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Sediment-derived scenarios of wetland status and change, the Lower River Murray, SA. River Murray wetlands changed early in European settlement so the pre-impact conditions are invisible to managers relying on anecdote or monitoring. Baseline conditions of wetlands can be derived from ecological archives preserved in sediments. Fossil diatom assemblages, reflective of past water quality, and other fossils, will be exhumed from sediment sequences to reconstruct wetland conditions. The integration ....Sediment-derived scenarios of wetland status and change, the Lower River Murray, SA. River Murray wetlands changed early in European settlement so the pre-impact conditions are invisible to managers relying on anecdote or monitoring. Baseline conditions of wetlands can be derived from ecological archives preserved in sediments. Fossil diatom assemblages, reflective of past water quality, and other fossils, will be exhumed from sediment sequences to reconstruct wetland conditions. The integration of multiple indicators of the past will generate graphic re-enactments of natural wetland dynamics. These will provide a vision for community and government on-ground managers enabling them to perceive appropriate targets for wetland state and so generate measures to work towards sustainable conditions.Read moreRead less
Retrospective ecological character assessment for a review of Ramsar status of The Coorong, SA. Integrated analyses of the chemical and biological remains contained in the sediments of the Coorong will provide for a reconstruction of ecological change and variability over the last several thousand years. Detailed analyses of the recent sediments will measure how the condition of the Coorong has departed from this natural background and so provide an audit of human impact on the last wetland in t ....Retrospective ecological character assessment for a review of Ramsar status of The Coorong, SA. Integrated analyses of the chemical and biological remains contained in the sediments of the Coorong will provide for a reconstruction of ecological change and variability over the last several thousand years. Detailed analyses of the recent sediments will measure how the condition of the Coorong has departed from this natural background and so provide an audit of human impact on the last wetland in the Murray darling Basin. This evidence will directly inform the determination of the ecological character of this Ramsar listed, national ecological asset and steer its management for a sustainable future. Read moreRead less
The history of North Stradbroke Island's wetlands: defining natural climate variability in south-east Queensland and improving ecosystem management. South-east Queensland has among the fastest growing populations in Australia. It has also experienced severe drought lasting more than a decade. These combined pressures have led to the expenditure of more than $9 Billion on water resource development. However, it is not known whether the current drought is part of a natural cycle (or, importantly, ....The history of North Stradbroke Island's wetlands: defining natural climate variability in south-east Queensland and improving ecosystem management. South-east Queensland has among the fastest growing populations in Australia. It has also experienced severe drought lasting more than a decade. These combined pressures have led to the expenditure of more than $9 Billion on water resource development. However, it is not known whether the current drought is part of a natural cycle (or, importantly, if it represents the worst extremes in such a cycle). We will determine whether this is the case and, in doing so, contribute to national and international debates about the role of human-induced vs natural climate change.Read moreRead less
Impact of recycled and low quality process water on sustainable mineral processing practices. Water is in short supply and needs to be considered as a 'key reagent'. The quality of this reagent can vary widely. For a sustainable mineral processing practice, the use of recycled or low quality/saline process water will be essential for a plant to operate in the future. The major benefit is recognition that significant recycle of process water for flotation is achievable if simple water quality con ....Impact of recycled and low quality process water on sustainable mineral processing practices. Water is in short supply and needs to be considered as a 'key reagent'. The quality of this reagent can vary widely. For a sustainable mineral processing practice, the use of recycled or low quality/saline process water will be essential for a plant to operate in the future. The major benefit is recognition that significant recycle of process water for flotation is achievable if simple water quality control and management practices are implemented. In addition, a better understanding and control of water quality in recycled/saline process water may lead to improved flotation stability and performance, and reduced reagent consumption.Read moreRead less
Conservation biology of the largest Australian freshwater tortoise, the broad-shelled tortoise, Chelodina expansa - rare and endangered or cryptic and secure? The Murray is a highly managed river, with flows controlled by catchments and diversions. The combined impacts of water resource development, habitat modification and introduced species are astonishingly diverse, and include extinctions of some fish and invertebrates and depression of populations of many other species. Australia's largest ....Conservation biology of the largest Australian freshwater tortoise, the broad-shelled tortoise, Chelodina expansa - rare and endangered or cryptic and secure? The Murray is a highly managed river, with flows controlled by catchments and diversions. The combined impacts of water resource development, habitat modification and introduced species are astonishingly diverse, and include extinctions of some fish and invertebrates and depression of populations of many other species. Australia's largest chelid turtle, the broad-shelled turtle, is a high-level consumer thought to be particularly sensitive to these changes. We will use an innovative combination of non-destructive technologies to investigate the conservation biology of this species in the Lower Murray, where it is regarded as rare and where its biology is virtually unknown to inform conservation management and restoration initiativesRead moreRead less
