The influence of recent bushfires on water quality and the operation of water purification systems in regional NSW.

Over the past decade, escalating extreme weather events have significantly affected New South Wales (NSW), Australia, with unprecedented droughts and intense fires. Yet, the impact on water quality and purification processes remains insufficiently studied. This research focuses on the immediate changes in NSW's environmental water quality and issues in water purification unit operations following the 2019 bushfires. Water samples and maintenance records from affected catchments, intakes, purification units, and reservoirs were analysed. Compared to control samples, post-bushfire water exhibited high turbidity. Sediment and ash shock loads posed significant threats to aquatic ecosystems. Elevated turbidity, suspended sediments, pH, and alkalinity were major concerns for water purification. Raw water samples showed turbidity exceeding 195 NTU, with flocculation and sedimentation most impacted. Immediate measures included sediment traps, aeration, pre-chlorination, and inline monitoring. These findings inform strategies to mitigate bushfire impacts on water quality and optimise water purification in fire-prone regions.

Comparing levoglucosan and mannosan ratios in sediments and corresponding aerosols from recent Australian fires.

The monosaccharide anhydrides levoglucosan, mannosan, and galactosan are known as 'fire sugars' as they are powerful proxies used to trace fire events. Despite their increasing use, their application is not completely understood, especially in the context of tracing past fire events using sediment samples. There are many uncertainties about fire sugar formation, partitioning, transport, complexation, and stability along all stages of the source-to-sink pathway. While these uncertainties exist, the efficacy of fire sugars as fire tracers remains limited. This study compared high-resolution fire sugar fluxes in freshwater sediment cores to known fire records in Tasmania, Australia. Past fire events correlated with fire sugar flux increases down-core, with the magnitude of the flux inversely proportional to the distance of the fires from the study site. For the first time, fire sugar ratios (levoglucosan/mannosan, L/M) in aerosols were compared with those in sediments from the same time-period. The L/M ratio in surface sediments (1.42-2.58) were significantly lower than in corresponding aerosols (5.08-15.62). We propose two hypotheses that may explain the lower average L/M of sediments. Firstly, the degradation rate of levoglucosan is higher than mannosan in the water column, sediment-water interface, and/or sediment. Secondly, the L/M ratio of non-atmospheric emissions during fires may be lower than that of atmospheric emissions from the same fire. Due to the uncertainties about transport partitioning (atmospheric versus non-atmospheric emissions) and fire sugar degradation along all stages of the source-to-sink pathway, we advise caution when inferring vegetation type (e.g. softwood, hardwood, or grasses) based purely on fire sugar ratios in sediments (e.g. L/M ratio). Future investigations are required to increase the efficacy of fire sugars as a complimentary, or standalone, fire tracer in sediments.

Trends in Rescue and Rehabilitation of Marsupials Surviving the Australian 2019-2020 Bushfires.

The 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season had a devastating impact on native wildlife. It was estimated that 3 billion native animals were impacted by the fires, yet there are few estimates of the number of animals that were rescued and rehabilitated post-fire. Focusing on the state of New South Wales (NSW) and Kangaroo Island, South Australia, we used a case study approach to determine the number of marsupials that were reported rescued due to the 2019-2020 bushfires in these areas and analysed species-specific trends in rescue and release success. In NSW, we found 889 reports of fire-affected marsupials in 2019-2020, mostly comprising kangaroos and wallabies (macropods; n = 458), koalas (n = 204), and possums (n = 162), with a smaller number of wombats (n = 43) and other marsupial species. Most reports of fire-affected marsupials occurred 6-8 weeks after fire ignition, and there was no difference in temporal frequency of rescues between marsupial groups. For the three main groups, the probability of survival and subsequent release differed, with macropods having the lowest probability of release after rescue (0.15 ± 0.04) compared to koalas (0.47 ± 0.04) and possums (0.55 ± 0.10). The type of injury was the main predictor of survival during rehabilitation for all three marsupial groups, with those malnourished/moribund or with traumatic injuries less likely to survive rehabilitation. Death or euthanasia occurred on the day of rescue for 77% of macropods, 48% of possums and 15% of koalas. Koalas most often died during rehabilitation rather than on the day of rescue, with 73% either dying or being euthanised between day 1 and 30 post-rescue, representing a potential welfare concern. On Kangaroo Island, koalas were the most frequently rescued marsupial species; most euthanasia cases and deaths occurred in a hospital, whereas other marsupials were mostly euthanised at triage. In both jurisdictions, koalas were over-represented while possums were under-represented relative to baseline population densities and wildlife rescue trends in the years before the 2019-2020 bushfires. These species differences in presentation post-fire warrant further investigation, as do the differences in triage, survival and release outcomes. It is hypothesised that the high intensity and large scale of the 2019-2020 fires impeded marsupial fire evasion tactics, as evidenced by the small number of animals found for rescue, and the differing rates of presentation relative to underlying population densities for the main marsupial groups. Based on our findings, there is a need for detailed record keeping and data sharing, development of consistent and evidence-based triage, treatment and euthanasia guidelines and deployment of trained wildlife emergency rescue teams with advanced search techniques to minimise animal suffering where safe to do so.

