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Name:
Bradley Eyre
Qualifications: BSc (Hons), PhD
Telephone: 61-2-66203773
Fax: 61-2-66212669
Email: bradley.eyre@scu.edu.au
Position: Professor of Biogeochemistry
Director,Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry |
Research
Interests:
Estuarine and Coastal Biogeochemistry
My initial work used simple mixing models, including the
development of modified mixing models, to improve our understanding
of the way nutrients are cycled in tropical and sub-tropical
systems. The role of physical forcing events (i.e. floods)
was emphasised in this early work (see Eyre, 2000). I then
began focusing, inconjunction with my colleague Angus Ferguson,
on the benthic metabolism of tropical and sub-tropical estuarine
and coastal ecosystems. In particular, benthic carbon production
and remineralisation and its link to nitrogen cycling processes
such as benthic fluxes of inorganic and organic nitrogen,
denitrification and N-fixation, and also the flow of carbon
and nitrogen through lower food webs. I use a modified Membrane
Inlet Mass Spectrometer (see Eyre et al., 2002) that allows
us to measure direct 28N2 gas fluxes as well as 29N2 and
30N2 production following 15N additions allowing us to get
simultaneous measurements of denitrification, N-fixation
and net 28N2 gas fluxes. I received the 1999 Cronin Award
by the Estuarine Research Federation (ERF) for my work on
estuarine biogeochemistry.
Whole Ecosystem Scale C. N and P Budgets
I always had an interest in mass balance budgets as I see
them as a way of constraining what we know, and what we
do not know, about whole ecosystem scale flows of carbon,
nitrogen and phosphorus. Budgets also provide a means of
quantitatively comparing different coastal ecosystems. However,
rarely do we have sufficient data sets available to construct
these type of budgets (see Eyre and Mckee, 2002). Much of
my estuarine coastal biogeochemical work is being undertaken
in the context of providing information to fill data gaps
in sub-tropical and tropical C, N and P budgets. And I will
always go back to the budget framework when I have sufficient
data sets. I have also been involved in LOICZ C, N, and
P budgeting exercise having developed a number of budgets
for Australian systems.
Comparison of Tropical and Temperate Systems
A common theme through much of my work is the comparison
of tropical and temperate systems. I am interested in identifying
the factors that modify the response of estuarine and coastal
ecosystems from different climate zone to nutrient over-enrichment,
in particular the role of benthic-pelagic coupling.
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Name:
Iain Alexander
Qualifications:
Telephone: 61-2-66203496
Fax: 61-2-66212669
Email: iain.alexander@scu.edu.au
Position: Lab Manager & Project Officer
Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry
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Name:Melissa
Bautista
Qualifications:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email: melissa.bautista@scu.edu.au
Position: Research Technician |
| The
focus of Melissa’s Honours research was on comparing the
uptake and recycling of two types of detrital material (the
seagrass Zostera capricorni and the invasive algae Caulerpa
taxifolia) in a 13C tracer experiment. After achieving a First
Class for her project, she took up the position of Research
Technician and now handles the day to day operation of our stable
isotope facility. |
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Name:
Dirk Erler
Qualifications:
Telephone: 61-2-66269402
Fax: 61-2-66212669
Email: dirk.erler@scu.edu.au
Position: Research Fellow |
| Dirk
Erler is currently working on a 3 year ARC funded wetlands
research project. The broad objective of the project is to
use isotope tracers to follow the movement of nutrients through
wetlands. The use of wetlands to remediate nutrient rich effluent,
such as that leaving sewage treatment plants, can be a cost
effective treatment option for legislators and natural resource
managers. However greater understanding of the wetland processes
is required to maximise the efficiency of treatment. Dirk
has a doctoral degree in the biogeochemistry of aquaculture
systems and has also worked as a hatchery manager producing
finfish for restocking of depleted ecosystems.
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Name:
Joanne Oakes
Qualifications: BSc(Hons), PhD
Telephone: 61-2-6626 9402
Fax: 61-2-6621 2669
Email: joanne.oakes@scu.edu.au
Position: Research Fellow |
My
interest in coastal systems has focussed on the use of stable
isotope analysis, primarily to trace fluxes among trophic groups.
