Eleanor Bruce

Geospatial and epidemiological analysis of severe burns in New South Wales by residential postcodes

BACKGROUND Burns are a common trauma, affecting 1% of the Australian population annually and are associated with significant physical, psychological, social and economic burdens for victims and their families. There has been a recent paradigm shift from the treatment of burns to a more preventative approach. OBJECTIVES To examine the risk of severe burns by geographic region in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, using geospatial analytic techniques. METHOD Retrospective analyses were carried out to examine the 2006-2010 NSW burns data collected by the NSW Severe Burns Injury Service. Spatial analysis software was used to map the relative risk of burns by postcode areas. Spatial cluster analyses were then undertaken for the Greater Sydney Area (GSA) using Global Morans I statistics and Getis-Ord analyses. High- and low-risk populations and areas were examined to ascertain differences by sociodemographic characteristics, etiology and the extent of burn. RESULTS Scalds were the most common types of burns and men were at greater risk of burns than women. There was significant clustering of burns by postcode area, with a higher relative risk of severe burns seen in Western Sydney area and lower risk observed in Eastern and Southern Sydney. In high-risk areas burns occurred more frequently in the 13-24 months and the 20-29 years age groups, while in low-risk areas burns mostly affect the 20-29 and 30-39 years age groups. High-risk areas were characterized by socioeconomic disadvantage. IMPLICATIONS Mapping the risk of burns is a valuable tool for policy makers to plan and deliver targeted intervention strategies for burns prevention.

Examining Tidal Inundation and Salt Marsh Vegetation Distribution Patterns using Spatial Analysis (Botany Bay, Australia)

Abstract In predicting the impact of human disturbance on coastal wetland environments and understanding ecological response to changing intertidal conditions, there is a need to understand the relationship between species distribution and elevation dependent tidal inundation. The intent of this paper is to examine the relationship between vegetation distribution patterns and the extent of tidal inundation modelled using fine scale elevation data. Field surveys were undertaken at Towra Point, Botany Bay, Australia using high precision global positioning system (GPS) and theodolite survey to record species location and obtain horizontal mapping accuracy required for modelling localised wetland topography. Species survival and growth is governed by physiological factors that are determined by tidal inundation frequency and extent. The coupling of local tidal parameters with a detailed wetland elevation survey enabled the modelling of inundation extent. Species distributional ranges at Towra Point corresponded with modelled tidal extent, and results indicated the presence of species zonation. Fine scale representation of localised terrain features within the surface model also demonstrated the impact of altered topography on vegetation distribution patterns. The spatial analysis methods applied in this study depicted variations in inundation patterns under the differing tidal phases that influence physiological conditions throughout the wetland.

Primary scene responses by Helicopter Emergency Medical Services in New South Wales Australia 2008–2009

BackgroundDespite numerous studies evaluating the benefits of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in primary scene responses, little information exists on the scope of HEMS activities in Australia. We describe HEMS primary scene responses with respect to the time taken, the distances travelled relative to the closest designated trauma hospital and the receiving hospital; as well as the clinical characteristics of patients attended.MethodsClinical service data were retrospectively obtained from three HEMS in New South Wales between July 2008 and June 2009. All available primary scene response data were extracted and examined. Geographic Information System (GIS) based network analysis was used to estimate hypothetical ground transport distances from the locality of each primary scene response to firstly the closest designated trauma hospital and secondly the receiving hospital. Predictors of bypassing the closest designated trauma hospital were analysed using logistic regression.ResultsAnalyses included 596 primary missions. Overall the HEMS had a median return trip time of 94min including a median of 9min for activation, 34min travelling to the scene, 30min on-scene and 25min transporting patients to the receiving hospital. 72% of missions were within 100km of the receiving hospital and 87% of missions were in areas classified as ‘major cities’ or ‘inner regional’. The majority of incidents attended by HEMS were trauma-related, with road trauma the predominant cause (44%). The majority of trauma patients (81%) had normal physiology at HEMS arrival (RTS = 7.84). We found 62% of missions bypassed the closest designated trauma hospital. Multivariate predictors of bypass included: age; presence of spinal or burns trauma; the level of the closest designated trauma hospital; the transporting HEMS.ConclusionOur results document the large distances travelled by HEMS in NSW, especially in rural areas. The high proportion of HEMS missions that bypass the closest designated trauma hospital is a seldom mentioned benefit of HEMS transport. These results along with the characteristics of patients attended and the time HEMS take to complete primary scene responses are useful in understanding the benefit HEMS provides and the services it replaces.

