Changes of salt dynamics and distribution in coastal marshes. This project aims to determine and quantify key mechanisms underlying salt transport and distribution in coastal salt marshes. Combining field measurements, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, the proposed research will tackle long-standing questions concerning accumulation of excessive salt in the marsh soil, which imposes significant stress on marsh plants. This project will examine how temporal and spatial salinity va ....Changes of salt dynamics and distribution in coastal marshes. This project aims to determine and quantify key mechanisms underlying salt transport and distribution in coastal salt marshes. Combining field measurements, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations, the proposed research will tackle long-standing questions concerning accumulation of excessive salt in the marsh soil, which imposes significant stress on marsh plants. This project will examine how temporal and spatial salinity variations lead to large density gradients that may trigger unstable pore-water flow and solute transport. The outcomes will advance our understanding of fundamental links between the marsh hydrology and ecology, and improve our scientific basis for evaluating the marsh ecosystem under different stress conditions.Read moreRead less
Physical and geochemical coupling in a subterranean estuary. This project aims to determine and quantify key mechanisms governing chemical transport and transformation in a tidally dominated subterranean estuary. The project will be the first attempt worldwide to measure simultaneously the temporal and spatial variability of coupled physical and geochemical processes in the intertidal zone of a subterranean estuary. The project will generate much-needed understanding of the role of subterranean ....Physical and geochemical coupling in a subterranean estuary. This project aims to determine and quantify key mechanisms governing chemical transport and transformation in a tidally dominated subterranean estuary. The project will be the first attempt worldwide to measure simultaneously the temporal and spatial variability of coupled physical and geochemical processes in the intertidal zone of a subterranean estuary. The project will generate much-needed understanding of the role of subterranean estuaries in controlling fluxes of land-derived chemicals to the ocean via submarine groundwater discharge. The outcomes will have important implications for assessing and minimising the impact of groundwater contamination on the coastal zone. It will provide better understanding of the pathway of land-derived nutrients and contaminants entering coastal waters, leading to improvement of strategies for sustainable coastal resources management and development, and integration of upland and lowland catchments management.Read moreRead less