Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Land And Water Resources For Irrigated Agriculture In The Pilbara, Paul Galloway, John A. Simons, Karen Holmes, Dennis Van Gool

Resource management technical reports

This report documents the procedures used to identify suitable locations for irrigation development in the Pilbara region. It is the first study to investigate the potential for irrigated agriculture across the Pilbara. We used a desktop analysis to ascertain water availability and spatial data modelling to determine the potential of the land and soil resource to support irrigated agriculture. This study was part of the Pilbara Hinterland Agricultural Development Initiative (PHADI).

We used existing rangeland land inventory information augmented with digital spatial environmental data, in a process known as map disaggregation, to create soil and landform maps that had a …

Carnarvon Floodplain Management - Working Group Report, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia, Department Of Water And Environmental Regulation, Western Australia, Canarvon Growers Association, Department Of Fire And Emergency Services, Western Australia, Shire Of Canarvon, Western Australia

Horticulture research reports

Periodic flooding of the lower Gascoyne River floodplain at Carnarvon is a natural event. The flooding results from cyclonic and thunderstorm activity in the catchment, with the risk period generally from November to May, associated with the wet season in the north of WA. The Carnarvon horticultural area has suffered considerable damage following flooding of the Gascoyne River in 1960,1961, 1974, 1980, 1995, 2000, 2009, 2010/11 and 2021.

The WA Government has undertaken restoration programs to replace soil lost for most of these major flooding events. Apart from the soil loss and risks of permanent damage to the natural resource, …

An Industry Life Cycle Assessment (Lca) For Sheep Production In Western Australia, Stephen Wiedemann, Darcia Mcrae, Emma Longworth

Animal production research reports

The Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has identified the need to understand greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the livestock sector in detail, with a view to developing emission reduction plans for the state. To achieve this, DPIRD commissioned a life cycle assessment (LCA) for the sheep industry in Western Australia (WA) for the financial years (FY) 2005 (July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005) and 2020 (July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020). The analysis of one historic period provided a baseline reference point for the more recent results, and the intent was to develop …

Data Validating The Use Of Rubidium As A Non-Radioactive Tracer For The Localised Proliferation Of Wheat Roots In Acidic Or Limed Subsoil, Paul M. Damon, Gaus Azam, Chris Gazey, Craig Scanlan, Zed Rengel

Grain and Other Field Crops Research Articles

Existing technologies for lime (CaCO3) incorporation into acidic field soils result in the heterogeneous distribution of limed and acidic soil sections. In a study characterising the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to the amendment of an acidic soil profile with vertically limed slots[1], elucidation of the dynamics of root proliferation within the acidic and limed soil sections was a prerequisite to understanding the mechanisms driving the above-ground responses. Rubidium (Rb) has been used widely as a non-radioactive tracer for root activity[2] in soil. However, the contrasting pH in a heterogeneously limed soil profile and related aluminium toxicity effects …

Status Of The Western Australian Pastoral Rangelands 2021, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Natural resources published reports

This report updates the 2020 Rangelands annual report, the 2020 report outlines the condition, trend and risk of vegetation condition decline of pastoral rangelands in WA, based on the information available to September 2020. This 2021 report summaries the findings of the 2020 report and provides updated information on seasonal conditions in 2021 and stocking rates in 2020.

DPIRD produces a full report on the condition, trend and risk status of the WA pastoral rangelands every five years and provides updates on an annual basis. It is expected that the monitoring and assessment protocols used to generate future annual condition …

Framework For Sustainable Pastoral Management - Land Condition Version, R Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This document outlines the revised edition of the Framework for sustainable pastoral management, with a particular emphasis on the land condition components, including the monitoring, assessment and compliance processes. These processes are now being used to guide the management of land condition on all pastoral leases and stations within Western Australia (WA), which cover 860,000 km2 and represents over 40% of WA’s extensive rangeland area.

