'A travel cost analysis of the value of Carnarvon Gorge National Park for recreational use': comment

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

A Computable Game Theoretic Approach to Modelling Competitive Fishing

A fishery is considered in which the young are harvested by one nation, and the adults by another. The harvests are sold on separate markets. Finding the optimal strategies of the two nations is treated as a problem in dynamic non-cooperative game theory. While in most other models players make decisions simultaneously at each stage, in this model each player makes his decision separately in time, knowing the action of the previous player. The model is applied to the southern bluefin tuna fishery which is jointly exploited by Australia and Japan. The results of non-cooperative and cooperative strategies are compared.Environmental Economics and Policy, International Development, International Relations/Trade, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Further laboratory studies of the roughness and suspended load of alluvial streams

A laboratory study was made to determine the variation with depth and velocity of the hydraulic and sediment transport characteristics of a constant-discharge flow. Eight experimental runs were performed in a 60-foot long, 33.5-inch wide recirculating laboratory flume. The unit discharge for all runs was 0.50 cfs per ft. and the velocity was varied from 0.91 to 2.21 fps, corresponding to a change in depth from 0.550 to 0.228 ft. The bed sand used for these experiments had a geometric mean sieve diameter of 0.142 mm and a geometric standard deviation of 1.38. As the velocity was increased, the bed form changed from a dune-covered configuration to a flat bed, with sand waves occurring at intermediate velocities. It was found that for the unit discharge and bed sand used in this investigation, two different velocities and sediment transport rates are possible for a given slope, or a given bed shear velocity; however, this multiplicity is possible only in the range of slope and shear velocity where major changes in the bed configuration occur since it is a result of large variations in the bed roughness. Therefore the slope or shear velocity cannot logically be used as an independent variable since neither of these quantities uniquely determines the velocity or transport rate. However, if the velocity is used as the independent variable for a constant-discharge flow, the slope, shear velocity, and friction factor are all uniquely determined. The sediment transport rate was found to be a single-valued, uniformly increasing function of velocity, and it can therefore be used in place of the velocity as the independent variable. A comparison of data from this investigation with data from previous investigations which used the same sand showed that even a small decrease in the amount of fine material in the bed sand can have a significant effect on the transport rate. However, even relatively large changes in the standard deviation of the bed material have a small effect on the friction factor

The 'New Queenslander': A Contemporary Environmentally Sustainable Timber House

This paper describes the outcomes of an applied research project aimed at developing a contemporary, environmentally sustainable housing approach that takes its lead from the qualities and attributes of the Queensland vernacular timber housing, and that can be widely adopted in a similar way to its traditional predecessor. There was no intention to revive the original ‘Queenslander’ house but to build on the qualities which have made the timber house such an attractive and sustainable housing typology to develop a contemporary timber design vocabulary for project homes in Queensland. The design-led multi-disciplinary project took a critical approach to identifying the optimum solution that can be obtained by combining available building materials with market appeal and affordability, architectural design for lifestyle in Australian subtropical and tropical climates, engineering design, and environmental performance. It was also imperative that the timber systems developed be able to be adopted by the house building industry with minimal change to the conventional trade-based process of project delivery. The research included a review of available timber products including composite products, and a review of regulatory issues which impact on the use of timber in residential construction. The findings of the reviews were combined with environmental design objectives to develop a new construction system for integrating timber products in residential design

What do they think when we stack them in? A comparative analysis of student perceptions relating to large and small marketing subjects

University education is in a period of flux with emphasis being focused on quality education, competition for students both local and international as well as changes in governmental financial support and direction. It is with this scenario as a backdrop, that universities in an endeavour to obtain economies of scale offer subjects with large student enrolments. This study investigates marketing students&rsquo; perception of and participation in marketing subjects relating to teaching quality, staff availability and support, and individual student involvement in marketing education with large enrolments compared to subjects with small enrolments. This research builds on the investigations of effects of class size by Cuseo (2004) and Binney et al (2004). The study used a multi-method approach. Data from a sample of 621 students was analysed using Factor analysis, MANOVA and ANOVA. Students indicated that there was little difference in the quality of learning obtained in small or large classes. Of interest from a marketing perspective, however, is the perception by students that they are more likely to obtain practical assistance and support from tutors in smaller classes. Student perceptions generally show no major differences between large and small classes in relation to subject selection, ability to learn and lecture&nbsp; attendance. Students expressed a preference for the opportunity to choose from a number of lecture streams available in subjects with large enrolments. Of interest, however is the student belief that they are less likely to actively participate in large lectures than in small lecture environments.<br /

More on F versus t tests for unit roots when there is no trend

Rodrigues and Tremayne (2004) interpret a problematic size result in a Monte Carlo study reported in Elder and Kennedy (2001) as arising from Elder and Kennedy's use of an inappropriate testing equation. In expositing their result, Rodrigues and Tremayne inadvertently lead readers to believe that the Elder and Kennedy conclusion is in error. We clarify the Rodrigues and Tremayne contribution, putting the validity of the Elder and Kennedy result in proper perspective and underlining the important role played by the starting value in Monte Carlo analyses.

Tax credits for historic rehabilitation

Saving historic buildings preserves New England’s character while providing opportunities for affordable housing and economic development. The authors describe how to use federal historic tax credits as well as New England’s state-level historic tax credits.Tax credits - New England ; Historic preservation - New England ; Housing - New England

Metal complexes as potential ligands : the deprotonation of aminephenolate metal complexes

The cationic nickel, copper and zinc complexes of tris-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-aminoethylamine (H6TrenSal) have been deprotonated using potassium hydroxide. The nickel complex can be sequentially deprotonated to form a series of compounds namely, [(H6TrenSal)Ni]+, [(H6TrenSal)Ni] and "[(H6TrenSal)Ni]K". The latter is isolated as a mixture of species namely [{(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(EtOH)]2, [{(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(EtOH)2-μ-OH2]2 and [{(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(EtOH)2-μ-EtOH]2, which co-crystallise in a roughly 50:27.5:22.5 ratio. In contrast the deprotonation of [(H6TrenSal)M]+ (M = Cu, Zn) results in the formation of tetrameric complexes [({(H6TrenSal)Ni}K(OH2)2)4(μ4-OH2)]

F versus t tests for unit roots

F tests which test jointly for a unit root and a zero intercept, and so compete against Dickey-Fuller t tests, are shown not to enhance power because they are invariant to the intercept value in the absence of a unit root. Monte Carlo results in the literature that indicate otherwise are shown to have resulted from the use of special starting values. Testing procedures that employ these F tests to enhance power should be revised.Dickey-Fuller

Within-Season Rents: Maximised or Dissipated in an Open-Access Fishery?

Abstract It is pervasively argued that the equilibrium outcome for an open-access fishery in which harvesting cost is inversely related to fish stock is inefficient, with complete dissipation of within-season rents. However, some argue instead that within-season rents are maximised. Conditions under which either outcome can be justified are considered. Competitive open-access outcomes are presented for different versions of continuous-time and discrete-time models of within-season fishing. The general conclusion is that in many cases rent maximisation is the more plausible outcome. The issue is important for determining the benefits of different types of regulation under uncertainty, the optimal settings of instruments such as quotas and landing fees, and the way in which open-access outcomes should be modelled in applied work.Open-access fishery, within-season rent, non-cooperative game., Resource /Energy Economics and Policy, D62, Q22,