The Brief Solastalgia Scale: A Psychometric Evaluation and Revision.

Witnessing degradation and loss to one's home environment can cause the negative emotional experience of solastalgia. We review the psychometric properties of the 9-item Solastalgia subscale from the Environmental Distress Scale (Higginbotham et al. (EcoHealth 3:245-254, 2006)). Using data collected from three large, independent, adult samples (N = 4229), who were surveyed soon after the 2019/20 Australian bushfires, factor analyses confirmed the scale's unidimensionality, while analyses derived from Item Response Theory highlighted the poor psychometric performance and redundant content of specific items. Consequently, we recommend a short-form scale consisting of five items. This Brief Solastalgia Scale (BSS) yielded excellent model fit and internal consistency in both the initial and cross-validation samples. The BSS and its parent version provide very similar patterns of associations with demographic, health, life satisfaction, climate emotion, and nature connectedness variables. Finally, multi-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated comparable construct architecture (i.e. configural, metric, and scalar invariance) across validation samples, gender categories, and age. As individuals and communities increasingly confront and cope with climate change and its consequences, understanding related emotional impacts is crucial. The BSS promises to aid researchers, decision makers, and practitioners to understand and support those affected by negative environmental change.

'It sort of broke me': A thematic analysis of the psychological experiences and coping strategies employed by Australian fire-affected farmers.

INTRODUCTION: People exposed to bushfires are known to be at heightened risk of experiencing mental health challenges. When farms are impacted, farmers often risk losing not only their homes but also their businesses, containing their livestock, infrastructure and identities. OBJECTIVE: To understand the psychological experiences of farmers who have been exposed to fires on their farms and identify the coping strategies they already employ to recover and prepare psychologically for future bushfires. DESIGN: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face or via Zoom. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, using a descriptive, essentialist approach. Sixteen farmers and/or their spouses (50% female; median age of 50.8 years), who owned and/or played an active role in the operation of a farming or pastoral enterprise and had been affected by a farm fire within the last 20 years, participated. Participants resided in inner regional, outer regional and remote South Australia and New South Wales. FINDINGS: Seven overarching themes and 22 subthemes resulted: (1) intense emotions in the aftermath, (2) long-term psychological challenges, (3) deliberate focus on organising, prioritising and completing recovery-focused tasks, (4) importance of seeking and/or accessing support to rebuild, (5) adopting a positive attitude and outlook, (6) (dis)engaging from/with community and social connection and (7) various strategies employed to self-regulate emotions. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the unique set of psychological challenges Australian farmers experience in the wake of a farm fire and the coping strategies they report using to help them manage. Findings will inform the development of contextually and culturally appropriate bushfire recovery and preparedness initiatives that are tailored to meet the unique needs of farmers and build upon their existing strengths.

The Impact of Australian Bushfires on Asthma Medicine Prescription Dispensing.

