Reproducibility and open science in environmental research. The goal of this project is to improve the reproducibility and transparency of environmental science. Disturbingly low levels of reproducibility have recently been uncovered in other disciplines, and there are good reasons to suspect the same conditions in environmental science. However, it has thus far been excused from evaluation because of the large spatial scales, long time horizons and dependencies among processes that prohibit dir ....Reproducibility and open science in environmental research. The goal of this project is to improve the reproducibility and transparency of environmental science. Disturbingly low levels of reproducibility have recently been uncovered in other disciplines, and there are good reasons to suspect the same conditions in environmental science. However, it has thus far been excused from evaluation because of the large spatial scales, long time horizons and dependencies among processes that prohibit direct replication of empirical field research. The project plans to assess the reproducibility of environmental research and develop systematic review methods that account for bias in published research. In this way, it seeks to contribute to the standards for statistical inference and reporting in the discipline, and facilitate a cultural shift to ‘Open Science’ to ensure a more reliable evidence base for environmental decisions. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101890
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Purification of contaminated wastewaters by modified Bayer layered double hydroxides. This project intends to develop enhanced adsorbent materials, prepared from industrial wastewater and seawater, for the decontamination of environments affected by Australian industries. This inexpensive novel material will be applicable to a wide range of purification applications and will reduce the environmental impact of Australian industries.
Establishing a missing link between the global nitrogen and carbon cycles - anaerobic methane oxidation coupled to denitrification. Methane is a strong greenhouse gas and currently accounts for 20 per cent of the total radioactive forcing in the atmosphere. This project investigates a previously unrecognized microbial process that oxidizes methane before it reaches the atmosphere. The project will deliver knowledge support to sustainable environmental management.
Phytoextraction approaches for mitigating heavy metal release from unlined and loosely capped rural landfills. Australian rural landfills are used for storing hazardous wastes which contain toxic metals. Impermeable clay caps are often utilized to encapsulate these wastes and prevent release of pollutants into the environment. The integrity of these caps is crucial and requires constant care. The project aims to develop novel approaches which will improve substantially the long-term environmenta ....Phytoextraction approaches for mitigating heavy metal release from unlined and loosely capped rural landfills. Australian rural landfills are used for storing hazardous wastes which contain toxic metals. Impermeable clay caps are often utilized to encapsulate these wastes and prevent release of pollutants into the environment. The integrity of these caps is crucial and requires constant care. The project aims to develop novel approaches which will improve substantially the long-term environmental safety of rural landfills and deliver additional economic benefits. These approaches involve the use of high-value tree crops and plants capable of extracting toxic metals. Utilization of these plants will create a valuable resource on an otherwise derelict area and this will be of considerable local/regional benefit and national significance.Read moreRead less
Improved quality and interpretation of terrestrial fauna surveys for environmental impact assessments in the mining industry. This study will improve the quality and interpretation of the terrestrial fauna surveys used as a basis for Environmental Impact Assessment in the mining industry. As a consequence, the Environment Protection Authority will better understand the potential impacts of mining on biodiversity and ecosystems, and can place more appropriate conditions on mining companies and th ....Improved quality and interpretation of terrestrial fauna surveys for environmental impact assessments in the mining industry. This study will improve the quality and interpretation of the terrestrial fauna surveys used as a basis for Environmental Impact Assessment in the mining industry. As a consequence, the Environment Protection Authority will better understand the potential impacts of mining on biodiversity and ecosystems, and can place more appropriate conditions on mining companies and their rehabilitation programs. In addition, the study will report on strategies for detecting rare and endangered species, and the development of appropriate databases to enable terrestrial fauna data to be interpreted in the context of soils and vegetation at habitat, landscape and regional scales.Read moreRead less
The roles of stress and immunocompetence in biological invasions. Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity worldwide; and within Australia, cane toads are widely viewed as one of the biggest such problems. Building on recent studies that reveal weakened immune systems in invasion-front toads, this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of immune responses in cane toads and native frogs, with the aim of exploiting the toads' immunocompromised state to develop new and more ....The roles of stress and immunocompetence in biological invasions. Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity worldwide; and within Australia, cane toads are widely viewed as one of the biggest such problems. Building on recent studies that reveal weakened immune systems in invasion-front toads, this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of immune responses in cane toads and native frogs, with the aim of exploiting the toads' immunocompromised state to develop new and more effective control measures. The project will develop a new paradigm about the roles of stress and immunity in biological invasion, applicable to the control of other invasive species and to understanding processes at work when environmental changes force species to shift their ranges.Read moreRead less
Applying search theory for eradicating invasive species. Invasive species have major economic and environmental impacts in Australia and are a major cause of extinctions worldwide. Monitoring is crucial for the timely control of invasive species in sensitive environments. Early detection increases the probability of eradication and increased accuracy in detection reduces the impact of control programs on non-target species. Efficient monitoring also is crucial in determining whether eradication ....Applying search theory for eradicating invasive species. Invasive species have major economic and environmental impacts in Australia and are a major cause of extinctions worldwide. Monitoring is crucial for the timely control of invasive species in sensitive environments. Early detection increases the probability of eradication and increased accuracy in detection reduces the impact of control programs on non-target species. Efficient monitoring also is crucial in determining whether eradication has succeeded. Search Theory has been applied for over 60 years in a wide range of non-biological monitoring problems, resulting in large increases in target detection rates. Gains of a similar magnitude in invasive species detection would greatly enhance Australia's capacity to manage these threats.Read moreRead less
Naturalisation to invasion: how do naturalised plants become successful invaders? Invasive plants have enormous environmental, economic and social impacts in Australia, significantly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes, agricultural productivity and recreational amenity. This research will contribute substantially to our understanding of the processes that underlie the transition from naturalised to invasive for introduced plants. By identifying the key factors enabling naturalised pl ....Naturalisation to invasion: how do naturalised plants become successful invaders? Invasive plants have enormous environmental, economic and social impacts in Australia, significantly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes, agricultural productivity and recreational amenity. This research will contribute substantially to our understanding of the processes that underlie the transition from naturalised to invasive for introduced plants. By identifying the key factors enabling naturalised plant species to become invasive pests, this research will enable plant species most likely to threaten Australia's biodiversity and agricultural productivity to be identified and prioritized for screening and eradication.Read moreRead less
The effect of catchment revegetation on waterways. The effect of catchment revegetation on waterways. This project will examine the forms, transformations and fate of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic ecosystems and the link to human health with water treatment. Catchment revegetation is a management tool used to reduce excessive nutrient loads to waterways, which in turn causes poor water quality. However, catchment revegetation also produces DOM. DOM is typically poorly characterised a ....The effect of catchment revegetation on waterways. The effect of catchment revegetation on waterways. This project will examine the forms, transformations and fate of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in aquatic ecosystems and the link to human health with water treatment. Catchment revegetation is a management tool used to reduce excessive nutrient loads to waterways, which in turn causes poor water quality. However, catchment revegetation also produces DOM. DOM is typically poorly characterised and its effect on ecosystem health unclear. DOM also reacts with chlorine in water treatment plants to form disinfection by-products that affect human health. This research is expected to provide important new information to guide future catchment restoration efforts.Read moreRead less
Exploiting natural processes to effectively remediate acidified coastal environments. Working with local government, industry and communities, this project aims to identify how natural processes can best be manipulated to limit acid sulfate soil discharge in many Australian estuaries. The expected outcomes are systematic remediation of these areas and improvement in estuarine water quality.