Contrasting influences of inundation and land use on the rate of floodplain restoration

This study examined the assisted natural restoration of native vegetation in an Australian floodplain wetland where flows were reinstated and the river was reconnected to the floodplain, following cessation of agricultural cultivation. Extant vegetation was surveyed three times during an inundation event at plots with different land‐use histories. Restoration rate was more influenced by past land use than long‐term inundation frequency and success decreased with antecedent land‐use intensity. Prolonged land‐use history (>3 years cultivation) restricted restoration success. Sites with longer cultivation histories tended to have fewer aquatic species, more terrestrial species and exotic species. For example, amphibious responders with floating leaves were found only in reference plots and less frequently in farmed treatment plots. In this scenario, increased persistence of exotics and dryland species suggested alternative trajectories. Fields with a short land‐use history (1–3 years of clearing and cultivation) resembled undisturbed floodplain communities, consistent with a ‘field of dreams’ hypothesis. Although river–floodplain reconnections can restore wetlands, legacy effects of past land use may limit the pace and outcomes of restoration.Australian Postgraduate AwardAustralian Research Council. Grant Number: DE120102221ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions Australian Research Council Linkage Project. Grant Number: LP088416

Decentralized power and heat derived from an eco-innovative integrated gasification fuel cell combined cycle fuelled by waste

The suitability for fuel cells to run on synthesis gas coming from the gasification of waste is determined by the sensitivity of the fuel cell to run on contaminated fuel. Out of the available fuel cell technologies solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), because of their ceramic construction and high operating temperatures, are best suited for syngas operation. Their high operating temperature (>650 ◦C) and the presence of nickel at the anode means that it is possible to reform hydrocarbons to provide further hydrogen [1]. Numerical simulations representing all aspects of the proposed system have been developed to understand the energy performance of the system as a whole as well as the financial and environmental benefits. Taking into account variations in the waste composition and the wholesale electricity price the proposed system, scaled to process 100,000 tonnes of waste per year (40,000 removed for recycling), has a simple payback period of 7.2 years whilst providing CO2 savings of 13%. Over the year the proposed system will provide enough electricity to supply more than 23,000 homes and enough heat for more than 5800 homes.This work was made possible through the sponsorship and support of ChapmanBDSP and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council in the UK