Projects

Current and recent key projects undertaken by The Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre.

Our work includes: environmental flows, nutrient cycles, algal, fish and invertebrate ecology, macroinvertebrate and microinvertebrate taxonomy, and water quality assessment through biological and chemical monitoring programs.

Application of genetic bar-coding in identification of macroinvertebrates 2013 A project to enhance the quality and value of the MDFRC macroinvertebrate collection through application of genetic bar-coding.

Assessing the Impacts of Recreational Boating Activities on River Bank Stability An assessment of the impacts of different types of recreational boating activities on river bank stability (specifically erosion) in the Murray River.

Assessment of lateral fish movement to and from Margooya Lagoon This project aims to assess movement of aquatic fauna between Margooya Lagoon and the Murray RIver when the regulator on the inlet creek is opened in April 2010.

Australian Tourism in a Water Constrained Economy: Scoping Study Developing an analytical framework to guide and inform water-related research that is relevant to the tourism industry.

Bug Guide updates 2013 This interactive guide to the “Identification and Ecology of Australian Freshwater Invertebrates” (Bug Guide) is designed to provide ecological and taxonomic information to enable community groups, students and scientists to readily identify inland aquatic invertebrates. In 2013 the guide will undergo an update to include new taxonomic and/or ecological information and reference specimens that have become available since the launch of the guide in 2009.

Comprehensive Review of the 1980 - 2008 Murray River Monitoring Data A comprehensive review of the 28 year data set generated by the Murray River Monitoring Program.

Contribution of aquatic hyphomycete communities to decomposition and food webs in alpine streams PhD Project Stephanie Suter La Trobe University Contribution of aquatic hyphomycete communities to decomposition and food webs in alpine streams

Darling Anabranch Adaptive Management and Monitoring Plan 2010 - 2013 The Darling Anabranch Adaptive Management Monitoring Plan is a ten year program designed and implemented by MDFRC for the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage. The objective is to monitor ecological responses to flows in the great Darling Anabranch in southern New South Wales.

Darling River fish - Habitat investigation A project building on earlier MDFRC work, to characterise the physical habitat and fish assemblages of the Lower Darling River

Ecological response to water regime of the aquatic vegetation in Lake Brewster, NSW PhD Project Adrian Clements Charles Sturt University Ecological response to water regime of the aquatic vegetation in Lake Brewster, NSW

Ecology of golden perch PhD Project Clayton Sharpe Griffith University Spawning and recruitment ecology of golden perch

Ecology of the purple-spotted gudgeon A literature and data review of existing information on the purple-spotted gudgeon with the aim of identifying knowledge gaps

Effects of turbidity on native fish populations above and below Casey's Weir on the Broken River Looking at the effects of turbidity on native fish above (low turbidity) and below (high turbidity)Casey's weir on the Broken River, before, during and after the decommissioning of Lake Mokoan.

Environmental Water for Fish 2007 - 2011 The project is a collaboration between wetland managers and research providers, and will evaluate the fish community response to inundation in a series of actively managed wetlands on the Murray River, between Hume Dam and Echuca.

Flow characteristics and native tree species Literature review and experimental design to address retaining floodwater on floodplains and flow enhancement hypotheses relevant to native tree species

Freshwater shrimp in regulated Rivers Development of conceptual model and hypotheses around the relationship between river flows and shrimp populations.

Fungi in sludge PhD Project Tegan Evans La Trobe University Identification of fungal communities in activated sludge using culture independent methods

Fungi in wetlands PhD Project Janice Williams La Trobe University The role of fungi in the carbon cycle of floodplain wetlands

Impact of sulfidic sediments on the viability of dormant propagules 2010 - 2011 This project will assess the viability of dormant seeds and eggs in wetlands containing varying levels of acidity within sediments.

Improving the efficent use of environmental flows 2012 - 2013 A multi-faceted project to help inform more efficient management of environmental water delivery.

Iron biogeochemistry in aquatic ecosystems PhD Project Annaleise Klein Iron biogeochemistry in aquatic ecosystems

Land use on the Murrumbidgee River This project proposes to determine the organic matter dynamics of wetlands on floodplains of differing land uses, and the community structure of primary consumers which rely on these resources. The major land use types within the lower Murrumbidgee River floodplain will be identified, and wetlands within these land use types will be selected along with reference sites in relatively undisturbed areas. These wetlands will be assessed to determine the differences in the quality (C:N:P ratio) and quantity of organic matter and nutrients available to the aquatic food web, and the community structure of primary consumers. Links between the diversity of these biota and organic matter dynamics will enable us to develop a model of energy transfer in these systems according to land use type. May 2009

Mitta Mitta Monitoring Ecological monitoring of river health on the Mitta Mitta River

Mortality in juvenile fish PhD Project Nicole McGasker Charles Sturt University Sources and severity of mortality in freshwater fish during their early life stages

Murray Cod Bioenergetics PhD Project Nick Whiterod Charles Sturt University Construction of a bioenergetics model for Murray cod

Murray hardyhead in Victoria 2008 - 2013 To maintain representative sub populations of Murray hardyhead from vulnerable endemic sites in the Victorian Mallee until either location of alternative sites for translocation, or re-watering of the endemic sites can be achieved.

