Measurement of the spatial distribution of temperature and velocity in lakes using Acoustic Tomography. This project will investigate the use of acoustic tomography in lakes to continuously measure the lake-wide distribution of temperature and velocity. The challenges with lake acoustic tomography are the accuracy required in the travel time measurements over shorter distances, acoustic losses due to reflections and ensuring enough rays travel through the thermocline, the region of greatest inte ....Measurement of the spatial distribution of temperature and velocity in lakes using Acoustic Tomography. This project will investigate the use of acoustic tomography in lakes to continuously measure the lake-wide distribution of temperature and velocity. The challenges with lake acoustic tomography are the accuracy required in the travel time measurements over shorter distances, acoustic losses due to reflections and ensuring enough rays travel through the thermocline, the region of greatest interest in lakes. A pilot experiment in a deep lake will investigate the quality of travel time measurements computed from rays travelling through the thermocline of a strongly stratified lake. This has wide applications for the water quality management of lakes and reservoirs.Read moreRead less
Development of a biosensor/bioassay for measuring nutrient pollution. Input of nutrients to water bodies is associated with a deterioration of ecological health. Uncertainty remains about the effect of nutrients on the Great Barrier Reef as monitoring in remote locations remains difficult, expensive and rather sporadic. Here we aim to develop a sensitive and continuous monitoring technique. The availability of such a technique will allow more appropriate monitoring of nutrient inputs. This wi ....Development of a biosensor/bioassay for measuring nutrient pollution. Input of nutrients to water bodies is associated with a deterioration of ecological health. Uncertainty remains about the effect of nutrients on the Great Barrier Reef as monitoring in remote locations remains difficult, expensive and rather sporadic. Here we aim to develop a sensitive and continuous monitoring technique. The availability of such a technique will allow more appropriate monitoring of nutrient inputs. This will facilitate appropriate application of nutrients, in the form of agricultural fertilizer and sustainable land management practices in order to minimize the risk of nutrients to the environment and humans.Read moreRead less
Ecological renovation of constructed wetlands: changing state from algae to macrophyte dominated systems. Mars Confectionary's constructed wastewater treatment wetlands no longer purify its waste waters. Over-burdening has tipped the balance from a plant dominated, clear water system to an algae dominated, turbid system. This project will aid restoration of the Mars wetlands by (1) improving our understanding of alage-macrophyte dynamics in shallow water basins; (2) producing a series of soft en ....Ecological renovation of constructed wetlands: changing state from algae to macrophyte dominated systems. Mars Confectionary's constructed wastewater treatment wetlands no longer purify its waste waters. Over-burdening has tipped the balance from a plant dominated, clear water system to an algae dominated, turbid system. This project will aid restoration of the Mars wetlands by (1) improving our understanding of alage-macrophyte dynamics in shallow water basins; (2) producing a series of soft engineering, ecologically based techniques for the management / rehabilitation of natural and constructed shallow water bodies which receive high nutrient loads; (3) improve decision support tools for the renovation and sustainable management of the Mars Confectionary, and similar food processing industry constructed wetlands.Read moreRead less
Testing the Flood Pulse Concept for rivers with variable flow regimes. For floodplain rivers the major unifying conceptual model linking hydrology, biogeochemistry and ecology is the Flood Pulse Concept (FPC). The model is based on rivers that have a seasonally predictable and long duration inundation of floodplain habitats. Recent reviews of the FPC indicate that the model needs to be broadened to describe the function of rivers with more variable flow regimes. This project will test some of th ....Testing the Flood Pulse Concept for rivers with variable flow regimes. For floodplain rivers the major unifying conceptual model linking hydrology, biogeochemistry and ecology is the Flood Pulse Concept (FPC). The model is based on rivers that have a seasonally predictable and long duration inundation of floodplain habitats. Recent reviews of the FPC indicate that the model needs to be broadened to describe the function of rivers with more variable flow regimes. This project will test some of the predictions of the FPC for variable dryland rivers by investigating how food webs in the channels of a floodplain reach respond to flows of different magnitude, seasonal timing and duration.Read moreRead less
Groundwater dynamics at the ocean-aquifer interface: Implications for modelling of regional flow in Pioneer Valley Aquifers. The Pioneer Valley Water Resources Plan, part of the Council of Australian Government's Water Reform Process, includes the development of regional groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion models for assisting in the allocation and management of the groundwater resources. The ocean forms the largest active boundary of the Pioneer groundwater system, where complex, dynamic h ....Groundwater dynamics at the ocean-aquifer interface: Implications for modelling of regional flow in Pioneer Valley Aquifers. The Pioneer Valley Water Resources Plan, part of the Council of Australian Government's Water Reform Process, includes the development of regional groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion models for assisting in the allocation and management of the groundwater resources. The ocean forms the largest active boundary of the Pioneer groundwater system, where complex, dynamic hydraulic conditions exist due to oceanic oscillations (tides and waves) and density effects. This project aims to investigate and quantify the effects of the dynamic seaward boundary condition on regional groundwater flow in Pioneer Valley aquifers. The research outcomes will also have important implications for other coastal aquifers.Read moreRead less
