Research
Global Change Issues
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Over-enrichment (Eutrophication)
Ecosystems
Rivers and catchments
Estuaries
- Seagrass denitrification: importance for global nitrogen budgets
- Unravelling the drivers of shallow CaCO3 sediment dissolution in an acidifying ocean
- Unravelling the transformation pathways and fate of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen in shallow coastal sediments
- Balancing estuarine and societal health in a changing environment
Tools
Stable Isotopes
Stable isotopes provide information on the trophic transfer, assimilation and fluxes of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus within, and between, ecosystems. Read more on the facilities and research projects for Stable Isotopes.
Process Measurements
We commonly use process measurements in our work. For benthic processes we have a selection of cores and chambers of various sizes that are used in field and/or laboratory incubations to measure processes such as benthic production, respiration, N-fixation, denitrification, anammox, DNRA and dissolved inorganic and organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes. Examples of cores and chambers.
Field Instruments
The Centre has a range of field instruments for automated continuous high-temporal resolution measurements in the field.
Experimental Manipulations
Our manipulative experiments utilise mesocosms and/or chambers in the laboratory and the field to investigate global change impacts such as nutrient enrichment, temperature, ocean acidification, grazing pressure and hypoxia etc. on biogeochemical processes. The experiments can include use of stable isotope tracers to assess the impact of global changes on the trophic transfer, assimilation and fluxes of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus within, and between, ecosystems.
Material Mass Balances and Ecosystem Modelling
We commonly use material budgets as a tool for studying the flow of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in coastal systems.
Comparative Studies
We commonly use comparative studies as a tool to better understand the cycling of C, N and P in coastal systems. In some studies we substitute 'space' for 'time' to better understand how a system will respond to global change. For these studies we will use systems of similar structure, but with different levels of disturbance. In other studies we are interested in how the structure of a system influences its function. These studies will use systems with different structure, but similar levels of disturbance .