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The financial capacity of the Australian agriculture sector to capture the benefits of the growing food and fibre demands of the burgeoning global population has been questioned, particularly in the face of a projected climate change impacts. This paper reports on the first phase of a multi-stage project that seeks to understand the causes of rural business failure, illustrated through the metaphorical voice of the farmer. It has been constructed in three parts comprising an overview of the rationale for the consideration of the rural business failure as it is understood by the operators of stressed rural businesses; description of the method and results; and thirdly, the implications of the results and direction for future research. This paper reports on the analysis of responses of approximately 33,000 clients collected as part of the Rural Financial Counselling Services (RFCS) during the period 2012–2016. A key finding of the paper is the perception that climate variation is the primary cause for the hardship experienced; that is, in the absence of the variable climate operators would not have found themselves in need of the RFCS. However, this result necessarily requires a more objective review before consideration as the basis of new policy.
Timothy Clune; Ana Horta. Climate Variation—A Perceived Drag on Rural Business Performance. Sustainability 2020, 12, 10285 .
AMA StyleTimothy Clune, Ana Horta. Climate Variation—A Perceived Drag on Rural Business Performance. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (24):10285.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTimothy Clune; Ana Horta. 2020. "Climate Variation—A Perceived Drag on Rural Business Performance." Sustainability 12, no. 24: 10285.
Policy frameworks supporting sustainable agriculture development are critical in the delivery of the food and fibre needs of a burgeoning global population. A sustainable and resilient Australian agriculture sector is considered essential if it is to capitalise on the world's growing food and fibre needs. However, an increasingly dynamic climate, changing demographics of regional Australia, and economic factors in a global market constrain sustainable development of the agriculture sector. Although current policy supports investment in research and development and infrastructure, action to increase market access and competitiveness, as well as a suite of agricultural welfare options, it is flawed in its failure to contemplate the relative readiness of individuals and businesses to act on the interventions of government. This paper proposes the adoption of the capability approach to refocus the policy framework to prioritise delivery of outcomes that are valued by individuals and businesses. It proposes a conceptual model that provides a scalable, continuous improvement structure against which policy action can be implemented, monitored, evaluated, and adapted enabling design of more holistic agriculture policy settings that support the sustainable development of the sector and ensure that it can capture the opportunities of future global food and fibre demand.
Timothy Clune. Conceptualising policy for sustainable agriculture development. Australian Journal of Public Administration 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleTimothy Clune. Conceptualising policy for sustainable agriculture development. Australian Journal of Public Administration. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTimothy Clune. 2020. "Conceptualising policy for sustainable agriculture development." Australian Journal of Public Administration , no. : 1.
Globally, the challenges of climate change have resulted in significant water policy reform. Australia’s Murray Darling Basin (MDB) Plan is a complex transboundary water management system that aims to balance the need for environmental protection with the needs of social and economic users of water. In July 2017, media reports argued that some MDB irrigators were misappropriating water destined for the environment and downstream users. This article uses Foucauldian discourse analysis to explore this flashpoint in the long-standing tensions between all stakeholders including the Basin jurisdictions. Diverse understandings of who is entitled to water that are shaped by the historical, political and social context are central to this conflict. Findings suggest that both neoliberal governmentality and the agrarian discourse are threatened by an emerging governmentality that embraces non-farming interests. The broader experience of water scarcity in a rapidly changing climate suggests comparable issues will become evident across the world.
Heather Downey; Timothy Clune. How does the discourse surrounding the Murray Darling Basin manage the concept of entitlement to water? Critical Social Policy 2019, 40, 108 -129.
AMA StyleHeather Downey, Timothy Clune. How does the discourse surrounding the Murray Darling Basin manage the concept of entitlement to water? Critical Social Policy. 2019; 40 (1):108-129.
Chicago/Turabian StyleHeather Downey; Timothy Clune. 2019. "How does the discourse surrounding the Murray Darling Basin manage the concept of entitlement to water?" Critical Social Policy 40, no. 1: 108-129.
