Research Projects
ITS and UCS Tests on Rock Cores (Old ID 23055)
Siva Sivakugan
01 Oct 2016 - 01 Dec 2016
The rock cores will be provided by Mt Carlton. They will be cut to length to diameter ratios of 2.5 and 0.5 for the uniaxial compressive strength test and indirect ensile strength tests, respectively. The UCS tests involved developing stress-strain plots and determining the uniaxial compressive strength and the Young's modulus. The indirect tensile strength requires the determination of the Is values. The client will be provided with a report that includes all results and photographs of the failure specimens.
Oil Identification Aging (Old ID 23478)
George Vamvounis
17 May 2017 - 16 Oct 2017
A colourimetric array will be used to investigate crude oil samples, with the focus on the effect of aging.
Carbon sequestration value of mangroves (Old ID 25014)
Norm Duke
01 Apr 2018 - 31 Dec 2018
This project involves a field and laboratory investigation by Mackay Christian College Grade 11 students of the carbon storage potential of mangrove environments in the Pioneer River and Mackay region. Based on field sites established by Dr Duke around 15 years ago associated with an incident of severe mangrove dieback, the Senior Biology class students will collect and assess data from water sampling, field quadrates and laboratory samples. The sampling design will focus on carbon acquisition and changes over time. Some focus will also include a review of the current status of previously damaged mangrove strands. During the project, community stakeholders from local and state government plus educational and environmental conservation groups will be involved and informed as the project develops.
The Daintree's Hidden Coastline (Old ID 25049)
Norm Duke
01 May 2018 - 15 Dec 2018
This project involves community engagement in the monitoring and assessments of shoreline condition in the Daintree River estuary in North Queensland. The participants will work with JCU scientists to conduct shoreline evaluations and field surveys of forest mangrove forest biomass. These measures will identify the condition of tidal wetland habitat, the factors causing change, and the health of this major Wet Tropics river.
Baseline monitoring and evaluation of long-term impacts on fish stocks from coral restoration (Old ID 25137)
Ian McLeod
27 Aug 2018 - 30 Jun 2021
Most coral reefs in the Philippines and elsewhere in SE Asia are degraded or highly threatened by human activities, which jeopardises food security. Previous ACIAR funded projects have successfully re-established multiple breeding coral populations on highly degraded reefs. This project will assess the impact of these and scaled-up coral restoration projects on local fish populations.
Effectiveness of gully remediation in catchments draining to the Great Barrier Reef (Old ID 27084)
Jack Koci
23 Oct 2020 - 30 Jun 2021
Gully erosion is a globally significant land degradation problem and major contributor to poor water quality in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) World Heritage Area. Gully rehabilitation can stabilise erosion and reduce downstream sediment yields, but the globally observed responses to rehabilitation are variable. This project will evaluate sediment yield and vegetation responses to several gully rehabilitation measures implemented in the Burdekin River catchment. The project will provide valuable new knowledge and understanding of the effectiveness of gully rehabilitation in savannah rangeland landscapes tributary to the GBR, and elsewhere in the world.
IUCN Situation Analysis – Asian Coastal Wetlands (Old ID 27372)
Nicholas Murray
11 Oct 2021 - 31 May 2022
The Yellow Sea ecosystem of intertidal wetlands, associated habitats and the biodiversity that depends on them, encompassed by People’s Republic of China (PRC), the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (RoK), is among the ecological wonders of the world. It represents the largest area of intertidal flats on the planet. In 2012, the IUCN Species Survival Commission commissioned an independent report “The IUCN situation analysis on East and Southeast Asian intertidal habitats” that I co-authored. The report was highly influential and led to improved conservation and world heritage listing of tidal flats in the region. Given the impact of the first report, IUCN now wishes the original consultancy team to conduct an update. Therefore, this project is a short contribution to a desktop review and interviews with relevant site managers, government officials, academics, NGO representatives, and other relevant stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the state of wetlands in the Yellow Sea region. As one of three authors, I will lead the technical analysis of the report.
The effect of light intensity on leaf pigmentation and light utilisation in mango (Old ID 27722)
Alex Cheesman
01 Aug 2022 - 31 Dec 2022
The objective of this experimental work is to determine the effect of light intensity on leaf morphology, productivity and light utilisation in the commercial Mango cv. Calypso. Plant leaves contain a variety of pigments associated with specific physiological functions, including photosynthesis and photoprotection from excessive light. Within an individual tree-canopy, gradients in leaf age and microenvironment alter the balance of these functions and where resources are invested. By examining leaf-level function at specific points in a Mango tree architecture we hope to improve our understanding of how orchard management (such as pruning) can make trees more productive
Desk-based feasibility assessment of using satellite images to detect and track the large dugong groups (> 100 dugongs) around Hawar Islands
Christophe Cleguer
01 Feb 2024 - 01 Jul 2024
The services will be primarily focused on conducting desk-based feasibility assessment of using satellite images to detect and track the large dugong groups (> 100 dugongs) around Hawar Islands through performing the following tasks in close coordination with the local specialists designated by the Centre:
(1) • Review and considerations for the use of satellite imagery to detect marine mammals: challenges in detecting small-bodied marine mammals using satellite images
(2) Case study: using drone aerial footage of dugong herds from Exmouth Gulf (Australia) and drone and satellite imagery (readily available and free) from Bahrain to assess the feasibility of detecting dugong herds in satellite imagery.
(1) Case study: using aerial footage of dugong herds from Exmouth Gulf (Australia) and Bahrain to assess the feasibility of detecting dugong herds in satellite imagery.Evaluate available and accessible large dugong group aerial footage across their range (e.g., Arabian Gulf and Australia) to calibrate with satellite imagery.
Performance of the services outlined in (2) by the Second Party is subject to the First Party providing the Second Party with all required drone and aerial imagery from Bahrain at least one calendar month before the due date for the final report
Gunggandji-Mandingalbay Yidinji Prescribed Body Corporate – L&S GBR Grant Program: GMY Sea Country Project: Creating healthy sea country through building partnerships, connections, and capacity
Skye McKenna
23 Jan 2024 - 31 Jul 2025
This project will continue to build Gunggandji and Mandingalbay Yidinji Rangers capacity, skills and leadership to empower them to connect, care for, enhance and implement on-ground activities in our Sea Country and the GBR that specifically contribute to monitoring, improving and protecting the health and resilience of important habitats and culturally and environmentally significant threatened species, and guide future management of environmental cultural heritage associated with the GBR.