Maximising carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands. Maximising carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands. This project aims to determine how manipulation of wetland hydrology can alter sulphur and iron cycling to inhibit methane emission and improve wetland net-carbon sequestration. Wetlands are among earth's most efficient ecosystems for carbon sequestration, but methane emission can offset this capacity. Redox cycling of sulphur and iron in wetlands can inhibit methane emission, but the ....Maximising carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands. Maximising carbon sequestration in freshwater wetlands. This project aims to determine how manipulation of wetland hydrology can alter sulphur and iron cycling to inhibit methane emission and improve wetland net-carbon sequestration. Wetlands are among earth's most efficient ecosystems for carbon sequestration, but methane emission can offset this capacity. Redox cycling of sulphur and iron in wetlands can inhibit methane emission, but the precise biogeochemical processes and their efficiency are very poorly constrained due to a lack of studies—especially in Australian freshwater wetlands. This project is expected to inhibit methane emission in freshwater wetlands and maximise their net carbon sequestration efficiency.Read moreRead less
Unraveling hexavalent chromium formation and fate in fire-impacted soil. Hexavalent chromium is a cancer-causing toxin. It can form via heating of natural (unpolluted) soil during bushfires. However, little is known of the processes and factors which govern its formation and behavior in fire-impacted soil. Using a combination of field-based investigations, innovative experiments and cutting edge analytical approaches, this project aims to systematically explore hexavalent chromium formation vi ....Unraveling hexavalent chromium formation and fate in fire-impacted soil. Hexavalent chromium is a cancer-causing toxin. It can form via heating of natural (unpolluted) soil during bushfires. However, little is known of the processes and factors which govern its formation and behavior in fire-impacted soil. Using a combination of field-based investigations, innovative experiments and cutting edge analytical approaches, this project aims to systematically explore hexavalent chromium formation via fire-induced heating of soil and to examine its post-fire fate in soil systems. The results will transform our understanding of the chromium cycle at the Earth’s surface, and will facilitate accurate assessment and mitigation of the risks posed by hexavalent chromium formation in fire-impacted soil.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100053
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,031.00
Summary
A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will p ....A national facility for the analysis of pyrogenic carbon. This project aims to develop a national facility for pyrogenic carbon analysis. Pyrogenic carbon is a poorly constrained, slow-cycling terrestrial carbon pool with significant carbon sequestration potential. The project expects to expand the newly developed hydrogen pyrolysis analytical capability to provide high throughput, robust measurement of the abundance and isotope composition of pyrogenic carbon in soils and sediments. This will provide significant benefit, such as the ability to make significant advances in areas as diverse as geochronology, archaeology, palaeoecology, soil science geomorphology and carbon cycle/sequestration science.Read moreRead less
Transforming residues from meat processing into engineered soil amendments. The aim of this project is to transform organic residues from meat processing into agricultural soil amendments that actively improve nutrient retention and reduce nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) emissions. Current disposal and treatment options for meat processing residues are economically and environmentally unsustainable. In this research, a modified hydrothermal carbonisation process will be developed to tran ....Transforming residues from meat processing into engineered soil amendments. The aim of this project is to transform organic residues from meat processing into agricultural soil amendments that actively improve nutrient retention and reduce nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) emissions. Current disposal and treatment options for meat processing residues are economically and environmentally unsustainable. In this research, a modified hydrothermal carbonisation process will be developed to transform organic residues into novel hydrochars. The influence of these hydrochars on soil nutrient retention and nitrous oxide production will then be assessed using stable isotope tracing, genetic characterisation, and numerical modeling. The project will reduce the economic and environmental costs of organic waste disposal.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100443
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$393,434.00
Summary
Resolving nutrient groundwater exports versus soil burial in mangroves. This project aims to examine the role of mangroves in the sequestration and burial of nutrients. Coastal areas increasingly receive enriched nutrient loads, driving anthropogenic eutrophication. Mangrove wetlands naturally filter and bury large quantities of nutrients through soil accretion. This project aims to quantify nutrient groundwater export as related to mangrove soil nutrient retention and determine if these wetland ....Resolving nutrient groundwater exports versus soil burial in mangroves. This project aims to examine the role of mangroves in the sequestration and burial of nutrients. Coastal areas increasingly receive enriched nutrient loads, driving anthropogenic eutrophication. Mangrove wetlands naturally filter and bury large quantities of nutrients through soil accretion. This project aims to quantify nutrient groundwater export as related to mangrove soil nutrient retention and determine if these wetlands have the potential to provide negative feedback to coastal eutrophication. The project plans to use state-of-the-art radionuclide tracer technology to quantify the relationship between groundwater discharge and historical soil nutrient retention.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100007
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$330,000.00
Summary
An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles. An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles: This project will result in development of a state-of-the-art facility for comprehensive determination of particle size, concentration and surface properties for a wide range of environmentally occurring particles, in rapid succession. Combining several novel and advanced instruments into an integrated facility will permit in si ....An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles. An integrated facility for the advanced characterisation of environmental particles: This project will result in development of a state-of-the-art facility for comprehensive determination of particle size, concentration and surface properties for a wide range of environmentally occurring particles, in rapid succession. Combining several novel and advanced instruments into an integrated facility will permit in situ and kinetic experiments that are currently unable to be easily undertaken anywhere in Australia. This will enable major progress for internationally significant research activities in areas including sediment geochemistry, contaminant mobility, and biogeochemistry. The project will thus help to address several pressing global environmental issues while adding substantial new capabilities for Australian research.Read moreRead less
Beyond burial: redefining the blue carbon paradigm. This project aims to constrain the magnitude and drivers of alkalinity and greenhouse gas fluxes in mangroves. Mangroves cover less than 0.03 per cent of the Earth’s surface yet account for approximately 14 per cent of oceanic carbon burial. Mangroves also export alkalinity to the coastal ocean, and act as sources of methane and nitrous oxide. The effect of these fluxes on climate may exceed carbon burial by several-fold, but are unaccounted fo ....Beyond burial: redefining the blue carbon paradigm. This project aims to constrain the magnitude and drivers of alkalinity and greenhouse gas fluxes in mangroves. Mangroves cover less than 0.03 per cent of the Earth’s surface yet account for approximately 14 per cent of oceanic carbon burial. Mangroves also export alkalinity to the coastal ocean, and act as sources of methane and nitrous oxide. The effect of these fluxes on climate may exceed carbon burial by several-fold, but are unaccounted for in blue carbon budgets. This project will couple high-resolution radionuclide geochronology of soil carbon cycling with autonomous measurements of aquatic exports and greenhouse gas fluxes. This study will provide the detailed data required to refine the blue carbon paradigm.Read moreRead less
A new paradigm for the accumulation and persistence of metastable iron sulphides in sulphidic soils. Metastable iron sulphide minerals have a critical role in controlling surface- and ground-water quality. This project will transform our understanding of the environmental geochemistry of metastable iron sulphides in sulphidic soils. This will greatly enhance our ability to predict and manage water quality in a wide range of important aquatic systems.