Understanding Australia by analysing wastewater during the Census 2021 . This project aims to utilise the Australian Census 2021, a unique opportunity to link exposure to chemical and biological hazards with catchment socio-demographic data via systematic wastewater analysis. The project is expected to advance our capabilities to identify emerging hazards and understand factors that affect spatiotemporal trends in hazards across Australia. Moreover, in a world first, the project aims to assess c ....Understanding Australia by analysing wastewater during the Census 2021 . This project aims to utilise the Australian Census 2021, a unique opportunity to link exposure to chemical and biological hazards with catchment socio-demographic data via systematic wastewater analysis. The project is expected to advance our capabilities to identify emerging hazards and understand factors that affect spatiotemporal trends in hazards across Australia. Moreover, in a world first, the project aims to assess chemical fate on a national level by linking sales/use with fate and release from wastewater treatment plants and assess treatment efficiency at >100 plants around Australia. The project expects to provide insight for government, wastewater managers and industry into hazards that may affect environmental and human health.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL120100108
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,849,770.00
Summary
Surrogate ecology: when and where can it work to improve environmental management? New empirical analyses and new ecological theory will be used to discover where, when and how to best apply surrogates. New capacity will be built in surrogate ecology and the results used to significantly enhance the effective management and monitoring of environments and biodiversity both in Australia and worldwide.
Development Of Alternative Fishing Practices For The Harvesting Of Wild And Re-seeded Scallop Beds In Tasmania
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Summary
Objectives: 1. Determine efficiency of beam, triple & prawn trawling methods for harvesting scallops. 2. Investigate different in efficiency & bottom damage between sputnik dredge & Japanese keta-ami dredge. 3. Study dredge & trawl net behaviour using CSIRO underwater surveillance equip
Seafood CRC: Quantifying Physiological And Behavioural Responses Of Cultured Abalone To Stress Events
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$102,545.04
Summary
It is desirable for any primary producer to understand the health and welfare of their stock. This will ultimately enable optimal production and return on investment.
The challenge in any aquaculture system is ‘observing’ the physiological and behavioural responses associated with environment, production and other stressors; all factors that impact on the animal health and welfare and so overall production efficiency. Suboptimal health is often associated with culturing conditions, an ....It is desirable for any primary producer to understand the health and welfare of their stock. This will ultimately enable optimal production and return on investment.
The challenge in any aquaculture system is ‘observing’ the physiological and behavioural responses associated with environment, production and other stressors; all factors that impact on the animal health and welfare and so overall production efficiency. Suboptimal health is often associated with culturing conditions, and this is predicted to become more prevalent and unpredictable with a changing climate. There is therefore an immediate and long-term need to overcome the 'observation' challenge.
How do we know if conditions are optimal, and the observed performance efficient and sustainable? Generally for aquaculture species, such as molluscs, it is through measurements of growth rate and survival, equating to biomass produced, rather than on metabolic and behaviour observations on the animal, that are difficult to observe and poorly understood. Therefore there is limited information available for optimising the commercial environment from the animal’s perspective.
Sub-optimal conditions lead to stress, and there are multiple (observed and unobserved) stressors or stress events within a commercial growout system, the impact of which on an abalone’s physiology is poorly understood. Measurement of an animal’s response to stress is usually retrospective of the event and via invasive sample collection (an additional stressor).
This proposal is taking advantage of the development of a new research tool (“biologger”) for the in-situ measurement of physiological and behavioural parameters to gain an understanding of the response of the abalone to a range of commonly experienced and predicted stressors in a commercial system. This research will provide knowledge for refining farm management protocols, and in the longer-term for developing real-time bio-monitoring of farm management protocols.