Bayesian networks (BNs), or causal Bayesian networks, have become quite popular in ecological risk assessment and natural resource management because of their utility as a communication and decision-support tool. Since their development in the field of artificial intelligence in the 1980s, however, Bayesian networks have evolved and merged with structural equation modelling (SEM). Unlike BNs, which are constrained to encode causal knowledge in conditional probability tables, SEMs encode this knowledge in structural equations, which is thought to be a more natural language for expressing causal information. This merger has clarified the causal content of SEMs and generalised the method such that it can now be performed using standard statistical techniques. As it was with BNs, the utility of this new generation of SEM in ecological risk assessment will need to be demonstrated with examples to foster an understanding and acceptance of the method. Here, we applied SEM to the risk assessment of a wastewater discharge to a stream, with a particular focus on the process of translating a causal diagram (conceptual model) into a statistical model which might then be used in the decision-making and evaluation stages of the risk assessment. The process of building and testing a spatial causal model is demonstrated using data from a spatial sampling design, and the implications of the resulting model are discussed in terms of the risk assessment. It is argued that a spatiotemporal causal model would have greater external validity than the spatial model, enabling broader generalisations to be made regarding the impact of a discharge, and greater value as a tool for evaluating the effects of potential treatment plant upgrades. Suggestions are made on how the causal model could be augmented to include temporal as well as spatial information, including suggestions for appropriate statistical models and analyses.
Warren L. Paul; Pat A. Rokahr; Jeff M. Webb; Gavin Rees; Timothy Clune. Causal modelling applied to the risk assessment of a wastewater discharge. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 2016, 188, 1 -20.
AMA StyleWarren L. Paul, Pat A. Rokahr, Jeff M. Webb, Gavin Rees, Timothy Clune. Causal modelling applied to the risk assessment of a wastewater discharge. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. 2016; 188 (3):1-20.
Chicago/Turabian StyleWarren L. Paul; Pat A. Rokahr; Jeff M. Webb; Gavin Rees; Timothy Clune. 2016. "Causal modelling applied to the risk assessment of a wastewater discharge." Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 188, no. 3: 1-20.
Available soil information and unpublished data from soil survey indicate that high clay contents and high bulk density are the major subsoil constraints to crop growth in the high rainfall zone (HRZ) of south-eastern Australia. Seven high rainfall agroecological zones are proposed as sub-divisions of the region to focus future research and development. The HRZ is dominated by texture-contrast soils (69.9%) and soils with clay subsoil (89.4%) and high bulk density (mean 1.6 t/m3). Sodicity and acidity are also significant constraints to crop production in the HRZ. The physical limitations to root growth in the HRZ subsoils are best appreciated through the least-limiting water range concept and growth-limiting bulk densities. Management options and results of past research and intervention in soil loosening, drainage, raised beds, liming, and gypsum are reviewed. Climatic uncertainty raises questions about the future relevance of waterlogging as a constraint in the HRZ and confounds the development of reliable recommendations for engineering intervention.
R. J. MacEwan; D. M. Crawford; P. J. Newton; Timothy Clune. High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia. Soil Research 2010, 48, 150 -166.
AMA StyleR. J. MacEwan, D. M. Crawford, P. J. Newton, Timothy Clune. High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia. Soil Research. 2010; 48 (2):150-166.
Chicago/Turabian StyleR. J. MacEwan; D. M. Crawford; P. J. Newton; Timothy Clune. 2010. "High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia." Soil Research 48, no. 2: 150-166.
To determine how organic amendments and phosphate fertilizers interact to modify P sorption processes, three phosphate fertilizers were applied to lignite- and compost-amended acid soil and incubated for either 3 or 26 days. The fertilizers applied were potassium dihydrogen phosphate, triple superphosphate, and diammonium phosphate (DAP). After 3 days of incubation, sorption of all three P sources was decreased in the lignite-amended treatments, whereas P sorption was increased in the compost-amended treatments. Increased incubation time (26 days) resulted in significantly decreased P sorption when DAP was added to lignite-amended treatments. Addition of triple superphosphate increased P sorption in lignite- and compost-amended treatments and decreased solution pH compared with DAP application. In addition to the effect of P source, differences in P sorption between the lignite- and compost-amended treatments were driven by differences in solution chemistry, predominantly solution pH and cation dynamics. Soil amendment and fertilizer addition also increased microbial activity in the incubation systems, as measured by carbon dioxide respiration. It is proposed that the combination of lignite and DAP may contribute to decreased P sorption in acid soils, with the positive effects likely caused by both chemical and biological processes, including the formation of soluble organic-metal complexes.
Cassandra R. Schefe; Antonio F. Patti; Timothy S. Clune; W. Roy Jackson. INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANIC AMENDMENTS AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS MODIFY PHOSPHATE SORPTION PROCESSES IN AN ACID SOIL. Soil Science 2008, 173, 433 -443.
