Description:
The spread of exotic willows (Salix spp.) in SE Australia, New Zealand and South Africa has provoked widespread debate in scientific, management and broader communities. In Australia, the extent of spread is unknown, but at least 30000 km of river frontage in Victoria are lined by willows. Management and research literature has identified the poor knowledge of willow impacts on Southern Hemisphere aquatic ecosystems. It has been speculated that the major distinction between deciduous willows and evergreen native vegetation will be the timing and quality of litterfall. This would have flow-on consequences for metabolic processes, stream biota and water quality at reach, stream and catchment scales. These two vegetation types were studied through the preparation of partial organic matter budgets for native and willow lined reaches in a central Victorian catchment. Organic matter inputs from litter, groundwater and gross primary production (GPP), organic matter standing crop . and respiratory output were quantified. Total inputs to willow and native reaches were similar (735 and 764 g ash free dry weight m•' yl, respectively). Inputs were dominated by litterfall (-60%) and there were no significant differences in annual litterfall between sites. GPP contributed -20% of total inputs and estimates suggested there were few significant differences in annual GPP, 24 h community respiration, ratio of GPP to community respiration (PIR) or net daily metabolism (NDM) between sites. Groundwater contributed -20% of total inputs with one third of the dissolved organic matter sourced during short flow paths through riparian sediments. Aggradation at willow sites appeared to increase the riparian flow path. Willow and native sites were heterotrophic and similarly dependent on allochthonous organic matter (P/R=O.2, NDM= -.6, and ratio of net primary production to total inputs -0.1). Willow research and management should also focus on retention capacity, including the recruitment and role of LWD and the structure and function of root systems. Removal of willows potentially facilitates native vegetation establishment but simultaneously decreases retention capacity and metabolic control by the canopy. Establishing native vegetation to fulfil broader biodiversity objectives whilst retaining willows for their potentially positive roles is a management challenge. In principle, establishing native species on the upland-sides of fringing willows and under willow canopies will direct succession toward a preferred outcome without destructive disturbance. Understanding of when benefits of willows outweigh their costs is a notable gap.
Description:
School of Science & Engineering
Description:
The spread of exotic willows (Salix spp.) in SE Australia, New Zealand and South Africa has provoked widespread debate in scientific, management and broader communities. In Australia, the extent of spread is unknown, but at least 30000 km of river frontage in Victoria are lined by willows. Management and research literature has identified the poor knowledge of willow impacts on Southern Hemisphere aquatic ecosystems. It has been speculated that the major distinction between deciduous willows and evergreen native vegetation will be the timing and quality of litterfall. This would have flow-on consequences for metabolic processes, stream biota and water quality at reach, stream and catchment scales. These two vegetation types were studied through the preparation of partial organic matter budgets for native and willow lined reaches in a central Victorian catchment. Organic matter inputs from litter, groundwater and gross primary production (GPP), organic matter standing crop . and respiratory output were quantified. Total inputs to willow and native reaches were similar (735 and 764 g ash free dry weight m•' yl, respectively). Inputs were dominated by litterfall (-60%) and there were no significant differences in annual litterfall between sites. GPP contributed -20% of total inputs and estimates suggested there were few significant differences in annual GPP, 24 h community respiration, ratio of GPP to community respiration (PIR) or net daily metabolism (NDM) between sites. Groundwater contributed -20% of total inputs with one third of the dissolved organic matter sourced during short flow paths through riparian sediments. Aggradation at willow sites appeared to increase the riparian flow path. Willow and native sites were heterotrophic and similarly dependent on allochthonous organic matter (P/R=O.2, NDM= -\.6, and ratio of net primary production to total inputs -0.1). Willow research and management should also focus on retention capacity, including the recruitment and role of LWD and the structure and function of root systems. Removal of willows potentially facilitates native vegetation establishment but simultaneously decreases retention capacity and metabolic control by the canopy. Establishing native vegetation to fulfil broader biodiversity objectives whilst retaining willows for their potentially positive roles is a management challenge. In principle, establishing native species on the upland-sides of fringing willows and under willow canopies will direct succession toward a preferred outcome without destructive disturbance. Understanding of when benefits of willows outweigh their costs is a notable gap.
