Title: Regeneration of box-gum woodland in the Warragamba Special Area, Blue Mountains
Supervisor: Dr Philip Gibbons and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service |
Title: Changes in east coast low pressure systems along the south-east coast of New South Wales, and impacts on rainfall.
Title: A comparison of historical pressure and temperature data for southern Australia and southern Africa: evidence for climate change.
Supervisor: Janette.Lindesay@anu.edu.au |
Title: Environmental politics topics, including social and political respones to climate change; and sustainable consumption
Supervisor: Dr Kersty Hobson
|
Title: International Alliance of Research University's Sustainable Cities Demonstration Projects
Supervisor (s): Dr Robert Dyball and David Dumaresq
Various Honours projects are available to join the Fenner School IARU Demonstration Project team and collaborators in University of Tokyo and University of Copenhagen and the National University of Singapore. Current sub-projects include Food Flows and Ecosystem Services, Land Use and Ecosystem Function and Low Carbon Cities. For each, projects on the Australian Capital Region are available, with possible comparisons with data from Tokyo and Copenhagen. |
Honours Projects -Supervisor: Professor Ian White
1. Causes of Streamflow Reduction in the Queanbeyan River
The Queanbeyan River feeds into Googong Dam one of the main water supply storage dams for the ACT region. Over the past 15 years the flows into Googong Dam have decreased dramatically. It has been suggested that this decrease is due to upstream abstractions of water, but over the past 8 years the catchment has experienced a severe drought. This project will examine the relative impacts of drought and water abstraction of flow in the Queanbeyan River.
2. Impact of Long-Term Climate Drivers on Flow in the Queanbeyan River
Recent publications have conflictingly suggested that inflows into the headwaters of the Murray River are governed by long term variations in either the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) or the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The flow record for the Queanbeyan River extends back to 1913, one of the longest in the ACT region. The rainfall record in the region extends back to 1873. This project will firstly seek to extrapolate the stream flow record back to 1873, then examine the relationship between PDO and IOD and flows in the Queanbeyan River.
3. Environmental Flow Releases in the ACT: Impact of Dam Storages
ACT water storage dams were designed to supply a population of 450,000 people with unrestricted water supply. Environmental flow guidelines for releases from ACT dams were mandated by the ACT government in December 1999. The ACT Water Authority, ACTEW expressed concerns over the impact of releases on dam storages during a time of developing drought. In June 2007, total water storages in the ACT fell to 30.7% of full storage, a record low, and water restrictions were declared. This dramatic decrease in storage has been variously blamed on the drought which it is claimed is unprecedented or on excessive water use by consumers. The impact of environmental flow releases under the 1999 regulation will be examined in this project.
4. Sources of Nutrient Releases into in Fanga’uta lagoon, Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga
Fanga’uta lagoon is an important source of seafood for the villagers in Tongatapu, the population centre in the Kingdom of Tonga. Concerns have been raised over the groundwater discharge of nutrients into the lagoon. Nutrients have been variously claimed to be sourced either from agricultural or from village septic tanks and pit latrines. This study will examine the flux of nutrients into Fanga’uta lagoon and seek to estimate the contributions of agriculture and sewerage to this flux.
5. Drivers of Rainfall in Tongatapu, Kingdom of Tonga
It has been recently shown that wet season rainfall in the Tongatapu, the population centre in the Kingdom of Tonga is highly correlated with previous dry season sea surface temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region. However dry season rainfall, which is about 40% of the annual rainfall, is not well correlated with sea surface temperatures. This project seeks to explore the relation between rainfall in Tongatapu and other climate drivers. |
Title: Exploring age demographics of native trees on different landscape positions in grazing landscapes
Supervisor(s): Professor Steve Dovers, Dr Matt Brookhouse, Dr Kate Sherren |
Title: Soil carbon measurements and modelling to estimate the potential for soil carbon sequestration at different locations across central west NSW.
Supervisor(s): Dr Richard Greene, Murphy (DEEC), Packer (Lachlan CMA) |
Title: The presentation of soil landscapes using GIS
Supervisor(s): Dr Richard Greene, Murphy (DEEC) |
Title: Dust sources and processes of dust production: their contribution to the NW passage of dust over Australia
Supervisor(s): Dr Richard Greene, Murphy(DEEC), Scott (CSIRO E&M) |
Title: Detecting large herbivore densities with wireless sensors
Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Gibbons
Co-supervisors: Drs Andre Zerger & Tim Wark (CSIRO) |
Title: Detecting understorey change using standard digital imagery
Supervisor(s): Dr Philip Gibbons
Co-supervisors: Drs Andre Zerger & Tim Wark (CSIRO) |
Title: Hydrological modelling, catchment management topics
Supervisor(s): Professor Anthony Jakeman |
Title: Climate variability and dynamics topics
Supervisor(s): Assoc Professor Janette Lindesay |
Title: Climate change vulnerability and adaptation topics
Supervisor(s): Assoc Professor Janette Lindesay
Co-supervisor: Prof Will Steffen (CCI) |
Subject: Areas of soil and water sciences
Supervisor(s): Dr Ben Macdonald |
Title: Do novel livestock grazing regimes improve soil properties?
