School of Earth and
Environment
Potential research projects offered for
Level 4 (Honours) and
Level 5 (Masters) students
commencing in 2014
Land and Water Management,
Environmental Science, Geography, Soil
Science, Agriculture
The Projects outlined in this Handbook are NOT necessarily all of those available.
Please feel free to talk to supervisors about designing projects around your interests
Land and Water Management, Environmental
Science, Geography, Soil Science, Agriculture
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Using constructed wetlands for purification of wastewater and
stormwater
Agriculture, Land and Water Management, Soil Science
Zed Rengel, zed.rengel@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2557
• Identify WA wetland species suitable for accumulation of nutrients
from wastewater
• Optimise conditions for biofiltration of stormwater using constructed
wetlands
• Characterise interactions between heavy metals (e.g. cadmium) and
organic contamination (e.g. hydrocarbons) in constructed wetlands
purifying wastewater
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Increasing nitrogen-use efficiency in wheat and barley germplasm
Agriculture, Land and Water Management, Soil Science
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
The Potential for ameliorating subsoil acidity with gypsum
Agriculture, Land and Water Management, Soil Science
Zed Rengel, zed.rengel@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2557
• Characterise N-use efficiency of selected wheat and barley
genotypes, specifically looking at potential mechanisms underlying
differential efficiency (eg. root growth, stem carbohydrates, N
remobilisation from leaves into developing grain, etc)
Zed Rengel, zed.rengel@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2557
• Identify the levels, species and activity of aluminium found in
subsoils across the Wheatbelt and relate this back to potential
limitations to crop growth
• Test for potential responsiveness to gypsum based on pH changes
and sorption of gypsum using the method of Sumner (1993). Does this
test apply to WA Wheatbelt soils?
• Asses changes in aluminium and pH levels associated with sites
where gypsum has been applied to overcome subsoil activity.
2
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Plant physiology of nutrient uptake and transport
Agriculture, Land and Water Management, Soil Science
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Biology and chemistry of rhizosphere
Agriculture, Land and Water Management, Soil Science
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Climate change impacts on wetland ecosystems
Environmental Science, Hydrology, Land and Water Management
Description:
Zed Rengel, zed.rengel@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2557
• Transport pathways of root- and leaf-supplied micronutrients into
developing cereal or legume grains
• Fertilizer placement and nutrient uptake by various crops
• Modelling 3D root growth nutrient uptake and determining optimal
fertilization
• P nutrition and root exudation by various crops and genotypes
Zed Rengel, zed.rengel@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2557
• Role of root exudates in acquisition of micronutrients and
phosphorus
• Isolating bacteria and fungi capable of increasing availability of
phosphorus in the rhizosphere
Matthew Hipsey, matt.hipsey@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3186, Nicola
Mitchell (Animal Biology)
Linking hydrology of Ellenbrook wetlands and bio-energetics of the
endangered Western Swamp Tortoise. [Field/Modelling]
Linking wetland hydrology and vegetation health in DEC Natural
Diversity Recovery Catchments. [Field/Modelling]
3
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Impact of past soil erosion on today’s landscape
Soil Science, Geography, Environmental Science, Geoarchaeology
Project:
Plant survival on granite outcrops: links to regional climate and
connectivity
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Biogeography, specific plant species, plant physiology
Project:
Monitoring short time changes of soil water contents after thunder
storms using time-lapse 2D resistivity data
Soil Science, Geophysics, Geography, Environmental Science,
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Matthias Leopold, matthias.leopold@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769
First Australian settlers cleared large parts of the forests along the
Australian coast in the South West. Deforestation followed by
agriculture and settling causes soil erosion and according colluviation
at the toe slope of a hill. Mapping colluvial sediments and studying
their physical and chemical composition allows (i) a reconstruction of
information about the native soils (ii) an assessment of soil erosion
caused by the settlers (iii) a comparison of past and present soil erosion
rates.
In addition to literature studies, the project requires some field
mapping of soils and sediments and soil sampling with continuative
laboratory work.
Kimberly P Van Niel, kimberly.vanniel@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2707
Using humidity and temperature sensors, we hope to gain a further
understanding of how plants are affected under climate change.
Matthias Leopold, matthias.leopold@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769
The water content of soils varies on a short (daily) as well as on a long
term (yearly) basis. Electric resistivity tomography techniques (ERT)
are sensitive to moisture changes on a 2D scale.
The artificial water catchment ‘Chicken Creek’ in NE Germany was
built to study the ecosystem development within a remediated coal
mining area. Thunder storms cause surface flows in NE Germany after
long and dry periods in the summer. Soil moisture plays a crucial role
in the infiltration rate before, during, and after a storm event. Besides
standard monitoring of ground water wells, an ERT-line collecting
data on a ½ hour basis has been established to survey short time
changes of the water content. Additional data such as TDR, subsurface
air pressure, ground water wells, meteorological data and others can be
integrated to develop scenarios of moisture changes during storm
events.
4
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Soil-Geomorphology on marine terraces along the coastline of
Western Australia
Soil Science, Geography, Environmental Science
Matthias Leopold, matthias.leopold@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769
The basic idea of soil-geomorphic studies is that the intensity of
pedogenic processes is directly linked with time. Marine terraces are
distinct geomorphic features that are connected with different times of
formation. Thus, their surfaces are exposed to soil forming processes
for a varying period of time resulting in different soil development
stages. Using a soil catena from the upper most to the lowest marine
terrace tests the above principle. The project requires field work and
continuative lab analyses such as classification of soil parent material,
determination of ped. oxides or for example x-ray diffraction of clay
minerals in order to classify the intensity of pedogenic processes.
Finally, the soil-geomorphic dating approach will be compared and
calibrated with existing numerical dating approaches (e.g. U-series).
This will allow developing series of time vs. intensity of soil
development as an independent relative dating technique.
Soils in Geoarchaeology
Soil Science, Geography, Archaeology, Environmental Science
Matthias Leopold, matthias.leopold@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769
Soils are a fundamental resource within archaeological excavations.