Description:
The spread of exotic willows (Salix spp.) in SE Australia, New Zealand and South Africa has provoked widespread debate in scientific, management and broader communities. In Australia, the extent of spread is unknown, but at least 30000 km of river frontage in Victoria are lined by willows. Management and research literature has identified the poor knowledge of willow impacts on Southern Hemisphere aquatic ecosystems. It has been speculated that the major distinction between deciduous willows and evergreen native vegetation will be the timing and quality of litterfall. This would have flow-on consequences for metabolic processes, stream biota and water quality at reach, stream and catchment scales. These two vegetation types were studied through the preparation of partial organic matter budgets for native and willow lined reaches in a central Victorian catchment. Organic matter inputs from litter, groundwater and gross primary production (GPP), organic matter standing crop . and respiratory output were quantified. Total inputs to willow and native reaches were similar (735 and 764 g ash free dry weight m•' yl, respectively). Inputs were dominated by litterfall (-60%) and there were no significant differences in annual litterfall between sites. GPP contributed -20% of total inputs and estimates suggested there were few significant differences in annual GPP, 24 h community respiration, ratio of GPP to community respiration (PIR) or net daily metabolism (NDM) between sites. Groundwater contributed -20% of total inputs with one third of the dissolved organic matter sourced during short flow paths through riparian sediments. Aggradation at willow sites appeared to increase the riparian flow path. Willow and native sites were heterotrophic and similarly dependent on allochthonous organic matter (P/R=O.2, NDM= -.6, and ratio of net primary production to total inputs -0.1). Willow research and management should also focus on retention capacity, including the recruitment and role of LWD and the structure and function of root systems. Removal of willows potentially facilitates native vegetation establishment but simultaneously decreases retention capacity and metabolic control by the canopy. Establishing native vegetation to fulfil broader biodiversity objectives whilst retaining willows for their potentially positive roles is a management challenge. In principle, establishing native species on the upland-sides of fringing willows and under willow canopies will direct succession toward a preferred outcome without destructive disturbance. Understanding of when benefits of willows outweigh their costs is a notable gap.
Description:
School of Science & Engineering
Description:
The spread of exotic willows (Salix spp.) in SE Australia, New Zealand and South Africa has provoked widespread debate in scientific, management and broader communities. In Australia, the extent of spread is unknown, but at least 30000 km of river frontage in Victoria are lined by willows. Management and research literature has identified the poor knowledge of willow impacts on Southern Hemisphere aquatic ecosystems. It has been speculated that the major distinction between deciduous willows and evergreen native vegetation will be the timing and quality of litterfall. This would have flow-on consequences for metabolic processes, stream biota and water quality at reach, stream and catchment scales. These two vegetation types were studied through the preparation of partial organic matter budgets for native and willow lined reaches in a central Victorian catchment. Organic matter inputs from litter, groundwater and gross primary production (GPP), organic matter standing crop . and respiratory output were quantified. Total inputs to willow and native reaches were similar (735 and 764 g ash free dry weight m•' yl, respectively). Inputs were dominated by litterfall (-60%) and there were no significant differences in annual litterfall between sites. GPP contributed -20% of total inputs and estimates suggested there were few significant differences in annual GPP, 24 h community respiration, ratio of GPP to community respiration (PIR) or net daily metabolism (NDM) between sites. Groundwater contributed -20% of total inputs with one third of the dissolved organic matter sourced during short flow paths through riparian sediments. Aggradation at willow sites appeared to increase the riparian flow path. Willow and native sites were heterotrophic and similarly dependent on allochthonous organic matter (P/R=O.2, NDM= -\.6, and ratio of net primary production to total inputs -0.1). Willow research and management should also focus on retention capacity, including the recruitment and role of LWD and the structure and function of root systems. Removal of willows potentially facilitates native vegetation establishment but simultaneously decreases retention capacity and metabolic control by the canopy. Establishing native vegetation to fulfil broader biodiversity objectives whilst retaining willows for their potentially positive roles is a management challenge. In principle, establishing native species on the upland-sides of fringing willows and under willow canopies will direct succession toward a preferred outcome without destructive disturbance. Understanding of when benefits of willows outweigh their costs is a notable gap.
Description:
"This study provides a postcritical analysis of the discourses on workplace health, using data gathered with information technology company Labyrinth Computing."
Description:
"This study provides a postcritical analysis of the discourses on workplace health, using data gathered with information technology company Labyrinth Computing."
Description:
"The main objective of this thesis is to develop and study new techniques for solving global optimization problems and to apply them to solving data classification problems."
Description:
"The main objective of this thesis is to develop and study new techniques for solving global optimization problems and to apply them to solving data classification problems."
Description:
"This thesis is concerned with the development of RePIC, a new method for the representation and compression of images in such a way that allows the image to be progressively reconstructed."