AMA StyleCassandra R. Schefe, Antonio F. Patti, Timothy S. Clune, W. Roy Jackson. INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANIC AMENDMENTS AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS MODIFY PHOSPHATE SORPTION PROCESSES IN AN ACID SOIL. Soil Science. 2008; 173 (7):433-443.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCassandra R. Schefe; Antonio F. Patti; Timothy S. Clune; W. Roy Jackson. 2008. "INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ORGANIC AMENDMENTS AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS MODIFY PHOSPHATE SORPTION PROCESSES IN AN ACID SOIL." Soil Science 173, no. 7: 433-443.
Cassandra R. Schefe; Antonio F. Patti; Timothy S. Clune; Roy Jackson. ORGANIC AMENDMENTS INCREASE SOIL SOLUTION PHOSPHATE CONCENTRATIONS IN AN ACID SOIL. Soil Science 2008, 173, 267 -276.
AMA StyleCassandra R. Schefe, Antonio F. Patti, Timothy S. Clune, Roy Jackson. ORGANIC AMENDMENTS INCREASE SOIL SOLUTION PHOSPHATE CONCENTRATIONS IN AN ACID SOIL. Soil Science. 2008; 173 (4):267-276.
Chicago/Turabian StyleCassandra R. Schefe; Antonio F. Patti; Timothy S. Clune; Roy Jackson. 2008. "ORGANIC AMENDMENTS INCREASE SOIL SOLUTION PHOSPHATE CONCENTRATIONS IN AN ACID SOIL." Soil Science 173, no. 4: 267-276.
The effect of 2 organic amendments (lignite and compost) on wheat growth and phosphate fertiliser efficiency (triple superphosphate, TSP; di-ammonium phosphate, DAP) in an acid soil was investigated in a glasshouse experiment. Organic amendments were incorporated into the top 40 mm of soil at rates resulting in a 1% and 2.5% increase in soil C, and fertilisers were banded within the seed row at rates equivalent to 5, 10, and 25 kg P/ha. When no P was applied, addition of both organic amendments increased shoot height, with greatest growth recorded in the compost-amended treatments. Addition of organic amendments and P fertiliser resulted in additive effects, with increased shoot height, tiller number, and shoot dry matter (DM) in both the lignite- and compost-amended soils with fertiliser addition. The addition of 1% C resulted in plant growth equal to that measured at a higher rate of addition (2.5% C), resulting in a higher relative efficiency of application. Tissue P uptake was significantly increased when soil amendment was combined with 25 kg P/ha DAP addition. Significant differences in nutrient uptake were also measured for other important plant nutrients. As the addition of organic amendments resulted in increased DM compared with untreated soil per unit of P fertiliser applied, it is feasible that this growth response may translate into increased yield. However, further study is required to define the agronomic and economic feasibility of broad-scale application of such amendments for production gains.
C. R. Schefe; A. F. Patti; Timothy Clune; W. R. Jackson. Organic amendment addition enhances phosphate fertiliser uptake and wheat growth in an acid soil. Soil Research 2008, 46, 686 -693.
AMA StyleC. R. Schefe, A. F. Patti, Timothy Clune, W. R. Jackson. Organic amendment addition enhances phosphate fertiliser uptake and wheat growth in an acid soil. Soil Research. 2008; 46 (8):686-693.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC. R. Schefe; A. F. Patti; Timothy Clune; W. R. Jackson. 2008. "Organic amendment addition enhances phosphate fertiliser uptake and wheat growth in an acid soil." Soil Research 46, no. 8: 686-693.
