Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100141
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$420,000.00
Summary
High-resolution ITRAX XRF core scanning facility for global change research. This facility will enable researchers to obtain high-resolution geochemical profiles in the study of environmental change and climate variability. It will provide archive data on the variation of density and chemical element composition along sediment and soil cores, rock cores, wood samples, speleothems and corals. These archives contain important information such as human activity, climate variability, water quality c ....High-resolution ITRAX XRF core scanning facility for global change research. This facility will enable researchers to obtain high-resolution geochemical profiles in the study of environmental change and climate variability. It will provide archive data on the variation of density and chemical element composition along sediment and soil cores, rock cores, wood samples, speleothems and corals. These archives contain important information such as human activity, climate variability, water quality changes, pollution histories, recent geomorphological change, land-use change, introduction of invasive species and the occurrence of bushfires. A better understanding of the occurrence and timing of these major environmental issues is of national and regional importance.Read moreRead less
Biotransformation and biodegradation of organic nitrogen compounds from wastewater in bio-electrochemical systems. The rapid emergence of water recycling in Australia requires more vigilant control of pollutants that are discharged to sewers. This project will develop a novel, cost-effective process to remove organic nitrogen compounds (and likely other organics) present in many industrial wastewaters. It could provide an excellent solution for the pre-treatment of such industrial wastewaters at ....Biotransformation and biodegradation of organic nitrogen compounds from wastewater in bio-electrochemical systems. The rapid emergence of water recycling in Australia requires more vigilant control of pollutants that are discharged to sewers. This project will develop a novel, cost-effective process to remove organic nitrogen compounds (and likely other organics) present in many industrial wastewaters. It could provide an excellent solution for the pre-treatment of such industrial wastewaters at the source without any chemical addition, hence reducing the challenge and risks facing the water recycling plants. This innovative technology will further expand the growing research capacity and know-how in water recycling in Australia.Read moreRead less
Adaptation of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) to Climate Change, Changing Transport Patterns and Urban Form. This research will (a) provide guidance on future adaptations of stormwater quality infrastructure, (b) provide better scientific understanding of pollutant movements in urban systems and (c) provide methodology to 'future proof' infrastructure design against the pressures of climate change and urban population growth. Project outputs will (a) enable water-sensitive urban designs to b ....Adaptation of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) to Climate Change, Changing Transport Patterns and Urban Form. This research will (a) provide guidance on future adaptations of stormwater quality infrastructure, (b) provide better scientific understanding of pollutant movements in urban systems and (c) provide methodology to 'future proof' infrastructure design against the pressures of climate change and urban population growth. Project outputs will (a) enable water-sensitive urban designs to be applied reliably and (b) minimise the cost of re-building assets before the end of their design life due to climate change. The ultimate benefit is the reduction in water pollution from roadways leading to improved human and ecosystem well-being of urban communities.Read moreRead less
Development of Environmental Health Indicators in the Context of Sustainable Development. Protecting and promoting community well-being and population health is an essential aspect of sustainable development (SD). It is critical, therefore, to develop rigorous environmental health indicators (EHIs) to provide solid bases for the planning of SD and environmental management decision-making. However, a framework for the development of EHIs has not been attempted. This research aims to increase fun ....Development of Environmental Health Indicators in the Context of Sustainable Development. Protecting and promoting community well-being and population health is an essential aspect of sustainable development (SD). It is critical, therefore, to develop rigorous environmental health indicators (EHIs) to provide solid bases for the planning of SD and environmental management decision-making. However, a framework for the development of EHIs has not been attempted. This research aims to increase fundamental knowledge on the relationship between EHIs and SD, to identify a core and extended set of EHIs, and to assess implications of EHIs in the planning of SD and environmental management. A framework for identification and application of EHIs will be developed.Read moreRead less
Hydrodynamics and Mixing around Coral Reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's great natural resources, an international environmental icon and a major contributor to the tourist industry in Queensland. The issues we will address are aligned with GBRMPA strategic priorities concerning effects on the ecology of climate change. This research will help delineate the physical processes responsible for the most serious potential impacts, which are of importance to management strategies to ....Hydrodynamics and Mixing around Coral Reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is one of Australia's great natural resources, an international environmental icon and a major contributor to the tourist industry in Queensland. The issues we will address are aligned with GBRMPA strategic priorities concerning effects on the ecology of climate change. This research will help delineate the physical processes responsible for the most serious potential impacts, which are of importance to management strategies to be determined by GBRMPA. Other policy related issues range from sewage dispersal from coastal communities to marine accidents and fuel spills. Informed management strategies are crucial to successful future reef management. Read moreRead less