Description:
"This thesis is concerned with the development of RePIC, a new method for the representation and compression of images in such a way that allows the image to be progressively reconstructed."
Description:
The basic aims of this research were twofold. Firstly to develop a new macroeconomic model, which was aimed at capturing particularities of countries in transition and the case study was the economy of Azerbaijan. Secondly several methods of artificial intelligence data mining were developed and applied to economic modelling.
Description:
The basic aims of this research were twofold. Firstly to develop a new macroeconomic model, which was aimed at capturing particularities of countries in transition and the case study was the economy of Azerbaijan. Secondly several methods of artificial intelligence data mining were developed and applied to economic modelling.
Description:
An important industrial problem is the production of wastewater containing a large amount of heavy metal ions. The study described in this thesis is trying to use precipitate flotation technology to explore techniques for not only removing heavy metal ions from the solution, but also selectively separating them to recycle of the recoyered metal value from industry wastewater. Zinc and copper hydroxide precipitation and flotation behaviour have been studied. lt shows that it is almost impossible to separate copper and zinc ion using hydroxide precipitate flotation when the solution contains Fe3+ or Al3+ ions. The influence of additional ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, and other electrolytes on the flotation and separation have been studied. DLVO theory has been used to explain the mechanisms occurring in the process. A new process, named "self-carrier" precipitate flotation us~g anionic surfactants, has been developed to improve the flotation recovery and reduce the consumption of collector. The mechanism of the process is discussed in detail with reference to data collected from Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Zeta Potential Measurement. The xanthates are the most commonly used class of sulphide mineral collectors. This study investigated the copper sulphide precipitate reactions and the aggregation behaviour, the influence of oxidation, additional ions etc., and successfully used xanthate to float the sulphide precipitates. The mechanisms occurring in this process have been discussed. The investigation of the sulphide precipitate flotation behavior using a cationic collector has also been carried out to discover the possibility of copper and zinc separation. An important application of this study is the flotation and separation of copper and zinc ions from industry wastewater. The tailing wastewater from a mineral processing plant, Woodlawn Mines (N.S.W., Australia), which contains high concentrations of harmful heavy metal ions was used to test the flotation and separation of the heavy metal ions. Both xanthate and cationic collectors have been investigated for the flotation separation. Effective separation has been achieved .
Description:
An important industrial problem is the production of wastewater containing a large amount of heavy metal ions. The study described in this thesis is trying to use precipitate flotation technology to explore techniques for not only removing heavy metal ions from the solution, but also selectively separating them to recycle of the recoyered metal value from industry wastewater. Zinc and copper hydroxide precipitation and flotation behaviour have been studied. lt shows that it is almost impossible to separate copper and zinc ion using hydroxide precipitate flotation when the solution contains Fe3+ or Al3+ ions. The influence of additional ions such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, and other electrolytes on the flotation and separation have been studied. DLVO theory has been used to explain the mechanisms occurring in the process. A new process, named "self-carrier" precipitate flotation us~g anionic surfactants, has been developed to improve the flotation recovery and reduce the consumption of collector. The mechanism of the process is discussed in detail with reference to data collected from Optical Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy and Zeta Potential Measurement. The xanthates are the most commonly used class of sulphide mineral collectors. This study investigated the copper sulphide precipitate reactions and the aggregation behaviour, the influence of oxidation, additional ions etc., and successfully used xanthate to float the sulphide precipitates. The mechanisms occurring in this process have been discussed. The investigation of the sulphide precipitate flotation behavior using a cationic collector has also been carried out to discover the possibility of copper and zinc separation. An important application of this study is the flotation and separation of copper and zinc ions from industry wastewater. The tailing wastewater from a mineral processing plant, Woodlawn Mines (N.S.W., Australia), which contains high concentrations of harmful heavy metal ions was used to test the flotation and separation of the heavy metal ions. Both xanthate and cationic collectors have been investigated for the flotation separation. Effective separation has been achieved .
Description:
"Significant quantities of ellagic acid and its metal salts, in the form of waste byproducts, are readily available from both the pulping and tanning industries should a feasible commercial use for the acid (1) be found. The purpose of this work was to prepare key derivatives of ellagic acid and assess their feasibilty for use on a commercial scale. To accomplish this, it was first necessary to prepare ellagic acid in high yield."
