Parole in crisis? Public opinion on the use of parole. Serious crimes committed by parolees in Australia have brought parole into the public eye. Without concrete evidence, governments often act on the assumption that the public holds punitive attitudes. This project is expected to develop an evidence base to inform policy on parole at a crucial time when governments are under pressure to restrict its use. Three mixed-method studies aim to assess: what public views on parole are; why the public ....Parole in crisis? Public opinion on the use of parole. Serious crimes committed by parolees in Australia have brought parole into the public eye. Without concrete evidence, governments often act on the assumption that the public holds punitive attitudes. This project is expected to develop an evidence base to inform policy on parole at a crucial time when governments are under pressure to restrict its use. Three mixed-method studies aim to assess: what public views on parole are; why the public holds these views; and what influence these views have on policy and practice. The project is expected to make contributions to: creating information strategies that properly inform the public; supporting prisoner reintegration strategies; and shaping criminal justice policies based on informed community feedback.Read moreRead less
Developing and testing a novel biological reduction cell to remediate heavy metal and acid-containing industrial and mine leachates. Echo Remediation Ltd. has a new reduction cell that uses sulfur and bacteria to remove heavy metals and acidity from mine leachates, but development is now required to make it viable. The project aims to optimise the process using molecular approaches to study the effects of operating conditions on the bacterial communities. As part of the investigation, active iro ....Developing and testing a novel biological reduction cell to remediate heavy metal and acid-containing industrial and mine leachates. Echo Remediation Ltd. has a new reduction cell that uses sulfur and bacteria to remove heavy metals and acidity from mine leachates, but development is now required to make it viable. The project aims to optimise the process using molecular approaches to study the effects of operating conditions on the bacterial communities. As part of the investigation, active iron reducers will be selected and introduced to the cell (in conjunction with chemical amendments) and their colonization monitored. The new technology once developed has the potential to be used at mine sites in Australia and overseas and its employment offers a sustainable, biological "green" approach to mine waste remediation.Read moreRead less
Providing a genetic framework to enhance the success and benefits from forest restoration and carbon plantings in rural landscapes. This project will provide a genetic framework to inform strategies for climate change adaptation in forest restoration and carbon plantings in Australia. Key questions to be addressed include the value of local versus non-local seed sources and the role of tree genetics in shaping biodiversity and other ecosystem services.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100992
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,216.00
Summary
A novel epigenetic clock tool to conserve Australia’s threatened seabirds. The aim is to develop a novel epigenetic technique for the demographic assessment of long-lived seabirds, including albatrosses and petrels, for application to the conservation of 11 threatened species breeding across Australia. A major innovation will be an affordable and fieldwork-friendly technique to demographically fingerprint any population, ending the large amount of guesswork currently necessary in management. The ....A novel epigenetic clock tool to conserve Australia’s threatened seabirds. The aim is to develop a novel epigenetic technique for the demographic assessment of long-lived seabirds, including albatrosses and petrels, for application to the conservation of 11 threatened species breeding across Australia. A major innovation will be an affordable and fieldwork-friendly technique to demographically fingerprint any population, ending the large amount of guesswork currently necessary in management. The outcome is expected to enable (i) scientists and wildlife managers to impute the impact of threats and management activities on seabird populations, allowing quantitative scenario modelling, and (ii) stakeholders to analyse numerous threats and optimise management responses to these through research-based decision-making.Read moreRead less
Restoring diverse native vegetation using drone-based precision seeding . This project aims to make drone technology a viable solution for scaling up the restoration of native vegetation on degraded land. By integrating new research in plant ecology, microbiology and environmental economics the project aims to fill key knowledge gaps about the viability and application of drones in restoration. Expected outcomes are world-first research into the delivery of beneficial soil microbes using drones ....Restoring diverse native vegetation using drone-based precision seeding . This project aims to make drone technology a viable solution for scaling up the restoration of native vegetation on degraded land. By integrating new research in plant ecology, microbiology and environmental economics the project aims to fill key knowledge gaps about the viability and application of drones in restoration. Expected outcomes are world-first research into the delivery of beneficial soil microbes using drones and the first assessment globally of the cost-effectiveness of drone restoration utilizing data from spatial analysis and extensive field trials. This should provide wide-ranging benefits for local land managers restoring remote degraded land and aid in reversing the cumulative effects of habitat loss on biodiversity. Read moreRead less
