environment that is counter-productive to the implementation of a problem-solving or problem-oriented approach to policing by members of The Police Service of Western Australia at many levels. The Basic Social Process disclosed by the current research has been termed “Controlling By Avoidance”. It is based on four tactics used by officers to control their working environment. The employment of one or more of these tactics by officers is designed to give the impression of engaging with issues while simultaneously exerting control over events in order to prevent the occurrence of outcomes that experience tells them are likely to have undesirable personal consequences. The intention is to create an environment where they hope to be safe from the consequences of problems that will inevitably occur at some time. As well as providing an explanation for the conduct of officers under the problem solving model the analysis also provides an insight into why the organization has apparently avoided coming to grips with the implementation of the full Goldstein model of problem-oriented policing. This appears to be due to concerns on the part of senior management about the likelihood of a loss of control over subordinate ranks and the personal problems that this would generate for them. Recommendations are made about the need to adopt the Goldstein model and the steps required to successfully implement this approach are listed.

The study upon which this thesis is based aimed, first of all, to document the history of mathematics curriculum change in Western Australia. Although curriculum development in mathematics in this State has been an ongoing process for at least two decades, the outcome of an extensive literature review conducted as part of the study revealed that only a cursory evaluation of the current upper school mathematics curriculum change process had ever been undertaken. Neither has any formal appraisal of the suitability or otherwise of the variety of new upper school mathematics courses introduced during the last decade ever been carried out.This study was designed to 'fill these gaps' by not only documenting the history of the change process, but also by seeking out teachers' and other educators' views about those curriculum and strategy changes as well as the views of the students who were so intimately involved in the process.Tertiary lecturers' perceptions regarding the mathematical preparedness of first year university students were also considered a relevant source of information in this quest to first, record the events that preceded the establishment of the current State mathematics curriculum, and second, record those events that occurred subsequently. Major reports which have influenced the direction of mathematics education were examined, and underlying didactical principles were identified to determine the origins of previous and current educational policy.To determine upper school mathematics teachers' attitudes to curriculum and strategy changes, and the impact of the present curriculum upon students' choice of mathematics subjects, use was made of a variety of instruments - questionnaires and interview proformas - which were used to interview students prior to questioning them on such matters as their reasons for selecting specific units.Upper school ++ / mathematics teachers were also surveyed and interviewed in order to obtain the practitioners' views on new topics which were introduced, such as complex numbers and vectors. Five of Western Australia's most high profile mathematics educators who played significant roles during the period of this study were interviewed to determine their recollections of major points of discussion and concern in mathematics education at that time. Feedback from these interviews was used to compile a questionnaire for upper high school mathematics teachers to determine their opinion on such issues as the introduction and practicality of the new courses, teaching and learning strategies introduced, and the degree of support for the new curriculum.Ten teachers were interviewed one year after the survey to determine any changes in their perceptions about the new upper school mathematics courses. By means of a questionnaire, students' reasons for choosing specific mathematics subjects in either Year 11 or 12, and their perceived success in mathematics in general were sought. In order to determine the effectiveness of the new curriculum in terms of further studies, students' level of mathematical preparedness was investigated by means of a questionnaire for university mathematics staff. The results of this research indicate that the most recent curriculum change in the upper high school has been successfully introduced by the Education Department of Western Australia, although this has not always been the case with curriculum change in this State.Though initially daunted by the number of new topics which were to be taught, teachers were appreciative of the in-service courses available, the resources present and the general support they received from the Education Department. Traditional teaching strategies, such as 'drill-and-practice' and teacher-centred environments have been largely ++ / replaced by a problem-solving and investigational approach to mathematics in a student-centred classroom environment. Clearly, the constructivist theory of learning has been a major influence on current teaching and learning strategies used in the upper school mathematics classroom. Teachers' opinions about the practicality of the new courses and approaches to teaching them were positive, though the view was held that previous traditional teaching methods should not be discarded.Specific weaknesses in the various mathematics courses introduced were identified (for example, inadequate attention paid to basic algebra and, in particular, to trigonometry), and many teachers were adamant that certain changes should be made for the benefit of the students (for example, reorganisation of parts of the course content). Improvements in the nature of the information provided to students at the time they make their upper school mathematics subject choice were strongly recommended. Information on influential factors regarding students' subject choices was obtained, and interviews with university mathematics staff showed that many first year students remain underprepared because of incorrect mathematics subject choices made in either Year 10 or 11.

