Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100668
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$354,000.00
Summary
Are corals able to control their calcification in a changing ocean? The project aims to develop a new understanding of fundamental mechanisms responsible for coral calcification and its ability to acclimate to global warming and ocean acidification. Mineral skeleton formation by coral is the key process controlling the creation of reef structures upon which entire ecosystems depend. Despite the importance of coral to the function of reef ecosystems, how calcification works mechanistically within ....Are corals able to control their calcification in a changing ocean? The project aims to develop a new understanding of fundamental mechanisms responsible for coral calcification and its ability to acclimate to global warming and ocean acidification. Mineral skeleton formation by coral is the key process controlling the creation of reef structures upon which entire ecosystems depend. Despite the importance of coral to the function of reef ecosystems, how calcification works mechanistically within coral itself, and why small modifications of their physical and chemical habitat can have large effects on growth is presently poorly understood. This project seeks to provide this basic knowledge to improve our ability to assess the future of corals and help policy-makers take adequate measures to preserve coral reefs.Read moreRead less
The krill pump: transferring carbon across a layered ocean in a changing climate. Krill may have an important role in temperate oceanic ecosystems, and rise to the surface to feed at dusk, competing with other zooplankton and being eaten by commercial fish species. Their response to a rapidly warming ocean is a key unknown, especially with currents off eastern Australia warming 2.5 degrees Celsius by 2100.
Biological bet hedging in a variable ocean. This project aims to investigate how the functioning of photosynthetic plankton changes as they respond to increasing environmental variation, a significant uncertainty in ocean forecasts. The project will advance knowledge about phytoplankton nutrient acquisition strategies in increasingly variable environments. Expected outcomes include improved predictions of ocean ecosystem services. This knowledge will enhance food security, assisting the fisherie ....Biological bet hedging in a variable ocean. This project aims to investigate how the functioning of photosynthetic plankton changes as they respond to increasing environmental variation, a significant uncertainty in ocean forecasts. The project will advance knowledge about phytoplankton nutrient acquisition strategies in increasingly variable environments. Expected outcomes include improved predictions of ocean ecosystem services. This knowledge will enhance food security, assisting the fisheries, aquaculture and environment sector to develop effective adaptation strategies, and thereby safeguard the social and economic wellbeing of the communities that rely on them.Read moreRead less
Where currents collide: tracking the biological impacts of climate change. This project will track the effects of climate change on Australia's unique marine biodiversity. Understanding the impacts of changing ocean currents on our coastal communities underpins the conservation and management of our valuable coastal resources.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100929
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$462,948.00
Summary
Using ancient DNA to uncover climate change impacts on Antarctica. This project aims to utilise ancient DNA preserved in the seafloor to investigate how past Antarctic marine ecosystems have responded to past climatic changes, with a focus on the Holocene (last ~11,700 years). The study will generate the first-ever picture of marine community changes across the entire marine food web and unravel adaptation mechanisms of key marine organisms to climate shifts. Expected project outcomes will inclu ....Using ancient DNA to uncover climate change impacts on Antarctica. This project aims to utilise ancient DNA preserved in the seafloor to investigate how past Antarctic marine ecosystems have responded to past climatic changes, with a focus on the Holocene (last ~11,700 years). The study will generate the first-ever picture of marine community changes across the entire marine food web and unravel adaptation mechanisms of key marine organisms to climate shifts. Expected project outcomes will include significant knowledge advances into the evolution and resilience of Antarctic ecosystems over geological timescales. This will position Australia at the forefront of marine sedimentary ancient DNA research, and also provide valuable guidance for the conservation of Antarctica during ongoing climate change.Read moreRead less
Examining the vulnerability of ocean carbon biogeochemistry in a high CO2 world. Rising CO2 levels in the atmosphere from human activity is changing the biogeochemistry of the ocean, with large potential consequences on future atmospheric CO2. This work will explore these changes and will result in a more complete understanding of how the ocean will either accelerate or delay the increase in atmospheric CO2.
Deciphering strategies polar phytoplankton employ to lessen iron limitation. The Southern Ocean is of global importance. It comprises one-third of the global ocean by area and disproportionately absorbs two-thirds of anthropogenic ocean heat and half of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions even though phytoplankton in this region are chronically iron-limited. This project aims to understand why copper uptake by phytoplankton lessens the effects of iron limitation and how copper substitut ....Deciphering strategies polar phytoplankton employ to lessen iron limitation. The Southern Ocean is of global importance. It comprises one-third of the global ocean by area and disproportionately absorbs two-thirds of anthropogenic ocean heat and half of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions even though phytoplankton in this region are chronically iron-limited. This project aims to understand why copper uptake by phytoplankton lessens the effects of iron limitation and how copper substitutes for iron. This knowledge is critical for evaluating the impacts and feedbacks between iron and copper in regulating Southern Ocean productivity and ultimately its ability to drawdown atmospheric CO2. The results from this project will facilitate the development of improved ecosystem models and conservation tools.Read moreRead less
Incorporating new knowledge of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation into an ocean-climate model to improve forecasts of ocean function. Phytoplankton drives ocean biogeochemical cycles and regulate Earth’s climate yet are poorly represented in ocean-climate models. This project will use advanced cell sorting and analysis techniques and innovative selection experiments to gain a deeper understanding of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation under projected climate change. Th ....Incorporating new knowledge of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation into an ocean-climate model to improve forecasts of ocean function. Phytoplankton drives ocean biogeochemical cycles and regulate Earth’s climate yet are poorly represented in ocean-climate models. This project will use advanced cell sorting and analysis techniques and innovative selection experiments to gain a deeper understanding of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation under projected climate change. This new knowledge will be used to improve the biological structure of an existing coupled ocean-climate model and reduce key uncertainties in forecasts of ocean function. This research will provide managers and industry with more accurate insight into the effects of ongoing climate change on the delivery of ecosystem services in eastern Australian waters.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
Dark survival in the polar winter. There is strong public interest in both the Arctic and Antarctica and global climate change. By better understanding how these polar ecosystems function in winter and the likely effects of increasing temperatures we will be able to keep the public informed on likely impacts. There are large fishing industries in the Arctic and growing finfish and krill fisheries in the Southern Ocean. This project will contribute to a better understanding of how these stocks wi ....Dark survival in the polar winter. There is strong public interest in both the Arctic and Antarctica and global climate change. By better understanding how these polar ecosystems function in winter and the likely effects of increasing temperatures we will be able to keep the public informed on likely impacts. There are large fishing industries in the Arctic and growing finfish and krill fisheries in the Southern Ocean. This project will contribute to a better understanding of how these stocks will be affected (together with seals, penguins and whales) and how they should be managed to ensure sustainable fisheries and maximum biodiversity.Read moreRead less