Geoarchaeology uses Soil – and Geoscience techniques in order to
reconstruct environmental conditions within human influenced
settlement areas of various time slices of the past. Soils store certain
information (such as major climatic conditions, environmental
changes, intensity of surface usage, and so on) of their time of usage
which adds valuable information to any archaeological project. Field
mapping and laboratory analysis of soils are required to obtain
information used for a geoarchaeological site interpretation.
5
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Digital soil mapping at the paddock scale
Soil science, Geography, Agriculture
Matthias Leopold, matthias.leopold@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769, and
Karen Holmes, karen.holmes@agric.wa.gov.au 9368-3917 (Adjunct
with SEE)
General soil-landscape patterns in WA are reasonably well understood,
but paddock to paddock soil variability makes farm management
challenging. This project brings together high resolution spatial
datasets and quantitative (statistical) techniques for mapping soil
surfaces to produce practical land management maps for farmers.
The topic is highly relevant for commercial operators in Western
Australia, and will involve collaboration with a private company that
produces these spatial datasets and the Department of Agriculture.
This best suits those with experience in GIS, a willingness to learn
some statistical methods, and familiarity with soil science or farm
management.
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Soil biological fertility
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Project:
Compost use in agriculture and horticulture
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Dan Murphy, daniel.murphy@uwa.edu.au, 6488 7083, Lyn Abbott
Description:
Practical considerations in use of compost for sustainable land
management focused on soil fertility and use of clay and biochar soil
amendments (biological, physical and chemical interactions) – in
collaboration with Custom Composts.
Dan Murphy, daniel.murphy@uwa.edu.au, 6488 7083, Lynn Abbott
Investigation of biological factors associated with soil fertility,
especially their interactions with other components of soil fertility,
including factors associated with the soil habitat.
6
Project:
Does soil liming decrease soil N2O emissions from WA cropping
soils?
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Louise Barton, louise.barton@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2542
Description:
Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas released from soils as
a result of soil microbial activity. Recent research conducted by the
Soil Biology Group showed applying lime to soil mitigated these
emissions from a field site at Wongan Hills. Your aim would be to
determine if the findings from Wongan Hills can be extended to other
soil types in the Western Australian grainbelt. This will involve:
 Location and collection of suitable soil types.
 Designing and implementing a laboratory experiment.
 Analysis of soil and gas samples (training provided).
Working as a member of the Soil Biology & Molecular Ecology
Group..
Project:
Biodiversity of living, non-marine, thrombolites of Western
Australia
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Deirdre Gleeson, deirdre.gleeson@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3593, Matt
Kilburn and Michael Slat
Microbialites, biosedimentary structures formed by the interaction of
microbial communities with their environment, are found throughout
the geological record. Stromatolites (layered) and thrombolites
(clotted) are morphological types of microbialites, classified by their
internal mesostructure, and have been cited as providing some of the
earliest evidence for life on Earth ~3.5 billion-years-ago. Living
microbialites are found in just a few select locations worldwide,
including the open marine waters of Exuma Sound, Bahamas, the
hypersaline region of Hamelin Pool, Western Australia and the
brackish waters of the Peel-Yalgorup region in Western Australia.
This Project aims to investigate the microbial populations present in
modern thrombolites to shed light on their relevance to ancient
stromatolite-like structures. The project will involve:
 Sampling of thrombolites and lake water at a number of
locations in the Peel-Yalgorup region of Western Australia
(note field work involved).
 Assessing thrombolite morphology using microscopy
techniques at the CMCA, as well as mineralogical and
elemental analysis of the thrombolites.
Assessing microbial diversity of thrombolites using DNA.
7
Project:
For majors
including:
Microbial population dynamics in a phosphorus limited
environment
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Deirdre Gleeson, deirdre.gleeson@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3593
Description:
Australian grain producers apply $1 billion worth of phosphorus (P)
fertilisers each year, but only 50% is taken up by plants. Much of the
remaining fertiliser P becomes fixed in soil and the P 'bank' in
Australian arable soils is estimated to be worth $10 billion, or 100 kg
P/ha of arable land. This project aims to evaluate the potential of
carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) availability to influence microbial release
of fixed phosphorus in soil. Specifically the project will evaluate the
effect of organic matter carbon to nitrogen ratio on microbial
populations.
The project will involve:
 Setting up a laboratory incubation experiment using
Arabidopsis residue where the wild type and mutant have
altered cell wall chemistry resulting in differing C:N ratios in
the residue between wild type and mutant.
Assessing changes in microbial populations through time by analysis
of microbial biomass, microbial P and microbial populations using
DNA.
8
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Long-term nutrient enrichment drives soil and vegetation
community development in Arctic habitats – how are microbial
populations affected
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Deirdre Gleeson, deirdre.gleeson@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3593, Daniel
Murphy and Linda Maccarone
Net primary production in the terrestrial Arctic is typically limited by
short growing seasons, cold temperatures, frequent and strong winds
and low nutrient supply. Consequently, the projected rapid increase in
temperature, changes in precipitation pattern and enhanced
atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition are predicted to have profound
effects on polar ecosystem functioning. One of the primary impacts of
these anthropogenically mediated changes are the projected nutrient
induced shifts in plant community composition which will impact
directly on a range of ecosystem services including water quality, soil
carbon storage and food provisioning (grazer biodiversity).
Understanding and predicting the long-term resilience and potential
feedbacks in response to environmental change therefore remains a
central goal in polar ecosystem science. The project will involve:
 Assessing microbial populations by using DNA extracted from
previously collected Arctic samples and (1) quantifying gene
abundances using qPCR and (2) assessing diversity and
population structure using next generation sequencing
approaches (Ion Torrent).
Relationship between soil organic fractions and function
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Deirdre Gleeson, deirdre.gleeson@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3593, Daniel
Murphy
This project aims to assess the how soil physical properties and
organic matter influence the diversity of soil organisms. It will involve
collecting soils from the Liebe Group long term field trial (ref Chris
O’Callaghan) and to destructively sample soil cores for organic matter
composition (total carbon, soil organic matter fractions and their
respective C:nutrient ratios) and characterisation of soil organisms
(mass, diversity). Note: field work required.