Method for assessing the thematic and positional accuracy of seagrass mapping

Maps showing the density and distribution of seagrasses in Shark Bay, Western Australia, were prepared through interpretation of vertical aerial photographs. The hard‐copy maps were digitized and geo‐referenced by registration against Landsat TM images using geographic information systems (GIS). Since habitat mapping of marine environments can generate a range of errors related to the techniques used in data capture, this process raised questions concerning the potential sources of error and the accuracy of the resulting maps. The uncertainty of data reliability is a critical consideration in the application of spatial data to environmental management. This prompts the need to determine map accuracy. A method was developed to assess the spatial accuracy of the seagrass mapping using GIS. The assessment involved: first, identification of potential sources of error; second, line transect surveys in the field for comparison with the mapped distribution; third, application of techniques to describe levels of ...

Disaster declarations associated with bushfires, floods and storms in New South Wales, Australia between 2004 and 2014

Australia regularly experiences disasters triggered by natural hazards and New South Wales (NSW) the most populous State is no exception. To date, no publically available spatial and temporal analyses of disaster declarations triggered by hazards (specifically, bushfires, floods and storms) in NSW have been undertaken and no studies have explored the relationship between disaster occurrence and socio-economic disadvantage. We source, collate and analyse data about bushfire, flood and storm disaster declarations between 2004 and 2014. Floods resulted in the most frequent type of disaster declaration. The greatest number of disaster declarations occurred in 2012–2013. Whilst no significant Spearman’s correlation exists between bushfire, flood and storm disaster declarations and the strength of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase, we observe that bushfire disaster declarations were much more common during El Niño, and flood disaster declarations were five times more common during La Niña phases. We identify a spatial cluster or ‘hot spot’ of disaster declarations in the northeast of the State that is also spatially coincident with 43% of the most socio-economically disadvantaged Local Government Areas in NSW. The results have implications for disaster risk management in the State.

Spur and groove distribution, morphology and relationship to relative wave exposure, Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia

ABSTRACT Duce, S., Vila-Concejo, A., Hamylton, S., Bruce, E., Webster, J. M, 2014. Spur and groove distribution, morphology and relationship to relative wave exposure, Southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 115–120, ISSN 0749-0208. Spur and groove features occur on the seaward reef slope of coral reefs around the world. They are believed to act as important natural breakwaters, regulating the hydrodynamic energy and nutrients received by reef platforms. They also represent one of the most diverse and productive zones of modern reefs. However, the formation processes and morphodynamics of spur and groove systems are poorly understood, particularly in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). This paper constitutes the first broad scale analysis of spur and groove systems in the Capricorn Bunker Group (CBG) in the southern GBR. It uses remotely sensed imagery coupled with ground-truthed data to measure groove length at four reefs (Wreck, Heron, One Tree and Lady Elliot). A total of 2621 grooves were digitised across the four study reefs. Groove length was found to vary both between and within the study reefs. The maximum groove length was 536 m. Average groove length ranged from 93 m at Wreck Reef to 32 m at Heron Reef. This data was compared to relative wave exposure estimates derived from the fetch scenario at each reef. Strong positive correlation was found with groove length increasing as wave exposure increased. Groove length was highly spatially dependant and varied around the reef platforms according to the degree of wave exposure. The longest grooves were found on the most exposed, eastern sides of all reefs. These results provide valuable insight into spur and groove function, formation and likely response to future environmental changes in the CBG and further afield.

Environmental livelihood security in Southeast Asia and Oceania: a water-energy-food-livelihoods nexus approach for spatially assessing change. White paper

This document addresses the need for explicit inclusion of livelihoods within the environment nexus (water-energy-food security), not only responding to literature gaps but also addressing emerging dialogue from existing nexus consortia. We present the first conceptualization of ‘environmental livelihood security’, which combines the nexus perspective with sustainable livelihoods. The geographical focus of this paper is Southeast Asia and Oceania, a region currently wrought by the impacts of a changing climate. Climate change is the primary external forcing mechanism on the environmental livelihood security of communities in Southeast Asia and Oceania which, therefore, forms the applied crux of this paper. Finally, we provide a primer for using geospatial information to develop a spatial framework to enable geographical assessment of environmental livelihood security across the region. We conclude by linking the value of this research to ongoing sustainable development discussions, and for influencing policy agendas

