Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220100079
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,582.00
Summary
Redefining success in marine ecosystem restoration. This project aims to improve evaluations of marine ecosystem restoration through the measurement of key animal health metrics, and automated monitoring using artificial intelligence. This project expects to generate unique knowledge about why ecosystem restoration succeeds or fails, and improve our understanding of how animal data can better inform future restoration projects. The expected outcomes will enhance our capacity to use new and effic ....Redefining success in marine ecosystem restoration. This project aims to improve evaluations of marine ecosystem restoration through the measurement of key animal health metrics, and automated monitoring using artificial intelligence. This project expects to generate unique knowledge about why ecosystem restoration succeeds or fails, and improve our understanding of how animal data can better inform future restoration projects. The expected outcomes will enhance our capacity to use new and efficient techniques to monitor and evaluate ecosystem restoration in a more ecologically valid way. Benefits include more effective ecosystem restoration, wildlife conservation, and the enhancement of ecosystem services including sustainable fishing and eco-tourism.Read moreRead less
Clothes, fibres and filters that reduce pollution by micro and nano debris. This project aims to provide scientifically verified methods to avoid, intercept and redesign products that cause the most abundant type of marine plastic pollution – clothing fibres - which has increased by over 450% in 60 years. It will determine how natural and plastic fibres, clothing brands and washing machine filters, alter fibre emissions and ecological impacts. This will enable protocols to improve products and t ....Clothes, fibres and filters that reduce pollution by micro and nano debris. This project aims to provide scientifically verified methods to avoid, intercept and redesign products that cause the most abundant type of marine plastic pollution – clothing fibres - which has increased by over 450% in 60 years. It will determine how natural and plastic fibres, clothing brands and washing machine filters, alter fibre emissions and ecological impacts. This will enable protocols to improve products and the environment, and reduce health risks that will benefit the public, government regulation and companies in designing "eco-friendly" products.Read moreRead less
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
Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. This project aims to develop decision tools to predict how different management plans could affect the persistence of coastal ecosystems and their capacity to sequester carbon. Coastal ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems (seagrasses, saltmarshes, mangroves) are among Earth’s most efficient carbon sinks, but coastal development and climate change threaten their capa ....Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. Optimal management of coastal ecosystems for blue carbon sequestration. This project aims to develop decision tools to predict how different management plans could affect the persistence of coastal ecosystems and their capacity to sequester carbon. Coastal ‘blue carbon’ ecosystems (seagrasses, saltmarshes, mangroves) are among Earth’s most efficient carbon sinks, but coastal development and climate change threaten their capacity to sequester carbon. Resource managers urgently need guidance to manage coasts to minimise carbon losses and maximise gains. This project is expected to develop knowledge of how to manage blue carbon ecosystems to achieve maximum carbon sequestration capacity, and to put Australia at the forefront of international efforts to incorporate coastal carbon within carbon dioxide mitigation strategies.Read moreRead less
Developing a framework for effective oyster reef restoration. This project aims to investigate ecological barriers to the recovery of functionally extinct Sydney Rock Oyster reefs on Australia’s east coast, and restoration methods to reinstate their key ecosystem services. This project expects to create new knowledge for designing functional reefs by integrating physiology, population, community and landscape ecology. Expected outcomes are an ecological decision framework for effective oyster re ....Developing a framework for effective oyster reef restoration. This project aims to investigate ecological barriers to the recovery of functionally extinct Sydney Rock Oyster reefs on Australia’s east coast, and restoration methods to reinstate their key ecosystem services. This project expects to create new knowledge for designing functional reefs by integrating physiology, population, community and landscape ecology. Expected outcomes are an ecological decision framework for effective oyster reef restoration that can be integrated into management and policy. This project should provide significant benefits, such as the development of key strategic alliances to enhance management of estuaries, and reestablish the environmental, economic and social benefits of oyster reefs.Read moreRead less