BACKGROUND: Air pollution can cause numerous health problems and increase the need for medicines to treat and prevent asthma in affected areas. There is limited evidence about the association between airborne particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometres or smaller (PM2.5) and asthma medicine usage. This study examined the potential association between the levels of PM2.5 and the supply of prescription asthma medicines in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia, during the severe bushfire season between November 2019-January 2020. METHODS: Daily data was obtained from an ACT air quality monitoring station from November 2019 to January 2020 (study period) and November 2018 to January 2019 (control period, no bushfire). The number and types of government-funded asthma medicine prescriptions were obtained from the Services Australia (government) website by searching under 'Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Item Reports' and using relevant item codes during the study and control periods. RESULTS: The medians for PM2.5 levels for the study period were significantly higher than those for the control period (p < 0.001). There were increases in the number of dispensed prescriptions of short-acting beta-2 agonists (SABA), inhaled corticosteroids, and long-acting beta-2 agonists combined with inhaled corticosteroids. The greatest difference was seen with the inhaled corticosteroids: a 138% increase. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in the number of dispensed asthma prescriptions during the bushfire season should be used to inform the stock holdings of these medicines in preparation for future events to ensure access to lifesaving asthma medicines.

The firestorm within: A narrative review of extreme heat and wildfire smoke effects on brain health.

Climate change is generating increased heatwaves and wildfires across much of the world. With these escalating environmental changes comes greater impacts on human health leading to increased numbers of people suffering from heat- and wildfire smoke-associated respiratory and cardiovascular impairment. One area of health impact of climate change that has received far less attention is the effects of extreme heat and wildfire smoke exposure on human brain health. As elevated temperatures, and wildfire-associated smoke, are increasingly experienced simultaneously over summer periods, understanding this combined impact is critical to management of human health especially in the elderly, and people with dementia, and other neurological disorders. Both extreme heat and wildfire smoke air pollution (especially particulate matter, PM) induce neuroinflammatory and cerebrovascular effects, oxidative stress, and cognitive impairment, however the combined effect of these impacts are not well understood. In this narrative review, a comprehensive examination of extreme heat and wildfire smoke impact on human brain health is presented, with a focus on how these factors contribute to cognitive impairment, and dementia, one of the leading health issues today. Also discussed is the potential impact of combined heat and wildfire smoke on brain health, and where future efforts should be applied to help advance knowledge in this rapidly growing and critical field of health research.

Bushfire-smoke trigger hospital admissions with cerebrovascular diseases: Evidence from 2019-20 bushfire in Australia.

INTRODUCTION: Exposure to ambient air pollution is strongly associated with increased cerebrovascular diseases. The 2019-20 bushfire season in Australia burnt 5.4 million hectares of land in New South Wales alone, with smoke so severe it affected cities in Argentina, 11,000 km away. The smoke emitted by bushfires consists of both gaseous and particle components. It is important to note that exposure to particulate matter has been shown to be linked to a heightened risk of stroke, which is the primary kind of cerebrovascular illness, as well as an increased likelihood of hospitalisations and mortality. However, the available data is inadequate in terms of documenting the response of patients diagnosed with a proven cerebrovascular illness to bushfire smoke. Additionally, there is a lack of information about the health effects associated with particulate matter throughout the bushfire season and on days when smoke was present in 2019 and 2020.Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of (i) short-term air pollution triggered by bushfires and (ii) high smoke days in increasing the daily number of hospital admissions with cerebrovascular diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Hospitalisation data were accessed from the admitted patient dataset from seven local Government areas of Hunter New England Local Health District. The bushfire period was defined from 1 October 2019 to 10 February 2020, and a same period from 2018-19 as the control. High bushfire smoke days were days when the average daily concentration of particulate matter was higher than the 95th percentile of the control period. Poisson regression models and fixed effect meta-analysis were used to analyse the data. RESULTS: In total, 275 patients with cerebrovascular admissions were identified, with 147 (53.5%) during the bushfire (2019-20) and 128 (46.5%) in the control period (2018-19). There was no significant increase in daily admissions for cerebrovascular disease (Incidence Rate Ratio, IRR: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.81-1.34; p-value: 0.73), acute stroke (IRR: 1.15; 95% CI: 0.88-1.50; p-value: 0.29) or acute ischaemic stroke (IRR: 1.18; 95% CI: 0.87-1.59; p-value: 0.28), over the entire bushfire period. However, the high bushfire smoke days were associated with increased acute ischaemic stroke-related hospital admissions across lead 0-3 and the highest cumulative effect was observed with lead 0 (IRR:1.52; 95% CI: 1.01-2.29; p-value: 0.04). In addition, during the bushfire period, particulate matter, both PM10 and PM2.5 (defined as particulates that have an effective aerodynamic diameter of 10, and 2.5 microns, respectively), were also associated with increased acute ischaemic stroke admissions with a lag of 0-3 days. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results suggested a possible association between particulate matter and high smoke days with increased hospital admissions due to acute ischaemic stroke during the recent Australian bushfire season.