Initially, I used manipulative experiments to look at the interaction
between sulfur within sediments and seagrass tissues to establish
causes of variability in sulfur signatures of the seagrass,
Zostera capricorni. I also used advanced mixing models to investigate
the ability of stable isotopes of sulfur, as well as nitrogen
and carbon, to isotopically discriminate between producers for
food web studies.
More recently, I have been interested in determining the importance
of benthic microalgae and mangroves as carbon sources for estuarine
invertebrates. Previous work looking at microalgae encountered
difficulties extracting microalgae from sediment to determine
pure carbon isotopic signatures. I developed a new technique,
using compound-specific isotope analysis of the compound phytol,
that is able to accurately determine microalgae carbon signatures
whilst avoiding the need for physical separation of microalgae
from sediment. I have since applied this method, in combination
with a compartment modelling technique, to quantify the use
of microalgae by estuarine consumers through large-scale pulse-chase
13C-enrichment experiments. I have also added 13C-enriched mangrove
detritus to sediment in a complementary study to quantify the
use of mangrove detritus, and have used compound-specific isotope
analysis of 13C-enriched fatty acid biomarkers to examine carbon
transfer between microalgae and bacteria within sandy and muddy
estuarine sediments.
Much of my research has involved the use of mathematical models
and manipulative experiments, particularly stable isotope enrichment,
to trace fluxes among compartments. Currently, I am working
on an ARC project using biomarkers and 15N-enrichment to investigate
nitrogen cycling in coastal sediments with a view to determining
the potential impact of nutrient enrichment on coastal marine
ecosystems. |
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Name:
Amanda Reichelt-Brushett
Qualifications: BSc, MSc, PhD
Telephone: 61-2-66203250
Fax: 61-2-66212669
Email: areichel@scu.edu.au
Position: Senior Lecturer |
Research
Interests
My research interests include pollution assessment, organism
response to pollutants, sediment geochemistry and water and
sediment quality assessment. Recent studies have involved
the development and analyses of new methods to evaluate the
toxicity of trace metals and pesticides to different life
stages of marine organisms. Ecotoxicological studies on sediment
toxicity assessment are of further interest to me. I have
specific interest in studies on the mobilisation, bioavailability
and transport of trace metals from sediments in to the water
column and the subsequent effects on aquatic organims. My
experience also extends to studies on aspects of normalisation
of measured metal concentrations to carbon, aluminium and
iron concentrations in the sediments, which aid in the identification
of anthropogenically derived trace metals compared to natural
concentrations. I am further interested in the implementation
of the new ANZECC and ARMCANZ Water and Sediment Quality Guidelines
(2000).
Selected Publications
Reichelt-Brushett, A. J. and McOrist, G. (in press) Trace
metals in the living and nonliving components of scleractinian
corals. Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Reichelt-Brushett, A. J. and Harrison, P. L. (submitted) Lethal
and sub lethal effects of copper and lead on motile larvae
from scleractinian corals. Archives of Environmental Contamination
and Toxicology.
Maddocks, G., Reichelt-Brushett, A. J. and Vangronsveld, J.
(submitted) An assessment of bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida
after exposure to metal loaded Bauxsol™. Environmental
Toxicology and Chemistry.
Reichelt-Brushett, A. J. and Harrison, P.L. (2000) The effect
of copper on the settlement success of larvae from the scleractinian
coral Acropora tenuis. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 41, pp 385-391.
Reichelt-Brushett, A.J. and Harrison, P.L. (1999) The effect
of copper, zinc and cadmium on fertilization success of the
scleractinian coral Goniastrea aspera. Marine Pollution Bulletin.
38, pp182-187.
Reichelt, A.J. and Jones, G.B. (1994) Characterisation and
fate of suspended sediments -field and laboratory study. Australian
Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 45 pp1237-1257
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POSTGRADUATES |
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Name:
Tony Browne
Qualifications:
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Name:
Jodie Walker
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Name:
Peter Squire
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Name:
Damian Maher
Qualifications:
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| RESEARCH
ASSOCIATES |
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Assoc.
Prof. Ronnie Glud
Partner investigator on ARC Discovery project |
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Dr.
Perran Cook
Partner investigator on ARC Discovery project |
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Prof.
Jack Middleburg
Partner investigator on ARC Discovery project |
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