Time-lapse geophysical monitoring of acid mine drainage at Savage River Mine, North-western Tasmania. This project will apply geophysical methods to image and monitor the subsurface distribution, and short and long-term temporal variations in ground conductivity associated with Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) at the Savage River Mine, Tasmania. AMD is a major environmental problem affecting mining operations across Australia. Geophysical techniques are inexpensive means of mapping variations in subsu ....Time-lapse geophysical monitoring of acid mine drainage at Savage River Mine, North-western Tasmania. This project will apply geophysical methods to image and monitor the subsurface distribution, and short and long-term temporal variations in ground conductivity associated with Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) at the Savage River Mine, Tasmania. AMD is a major environmental problem affecting mining operations across Australia. Geophysical techniques are inexpensive means of mapping variations in subsurface electrical conductivity related to changes in groundwater levels and contaminant concentration. The major outcomes of this project will be development of appropriate geophysical methods and interpretation techniques for delineation and monitoring of AMD at sites characterised by high seasonal rainfall and significant topography.Read moreRead less
Utilising plant-sediment-feedbacks to enhance seagrass restoration. This project aims to investigate the role of sediment microbes in promoting the health of threatened seagrass species across Australia. This project expects to create new knowledge for enhancing restoration success for seagrasses by integrating macro and micro-ecology, environmental genomics, plant ecology and ecosystem function (e.g. nutrient and biogeochemistry cycling). Expected outcomes are new knowledge to enhance seagrass ....Utilising plant-sediment-feedbacks to enhance seagrass restoration. This project aims to investigate the role of sediment microbes in promoting the health of threatened seagrass species across Australia. This project expects to create new knowledge for enhancing restoration success for seagrasses by integrating macro and micro-ecology, environmental genomics, plant ecology and ecosystem function (e.g. nutrient and biogeochemistry cycling). Expected outcomes are new knowledge to enhance seagrass restoration utilising sediment microbes 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 seagrasses, and the ecosystem services, and economic and social benefits they provide.Read moreRead less
Phosphate stabilisation of metalliferous mine wastes: The key to solving a major environmental issue? Mine wastes represent the greatest proportion of solid waste produced by mankind. Unconstrained drainage from sulfide-rich mine wastes impacts on water, soil and sediment quality. This project will establish the scientific principles of phosphate stabilisation, which involves the addition of phosphate compounds to mine wastes and soils to permanently contain metals and acid. A solid understandin ....Phosphate stabilisation of metalliferous mine wastes: The key to solving a major environmental issue? Mine wastes represent the greatest proportion of solid waste produced by mankind. Unconstrained drainage from sulfide-rich mine wastes impacts on water, soil and sediment quality. This project will establish the scientific principles of phosphate stabilisation, which involves the addition of phosphate compounds to mine wastes and soils to permanently contain metals and acid. A solid understanding of this emerging technology is a prerequisite for any sustainable management of mine sites. The study will provide the foundation of future management tools needed by landholders, industry and regulators to remediate mined land and waste repositories.Read moreRead less
Geochemical, physical and microbiological controls on zinc mobility and implications for bioremediation strategies in Western Tasmanian acid mine drainage. We propose to study heavy metal pollution (e.g., zinc, arsenic, iron, tin) and biogeochemical processes operating in acid mine drainage at the abandoned Mt Bischoff tin mine in Western Tasmania. The drainage waters at this site have pH values as low as 2, but contain an extensive and thriving natural biological community. We will evaluate w ....Geochemical, physical and microbiological controls on zinc mobility and implications for bioremediation strategies in Western Tasmanian acid mine drainage. We propose to study heavy metal pollution (e.g., zinc, arsenic, iron, tin) and biogeochemical processes operating in acid mine drainage at the abandoned Mt Bischoff tin mine in Western Tasmania. The drainage waters at this site have pH values as low as 2, but contain an extensive and thriving natural biological community. We will evaluate whether the natural biogeochemical processes operating at Mt Bischoff have the potential to remediate mine waters under the full gamut of climatic conditions, so as to evaluate whether the biota could be exported to other mine sites to help in ameliorating acid drainage problems.Read moreRead less
Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal sex-offenders in Australia: Assessing risk for practice and policy. A key priority of Australian governments is to improve community safety through reducing the risk of sex offenders re-offending after release from prison. This project will assess the validity of tools used to predict the risk of sexual offender recidivism and identify alternate risk assessment tools for Indigenous and non-Indigenous sex offenders.