The Black Saturday bushfire disaster: found poetry for arts-based knowledge translation in disaster risk and climate change communication.

This research uses the arts-based research method of found poetry, the creation of poem-like prose from existing text, to share the lived experience of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfire disaster in Australia which killed 173 people. After outlining the processes, this paper applies found poetry to an existing text: Peg Fraser's book, Black Saturday. Five found poems are shared, each conveying a different element of the disaster experience: "Armageddon," "Go - GET OUT," "Bushfire Chook," "Resisting the Poetry Tree," and "Lucky". Compared to normal prose, there is an authentic and vulnerable vibrancy to the language of these found poems, which offer unexpected visceral insight into the bushfire experience - the fear, the heat, the confusion, the anger, and the loss. Poetry, which resonates and draws people in emotionally, has significant potential as arts-based knowledge translation in disaster risk and climate change communication.

Supporting children's recovery from bushfires: Stakeholders' views about the impact of a community-based intervention program on children.

INTRODUCTION: A multidisciplinary Bushfire Recovery Program was developed by Royal Far West focused on reducing the short- and medium-term impacts of the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia on children's wellbeing and resilience. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of the Program's psychosocial groups on children's wellbeing and resilience. DESIGN: A two-phase mixed method approach was used, involving post-intervention surveys and interviews of children impacted by the 2019-2020 bushfires in Australia who participated in the Bushfire Recovery Program, their parents/carers, teachers, and the facilitators of the workshops. Statistical analysis was undertaken with quantitative data and content and thematic analysis of qualitative data. FINDINGS: Children learnt to talk to and trust adults, share thoughts and experiences with others, recognise they were not alone in their experiences, build connections with peers, understand and manage feelings, and implement strategies that enabled them to cope with change. DISCUSSION: Psychosocial groups delivered in preschools and schools as part of the Bushfire Recovery Program reportedly led to significant learning and positive impacts for children in the areas of coping, wellbeing, and peer connections. Similar themes occurred across surveys and interviews and findings reflected the perceptions of the children who participated in the groups, and key adults around the children. CONCLUSIONS: Community-based psychoeducational interventions can provide effective support in the short- and medium-term post-bushfire for children to develop strategies and skills to enable them to cope with changes and their emotional reactions.

Metabolomic response of striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles exposed to the fire retardant Phos-Chek LC95W.

Climate change and other factors have contributed to an increased frequency and intensity of global wildfires in recent years. Ammonium-based fire retardants are widely used to suppress or delay the spread of fire and have generally been regarded as presenting a low risk of acute toxicity to fauna. However, studies have raised concerns about their potential to cause indirect or sub-lethal effects, and toxicity information regarding the potential for such impacts in aquatic species is limited. To address these knowledge gaps, we used an untargeted metabolomics approach to evaluate the sub-lethal physiological and metabolic responses of striped marsh frog (Limnodynastes peronii) tadpoles exposed to a concentration gradient of the ammonium polyphosphate (APP)-based fire retardant Phos-Chek LC95W (PC). Acute exposure (96 h) to PC significantly altered the relative abundance of 14 metabolites in whole tadpoles. The overall metabolic response pattern was consistent with effects reported for ammonia toxicity and also suggestive of energy dysregulation and osmotic stress associated with alterations to physicochemical water quality parameters in the PC treatments. Results suggest that run-off or accidental application of this formulation into waterways can have significant sub-lethal consequences on the biochemical profiles (i.e., the metabolome) of aquatic organisms and may be a concern for frog species that breed and develop in small, often ephemeral, waterbodies. Our study highlights the benefits of integrating untargeted metabolomics with other ecological and toxicological endpoints to provide a more holistic characterisation of the sub-lethal impacts associated with bushfire-fighting chemicals and with environmental contaminants more broadly.

