Contemporary sulfur biomineralisation in acid sulfate soil landscapes. This project aims to generate fundamental knowledge on the processes, kinetics and impacts to water quality of contemporary sulfur biomineralisation in acid sulfate soil landscapes. Extreme concentrations of highly reactive sulfides are forming in the surface sediments of floodplain drains, wetlands and agricultural soils. The newly forming sulfides are linked to severe oxygen depletion and acidification of coastal rivers a ....Contemporary sulfur biomineralisation in acid sulfate soil landscapes. This project aims to generate fundamental knowledge on the processes, kinetics and impacts to water quality of contemporary sulfur biomineralisation in acid sulfate soil landscapes. Extreme concentrations of highly reactive sulfides are forming in the surface sediments of floodplain drains, wetlands and agricultural soils. The newly forming sulfides are linked to severe oxygen depletion and acidification of coastal rivers and the complete failure of floodplain vegetation, leaving soils susceptible to erosion. The proposed study will greatly advance our understanding of how our precious coastal floodplain soil and water resources are being degraded, and will guide better land management.
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An integrated investigation of nutrient generation and delivery processes and pathways from paddock to small catchment scales. Improving water quality, primarily through reducing nutrient concentrations, remains a massive challenge for effective catchment management in Australia. Through a multidisciplinary approach including soil science, hydrology and aquatic chemistry, this project will develop an integrated catchment system understanding of water quality behaviour. This understanding will ....An integrated investigation of nutrient generation and delivery processes and pathways from paddock to small catchment scales. Improving water quality, primarily through reducing nutrient concentrations, remains a massive challenge for effective catchment management in Australia. Through a multidisciplinary approach including soil science, hydrology and aquatic chemistry, this project will develop an integrated catchment system understanding of water quality behaviour. This understanding will greatly improve the scientific underpinning of catchment water quality management and prediction, thus supporting improvements in the sustainability of Australia's water management. The work will focus on catchments with high intensity livestock grazing, which tend to be located in high rainfall areas near coasts where significant issues of water quality management exist.Read moreRead less
Unraveling the oxidative geochemistry of nanoparticulate mackinawite in acid sulfate soil landscapes. Acid sulfate soils impact over 8 million ha of valuable coastal land in Australia, and over 24 million ha throughout the world. Drainage from acid sulfate soil waterways is a major threat to water quality, ecosystem health, agricultural sustainability and fisheries productivity. The practical benefits of this project arise from an improved understanding of the processes controlling water qualit ....Unraveling the oxidative geochemistry of nanoparticulate mackinawite in acid sulfate soil landscapes. Acid sulfate soils impact over 8 million ha of valuable coastal land in Australia, and over 24 million ha throughout the world. Drainage from acid sulfate soil waterways is a major threat to water quality, ecosystem health, agricultural sustainability and fisheries productivity. The practical benefits of this project arise from an improved understanding of the processes controlling water quality and associated resources in these areas. The intellectual benefits include the development of novel geochemical concepts involving sulfur minerals that are central to coastal rivers, wetlands and estuaries. This project will enhance Australia's capacity for sustainable environmental management.Read moreRead less
Hydraulic Properties of Swelling Clay-Gel Soils: Electrolyte and Temperature Effects. We seek to understand the impacts of electrolytes and temperature on the equilibrium and water flow properties of swelling, clay-gel soils. These soils are important in cropping, the environment and industrial processes. Their hydraulic properties govern dewatering rates, rheology, and solute movement. Double layer theory (DLVO) successfully describes the equilibrium behaviour of model, parallel-plate clay syst ....Hydraulic Properties of Swelling Clay-Gel Soils: Electrolyte and Temperature Effects. We seek to understand the impacts of electrolytes and temperature on the equilibrium and water flow properties of swelling, clay-gel soils. These soils are important in cropping, the environment and industrial processes. Their hydraulic properties govern dewatering rates, rheology, and solute movement. Double layer theory (DLVO) successfully describes the equilibrium behaviour of model, parallel-plate clay systems in laboratories. However, equilibrium and water transport properties of less-ideal, clay slurries are poorly described by theory. Field clay-gels are therefore problematic. Outcomes will be better understanding of swelling clays, improved and more cost effective management techniques for gel soils and trained graduates.Read moreRead less
Using a battery of tests to evaluate the potential toxicity of remediated and unremediated soils and dusts contaminated with metals. An in vitro model simulating the intact and immature infant intestinal epithelium will be used to determine the changes in solubility and uptake of metals following in situ remediation processes. The earthworm and bacterial luminescence toxicity tests indicate the ecotoxicity of contaminated soils.
Many garden soils, household dusts, and industrial sites are conta ....Using a battery of tests to evaluate the potential toxicity of remediated and unremediated soils and dusts contaminated with metals. An in vitro model simulating the intact and immature infant intestinal epithelium will be used to determine the changes in solubility and uptake of metals following in situ remediation processes. The earthworm and bacterial luminescence toxicity tests indicate the ecotoxicity of contaminated soils.
