Natural flood management: Nature-based flood mitigation in the 21st Century. The 2021-22 floods in Eastern Australia revealed the vulnerability of rivers to climate extremes. To prepare for a future with more intense floods, we must integrate nature-based flood mitigation strategies into river management. This project aims to address the potential of using Natural Flood Management (NFM) as a 21st Century flood mitigation solution. NFM uses natural processes to slow floods, reduce erosion, and mi ....Natural flood management: Nature-based flood mitigation in the 21st Century. The 2021-22 floods in Eastern Australia revealed the vulnerability of rivers to climate extremes. To prepare for a future with more intense floods, we must integrate nature-based flood mitigation strategies into river management. This project aims to address the potential of using Natural Flood Management (NFM) as a 21st Century flood mitigation solution. NFM uses natural processes to slow floods, reduce erosion, and minimise flood risk. Collaborating with NSW government partners the project expects to deliver scientific evidence for NFM and solutions for implementation in river rehabilitation, planning and community capacity building. The results will impact society's ability to adapt, reduce economic costs, and benefit the environment.Read moreRead less
The paleoenvironmental evolution of Earth and Mars. The project proposes to develop and apply high-resolution isotopic and geochemical techniques to measure the timing and intensity of water-rock interactions at the Earth’s surface throughout the geological past. Water–rock interactions shape the Earth’s landscape, determine the composition of surface and groundwater, produce the soils that sustain life, and buffer the composition of the atmosphere. Ultimately, the project aims to generate a tim ....The paleoenvironmental evolution of Earth and Mars. The project proposes to develop and apply high-resolution isotopic and geochemical techniques to measure the timing and intensity of water-rock interactions at the Earth’s surface throughout the geological past. Water–rock interactions shape the Earth’s landscape, determine the composition of surface and groundwater, produce the soils that sustain life, and buffer the composition of the atmosphere. Ultimately, the project aims to generate a time-calibrated and continuous continental paleoenvironmental record for key sites in the southern hemisphere, spanning from the Mesozoic to the present. Results from this study may allow us to quantify water–rock interactions on Earth, and may also be applicable to investigating the hydrological cycle on Mars.Read moreRead less
Coastal wetlands: are our valuable carbon sinks vulnerable? Saline coastal wetlands store large amounts of carbon and are potentially the most efficient sinks of carbon amongst natural ecosystems. This project will use isotopic tracers to quantify carbon retention within saline coastal wetlands in southeastern Australia, establish the vulnerability of these wetlands to sea-level rise using estimates of sediment accretion and surface elevation change, and use this information to predict the distr ....Coastal wetlands: are our valuable carbon sinks vulnerable? Saline coastal wetlands store large amounts of carbon and are potentially the most efficient sinks of carbon amongst natural ecosystems. This project will use isotopic tracers to quantify carbon retention within saline coastal wetlands in southeastern Australia, establish the vulnerability of these wetlands to sea-level rise using estimates of sediment accretion and surface elevation change, and use this information to predict the distribution of saline coastal wetlands and estimate the carbon sequestration potential of coastal wetlands within a ‘low-carbon economy’. This project will remove impediments to the proper economic evaluation of saline coastal wetlands and enable restoration coastal wetlands to be used to offset carbon emissions.Read moreRead less
Response of estuaries to climate change: investigating their role as sediment sinks. This project will investigate the effect of climate change on estuaries and nearby ecosystems, settlements and infrastructure. Outcomes include a framework for assessing vulnerability, estimates of sedimentation and carbon sequestration, and models to explore the impact of climate change and adaptation options on estuaries and carbon sequestration.