Framework For Sustainable Pastoral Management - Revised Edition, R Fletcher

Natural resources published reports

This Framework for sustainable pastoral management, revised edition (the Framework) describes the contemporary risk-based approach that is now being used within Western Australia (WA) to ensure management of the State’s pastoral estate meets the principles of ecologically sustainable development (ESD). Development of the Framework was undertaken as part of the Pastoral Lands Reform project initiated by the WA Government in response to the Office of the Auditor General’s (OAG 2017) report, Management of pastoral lands in Western Australia. The Framework was developed by DPIRD with input from the Interagency Steering Committee (ISC – which included senior representatives of the WA …

Future Climate Streamflow Estimation In The Donnelly River Catchment, Justin Hughes, Bill Wang

Natural resources commissioned reports

The Donnelly River is located in the south-west of Western Australia. An irrigation development has been proposed in the catchment that would extract water from the Donnelly River and store this in an off stream reservoir for irrigation use. Given the known issues related to non-stationarity and hydrological prediction, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) contracted CSIRO to review the hydrological model that was used to estimate future climate streamflow in the Donnelly River. This model was owned and operated by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER). The CSIRO review of the model, which also …

Consultation Summary For Proposed Declared Pest Rates 2022/2023, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Biosecurity published reports

In accordance with the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management (Declared Pest Account) Regulations 2014, the Minister for Agriculture and Food carries out consultation on Declared Pest Rates, to be considered prior to the rates being determined and gazetted.

This document is the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's response to the submissions received.

Ecological Risk Assessment For The State-Wide Small Pelagic Scalefish Resource, S. Blazeski, J. Norriss, K. A. Smith, M. Hourston

Fisheries research reports

In July 2021, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development convened an ecological risk assessment (ERA) of the fisheries that access the State-wide Small Pelagic Scalefish Resource. The ERA considered the potential ecological impacts of the West Coast Purse Seine Fishery, South Coast Purse Seine Fishery, Purse Seine Development Zones and the recreational fishers who catch small pelagic scalefish. The assessment evaluated the impact of each fishing sector/method on all relevant retained and bycatch species, endangered, threatened and protected species, habitats and the broader environment.

Sediment Budgets For Small Salinized Agricultural Catchments In Southwest Australia And Implications For Phosphorus Transport, Robert J. Wasson, David Weaver

Natural Resources Research Articles

Examples of sediment budgets are needed to document the range of budget types and their controls. Sediment budgets for three small agricultural catchments (7.6 to 15.6 km2) in southwestern Australia are dominated by channel and gully erosion, with sheet and rill erosion playing a subordinate role. Erosion was increased by clearing naturally swampy valley floors and hillslopes for agriculture and grazing, and episodic intense rainstorms. The proportion of sediment from channel and gully erosion in the sediment budget appears to be determined by the depth of alluvial fills. Dryland salinization caused by clearing native vegetation has connected hillslopes to channels …

Rehydrating The Landscape At Yanget, Geraldton, Western Australia, Jamie Bowyer, Rod O'Bree

Natural resources published reports

Rod and Bridie O’Bree’s farm is 25 km east of Geraldton in the Northern Agricultural Region of Western Australia. The long-term rainfall average is 486 mm although that has dropped to 354 mm over the last 30 years. They run a 150 head beef cattle herd, fatten 500-700 lambs annually and have a 40-60 head horse stud on the farm. They purchased the farm early in 2008 after one of the worst droughts in the area. There was little to no vegetation, brown or green, across the farm and all of the water from a 25 mm rain event ran …

Assessment Of Soil Sampling Equipment For Guiding Fertiliser Decisions, David Weaver, Robert Summers, David Rogers, Peta Richards, David Rowe

Resource management technical reports

A range of methods, technologies and equipment are used to collect representative composite soil samples from paddocks. Once collected, soil samples are analysed for various parameters that provide evidence to guide fertiliser decisions. The sampling methods, technologies and equipment used must result in samples that consistently represent the parameter of interest.

