Deeper and broader life cycle risk assessment - extending the frontier for hybrid methodologies. This project is about combining detailed and global perspectives of environmental health risk from different fields of planning practice. It aims to improve the depth and breadth of the types of information used by government regulators and the community in decisions about the development of capital works.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100066
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$260,000.00
Summary
Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory. Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory:
This project aims to enable Australian research leaders working on the integrated sustainability assessment of policies, products and projects to collaborate in the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab). It seeks to develop and implement an enhanced modelling capability and suite of online analytical tools to support sustainability scienti ....Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory. Enhanced modelling capacity for the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory:
This project aims to enable Australian research leaders working on the integrated sustainability assessment of policies, products and projects to collaborate in the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory (IELab). It seeks to develop and implement an enhanced modelling capability and suite of online analytical tools to support sustainability scientists and analysts from Australia and abroad conducting research projects of national and international significance. In particular, the project would provide policy-makers, investors and communities with detailed and tailored information to help make better decisions about a sustainable future. By upgrading IELab hardware and analytical and modelling software, the project would be versatile and flexible and remain up to date.Read moreRead less
Improving the Environmental Performance of Australian Construction Projects. This project aims to investigate the environmental impacts of construction in Australia through the development of a sophisticated hybrid environmental assessment model. The project aims to assist in identifying the most significant environmental impacts, critical areas for mitigation efforts and informing environmental policy and programs within the Australian construction industry. The development of one of the most s ....Improving the Environmental Performance of Australian Construction Projects. This project aims to investigate the environmental impacts of construction in Australia through the development of a sophisticated hybrid environmental assessment model. The project aims to assist in identifying the most significant environmental impacts, critical areas for mitigation efforts and informing environmental policy and programs within the Australian construction industry. The development of one of the most sophisticated and comprehensive models for assessing environmental impacts ever produced is expected to enable cost- and time-efficient evaluation of multiple environmental impacts at a high level of detail and completeness. This should lead to considerable improvements to the environmental performance of Australian construction projects.Read moreRead less
Urban biochar: towards prescriptive biochar use for maximum economic productivity and sustainability benefits in urban environments. This project will develop a life cycle assessment of waste management options for green waste and biosolids based on a clear understanding of productivity benefits of urban biochar application to high value production systems.
Diagnosing river health using invertebrate traits and DNA barcodes. Diagnosing river health using invertebrate traits and DNA barcodes. This project aims to develop indices that link change in invertebrate communities to specific environmental stressors, and combine these indices with innovative, low cost molecular approaches to species identification to rapidly identify the causes of decline. River health assessment methods, usually based on aquatic invertebrates, identify if rivers are impaire ....Diagnosing river health using invertebrate traits and DNA barcodes. Diagnosing river health using invertebrate traits and DNA barcodes. This project aims to develop indices that link change in invertebrate communities to specific environmental stressors, and combine these indices with innovative, low cost molecular approaches to species identification to rapidly identify the causes of decline. River health assessment methods, usually based on aquatic invertebrates, identify if rivers are impaired but must be developed to identify the causes of decline. The intended outcomes are improved sustainable water resource management within and among states, and improved natural resource policy development.Read moreRead less
Advancing vegetation classification and mapping to meet conservation needs. The project aims to develop advanced statistical and modelling techniques to classify and map vegetation over very large areas, using the most extensive and detailed vegetation data set in Australia and new methods to evaluate these classifications. Such classifications and maps provide the data needed to make biodiversity conservation decisions, yet current operational methods are limited over very large areas, and cann ....Advancing vegetation classification and mapping to meet conservation needs. The project aims to develop advanced statistical and modelling techniques to classify and map vegetation over very large areas, using the most extensive and detailed vegetation data set in Australia and new methods to evaluate these classifications. Such classifications and maps provide the data needed to make biodiversity conservation decisions, yet current operational methods are limited over very large areas, and cannot deal with varied sources of uncertainty. Expected outcomes and benefits include a fine-scale vegetation classification and map for almost a million square kilometres, and associated analytical tools and guidelines for large-scale vegetation classification and global mapping.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0560930
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$167,777.00
Summary
Airborne laser scanning for advanced environmental monitoring. This proposal seeks to enhance the national capability for airborne remote sensing of key environmental variables through the acquisition of an airborne laser scanner and inertial navigation system. Many environmental science studies, such as hydrology, soil moisture scaling and salinity, can be significantly enhanced by airborne laser scanning, through the creation of high precision, high resolution digital terrain models. Airborne ....Airborne laser scanning for advanced environmental monitoring. This proposal seeks to enhance the national capability for airborne remote sensing of key environmental variables through the acquisition of an airborne laser scanner and inertial navigation system. Many environmental science studies, such as hydrology, soil moisture scaling and salinity, can be significantly enhanced by airborne laser scanning, through the creation of high precision, high resolution digital terrain models. Airborne laser scanning can also measure three dimensional vegetation canopy structure, a useful indicator of biomass, carbon storage and vegetation health. This infrastructure will provide Australian researchers with a unique arsenal of remote sensing tools for advanced yet affordable environmental research studies.Read moreRead less
How effective are environmental flows? Novel approaches for monitoring and assessing ecological responses to large-scale flow alteration. Australia has begun a multi-billion dollar program to return water to stressed rivers as environmental flows. However, during times of unprecedented water scarcity, such an investment in the environment can be controversial because the ecological benefits of released water are mostly poorly understood. This project will demonstrate the effectiveness of environ ....How effective are environmental flows? Novel approaches for monitoring and assessing ecological responses to large-scale flow alteration. Australia has begun a multi-billion dollar program to return water to stressed rivers as environmental flows. However, during times of unprecedented water scarcity, such an investment in the environment can be controversial because the ecological benefits of released water are mostly poorly understood. This project will demonstrate the effectiveness of environmental flows, and promote greater understanding of the links between flow patterns and river health. The project will build upon existing knowledge to create a sound framework for planning, monitoring, and evaluation of environmental watering decisions across regional Australia, greatly improving our ability to sustainably manage rivers into the future.Read moreRead less
Microplastic infiltration of food webs: cells to ecosystem consequences. Using trophic ecological theory as a framework, this project aims to provide the first comprehensive assessment of the fate and effects of microplastics. Plastic pollution is a persistent and increasing problem. Plastics are degraded into small particles, called microplastics, which are ingested by animals. The project aims to develop much-needed techniques to measure microplastics in biological tissue and apply these techn ....Microplastic infiltration of food webs: cells to ecosystem consequences. Using trophic ecological theory as a framework, this project aims to provide the first comprehensive assessment of the fate and effects of microplastics. Plastic pollution is a persistent and increasing problem. Plastics are degraded into small particles, called microplastics, which are ingested by animals. The project aims to develop much-needed techniques to measure microplastics in biological tissue and apply these techniques in food web studies to determine the capacity of microplastics to transfer from the environment into animals, and how microplastics move through a food web to affect biological diversity and animal health. This information will be used to complete the first risk assessment for microplastics in a major coastal habitat.Read moreRead less
Optimising seasonal decisions for environmental water use. This project will develop a tool to optimise the use of environmental water, drawing on seasonal forecasts of streamflow and water price, and predicted ecological responses to changing flows. This tool will strengthen the effectiveness of the government organisations responsible for managing Australia's environmental water reserves.