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Toward a political ecology of risk in river basin development: The case of the Mekong. This project is designed to examine the distribution and redistribution of risk associated with environmental change and large scale development interventions in the Mekong Region. The research aims to make a theoretical contribution to the rapidly emerging field of political ecology, by moving beyond an analysis of winners and losers based on certainty and post-facto impacts. The study will work toward an ana ....Toward a political ecology of risk in river basin development: The case of the Mekong. This project is designed to examine the distribution and redistribution of risk associated with environmental change and large scale development interventions in the Mekong Region. The research aims to make a theoretical contribution to the rapidly emerging field of political ecology, by moving beyond an analysis of winners and losers based on certainty and post-facto impacts. The study will work toward an analysis driven by the inherent uncertainties that underlie both the social construction and social distribution of environmental risk. The research also has important practical implications for environmental and social assessment methodologies in and beyond the case study region.Read moreRead less
Detecting ecological impacts of water extraction on river ecosystem structure and function: Validating a novel decision-making protocol. Reliable assessment of ecological responses to flow alteration coupled with management triggers to prevent unacceptable impact is essential in rivers where water extraction occurs. Most regulated rivers lack optimal monitoring programs to provide early indications of over-extraction. We aim to apply a novel framework (Downes et al. 2002) to optimize sampling ....Detecting ecological impacts of water extraction on river ecosystem structure and function: Validating a novel decision-making protocol. Reliable assessment of ecological responses to flow alteration coupled with management triggers to prevent unacceptable impact is essential in rivers where water extraction occurs. Most regulated rivers lack optimal monitoring programs to provide early indications of over-extraction. We aim to apply a novel framework (Downes et al. 2002) to optimize sampling efficiency of structural and functional variables to determine whether extractions from the Nymboida River, NSW, are preventing the system from achieving its desired ?target?. If validated, this innovative framework that specifies effect size, statistical power, and management triggers will be invaluable for common situations where pre-impact data are lacking.Read moreRead less
Multi-Objective Optimal Operation of Urban Water Supply Systems. In recent past, there has been a significant shift away from development of new water resources to optimal operation of existing reservoir systems. This project aims to develop a decision support framework to determine optimum operating rules of existing reservoir systems that consider a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, with a strong focus on decision analysis of alternative operating rules. The results of the ....Multi-Objective Optimal Operation of Urban Water Supply Systems. In recent past, there has been a significant shift away from development of new water resources to optimal operation of existing reservoir systems. This project aims to develop a decision support framework to determine optimum operating rules of existing reservoir systems that consider a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, with a strong focus on decision analysis of alternative operating rules. The results of the project will enable water planners to manage their urban water systems efficiently and effectively under a range of long term and short term planning conditions including droughts, while reducing associated environmental impacts.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354516
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Interdisciplinary Research Network on Property Rights in Natural Resource Management. Property rights are increasingly important in resource management, for titleholders and for the long-term viability of ecological resources. Property rights are historically and traditionally embedded in cultural practices and attitudes influencing the access, use and management of natural resources, ecosystem services and cultural assets. Understanding the history and future of property systems across social-e ....Interdisciplinary Research Network on Property Rights in Natural Resource Management. Property rights are increasingly important in resource management, for titleholders and for the long-term viability of ecological resources. Property rights are historically and traditionally embedded in cultural practices and attitudes influencing the access, use and management of natural resources, ecosystem services and cultural assets. Understanding the history and future of property systems across social-ecological landscapes is fragmented across disciplines, including natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. The interdisciplinary network on property rights in resource management will draw together researchers, building new synergies, novel research agendas and solutions for end users including property owners, resource managers, policy makers, planners and valuers.Read moreRead less
Marine conservation planning for persistent coral reef communities: Incorporating connectivity and resilience. Australia's biological diversity underpins much of our economic wealth - for example the remarkable diversity of coral reefs fuels a multibillion dollar tourism industry. However, despite substantial efforts to conserve marine ecosystems, Australian coral reefs are at increasing risk from climate change related catastrophes. To counteract this trend, we must choose marine reserve networ ....Marine conservation planning for persistent coral reef communities: Incorporating connectivity and resilience. Australia's biological diversity underpins much of our economic wealth - for example the remarkable diversity of coral reefs fuels a multibillion dollar tourism industry. However, despite substantial efforts to conserve marine ecosystems, Australian coral reefs are at increasing risk from climate change related catastrophes. To counteract this trend, we must choose marine reserve networks using methods that account for the dynamic nature of climate change and reef community responses to maximise the persistence of reef biodiversity. The new theory and methods will enable us to create more effective and economically efficient marine reserve systems.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101524