The nursing process is the espoused problem solving framework that forms the basis of the way in which patient care is determined, delivered, and communicated in a multiplicity of health care settings. Although its use is widespread in educational and clinical settings, some nurse clinicians display negative attitudes towards the use of the nursing process. They claim that both the structure and language that underpins this process is cumbersome and unreflective of the way in which nursing care is planned and delivered. To date, there has been no study cited that has examined its use within a clinical setting and determined if and how the nursing process is being used and whether there is substance in the clinicians' claims. Additionally, some of the research on problem solving has used laboratory based designs that are limited as they are not sensitive to contextual factors that affect the use of a problem solving process, nor are they sensitive to the efficacy of the communication process. As patient care involves many nurses working under diverse contextual conditions, these factors need to be taken into consideration when studying this phenomenon.Using grounded theory methodology, this study examined the clinical application of the nursing process in acute care hospital settings. Specifically, it sought to answer the following two questions: (1) How is the nursing process used by nurse clinicians in acute care hospital settings? and in the absence of its use, (2) How is nursing care determined, delivered, and communicated in acute care hospital settings in Western Australia?Data were obtained from semi-structured interviews with predominantly nurse clinicians, patients, and patients' relatives, as well as participant field observations of nurse clinicians, and in-depth audits of patient records. Textual data were managed using NUD-IST and analysed using constant ++ / comparative method. Data generation and analysis proceeded simultaneously using open coding, theoretical coding, and selective coding techniques until saturation was achieved. This resulted in the generation of a substantive theory explaining clinical nursing in acute care hospital settings.The findings of this study revealed several problems with the clinical application of the nursing process. It also revealed a process used by nurses to overcome many difficulties they experienced as they tried to determine, deliver, and communicate patient care. Specifically, nurses in this study experienced the basic social problem of being in a state of "Unknowing". Properties and dimensions of unknowing were found consistently in the data and this problem was labelled as the core category. This state of "unknowing" was linked to a number of factors, such as, the existence of a fragmented and inconsistent method of determining and communicating patient care and work conditions of immense change and uncertainty. In order to deal with this problem, the nurses in this study used a basic social process termed: "Enabling Care: Working through obscurity and uncertainty". The first phase of the core process, termed: Putting the pieces together: making sense, involved four subprocesses. These subprocesses were labelled: drawing on the known, collecting and combining information, checking and integrating information, and sustaining communication. The second phase of the core process was termed Minimising uncertainty. It involved three subprocesses which were named: adapting work practices, taking control, and backing-up.The findings of this study have implications for nursing practice, research, theory, and education, as it exposes problems with the clinical application of the nursing process in acute care settings. In addition, it further explicates a substantive theory that describes a ++ / process of nursing used by nurses in these settings. As the articulated process was supported by a number of studies and opinions of nurse scholars it is worthy of being considered as being foundational to an understanding of a process of nursing used in acute care hospital settings in Western Australia.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2006. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Health Sciences. Bibliography: leaves 472-484.

Bibliography: leaves 69-78. Leaf gas exchange (LGE) of mango cultivars Kensington, Irwin and Tommy Atkins was investigated in a series of field experiments under varying environmental and physiological conditions in the Ord River Irrigation Area, Kununurra, Western Australia. The environmental influences on mango during fruit development are extreme producing high vapour pressure deficient (VPD) and photosynthetic photon flux density. This combined with internal pressures associated with crop load and water stress have a profound effect on LGE. Diurnal changes in atmospheric and leaf temperature are accompanied by changes in VPD in the field. Differences in cultivars in LGE response to changing environmental conditions were significant, with Kensington appearing the most sensitive to extreme atmospheric conditions. There appeared to be no cultivar differences in LGE with changing soil moisture status.

Bibliography: p.149-158. Aims to provide a structural and stratigraphic framework for the evolution of the Roebuck Basin, and to evaluate its future petroleum potential.

The Botryosphaeriaceae (Ascomycetes), with more than 2000 species (http://www.indexfungorum.com), represents one of most widely distributed groups of fungal plant pathogens. These species are known to infect both economically important crops and native plants. In this study species of the Botryosphaeriaceae associated with native woody hosts in South Africa and Western Australia were investigated. Based on ITS rDNA sequence comparisons, combined with phenotypic characters and PCR-RFLP analyses, eight species were identified on native Syzygium cordatum in South Africa. These included Neofusicoccum parvum, N. ribis, N. luteum, N. australe, N. mangiferae, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Lasiodiplodia gonubiensis and L. theobromae. Three additional cryptic species were identified in the N. parvum / N. ribis complex from S. cordatum using five gene genealogies and the genealogical concordance phylogenetic species recognition (GCPSR). These are the first species of the Botryosphaeriaceae described using fixed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as a defining character, and are described as N. cordaticola, N. kwambonambiense and N. umdonicola. The analysis of microsatellite marker data supported the distinction of these species. These data were also used to characterise the distribution of the latter three species and N. parvum on S. cordatum. Finding the same haplotypes of N. parvum on S. cordatum and closely related, planted Eucalyptus indicates movement of this pathogen between these hosts. Since all of the species recognised from S. cordatum were pathogenic to Eucalyptus, and the newly described species were more virulent than N. parvum and N. ribis on S. cordatum, their movement between hosts can pose a serious treat to both native and non-native plants. From Western Australia, molecular sequence data and morphological analyses revealed seven new species of the Botryosphaeriaceae from baobab and other native trees. These included Dothiorella longicollis, Fusicoccum ramosum, Lasiodiplodia margaritacea, Neoscytalidium novaehollandiae, Pseudofusicoccum adansoniae, P. ardesiacum and P. kimberleyense. In the literature review, which also considers work done in this thesis, the influence of molecular tools on the taxonomy of the Botryosphaeriaceae during the last decade, with a particular focus on cryptic species recognition, is considered. This study clearly showed that a polyphasic approach in species identification, as well as investigation of less well studied native flora, will reveal numerous new and cryptic species in the Botrysphaeriaceae and improve our knowledge of this group of important plant pathogens in the future. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / Unrestricted

Research on squamate evolution of Australia has predominantly focused on the eastern portion of the continent, whereas little is known about the record from Western Australia. Deposits in Devils Lair provide a glimpse of late Pleistocene Egernia group skink representation from the Cape Leeuwin-Naturaliste region of southwestern Western Australia. Previous studies of fossils from the cave indicate a peak in the number of lizard remains during the last glacial maximum, a time when mammal and charcoal remains suggest an open, dry environment. Previous studies of Devils Lair have not attempted to identify lizard remains beyond 'lizard'. Here, we identify Egernia group lizard remains as Liopholis spp., Egernia spp., Lissolepis spp. and Tiliqua rugosa, which range in age from ca 48000 to 13000 yr B.P.