Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989986
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$230,000.00
Summary
Hybrid Fourier Transform Dispersive Raman Micro-Spectrometer. This facility will be used in a wide range of existing and new research projects in government priority areas such as the development of new materials, frontier technologies for building and transforming existing industries, better understanding of diversity and functioning in mycorrhizal and other fungi in forest soils and plant roots and developing new characterisation methods for forensic investigations. The proposed equipment aims ....Hybrid Fourier Transform Dispersive Raman Micro-Spectrometer. This facility will be used in a wide range of existing and new research projects in government priority areas such as the development of new materials, frontier technologies for building and transforming existing industries, better understanding of diversity and functioning in mycorrhizal and other fungi in forest soils and plant roots and developing new characterisation methods for forensic investigations. The proposed equipment aims to provide outstanding opportunities for the training of research students, expanding research in the fields of materials, minerals, geological, environmental and forensic science enabling to maintain Australia's lead and competitiveness in cutting edge research and technology. Read moreRead less
Molecular fossils, the evolution of Earth's early oceans and the origin of the oldest oil. Australia retains undiscovered oil reserves. We believe that a change in primitive marine life forms may have fundamentally changed the chemistry of the Earth's oceans and is responsible for the world's oldest oil reserves. While these reserves have been found, and successfully commercialised, overseas, similar reservoirs in Australia remain elusive. The project will develop and apply technologies based on ....Molecular fossils, the evolution of Earth's early oceans and the origin of the oldest oil. Australia retains undiscovered oil reserves. We believe that a change in primitive marine life forms may have fundamentally changed the chemistry of the Earth's oceans and is responsible for the world's oldest oil reserves. While these reserves have been found, and successfully commercialised, overseas, similar reservoirs in Australia remain elusive. The project will develop and apply technologies based on hydrocarbon biomarkers to help determine the oil-producing rock types of Precambrian sedimentary rocks. This allows us to estimate the oil's age and predict where petroleum reservoirs may be hidden. PhD students involved in the project will gain valuable knowledge about the link between changes in ecology and the carbon cycle.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0668452
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$290,000.00
Summary
A research grade liquid chromatograph - mass spectrometer for quantitative analysis of trace organic analytes in complex matrices. The ARC has provided matching funding of $300K to a consortium of Australian universities, CSIRO, CRCs, water utilities and other research centres for an investment in a modern system for measurement of organic species in complex mixtures. The system, called a liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer, has application in environmental studies of soils, sediments and nat ....A research grade liquid chromatograph - mass spectrometer for quantitative analysis of trace organic analytes in complex matrices. The ARC has provided matching funding of $300K to a consortium of Australian universities, CSIRO, CRCs, water utilities and other research centres for an investment in a modern system for measurement of organic species in complex mixtures. The system, called a liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer, has application in environmental studies of soils, sediments and natural waters; in control of quality of potable water supplies; studies of natural products and plant extracts; and in studies related to petroleum exploration, production, and environmental issues. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0882836
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$160,000.00
Summary
A novel isotope facility to characterise high-molecular-weight fractions of natural organic matter in soils, sediments, water, petroleum and coal. This facility will improve our ability to forecast environmental responses to future climate change, and help Australia manage current threats to its biodiversity. Furthermore, this research will increase the ability to identify crude oil sources, to the benefit of petroleum exploration in Australia. This facility will also contribute to an improved u ....A novel isotope facility to characterise high-molecular-weight fractions of natural organic matter in soils, sediments, water, petroleum and coal. This facility will improve our ability to forecast environmental responses to future climate change, and help Australia manage current threats to its biodiversity. Furthermore, this research will increase the ability to identify crude oil sources, to the benefit of petroleum exploration in Australia. This facility will also contribute to an improved understanding of controls on water quality and will help to protect our precious freshwater resources, already under intense pressure from climate change. Importantly, this project will enable students and young professionals to be trained in state-of-the-art technology, leading to quality scientists ready for employment in industry.
