Plutonium - A new tracer of sediment transport into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. This work will quantify one of the most controversial threats to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, namely the amount of sediment reaching the reef as a consequence of human activities. It will have economic implications for this major Australian tourist attraction, as well as the commercial fishing and agricultural and horticultural industries in the region. The direct economic value associated with these indust ....Plutonium - A new tracer of sediment transport into the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. This work will quantify one of the most controversial threats to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, namely the amount of sediment reaching the reef as a consequence of human activities. It will have economic implications for this major Australian tourist attraction, as well as the commercial fishing and agricultural and horticultural industries in the region. The direct economic value associated with these industries exceeds $1 billion per annum, and around 1 million people visit the inshore areas every year. Management of the park will benefit through improved understanding of the transport of sediment from the rivers to the lagoon and inner reef areas, and the fraction of the sediment attributable to anthropogenic practices. Read moreRead less
Links between marine biotic evolution and carbonate platform and petroleum reservoir development in the South China sea. This project will aim to discover the major environmental controls over the historical development of the high biodiversity of Indo-Pacific coral reefs. By investigating fossils from rocky outcrops we will enhance the ability of petroleum companies to predict the occurrence of hydrocarbons in sub-surface reef limestones.