Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science
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Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Research Unit Annual Report RESEARCH UNIT NAME: Centre for Ecosystem Management RESEARCH UNIT LEVEL (tick): Level I Research Group* Level II Research Centre Level III Research Institute Centre of Excellence Research Group may not be able to address questions with an asterisk below REPORTING YEAR: 2013 BRIEF OVERVIEW AND HIGHLIGHTS (Outline major activities conducted in past year) In 2013, CEM member research activities have resulted in an increase in research income with 17 new projects totalling more than $2.7 million, including 3 Category 1 projects (totalling >$1.5 million). Research outputs have been maintained with 45 publications, including 5 books/book chapters, 25 peer-reviewed papers, 5 conferences papers and 10 reports. Events/Achievements A major highlight for 2013 was the substantial engagement activities undertaken by members to promote CEM and ECU research outcomes and expertise. A total of 33 engagement activities with state, national international entities were undertaken. Other highlights included a half- day research symposium. This was held during the ECU Research Week and was well attended. The symposium topic, Ecosystem Management in a Drying Landscape, was of particular interest to over 90 research collaborators from outside the university. The outcome of the research day has already led to new collaborative projects and we hope that such partnerships continue to grow into the future. MEMBERSHIP (Full Title of Researchers, including staff, research students, adjuncts in the past year) Director Professor Ray Froend Management Committee Professor Will Stock Associate Professor Andrea Hinwood Associate Professor Mark Lund Academic Staff Dr Mary Boyce Dr Robert Davis Professor Pierre Horwitz Faculty Office Telephone: +61 8 6304 3460 Fax: +61 8 6304 5613 Web: www.ecu.edu.au Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Dr Annette Koenders Dr Kristina Lemson Dr Clint McCullough Dr Eddie van Etten Dr Magda Wajrak Post Doctoral Research Fellows Dr Melanie Blanchette Dr Anna Callan Dr. Caroline Canham Dr. Jason Coughran Dr Megan Huggett Dr Bea Sommer Dr Amanda Wheeler Honorary Research Associates Professor David Goodall Adjunct Staff Dr Allan Burbidge Associate Professor Rod Giblett Associate Professor Adrianne Kinnear Dr Alan Needham Dr Naresh Radhakrishnan Emeritus Professor Harry Recher Dr. Pascal Scherrer Ms Esmee Webb Research Staff Ms Muriel Davies Dr Simon Judd Ms Colleen Lindberg Ms Michelle Newport Ms Jennifer Wilson Ms Lorraine Wyse Research Students PhD Mr David Blake Mr John Bunn Mr Quinton Burnham Ms Kelly Chapman Mr Timothy Doherty Mr Kwasi Frimpong Mr Chatchai Intatha Mr. Aaron P. Jenkins Ms Umme Kalsoom Ms Patcharasorn Karatna Mr Christopher Kavazos Ms Karunia Fatien MacDonald Mr Shaun Molloy Ms Ana Muler Mr Craig Pentland Faculty Office Telephone: +61 8 6304 3460 Fax: +61 8 6304 5613 Web: www.ecu.edu.au Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Mr Rylan Shearn Ms Katesuda Sitthisuntikul Ms Meenu Vitarana MSc Ms Gemma Broderick Mr Marcus Cosentino Ms Natasha Dunham Ms Lauren Hibbird Ms Teagan Johnston Mr Justin King Ms Megan Ladbrook Peter Malanczak Ms Michelle Newport Mr Michael Pezzaniti Mr William Phelps Ms Maria Ramirez Caro Mr Justin Reynolds Ms Heather Salomons Ms Alice Sedgman Ms Megan Stalker Mr Badin Thornton Ms Joyleen Unno Ms Sharon Zuiddam Ms Katesuda Sitthisuntikul Ms Meenu Vitarana NEW GRANTS (Identify Funding Body, Value of grant, Years funded, Chief Investigator, collaborators, title) Chief Value of Funding Years Title of Grant/Project Collaborators Investigator Grant Body Funded A/Prof. Mark LUND, Microbial metagenomics: A A/Prof. next-generation DNA Edith Richard BLANCHETT sequencing approach to $13,450 Cowan 1 ALLCOCK E, Melanie improving river condition University (UWA), assessment Prof. Andrew WHITELEY (UWA) A/Prof. Mark LUND, Mining for microbes: The A/Prof. application of next-generation Edith Richard BLANCHETT DNA sequencing technology $7,500 Cowan 1 ALLCOCK E, Melanie to mine lake remediation. University (UWA), Prof. Andrew WHITELEY (UWA) Faculty Office Telephone: +61 8 6304 3460 Fax: +61 8 6304 5613 Web: www.ecu.edu.au Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Resistance is useful: Edith CANHAM, Characterising plant resistance $16,877 Cowan Caroline to water stress in a drying University landscape Gundawa Regional Impacts of fire on semi-arid Conservati Davis, Robert $ 20,000 shrubland birds on Associatio n ANZ Executors Understanding the trophic DOHERTY, and ecology and impact of feral $ 6,500 Tim Trustee cats in Australia’s rangelands Company Limited Grains Research & Pilot