Southern Cross GeoScience Research
Acid sulfate soils: a national demonstration site for innovative management
The aim of this site is to trial and assess the efficacy of innovative hydrogeochemical control methods and risk assessment methods on acid sulfate contaminant remediation on a field scale in a nationally-significant location.
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Arsenic mobility in re-flooded soils
Southern Cross GeoScience's research aims to understand the geochemical processes controlling arsenic mobility in re-flooded soils. In particular the interactions between arsenic and minerals that are common in such soils (e.g. schwertmannite).
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Coastal geomorphology
"Chevrons" - Enigmatic littoral deposits. Chevrons are enigmatic yet understudied lancet-formed sandy sedimentary structures deposited at many coastlines of the world with lengths up to many tens of km and altitudes up to more than 200 m. This current project studies the coastlines of southern Brazil and central Chile.
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Estuarine water quality
The impact of coastal floodplain drainage systems on estuarine water quality is a significant resource management issue. The water quality of many coastal estuaries in eastern Australia is periodically degraded via acidification and deoxygenation.
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Fluvial geomorphology and riverine processes
Fluvial depositional sequences such as alluvial floodplains and terraces are significant features in the geomorphic development of inland channel systems.
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Hydrology, biogeochemistry and management of drained coastal acid sulfate soil backswamps in the lower Clarence River floodplain
Drainage systems on coastal floodplains have greatly increased the rate of acidity entering creeks and estuaries from acid sulfate soils.
More about acid sulfate soil backswamps
Impacts of climate change on coastal floodplain wetland biogeochemistry and surface water quality
There is broad community concern about global warming, climate change and rising sea-levels.
More about the impacts of climate change
Improved laboratory test for the acid neutralising capacity of acid sulfate soils
Current methods for determining the acid neutralising capacity (ANC) of acid sulfate soils lead to an overestimation of the lime requirement for neutralisation.
More about improved laboratory tests
Iron-monosulfide formation and oxidation in acid-sulfate soils
Poor water quality in acid sulfate soil (ASS) landscapes is a widely recognised international problem. Research and management over the past three decades have focused largely on pyrite oxidation and the release of acid-sulfate leachate into floodplain waterways.
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Iron sulfide formation and element mobility in sulfidogenic environments
Understanding the formation of iron sulfides and the mobility of elements, particularly iron and arsenic, is an important aspect of managing wetland soils, benthic sediments and groundwater systems. This is a rapidly expanding area of research within Southern Cross GeoScience, supported by a 5-year Australian Research Council Project.
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Restoring hydrological connectivity of surface and ground waters: biogeochemical processes and environmental benefits
This project examines the restoration of lateral hydrological connectivity to improve floodplain structure and function.
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Schwertmannite stability in wetland soils
A research stream within Southern Cross GeoScience aims at understanding the stability of schwertmannite in acid-sulfate soil environments. Schwertmannite is a ferric-oxyhydroxysulfate mineral that forms in acidic, iron- and sulfate-rich waters.
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Long-term terrestrial carbon sequestration using phytolith occluded carbon
Atmospheric CO2 concentrations are considered to underlie dangerous climate change. This project examines the ability of plants to contribute to the long-term sequestration of carbon by the production of carbon occluding phytoliths.
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Wetland biogeochemistry
Biogeochemical processes in coastal wetlands are highly dynamic. They involve complex interactions between hydrology, vegetation communities, mineralogical transformations and the cycling of redox sensitive elements.
More about wetland biogeochemistry
Updated: 13 December 2012