Predictors of individual mental health and psychological resilience after Australia's 2019-2020 bushfires.

AIMS: We assessed the mental health effects of Australia's 2019-2020 bushfires 12-18 months later, predicting psychological distress and positive psychological outcomes from bushfire exposure and a range of demographic variables, and seeking insights to enhance disaster preparedness and resilience planning for different profiles of people. METHODS: We surveyed 3083 bushfire-affected and non-affected Australian residents about their experiences of bushfire, COVID-19, psychological distress (depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder) and positive psychological outcomes (resilient coping, wellbeing). RESULTS: We found high rates of distress across all participants, exacerbated by severity of bushfire exposure. For people who were bushfire-affected, being older, having less financial stress, and having no or fewer pre-existing mental disorders predicted both lower distress and higher positive outcomes. Being male or having less income loss also predicted positive outcomes. Severity of exposure, higher education and higher COVID-19-related stressors predicted both higher distress and higher positive outcomes. Pre-existing physical health diagnosis and previous bushfire experience did not significantly predict distress or positive outcomes. RECOMMENDATIONS: To promote disaster resilience, we recommend investment in mental health, particularly for younger adults and for those in rural and remote areas. We also recommend investment in mechanisms to protect against financial distress and the development of a broader definition of bushfire-related impacts than is currently used to capture brushfires' far-reaching effects.

Gut Microbiome Profiling of the Endangered Southern Greater Glider (Petauroides volans) after the 2019-2020 Australian Megafire.

Studying the gut microbiome can provide valuable insights into animal health and inform the conservation management of threatened wildlife. Gut microbiota play important roles in regulating mammalian host physiology, including digestion, energy metabolism and immunity. Dysbiosis can impair such physiological processes and compromise host health, so it is essential that the gut microbiome be considered in conservation planning. The southern greater glider (Petauroides volans) is an endangered arboreal marsupial that faced widespread habitat fragmentation and population declines following the 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season. This study details baseline data on the gut microbiome of this species. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified from scats collected from individuals inhabiting burnt and unburnt sites across southeastern Australia and sequenced to determine bacterial community composition. Southern greater glider gut microbiomes were characterised by high relative abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota, which is consistent with that reported for other marsupial herbivores. Significant differences in gut microbial diversity and community structure were detected among individuals from different geographic locations. Certain microbiota and functional orthologues were also found to be significantly differentially abundant between locations. The role of wildfire in shaping southern greater glider gut microbiomes was shown, with some significant differences in the diversity and abundance of microbiota detected between burnt and unburnt sites. Overall, this study details the first data on greater glider (Petauroides) gut microbiomes, laying the foundation for future studies to further explore relationships between microbial community structure, environmental stressors and host health.

Cutaneous and Respiratory Lesions in Bushfire-Affected Koalas.

In the wake of increasingly frequent bushfires emerging as a threat to wildlife worldwide, koalas have notably been the most rescued species in Australia. However, our understanding of burns and their severity in koalas is limited; hence, this study investigated the histopathological features and depth of burns in koala skin, as well as the presence of smoke-induced respiratory tract damage. In four bushfire-affected koalas that had been euthanised on welfare grounds, skin burns in various body regions were scored based on clinical appearance as superficial, partial thickness, or full thickness. Histological sections of affected regions of skin were assessed as Grades I-IV and showed that furred regions on the ear margins and dorsum were histologically more severe, at Grade III, compared with the clinical score. There was a similar finding for footpad burns, which were the most common body region affected. In the respiratory tract, pulmonary oedema and congestion were evident in all koalas. Overall, the results highlight that cutaneous burn lesions on furred and palmar/plantar surfaces can have higher severity based on the burn depth than is clinically apparent. Therefore, there is a need to consider this when developing treatment plans and establishing prognosis for burnt koalas at triage, as well as that a high likelihood of pulmonary oedema exists.

Social group connections support mental health following wildfire.