Description:
"Significant quantities of ellagic acid and its metal salts, in the form of waste byproducts, are readily available from both the pulping and tanning industries should a feasible commercial use for the acid (1) be found. The purpose of this work was to prepare key derivatives of ellagic acid and assess their feasibilty for use on a commercial scale. To accomplish this, it was first necessary to prepare ellagic acid in high yield."
Description:
"This thesis is an analysis of the construction of, and contestation over, meanings about quality teaching in higher education in Ausralia, during the period 1992-1996."
Description:
"This thesis is an analysis of the construction of, and contestation over, meanings about quality teaching in higher education in Ausralia, during the period 1992-1996."
Description:
"The overall aim of this research is to develop efficient data structures, algorithms and techniques that can be used to model the combination of artificial structures and realistic terrain."
Description:
"The overall aim of this research is to develop efficient data structures, algorithms and techniques that can be used to model the combination of artificial structures and realistic terrain."
Description:
The basic aims of this research were twofold; to extend and refine statistical image analysis methodologies for directly estimating small area populations and population densities from Landsat TM images and to validate procedures developed and to explore their robustness to geographical and seasonal differences within Australia, and hence to explore the potential of this methodology to provide a genuine operational alternative to existing methods of population estimation."
Description:
The basic aims of this research were twofold; to extend and refine statistical image analysis methodologies for directly estimating small area populations and population densities from Landsat TM images and to validate procedures developed and to explore their robustness to geographical and seasonal differences within Australia, and hence to explore the potential of this methodology to provide a genuine operational alternative to existing methods of population estimation."
Description:
"The purpose of this thesis is to propose, by a variety of techniques from nonsmooth and convex analysis, numerical methods for the solution of nonsmooth equations and nonconvex minimization problems arising in mathematical programming, economics, engineering, and sciences."
Description:
"The purpose of this thesis is to propose, by a variety of techniques from nonsmooth and convex analysis, numerical methods for the solution of nonsmooth equations and nonconvex minimization problems arising in mathematical programming, economics, engineering, and sciences."
Composition and ecology of the flora and fauna of remnant native grasslands of the western basalt plains and northern plains of Victoria : implications for management on private property
Description:
"This thesis investigated a) the effects of the removal of grazing on the botanical composition, structure and biomass of two long-grazed species-rich grassland remnants, b) the habitat use and requirements of the ground-dwelling mammal, reptile and amphibian fauna and c) the composition, and abundance of the beetle, ant and spider assemblages."
Description:
"This thesis investigated a) the effects of the removal of grazing on the botanical composition, structure and biomass of two long-grazed species-rich grassland remnants, b) the habitat use and requirements of the ground-dwelling mammal, reptile and amphibian fauna and c) the composition, and abundance of the beetle, ant and spider assemblages."
Description:
Occupational health and safety legislation in Australia and internationally is based on the safe place concept and the hierarchy of control. A safe place is best achieved at the design stage and consequently the education of engineers in safety has been a priority. There have been notable efforts at the integration of safety with engineering studies, and this should be an ongoing objective, however extensive integration is likely to be difficult at least in the short term. The challenge was to develop a supplemental, innovative way to improve the ability of engineers to develop safe place solutions. The hypothesis was that training in creative thinking would achieve this aim. The hierarchy of control methodology shares a strong relationship with creative thinking. Safe place thinking challenges assumptions in the same way that creative thinking seeks to escape dominant paradigms. For this reason creative thinking seems a natural aid to the safe place approach. This study tested the effect on safety design of a creative thinking program; de Bono’s six thinking hats method. Given a recognition that groups other than engineers impact on workplace design, a range of subjects were included; engineering students, technology students, industry safety advisers, and government safety advisers. In response to safety case studies, subjects were required to generate solutions and to prioritize potential solutions. Subjects worked on a range of problems, some individually and some in teams of three. Results show that training in creative thinking improved the generation of solutions to safety problems. As the number of solutions increased, the average quality of ideas was maintained, therefore the increased number of solutions was accompanied by a similar increase in good quality safe place solutions. The results also showed in some instances the training improved the prioritization of solutions according to the safe place methodology. The effects were of a similar magnitude for individuals and teams. Creative thinking training was shown to be a useful way to enhance the generation of safe place solutions to safety problems. Given that creative thinking skills can theoretically be applied to any area of problem solving, the enhancement of these skills are likely to yield wider benefits. Furthermore the enhancement of creative thinking accords well with the current industrial mandates for improved innovation.
