Critical flux paths influencing ecological processes in an urban estuary. This study will focus on the roles of benthic algae, denitrification and consumers on nutrient fluxes and planktonic production in the Swan River estuary, Western Australia. A 5-year research program of measurements and numerical modelling has identified these processes as poorly quantified, critical to the estuary trophic status, and essential data in order to accurately predict potential impacts of remediation strategie ....Critical flux paths influencing ecological processes in an urban estuary. This study will focus on the roles of benthic algae, denitrification and consumers on nutrient fluxes and planktonic production in the Swan River estuary, Western Australia. A 5-year research program of measurements and numerical modelling has identified these processes as poorly quantified, critical to the estuary trophic status, and essential data in order to accurately predict potential impacts of remediation strategies. We will validate the impacts of denitrification through in situ measurements, review data on higher order consumers, and use this information in a numerical model to understand the interactions of biogeochemical fluxes, plant, animal and microbial communities, and transport processes in the estuary.Read moreRead less
Wave dynamics in topographically-complex coastal reef systems. Both tropical coral and temperate rocky reefs are abundant features of Australia's coastline, yet their hydrodynamics (waves, currents and water levels) are poorly understood relative to other coastal environments such as beaches. This project will elucidate the complex hydrodynamic processes when waves interact with the steep-slopes and large bottom roughness of reefs, by establishing an international research program combining labo ....Wave dynamics in topographically-complex coastal reef systems. Both tropical coral and temperate rocky reefs are abundant features of Australia's coastline, yet their hydrodynamics (waves, currents and water levels) are poorly understood relative to other coastal environments such as beaches. This project will elucidate the complex hydrodynamic processes when waves interact with the steep-slopes and large bottom roughness of reefs, by establishing an international research program combining laboratory and field measurements with numerical modelling. The improved process-understanding of reef hydrodynamics developed through this project will lead to significant advances in our ability to predict the impacts of extreme events (for example, storms and tsunamis) and climate change on coasts, both here and abroad.Read moreRead less
Physical processes in complex coastal reef environments: the dynamics of wave- and tide-dominated systems. Coastal reefs are ubiquitous features of Australia's coastline, yet the dynamics controlling water motion on reefs still remain poorly understood. This project will significantly advance our understanding of coastal processes within reef environments, thus improving predictions of the impacts of extreme storms and climate change on our coasts.
A predictive framework for the flow control of environmental roughness. This project aims to develop a new framework to accurately predict how macro-roughness controls flow, turbulence and transport in environmental systems. Exemplar systems range from flows over seagrass meadows, coral reefs and permeable beds in aquatic environments to flows over urban roughness in atmospheric environments. The overall health and function of these systems is intimately linked to how they modify the incoming fl ....A predictive framework for the flow control of environmental roughness. This project aims to develop a new framework to accurately predict how macro-roughness controls flow, turbulence and transport in environmental systems. Exemplar systems range from flows over seagrass meadows, coral reefs and permeable beds in aquatic environments to flows over urban roughness in atmospheric environments. The overall health and function of these systems is intimately linked to how they modify the incoming flow and the transport of nutrients, contaminants, heat and biota. Expected outcomes include novel theory and new predictive models to quantify the flow and transport 'climate' in these complex roughness systems. This will transform best practice in our understanding, management and protection of these critical ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Turbulent vertical mixing in stratified flows. The project will provide the first definitive data set to document, at the process level, the contribution of turbulance, to mixing in stratified flows and improve our understanding of how well current closure schemes mimic the buoyancy flux and the Reynolds stresses in a stratified shear flow.
Resilience in biogeochemical pathways along a catchment-to-coast continuum. Aquatic systems have degraded more in the past 50 years than any other time in history. Global pressures are further threatening their sustainability, but their complexity makes it difficult to understand how they are responding. This project will combine numerous state-of-the-art approaches to unravel pathways that shape their response.