9
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Characterisation of novel extremophilic bacteria isolated from an
industrial bioreactor used to degrade organic waste produced by
bauxite refining
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Natasha Banning natasha.banning@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3969, Suzy Rea
(CSIRO), Amanda Tilbury (Alcoa)
The Environmental and Industrial Biotechnology Team at CSIRO has
an extensive and unique collection of native and imported strains of
extremophilic microorganisms. These strains are used for biomining
and biological processing of wastewaters. Two bacterial strains in the
collection were isolated from a full-scale bioreactor with the capability
of degrading an organic waste (oxalate); a by-product of the Bayer
process which separates alumina from bauxite ore using sodium
hydroxide (NaOH) at high temperatures. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA
gene revealed that the strains had a 99 % sequence similarity to each
other and that they were not similar to any other species in the world
database. In fact, the strains are so different from anything else that
they potentially represent a new genus.
The project will involve characterising the temperature, pH growth
optimum and range; metals/metalloids and salt tolerance; oxygen and
growth requirements of the bacterial isolates and identification through
16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Carbon sequestration in bauxite residue under rehabilitation
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Natasha Banning, natasha.banning@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3969, Daniel
Murphy and Ian Phillips (Alcoa)
Western Australia is the world’s largest supplier of bauxite. The
refining of bauxite to alumina generates large quantities of waste
product (bauxite residue), most of which is deposited into residue
storage facilities. Developing a sustainable vegetation cover on
bauxite residue is crucial to the long-term management of the residue
storage areas.
This project will focus on determining which rehabilitation practices
encourage the development of organic carbon pools in bauxite residue
sand. The role of microbial carbon cycling capacity and functional
diversity in carbon sequestration will also be investigated.
10
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Forest soil microbial functions across a natural rainfall gradient
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management, Geography
Natasha Banning, natasha.banning@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3969, Daniel
Murphy, Kimberly van Niel
The jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest of south-western Australia
extends across a strong rainfall gradient over the same underlying
geology. This results in a strong primary productivity gradient and can
be utilised as a model ecosystem to investigate the effects of a drying
climate. Eastern regions of the jarrah forest have already undergone
severe drought stress in recent years, with extensive tree mortality.
However, there has been no investigation of the effect of increasing
aridity on the below-ground microbial communities which underpin
the future sustainability of these ecosystems.
This project will focus on the analysis of spatial patterns in microbial
biomass, activity and community composition in jarrah forest soil and
how this relates to soil physical and chemical properties, vegetation
composition and the rainfall/ productivity gradient.
Use of animal waste as a phosphorus fertiliser
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Deirdre
Gleeson
Agriculture is under increasing pressure to meet human demands for
food yet crop productivity is often phosphorus (P) limited.
Consequently, inorganic fertilisers are applied to soils but its nonrenewable nature means alternative P sources are urgently sought. One
possibility is recycling animal waste by-products as P fertilisers but
their effect on the microbial P cycling is largely. The project will
involve running a laboratory incubation where agricultural soil is
amended with animal waste to assess effects on nutrient cycling and
microbial populations. The aim is to develop novel technique to
identify key P pathways.
11
Project:
Organic agriculture and horticulture
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Lyn Abbott, lynette.abbott@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2499
Description:

Project:
Sustainability of agricultural horticultural and viticultural systems
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Lyn Abbott, lynette.abbott@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2499
Description:
Investigation of the sustainability of farming and horticultural systems
on different soil types in relation to management of the soil microbial
environment.
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Investigation of the Standards for certified organic production
systems related to soil factors, especially organic matter and soil
microbial activity.
 Understanding soil microbial processes in relation to use of
alternative nutrient sources (including mineral and organic inputs).
Surface water groundwater interactions and impact assessments
on Environmental Water Requirements of wetlands in the Natural
Diversity Recovery Catchments and Swan Coastal Plain
Land and Water Management, Environmental Science
Ryan Vogwill, ryan.vogwill@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769, Ursula Salmon,
Matt Hipsey, Louise Bruce
These projects will be tailored to individual students needs and
potential for multiple projects exist.
12
Project:
Can biochar suppress root diseases of wheat in WA agriculture?
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Zakaria Solaiman, zakaria.solaiman@uwa.edu.au, 6488 7463, Dan
Murphy, Bill MacLeod, Shahajahan Miyan (Department of
Agriculture)
Disease development and expression may be limited through (i)
suppression of disease as a result of the action of beneficial organisms
in spite of the persistence of pathogen inoculums, and (ii) non-specific
suppression which probably results from the competition for sites and
resources within the soil as the proportions of pathogen and beneficial
microorganisms alters seasonally within a year and across a number of
years. Biochar is a recalcitrant porous carbon byproduct of pyrolysis
process which acts as a habit for microbes including mycorrhizal fungi
and bacteria. Biochar may also sorp pesticides and induce plant
systemic resistance to disease.
This project will investigate followings:
 Whether addition of biochar to soil facilitates suppression of soilborne diseases of wheat using one common root disease as an
example selected from take-all, crown rot, rhizoctonia root rot or
root lesion nematode.
 Investigate the possible mechanisms of any suppression which may
be evident.
 Whether biochar enhances the persistence of AM and their
availability for associations with crop plants, especially wheat.
Description:
13
Project:
Can mycorrhizal fungi suppress root disease of wheat in WA
agriculture?
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Zakaria Solaiman, zakaria.solaiman@uwa.edu.au, 6488 7463, Dan
Murphy, Bill MacLeod, Shahajahan Miyan (Department of
Agriculture)
Disease development and expression may be limited through (i)
suppression of disease as a result of the action of beneficial organisms
in spite of the persistence of pathogen inoculums, and (ii) non-specific
suppression which probably result from the competition for sites and
resources within the soil as the proportions of pathogen and beneficial
microorganisms alters seasonally within a year and across a number of
years.