Description:
Occupational health and safety legislation in Australia and internationally is based on the safe place concept and the hierarchy of control. A safe place is best achieved at the design stage and consequently the education of engineers in safety has been a priority. There have been notable efforts at the integration of safety with engineering studies, and this should be an ongoing objective, however extensive integration is likely to be difficult at least in the short term. The challenge was to develop a supplemental, innovative way to improve the ability of engineers to develop safe place solutions. The hypothesis was that training in creative thinking would achieve this aim. The hierarchy of control methodology shares a strong relationship with creative thinking. Safe place thinking challenges assumptions in the same way that creative thinking seeks to escape dominant paradigms. For this reason creative thinking seems a natural aid to the safe place approach. This study tested the effect on safety design of a creative thinking program; de Bono’s six thinking hats method. Given a recognition that groups other than engineers impact on workplace design, a range of subjects were included; engineering students, technology students, industry safety advisers, and government safety advisers. In response to safety case studies, subjects were required to generate solutions and to prioritize potential solutions. Subjects worked on a range of problems, some individually and some in teams of three. Results show that training in creative thinking improved the generation of solutions to safety problems. As the number of solutions increased, the average quality of ideas was maintained, therefore the increased number of solutions was accompanied by a similar increase in good quality safe place solutions. The results also showed in some instances the training improved the prioritization of solutions according to the safe place methodology. The effects were of a similar magnitude for individuals and teams. Creative thinking training was shown to be a useful way to enhance the generation of safe place solutions to safety problems. Given that creative thinking skills can theoretically be applied to any area of problem solving, the enhancement of these skills are likely to yield wider benefits. Furthermore the enhancement of creative thinking accords well with the current industrial mandates for improved innovation.
Description:
"This study investigates children's self-concept in relation to the quality of school physical education and sports programs, the teaching by physical education specialists and participation in extra curricular sport activities."
Description:
"This study investigates children's self-concept in relation to the quality of school physical education and sports programs, the teaching by physical education specialists and participation in extra curricular sport activities."
Description:
The researcher investigated the effectiveness of exhaust hoods in controlling toxic contaminants and dust. Computer programs were used to measure velocities around the captor hoods.
Description:
The researcher investigated the effectiveness of exhaust hoods in controlling toxic contaminants and dust. Computer programs were used to measure velocities around the captor hoods.
Description:
The study of animal movement patterns, within and between habitats, is a key consideration in ecological and evolutionary disciplines. Movement studies address: where, when, why and how animals move and what scales are movements taken at? For example: when and how animals move in response to internal factors, such as the need to breed, or external factors such as weather? Understanding animal movements is crucial in conservation planning and management of species. My thesis aim was to understand brolga (Antigone rubicunda) spatial landscape use across their south-east Australian core range at multiple scales. The information presented in this thesis can be applied for conservation and management of the species. I deployed 23 GPS transmitters on adults (5), juveniles (6) and chicks (12) and used a range of modelling approaches, location data and behavioural data to study their movements. Modelling methods included: behavioural change point analysis, kernel density analysis and Brownian bridge movement models to estimate home ranges; Maxent to build a species distribution model, parametric compositional analysis to study habitat selection; Bayesian and frequentist linear models to investigate relationships between environmental variables and movements, habitat use and behaviour; and NicheMapperTM to understand ecophysiological drivers of movement behaviour. GPS-tracking revealed two seasonal movement strategies within the south-west Victorian brolga range with individuals moving either 100 km or 20 km on average, between non-breeding and breeding areas, depending on capture location. However, I found many exceptions to a strictly seasonal pattern of movement, suggesting brolgas have a flexible and adaptable movement strategy. Brolgas adopted a migratory or resident strategy, indicating that the south-west Victorian population is partially migratory. I investigated whether a dynamic species distribution model (dSDM), built with Maxent using short-term weather variables, could predict seasonal distribution and movements of brolgas at a landscape scale. Using GPS tracking data to validate the dSDM output, I demonstrated that the dSDM was useful for modelling occupancy and seasonal distribution, but did not explicitly capture movements at the scale the movements occurred. However, brolgas moved further and occupied highest suitable habitat available when predicted habitat suitability in south-west Victoria was low, suggesting brolgas track areas with high predicted habitat suitability. Dynamic species distribution models may be useful in identifying suitable habitat when overall habitat suitability within a species’ range is low. At the home range scale, I used the Brownian bridge movement model to estimate breeding home range size and parametric compositional analysis to determine habitat use and selection by brolgas. I expected wetland size, density and number of chicks in a clutch to influence home range sizes, however, found only weak evidence for greater home ranges with increased clutch size. Brolgas used either single or multiple wetlands within their home ranges, and those using multiple wetlands either switched between wetlands or relocated permanently. Within their breeding home ranges brolgas appeared to select against buildings and watercourses but showed no selection for land use type. At the daily scale, I focused on movement behaviour of brolgas between foraging areas in cropped paddocks and wetland roosts. I used a correlative and a mechanistic model to investigate the influence of thermoregulatory constraints and weather on daily movement decisions of brolgas. Movements between the two habitats were not driven by biophysical requirements. The results suggest brolgas tolerate a range of weather conditions before shifting habitats to reduce heat stress and metabolic costs or to maintain water balance. In this thesis, I discuss the ecological and conservation implications of my research findings. Finally, I also provide recommendations for avoiding wind farm impacts on the threatened south-west Victorian brolga population given my findings on daily, seasonal and annual movement patterns. Many studies have investigated wind farm impacts on birds. However, this is one of a few that considers all lifecycle stages, and takes a multi-site and -scale approach to studying bird movements to inform conservation and wind farm planning.