PURPOSE: As environmental disasters become more common and severe due to climate change, there is a growing need for strategies to bolster recovery that are proactive, cost-effective, and which mobilise community resources. AIMS: We propose that building social group connections is a particularly promising strategy for supporting mental health in communities affected by environmental disasters. METHODS: We tested the social identity model of identity change in a disaster context among 627 people substantially affected by the 2019-2020 Australian fires. RESULTS: We found high levels of post-traumatic stress, strongly related to severity of disaster exposure, but also evidence of psychological resilience. Distress and resilience were weakly positively correlated. Having stronger social group connections pre-disaster was associated with less distress and more resilience 12-18 months after the disaster, via three pathways: greater social identification with the disaster-affected community, greater continuity of social group ties, and greater formation of new social group ties. New group ties were a mixed blessing, positively predicting both resilience and distress. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that investment in social resources is key to supporting mental health outcomes, not just reactively in the aftermath of disasters, but also proactively in communities most at risk.

Performance of regional water purification plants during extreme weather events: three case studies from New South Wales, Australia.

Climate change is altering weather patterns, which affects water supply systems globally. More frequent extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and heatwaves are impacting the availability of raw water sources that supply cities. These events can lead to less water, higher demand, and potential infrastructure damage. Water agencies and utilities must develop resilient and adaptable systems to withstand shocks and stresses. Case studies demonstrating the impact of extreme weather on water quality are important for developing resilient water supply systems. This paper documents the challenges faced by regional New South Wales (NSW) in managing water quality and supply during extreme weather events. Effective treatment processes, such as ozone treatment and adsorption, are used to maintain drinking water standards during extreme weather. Water-efficient alternatives are provided, and critical water networks are inspected to identify leaks and reduce system demand. Local government areas must collaborate and share resources to ensure that towns can cope with future extreme weather events. Systematic investigation is needed to understand system capacity and identify surplus resources to be shared when demand cannot be met. Pooling resources could benefit regional towns experiencing both floods and droughts. With expected population growth in the area, regional NSW councils will require a significant increase in water filtration infrastructure to handle increased system loading. Continuous research, regular strategy reviews, and innovative approaches are essential to ensure a secure and reliable water supply during future extreme weather events.

Wildfires in Australia: a bibliometric analysis and a glimpse on 'Black Summer' (2019/2020) disaster.

A wildfire, an unplanned fire that is mainly uncontrolled and originates in combustible vegetation in rural or urban settings, is one of the most pervasive natural catastrophes in some areas, such as Siberia, California and Australia. Many studies, such as standard reviews, have been undertaken to look into the works of literature on wildfires or forest fires and their effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Regrettably, conventional literature reviews failed to identify the important researchers, evolving complexities, emerging research hotspots, trends and opportunities for further research on the ground of wildfire study. The present study employs bibliometric analysis to investigate this study area qualitatively and quantitatively. The Scopus database systems and Web of Science Core Collection yielded 78 qualifying papers, which were then evaluated using Biblioshiny (A bibliometrix tool of R-studio). According to the statistics, the discipline is expanding at a pace that is 13.68% faster than average. So far, three key periods of transformation have been documented: preliminary evolution (8 articles; 1999-2005), gentle evolution (14 articles; 2006-2013) and quick evolution (56 articles; 2014 to 2021). Forest Ecology and Management and Science journals have the highest number of publications, accounting for 7.70% of total wildfire-related articles published from 1999 to 2021. However, recent data indicate that investigators are shifting their focus to wildfires, with the term 'Australia' having the highest frequency (91) and 'wildfire' having the second highest (58) as the most appeared keywords. The present study will provide a foundation for future research on wildfire incidence and management by receiving information by synthesising previously published literature in Australia and around the world.

A slurry approach to identify nutrient critical source areas from subtropical catchment erosion.