Objectives: 1. To determine the physiological coping ranges and responses of temperate abalone to various environmental and production stressors measured under controlled laboratory conditions. 2. To attempt to monitor in-situ farmed temperate abalone under commercial conditions to identify and understand the key physiological and behavioural responses to a variety of production stessors 3. To develop preliminary algorithms to enable interpretation of data from biologgers in the context of physiological and behavioural response to identified stressors 4. To identify any potential applications of existing biologgers to improve current farm management protocols Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100137
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$881,758.00
Summary
Australian Environmental Specimen Bank: advancing specimen bank capability. The aim of this LIEF is to advance Australia’s specimen banking capabilities through a new, enhanced national facility, the Australian Environmental Specimen Bank (AESB). The AESB would be founded on a unique current archive of human and environmental samples established by the partners to the LIEF. Importantly, the AESB would be managed as a nationally available (to all public sector researchers), operationally self-fun ....Australian Environmental Specimen Bank: advancing specimen bank capability. The aim of this LIEF is to advance Australia’s specimen banking capabilities through a new, enhanced national facility, the Australian Environmental Specimen Bank (AESB). The AESB would be founded on a unique current archive of human and environmental samples established by the partners to the LIEF. Importantly, the AESB would be managed as a nationally available (to all public sector researchers), operationally self-funded resource for integrated exposure research into the future. The archive is expected to support longitudinal and cross-sectional studies to assess trends in exposure to chemical and biological hazards in the Australian population, identify emerging hazards, and provide a scientific basis for policy and regulatory actions.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100132
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,909.00
Summary
Population genetics from environmental DNA to revolutionise conservation. This project aims to revolutionise conservation monitoring by developing environmental DNA tools to rapidly and efficiently extract detailed genetic data on entire populations from a simple environmental sample. This project expects to significantly enhance conservation management by providing critical information on genetic diversity and population health. Expected outcomes include new techniques to collect population gen ....Population genetics from environmental DNA to revolutionise conservation. This project aims to revolutionise conservation monitoring by developing environmental DNA tools to rapidly and efficiently extract detailed genetic data on entire populations from a simple environmental sample. This project expects to significantly enhance conservation management by providing critical information on genetic diversity and population health. Expected outcomes include new techniques to collect population genetic information with increased speed and affordability, enhancing the capacity for both industry and government to address conservation questions. This project is likely to provide significant benefits for aquatic conservation, where traditional monitoring proves problematic for many cryptic, elusive or rare species.Read moreRead less
Ecohydrological forecasting: the pivotal role of root-zone soil moisture. This project aims to overcome the scientific and technological challenges preventing soil water and vegetation forecasting at useful land management scales (eg. 25 m). The significance is in enabling an unprecedented hyperresolution modelling capability for Australia through the integration of new ecohydrological theory with a range of satellite observations. Outcomes include more accurate, spatially-detailed information o ....Ecohydrological forecasting: the pivotal role of root-zone soil moisture. This project aims to overcome the scientific and technological challenges preventing soil water and vegetation forecasting at useful land management scales (eg. 25 m). The significance is in enabling an unprecedented hyperresolution modelling capability for Australia through the integration of new ecohydrological theory with a range of satellite observations. Outcomes include more accurate, spatially-detailed information of current soil water amounts, and reliable forecasts of vegetation condition several months into the future. This will greatly enhance timely decision making and forward planning by farmers, fire agencies, and other land and water managers, with corresponding increases in productivity, sustainability and community safety.Read moreRead less
Oysters Australia IPA: Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS) – Closing Knowledge Gaps To Continue Farming C. Gigas In Australia
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$463,700.00
Summary
POMS, caused by OsHV-1, has devastated C. gigas farming in two estuaries in NSW. Australia’s other growing areas are free (survey 2011). Expert opinion is that the virus will spread, but the time frame is unpredictable; TAS and SA are at great risk. Research to find a solution to continue farming is an immediate priority to protect the ~$53M pa industry.
Farming C. gigas in the face of POMS requires improvements in both husbandry and genetics. Genetically resistant stock will not be av ....POMS, caused by OsHV-1, has devastated C. gigas farming in two estuaries in NSW. Australia’s other growing areas are free (survey 2011). Expert opinion is that the virus will spread, but the time frame is unpredictable; TAS and SA are at great risk. Research to find a solution to continue farming is an immediate priority to protect the ~$53M pa industry.
Farming C. gigas in the face of POMS requires improvements in both husbandry and genetics. Genetically resistant stock will not be available commercially until 2018, with partial resistance (POMS R&D Coordination Committee report).