Description:
The study of animal movement patterns, within and between habitats, is a key consideration in ecological and evolutionary disciplines. Movement studies address: where, when, why and how animals move and what scales are movements taken at? For example: when and how animals move in response to internal factors, such as the need to breed, or external factors such as weather? Understanding animal movements is crucial in conservation planning and management of species. My thesis aim was to understand brolga (Antigone rubicunda) spatial landscape use across their south-east Australian core range at multiple scales. The information presented in this thesis can be applied for conservation and management of the species. I deployed 23 GPS transmitters on adults (5), juveniles (6) and chicks (12) and used a range of modelling approaches, location data and behavioural data to study their movements. Modelling methods included: behavioural change point analysis, kernel density analysis and Brownian bridge movement models to estimate home ranges; Maxent to build a species distribution model, parametric compositional analysis to study habitat selection; Bayesian and frequentist linear models to investigate relationships between environmental variables and movements, habitat use and behaviour; and NicheMapperTM to understand ecophysiological drivers of movement behaviour. GPS-tracking revealed two seasonal movement strategies within the south-west Victorian brolga range with individuals moving either 100 km or 20 km on average, between non-breeding and breeding areas, depending on capture location. However, I found many exceptions to a strictly seasonal pattern of movement, suggesting brolgas have a flexible and adaptable movement strategy. Brolgas adopted a migratory or resident strategy, indicating that the south-west Victorian population is partially migratory. I investigated whether a dynamic species distribution model (dSDM), built with Maxent using short-term weather variables, could predict seasonal distribution and movements of brolgas at a landscape scale. Using GPS tracking data to validate the dSDM output, I demonstrated that the dSDM was useful for modelling occupancy and seasonal distribution, but did not explicitly capture movements at the scale the movements occurred. However, brolgas moved further and occupied highest suitable habitat available when predicted habitat suitability in south-west Victoria was low, suggesting brolgas track areas with high predicted habitat suitability. Dynamic species distribution models may be useful in identifying suitable habitat when overall habitat suitability within a species’ range is low. At the home range scale, I used the Brownian bridge movement model to estimate breeding home range size and parametric compositional analysis to determine habitat use and selection by brolgas. I expected wetland size, density and number of chicks in a clutch to influence home range sizes, however, found only weak evidence for greater home ranges with increased clutch size. Brolgas used either single or multiple wetlands within their home ranges, and those using multiple wetlands either switched between wetlands or relocated permanently. Within their breeding home ranges brolgas appeared to select against buildings and watercourses but showed no selection for land use type. At the daily scale, I focused on movement behaviour of brolgas between foraging areas in cropped paddocks and wetland roosts. I used a correlative and a mechanistic model to investigate the influence of thermoregulatory constraints and weather on daily movement decisions of brolgas. Movements between the two habitats were not driven by biophysical requirements. The results suggest brolgas tolerate a range of weather conditions before shifting habitats to reduce heat stress and metabolic costs or to maintain water balance. In this thesis, I discuss the ecological and conservation implications of my research findings. Finally, I also provide recommendations for avoiding wind farm impacts on the threatened south-west Victorian brolga population given my findings on daily, seasonal and annual movement patterns. Many studies have investigated wind farm impacts on birds. However, this is one of a few that considers all lifecycle stages, and takes a multi-site and -scale approach to studying bird movements to inform conservation and wind farm planning.