Many garden soils, household dusts, and industrial sites are contaminated with lead, cadmium, and other metals. These pose a risk to human health, especially of children, and ecosystem health
These tests will be applied to prioritise sites where metal contamination exists and to evaluate the effectiveness of remediation techniques in reducing metal uptake and toxicity.Read moreRead less
The fate and toxicity of nanoparticles in the terrestrial environment. This research aims to provide the knowledge needed to understand the fate and effects of new nanoparticulate metal products in Australian landscapes. The movement and environmental effects of manufactured nanoparticulates are unknown, partly because of the difficulty of measuring and detecting these nano-products in the environment. This project will develop techniques to identify manufactured nanoparticulate metals in soils, ....The fate and toxicity of nanoparticles in the terrestrial environment. This research aims to provide the knowledge needed to understand the fate and effects of new nanoparticulate metal products in Australian landscapes. The movement and environmental effects of manufactured nanoparticulates are unknown, partly because of the difficulty of measuring and detecting these nano-products in the environment. This project will develop techniques to identify manufactured nanoparticulate metals in soils, and to determine the potential adverse effects of these products on plants and soil organisms. This will indicate the need, if any, for controls on the disposal or dispersal of nano-sized metal products in the terrestrial environment.Read moreRead less
How does warming prevent soil nitrogen availability from declining in response to elevated CO2? The sustainable use of the terrestrial environment depends upon maintaining ecosystem productivity which in turn depends upon nutrient availability within the soil. Increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are known to decrease nutrient availability while warming prevents this from happening. The aims of this project are to determine how warming is able to prevent elevated CO2 concentrations from re ....How does warming prevent soil nitrogen availability from declining in response to elevated CO2? The sustainable use of the terrestrial environment depends upon maintaining ecosystem productivity which in turn depends upon nutrient availability within the soil. Increasing levels of CO2 in the atmosphere are known to decrease nutrient availability while warming prevents this from happening. The aims of this project are to determine how warming is able to prevent elevated CO2 concentrations from reducing soil N availability and hence productivity in a native grassland ecosystems. This is important, as it will allow likely problems caused by global climate change to be predicted by increasing the understanding of the underlying mechanisms as well as improving the management of grasslands in an environmentally sustainable way. Read moreRead less
Schwertmannite in acid sulfate soil landscapes: iron cycling induced acidification. Acid sulfate soils impact over 24 million ha of land throughout the world, 4 million ha of valuable coastal land in Australia alone. Their oxidation and acidification are the cause of catastrophic declines in water quality, aquatic habitat, agricultural productivity and urban infrastructure. The practical benefits of this project arise from an improved understanding of the processes controlling acidification a ....Schwertmannite in acid sulfate soil landscapes: iron cycling induced acidification. Acid sulfate soils impact over 24 million ha of land throughout the world, 4 million ha of valuable coastal land in Australia alone. Their oxidation and acidification are the cause of catastrophic declines in water quality, aquatic habitat, agricultural productivity and urban infrastructure. The practical benefits of this project arise from an improved understanding of the processes controlling acidification and water quality in these areas. Intellectual benefits include the development and application of novel geochemical concepts involving iron minerals relevant to acidity impacted coastal rivers, wetlands and estuaries; this project will enhance Australia's capacity for sustainable environmental management.Read moreRead less
Fate of endocrine disrupting chemicals in water repellent soil. The fate of endocrine system disrupting chemicals in soils has not been studied, even though some have been linked to human health effects. Many are found in municipal sewage wastes. This project will measure chemical concentrations in water repellent forest plantation soils irrigated with municipal wastewater. The outcome will be data specifically addressing (1) the risks when forest plantations are irrigated with municipal wastewa ....Fate of endocrine disrupting chemicals in water repellent soil. The fate of endocrine system disrupting chemicals in soils has not been studied, even though some have been linked to human health effects. Many are found in municipal sewage wastes. This project will measure chemical concentrations in water repellent forest plantation soils irrigated with municipal wastewater. The outcome will be data specifically addressing (1) the risks when forest plantations are irrigated with municipal wastewater in Victoria and, by extension applicable to other Australian ecosystems, (2) Environment Australia's stated need for information directly applicable to ecosystem and human health risk assessment of the environmental risks posed by endocrine disrupting chemicals.Read moreRead less
The geomicrobiology and (bio)geochemistry of platinum, palladium and rhodium. Few economic (Platinum) Pt, (Palladium) Pd or (Rhodium) Rh deposits are known in Australia despite an abundance of potential host rock. By improving onshore exploration techniques this project will ensure the supply of these strategic metals to the Australian economy. By integrating geochemical, molecular microbial and microanalyses (e.g., synchrotron) techniques this project will also: (i) enhance Australia's status i ....The geomicrobiology and (bio)geochemistry of platinum, palladium and rhodium. Few economic (Platinum) Pt, (Palladium) Pd or (Rhodium) Rh deposits are known in Australia despite an abundance of potential host rock. By improving onshore exploration techniques this project will ensure the supply of these strategic metals to the Australian economy. By integrating geochemical, molecular microbial and microanalyses (e.g., synchrotron) techniques this project will also: (i) enhance Australia's status in the breakthrough science of Geomicrobiology; (ii) secure a leading role for Australian science in the assessment of anthropogenic Pt, Pd and Rh pollution; (iii) access expertise developed overseas by fostering international collaborations; and (iv) explore the transformational capabilities of microbiota for ore-processing of and nano-particle production.Read moreRead less