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Past and future dynamics in coastal ecosystems. This project aims to understand how humans and nature affect coastal ecosystems. Globally, billions of dollars are spent on understanding ecosystem services and responses to human and natural pressures, but contemporary datasets’ short time-span makes them inadequate, since ecosystems change at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This project will use seagrass archives to reconstruct the history of coastal ecosystems over millennia, identifying b ....Past and future dynamics in coastal ecosystems. This project aims to understand how humans and nature affect coastal ecosystems. Globally, billions of dollars are spent on understanding ecosystem services and responses to human and natural pressures, but contemporary datasets’ short time-span makes them inadequate, since ecosystems change at multiple spatial and temporal scales. This project will use seagrass archives to reconstruct the history of coastal ecosystems over millennia, identifying baseline conditions, the time-course of ecological change, cycles and thresholds of ecosystem dynamics driven by human and natural forces, and determining their role as biogeochemical sinks. Intended outcomes are to manage ecological change and remove constraints on sustainable coastal development.Read moreRead less
Biomagnification of the biotoxin BMAA in the environment. Using unique models and technics, the project aims to demonstrate that long-term exposure to the blue green algae toxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) leads to uptake, accumulation and toxicity within the central nervous system. The risks for heath, mechanisms of contamination and toxicity of BMAA are very poorly understood. Algal blooms cost the Australian community more than $250 million each year and represent a major health issue fo ....Biomagnification of the biotoxin BMAA in the environment. Using unique models and technics, the project aims to demonstrate that long-term exposure to the blue green algae toxin β-N-methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA) leads to uptake, accumulation and toxicity within the central nervous system. The risks for heath, mechanisms of contamination and toxicity of BMAA are very poorly understood. Algal blooms cost the Australian community more than $250 million each year and represent a major health issue for human and fauna. This project aims to be the first to fully characterise BMAA mechanisms of contamination and neurotoxicity and to highlight the major environmental risk of exposure of human to BMAA. It also aims to develop new and unique detection and quantification tools for BMAA.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100922
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,490.00
Summary
Foresight: Anticipatory decision-making in water resource management. Long-term planning is vital to secure Australia’s water resources in the face of environmental disruption. This project aims to contribute to sustainable and equitable water management by examining the efficacy of anticipatory decision-making approaches. Qualitative research will be used to examine how scientific knowledge is used or contested in water reform within the Murray-Darling Basin. Intended outcomes include improved ....Foresight: Anticipatory decision-making in water resource management. Long-term planning is vital to secure Australia’s water resources in the face of environmental disruption. This project aims to contribute to sustainable and equitable water management by examining the efficacy of anticipatory decision-making approaches. Qualitative research will be used to examine how scientific knowledge is used or contested in water reform within the Murray-Darling Basin. Intended outcomes include improved capacities to plan for future change and establishing anticipatory decision-making within Australian natural resource management. This should provide significant benefits based on an integrated approach to science and decision-making that addresses trade-offs between stakeholders to identify shared action pathways.Read moreRead less
Community Based Water Resources Management. In a time of predicted severe water shortage in the Asia Pacific, the University of Western Sydney and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India have developed research into community based water resources management for regional townships and communities. The objective of this proposal is to connect the two water research organisations in a cross cultural comparison of their respective research programs and to develop a generic model o ....Community Based Water Resources Management. In a time of predicted severe water shortage in the Asia Pacific, the University of Western Sydney and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India have developed research into community based water resources management for regional townships and communities. The objective of this proposal is to connect the two water research organisations in a cross cultural comparison of their respective research programs and to develop a generic model of regional community water use management for developed and developing countries, appropriate to the Asia-Pacific.Read moreRead less
Establishing baseline ecological conditions for the Lower Lakes, South Australia: the applications of palaeoecology to sustainable resource management. The Lower Lakes of the Murray River are in a critical ecological state due to record low water levels. Management of these lakes needs to integrate water security demands with maintaining healthy ecosystem functions. Proposed management options such as allowing seawater incursion and the construction of a weir to impede freshwater flows are based ....Establishing baseline ecological conditions for the Lower Lakes, South Australia: the applications of palaeoecology to sustainable resource management. The Lower Lakes of the Murray River are in a critical ecological state due to record low water levels. Management of these lakes needs to integrate water security demands with maintaining healthy ecosystem functions. Proposed management options such as allowing seawater incursion and the construction of a weir to impede freshwater flows are based on assumptions about what the Lakes were like naturally (pre-European). This study will reconstruct environmental variability within the Lower Lakes over the past 7000 years, concentrating on salinity to document the extent of marine incursion, and pH to examine the impacts of acid sulphate release from exposed sediments during low flow events. Read moreRead less