Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100203
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$385,000.00
Summary
Autonomous benthic observing system. This project seeks to improve our ability to monitor marine habitats and characterise their variability by enhancing the Integrated Marine Observing system (IMOS) Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Facility. The new AUV infrastructure will reduce operating costs, increase robustness of the sampling effort and insure continued operation for the next decade.
Microplastic infiltration of food webs: cells to ecosystem consequences. Using trophic ecological theory as a framework, this project aims to provide the first comprehensive assessment of the fate and effects of microplastics. Plastic pollution is a persistent and increasing problem. Plastics are degraded into small particles, called microplastics, which are ingested by animals. The project aims to develop much-needed techniques to measure microplastics in biological tissue and apply these techn ....Microplastic infiltration of food webs: cells to ecosystem consequences. Using trophic ecological theory as a framework, this project aims to provide the first comprehensive assessment of the fate and effects of microplastics. Plastic pollution is a persistent and increasing problem. Plastics are degraded into small particles, called microplastics, which are ingested by animals. The project aims to develop much-needed techniques to measure microplastics in biological tissue and apply these techniques in food web studies to determine the capacity of microplastics to transfer from the environment into animals, and how microplastics move through a food web to affect biological diversity and animal health. This information will be used to complete the first risk assessment for microplastics in a major coastal habitat.Read moreRead less
Seagrass tolerance of oil spills - scaling of pollution impacts. Seagrasses provide vital ecosystem services (such as sediment stabilisation and habitat provision) in Australian coastal waters. The contribution of pollutants to current seagrass decline is poorly understood. The Australian shipping industry is the 5th largest in the world but there is very little data on the impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons on intertidal seagrasses and hence no information for coastal resource managers to use in ....Seagrass tolerance of oil spills - scaling of pollution impacts. Seagrasses provide vital ecosystem services (such as sediment stabilisation and habitat provision) in Australian coastal waters. The contribution of pollutants to current seagrass decline is poorly understood. The Australian shipping industry is the 5th largest in the world but there is very little data on the impacts of petroleum hydrocarbons on intertidal seagrasses and hence no information for coastal resource managers to use in decision-making in the event of an oil spill. This project will assess the relative toxicities of a number of petroleum hydrocarbons on Australian seagrass species to provide necessary data for the development of effective management practice.Read moreRead less
The impact of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in sewage contaminated waters on aquatic biota and identification of the causative compounds. The project's aims are to determine a) the impact of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as contraceptive pills and detergents in sewage effluent on aquatic biota; and b) which EDCs contribute to the impact. This project will provide the first comprehensive assessment of whether EDCs are causing effects in rivers downstream of sewage treatment p ....The impact of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) in sewage contaminated waters on aquatic biota and identification of the causative compounds. The project's aims are to determine a) the impact of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) such as contraceptive pills and detergents in sewage effluent on aquatic biota; and b) which EDCs contribute to the impact. This project will provide the first comprehensive assessment of whether EDCs are causing effects in rivers downstream of sewage treatment plants and will identify the chemicals responsible. New biological tests for detecting endocrine disruption will also be developed for research and commercial use. The findings will assist regulatory bodies and water service providers to develop appropriate legislative, management and technological strategies to minimise EDC impacts on ecosystem health.Read moreRead less
Toward a political ecology of risk in river basin development: The case of the Mekong. This project is designed to examine the distribution and redistribution of risk associated with environmental change and large scale development interventions in the Mekong Region. The research aims to make a theoretical contribution to the rapidly emerging field of political ecology, by moving beyond an analysis of winners and losers based on certainty and post-facto impacts. The study will work toward an ana ....Toward a political ecology of risk in river basin development: The case of the Mekong. This project is designed to examine the distribution and redistribution of risk associated with environmental change and large scale development interventions in the Mekong Region. The research aims to make a theoretical contribution to the rapidly emerging field of political ecology, by moving beyond an analysis of winners and losers based on certainty and post-facto impacts. The study will work toward an analysis driven by the inherent uncertainties that underlie both the social construction and social distribution of environmental risk. The research also has important practical implications for environmental and social assessment methodologies in and beyond the case study region.Read moreRead less
