Quantitative metrics for determining aquifer ecosystem state. Clean groundwater comes from dirty surface water by way of biological purification. This project will develop quantitative ways to assess groundwater ecosystems to ensure the sustainable extraction of water and maintenance of these crucial ecosystems.
Red listing ecosystems - testing the new global standard for conservation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red Lists are critical for setting conservation priorities. These include a well-tested species Red List protocol, and a new global standard for Red-listing ecosystems. This project will test the new global standard across a range of marine, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems, developing powerful new tools and guidelines for application.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100599
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Forecasting ecosystem collapse and recovery by tracking networks of species. This project aims to assess and predict ecosystem decline by measuring change in networks of interacting species. Efforts to prevent ecosystem collapse are failing. A focus on managing individual species ignores the fact that ecosystems function because species have complex associations with one another and the environment. This project will use methods from social networks, food-web theory and web-searching behaviour, ....Forecasting ecosystem collapse and recovery by tracking networks of species. This project aims to assess and predict ecosystem decline by measuring change in networks of interacting species. Efforts to prevent ecosystem collapse are failing. A focus on managing individual species ignores the fact that ecosystems function because species have complex associations with one another and the environment. This project will use methods from social networks, food-web theory and web-searching behaviour, to discover symptoms of declining ecosystems and find robust metrics that diagnose change in networks of co-occurring species. The intended outcome is to clarify the relationship between species interactions, co-occurrence and ecosystem decline, knowledge critical to ecosystem recovery.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100013
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$170,000.00
Summary
Eddy correlation lander array. The proposed Eddy Correlation Lander Array will be the first in world and, as such, will allow ground-breaking research to be undertaken resulting in advances in a variety of fields. As such, this equipment will significantly enhance many core research programs at Southern Cross University and Monash University and enhance our ability to deliver high quality research in the National Research Priority Area of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, with priority g ....Eddy correlation lander array. The proposed Eddy Correlation Lander Array will be the first in world and, as such, will allow ground-breaking research to be undertaken resulting in advances in a variety of fields. As such, this equipment will significantly enhance many core research programs at Southern Cross University and Monash University and enhance our ability to deliver high quality research in the National Research Priority Area of An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, with priority goals in water resources, responding to climate change and variability, overcoming soil loss, salinity and acidity and sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101290
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Unravelling the transformation pathways and fate of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in shallow coastal sediments. This project will significantly advance our understanding of the cycling of dissolved organic carbon and dissolved organic nitrogen in shallow coastal sediments, a potentially major part of global carbon and nitrogen cycles. This will have direct implications for the management and protection of Australian coastal systems and the world's oceans.
Linking phytoplankton to fisheries using zooplankton size spectra. This project aims to develop innovative numerical methods to understand the dynamics, carbon export, and trophic structure of zooplankton. The trophic links between phytoplankton, zooplankton and fisheries are unknown. The size- frequency distribution of zooplankton (size spectrum) is an innovative method for estimating their growth, predation and production as food for fish. Analysis of a global synthesis of zooplankton size dis ....Linking phytoplankton to fisheries using zooplankton size spectra. This project aims to develop innovative numerical methods to understand the dynamics, carbon export, and trophic structure of zooplankton. The trophic links between phytoplankton, zooplankton and fisheries are unknown. The size- frequency distribution of zooplankton (size spectrum) is an innovative method for estimating their growth, predation and production as food for fish. Analysis of a global synthesis of zooplankton size distributions from tropical to polar environments are expected to reveal these vital rates of pelagic ecosystems. The zooplankton rates will reveal, for the first time, the link between phytoplankton and fisheries, and will significantly improve ecosystem models and global assessments of environmental change.Read moreRead less
Dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments in an acidifying ocean. Dissolution of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in sediments in the context of ocean acidification is poorly understood. This project will use in situ advective benthic chamber incubations and experimental manipulations under future ocean acidification scenarios to determine the controls on the dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments. This project is significant because changes in the dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments in an acidifying ocean are at lea ....Dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments in an acidifying ocean. Dissolution of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in sediments in the context of ocean acidification is poorly understood. This project will use in situ advective benthic chamber incubations and experimental manipulations under future ocean acidification scenarios to determine the controls on the dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments. This project is significant because changes in the dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments in an acidifying ocean are at least as important, and potentially more important, than calcification to the future accretion and survival of carbonate ecosystems. It is expected that outcomes of this project will significantly advance our understanding of the drivers of the dissolution of CaCO3 in sediments and the functioning of globally important carbonate ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Marine urban development: how can ecology inform the design of multifunctional artificial structures? This project aims to experimentally manipulate the design of artificial structures to achieve multipurpose ecological objectives. Artificial structures such as buildings and roads have featured in terrestrial urban landscapes for many years, but have only more recently begun encroaching on aquatic environments. Most marine artificial structures lack the innovative design solutions required to mi ....Marine urban development: how can ecology inform the design of multifunctional artificial structures? This project aims to experimentally manipulate the design of artificial structures to achieve multipurpose ecological objectives. Artificial structures such as buildings and roads have featured in terrestrial urban landscapes for many years, but have only more recently begun encroaching on aquatic environments. Most marine artificial structures lack the innovative design solutions required to mitigate their ecological impacts and provide essential ecosystem services such as pollution abatement. This project will investigate the efficacy of these designs with both classical measures of diversity and structure and novel measures of ecosystem function. The project aims to provide essential information to inform the design of future marine urban developments.Read moreRead less
The trophic ecosystem of a purpose-built, offshore artificial reef: do coastal currents supply sufficient nutrients for the local production of fish? Offshore artificial reefs may provide enhanced recreational fishing for an urbanized coast. This project will investigate the oceanographic and ecological processes around the new, design-specific, reefs off Sydney to determine if they actually produce fish, rather than simply attract fish. The project will influence the design of future reefs.
Do microbial and plant diversity interact to regulate multifunctionality? This project aims to quantify the relative contribution of plant and microbial communities and their interactions on the rate, stability and resilience of ecosystem functions. Plant and soil microbial communities contribute to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, driving key processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling. This project will adapt established theories which indicate that greater plant diversity improves ....Do microbial and plant diversity interact to regulate multifunctionality? This project aims to quantify the relative contribution of plant and microbial communities and their interactions on the rate, stability and resilience of ecosystem functions. Plant and soil microbial communities contribute to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, driving key processes such as carbon and nutrient cycling. This project will adapt established theories which indicate that greater plant diversity improves ecosystem functions, stability and recovery. The expected outcome is a unifying framework for determining variation in functions across different ecosystem types and environmental disturbance such as rapid climate change.The insight gained into vulnerable ecosystems will help stakeholders (government, conservation, land management) to prioritise the focus on conservation and reduce risks to ecosystem services.Read moreRead less