Article
Environmental Sciences
Hai Tao, Aqeel Ali Al-Hilali, Ali M. Ahmed, Zainab Haider Mussa, Mayadah W. Falah, Salwan Ali Abed, Ravinesh Deo, Ali H. Jawad, Khairul Nizam Abdul Maulud, Mohd Talib Latif, Zaher Mundher Yaseen
Summary: The Murray-Darling river basin in Australia is facing severe heavy metal contamination, leading to increased crop productivity, soil fertility loss, and pollution in the surroundings. The study examined heavy metal contamination in eight study sites using various pollution indices, and found a high level of pollution in the basin. The contamination has significant impacts on human health and local environmental conditions.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Catherine Allan, Robyn J. Watts
Summary: This paper analyzes interview-derived discourse in order to understand the framing of two trials related to environmental water in the Edward/Kolety-Wakool river system in Australia. The research identifies four different frames of environmental water, each focusing on expert practices and potentially marginalizing other ways of understanding the river system. The study suggests that participants in social learning/adaptive management should be open to exploring alternate framings of situations.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Milton S. Speer, L. M. Leslie, S. MacNamara, J. Hartigan
Summary: The study focuses on the river heights and climate changes in the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia's major agricultural region. It found that since the early 1990s, a combination of factors such as reduced late spring catchment precipitation and increased average temperatures have led to a gradual decrease in water resources in the area.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Russell Crosbie, Bill Wang, Shaun Kim, Cherry Mateo, Jai Vaze
Summary: This study examines the fluctuation of surface water - groundwater interactions in the Murray-Darling Basin over a 49-year period. It reveals that the direction of water exchange has changed in many areas, from gaining to losing, due to declining groundwater levels. This finding highlights the limitations of our hydrological models in predicting low flows.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ian P. Prosser, Francis H. S. Chiew, Mark Stafford Smith
Summary: The study focuses on water management policy in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia, evaluating the operation of the policy through a synthesis of research data and literature. Limitations and inequities that could arise in the context of climate change are identified, and solutions proposed to be implemented during the formal review in the future.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Guobin Fu, Rodrigo Rojas, Dennis Gonzalez
Summary: Groundwater levels in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia have shown an overall increasing trend, influenced by recharge changes and groundwater extraction. The analysis methods used in this study provided similar statistical significances and magnitudes, with some differences. Irrigation activities were identified as a contributing factor to the decreasing groundwater level.
Article
Environmental Studies
Stephen Bell
Summary: This paper examines the capacity of the Australian federal government to achieve its water management and environmental goals through the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. It explores the concept of state capacity, focusing on the institutional capabilities of the state and its ability to work with key stakeholders. The paper highlights how key players have manipulated state capacity to serve their own interests, undermining the federal state's power and subverting the goals of the Basin Plan.
WATER ALTERNATIVES-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL ON WATER POLITICS AND DEVELOPMENT
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Alex Dunne, Yuriy Kuleshov
Summary: A drought risk assessment was conducted for the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), an agricultural region in Australia. Region- and agricultural sector-specific indicators were used to calculate the drought risk index. ArcGIS was used to prepare thematic layers of the drought risk index and its components. A case study for the 2019 drought was investigated, and monthly drought risk index maps were produced.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yan Zhao, Xingmin Meng, Tianjun Qi, Guan Chen, Yajun Li, Dongxia Yue, Feng Qing
Summary: Debris flows are a significant hazard in mountainous regions. This study presents a method for estimating daily rainfall thresholds for debris flows based on underlying surface factors. The estimated thresholds were verified using historical debris flow events and can provide a reference for early warning in areas lacking monitoring data.
BULLETIN OF ENGINEERING GEOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gilad Bino, Kate Brandis, Richard T. Kingsford, John Porter
Summary: The Murray-Darling Basin is the largest river system in Australia, supplying about 40% of the country's irrigated agricultural output. Water resource development has degraded the Basin's freshwater ecosystems, leading to ongoing declines in waterbird numbers. Despite efforts to achieve environmental sustainability through water buy-backs and improved efficiencies, current projections suggest that waterbird populations will likely continue to decline under future climate changes, remaining below restoration targets. Actions to restore waterbird populations and wetlands are recommended to meet Australia's conservation targets amidst the global crisis of biodiversity loss.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Isabella Aitkenhead, Yuriy Kuleshov, Andrew B. Watkins, Jessica Bhardwaj, Atifa Asghari
Summary: This study evaluated the effectiveness, proactivity, and suitability of Agricultural Drought Management (ADM) Strategy in the Northern Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), finding that Balonne Shire and the Goondiwindi Region are high priority areas requiring improved ADM. The research suggests that a user-centred Integrated Early Warning System (I-EWS) could potentially increase ADM proactivity and suitability, thereby strengthening drought resilience in farming communities in the region.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Danielle C. Verdon-Kidd, Steven G. Sandi, Angela G. Metcalfe, Luke J. Kidd
Summary: Perennial freshwater systems provide important ecological services globally, but their availability is highly variable in regions with variable climates such as Australia. This study compares three spatial databases commonly used in Australia to assess perennial systems, and finds that no single database is entirely reliable. Analysis of streamflow data and simulation data confirms that flow persistence can vary through time, with some 'perennial' systems ceasing to flow during prolonged droughts.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Geography
Sue Jackson
Summary: This article examines the multiple river realities enacted by the large, coordinated environmental flow along the Barwon-Darling (Barka) River in 2018, exploring the significant changes in Australia's water governance system. Through geographical analysis, scientific practices, and regulatory technologies, managers navigate ontological and spatio-temporal issues related to the dynamism of the river. The discourse on naturalisation constrains and enables discussions on water relations, highlighting the complexity of decision-making and socio-material connections in water management.
GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. Tibby, D. Haynes, M. Gibbs, L. Mosley, R. P. Bourman, J. Fluin
Summary: The Murray River is Australia's longest river and its terminal lakes are ecologically important wetland ecosystems. However, water extraction has caused degradation and rising salinity in the lower lakes. The current management and water allocation plans aim to maintain the freshwater ecosystems based on the lakes' historical characteristics.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Thomas Job, Dan Penny, Bree Morgan, Quan Hua, Patricia Gadd, Atun Zawadzki
Summary: The River Murray Estuary in South Australia exhibits a morphology typical of a wave-dominated estuary, with two large shallow central basin lakes - Lakes Alexandrina and Albert. Through the study of sediment cores, it has been revealed that the system experienced multiple stages of sediment infill, with central basin facies sedimentation established during the mid-Holocene highstand period. The recent increase in geochemical markers of pollution and acidification in the sediments demonstrate the impact of human activities on the estuary.
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Teuku Ferijal, Okke Batelaan, Margaret Shanafield, Furqon Alfahmi
Summary: This study proposes a method to estimate the onset and cessation dates of the rainy season by using the driest period to establish a flexible climatological year. The results show that this method has clear advantages in large and heterogeneous climatic zones.
THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Amanda G. DelVecchia, Margaret Shanafield, Margaret A. Zimmer, Michelle H. Busch, Corey A. Krabbenhoft, Rachel Stubbington, Kendra E. Kaiser, Ryan M. Burrows, Jake Hosen, Thibault Datry, Stephanie K. Kampf, Samuel C. Zipper, Ken Fritz, Katie Costigan, Daniel C. Allen
Summary: The passage discusses the importance of nonperennial hyporheic zones in aquatic ecosystems, highlighting the adaptability of hydrological and ecological definitions and their application to different surface conditions. It emphasizes the significance of understanding nonperennial hyporheic zones and recommends a multidisciplinary approach to explore their structure and function through holistic research.
FRESHWATER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Tamar Jamieson, Harriet Whiley, Jason R. Gascooke, Sophie C. Leterme
Summary: This pilot study examines the formation of aggregates within a desalination plant and their potential impact on fouling. The study reveals that despite pre-treatment systems removing larger particles and organisms, smaller particles can still progress through the plant and form aggregates, which serve as hot spots for microbial growth, potentially leading to biofouling.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jay J. Minuti, Maria Byrne, Hamish Campbell, Deevesh A. Hemraj, Bayden D. Russell
Summary: Rising ocean temperatures and extreme weather events can negatively impact marine life. However, research shows that offspring of sea urchins that have undergone heat conditioning exhibit faster growth and higher survival rates.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Rhyn W. Y. Cheung-Wong, James K. Dytnerski, Rinaldi Gotama, Deevesh A. Hemraj, Bayden D. Russell
Summary: This study surveyed the seasonal biomass and cover of subtidal macroalgal and sessile invertebrate communities in Hong Kong. The results showed that shallow assemblages were more influenced by environmental factors and exhibited seasonal patterns, while deeper communities had less biomass but were more stable across seasons. Oysters, barnacles, and live corals dominated the sessile invertebrate communities at both depths. This study establishes a baseline for assessing future changes in algal productivity and community composition.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
M. Ramirez-Lagunas, E. W. Banks, A. D. Werner, I. Wallis, M. Shanafield
Summary: Groundwater springs in intertidal zones provide freshwater and nutrients to marine ecosystems, but their spatial extent, temporal variability, and source are poorly understood. This study examined four springs at Sellicks Beach, South Australia, and found that the springs were influenced by regional fault systems, tidal variations, and mixing ratios between seawater and groundwater.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Elise M. Tuuri, Sophie Catherine Leterme
Summary: Plastic debris contamination is widespread in marine environments and poses a significant risk to marine organisms, food webs, and ecosystems. Plastics of various sizes can be consumed by organisms at all levels of the food chain, leading to detrimental effects on feeding behavior, reproductive outputs, gene expression, and growth and development. Micro- and nano-plastics, in particular, are poorly understood but are considered a hidden threat due to their unique physiological impacts.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sophie C. Leterme, Elise M. Tuuri, Woody J. Drummond, Russell Jones, Jason R. Gascooke
Summary: This study provides the first investigation on the abundance of microplastic contamination in freshwater streams in Adelaide, Australia. The results showed that microplastics were found in all samples, and the abundance varied across different streams. Compared to other urbanized areas, the microplastic abundances in the freshwater streams of Adelaide were relatively higher, possibly due to the different methodologies used in various studies.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rhyn W. Y. Cheung-Wong, Jonne Kotta, Deevesh A. Hemraj, Bayden D. Russell