The interplay between natural and human perturbations in structuring marine habitats. Empirical predictions of which could be the changes to natural habitats caused by human perturbations will increase the ability to prevent irreversible losses of biodiversity. This project will enable the planning of sound strategies for the conservation of valuable ecosystems, such as kelp forests, in view of the massive changes that will likely take place as a consequence of increasing exploitation of marine ....The interplay between natural and human perturbations in structuring marine habitats. Empirical predictions of which could be the changes to natural habitats caused by human perturbations will increase the ability to prevent irreversible losses of biodiversity. This project will enable the planning of sound strategies for the conservation of valuable ecosystems, such as kelp forests, in view of the massive changes that will likely take place as a consequence of increasing exploitation of marine resources and of global climatic changes. The scientific knowledge generated by this project is necessary for a sustainable development of coastal areas, which would guarantee the provision of goods and services to Australian future generations.Read moreRead less
Local and regional investigations into perturbations of marine habitat. Surprising changes to coastal ecology are forecast as increasing physical stresses (e.g. nutrient and sediment runoff) initiate changes to habitat. Lack of information about perturbations remains a major gap in marine ecology and coastal management. Multifactorial experiments will examine perturbations to one of temperate Australia's most widespread subtidal habitats (kelp forests) to test predictions derived from ecologic ....Local and regional investigations into perturbations of marine habitat. Surprising changes to coastal ecology are forecast as increasing physical stresses (e.g. nutrient and sediment runoff) initiate changes to habitat. Lack of information about perturbations remains a major gap in marine ecology and coastal management. Multifactorial experiments will examine perturbations to one of temperate Australia's most widespread subtidal habitats (kelp forests) to test predictions derived from ecological theory. Tests focus on (1) models about abrupt switches of habitat to contrasting states, and (2) responses among regions bearing striking differences in consumer control. These trans-Australian tests may change the way we view one of the world's most extensive temperate coastlines.Read moreRead less
Control Of Aggregate Structure, Settling And Dewatering In Mineral Tailings Processing. Modification of aggregate structures in mineral processing will lead to improved dewatering in tailings operations. In mine site rehabilitation and tailings utilisation, technology developed in this project may save not only millions of dollars in more efficient processing and tailing deposition but also help to better reuse our limited national water resources.
Managing Australia's unique south coast. Innovative coastal management based on sound ecological understanding is a pressing issue in state and federal government. A federal initiative seeks integration of marine protected areas with other spatial arrangements for conservation of biodiversity. This proposal will inform the forthcoming selection of marine protected areas in South Australia. Significantly, it assesses whether adjacent land-use (natural vegetation, urbanisation, agriculture) can ....Managing Australia's unique south coast. Innovative coastal management based on sound ecological understanding is a pressing issue in state and federal government. A federal initiative seeks integration of marine protected areas with other spatial arrangements for conservation of biodiversity. This proposal will inform the forthcoming selection of marine protected areas in South Australia. Significantly, it assesses whether adjacent land-use (natural vegetation, urbanisation, agriculture) can enhance or compromise the utility of marine protected areas as a biodiversity repository.
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Novel technologies to resolve interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, phosphate fertilisers and root disease in wheat production. Soils in Australia are often phosphate (P) deficient. Fertiliser P costs ~$1.5 billion pa, yet much is wasted because of fixation in soils. This waste must be stopped and soil reserves unlocked, because supplies of rock phosphate for fertiliser manufacture will run out in the next ~70 years. We will investigate the potential of combining two approaches ....Novel technologies to resolve interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, phosphate fertilisers and root disease in wheat production. Soils in Australia are often phosphate (P) deficient. Fertiliser P costs ~$1.5 billion pa, yet much is wasted because of fixation in soils. This waste must be stopped and soil reserves unlocked, because supplies of rock phosphate for fertiliser manufacture will run out in the next ~70 years. We will investigate the potential of combining two approaches to maximise P fertiliser use by wheat - application of new, fluid fertiliser formulations and soil management to increase populations of beneficial arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi that have large effects on the way plants absorb P from soil. A new DNA-based method to monitor AM fungal communities will be applicable both in agricultural management and studies of AM fungal biodiversity.Read moreRead less