Mycorrhizal fungi are beneficial fungi which form an intimate
association with plant roots. The intimate association with AM has
previously been shown to delay the death of cortical (outer) root cells
and may thus reduce the resistance of root to various pathogens.
This project will investigate followings:
 Effect of arular mycorrhizal fungi to the suppression of soil-borne
root disease of wheat using one common root disease as an example
selected from take-all, crown rot, rhizoctonia root rot or root lesion
nematode.
 Investigate the possible mechanisms of any suppression which may
be evident.
Description:
Project:
Mycorrhizal associations in natural and/or agricultural ecosystems
For majors
including:
Agriculture, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Supervisor:
Zakaria Solaiman, zakaria.solaiman@uwa.edu.au, 6488 7463, Lyn
Abbott
 Effectiveness of arular mycorrhizal fungi in relation to land
management practices such as fertilizer use, plant residue
management and soil disturbance (including ‘biological’ and
‘organic’ agriculture)
 Effectiveness of arular mycorrhizal fungi in saline soils – including
interactions with organic matter
 P uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in association with
different plant species (mycorrhiza dependency)
 Arbuscular mycorrhizal associations in the jarrah forest – role in
interactions among plant species
Description:
14
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Bioenergy: Converting household waste into biogas
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Tony
O’Donnell
In Western Australia the preferred disposal method for municipal solid
waste (MSW) is landfill. However, this is not necessarily the most
effective means of disposing of such waste and there is growing
interest in finding alternative uses that solve both waste excesses and
energy shortages. One option is to convert MSW into biogas
(methane) and compost via a process called anaerobic digestion. The
biogas can then be used to provide renewable energy by the generation
of electricity. However, anaerobic digestion is a complex process
performed by microbes and consequently the ecology, prevailing
environmental conditions and mechanisms involved remain poorly
understood. The aim of this project is to develop more efficient
anaerobic digestion by investigating the relationship between microbial
degradation, environmental parameters and biogas production during
the anaerobic digestion of MSW. Improved understanding of the
conditions required for optimal waste degradation will enable us to
both improve both the quality and quantity of biogas production
through bioengineering. Such innovative technologies would allow
local authorities and commercial waste operators to reduce landfill
disposal and mitigate the environmental impact of landfill sites, such
as, greenhouse gas emissions and leachate production.
15
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Recycling waste as organic fertilisers: Do they enhance soil
quality?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Tony
O’Donnell
Organic farming has been claimed to enhance soil health & quality in
terms of biodiversity, nutrient cycling, organic matter content, soil
structure & stability, water holding capacity and disease suppression.
However, the true extent to which organic management ‘enhances’
nutrient cycling and other soil functions remains largely unexplored.
The goals of the project are to determine and quantify whether soil
quality is ‘enhanced’ in soils subject to organic waste inputs.
Since soil microbes play a central role in maintaining soil health and
quality through their activities that include recycling nutrients (N, P, S,
C), disease suppression and degradation of organic matter we first need
to develop monitoring tools that directly measure soil biology. This
project will initially investigate how organic management impacts on
soil biology by developing biological indicators. These bio-indicators
in combination with other conventional indicators will then be used to
assess whether soil quality is being gained, maintained or has been lost
in soils receiving organic waste.
Recycling waste as organic fertilisers: Are they safe?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Tony
O’Donnell
Many organic fertilisers are derived from waste products which may
contain contaminants or undesirable elements resulting in adverse
environmental impacts. For instance, manure is often directly spread
onto agricultural land without treatment and there are growing
concerns over this practice with respect to pathogens and nutrient
contamination of surface and groundwater, Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions, salinity and phyto-toxicity. However, these potential
adverse affects have not been fully assessed and quantified.
The focus of the project is to quantify the environmental risks
associated with the re-use of different waste by-products. To this end,
this project will assess the implications of their use in terms of
environmental risks with specific focus on (i) pathogen survival (ii)
salinity & toxicity (iii) N and P leaching to surface and groundwater’s
and (iv) GHG emissions.
16
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
How do we measure soil quality?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Tony
O’Donnell
Soil microorganisms play a central role in maintaining soil health and
quality through their activities that include recycling nutrients (N, P, S,
C), nitrogen fixation, disease suppression, pollutant mitigation,
improved soil structure and degradation of organic matter. Thus, they
determine the form and availability of nutrients that are essential for
plant growth and subsequently impact on grain productivity. To
continue to improve the sustainability, quality and productivity of
agricultural grains producers need monitoring tools that directly
measure soil biology enabling them to adopt the best management
practices to enhance crop performance. Consequently, there is a
pressing need to identify a set of biological indicators that can be used
to assess the quality of Australian soils. This bioindicators could be
incorporated into current monitoring programmes to help maximise
yields and optimise profitability. The objective is to enable producers
to identify when soil quality is being or has been lost and provide
advice on the interventions needed to restore quality. These soil
biological quality measures will be used a guide for best management
that will improve soil health and profitability.
Who is killing all the fish?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Matt Hipsey,
Tony O’Donnell
High nutrient loading, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, can result
in algal blooms and eutrophication. When these blooms die, microbes
in the sediments decompose the algae and use up all the oxygen in the
bottom waters leading to very low oxygen concentrations called
hypoxic or anoxic conditions (dissolved oxygen concentration of < 2
mg/L or 0 mg/L, respectively) that kill fish and benthic organisms.
These so-called “dead zones” provide ideal conditions for some
microbes that don’t like oxygen and their metabolism could result in
the release of toxic and greenhouse gases (H2S, CH4, CO2, N2O).
Australian estuaries are more susceptible to “dead zones” (also called
anoxia/hypoxia) through drought and climate change and the frequency
of these events is a growing concern in the Swan-Canning River.
However, relatively little is known about the microbes living in these
“dead zones” and their activities. This projects aims to identify who
they are and what they are doing.