Soil sampling technology and equipment has advanced from manual devices (such as pogo-stick-style foot-thrust core samplers [pogo]) to a variety of mechanised core-thrust samplers and augers that are fitted to vehicles or battery drills. Each device may function differently under different conditions, and each requires differing levels of human …

The Potential Of Remotely Sensed Vegetation Indices For Monitoring Pasture Condition, Pouria Ramzi, Karen Holmes

Resource management technical reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is developing an integrated monitoring system using remote sensing and on-ground measurements to track pasture condition across Western Australia’s pastoral region. We extended and adapted the methods developed in the Pastoral Lease Assessment Using Geospatial Analysis (PLAGA) project (Robinson et al. 2012), which combined remotely sensed vegetation indices (VIs) with on-ground pasture condition observations to assess the potential of using different vegetation indices in a statewide condition monitoring system.

There were 6 regions in WA’s pastoral rangelands with DPIRD on-ground condition traverse points: Kimberley and Broome, Pilbara, Yalgoo and Sandstone, Goldfields, …

Climate-Assisted Persistence Of Tropical Fish Vagrants In Temperate Marine Ecosystems, Laura Gajdzik, Thomas M. Decarlo, Adam Koziol, Mahsa Mousavi-Derazmahalleh, Megan Coghlan, Matthew W. Power, Michael Bunce, David Fairclough, Michael J. Travers, Glenn I. Moore, Joseph D. Dibattista

Fisheries Research Articles

Rising temperatures and extreme climate events are propelling tropical species into temperate marine ecosystems, but not all species can persist. Here, we used the heatwave-driven expatriation of tropical Black Rabbitfish (Siganus fuscescens) to the temperate environments of Western Australia to assess the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that may entail their persistence. Population genomic assays for this rabbitfish indicated little genetic differentiation between tropical residents and vagrants to temperate environments due to high migration rates, which were likely enhanced by the marine heatwave. DNA metabarcoding revealed a diverse diet for this species based on phytoplankton and algae, as well …

2021 Assessment Of The Status Of The West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource, David V. Fairclough, Sybrand Alex Hesp, Ainslie Denham, Emily A. Fisher, Rachel Marks, Karina L. Ryan, Elaine Lek, Rhys Allen, Brett M. Crisafulli

Fisheries research reports

A recovery program for the West Coast Demersal Scalefish Resource was introduced between late 2007 and early 2010, based on the maintenance of retained catches of demersal species (overall suite and each indicator species) by both the commercial and recreational sectors below 50% of the catches reported in 2005/06 (original catch recovery benchmarks).

Catch reductions were aimed at reducing exploitation levels (F, long-term fishing mortality of the key indicator species’ stocks) to below the threshold reference point (F = M, the natural mortality rate), which would then allow stocks to recover to above the …

Otoliths Of South-Western Australian Fish: A Photographic Catalogue, Chris Dowling, Kim Smith, Elaine Lek, Joshua Brown

Fisheries research reports

Due to the species-specific nature of otoliths and given they are often the only part of the fish preserved when fish die, otolith catalogues can be used in numerous applications, such as diet studies in fish eating animals, including pinnipeds, fish and sea birds; archaeological purposes such as reconstructing indigenous people’s diets from otoliths found in middens or evolutionary history of fish species by comparing fossilized otoliths. Given the unique mixture of subtropical and temperate fish, including many endemic species that occur off the southwest corner of WA having a catalogue for this area is extremely important for people working …

Continental-Scale Network Reveals Cross-Jurisdictional Movements Of Sympatric Sharks With Implications For Assessment And Management, Charlie Huveneers, Yuri Niella, Michael Drew, Rory Mcauley, Paul A. Butcher, Victor Peddemors, Daniela Waltrick, Chris Dowling, Silas Mountford, Ian S. Keay, Matias Braccini

Fisheries Research Articles

Understanding the movement ecology of marine species and connectivity of populations is required for effective fisheries management. This is especially the case for species with wide-ranging distributions for which movement can span across several jurisdictions with different management regulations. We used the Australian national network of acoustic receivers facilitated by the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) to describe the extent and frequency of movements for two large epipelagic shark species, the bronze whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus) and dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus). A total of 210 sharks (117 bronze whalers and 93 dusky sharks) were tracked for a …

Primary Industries Development Research Highlights 2021, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Tim Scanlon

Books & book chapters

The Primary Industries Development Research Highlights 2021 showcases the breadth and depth of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s research and development activities over the past several years.

