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
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
Fisheries
Kate Lyons, Jamie Pittock, Matthew J. Colloff, Yilan Yu, Eytan Rocheta, Celine Steinfeld
Summary: The critique of the evaluation method for the SDLAM in the Murray-Darling Basin raises concerns about its lack of scientific rigor, bias towards measuring infrastructure outputs, and exclusion of residual risks, Basin-wide impacts, and climate change. Improved evaluation processes, including empirical data on outputs, outcomes, and impacts, are necessary to ensure that conservation objectives for wetlands can be met under SDLAM projects.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Yiwen Chen, Matthew J. Colloff, Anna Lukasiewicz, Jamie Pittock
Summary: Environmental flows are crucial for the conservation and management of rivers, flood plains, and wetlands in the Murray-Darling Basin. However, there are issues in the allocation of environmental water, especially for small wetlands that may not achieve ecological benefits. To meet the wetland conservation goals of the Plan, restrictions on flooding of private land need to be relaxed.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2021)
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
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
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Aiwen Li, Chengji Li, Yuanyuan Zhang, Qian Deng, Hongyan Fang, Bin Zhao, Min Ran, Liangying Song, Jingling Xue, Qi Tao, Rong Huang, Yiding Li, Wei Zhou, Jingting Wang, John P. Wilson, Qiquan Li
Summary: This study analyzed the influencing factors of cropland soil acidification using the example of cropland in the Sichuan Basin of China. The results showed that precipitation was the main factor causing soil acidification. Additionally, soil pH decrease was primarily buffered by soil carbonates and secondarily by soil CEC, with soil carbonates becoming the main buffering agent when their content exceeded 36.76 g kg(-1). These findings emphasize the importance of formulating precipitation-based optimizing agronomic management practices to prevent or mitigate cropland soil acidification.
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
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
Environmental Sciences
Matthew J. Colloff, Jamie Pittock
Summary: The Murray-Darling Basin Plan aims to return water from irrigation use to the environment, but the current return of water falls short of targets. The plan needs to consider risks such as climate change and propose policy options to adapt to reduced water resources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Guobin Fu, Stephanie R. Clark, Dennis Gonzalez, Rodrigo Rojas, Sreekanth Janardhanan
Summary: Understanding the temporal patterns and spatial distributions of groundwater levels is crucial for managing and planning groundwater resources. This study used two clustering analysis methods to investigate the temporal patterns of groundwater levels in Australia's largest river system and identified six dominant patterns. The Millennium Drought had a significant impact on groundwater levels.
Article
Fisheries
Milo Costanza-van den Belt, Rohit Rao, Matthew J. Colloff, Jamie Pittock, Bradley Moggridge
Summary: Water managers in the Murray-Darling Basin are starting to recognize the cultural and environmental benefits of Indigenous co-management of environmental water. However, there is a disparity between Western technical and scientific perceptions and traditional knowledge and values when prioritizing environmental water use. The distribution of environmental flows does not meet the cultural needs of Indigenous nations due to physical restrictions and policy limitations, but there are environmental and cultural co-benefits when Indigenous peoples partner with environmental water managers.
MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Diane P. Barton, Xiaocheng Zhu, Alara Nuhoglu, Luke Pearce, Matthew McLellan, Shokoofeh Shamsi
Summary: Aquatic snails play an important role in the ecosystem, but they can also act as hosts for parasites and pose risks to animal and human health. This study investigated the occurrence of parasites in freshwater snails in the eastern Murray Darling Basin and found that different species of snails were harboring various developmental stages of Trematoda, with snails from aquaculture ponds showing a higher infection rate.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Glen Walker
Summary: An approach for reporting long-term trends in groundwater extraction and baseflow impacts in the Murray-Darling Basin in southeastern Australia was developed. The study found that there is no significant decadal trend in groundwater extraction volumes or stream impact across the non-Victorian MDB, with variability mainly attributed to rainfall. However, increasing volumes of environmental releases are needed in certain river valleys to compensate for stream depletion caused by historical groundwater extraction patterns. Two valleys were identified as potentially lacking sufficient surface water storage for releasing water during dry periods.
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
Engineering, Civil
Ewen Silvester, Terry Karis, Anne Yusuf, John Pengelly, Samantha Grover, Gavin N. Rees
Summary: The study found that storm events mobilized dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, with proteins playing a key role and exhibiting different dynamics at different stages of the storm. This suggests that there is spatial and temporal separation of molecular groups within the pools of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen, leading to changing composition of DOC through a storm cycle.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY
(2021)
Review
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Matej Lipar, Piotr Szymczak, Susan Q. White, John A. Webb
Summary: Solution pipes, vertical cylindrical voids in porous calcareous rocks, are a distinctive feature in the epikarst zone, generally less than 1m in diameter and reaching depths of up to 100m. Most commonly found in eogenetic rocks, especially Quaternary calcareous sandstones, they are believed to have formed through dissolution, with trigger factors including vegetation patterns and rock heterogeneities. Research has explored their geomorphology, as well as the potential to use them as paleoclimatic indicators through theoretical and numerical studies.
EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Geography, Physical
John A. Webb
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Jeff Theys, John Webb
Summary: The study demonstrated that hornfels undergo significant chemical changes during weathering, resulting in substantial loss of elements such as Mg, Na, and Ca. The dominant component in the weathered hornfels is kaolinite. Analyses of trace elements can effectively differentiate hornfels artifacts from different sites in southeastern Tasmania, even with the effects of weathering.
GEOARCHAEOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Manisha Shakya, Ewen Silvester, Gavin Rees, Kolin Harinda Rajapaksha, Pierre Faou, Aleicia Holland
Summary: Freshwater contamination is a growing global issue, with microalgae being highly sensitive to metal pollution. This study investigated the biochemical effects of copper on Chlorella sp. and identified potential biomarkers for future research. The results demonstrated the complex mode of action of copper on Chlorella under environmentally realistic concentrations.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Manisha Shakya, Aleicia Holland, Annaleise R. Klein, Gavin N. Rees, Jamie Laird, Jeffrey C. McCallum, Chris G. Ryan, Ewen Silvester
Summary: This study investigated the sublethal toxicity of copper on purple-spotted gudgeon sacfry. The results showed that copper caused deleterious effects on PSG at different levels, including decreased amino acid content, accumulation of copper in retinal tissues, and changes in protein structure.
AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Archaeology
Susan Lawrence, Peter Davies, Greg Hil, Ian Rutherfurd, James Grove, Jodi Turnbull, Ewen Silvester, Francesco Colombi, Mark Macklin
Summary: Industrial-scale metal mining in developing economies produces large quantities of waste rock, tailings, and contaminants, resulting in anthropogenic landscapes that extend beyond individual mining sites and pose enduring threats to human and ecosystem health. However, the significance of these legacies is often overlooked. This paper integrates archaeological, geomorphological, and geochemical evidence to identify and analyze mining-related changes in the Loddon River valley, Australia, emphasizing the importance of recognizing and managing these legacies for understanding mining heritage and preserving healthy environments.
GEOARCHAEOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Suman Acharya, Aleicia Holland, Gavin Rees, Andrew Brooks, Daniel Coleman, Chris Hepplewhite, Sarah Mika, Nick Bond, Ewen Silvester
Summary: River regulation by dams can significantly alter the composition and processing of organic matter in the regulated river. However, the influence of unregulated tributaries on organic matter dynamics is less understood. This study examines the water chemistry of regulated and unregulated rivers in south-east Australia, finding that tributaries contain a higher concentration of terrestrially derived organic matter compared to the regulated river. Additionally, storm events can introduce fresh organic matter into the regulated system from tributaries, impacting the downstream composition.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Georgia K. Dwyer, Rick J. Stoffels, Ewen Silvester, Gavin N. Rees
Summary: In nutritional ecology, the goal is to maximize consumer fitness through diet. The Selectively Consuming prey to match the Intake Target (SCIT) hypothesis suggests that consumers have evolved to selectively consume prey to meet their nutritional needs. This phenomenon has been observed in some herbivores and omnivores, and is also likely to occur in carnivores despite the homogeneity of their prey's nutrient composition.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Adam P. Jarvis, Catherine J. Gandy, John A. Webb
Summary: Neutral mine drainage (NMD) with a circumneutral pH and high levels of Zn contamination at Force Crag mine in north-west England is dominated by oxidation of sulphides, particularly sphalerite, galena, and pyrite. The removal of Pb and Fe by adsorption/precipitation results in the dominance of Zn in the mine water chemistry. The presence of pyrite contributes to acidity release and the removal of some contaminant metals.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Jessica A. Rowland, Jessica C. Walsh, Matthew Beitzel, Renee Brawata, Daniel Brown, Linden Chalmers, Lisa Evans, Kathryn Eyles, Rob Gibbs, Samantha Grover, Shane Grundy, Rebecca M. B. Harris, Shayne Haywood, Mairi Hilton, Geoffrey Hope, Ben Keaney, Marie Keatley, David A. Keith, Ruth Lawrence, Maiko L. Lutz, Trish MacDonald, Elizabeth MacPhee, Nina McLean, Susan Powell, Diana A. Robledo-Ruiz, Chloe F. Sato, Mel Schroder, Ewen Silvester, Arn Tolsma, Andrew W. Western, Jennie Whinam, Matthew White, Anita Wild, Richard J. Williams, Genevieve Wright, Wade Young, Joslin L. Moore
Summary: Protecting threatened ecosystems requires understanding their management effectiveness and the challenges they face. By bringing together researchers, land managers, and policymakers to identify key threats, management needs, and knowledge gaps, we can improve the management of these ecosystems.
CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Paul J. Mcinerney, Michael E. Shackleton, Luke Mcphan, Aleicia Holland, Gavin N. Rees
Summary: Animals allocate metabolism to physiological maintenance and new biomass production. Quality and quantity of food affect population support. River biofilm food value is thought to decrease with age due to changes in community composition. We assessed variations in biofilm mass, fatty acid composition, and community composition. Results showed dynamic changes in biofilm food value and an increase in cyanobacteria and filamentous algae, contributing to a decrease in overall lipid concentration.
Article
Paleontology
Chris Gouramanis, Anthony J. Martin, John A. Webb
Summary: Large Late Silurian burrows, likely created by giant myriapods, were discovered in fluviatile trough cross-bedded sandstones in the Grampians in western Victoria, Australia. The burrows are morphologically distinct and a new ichnogenus Gariwerdichnus is established.