Impact of industrially based endocrine disrupting chemicals on aquatic biota. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a serious threat to aquatic organisms, livestock and humans. EDCs are present in water discharged from sewage treatment plants and in leachate from contaminated land. This project will determine the impact of EDCs from contaminated landfill on aquatic animals. It will also identify the chemicals responsible for biological impact by developing new bio-assays suitable for industr ....Impact of industrially based endocrine disrupting chemicals on aquatic biota. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a serious threat to aquatic organisms, livestock and humans. EDCs are present in water discharged from sewage treatment plants and in leachate from contaminated land. This project will determine the impact of EDCs from contaminated landfill on aquatic animals. It will also identify the chemicals responsible for biological impact by developing new bio-assays suitable for industrial, scientific and regulatory authority applications. This research has wide-ranging relevance and value to Australian State and Federal regulators and industries because of the ubiquity of sewage treatment plants and contaminated leachate from landfills.Read moreRead less
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds: Novel tests for Analysis and Field Validation. This project will give community benefits from new analytical technology and research data to help minimise the threat of environmental contamination with endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). Both urban and rural communities may feel the impacts of EDCs, with potential contamination occurring globally, affecting both wildlife and humans. The main means of transport of EDCs is as contaminants in water and it is ess ....Endocrine Disrupting Compounds: Novel tests for Analysis and Field Validation. This project will give community benefits from new analytical technology and research data to help minimise the threat of environmental contamination with endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). Both urban and rural communities may feel the impacts of EDCs, with potential contamination occurring globally, affecting both wildlife and humans. The main means of transport of EDCs is as contaminants in water and it is essential to learn the extent of contamination occurring in urban and rural water supplies to decide its significance. The research will involve a multi-disciplinary approach, with benefits falling into all four National Research Priorities of sustainability, good health, frontier analytical technology and national safety.Read moreRead less
Environmental DNA: Integration of new methods to enhance marine management. Environmental DNA: Integration of new methods to enhance marine management. This project aims to develop new environmental DNA (eDNA)-based methods of managing humanity’s impact on valuable marine resources. eDNA preserved in seawater provides a lens to study and monitor marine biota and ecosystems. This project will work with fisheries managers and the environmental consulting sector, and focus on sites in the Kimberley ....Environmental DNA: Integration of new methods to enhance marine management. Environmental DNA: Integration of new methods to enhance marine management. This project aims to develop new environmental DNA (eDNA)-based methods of managing humanity’s impact on valuable marine resources. eDNA preserved in seawater provides a lens to study and monitor marine biota and ecosystems. This project will work with fisheries managers and the environmental consulting sector, and focus on sites in the Kimberley, Cocos-Keeling Islands, Fremantle and Deep-sea oil/gas sites to demonstrate the value of eDNA methods in best-practice monitoring. A multi-proxy toolkit (including eDNA) that can audit and baseline marine biota could make balancing conservation and sustainable exploitation achievable. Anticipated outcomes are improved management and monitoring of fisheries, ports and offshore oil/gas sites.Read moreRead less
Improving the Environmental Performance of Australian Construction Projects. This project aims to investigate the environmental impacts of construction in Australia through the development of a sophisticated hybrid environmental assessment model. The project aims to assist in identifying the most significant environmental impacts, critical areas for mitigation efforts and informing environmental policy and programs within the Australian construction industry. The development of one of the most s ....Improving the Environmental Performance of Australian Construction Projects. This project aims to investigate the environmental impacts of construction in Australia through the development of a sophisticated hybrid environmental assessment model. The project aims to assist in identifying the most significant environmental impacts, critical areas for mitigation efforts and informing environmental policy and programs within the Australian construction industry. The development of one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive models for assessing environmental impacts ever produced is expected to enable cost- and time-efficient evaluation of multiple environmental impacts at a high level of detail and completeness. This should lead to considerable improvements to the environmental performance of Australian construction projects.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100066
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$260,000.00
Summary
Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory. Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory:
This project aims to enable Australian research leaders working on the integrated sustainability assessment of policies, products and projects to collaborate in the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab). It seeks to develop and implement an enhanced modelling capability and suite of online analytical tools to support sustainability scienti ....Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory. Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory:
This project aims to enable Australian research leaders working on the integrated sustainability assessment of policies, products and projects to collaborate in the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab). It seeks to develop and implement an enhanced modelling capability and suite of online analytical tools to support sustainability scientists and analysts from Australia and abroad conducting research projects of national and international significance. In particular, the project would provide policy-makers, investors and communities with detailed and tailored information to help make better decisions about a sustainable future. By upgrading IELab hardware and analytical and modelling software, the project would be versatile and flexible and remain up to date.Read moreRead less