Stories featured in Research Highlights 2021 stem from about 60 (of 140) current and recently-completed projects undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s (DPIRD) 1100 scientists, technical experts and economists throughout the State.

Explore our Research Highlights 2021.

The publication demonstrates the innovative and applicable research that DPIRD and its collaborators and investment partners deliver to Western Australia.

Download the Research Highlights 2021 here. Alternatively, …

Testing A Global Standard For Quantifying Species Recovery And Assessing Conservation Impact, Molly K. Grace, H Resit Akcakaya, Elizabeth L. Bennett, Thomas M. Brooks, Anna Heath, Simon Hedges, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Michael Hoffmann, Axel Hochkirch, Richard Jenkins, David A. Keith, Barney Long, David P. Mallon, Erik Meijaard, E J. Milner-Gulland, Jon Paul Rodriguez, P J. Stephenson, Simon N. Stuart, Richard P. Young, David Fairclough

Fisheries Research Articles

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics ( …

The Applicability, Efficacy And Risks Of Natural Sequence Farming In The Dryland Agricultural Zone Of South West Western Australia, Nik Callow, Rose Anne Bell

Natural resources commissioned reports

Natural sequence farming (NSF) is an approach to restoring degraded agricultural land, developed by Peter Andrews on his property Tarwyn Park in New South Wales. The approach aims to rehydrate the landscape by slowing the movement of water with a series of structures and then using this water to drive plant growth and improve soil function.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development engaged the University of Western Australia to review the applicability, efficacy and risks associated with using NSF principles and practices in the south-west dryland agricultural zone in Western Australia. The review has combined information from the …

Fractured Rock Groundwater Wa Wheatbelt: Data And Methodology Review, Louise Hopgood, Richard Nixon

Natural resources commissioned reports

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) in partnership with Water Corporation, working with Murdoch and Curtin universities, are looking at new options to improve farm water security in the wheatbelt of Western Australia.

Winter rainfall has declined since 2000 and dams, traditionally used for farm water supply, no longer provide sufficient or reliable water, especially after 1 to 2 below average years. Increasingly, groundwater supplies are being considered to supply farm needs, including those from fractured rock aquifers, with opportunities to desalinate to improve water quality.

This project undertook to review groundwater availability in fractured rock aquifers …

Native Symbiotic Fungus Increases Shoot Biomass And Grain Yield Of Canola, Khalil Kariman, Craig Scanlan, Zed Rengell

The State of Soil Science in WA

More than 90% of land plant species (including most agricultural crops) form beneficial associations with soil-borne mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal hyphae allow plants to indirectly explore a large soil volume and forage for nutrients (most importantly P, but also micronutrients) that are usually poorly available in soils due to their immobility. Recent studies using state-of-the-art DNA sequencing technologies have unearthed much more complexity in root-fungal relationships than those discovered using the traditional morphology-based approaches.

Are Ironstone Gravel Soils In Southwest Western Australia: All The Same?, Karen Holmes, Edward Arnold Griffin, Dennis Van Gool

The State of Soil Science in WA

Ironstone gravel soils are widespread, locally common, and important for cropping in Western Australia (WA). The spatial extent of these soils is reasonably well known, but geographic differences and distinct subgroups of gravel soils are not. We present a novel approach to map ironstone gravel layers and associated fine earth texture classes to improve understanding of gravel soil characteristics and distribution across southwestern WA.