Murray Irrigation Monitoring The project aims to detect and track changes in the condition of the aquatic environment over an extended timeframe and is expected to be an important part of MIL’s commitment to ensuring decisions about river management are knowledge based. 2015

Organic Carbon Speciation, Decomposition Markers and Processes in Wetland Soils PhD Project Nirmala Wijieratne La Trobe University This project will examine the soil-flood plain interaction, soil carbon speciation on flooding regimes, soil micro aggregates and the historical record of a floodplain sediment profile to determine the past frequency of flooding events, and the characteristics of the deposited carbon, with the ultimate aim of determining the catchment origins of the organic carbon.

Peatland Vegetation Diversity, Status and Impacts by Introduced Ungulates PhD Project Janey Adams Charles Sturt University This information about the status of vegetation diversity in montane peatlands, anthropogenic impacts by introduced ungulates, and the likely responses by peatlands to climate change, will inform the management and conservation of these Endangered Ecological Communities

Response of the Washpen Creek catfish population to a flood-induced carp invasion (in south west NSW) 2012 Ongoing investigations into the population dynamics of freshwater catfish at Washpen Creek.

River Murray Water Quality Monitoring Program: Phytoplankton Data Trend Analysis 1980-2009 2012 This project identifies knowledge gaps in our understanding of long term algal trends in waterways of the Murray Darling Basin. The data from this project will contribute to a better understanding of the drivers of algal blooms in the Basin and enable more effective management.

Rivers and floodplains interactions This project aims to advance scientific understanding and management of Australian rivers and their floodplains. January 2012

Spawning and Recruitment of Native Fish in the Lachlan Catchment A project investigating the distribution and viability of fish populations in the Lachlan catchment.

Supporting adaptive management of river wetland health in the Murray Darling Basin Full Title Implementing a systems approach to support adaptive management of river wetland health in the Murray-Darling Basin Contact Person  Dr Ben Gawne Project Team Dr Darren Baldwin, Dr Daryl Nielsen, John Pengelly, Dr Gavin Rees, Dr Rick Stoffels

Systematics & ecology of Nymphulinae PhD Project John Hawking La Trobe University Systematics and Ecology of Australian Nymphulinae Moths

Testing for thermal adaptation in three native fish species PhD Project Slade Allen-Ankins La Trobe University To improve our understanding of the mechanisms driving altitudinal distributions in three species of fish: the river blackfish, two-spined blackfish and mountain galaxias.

The effects of willows and willow removal on river function. PhD Project Paul McInerney The effects of willows and willow removal on river function and the rehabilitation process required to return willow removal sites to an ecologically and socially acceptable state need to be investigated if future willow removal works are to be conducted to their highest potential.

The influence of river regulation on dissolved organic carbon in the Upper Snowy River PhD Project Ann-Marie Rohlfs University of Technology Sydney This study compares dissolved organic carbon delivery from experimental large dam and tributary releases in the regulated Snowy River below Jindabyne to improve our understanding of carbon introduction to river foodwebs.

Tradition meets science - appropriate management of country 2012 - 2013 Working with trainees from the Barkindji Maraura Elders Environment Team to look at ecological monitoring in south western NSW from both the traditional owners' and the scientists' perspectives.

Understanding blackwater events and managed flows in the Wakool System The investigation of carbon dynamics in order to increase the understanding of blackwater events in relation to managed flows.

Water regimes & sulfidic sediments This project will determine appropriate wetting and drying strategies in inland wetlands to minimise the formation of sulfidic sediments. It will provide environmental water managers with tools and guidelines on how to best manage inland wetlands to prevent the build-up of acid sulphate soils, and how to remediate affected systems. The tool will be tested across different inland wetland regions of Australia affected and potentially affected by this problem to see if it can be applied as a national model. December 2010

Watering regimes to protect floodplains 2008 - 2010 This project will examine the impacts of flooding regime on soil biogeochemical processes, soil biota and how changes in soil health impact ecosystem function. The purpose of the project is to determine if critical thresholds exist in soil condition, which, if exceeded lead to irreversible changes in ecosystem function and stability. These thresholds can be used by floodplain managers to set minimum flooding requirements for restoration of floodplain ecosystems, leading to more efficient use of the limited volumes of environmental water available. December 2010

Waterwatch Resources This project will produce various resources suitable for use by Waterwatch co-ordinators to train Victorian Waterwatch volunteers. completed August 2007