Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354683
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Ocean Discovery Network. The ODN will focus research on Australia's vast marine jurisdiction by:
1. Providing a forum for developing coordinated marine research enterprises in the National Research Priority areas of biodiversity, exploitation of resources, seaway security and climate.
2. Developing innovative international research and providing a mechanism for involvement in international science programs
3. Advancing research capabilities between national and international ocean scientist ....Ocean Discovery Network. The ODN will focus research on Australia's vast marine jurisdiction by:
1. Providing a forum for developing coordinated marine research enterprises in the National Research Priority areas of biodiversity, exploitation of resources, seaway security and climate.
2. Developing innovative international research and providing a mechanism for involvement in international science programs
3. Advancing research capabilities between national and international ocean scientists with web-based data-exchange services and links to global databases
4. Facilitating the transfer of research skills to young investigators
5. Maximising multidisciplinary use of Australian ocean science capacity, particularly the National Facility Research Vessel and the RSV Aurora Australis
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Improved management of coastal plankton systems by ancient DNA technology. This project aims to assemble comprehensive long term Australian plankton records spanning 50 to 1000 years, by applying ancient DNA technology to dated sediment depth cores. Long-term data for Australian coastal and estuarine waters are sparse, so cannot be used for management of fisheries, tourism or urban development. Long-term records are essential to understand how disruptive algal and jellyfish blooms, introduced sp ....Improved management of coastal plankton systems by ancient DNA technology. This project aims to assemble comprehensive long term Australian plankton records spanning 50 to 1000 years, by applying ancient DNA technology to dated sediment depth cores. Long-term data for Australian coastal and estuarine waters are sparse, so cannot be used for management of fisheries, tourism or urban development. Long-term records are essential to understand how disruptive algal and jellyfish blooms, introduced species and increased human use of coastal resources affect dynamic plankton ecosystems. This project’s findings are expected to explore cyclical patterns, define range expansions and understand and manage how dynamic coastal ecosystems respond to multistressor anthropogenic change. Findings will improve understanding of how dynamic marine environments retain their biodiversity values and critical ecological functions.Read moreRead less
The role of Eastern Antarctic polynyas in global ocean circulation. This project aims to study Antarctic polynyas, an important, but poorly observed marine habitat, which profoundly influence the global climate. The major water masses of the world's oceans are formed there, making a large contribution to the ocean heat and carbon dioxide uptake. This study will collect data on ocean properties to 2000m from polynyas in eastern Antarctica throughout the Antarctic winter. The outcomes will be the ....The role of Eastern Antarctic polynyas in global ocean circulation. This project aims to study Antarctic polynyas, an important, but poorly observed marine habitat, which profoundly influence the global climate. The major water masses of the world's oceans are formed there, making a large contribution to the ocean heat and carbon dioxide uptake. This study will collect data on ocean properties to 2000m from polynyas in eastern Antarctica throughout the Antarctic winter. The outcomes will be the provision of data of critical importance to oceanographic and climate studies.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100204
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$125,000.00
Summary
A laser optical plankton counter for laboratory and in-situ size distributions of zooplankton, to assess the basis and outcomes of changing ecosystems. The researchers will integrate studies of zooplankton biodiversity from the tropics to the Southern Ocean with an optical plankton counter to quickly measure zooplankton size and approximate shape. This new technology, together with a resurgence in collaborative marine science through the Integrated Marine Observing System and the Sydney Institut ....A laser optical plankton counter for laboratory and in-situ size distributions of zooplankton, to assess the basis and outcomes of changing ecosystems. The researchers will integrate studies of zooplankton biodiversity from the tropics to the Southern Ocean with an optical plankton counter to quickly measure zooplankton size and approximate shape. This new technology, together with a resurgence in collaborative marine science through the Integrated Marine Observing System and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science, will enable Australian researchers to understand changes in the plankton in freshwater or in estuaries, as well as in the East Australian Current. This current has already strengthened and is predicted to be the area of greatest warming in the Southern Hemisphere. The response of plankton communities to these changes will have profound effects on Australian fisheries and livelihoods.Read moreRead less
How iron is cycled in Southern Ocean waters. This project aims to probe the Southern Ocean phytoplankton’s ability to take up and retain iron, using iron isotope tracer techniques. The Southern Ocean regulates Earth's climate, but the supply of iron to Southern Ocean surface waters is low, restricting the ability of phytoplankton to flourish and draw down carbon dioxide. The results are expected to reveal survival strategies of phytoplankton in this iron-poor environment and their potential abil ....How iron is cycled in Southern Ocean waters. This project aims to probe the Southern Ocean phytoplankton’s ability to take up and retain iron, using iron isotope tracer techniques. The Southern Ocean regulates Earth's climate, but the supply of iron to Southern Ocean surface waters is low, restricting the ability of phytoplankton to flourish and draw down carbon dioxide. The results are expected to reveal survival strategies of phytoplankton in this iron-poor environment and their potential ability to adapt to environmental change. This knowledge could be used to develop models to manage this climate-sensitive region.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100107
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Purchase of a multi-purpose Schottky field emission gun scanning electron microscope. Scanning electron microscopy is a basic analytical tool for imaging surfaces of natural and synthetic materials and identification of nanometre-scale features and their compositions. At the University of Tasmania, it supports four of our six designated priority research themes: Antarctic and Marine Studies, Environment, Frontier Technologies, and Sustainable Primary Production. Our research depending on this te ....Purchase of a multi-purpose Schottky field emission gun scanning electron microscope. Scanning electron microscopy is a basic analytical tool for imaging surfaces of natural and synthetic materials and identification of nanometre-scale features and their compositions. At the University of Tasmania, it supports four of our six designated priority research themes: Antarctic and Marine Studies, Environment, Frontier Technologies, and Sustainable Primary Production. Our research depending on this technique includes many fundamental and applied topics from a wide range of disciplines, such as developing portable detection devices for explosives, finding more efficient and sustainable ways to explore for ore, investigating the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and improving salinity and drought tolerance of crops.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100019
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$580,000.00
Summary
A transportable containerised laboratory for rapid cell sorting and high-resolution bioimaging of living aquatic microbes in field locations. This project will deliver a transportable, unique laboratory for the rapid isolation and high-resolution analysis of living microbes immediately after sampling from the sea or waterways. It will be the first of its kind in Australia and deliver new knowledge of the role of these organisms in their natural habitats.
Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. This project aims to understand the effects of climate change on marine food webs, from plankton production to predation by iconic marine fauna, by integrating data on oceanographic conditions and fish distribution with the foraging patterns and breeding success of seabirds. Warming waters due to strengthening western boundary currents have unk ....Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. Resolving the warming East Australian Current's impact on a marine food web. This project aims to understand the effects of climate change on marine food webs, from plankton production to predation by iconic marine fauna, by integrating data on oceanographic conditions and fish distribution with the foraging patterns and breeding success of seabirds. Warming waters due to strengthening western boundary currents have unknown consequences for coastal marine food webs. Innovative prey capture signatures from accelerometers, and advanced movement models from satellite locations will show how predators locate and prey upon fish schools. Anticipated outcomes are insight into how changing resource availability in the oceans affects ecosystem resilience; improved viability for coastal industries; and ecosystem-based conservation management strategies.Read moreRead less