Malting Australia - $478,803 DUNN, Hugh Developm 4 Commercial Validation Project ent Corporatio n Australian Australian Export Grains Export $460,000 DUNN, Hugh Innovation Centre – Financial Grains Assistance Agreement Innovation Centre BHP Billiton Iron Ore BHP (BHPBIO) Ecological Water Billiton FROEND, Ray Asset Project - Regional $266,342 2 BHP Billiton Iron Ore Ecohydrology Monitoring (BHPBIO) Network Environmental Monitoring and Departme Investigations for the nt of FROEND, Ray Gnangara and Jandakot $ 58,037 1 Water Mounds – Wetland Vegetation (WA) Monitoring Departme nt of Parks Provision of Ecohydrological FROEND, Ray $ 64,700 and 1 Study of Riparian Vegetation Wildlife WA Water Ecohydrological States on the UWA FROEND, Ray $441,000 Corporatio 3 Gnangara Mound CSIRO n, DPaW Environmental Monitoring and Departme Investigations for the HORWITZ, nt of Gnangara and Jandakot $ 41,615 Pierre Water Mounds - Macroinvertebrate (WA) and Water Quality Monitoring Faculty Office Telephone: +61 8 6304 3460 Fax: +61 8 6304 5613 Web: www.ecu.edu.au Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Foundational aspects for a research consortium on health, Edith HORWITZ, $ 37,252 water and landscapes: a Cowan Pierre database and a learning University network Rottnest Island Salt Lakes – Rottnest HORWITZ, Feasibility of a Ramsar Site $ 5,000 Island Pierre Nomination Authority Foundational aspects for a research consortium on health, Edith HORWITZ, water and landscapes: a $ 80,624 Cowan Pierre database and a learning University network LUND, Mark Australian Coal pit lake closure by river Lund; $631,715 Coal flow-through: Risks and BLANCHETT Associatio opportunities E, Melanie n VAN ETTEN, Topsoil Assessment for Roy $ 56,875 Roy Hill Eddie Hill Project Area Evaluation of Dewatech Water WAJRAK, Treatment Plant - Laboratory $ 32,226 Magda Tests to Evaluate the Adsorption Capacity of DM165 PUBLICATIONS, REFERRED BOOKS, CHAPTERS, JOURNAL ARTICLES, CONFERENCE PAPERS, REPORTS Books Sommer, B., McGuinness, S., Froend, R. and Horwitz, P. (2013). Assessing risks to groundwater dependent wetland ecosystems in a drying climate: an approach to facilitate adaptation to climate change. Supporting document 2 for the NCCARF project – Adapting to climate change: a risk assessment and decision framework for managing groundwater dependent ecosystems with declining water levels, NCCARF Publication 65/13, ISBN: 978-1-925039-36-8. National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Canberra, Australia. Chambers, J., Nugent, G., Sommer, B., Speldewinde, P., et al. Froend, R. and Horwitz, P. (2013). Adapting to climate change: a risk assessment and decision framework for managing groundwater dependent ecosystems with declining water levels. Development and Case Studies. NCCARF Publication 51/13, ISBN: 978-1-925039-22-1. National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Canberra, Australia. Chambers, J., Nugent, G., Sommer, B., Speldewinde, P., et al. Froend, R. and Horwitz, P. (2013). Adapting to climate change: a risk assessment and decision framework for managing groundwater dependent ecosystems with declining water levels. Guidelines for Use. NCCARF Publication 51/13, ISBN: 978-1-925039-23-8. National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Canberra, Australia. Book Chapters Froend R., Davies M. and Martin M (2013) A shift in ecohydrological state of groundwater dependent vegetation due to climate change and groundwater drawdown on the Swan Coastal Plain of Western Faculty Office Telephone: +61 8 6304 3460 Fax: +61 8 6304 5613 Web: www.ecu.edu.au Edith Cowan University Faculty of Health, Engineering and Science Australia. In, Ribeiro, L., Stigter, T.Y., Chambel, A., Condesso de Melo, M.T., Monteiro, J. P., Medeiros, A. (Eds) IAH Selected papers on Hydrogeology 18 - Groundwater and Ecosystems. ISBN- 13: 9781138000339. CRC Press. Loomes R., Froend R. and Sommer, B. (2013) Response of wetland vegetation to climate change and groundwater decline on the Swan Coastal Plain, Western Australia: Implications for management. In, Ribeiro, L., Stigter, T.Y., Chambel, A., Condesso de Melo, M.T., Monteiro, J. P., Medeiros, A. (Eds) IAH Selected papers on Hydrogeology 18 - Groundwater and Ecosystems. ISBN-13: 9781138000339. CRC Press Journal Articles Barron, O., Froend, R., Hodgson, G., Ali, R., Dawes, W., Davies, P., & McFarlane, D. (2013). Projected risks to groundwater-dependent terrestrial vegetation caused by changing climate and groundwater abstraction in the Central Perth Basin, Western Australia. Hydrological Processes, n/a- n/a. doi: 10.1002/hyp.10014 Blanchette, M. L., & R. G. Pearson. 2013. Dynamics of habitats and macroinvertebrate assemblages in rivers of the Australian dry tropics. Freshwater Biology. 58(4), 742-757. Callan,