Thematic accuracy assessment of acoustic seabed data for shallow benthic habitat mapping

A single beam acoustic ground discrimination system (AGDS) was used to survey 1.25 km2 of shallow (< 20 m depth) seabed on the northeast coast of Tasmania, Australia. This paper investigates the uncertainties associated with the qualitative interpretation of real time and post‐processed acoustic signal, and the effect of track spacing on the mapping of rocky reef distribution. The survey was repeated with different track spacing (50 m, 100 m, 200 m and 50 × 200 m shore normal) to investigate the influence of data density and ‘knowledge based interpolation’ validated against direct measurements made with an underwater video camera. Habitat area calculations varied substantially only with the 50 × 200 m transect. These results have important implications for the qualitative assessment and application of AGDS technology in shallow water marine habitat mapping.

Spatial analysis of pediatric burns shows geographical clustering of burns and ‘hotspots’ of risk factors in New South Wales, Australia

OBJECTIVE Pediatric burns are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and it is estimated that more than 80% are preventable. Studies among adults have shown that burns risk are geographically clustered, and higher in socioeconomically-disadvantaged areas. Few studies among children have examined whether burns are geographically clustered, and if burn prevention programs are best targeted to high-risk areas. METHOD Retrospective analyses examined the 2005-to-2014 NSW Severe Burns Injury Service data. Geospatial imaging software was used to map the relative-risk and clustering of burns by postcodes in Greater Sydney Area (GSA). Cluster analyses were conducted using Getis-Ord and Global Morans I statistics. High- and low-risk populations and areas were examined to ascertain differences by sociodemographic characteristics, etiology and the extent of the burn. RESULTS Scalds were the most common types of burns and boys were at greater risk than girls. There was significant clustering of burns by postcode area, with a higher relative risk of burns in western and north-western areas of Sydney. The high-risk clusters were associated with socioeconomic disadvantage, and areas of low burns risk were associated with socioeconomic advantage. In both high- and low-risk areas burns occurred more frequently in the 12-24 months and the 24-36 months age groups. The implication of this study is that pediatric burns risk clustering occurs in specific geographic regions that are associated with socioeconomic disadvantage. The results of this study provide greater insight into how pediatric populations can be targeted when devising intervention strategies, and suggest that an area-targeted approach in socioeconomically-disadvantaged areas may reduce burns risk.

Remote sensing can locate and assess the changing abundance of hollow-bearing trees for wildlife in Australian native forests

Abstract Context. Hollow-bearing trees are an important breeding and shelter resource for wildlife in Australian native forests and hollow availability can influence species abundance and diversity in forest ecosystems. A persistent problem for forest managers is the ability to locate and survey hollow-bearing trees with a high level of accuracy at low cost over large areas of forest. Aims. The aim of this study was to determine whether remote-sensing techniques could identify key variables useful in classifying the likelihood of a tree to contain hollows suitable for wildlife. Methods. The data were high-resolution, multispectral aerial imagery and light detection and ranging (Lidar). A ground-based survey of 194 trees, 96 Eucalyptus crebra and 98 E. chloroclada and E. blakelyi, were used to train and validate tree-senescence classification models. Key results. We found that trees in the youngest stage of tree senescence, which had a very low probability of hollow occurrence, could be distinguished using multispectral aerial imagery from trees in the later stages of tree senescence, which had a high probability of hollow occurrence. Independently, the canopy-height model used to estimate crown foliage density demonstrated the potential of Lidar-derived structural parameters as predictors of senescence and the hollow-bearing status of individual trees. Conclusions. This study demonstrated a ‘proof of concept’ that remotely sensed tree parameters are suitable predictor variables for the hollow-bearing status of an individual tree. Implications. Distinguishing early stage senescence trees from later-stage senescence trees using remote sensing offers potential as an efficient, repeatable and cost-effective way to map the distribution and abundance of hollow-bearing trees across the landscape. Further development is required to automate this process across the landscape, particularly the delineation of tree crowns. Further improvements may be obtained using a combination of these remote-sensing techniques. This information has important applications in commercial forest inventory and in biodiversity monitoring programs.