Impacts of groundwater extraction on ecophysiology of Australian trees. The aim of this project is to determine the response of trees to the extraction of shallow groundwater. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems rely on a supply of groundwater to maintain ecosystem health, structure and function, and excessive depletion of groundwater resources has a negative impact on these ecosystems. The project intends to combine a field-scale experimental depletion of groundwater resources simultaneously with ....Impacts of groundwater extraction on ecophysiology of Australian trees. The aim of this project is to determine the response of trees to the extraction of shallow groundwater. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems rely on a supply of groundwater to maintain ecosystem health, structure and function, and excessive depletion of groundwater resources has a negative impact on these ecosystems. The project intends to combine a field-scale experimental depletion of groundwater resources simultaneously with alterations in rainfall input and measurements of tree responses. The results of the project are intended to inform industry regulators and the water supply industry on how to improve management of both groundwater and vegetation resources.Read moreRead less
The effect of aerial spraying of two pesticides on semi-arid grasslands. The project will investigate how two pesticides, fipronil and metarrhizium, used to control locusts, affect semi-arid ecosystems by examining impacts on invertebrates, their predators, lizards and soil processes. The effects will be followed through time in a large scale experiment to determine recovery and compare each pesticide.
Apex predator control of nutrient dynamics. This project aims to understand the mechanisms through which predators can control ecosystem nutrient dynamics. Ecology has been dominated for decades by the top-down/bottom-up paradigm. The project will use experiments and remote sensing observations to examine the spatial structure of feedback loops between a top predator and nutrient cycles. The expected outcome is a mechanistic and scalable understanding of the spatial distribution of nutrients and ....Apex predator control of nutrient dynamics. This project aims to understand the mechanisms through which predators can control ecosystem nutrient dynamics. Ecology has been dominated for decades by the top-down/bottom-up paradigm. The project will use experiments and remote sensing observations to examine the spatial structure of feedback loops between a top predator and nutrient cycles. The expected outcome is a mechanistic and scalable understanding of the spatial distribution of nutrients and push ecosystems towards alternate states. The project will provide innovative approaches to scale-up ecological data that can be used to inform the decisions of policy makers and land managers.Read moreRead less
A balancing act: Resolving coastal wetland water, carbon and solute fluxes. Coastal wetlands offer an impressive capacity to regulate the Earth’s climate by altering the way carbon dioxide is extracted from the atmosphere and stored while simultaneously influencing the water cycle, thus providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, abating flood waters, improving water quality and protecting the coastline from sea level rise. This project aims to address the current gaps in understanding .... A balancing act: Resolving coastal wetland water, carbon and solute fluxes. Coastal wetlands offer an impressive capacity to regulate the Earth’s climate by altering the way carbon dioxide is extracted from the atmosphere and stored while simultaneously influencing the water cycle, thus providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, abating flood waters, improving water quality and protecting the coastline from sea level rise. This project aims to address the current gaps in understanding the critical exchanges of water and greenhouse gases (GHGs) combining field methodologies and hydrological models, under different climatic conditions. The intended outcomes will benefit management of GHG emissions, coastal flooding and vulnerable groundwater dependent habitats.Read moreRead less
Predicting the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. The ecological sustainability of Australian agriculture relies on services (for example, pollination) provided by ecosystems. Service provision is threatened by environmental change, but there is no established approach for predicting the impact of change on services. This project will undertake the most comprehensive experimental examination of ecosystem-service delivery ever conducted in Australia, testing the predictive ....Predicting the delivery of ecosystem services in agricultural landscapes. The ecological sustainability of Australian agriculture relies on services (for example, pollination) provided by ecosystems. Service provision is threatened by environmental change, but there is no established approach for predicting the impact of change on services. This project will undertake the most comprehensive experimental examination of ecosystem-service delivery ever conducted in Australia, testing the predictive capacity of an approach that links environmental change with variation in service provision through species’ traits. The major outcomes include greater capacity for agriculturalists to maximise ecosystem benefits and increase economic returns, and improved biodiversity conservation through recognition of its contribution to agriculture. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,205,137.00
Summary
Founding an Australian Critical Zone Observatory Network. This proposal founds a new network of Australian Critical Zone Observatories. The network will fill essential knowledge gaps about interactions of under- and above-ground environmental processes and their responses to disturbance and change. These interactions determine the sustainability of food, clean water, mineral resources and Australian ecosystems, and cannot be studied with existing environmental infrastructure. The 5 foundation ....Founding an Australian Critical Zone Observatory Network. This proposal founds a new network of Australian Critical Zone Observatories. The network will fill essential knowledge gaps about interactions of under- and above-ground environmental processes and their responses to disturbance and change. These interactions determine the sustainability of food, clean water, mineral resources and Australian ecosystems, and cannot be studied with existing environmental infrastructure. The 5 foundational sites will host integrated monitoring equipment to observe stocks and fluxes of carbon, water, energy and mass across the “Critical Zone” – the vertical span from plant canopies to fresh bedrock. Joining a burgeoning international movement, the network will catalyse Critical Zone science in Australia.Read moreRead less
Investigating movement, distribution, abundance and diet to support management objectives for threatened riverine predators in Northern Australia. The rivers and estuaries of northern Australia are highly productive environments, containing an exceptional diversity and abundance of large predatory aquatic species. This project aims to monitor the movements, habitat preferences and diet in eight large predatory species in a northern Queensland river over the next three years. Movement data will b ....Investigating movement, distribution, abundance and diet to support management objectives for threatened riverine predators in Northern Australia. The rivers and estuaries of northern Australia are highly productive environments, containing an exceptional diversity and abundance of large predatory aquatic species. This project aims to monitor the movements, habitat preferences and diet in eight large predatory species in a northern Queensland river over the next three years. Movement data will be combined with isotopic analysis to reveal how environmental and biological factors drive animal movements and impact habitat connectivity. In a world of vanishing top predators, it is imperative to understand system dynamics before we can evaluate the impact of species removal on ecosystem function.Read moreRead less
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.
Bad tastes, odours and toxins in our drinking water reservoirs: are benthic cyanobacteria the culprits? Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) produce toxins and bad tastes that contaminate drinking water sources, cause public concern about water quality. This project will address a critical knowledge gap by investigating species that grow on the sediments of reservoirs, thus providing more comprehensive management solutions to the water industry.
Environmentally-friendly strategies for shoreline protection in lakes. Most current approaches to shoreline protection involve the use of ecologically damaging hard structures. Nature-based alternatives are increasingly adopted, but often without scientific evidence that they are environmentally-friendly. With rising sea-levels, the need for coastal protection will increase, so it is essential that we develop ecologically sustainable approaches to shoreline protection. The aim of this study is ....Environmentally-friendly strategies for shoreline protection in lakes. Most current approaches to shoreline protection involve the use of ecologically damaging hard structures. Nature-based alternatives are increasingly adopted, but often without scientific evidence that they are environmentally-friendly. With rising sea-levels, the need for coastal protection will increase, so it is essential that we develop ecologically sustainable approaches to shoreline protection. The aim of this study is to assess changes to biodiversity and ecosystem functions associated with different protection strategies. The research outcomes will be an understanding of the broad ecological impacts from these approaches and will provide the basis for ecologically sustainable shoreline protection in coastal lakes and lagoons.Read moreRead less