Integration of Surface Water and Ground Water Processes in Coastal Catchments. The hydrologic processes which describe surface water and groundwater movement often occur at completely different temporal and spatial scales. These two distinct flow regimes, however, are intrinsically coupled in coastal catchments in Australia. The superposition of local flow systems on a regional groundwater framework results in complex interactions which are difficult to accurately predict with existing numeric ....Integration of Surface Water and Ground Water Processes in Coastal Catchments. The hydrologic processes which describe surface water and groundwater movement often occur at completely different temporal and spatial scales. These two distinct flow regimes, however, are intrinsically coupled in coastal catchments in Australia. The superposition of local flow systems on a regional groundwater framework results in complex interactions which are difficult to accurately predict with existing numerical models, and are not truly understood even at the conceptual level. This work aims to study a single catchment at a very detailed level to allow for the production of a new integrated approach to the simulation of the complete hydrologic systemRead moreRead less
Molecular biosignatures for isolating pollution problems in aquatic ecosystems using macroinvertebrate bioindicators. Aquatic ecosystems are under increasing threat by human activities. This has been further exacerbated by drought and climate change. In the future, understanding the major factors impairing aquatic ecosystems will be a vital part of sustaining water resources. This project develops new molecular tools to better monitor and assess aquatic pollution. We will develop a new high-tech ....Molecular biosignatures for isolating pollution problems in aquatic ecosystems using macroinvertebrate bioindicators. Aquatic ecosystems are under increasing threat by human activities. This has been further exacerbated by drought and climate change. In the future, understanding the major factors impairing aquatic ecosystems will be a vital part of sustaining water resources. This project develops new molecular tools to better monitor and assess aquatic pollution. We will develop a new high-tech deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) approach to identify insect indicator species and combine this with a field-based microcosm method that uses local aquatic insects to isolate pollution effects from other impacts. This proposal will facilitate fast identification of pollution problems and provide the water industry with an innovative means to assess pollution and monitor remedial actions.Read moreRead less
Innovative Approach to the Optimal Management of Water Resources and Application to the Upper South East Region of South Australia. This project will increase Australia's capacity to manage water resources in an integrated and sustainable manner. The outcomes of this project will also provide significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the Upper South East region of South Australia, as well as the broader Australian community. The project is expected to result in a significant red ....Innovative Approach to the Optimal Management of Water Resources and Application to the Upper South East Region of South Australia. This project will increase Australia's capacity to manage water resources in an integrated and sustainable manner. The outcomes of this project will also provide significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the Upper South East region of South Australia, as well as the broader Australian community. The project is expected to result in a significant reduction in the economic and social costs associated with dryland salinity and flooding whilst simultaneously increasing the environmental benefits associated with the maintenance and rehabilitation of the ecological value of the some of the region's approximately 200 wetlands.Read moreRead less
Models for biodiversity futures for massively altered agricultural landscapes. Problems with soil and water and declines in native biodiversity have been linked to clearance of native vegetation. We consider future landscapes with substantially more native vegetation than at present to deal with these natural resource problems. Plantings will be slow to mature so optimal planning for landscape revegetation must consider how long it will take for the new vegetation to provide suitable habitat, bo ....Models for biodiversity futures for massively altered agricultural landscapes. Problems with soil and water and declines in native biodiversity have been linked to clearance of native vegetation. We consider future landscapes with substantially more native vegetation than at present to deal with these natural resource problems. Plantings will be slow to mature so optimal planning for landscape revegetation must consider how long it will take for the new vegetation to provide suitable habitat, both at patch and landscape scales. We will develop an optimization framework incorporating models of vegetation maturation and biotic responses to aid designs for placement and scheduling of replantings to give the best outcomes for biodiversity management given constraints on amounts of retired area and costs of implementation.Read moreRead less
Coastal monitoring using metal resistant microbes. We will develop an early warning, rapid biological assessment (RBA) for sediment toxicity that can be used alongside chemical tests to detect sub-chronic changes in the environment. The assessment will be validated by extensive testing of impacted sediment. We will show how the RBA fits into existing decision trees defined by the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) 2000 Guidelines. The biological tests result ....Coastal monitoring using metal resistant microbes. We will develop an early warning, rapid biological assessment (RBA) for sediment toxicity that can be used alongside chemical tests to detect sub-chronic changes in the environment. The assessment will be validated by extensive testing of impacted sediment. We will show how the RBA fits into existing decision trees defined by the Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) 2000 Guidelines. The biological tests resulting from this project will be as rapid and straightforward as existing chemical tests, which will facilitate industry acceptance. The project has strong industry involvement from mining companies, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and traditional owners. These partners will guide this project and facilitate communication to the wider industry to aid acceptance and uptake.Read moreRead less