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Reconstruction of anoxic and toxic conditions in Australian lakes and ancient oceans. Sustainable water quality is a critically important issue for Australia's economic and social development. To be able to predict and plan the future of Australia's lakes and estuaries, it is crucial to understand their ecological past and to determine their state prior to and post-European settlement. This project develops and applies novel methodologies to reconstruct the history of cyanobacterial blooms, eutr ....Reconstruction of anoxic and toxic conditions in Australian lakes and ancient oceans. Sustainable water quality is a critically important issue for Australia's economic and social development. To be able to predict and plan the future of Australia's lakes and estuaries, it is crucial to understand their ecological past and to determine their state prior to and post-European settlement. This project develops and applies novel methodologies to reconstruct the history of cyanobacterial blooms, eutrophication and anoxia in Australian waterways. It will help to identify human impact on water quality. The new methodologies, applied to ancient sedimentary rocks, will also yield information about the effect of environmental changes on early life on Earth, enforcing Australia's position in the study of global geochemical cycles.Read moreRead less
Biosphere, hydrocarbon and ore fluid interactions in the Early Precambrian. Ore deposits and petroleum are important for economic and social areas of Australia's growth. New discoveries are needed to maintain Australia's wealth as mines reach the end of operations and petroleum supplies decrease. This project will demonstrate how ore fluids and hydrocarbons interact in the geological environment. It should, therefore greatly expand the conceptual framework in which to explore for both mineral an ....Biosphere, hydrocarbon and ore fluid interactions in the Early Precambrian. Ore deposits and petroleum are important for economic and social areas of Australia's growth. New discoveries are needed to maintain Australia's wealth as mines reach the end of operations and petroleum supplies decrease. This project will demonstrate how ore fluids and hydrocarbons interact in the geological environment. It should, therefore greatly expand the conceptual framework in which to explore for both mineral and hydrocarbon resources, particularly in old, deep and hot basins, which are considered to be the last frontiers of exploration. Outcomes concerning the nature of early life will be of global interest.Read moreRead less
Molecular fossils, environmental genomics and the natural history of an Australian salt lake. Increasing salinity of lakes is a critical problem for sustainable water supply in Australia. To comprehend the consequences of human-induced salinization, it is crucial to understand salt lakes at their most fundamental level. This project develops pioneering technologies to elucidate the microbial ecology and geochemistry of salt lakes in unprecedented detail. It will open new pathways to unravel how ....Molecular fossils, environmental genomics and the natural history of an Australian salt lake. Increasing salinity of lakes is a critical problem for sustainable water supply in Australia. To comprehend the consequences of human-induced salinization, it is crucial to understand salt lakes at their most fundamental level. This project develops pioneering technologies to elucidate the microbial ecology and geochemistry of salt lakes in unprecedented detail. It will open new pathways to unravel how microbial ecosystems adapt to increasing salinization, and how they reacted to climate fluctuations in the past. Students will gain multidisciplinary skills in environmental genomics, proteomics and geochemistry, a unique combination that will become decisive for understanding and preserving ecosystems on our continent.Read moreRead less
UPTAKE OF ATMOSPHERIC CO2 IN THE OCEANS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL CHANGE: NEW PROXY DEVELOPMENTS. This project aims to quantify the response of the oceans to increasing atmospheric CO2 from anthropogenic production. This will be achieved by using newly developed paleoceanographic indicators in deep sea sediments, corals and coralline sponges. These will be used to evaluate changes in seawater acidity and the response of the oceans to past variations in atmospheric CO2. The capacity and role o ....UPTAKE OF ATMOSPHERIC CO2 IN THE OCEANS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL CHANGE: NEW PROXY DEVELOPMENTS. This project aims to quantify the response of the oceans to increasing atmospheric CO2 from anthropogenic production. This will be achieved by using newly developed paleoceanographic indicators in deep sea sediments, corals and coralline sponges. These will be used to evaluate changes in seawater acidity and the response of the oceans to past variations in atmospheric CO2. The capacity and role of the oceans to buffer the rise of atmospheric of CO2 will be ascertained. This will provide constraints on the impact of increased seawater acidity on coral reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef.Read moreRead less
The composition and transport of Australian air-borne dust: critical to continental and marine environments. This project will determine the composition of Australian airborne dust and effects on the environment and in particular soils, rainforests and the marine realm, including reefs. 'Fingerprinting' the chemical and microbiological content of aeolian dust is of particular relevance to determining its impact on the health of the Australian people and environment. Atmospheric conditions propit ....The composition and transport of Australian air-borne dust: critical to continental and marine environments. This project will determine the composition of Australian airborne dust and effects on the environment and in particular soils, rainforests and the marine realm, including reefs. 'Fingerprinting' the chemical and microbiological content of aeolian dust is of particular relevance to determining its impact on the health of the Australian people and environment. Atmospheric conditions propitious for dust entrainment and transport will be determined, and in particular atmospheric exchanges between Indonesia, southern Africa and Australia will be established. The relevance of aeolian dust to climate, ecosystems and biosecurity in our region will be established through the study of marine and lacustrine cores.Read moreRead less
The key role of the Southern Ocean in atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The integrated approach proposed in this study aims to quantify past changes in marine productivity and its role in controlling past atmospheric CO2 variations. This will be achieved by studying deep sea sediments from the Southern Ocean, a key area with a fundamental importance in the global ocean biological pump. This research will enhance our understanding of the linkages connecting marine biota, the ocean carbon cycle and g ....The key role of the Southern Ocean in atmospheric CO2 sequestration. The integrated approach proposed in this study aims to quantify past changes in marine productivity and its role in controlling past atmospheric CO2 variations. This will be achieved by studying deep sea sediments from the Southern Ocean, a key area with a fundamental importance in the global ocean biological pump. This research will enhance our understanding of the linkages connecting marine biota, the ocean carbon cycle and global climate, providing the basis for more reliable predictions about the impacts of the recent rapid atmospheric CO2 increase. Possible remediation solutions involving marine phytoplankton to this CO2 excess will be thoroughly assessed.Read moreRead less