Carbon sequestration of two oil mallee species, eucalyptus loxophleba subsp. lissophloia and eucalyptus. kochii subsp. plenissima in the semi-arid environment of the Central Wheatbelt of Western Australia

The planting of Oil malices have a number of implications in terms of environmental management within Western Australia. Firstly, the incorporation of perennial trees on a large scale into the agricultural landscape can assist in balancing the hydrological cycle and other land degradation problems (Bird et. al. 1992; Western Australian Salinity Action Plan, 1996). Secondly, harvesting the above-ground biomass can produce an economic return because of the oil contained within the leaves. This oil has the potential to replace ozone damaging solvents (Barton and Knight, J997; Wildy, 1996). Finally, oil mallees have the potential to offset greenhouse gas emissions, because mallee Eucalypts have a sizeable carbon sink, in the form of a root system that continues to grow after harvesting the above-ground growth (James, 1984). These sinks can potentially be traded, providing the landowner with another income source. For oil mallees to realise the potential outlined above, there is a need to obtain information on their growth characteristics, particularly that of the below-ground structures. The aims of the research presented in this thesis were to determine the biomass and amount of carbon being sequested by the below ground organs of E. kochii subsp. plenissima at four different ages, and of E. loxophleba subsp. lissophloia at two ages and to compare these differences to the above ground growth. In addition, the impact of harvesting of the above ground biomass for oil production on the carbon sequestration and growth of the below ground organs was also determined. E. plenissima and E. lissophloia present contrasting stories about the effects harvesting has on biomass sequestration. E. plenissima displayed no significant difference between unharvested and harvested trees for lignotuber biomass. Annual re-growth of the above ground biomass for the harvested trees was 4.3 tonnes per hectare per year and unharvested trees recorded only slightly higher average annual growth (5.2 tonnes/km hedge). At age 2.5 years, E. plenissima has enough carbon reserves within the lignotuber to fund rapid re-growth after harvesting and establish a leaf area that is large enough to restock the Iignotuber and maintain above ground growth

Bardi Jawi Rangers: Land and Sea Management

The Bardi Jawi Rangers program started back in late 2006 from the Dugong and Marine Turtle project facilitated through the Kimberley Land Council in partnership with the North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA). The work was based around all aspects turtle and dugong monitoring and recording which included beach and sea patrols to record turtle nesting, catch data from local hunters and the satellite tagging of dugong in partnership with Edith Cowan University over 3 consecutive years. This demonstrated experience led to travelling to Abu Dhabi and the Arabian Gulf assisting the United Arab Emirates Environment Agency with their own dugong tagging program

The antihypertensive MTHFR gene polymorphism rs17367504-G is a possible novel protective locus for preeclampsia

Objective: Preeclampsia is a complex heterogeneous disease commonly defined by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria in pregnancy. Women experiencing preeclampsia have increased risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) later in life. Preeclampsia and CVD share risk factors and pathophysiologic mechanisms, including dysregulated inflammation and raised blood pressure. Despite commonalities, little is known about the contribution of shared genes (pleiotropy) to these diseases. This study aimed to investigate whether genetic risk factors for hypertension or inflammation are pleiotropic by also being associated with preeclampsia. Methods: We genotyped 122 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in women with preeclampsia (n = 1006) and nonpreeclamptic controls (n = 816) from the Norwegian HUNT Study. SNPs were chosen on the basis of previously reported associations with either nongestational hypertension or inflammation in genome-wide association studies. The SNPs were tested for association with preeclampsia in a multiple logistic regression model. Results: The minor (G) allele of the intronic SNP rs17367504 in the gene methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) was associated with a protective effect on preeclampsia (odds ratio 0.65, 95% confidence interval 0.53–0.80) in the Norwegian cohort. This association did not replicate in an Australian preeclampsia case–control cohort (P = 0.68, odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 0.83–1.32, minor allele frequency = 0.15). Conclusion: MTHFR is important for regulating transmethylation processes and is involved in regulation of folate metabolism. The G allele of rs17367504 has previously been shown to protect against nongestational hypertension. Our study suggests a novel association between this allele and reduced risk for preeclampsia. This is the first study associating the minor (G) allele of a SNP within the MTHFR gene with a protective effect on preeclampsia, and in doing so identifying a possible pleiotropic protective effect on preeclampsia and hypertension

Whole genome sequencing of 91 multiplex schizophrenia families reveals increased burden of rare, exonic copy number variation in schizophrenia probands and genetic heterogeneity

The importance of genomic copy number variants (CNVs) has long been recognized in the etiology of neurodevelopmental diseases. We report here the results from the CNV analysis of whole-genome sequences from 91 multiplex schizophrenia families. Employing four algorithms (CNVnator, Cn.mops, DELLY and LUMPY) to identify CNVs, we find 1231 rare deletions and 287 rare duplications in 300 individuals (77 with schizophrenia (SZ), 32 with schizoaffective disorder (SAD), 82 with another neuropsychiatric diagnosis and 109 unaffected). The size of the CNVs ranges from a few hundred base-pairs to about 1.3Mb. The total burden of CNVs does not differ significantly between affected (SZ and SAD) and unaffected individuals. Parent-to-child transmission rate for rare CNVs affecting exonic regions is significantly higher for affected (SZ and SAD) probands as compared to their siblings, but rates for all CNVs is not. We observe heterogeneity between families in terms of genes involved in CNVs, and find several CNVs involving genes previously implicated in either schizophrenia or other neuropsychiatric disorders