Supervisor(s): Dr Ben Macdonald, Dr John Field (and Dr Joern Fischer) |
Title: Application of numerical modelling techniques to atmospheric chemistry
Supervisor(s): Dr Frank Mills (Fenner School and School of Physical Sciences and Engineering) x50116, Frank.Mills@anu.edu.au |
Title: Diurnal modelling of Venus’ middle atmosphere chemistry
Supervisor(s): Dr Frank Mills (Fenner School and School of Physical Sciences and Engineering) x50116, Frank.Mills@anu.edu.au |
Title: Modelling of O2 airglow emission from Venus' middle atmosphere
Supervisor(s): Dr Frank Mills (Fenner School and School of Physical Sciences and Engineering) x50116, Frank.Mills@anu.edu.au |
Title: Modelling of OH airglow emission from Venus' middle atmosphere
Supervisor(s): Dr Frank Mills (Fenner School and School of Physical Sciences and Engineering) x50116, Frank.Mills@anu.edu.au |
Title: The impact of climate change on Australian surface UV through changes in fire and aerosols
Supervisor(s): Dr Frank Mills (Fenner School and School of Physical Sciences and Engineering) x50116, Frank.Mills@anu.edu.au |
Title: Climate change, clouds, and surface UV
Supervisor(s): Dr Frank Mills (Fenner School and School of Physical Sciences and Engineering) x50116, Frank.Mills@anu.edu.au |
iCAM: Areas of Supervision and Example Topics:
Integrated Assessment & Decision Support
Analysing tradeoffs between NRM investments, agricultural opportunity costs and resource condition outcomes.
Aquatic Ecology in estuarine, riverine and wetland systems
Linking catchment condition with estuarine health. Socioeconomic profiles and adoption in regional NRM. Analysing trends in ecological monitoring data for the Gwydir wetlands.
Hydrology
Inferring the effects of land cover and use on the water balance. Effects of extreme rainfall events on water quality.
Water Quality
Using river characteristics to rank water quality. Identifying relationships between pathogen-generating events and incidence of water-borne disease. Investigating nutrient saturation in old riparian buffers through soil sampling.
First point of contact: tony.jakeman@anu.edu.au
Others: Barry Croke, Susan Cuddy, Natasha Herron, Wendy Merritt, Lachlan Newham, Carmel Pollino
|
Topics for IRP, Honours, Masters, PhD research projects: Queanbeyan City Council and Fenner School of Environment and Society
Contact: Professor Steve Dovers, Research convener, Fenner School (Stephen.Dovers@anu.edu.au), Member QCC Environmental Advisory Committee.
Rational: Queanbeyan City Council has significant environmental management responsibilities and activities, and like any local government faces human, financial and informational constraints in executing these. Considerable mutual benefit may be achieved by research projects undertaken by students addressing issues relevant to Council, who could offer logistical and other support. The (interim) list of topics below have been identified as relevant to Council by its Environmental Advisory Committee.
Given interest in a topic by a student and supervisor, individual research projects would be negotiated on a case-by-case basis. Possible research student topics, developed by QCC Env Advisory Ctee 27-6-2007 and at subsequent meetings - issues relating to EAC portfolio of management plans.
Queanbeyan River corridor (cf management plan):
- Fauna survey (terrestrial and aquatic), especially linked to bird habitat use and requirements.
- Aquatic vegetation management (assessing current annual clearance regime cf effectiveness re impacts, amenity maintenance) (specific weir pool management plan).
- Environmental history post-Googong, flow regime changes, morphological and vegetation change, erosion.
- Social, economic and environmental history of River corridor: overview or specific aspects.
Mt Jerrabomberra (cf management plan):
- Comprehensive ecological survey and analysis required, or
- Component flora and fauna studies.
- Environmental aspects of fire management, Mt Jerra-Stringybark Hill-Cooma Street.
|
TOPICS |
| Title: Rosenbergs monitor, distribution, population status, habitat requirements. |
| Title: Habitat connectivity analysis of lands within City (Mt Jerra-Stringybark, other areas). |
| Title: Roadside vegetation survey, analysis of conservation values, management recommendations. |
| Title: Research to support heritage (natural and cultural) signage program - historical and environmental information, design. |
| Title: Track rehabilitation in bushland areas, assessment of past projects, survey of needs and best practice. |
| Title: Social profiling and management options re recreational vehicles (motorcycles and mountain bikes), including survey of strategies from other areas. |
| Note: other topics, or variations of the above, of relevance to local government environmental management responsibilities, may be identified by either QCC EAC or by students and supervisors. |