17
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
How did the Swan Estuary recover from an extreme storm event?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Matt Hipsey,
Tony O’Donnell
Perth’s biggest storm event in fifty years had a huge impact on the
Swan-Canning River. The storm on Monday 22 March 2010 washed a
large amount of organic material, including overflowing sewage into
the river causing a rapid increase in microbial activity and growth,
which in turn, lead to decreased dissolved oxygen levels. At one point,
majority of the river was completely anoxic (no oxygen present)
leading to mass fish death. In fact, crabs and water marron in the
Canning and Upper Swan were seen leaving the water! However, not
everybody was unhappy with these new anoxic conditions as these socalled “dead zones” provided an ideal environment for oxygen
intolerant microbes whose metabolism results in the release of toxic
and greenhouse gases (H2S, CH4, CO2, N2O). This project monitors the
response of the microbes and their activity as the river recovers from
the effects of the storm. Ultimately, we want to know how well the
system, including its residents, can recover from extreme events.
Could nitrogen fixation be significant in sustaining summer algal
blooms?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Matt Hipsey,
Tony O’Donnell
Nitrogen fixation is not usually significant in most temperate estuaries
even though algal growth (primary production) is nitrogen limited.
Rates are low because N-fixation is an energy-demanding process and
has many requirements (light, Fe, P, trace metals) and controls
(inhibited by oxygen, high levels of salinity, grazing pressure). During
an algal bloom when nitrogen is used up, blue-green algae that are
capable of fixing N could have a competitive advantage and become
dominate. The blue-green algae Synechococcus was a dominate
member of the summer algal blooms but has never been shown to fix
nitrogen. However, some researchers now believe that Synechococcus
does fix nitrogen but it has been missed because it either fixes N at
night or by forming symbiosis with other algae (dinoflagellates or
diatoms) to avoid oxygen inhibition. This project will confirm whether
Synechococcus does indeed fix nitrogen and if so, does N-fixation help
sustain algal blooms.
18
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Turning up the heat: how do estuaries respond to climate change?
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Matt Hipsey,
Tony O’Donnell
Climate change is a serious environmental issue that is expected to
increase water temperature, raise water levels and reduce stream flow
in the Swan Canning River. Also, shifts in rainfall patterns may result
in drier summers and autumns that will increase the frequency of algal
blooms and subsequent anoxia events (low oxygen concentration that
kills fish). Climate-induced changes in C and N cycling could seriously
affect net productivity and N2O emissions (a greenhouse gas). This
project will determine how estuaries respond to environmental
gradients (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen) by running a series
of laboratory experiments. This will enable us to predict better how
these communities might respond to environmental gradients and
ultimately to climate change.
Converting piggery waste into biogas
Environmental Science, Soil Science, Land and Water Management
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779, Matt Hipsey,
Tony O’Donnell
Currently most pig farmers put their pig waste into large ponds where
the waste is gradually broken down by microbes within the pond.
However, these microbes release both odours and methane a
Greenhouse gas (GHG) that upset local residents and contribute to
global warming. One solution is to cover these ponds with an
impermeable cover resulting in reduced gas emissions since the
methane is retained under the cover. Although, the prospect of covered
ponds is a very attractive idea, the initial start-up cost is often too high
to be economically feasible in most cases. This could be overcome by
capturing the methane under the cover (since methane is a fuel) and
using it to off-set start-up costs by providing on-farm heating or
electricity. However, methane recovery from covered ponds is not very
efficient. Furthermore, covers on the ponds could alter the waste
degradation process and reduce biogas yield. Therefore, we need to
identify indicators of pond health that act as an early-warning detection
of system failure. Our research aims to increase biogas production
from covered ponds by optimising the waste degradation process
through different management practices and provide advice on
interventions required to prevent pond failure. Ultimately, we want to
help farmers select the best management practices to maximise the
benefits from covered waste effluent ponds.
19
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Identifying subsurface constraints on mallee tree belt productivity
Geophysics, Hydrology, Land and Water Management, Soil Science
Project:
Contribution of aquatic vegetation in urban drains to flow
resistance
Hydrology
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Ryan Vogwill
This project will use electrical resistivity tomography (and other
geophysical methods) along with soil characterisation to assess the
potential for subsurface constraints to explain variability in mallee tree
belt productivity.
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Ryan Vogwill
Reeds and other plants which colonise urban drains are regularly
cleared in order to reduce the risk of flooding. However, this
vegetation offers water quality benefits. In order to assess the potential
for less regular clearing this study aims to quantify changes in the
resistance to water flow in an urban drain as a reeded bed is inundated
during winter flows.
Using satellite wobbles to identify global ecohydrologic
teleconnections
Hydrogeology, Geography, Environmental Engineering and
Environmental Science
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Keith Smettem
Satellite data sets now exist which measure the dynamics of
vegetation and, thanks to the wobbling GRACE satellites, global scale
variations in terrestrial water storage. This project will explore global
patterns of the co-variation between vegetation and water and will use
statistical methods to examine how these dynamics are forced by the
large scale atmospheric and oceanic climate.
20
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Pore scale water flow imaging using micro CT
Hydrogeology, Land and Water Management and Environmental
Science
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Deirdre Gleeson
Theories for water flow in soil have recently been challenged by the
occurrence of preferential flow. This project aims to test whether
Stokes flow, that is flow of thin water films along macropores,
provides a suitable explanation for the physics of such processes.
Advances in computed tomography (CT) scanners allow imaging of
fine scale water flow processes in soils and will be applied here to
measure preferential water flow in 3D.
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Micobial populations and preferential flow pathways in soil
Ecology, Land and Water Management and Environmental Science
Project:
Survey of urban pesticide use and water quality monitoring in the
Perth metropolitan area
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Natasha Pauli
Hydrogeology, Land and Water Management, Environmental Science
and Geography
Pesticide use in the urban environment is not well documented,
however they are used widely from houses, gardens, parks, office
complexes and on roads. In addition, there is little systematic
collection of data to monitor the environmental fate of these chemicals,
particularly in cities. This study will survey industry, government
agencies and the wider community to quantify the types and amounts
of pesticides used, where and when they are used and to summarise
available monitoring data with a view to developing an exposure risk
assessment.