Targeting catchment nutrient critical source areas (CSAs) (areas contributing most of the nutrients in a catchment) is an efficient way to prioritize remediation sites for reducing nutrient runoff to waterways. We tested if the soil slurry approach - with particle sizes and sediment concentrations representative of those in streams during high rainfall events - can be used to identify potential CSAs within individual land use types, examine fire impacts, and identify the contribution of leaf litter in topsoil to nutrient export in subtropical catchments. We first confirmed the slurry approach met the prerequisite to identify CSAs with relatively higher nutrient contribution (not absolute load estimation) by comparing the slurry sampling with stream nutrient monitoring data. We validated that: 1) differences in slurry total nitrogen to phosphorus mass ratios from different land uses were consistent with stream monitoring data; and 2) our estimated nutrient export contribution from agricultural land, via the slurry approach, was comparable to that derived from monitoring data. Additionally, we found nutrient concentrations in slurries differed across soil types and management practice within individual land uses, correlating with nutrient concentrations in fine particles. These results indicate the slurry approach can be used to identify potential small-scale CSAs. Slurry results from burnt soils were also comparable to other studies showing increased levels of dissolved nutrient loss and higher nitrogen than phosphorus loss, than non-burnt soils. The slurry method also showed the contribution of leaf litter to slurry nutrient concentrations from topsoil was greater for dissolved nutrients than particulate nutrients, indicating different forms of nutrients need to be considered for impacts of vegetation. Our study reveals that the slurry method can be used to identify potential small-scale CSAs within the same land use from erosion and can account for impacts of vegetation and bushfires, providing timely information to guide catchment restoration actions.

The impact of COVID-19 and bushfires on the mental health of Australian adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: When COVID-19 spread to Australia in January 2020, many communities were already in a state of emergency from the Black Summer bushfires. Studies of adolescent mental health have typically focused on the effects of COVID-19 in isolation. Few studies have examined the impact of COVID-19 and other co-occurring disasters, such as the Black Summer bushfires in Australia, on adolescent mental health. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey to examine the impact of COVID-19 and the Black Summer bushfires on the mental health of Australian adolescents. Participants (N = 5866; mean age 13.61 years) answered self-report questionnaires about COVID-19 diagnosis/quarantine (being diagnosed with and/or quarantined because of COVID-19) and personal exposure to bushfire harm (being physically injured, evacuated from home and/or having possessions destroyed). Validated standardised scales were used to assess depression, psychological distress, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal ideation. Trauma related to COVID-19 and the bushfires was also assessed. The survey was completed in two large school-based cohorts between October 2020 and November 2021. RESULTS: Exposure to COVID-19 diagnosis/quarantine was associated with increased probability of elevated trauma. Exposure to personal harm by the bushfires was associated with increased probability of elevated insomnia, suicidal ideation, and trauma. There were no interactive effects between disasters on adolescent mental health. Effects between personal risk factors and disasters were generally additive or sub-additive. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescent mental health responses to community-level disasters are multi-faceted. Complex psychosocial factors associated with mental ill health may be relevant irrespective of disaster. Future research is needed to investigate synergistic effects of disasters on young mental health.

Trusted Autonomous Operations of Distributed Satellite Systems Using Optical Sensors.

Recent developments in Distributed Satellite Systems (DSS) have undoubtedly increased mission value due to the ability to reconfigure the spacecraft cluster/formation and incrementally add new or update older satellites in the formation. These features provide inherent benefits, such as increased mission effectiveness, multi-mission capabilities, design flexibility, and so on. Trusted Autonomous Satellite Operation (TASO) are possible owing to the predictive and reactive integrity features offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), including both on-board satellites and in the ground control segments. To effectively monitor and manage time-critical events such as disaster relief missions, the DSS must be able to reconfigure autonomously. To achieve TASO, the DSS should have reconfiguration capability within the architecture and spacecraft should communicate with each other through an Inter-Satellite Link (ISL). Recent advances in AI, sensing, and computing technologies have resulted in the development of new promising concepts for the safe and efficient operation of the DSS. The combination of these technologies enables trusted autonomy in intelligent DSS (iDSS) operations, allowing for a more responsive and resilient approach to Space Mission Management (SMM) in terms of data collection and processing, especially when using state-of-the-art optical sensors. This research looks into the potential applications of iDSS by proposing a constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) for near-real-time wildfire management. For spacecraft to continuously monitor Areas of Interest (AOI) in a dynamically changing environment, satellite missions must have extensive coverage, revisit intervals, and reconfiguration capability that iDSS can offer. Our recent work demonstrated the feasibility of AI-based data processing using state-of-the-art on-board astrionics hardware accelerators. Based on these initial results, AI-based software has been successively developed for wildfire detection on-board iDSS satellites. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed iDSS architecture, simulation case studies are performed considering different geographic locations.