Summary: Macroalgal forests play a vital role in coastal ecosystems globally, but the unique environmental conditions in climatic transition zones can limit their productivity and persistence. A study on a seaweed in Hong Kong showed that it had the highest growth in cooler conditions but surprisingly had the highest photosynthetic rates in summer, after a period of senescence and dormancy. This discrepancy may enable the seaweed to withstand higher temperatures, resisting predicted range shifts due to ocean warming. However, other seaweeds in climatic transition zones may face shorter growth seasons, longer dormancy, and reduced biomass production, potentially reducing the overall productivity of these algal forests.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Nastaran Chitsaz, Huade Guan, Margaret Shanafield, Okke Batelaan
Summary: Ongoing changes in climate and carbon dioxide have significant impacts on plant transpiration and water balance. This study reviews the simulation of stomatal conductance (gs) in different land surface models (LSMs) and proposes a new approach, Mixed Generalized Additive Model (MGAM), for gs simulation. MGAM demonstrates high correlation and efficiency with low error values in gs simulation, making it an important model for future studies in accurately simulating gs under key climate factors.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Daniel Partington, Margaret Shanafield, Eddie W. Banks, Martin S. Andersen, Gabriel C. Rau, Stefan Felder, Craig T. Simmons
Summary: Ephemeral and intermittent flow in dryland streams are essential for supporting ecosystems and recharging groundwater. This study used a laboratory flume filled with fine sand to simulate event flows along a dry stream and combined it with numerical simulations to understand the physical processes involved. The study found that hydraulic conductivity significantly influences surface infiltration and the advancement of the stream wetting front, and emphasized the importance of streambed heterogeneity and elevation in determining downstream flow progression.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kyle B. Mitchell, Charles James, Jason Gascooke, Sophie C. Leterme
Summary: Plastic pollution is a growing concern for the marine environment, with microplastics being a significant component that is increasing in number. This study used a coupled hydrodynamic model and Lagrangian particle-tracking model to simulate the transport of microplastics in South Australian waters. Virtual particles representing microplastics were released daily for 365 days from two major freshwater sources along the Adelaide coastline, and their movements were tracked using LTRANS software. The model revealed a circular, clockwise circulation pattern in the Gulf St Vincent, with net southward particle transport from the release sites. A potential accumulation zone associated with a local eddy was identified, and concentrations of particles passing through local marine parks were calculated to assess the potential risks in protected areas.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Muhammad Atif Nisar, Kirstin E. Ross, Melissa H. Brown, Richard Bentham, James Xi, Jason Hinds, Tamar Jamieson, Sophie C. Leterme, Harriet Whiley
Summary: In recent years, the frequency of nosocomial infections in hospitals has increased, possibly due to the growth of microbial communities in hospital water systems. This study characterized the prokaryotic communities present in water samples collected from showers and hand basins in hospitals using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results showed that the prokaryotic communities in hospital water were diverse and dominated by biofilm forming, corrosion causing, and potentially pathogenic bacteria. The composition of these communities varied based on sampling phases and flow dynamics of incoming water. This study highlights the importance of understanding the microbiome in hospital water systems for infection control.
Review
Limnology
Erin C. Seybold, Anna Bergstrom, C. Nathan Jones, Amy J. Burgin, Sam Zipper, Sarah E. Godsey, Walter K. Dodds, Margaret A. Zimmer, Margaret Shanafield, Thibault Datry, Raphael D. Mazor, Mathis L. Messager, Julian D. Olden, Adam Ward, Songyan Yu, Kendra E. Kaiser, Arial Shogren, Richard H. Walker
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Sarah A. Bourke, Margaret Shanafield, Paul Hedley, Sarah Chapman, Shawan Dogramaci
Summary: Persistent surface water pools along non-perennial rivers are essential water resources for plants, animals, and humans. This study presents a comprehensive framework for understanding the hydrology of these pools, including the key hydraulic mechanisms that control their persistence. Throughflow of alluvial water and groundwater discharge are identified as the main mechanisms, and various diagnostic tools are summarized and critiqued for their application in studying these hydraulic processes. The framework allows for assessing the vulnerability of river pools to climate change and groundwater extraction.
HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES
(2023)