Supervisor:
For majors
including:
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Deirdre Gleeson
Preferential water flow paths are known to be hot-spots for micobial
activity in soil. What is not yet understood is how different species are
distributed in and around these channels. This study will aim to
measure the spatial distribution of microbe populations in and around
preferential flow paths using molecular biology tools to assess
microbial populations with spatial samples collected based on micro
CT scanning data.
21
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Phenotypic diversity and its impact upon self-organised vegetation
patterns
Plant physiology, Land and Water Management, Environmental
Science and Ecology
Gavan McGrath gavan.mcgrath@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3735
Strikingly regular vegetation patterns such as spots, labyrinths and
bands are thought to spontaneously emerge in water limited systems as
a result of vegetation impacts on soil and spatial competition for water.
Theories developed to date consider vegetation to be homogeneous in
terms of the physiological aspects related to water use and their
impacts on soil properties. This study will introduce physiological
diversity into an existing ecohydrological model to assess the impact of
phenotypic variation and diversity upon the pattern forming process.
Acid sulphate soils impacts on water quality: field/lab study and
risk assessment
Land and Water Management, Environmental Science
Ursula Salmon, ursula.salmon@uwa.edu.au, 6488 1508, Andrew Rate
Acid sulphate soils are known to have detrimental effect on the
environment, water resources, and infrastructure. This project could
involve groundwater sampling, laboratory experiments, and/or a
modelling study to investigate rates of acid and metal release and
attenuation under conditions of declining groundwater levels. The
project may involve interacting with government agencies and
environmental consultants, and will be closely linked to a larger,
ongoing research project, which will ultimately develop a risk
assessment methodology for acid sulphate soils impacts in the Swan
Coastal Plain. The project can be tailored depending on interests, to
include, e.g., chemical/mineralogical characterisation of acid sulphate
soil materials, hydrological modelling including consideration of land
use, biogeochemical modelling, and/or risk assessment.
22
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Surface-groundwater interaction: Ecosystems (wetlands,
thrombolites) at risk?
Land and Water Management, Environmental Science
Ryan Vogwill, ryan.vogwill@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769, Ursula Salmon,
Louise Bruce, Matt Hipsey
Groundwater-dependent ecological systems such as wetlands, lakes,
and rivers feature in the WA landscape. These surface water systems,
including lakes currently supporting rare "living rocks" (thrombolites)
around Perth, are subject to changing water balances due to e.g.,
groundwater extraction and drying climate, as well as increased
contaminant loading from urban development and agriculture. This
project would investigate the potential future evolution of water
quality in a chosen lake or wetland through identifying the interactions
between surface- and groundwater. Acid sulfate soils impacts could
also be considered. The project could include field work and/or a
modelling study with existing data, and interaction with the
Department of Environment and Conservation and/or Department of
Water.
Leaching of gold ores: Computational simulation of electrokinetics
Earth Science, Geochemistry, Environmental Geoscience, Land &
Water Management, Environmental Science
Ming Wu, ming.wu@uwa.edu.au, 9333 6164, Henning Prommer
Imagine mining without having to dig up the ground. This project
investigates if electrokinetics (EK; applying an electric current to
saturated soil or rock) can be used to enhance in situ leaching (ISL) of
gold deposits. EK can greatly enhance transport processes, and has
been used in groundwater and soil remediation and geotechnical
applications. This project involves computer simulations of the EKISL process (using a groundwater reactive transport model) and
investigates the conditions required for EK-ISL to be feasible.
23
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including
Supervisor
Description
Archaeology on groundwater: Groundwater age dating with 14-C
Land and Water Management, Environmental Science
Ursula Salmon, ursula.salmon@uwa.edu.au, 9333 6163; Henning
Prommer, Ming Wu
Age dating of groundwater with isotopes, such as 14-C (radiocarbon),
provides a fantastic opportunity to constrain uncertainty in
groundwater flow models. However the groundwater age requires
“correction” for various geochemical processes that may affect the 14C concentration. This project will involve using reactive transport
modelling of groundwater quality to improve estimates of groundwater
age. The project may involve using existing data sets from e.g.
Gnangara Mound or Europe and/or may also include field data
collection.
Thrombolites under threat? Past, Present, Future
Land and Water Management, Environmental Science
Ryan Vogwill, ryan.vogwill@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2769, and depending
on focus: Ursula Salmon, Louise Bruce, Deirdre Gleeson, Matt Hipsey
Lake Clifton, just south of Mandurah, holds significant scientific and
conservation value primarily due to the presence of a reef of
thrombolites on the eastern shore. There has been a significant increase
in lake salinity and nutrients over the last 25 years, and of concern is the
complete absence of the dominant cyanobacterium associated with
thrombolite construction. Projects could investigate one or more of:
i) Past: historical reconstruction of conditions in the lake through eg
looking at the geochemistry of the thrombolite structures and/or lake
sediments, or investigating the evolution of the quantity and quality of
inflowing groundwater, e.g. with 14C age dating.
ii) Present: field sampling of water quality including microbial
diversity, aquatic food web, and aqueous geochemistry.
ii) Future: Numerical modelling of aquatic ecology in the lake, to
improve understanding of lake ecosystem response to external pressures
and the development of ecological impact thresholds.
24
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Historical resonstruction of river landscapes - river pools of the
Wheatbelt
Geography, Environmental Science
Nik Callow nik.callow@uwa.edu.au, 6488 1924
River management uses reference sites to assess the pre-disturbance
condition, and to inform river management actions and goals.
Emerging technologies such as Structure-from-Motion (SfM) can recreate digital landscapes from historic imagery. This project will use
SfM and airborne imagery to quantify the use of this approach for
understanding changes to river pools and degraded river reaches in the
Wheatbelt.
This project is best suited to someone interested in field-based
research, with some interest in further developing GIS or geospatial
data analysis skills.