Improved husbandry is needed at all stages of the production cycle. It is addressed by this application, which builds on research in FRDC projects 2011/053 and 2012/032 that led to breakthroughs in understanding the epidemiology of POMS: mortality can be completely prevented in hatcheries using relatively simple water treatments, and reduced by 50% in adult stock (but not juveniles) by raising the growing height. However, many growers do not have infrastructure for this.
In June 2014 industry stated it would benefit from information about consistency of seasonal infection, changes in the virus, hatchery biosecurity, and whether spat can be certified free from infection.
Growers at SAOGA August 2014 reiterated that they urgently need a strategy for juvenile grow out and rack and rail systems that can't easily be elevated.
Priorities were confirmed in a face to face meeting with TORC members on 28th August 2014. Objectives were reviewed by Oysters Australia R&D committee on 1/12/14, and modified accordingly, leading to this full application.
This project fits within the FRDC 2015 Environment Priority 5: development of robust methodologies for investigation of mollusk disease outbreaks; integrated health management for commercial molluscs, which flow from priorities of the Aquatic Animal Health Subprogram. Objectives: 1. To determine methods for the conditioning/husbandry of spat and juvenile oysters to obtain survival after exposure to OsHV-1 based on improved scientific understanding of exposure, pathogenesis, immunity, tolerance or latency 2. To confirm i) the consistency of seasonal patterns of POMS, ii) the periodicity of infection within season, iii) inter-estuary temperature variation, and iv) predict POMS seasonal behaviour. 3. To identify changes in OsHV-1 DNA sequence over time (2010-2016) to understand infection and disease patterns 4. To investigate the mechanisms of survival of Pacific oysters after exposure to OsHV-1, including assessment of exposure dose and using biosensors 5. To determine whether water treatments prevent OsHV-1 infection of spat or merely prevent mortality, and whether they can be applied for biosecurity of hatchery effluent 6. To describe an integrated disease control strategy based on complementary use of genetically resistant oysters (when available) and husbandry methods throughout the production cycle: hatchery-juvenile-growout to market 7. To build capacity in aquatic animal health for Australian industry through training a post graduate student Read moreRead less
Assessing The Capacity For Sustainable Finfish Aquaculture In The Vicinity Of Seagrasses
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$478,825.00
Summary
Globally, aquaculture accounts for over 50% of fish production. However, if poorly planned, rapid expansion to meet the ever increasing demand for seafood brings with it an environmental risk associated with eutrophication and organic enrichment of the seabed, adversely affecting marine coastal ecosystems. Approximately 75-85% of the nitrogen discharged from finfish aquaculture is dissolved and dispersed to nearby habitats. A major spatial constraint on aquaculture in nearshore areas around much ....Globally, aquaculture accounts for over 50% of fish production. However, if poorly planned, rapid expansion to meet the ever increasing demand for seafood brings with it an environmental risk associated with eutrophication and organic enrichment of the seabed, adversely affecting marine coastal ecosystems. Approximately 75-85% of the nitrogen discharged from finfish aquaculture is dissolved and dispersed to nearby habitats. A major spatial constraint on aquaculture in nearshore areas around much of Australia is the potential for these dispersed nutrients to negatively affect seagrasses. Seagrasses can be sensitive to increases in nitrogen, which can lead to habitat loss. This loss can have significant environmental and economic impacts with potential losses of ecosystem services including decreases in commercial and recreational fisheries catches, increases in sand instability and erosion, reduced biodiversity, loss of nitrogen assimilation and cycling, and loss of carbon sequestration.
In other situations, small increases in nutrients may have a positive effect on seagrasses, and thus it is not clear what the consequences of aquaculture derived nutrients will be. Subsequently, we can’t robustly determine the level of finfish aquaculture that can be sustainably supported by seagrass ecosystems. There is therefore a need to develop a process to determine the likelihood of seagrass growth (or loss) due to aquaculture derived nutrient inputs. This work will develop metrics that can be used in other aquaculture developments and in long-term regional monitoring.
