ArborCarbon is part of the ARC Training Centre for CubeSats, UAVs, and Their Applications

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ArborCarbon is excited to be a partner in the new ARC Training Centre for CubeSats, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and their Applications. The recently announced Centre aims to develop a world-class Australian expertise in the research and development, manufacturing and commercial application of both CubeSats (small satellites weighing only a few kilograms), and cutting-edge drones equipped with a range of advanced sensors.

These technologies have a wide range of applications, including remote sensing for agricultural and forestry purposes. The Centre will provide exciting opportunities for PhD students to work with ArborCarbon in this area. For more information, please click here, or contact Paul Barber at ArborCarbon.

Climate change could put eucalypts at risk of death from air bubbles

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“Extreme droughts could lead to widespread death of eucalypts from embolisms, researchers say.

ArborCarbon scientists have co-authored publications that have investigated the link between bioclimate events like drought to the decline of eucalypt forests in Western Australi.

Key points

  • Some trees can shrink the width of their water transport vessels in response to lack of water
  • Eucalypts are not able to do this which puts them at risk of developing air bubbles in their vessels
  • This would make them vulnerable to extreme heatwaves and drought due to climate change”

Read the Article on ABC Science

The underestimated power of plants

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Image: Linkoping University’s laboratory of organic electronics has already proven it is possible to build a functioning electronic circuit within a rose bush. (supplied/Eliot Gomez)

Excellent article and podcast by Antony Funnell on Radio National’s, Future Tense about the underestimated power of plants.

Funnell  “ventures to the frontiers of plant science to meet researchers who believe the power of botanical organisms has long been underestimated.”

 

Perth’s leafy western suburbs are rapidly losing their tree canopy cover.

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Nedlands losing it’s tree cover

ArborCarbon scientists undertook a study over 2 years based on aerial surveys using multi-spectral, high resolution imaging. The results were startling and concerning.

The majority of councils within the ‘leafy western suburbs’ have experienced a loss in canopy cover over the  two-year period.

The study showed that the hottest areas in the western suburbs had little vegetation and an excess of sand. Examples include Campbell Barracks, Mt Claremont, the area south of UWA, immediately west of Shenton bushland, the QEII medical centre and Sir Charles Gardner Hospital – and around Subiaco Square.

Some of the coolest areas are, of course, where there is a body of water like Lakes Claremont and Monger. Other cool areas include suburbs within Subiaco, the Wembley golf complex, and Perry Lakes Reserve.

I am passionate about the need to maintain and foster tree growth in urban areas. Replacement with young trees is not the solution as they could take 50 years to mature before the same shade and cooling benefits are realised.

We need to embrace trees and the benefits they provide, rather than seeing them as a nuisance or being scared that a tree will fail simply because it is a big tree.

The tree loss shown in this study is a major concern as we know that canopy cover is directly linked to the Urban Heat Island Effect. We are compounding the problem by not conserving our canopy and this impacts the health of people in our communities.

To read more please read the full story on WAtoday.

WAtoday