The role of learning in conservation management: developing adaptive approaches for the conservation of biodiversity in a changing climate. Biodiversity underpins several major industries: agriculture, tourism, forestry and fisheries. To mitigate the loss of biodiversity, there have been significant investments from all levels of government, including 2.2 billion dollars to manage biodiversity and 138 million dollars simply to gather data on the impact of climatic changes. Despite this well inte ....The role of learning in conservation management: developing adaptive approaches for the conservation of biodiversity in a changing climate. Biodiversity underpins several major industries: agriculture, tourism, forestry and fisheries. To mitigate the loss of biodiversity, there have been significant investments from all levels of government, including 2.2 billion dollars to manage biodiversity and 138 million dollars simply to gather data on the impact of climatic changes. Despite this well intended funding, the key questions of how to best allocate this money between the many threatened species and regions of Australia, and how to adapt this allocation in light of climatic changes, remain unanswered. Our research will develop explicit and practical frameworks by which we can cost efficiently learn and act simultaneously.Read moreRead less
Environmental fingerprints of biogeochemical cycles embedded in tree rings: Linking global climate change to local long-term forest productivity. Forests cover one-third of the Earth's land surface and account for 80-90% of plant carbon and 30-40% of soil carbon. Forest carbon stocks and dynamics respond to and interact with global climate change (GCC). Recent tree ring research highlights the worsening impact of GCC and acid deposition on long-term forest productivity in central Europe. This pr ....Environmental fingerprints of biogeochemical cycles embedded in tree rings: Linking global climate change to local long-term forest productivity. Forests cover one-third of the Earth's land surface and account for 80-90% of plant carbon and 30-40% of soil carbon. Forest carbon stocks and dynamics respond to and interact with global climate change (GCC). Recent tree ring research highlights the worsening impact of GCC and acid deposition on long-term forest productivity in central Europe. This project seeks to develop and apply novel tree ring technologies for linking biogeochemical cycles of carbon and nutrients to long-term forest productivity in different regions, and to provide a scientific basis for accounting for long-term forest productivity and carbon stocks in response to future GCC.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the last great Gondwanan mystery: the first land vertebrate fauna from the Tertiary of New Zealand. This project will dramatically increase knowledge about Australia's and New Zealand's shared biodiversity and the history of trans-Tasman dispersals. By comparing Australian and New Zealand fossil records, it will be possible to assess the speed at which evolving vertebrates of one landmass invade another, as well as the biotic consequences of such events, and provide data important fo ....Unravelling the last great Gondwanan mystery: the first land vertebrate fauna from the Tertiary of New Zealand. This project will dramatically increase knowledge about Australia's and New Zealand's shared biodiversity and the history of trans-Tasman dispersals. By comparing Australian and New Zealand fossil records, it will be possible to assess the speed at which evolving vertebrates of one landmass invade another, as well as the biotic consequences of such events, and provide data important for predicting and responding to future potentially-damaging events of this kind. Developing understanding about the timing and intensity of antipodean faunal response to past climate change will improve ability to anticipate and manage processes that threaten ecosystem resilience in both lands.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100041
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$100,000.00
Summary
A high-resolution isotope facility for low cost analysis of water, plant, and soil/sediment samples to understand environmental change. The most significant environmental challenges facing Australia include ensuring sustainable management of our water resources and conservation of both terrestrial and marine biodiversity, particularly in the face of our changing climate and land-use. The new instruments will accelerate progress across a number of projects aimed at understanding the developme ....A high-resolution isotope facility for low cost analysis of water, plant, and soil/sediment samples to understand environmental change. The most significant environmental challenges facing Australia include ensuring sustainable management of our water resources and conservation of both terrestrial and marine biodiversity, particularly in the face of our changing climate and land-use. The new instruments will accelerate progress across a number of projects aimed at understanding the development of groundwater resources, the relative dependency of ecosystems on groundwater versus soil and surface water, and an assessment of the likely impacts of altered hydrology, especially dewatering and salinisation, on ecosystems. In addition, they will also be used to extend our knowledge of climate variability in the recent past and increase understanding of critical marine resources.Read moreRead less
Integrated Carbon Accounting and Information Management Systems. The aim of this project is to integrate environmental science and information technology to enhance carbon accounting management. The project is significant because it will provide for the first time a mechanism by which potential investors in forestry/carbon sequestration programs will be able to acquire online advice on what trees and soil types are most compatible, when and how to plant. This project will provide an interactive ....Integrated Carbon Accounting and Information Management Systems. The aim of this project is to integrate environmental science and information technology to enhance carbon accounting management. The project is significant because it will provide for the first time a mechanism by which potential investors in forestry/carbon sequestration programs will be able to acquire online advice on what trees and soil types are most compatible, when and how to plant. This project will provide an interactive web based program to calculate the environmental and economic value of such an investment, assess current market trends and access to scientists, brokers, current legislation and applicable publications.Read moreRead less