Macquarie University Department of Biological Sciences

Michael Watt

0000-0003-1164-1367

Paulina Szwaja

0000-0002-4480-7979

Francisco Martínez-Baena

0000-0002-0898-3633

OSAZEE OYANOGHAFO

0000-0002-6929-6845

Joshua Reed

0000-0001-5420-2079

Tuyet Hoang

0000-0003-0086-5576

Sebastian Schwarz

0000-0002-6327-6181

Ananda Christina Staats Pires

0000-0003-4264-6515

Hanja Brandl

0000-0001-6972-5403

Grant Hose

0000-0003-2106-5543

Peter Wilson

0000-0001-7375-0791

Darshana Rathnayake

0000-0002-4238-6533

Discovery Projects - Grant ID: DP1095200

Start Date: 07-2010

End Date: 06-2015

Amount: $169,000.00

Summary: Testing the biodiversity-function paradigm for the provision of clean water in aquifers. The ability of groundwater microbes to purify groundwater is an incredibly valuable service. All Australians benefit from this natural service either directly by having clean drinking water, or indirectly through the economic benefits of groundwater-reliant agriculture or industries. Clearly, managing aquifers to maintain this process is vital. This project will identify whether the biodiversity of the groun .... Testing the biodiversity-function paradigm for the provision of clean water in aquifers. The ability of groundwater microbes to purify groundwater is an incredibly valuable service. All Australians benefit from this natural service either directly by having clean drinking water, or indirectly through the economic benefits of groundwater-reliant agriculture or industries. Clearly, managing aquifers to maintain this process is vital. This project will identify whether the biodiversity of the groundwater ecosystem is important for this process to occur and, consequently, whether management should focus on biodiversity conservation (with its accompanying benefits) or forego biodiversity as a priority and manage the environment to maximise the beneficial ecosystem goods and services it provides.
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Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP130100508

Start Date: 07-2013

End Date: 06-2016

Amount: $447,000.00

Summary: 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.

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP130100120

Start Date: 11-2013

End Date: 12-2018

Amount: $179,945.00

Summary: Upland swamps and chains-of-ponds as unique and rare Australian river types: understanding their function to improve conservation and rehabilitation. Upland swamps and chains-of-ponds are nationally listed endangered ecosystems. They regulate water supply and quality in catchments. This project will deliver science on the physical and ecological function of these systems so conservation and rehabilitation initiatives within catchment action plans are effectively designed and implemented.

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP0775468

Start Date: 01-2007

End Date: 12-2009

Amount: $174,100.00

Summary: Mechanistic and probabilistic approaches to assessing the impact of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways. This project will provide vital information on the impacts of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways and will also provide information with respect to safe levels of pesticides for water quality management. This information will be used to develop scientifically sound management policies and provide advice to regulatory authorities such as the NSW Department of Environment and Cons .... Mechanistic and probabilistic approaches to assessing the impact of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways. This project will provide vital information on the impacts of pesticide mixtures in Australian waterways and will also provide information with respect to safe levels of pesticides for water quality management. This information will be used to develop scientifically sound management policies and provide advice to regulatory authorities such as the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the Federal Department of Environment and Heritage. Specifically the results will contribute to ensuring the use of pesticides in market gardens close to Sydney does not threaten the health of local rivers.
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Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP190100927

Start Date: 05-2021

End Date: 05-2024

Amount: $366,244.00

Summary: Predicting the impacts of groundwater drawdown on groundwater ecosystems. This project aims to tackle a critical challenge of groundwater management – to understand and predict the impacts of declining groundwater levels. Over pumping and declining groundwater tables are a global problem, yet the effects on the ecosystems that exist within aquifers are poorly known. This project will create a world first evidence-based model of how lowering water tables affects the microbes, invertebrates (stygo .... Predicting the impacts of groundwater drawdown on groundwater ecosystems. This project aims to tackle a critical challenge of groundwater management – to understand and predict the impacts of declining groundwater levels. Over pumping and declining groundwater tables are a global problem, yet the effects on the ecosystems that exist within aquifers are poorly known. This project will create a world first evidence-based model of how lowering water tables affects the microbes, invertebrates (stygofauna) and ecological processes in groundwater ecosystems, and will demonstrate the consequences of such changes to groundwater quality and availability. This model will allow impacts to be reliably forecast and avoided or mitigated, vastly improving how major developments affecting groundwater are planned and implemented.
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Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP160100686

Start Date: 11-2016

End Date: 06-2021

Amount: $410,000.00

Summary: Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. This project aims to understand how different animals encounter pesticide in the landscape through quantifying residue deposition in arid grasslands and investigating how pesticides used to control locust plagues affect fauna. This project will investigate fenitrothion and fipronil, the main pesticides used in Australia for locust control. It will develop a deposition model for aeria .... Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. This project aims to understand how different animals encounter pesticide in the landscape through quantifying residue deposition in arid grasslands and investigating how pesticides used to control locust plagues affect fauna. This project will investigate fenitrothion and fipronil, the main pesticides used in Australia for locust control. It will develop a deposition model for aerial pesticide spraying, determine the short-term effect of sprayed pesticides on the behaviour and condition of free-ranging target fauna that use the environment differently, and quantify the relative importance of dietary and non-dietary exposure routes to gauge the importance of animal behaviour on pesticide exposure. Anticipated outcomes are improved baseline assessments for locusticides.
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Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Projects - Grant ID: LP110200105

Start Date: 12-2011

End Date: 12-2015

Amount: $296,000.00

Summary: 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.

Funder: Australian Research Council

Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989680

Start Date: 2009

End Date: 12-2009

Amount: $300,000.00

Summary: Interuniversity Elemental and Structural Analytical Facility. The items in this proposal will form the first stage of a larger facility for Elemental and Structural analytical programs in materials engineering and the natural sciences. The vision is to create an analytical facility which will have at its core and at the outset true collaboration leading to great national benefit. The equipment will be available via on-line access management allowing equitable and transparent access for users fro .... Interuniversity Elemental and Structural Analytical Facility. The items in this proposal will form the first stage of a larger facility for Elemental and Structural analytical programs in materials engineering and the natural sciences. The vision is to create an analytical facility which will have at its core and at the outset true collaboration leading to great national benefit. The equipment will be available via on-line access management allowing equitable and transparent access for users from multiple institutions. The resulting facility will complement existing microstructural capabilities and networks and will be open for all researchers and collaborators to use, further enhancing the national benefit.
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Funder: Australian Research Council