Linking flow, nutrients, seagrass and fish: an integrated approach to estuary management. Estuaries are iconic recreational areas providing both ecological habitat and millions of dollars in revenue to the tourism and fisheries industries. How estuaries respond to human pressures is highly variable with some such as the Gippsland Lakes succumbing to algal blooms, whilst other heavily nutrient laden systems such as the Werribee Estuary support extremely high fish populations. This project aims to ....Linking flow, nutrients, seagrass and fish: an integrated approach to estuary management. Estuaries are iconic recreational areas providing both ecological habitat and millions of dollars in revenue to the tourism and fisheries industries. How estuaries respond to human pressures is highly variable with some such as the Gippsland Lakes succumbing to algal blooms, whilst other heavily nutrient laden systems such as the Werribee Estuary support extremely high fish populations. This project aims to lead to an understanding of the links between freshwater flow, blue-green algal blooms, and recruitment of a key fishery species, black bream. The outcome of the project aims to give catchment managers greater confidence in setting levels of environmental flows that will both support fish populations but also mitigate against algal blooms.Read moreRead less
Oyster biomonitor for endocrine disrupting chemicals. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can produce alarming detrimental impacts on the reproduction and survival of aquatic species, though little is presently known in terms of their effect and impacts on sensitive marine invertebrate species. We propose the development and validation of the first marine mollusc as a biomonitor for the detection and impact assessment of estrogenic contaminants in Australian estuarine and marine waterbodies. S ....Oyster biomonitor for endocrine disrupting chemicals. Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can produce alarming detrimental impacts on the reproduction and survival of aquatic species, though little is presently known in terms of their effect and impacts on sensitive marine invertebrate species. We propose the development and validation of the first marine mollusc as a biomonitor for the detection and impact assessment of estrogenic contaminants in Australian estuarine and marine waterbodies. Such biomonitors will provide water management agencies with the capability to manage estrogenic effluent discharges and provide the oyster industry with a tool to prevent product contamination, ensuring the continued health and sustainability of our aquatic resources.Read moreRead less
Interactions between denitrification and carbon mineralisation in permeable sediments: A new approach using state of the art instruments and modelling. Excessive nutrient release from manmade sources may lead to algal blooms in aquatic environments. Nitrogen is a nutrient of particular concern in coastal waters because it controls algal growth. Aquatic environments are able to cleanse themselves of excess nitrogen by a process known as denitrification which happens in the sediments. Amazingly ....Interactions between denitrification and carbon mineralisation in permeable sediments: A new approach using state of the art instruments and modelling. Excessive nutrient release from manmade sources may lead to algal blooms in aquatic environments. Nitrogen is a nutrient of particular concern in coastal waters because it controls algal growth. Aquatic environments are able to cleanse themselves of excess nitrogen by a process known as denitrification which happens in the sediments. Amazingly, we have no understanding of how denitrification works in sands despite the fact that most of the coastline is covered in sand. The results from this project will provide critical information needed to predict and reduce algal blooms in coastal waters.Read moreRead less
Anthropogenic influences on the source, transformation and fate of carbon and nitrogen in coastal waters: a case study of the Derwent Estuary. Ninety five percent of Australia's population live in the coastal zone on the shores of our major bays and estuaries. These water bodies are valuable resources for recreation, boating, fishing, marine transport and industry, but some activities, particularly the release of nitrogen, impose an environmental and economic cost. This project will significant ....Anthropogenic influences on the source, transformation and fate of carbon and nitrogen in coastal waters: a case study of the Derwent Estuary. Ninety five percent of Australia's population live in the coastal zone on the shores of our major bays and estuaries. These water bodies are valuable resources for recreation, boating, fishing, marine transport and industry, but some activities, particularly the release of nitrogen, impose an environmental and economic cost. This project will significantly advance our understanding of the natural processes that control the transformation and fate of nitrogen in coastal waters. As such the outcomes of this study will provide key information for managers on the environmental outcomes of nutrient management strategies.Read moreRead less
Reconciling competing objectives for the design of marine reserve networks: biodiversity, food security, and local equity in benefits. This project uses a decision-theoretic framework to balance the often conflicting marine conservation objectives of preserving biodiversity and building food security for local communities in the socially and ecologically complex region of the Coral Triangle. A new reserve design will boost biodiversity conservation and better support livelihoods.