Restoring functional ecosystem engineer dynamics into saline
rivers
Geography, Environmental Science
Nik Callow nik.callow@uwa.edu.au, 6488 1924
Ecosystem engineers can play a critical role in building more resilient
ecosystems. Riparian vegetation is the ecosystem engineer of the
floodplain and controls river stability and ecological function. Salinity
in southwestern Australia has degraded riparian vegetation in many
areas, yet other areas have vegetation that survives. A more thorough
understanding of the role and organisation of vegetation is
required across gradients from severely salt-affected to less degraded.
Novel tools such as multispectral cameras mounted to unmanned aerial
vehicle present interesting new tools to evaluate the complex patterns
of vegetation and the role as an ecosystem engineer.
This project is best suited to someone interested in field-based
research, with some interest in biogeomorphology, good base
GIS/geospatial skills are important but additional support and training
will be provided.
25
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Complex upland alluvial rivers of the Australian Alps
Geography, Environmental Science
Nik Callow nik.callow@uwa.edu.au, 6488 1924
In contrast to many alpine regions, the Australian Alps feature subalpine high plains and complex alluvial rivers. These have the physical
appearance of mega-stable alluvial rivers in the face of a particularly
pluvial flow regime. This project is in support of a larger, ongoing
project to look at sediment transport processes in the Australian Alps.
This project will evaluate the unique controls on river form in this
landscape.
There is a potential for field-based research for an exceptional
candidate with a strong interest in fluvial geomorphology. Note, the
availability of this project is subject to approval from an external
company.
What are the forms of trace elements in sulfidic estuarine
sediments? Can we use trace elements as geochemical tracers in
these systems?
Geology (environmental), Geochemistry, Environmental Geoscience,
Land & Water Management
Andrew Rate, andrew.rate@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2500
Trace elements represent potential contaminants in aquatic sediments,
but may also be useful in determining the origin of sulfidic minerals in
these systems. You would collect samples of monosulfide-rich
sediments from the Peel-Harvey Estuary System or use archived
samples. Using these sediments, you would measure the
concentrations of different forms of trace elements using a range of
chemical and spectroscopic analytical techniques. Normalised trace
element concentrations would be related to geographical spatial
distribution of the sediments.
Understanding the mineralogy and geochemistry of regolith-hosted
rare-earth element mineralisation
Geology, Environmental Science, Geochemistry, Environmental
Geoscience, Land & Water Management, Soil Science
Andrew Rate, andrew.rate@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2500
We will work with an exploration company who have discovered
significant regolith rare-earth element (REE) reserves in south-eastern
WA. The geochemistry and mineralogy of REE in deposits of this type
is strongly dependent on the individual element involved, but the
mechanisms for the differences are poorly understood. Since there are
strong geochemical controls on the metallurgy and therefore economics
of exploiting these resources, a greater fundamental understanding of
the forms and behaviour of REE in regolith is required.
26
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Can rare earth element (REE) concentrations in vegetation
explain enrichment of rare earth elements in some surface soils?
Geochemistry, Environmental Geoscience, Land & Water
Management, Soil Science
Andrew Rate, andrew.rate@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2500
The biogeochemical cycling of trace elements in terrestrial ecosystems
is a surprisingly poorly-researched topic. You would sample
vegetation growing on regolith profiles that are geochemically wellcharacterised. Plant tissues would be analysed for REE concentrations,
and mass balances calculated to assess the significance of plant uptake
on REE cycling in these systems. It will likely be necessary to
measure other REE pools (such as regolith pore water) to complete the
mass balance.
See also: Du, X., Rate, A.W. and Gee, M. 2011. Mineralogical Magazine 75, 784.
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
What can we learn from geochemical soil surveys?
Geology (environmental), Geochemistry, Environmental Geoscience,
Environmental Science, Land & Water Management
Andrew Rate, andrew.rate@uwa.edu.au, 6488 2500
A number of continental-scale soil geochemical datasets are available
(e.g., the National Geochemical Survey of Australia, the FOREGS
EuroGeoSurveys Geochemical Baseline Database, and the North
American ‘Geochemical Landscapes’ project). While these survey
have yielded several published studies, the large amount of data
collected has the potential to yield significant further findings. This
desktop-based project would use robust statistical and multivariate
analyses to evaluate interesting and relevant hypotheses about soil and
regolith geochemistry based on these large datasets.
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Hydro-Ecology and Aquatic System Dynamics
Environmental Science, Hydrology, Land and Water Management
Matthew Hipsey, matt.hipsey@uwa.edu.au, 6488 3186
Projects that deal with dynamics of aquatic systems including
wetlands, lakes and estuaries. Interests include
Hydrological and hydrodynamic interactions with biogeochemical and
ecological processing of elements in lakes, rivers, wetlands and
estuaries.
Assessing impacts of climate variability on wetland and estuarine
biogeochemistry
Wetlands and lakes as 'barometers of change'
Microbial trophic interactions
Ecological modelling of aquatic systems.
27
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Australo-Antarctic Geology and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet
Any geoscience related degree
Alan Aitken, alan.aitken@uwa.edu.au, 6488 7147
The vulnerability of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) to climate
change is a topic of much recent interest, with several studies showing
that it may be more vulnerable to change than is commonly supposed.
The EAIS is the biggest uncertainty in projections of future sea-level
rise. Geology provides crucial controls on the conditions of the ice
sheet bed (e.g. crystalline rock versus sedimentary rock) and its macroscale structure, dictated by major tectonic elements.
Antarctica’s hot new geophysical datasets from the US-UK-AUS
ICECAP program
(http://www.ig.utexas.edu/people/staff/blank/projects/icecap/) have
revealed for the first time the geology of Wilkes Land – the conjugate
margin to the western 2/3rds of Australia. Several projects are
available that will utilise these brand new data to reconstruct and
understand subglacial geology, including key controls on EAIS flow
organisation.