Clean Seas Seafood Pty Ltd are developing a new lease for the sea-cage aquaculture of 4500 tonnes of yellowtail kingfish (YTK) in the Fitzgerald Bay region. The nearshore habitats throughout the region are dominated by long-lived Posidonia seagrass. While Fitzgerald Bay was the original focus of YTK aquaculture in SA, it has not been utilised for ~10 years, essentially giving us the potential to study this system prior to the commencement of aquaculture (currently planned for ~ July 2019), as well as while production is increasing, and it thus provides an ideal case study for assessing how to sustainably farm finfish in a seagrass dominated ecosystem.
Objectives: 1. Determine cost-effective approaches to assessing the influence of finfish aquaculture derived nutrients on seagrasses, and using Fitzgerald Bay as a case study, what that influence is. 2. Develop a predictive modelling ability to estimate carrying capacity and allow scenario analysis of future aquaculture development and how it might affect seagrasses, to allow managers to make informed decisions about where to place future developments, and how much to allow existing developments to expand. 3. Use Fitzgerald Bay as a case study to document seagrass condition using a range of metrics both before the commencement of finfish aquaculture, and once production has reached a substantial level. 4. Develop a range of cost-effective indicators for monitoring the effects of aquaculture on adjacent seagrass beds. Read moreRead less
Aquafin CRC - Atlantic Salmon Aquaculture Subprogram: A Whole-of-ecosystem Assessment Of Environmental Issues For Salmonid Aquaculture
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$1,101,828.00
Summary
The salmonid aquaculture industry depends on a healthy and suitable marine environment to maintain production and profitability. Over recent years, the industry has faced a number of environmental challenges, including algal blooms, jellyfish swarms, warm waters and high salinities. Salmon farms remain a significant point source of nutrients into the marine environment. While stocking densities in Tasmania are generally lower than overseas, and expansion of the industry is currently curtailed, i ....The salmonid aquaculture industry depends on a healthy and suitable marine environment to maintain production and profitability. Over recent years, the industry has faced a number of environmental challenges, including algal blooms, jellyfish swarms, warm waters and high salinities. Salmon farms remain a significant point source of nutrients into the marine environment. While stocking densities in Tasmania are generally lower than overseas, and expansion of the industry is currently curtailed, it is still important to establish a carrying capacity which fosters a healthy and productive industry and protects marine environmental values.
Evaluation of this combination of issues and risks constitutes a significant scientific challenge. System-wide environmental effects such as the frequency and composition of phytoplankton blooms and jellyfish swarms, and possible effects on benthic communities may affect industry production and profitability. Equally, regulators and the public need assurance that marine ecosystems will not undergo unacceptable environmental change as industry develops. Industry and managers require a capability to resolve and predict environmental response to changes in offshore ocean inputs, changes in catchment loads, and effects of the industry itself. Advances in observation technologies, in scientific understanding, and in modelling capability are needed to underpin both long-term planning and short-term operational decisions. The goal here is for the CRC to work with industry and regultors to provide an environmental information and prediction system which allows each to manage environmental risk.
DPIWE has expressed a particular need to understand nutrient budgets in salmon-growing areas to assess how many fish can be grown. Salmon farmers have expressed a specific industry need for early warning of the advent of a phytoplankton bloom, and early warning of the likely level of threat of the bloom. Within the confines of the budget and logistical constraints we will attempt to meet both needs.
Objectives: 1. 1. Identification, characterisation and modelling of the key oceanographic and ecological features of the Huon Estuary and D'Entrecasteaux Channel and how these may affect or limit salmon cage farming, together with an assessment of possible industry responses. 2. Inventory of the sources of nutrients in this region, including those from salmon farms, their spatial and temporal variation, nutrient cycling, and impacts on pelagic and benthic production. 3. Definition of the factors driving the phytoplankton ecology of this region, especially interactions among phytoplankton and zooplankton (including jellyfish) 4. Determination of the role of carbon remineralisation in sediments with nutrient release into the water column in relation to the varying spatial and temporal environmental conditions 5. Design of a new monitoring system and adaptive management strategy for use by industry and DPIWE together with definition of associated indicators and standards Read moreRead less