Griffith Research Online

While they are important, local or catchment-level conservation efforts are by themselves unlikely to bend the curve of dramatic global-scale biodiversity loss in rivers, lakes, and freshwater wetlands. Other interventions will also be required, especially those that address the underlying socio-economic drivers of freshwater ecosystem degradation. Such drivers often manifest through decisions made at national or international scales by policymakers and business leaders in sectors including water resource management, agriculture and food production, energy generation, and inland fisheries. Few analyses have traced the impacts of such decisions on freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, and the evidence base provides scant insight into effective approaches for addressing these underlying drivers. We begin to address this strategic knowledge gap by describing key policy and business sectors that the conservation and science communities should engage to address the systemic drivers of global freshwater biodiversity loss. Drawing on diverse experiences of international policy and business discourses and applied freshwater sciences, we provide an overview of international sector-specific risks and opportunities for freshwater conservation and propose potential priorities for engagement. We reflect on actions the freshwater sciences community can take to respond to these risks and opportunities, and we suggest priorities to shape a more systemic, driver-focused approach to freshwater conservation research that can support the integration of freshwater biodiversity considerations into policy and business decisions.

Introduction: The association between air pollution and adverse health outcomes has been extensively documented, with oxidative stress widely considered a contributing factor. However, the precise underlying mechanism(s) remains unclear. Recent studies suggest that environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) may provide the missing connection between air pollution and its detrimental health effects. Nevertheless, the indoor environment has received limited attention in EPFR research. Therefore, in this study, we measured EPFRs in house dust samples from two locations in Australia and examined household characteristics associated with their presence. Methods: Household characteristics and behaviours that influence indoor air quality were collected from an online questionnaire; 24-h indoor and outdoor air quality were measured with a TSI DustTrak™ DRX Aerosol monitor 8,533; annual indoor and outdoor air quality were matched to two validated, satellite-based land-use regression models; and dust samples were collected from house vacuums. Dust samples were analyzed using nano electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) to determine spin concentrations, g-factor, and delta H peak-to-peak (Hp-p). Key variables were identified using Lasso-penalized regression models, followed by unpenalized linear regression and post-selection inference to estimate coefficients and assess the robustness of the findings. Results: Our analysis revealed that factors such as extractor fan usage during cooking, exposure to traffic-related air pollution and ambient PM2.5 levels, indoor combustion activities, seasonal variation, housing construction type, ventilation, and cleaning practices were significantly associated with EPFR concentrations in Australian homes. Notably, consistent use of extractor fans during cooking was strongly and consistently associated with lower EPFR concentrations in house dust across both study locations. Discussion: Our research provided insight into the potential impact of household characteristics on EPFR concentrations, which can potentially lead to adverse health effects. Future research should link our research findings on factors affecting indoor EPFRs to their potential health effects.

Consumer financial decisions, traditionally viewed as rational, are increasingly recognized as being influenced by emotions and intuition. This study examines how imagery and emotions in financial contexts influence decision-making, specifically in hypothetical loan approvals where loan application documents include carefully selected imagery. Using a mixed-method approach, including neuromarketing methodologies such as eye-tracking and galvanic skin response (GSR), and a between-subjects experimental design utilizing self-report data, this study provides unique and granular insights into financial decision-making. In Study 1, respondents were individuals with 2 years of relevant education and business experience who were expected to apply for business loans themselves in the near future. Results indicate, via neuromarketing measures, that emotions, when influenced by imagery, take precedence over financial data in decision-making. Men (vs. women) respondents were more (vs. less) likely to approve applications with positive imagery. In Study 2, self-reported data revealed a discrepancy between emotional responses and self-reports across 320 participants. Overall, the results (1) show that specific imagery can influence loan approvals and (2) provide further evidence to the extant literature on the role of emotions in decision-making in an often perceived “calculative” financial context.

Soils host enormous carbon stocks. Whilst considerable research has been dedicated towards soil organic carbon (C) dynamics, less attention has been paid to soil inorganic carbon (SIC). Here we investigated zeolite amendments for their potential to sequester SIC. The rationale underpinning the investigation is that zeolites – i.e., high-pH, alkaline-rich aluminosilicate minerals – could promote stabilisation of soil carbonate compounds. A four-month study was undertaken via an 80-container factorial laboratory incubation experiment comprising two soil types (a loamy Planosol and a clayey Vertisol), four manufactured zeolites, and a control (soil only), with four replicates for each treatment. An additional series of containers, containing crushed mafic (high magnesium) rock combined with the above treatments, was included as a benchmark inorganic carbon sequestration method. The zeolites increased soil pH by an average of 1.5 units (p < 0.05) at the trial’s conclusion, whereas the crushed mafics had much less impact on soil pH. Zeolite addition resulted in a 70 % increase (p < 0.05) in SIC concentrations compared with controls when averaged across all treatments. They were particularly effective in the Planosol, with each zeolite yielding significantly (p < 0.05) and substantially higher (up to 230 %) SIC concentrations relative to the controls. Mass balance calculations confirmed these increases cannot have been caused by the relatively minor IC contents of the zeolites. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of sparingly-soluble carbonate species in some of the zeolite soil treatments. Mafic rock alone did not cause appreciably higher SIC concentrations than the controls. Moreover, no synergistic effects were observed when combining zeolites with mafics. It is likely that mafics require a longer timeframe to be effective. Overall, our study revealed that zeolites can potentially increase SIC stocks and buffer against soil acidification, although confirmation of the method at field scale is needed. Given previous research has reported that zeolites can achieve other benefits, including enhanced soil organic C sequestration and improved soil water and nutrient retention, these minerals could be developed into high-value and multi-benefit amendments to support agriculture, landscape restoration and climate change mitigation.

OBJECTIVES: Development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD) has serious negative clinical outcomes. Unfortified expressed breast milk (EBM) is this high-risk population's enteral feed of choice. EBM often requires fortification to meet nutritional needs to prevent malnutrition. The optimal fortification strategy in this population is unclear. We hypothesize that, in infants with complex CHD at high risk of NEC, using extensively hydrolyzed formulae compared to polymeric infant formulae to fortify EBM will improve growth and reduce the incidence or severity of NEC. METHODS: A single-center, retrospective pre- and post-implementation study was conducted in a tertiary pediatric cardiac surgical center in Queensland, Australia. It observed the impact of a change in fortification strategy and formulae selection practice in infants with complex CHD at high risk of NEC. RESULTS: There were 133 infants eligible for study inclusion, with 69 pre-implementation and 64 post-implementation. No impact on growth outcomes was observed between pre- and post-implementation cohorts. There was a trend towards reducing the severity of NEC in the post-implementation group. Pre-implementation, 7 out of 17 infants (41%) diagnosed with NEC were classified as advanced NEC, with 0 out of 16 (0%) post-implementation. CONCLUSIONS: The use of extensively hydrolyzed formulae instead of polymeric infant formulae, to fortify EBM in infants with complex CHD at high risk of NEC, has the potential to reduce the severity of NEC, with no impact on growth, across hospitalization.