Five field experiments located at four sites across south-eastern Australia found cereal grain yields were less in the presence of lucerne (companion cropping) than in the absence of lucerne (cereal monoculture). Top-dressed nitrogen (N) and in-crop lucerne suppression, generally did not enhance cereal crop yields in the presence of lucerne compared with cereals growing in monoculture. Grain yield reductions from cereals growing with lucerne were found at four of the five sites, with reductions ranging from 16 to 26% compared with cereals growing in monoculture. In regard to cereal production, there was no main treatment by top-dressed N interaction at all sites, indicating that applying N to cereals irrespective of whether they were growing with or without lucerne, resulted in the same yield responses. With favourable growing seasons (decile > 6) and low available soil N levels, top-dressing N resulted in a 31% and a 0.8 unit increase in grain yield and grain protein, respectively, across all cereal crops and years. However, the absence of a grain yield response to top-dressed N at one site was due to excessive cereal biomass production from N application, causing extensive crop lodging in 2003, and decile 2 growing season rainfall in 2004. At another site, high available soil N levels and low growing season rainfall (decile 3) resulted in a 12% decline in grain yield across all cereal crops and years in response to top-dressing N. We therefore conclude that N application to cereals growing with lucerne can increase cereal grain yields, but only when accompanied by favourable growing season rainfall and low available soil N levels. In-crop lucerne suppression was effective at reducing cereal grain contamination by lucerne pods and flowers in companion crops, but was less effective under dry seasonal conditions, demonstrating that soil moisture will affect herbicide efficacy and the effectiveness of this practice. Economic analyses of companion cropping based on grain yields alone, will not be adequate without an assessment of summer lucerne production, until such data exists across a range of environments, it would be premature to conclude whether and or where this practice has commercial merit.
R.H. Harris; Timothy Clune; M.B. Peoples; A.D. Swan; W.D. Bellotti; W. Chen; S. Norng. The importance of in-crop lucerne suppression and nitrogen for cereal companion crops in south-eastern Australia. Field Crops Research 2007, 104, 31 -43.
AMA StyleR.H. Harris, Timothy Clune, M.B. Peoples, A.D. Swan, W.D. Bellotti, W. Chen, S. Norng. The importance of in-crop lucerne suppression and nitrogen for cereal companion crops in south-eastern Australia. Field Crops Research. 2007; 104 (1-3):31-43.
Chicago/Turabian StyleR.H. Harris; Timothy Clune; M.B. Peoples; A.D. Swan; W.D. Bellotti; W. Chen; S. Norng. 2007. "The importance of in-crop lucerne suppression and nitrogen for cereal companion crops in south-eastern Australia." Field Crops Research 104, no. 1-3: 31-43.
Soil acidity is a widespread problem in Victoria, Australia, affecting at least 4 million ha of agricultural land. Soil amendments such as lime and organic materials may ameliorate acid soils, resulting in raised soil pH and increased availability of plant nutrients such as phosphorus (P). The addition of lime, lignite, and compost significantly modified P sorption in an acid soil, with the degree of change highly dependent upon the source of P applied. The application of 2.5 t/ha of lime increased P sorption for all P sources, while P sorption was decreased in the lignite and compost treatments when di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) was applied. Lime and compost addition increased the solution pH, with no change in pH in the lignite treatment. Addition of TSP decreased the pH in all treatments, while DAP addition only increased solution pH in the untreated soil and the lignite treatment. The addition of soil amendments had a significant effect on solution cation concentrations, due to both the influx of cations, and the resultant changes in solution pH. The source of P applied (KH2PO4, TSP (triple superphosphate), DAP) also had a significant effect due to both the counter-ions present and the pH of each P source (e.g. TSP pH 2.7; DAP pH 7.4). The lignite treatment decreased total P sorption relative to the other amendments. The combination of lignite and DAP resulted in both the greatest decrease in P sorption, and the formation of soluble Al–organic complexes. Therefore, a combination of lignite and DAP may be of use in decreasing P sorption in acid soils.
C. R. Schefe; A. F. Patti; Timothy Clune; W. R. Jackson. Soil amendments modify phosphate sorption in an acid soil: the importance of P source (KH2PO4, TSP, DAP). Soil Research 2007, 45, 246 -254.
AMA StyleC. R. Schefe, A. F. Patti, Timothy Clune, W. R. Jackson. Soil amendments modify phosphate sorption in an acid soil: the importance of P source (KH2PO4, TSP, DAP). Soil Research. 2007; 45 (4):246-254.
Chicago/Turabian StyleC. R. Schefe; A. F. Patti; Timothy Clune; W. R. Jackson. 2007. "Soil amendments modify phosphate sorption in an acid soil: the importance of P source (KH2PO4, TSP, DAP)." Soil Research 45, no. 4: 246-254.