Monitoring Groundcover And Associated Erosion Risks Using Satellite Remote Sensing In The Agricultural Region Of Western Australia, Justin Laycock, Nick Middleton, John A. Simons, Tim Overheu, Buddy Wheaton, Karen Holmes

The State of Soil Science in WA

National satellite-derived fractional groundcover products (percentage of green vegetation, dry vegetation, bare soil) are now routinely produced by Geoscience Australia and other groups, and are available for interpretation. The extensive coverage, frequent repeated observations and large archive of historical imagery supports more objective and reproducible methods than previous degradation monitoring efforts that were based on intermittent field surveys of land condition and anecdotal reporting. Landsat (30 m pixel resolution) seasonal composite images will be used to estimate total groundcover throughout the year, and assess the proportion of cropland in the grainbelt below recommended cover thresholds of 50% for wind erosion, …

Nrinfo 2019 Release: Wa Natural Resource Information Available Through Web Portal, Justin Laycock, Angela Stuart-Street, Dennis Van Gool

The State of Soil Science in WA

NRInfo (natural resource information) provides the user with access to digital mapping and information for natural resources across Western Australia. This information may be used for regional and strategic planning, and for identifying areas needing more intensive assessment.

Nutrient Recovery Via Anaerobic Digestion Of Supermarket Food Waste And Re-Use As Fertiliser In Potting Media For The Urban Retail Market; A Proof Of Concept Using Digestate And Biochar, Bede Mickan, Somayeh Zarezadeh, Sasha Jenkins, Aitian Ren, Zakaria Solaimon, Megan H. Ryan

The State of Soil Science in WA

Food waste can be diverted from landfill and utilised via anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas. The liquid by-product of AD is commonly referred to as digestate, and this can be an organic certifiable biofertilizer. Digestate in Europe is frequently used in agriculture, though is not commonly used in the urban retail market. Biochar is another organic matter which can adsorb and retain the nutrients, and also could decrease the adverse effects of high nitrogen content of soil.

Food Waste Can Be Diverted From Landfill And Utilised Via Anaerobic Digestion (Ad) To Produce Biogas. The Liquid By-Product Of Ad Is Commonly Referred To As Digestate, And This Can Be An Organic Certifiable Biofertilizer. Digestate In Europe Is Frequently Used In Agriculture, Though Is Not Commonly Used In The Urban Retail Market. Biochar Is Another Organic Matter Which Can Adsorb And Retain The Nutrients, And Also Could Decrease The Adverse Effects Of High Nitrogen Content Of Soil, Edward Arnold Griffin, Karen Holmes

The State of Soil Science in WA

Soil information is critical for efficient and sustainable agricultural management. However, there is typically a hiatus between soil information which government agencies charged with supporting agriculture develop and deliver, and the information land managers can easily use for management in the paddock. This hiatus is largely due to (1) differences in the spatial scale of information needed by these different groups, and (2) communication-style inhibiting soil science information into management advice. We outline and evaluate a ‘three factor functional soil classification’ based on soil texture, depth, and gravel content for south-western WA, referred to as Profile Texture Classes (PTC).

Soil Exchangeable Cations Increase Microbial Carbon Use Efficiency And Microbial Growth In Acidic Soils, Emilia Horn, Emily Cooledge, Anna Ray, Davey Jones, Steve Rushton, Eizabeth Stockdale, Frances C. Hoyle, Yoshi Sawada, Daniel Murphy

The State of Soil Science in WA

Microbial growth and function is influenced by the properties of the surrounding soil where surface chemistry mediates interactions between individual organisms and their local microenvironment. We hypothesised that the addition of exchangeable base cations, necessary for microbial biochemical function, will increase microbial growth in acidic soils.

Talking The Same Soil Language - A Simple Guide For Describing Wa Soils, Angela Stuart-Street, Nicolyn Short Dr, Tim Overheu

The State of Soil Science in WA

The Western Australian Government is working to conserve and manage the State's natural resources for the benefit of present and future generations. In support of this, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) have prepared a simple instructional field guide for recording and describing Western Australian unique and challenging soils and landscapes.