These projects are best suited towards students with an academic focus
as the results are highly publishable and likely to be of high impact if
well executed. Some familiarity with geophysical data interpretation,
including gravity, magnetic and radar data, and a willingness to
understand cross-disciplinary concepts are essential. Projects are best
suited to 2 year MSc level, but smaller projects can be accommodated.
28
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Reducing water pollution from using treated piggery effluent as a
liquid fertiliser
Any
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
There is an increasing need to ensure that recycling treated piggery
effluent as a liquid fertiliser doesn’t lead to water pollution. One
possible solution is to incorporate enhanced biological phosphorus
removal (EBPR) into the waste treatment process but this biological
process is poorly understood.
During the EBPR process, microorganisms called polyphosphate
accumulating organisms (PAOs) accumulate large quantities of
phosphorus within their cells. These enriched microorganisms can then
be separated from the treated effluent wastewater before applying the
liquid fertilizer to land. However, our current understanding of these
organisms is limited due to methodological constraints making it
difficult to fully optimise the process in piggeries. Being able to
monitor these organisms at the single-cell-level using epifluorescence
microscopy and cell sorting is one approach to overcome this
stumbling block. This project aimed to develop a new microscopy
technique to identify the organisms involved in EBPR and to determine
the optimal conditions for their growth. This information will be used
to help redesign the current piggery waste treatment process by
incorporating EBPR to remove P from treated effluent.
29
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Covered anaerobic ponds: Converting piggery waste into biogas
and soil improvers
Any
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
Currently, piggery waste is treated in effluent pond where the waste is
gradually degraded by microorganisms and the treated wastewater is
then either evaporated or used for irrigation. However, these effluent
ponds generate a multitude of undesirable effects including green
house gas (GHG) and odour emissions, heightening concerns over
climate change. Consequently, more sustainable waste treatment
systems and methane mitigation technologies are sought by the Pork
Industry. One simple and affordable option gaining increasing
attention is the possibility of covering effluent ponds with geosynthetic
materials (such as high-density polyethylene or polypropelyene) to
create a covered anaerobic pond (CAPs) digester that both treats the
waste and captures the biogas. Biogas (methane and carbon dioxide)
that accumulates under the cover is gradually removed and used either
directly as a fuel or converted to electricity via a motor generator.
However, the technology is still in its infancy and there is limited
knowledge about how management practices can be altered to make
the conditions more favourable for biogas capture. The aim of this
project is to evaluate the best management practices for enhancing
biogas capture and avoiding pond failure.
The effect of antimicrobials on the anaerobic digestion of piggery waste
Any
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
Antimicrobials are used within the pork industry to treat pig health
problems and improve feed conversion efficiency. Some of these
compounds are poorly absorbed during digestion and the bioactive
compound or metabolites are excreted. The presence of antimicrobials
in piggery waste may be inhibitory to biogas production in covered
anaerobic pond digesters (CAPs) in piggeries. This project will use
innovative techniques to determine the impact of antimicrobials on
biogas yields during anaerobic digestion of piggery waste. The
outcome of this project will be improved pond stability and bioenergy
recovery, encouraging more producers to adopt the technology leading
to reduced GHG emissions and increased on-farm profits through
renewable energy and carbon credits. Ultimately this will enhance the
competitiveness of the Australian pork industry.
30
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions from piggeries
Any
Project:
Quantifying the benefits and risks associated with applying
manure to land
Any
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
The current technology for piggery wastewater treatment is anaerobic
ponds and immediate strategies for mitigation and energy capture are
covering of these ponds. There is a degree of uncertainty around
optimal greenhouse gas management. While methane off ponds can be
reliably estimated, nitrous oxide and other potential emission sources
(sheds, stockpiles, and land application) are less well characterised.
The aim of this project is to identify measure and develop mitigation
strategies for GHG emissions from piggeries.
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
Manure applied to land using sustainable practices can lead to
enhanced crop performance and soil quality but if applied
inappropriately they can potentially cause adverse environmental
impacts. However, the true extent of their benefits and risks has not
been fully quantified. Perceived benefits and risks are qualitative in
nature with no direct measurement but can be measured indirectly
using indicators of soil quality and crop performance. This project
aims to evaluate the effectiveness of soil quality indicators to quantify
the risks and benefits of applying manure to crops.
31
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Developing manures as alternative P fertilisers
Any
Project:
For majors
including:
Supervisor:
Description:
Bioenergy: Converting waste into biogas
Any
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
Globally, phosphorus (P) is also recognised as a primary plant-growth
limiting nutrient in both natural and agricultural systems. P is a finite
resource and current demand for P is not sustainable. Thus, there is an
urgent need for more sustainable P fertiliser use without compromising
crop performance. Two major opportunities exist for conserving the
world's phosphorus resources – recycling waste materials and more
efficient use of inorganic P fertilisers in agriculture. Manure contains
substantial amounts of phosphorus that currently need to be removed
or managed on the farm. In fact, Piggery related phosphorous has
been estimated by us at 1% of the Australian nutrient market. As P
pricing has moved towards $5/tonne, recovery of this nutrient offers
the potential of new revenue opportunities for farmers. The aim is to
evaluate the effectiveness of different manures types as alternative P
fertilisers and developing best management practices for their
sustainable re-use.
Sasha Jenkins, sasha.jenkins@uwa.edu.au, 6488 8779
In Western Australia the preferred disposal method for municipal solid
waste (MSW) is landfill. However, this is not necessarily the most
effective means of disposing of such waste and there is growing
interest in finding alternative uses that solve both waste excesses and
energy shortages. Since, organic materials accounts for up to 70% of
the MSW the development of anaerobic digestion technology to
convert MSW into methane (biogas) and compost provides an
attractive and effective alternative. Biogas can then be used to provide
renewable energy by the generation of electricity. The aim of this
project is to develop more efficient anaerobic digestion
biotechnologies. Such innovative technologies would allow local
authorities and commercial waste operators to reduce landfill disposal
and mitigate the environmental impact of landfill sites, such as,
greenhouse gas emissions and leachate production.
32