A pilot study to demonstrate the use of 15N tracers for determining the flow of nitrogen through lower food webs. This project will have a significant impact on the way wetland wastewater treatment and reuse (WWTR) facilities are constructed in the future. Addressing the key biochemical issues to WWTR systems this study will facilitate improved construction design and management to optimise treatment performance. As National Priority One Area, sustainable water use and the efficiency of WWTR sys ....A pilot study to demonstrate the use of 15N tracers for determining the flow of nitrogen through lower food webs. This project will have a significant impact on the way wetland wastewater treatment and reuse (WWTR) facilities are constructed in the future. Addressing the key biochemical issues to WWTR systems this study will facilitate improved construction design and management to optimise treatment performance. As National Priority One Area, sustainable water use and the efficiency of WWTR systems is fundamental to our economic and social development. The results gleaned from this study will assist in the future design of WWTR systems that will be transferable outside the local study area and as such be of potential benefit both Nationally and internationally.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.
Direct reduction of mixed oxides at lower temperatures: a novel approach to produce lightweight ferrous alloys. This project will develop a novel approach to directly produce aluminium based ferrous alloys at temperatures 550C-950C lower than conventional processes. The simultaneous reduction of mixed oxides will lower the energy requirements for producing ferroalloys, enhance cost effectiveness and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Lower temperature ironmaking: macro and atomic-level understanding of accelerated carburisation of reduced iron. This project will gain an understanding of how iron-oxide can be simultaneously reduced and carburised in ironmaking, including the kinetics and associated mechanisms of the reaction with waste coal/iron-ore fines. This will be the key to developing a relatively low-temperature process, with significant savings in energy consumption.
Eco-engineering soil from mine tailings for native plant rehabilitation. Eco-engineering soil from mine tailings for native plant rehabilitation. This project aims to develop integrated and low-cost eco-engineering technology to purposefully accelerate in-situ formation of soil from tailings for sustainable native plant community rehabilitation at metal mines. Soil shortages at mines cost the Australian mining industry billions of dollars in sustainable rehabilitation of tailings, and threaten t ....Eco-engineering soil from mine tailings for native plant rehabilitation. Eco-engineering soil from mine tailings for native plant rehabilitation. This project aims to develop integrated and low-cost eco-engineering technology to purposefully accelerate in-situ formation of soil from tailings for sustainable native plant community rehabilitation at metal mines. Soil shortages at mines cost the Australian mining industry billions of dollars in sustainable rehabilitation of tailings, and threaten the industry’s ecological and commercial sustainability. Building on recent findings of critical processes in soil formation from copper/lead–zinc tailings, this research will use key biogeochemical and rhizosphere processes in the tailing-soil to create a functional 'technosol'. This technology is intended to be used in Australian metal mines to offset the soil needed to rehabilitate tailings landforms with native plant communities.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101322
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$371,500.00
Summary
Mapping the water-energy nexus: new knowledge for resources security. This project plans to systematically evaluate energy impacts of urban water security across three interconnected systems: the direct consequences of water supply; the indirect influence of water use in industry and homes; and the remote implications of water security on supply chains. The project intends to use a new, high-resolution, open-access, multi-regional, input-output model of the Australian economy and its resources u ....Mapping the water-energy nexus: new knowledge for resources security. This project plans to systematically evaluate energy impacts of urban water security across three interconnected systems: the direct consequences of water supply; the indirect influence of water use in industry and homes; and the remote implications of water security on supply chains. The project intends to use a new, high-resolution, open-access, multi-regional, input-output model of the Australian economy and its resources use: the Industrial Ecology Virtual Laboratory. It expects to help address escalating energy demands and costs for urban water by identifying alternative and optimal pathways for addressing the energy impacts of water supply.Read moreRead less
Predicting plankton patchiness in lakes using a high resolution sampling system. This research will benefit Australian Society through a better understanding and prediction of the response of aquatic systems to major shifts in the environment. Eutrophication and toxic algal blooms represent serious threats to the security of water supplies in Australia and elsewhere. Through development of high resolution technology (SPS), this project will provide the necessary knowledge and data for producing ....Predicting plankton patchiness in lakes using a high resolution sampling system. This research will benefit Australian Society through a better understanding and prediction of the response of aquatic systems to major shifts in the environment. Eutrophication and toxic algal blooms represent serious threats to the security of water supplies in Australia and elsewhere. Through development of high resolution technology (SPS), this project will provide the necessary knowledge and data for producing management tools capable of detailed predictions of the behaviour of aquatic systems. Successful management of Australian waters relies heavily on a better understanding of the scale dependent processes which govern the response to external perturbations such as increased nutrient export and consequent eutrophication.Read moreRead less
A new end use of recycled water for sustainable Australian water. The economic, environmental and social impacts of this project would have benefits across Australia, and the rest of the world. Recycled water has never been used in clothes washing machines anywhere in the world, by introducing it here in Australia we would save approximately 20% of domestic water used for laundry purposes. This also has significant policy implications as this would be a huge step towards the implementation of a ....A new end use of recycled water for sustainable Australian water. The economic, environmental and social impacts of this project would have benefits across Australia, and the rest of the world. Recycled water has never been used in clothes washing machines anywhere in the world, by introducing it here in Australia we would save approximately 20% of domestic water used for laundry purposes. This also has significant policy implications as this would be a huge step towards the implementation of a program of recycled water usage in Australia.Read moreRead less
Hydrologic effects of human and climatic stresses in water-limited areas: role of coevolving runoff, vegetation and landforms for adaptive management. Semiarid rangelands cover over 70 per cent of the Australian continent. These areas already face serious degradation problems. Observed trends in rainfall variability indicate that high rainfall pulses and dry periods will intensify, with serious implications for hydrology and erosion. The impact of these trends in addition to increasing human pre ....Hydrologic effects of human and climatic stresses in water-limited areas: role of coevolving runoff, vegetation and landforms for adaptive management. Semiarid rangelands cover over 70 per cent of the Australian continent. These areas already face serious degradation problems. Observed trends in rainfall variability indicate that high rainfall pulses and dry periods will intensify, with serious implications for hydrology and erosion. The impact of these trends in addition to increasing human pressures could have devastating socioeconomic consequences for these areas. This project, by examining in detail the hydrologic and soil transport processes in semiarid rangelands, will lead to: better understanding of the dryland response to anthropogenic and climatic stresses; and, improvement of strategies and methods for the management and restoration of these areas.Read moreRead less
Preserving vegetation health and biodiversity of natural, urban reserves. The aim of this project is to quantify the links between water resources, vegetation health and biodiversity in small native and remnant vegetation reserves embedded in urban environments. The project will examine four reserves within Greater Melbourne hosting native tree species (river red gum), identified as vulnerable or endangered, and experiencing different rainfall regimes as well as water management practices. The s ....Preserving vegetation health and biodiversity of natural, urban reserves. The aim of this project is to quantify the links between water resources, vegetation health and biodiversity in small native and remnant vegetation reserves embedded in urban environments. The project will examine four reserves within Greater Melbourne hosting native tree species (river red gum), identified as vulnerable or endangered, and experiencing different rainfall regimes as well as water management practices. The specific objectives are to quantify water requirements and carbon balances, and to test a set of measurement methods (in situ and remote sensing) to relate water use with tree growth and biodiversity in urban reserves. Based on these studies, the project aims to develop a model for water balance and vegetation growth to assist in the management of urban reserves and parks.Read moreRead less