Leachate from domestic landfills is a significant environmentalhazard. In the urban environment, irrigation of recreational turf and parkland with nitrogen-rich landfill leachate providesboth low-cost treatment that minimises pollution of surroundingwaters and a valuable water resource. Of particular interest isthe capacity of the turf-soil system to ameliorate the ammonium-rich leachate. To address this issue, a two-year field trial was completed at the Newington Landfill irrigating with saline,ammonium-rich leachate. The field trial suggested that in situ bioremediation is sustainable provided that management strategies such as dilution of leachate to reduce solution electrical conductivity to 3.6 dS m-1 are adopted. Furthermore, pollution due to leaching of nitrogen can be minimised by managing the soil to enhance in situ denitrification of applied nitrogen. The management regimes adopted during the Newington field trial enabled nitrogen application rates in excess of 1400 kg NH4+ha-1 yr-1. However, the capacity of the system to ameliorate the leachate appears limited by soil salinity and sodicity rather than the control of nitrogen leaching by denitrification,suggesting that rates of up to 3500 kg NH4+ha-1 yr-1 may be viable if the salinity hazard can be effectively managed.
Mark S. Bowman; Timothy Clune; Bruce G. Sutton. Sustainable Management of Landfill Leachate by Irrigation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 2002, 134, 81 -96.
AMA StyleMark S. Bowman, Timothy Clune, Bruce G. Sutton. Sustainable Management of Landfill Leachate by Irrigation. Water, Air, & Soil Pollution. 2002; 134 (1/4):81-96.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMark S. Bowman; Timothy Clune; Bruce G. Sutton. 2002. "Sustainable Management of Landfill Leachate by Irrigation." Water, Air, & Soil Pollution 134, no. 1/4: 81-96.
This paper describes the design and use of modified solution samplers and non-weighing lysimeters in a field experiment examining the response of a turf-soil system to landfill leachate irrigation over a 2-year period. The two designs were shown to offer significant performance advantages, were cost effective and overcame many of the reported problems commonly associated with each technique. The quantities of leached chloride detected in the 20%, 50% and undiluted leachate irrigated plots by the modified solution samplers (1,677, 4,319 and 8,021 kg ha(-1), respectively) and microlysimeters (1,759, 4,512 and 8,160 kg ha(-1), respectively) were significantly higher than the conventional sampler design (1,407, 3,767 and 7,052 kg ha(-1), respectively). Additionally, the microlysimeter design functioned reliably throughout the experiment, achieving solution flow rates analogous to the unconfined plots. Therefore, it was concluded that both the designs appear to be suitable for monitoring changes in soil solution composition associated with sub-surface wastewater irrigation.
Mark S. Bowman; Timothy Clune; Bruce G. Sutton. A modified ceramic sampler and lysimeter design for improved monitoring of soil leachates. Water Research 2001, 36, 799 -804.
AMA StyleMark S. Bowman, Timothy Clune, Bruce G. Sutton. A modified ceramic sampler and lysimeter design for improved monitoring of soil leachates. Water Research. 2001; 36 (3):799-804.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMark S. Bowman; Timothy Clune; Bruce G. Sutton. 2001. "A modified ceramic sampler and lysimeter design for improved monitoring of soil leachates." Water Research 36, no. 3: 799-804.
Timothy Clune; Les Copeland. Uptake of aluminum by intact canola seedlings. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 2001, 32, 2819 -2829.
AMA StyleTimothy Clune, Les Copeland. Uptake of aluminum by intact canola seedlings. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 2001; 32 (17-18):2819-2829.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTimothy Clune; Les Copeland. 2001. "Uptake of aluminum by intact canola seedlings." Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis 32, no. 17-18: 2819-2829.
There is little information on the effects of aluminium (Al) on canola (Brassica napus var. napus L.), which is a commercially important crop species in many parts of the world. In this report, we describe the effects of Al on roots of canola seedlings grown hydroponically in a nutrient solution at pH 4.5. The morphological and ultrastructural changes that accompanied these growth effects were examined. Additions to the nutrient solution of Al at concentrations below 40 μM stimulated root growth of canola seedlings, increasing both the size and number of central cap cells. The stimulation of root growth did not appear to be due to the alleviation of a proton toxicity at the root surface. At concentrations of Al above 60 μM, root growth was strongly inhibited, with cellular damage being observed primarily in peripheral root cap cells.
Timothy Clune; Les Copeland. Effects of aluminium on canola roots. Plant and Soil 1999, 216, 27 -33.
AMA StyleTimothy Clune, Les Copeland. Effects of aluminium on canola roots. Plant and Soil. 1999; 216 (1/2):27-33.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTimothy Clune; Les Copeland. 1999. "Effects of aluminium on canola roots." Plant and Soil 216, no. 1/2: 27-33.