Groundwater, Soil-Plant Systems

Studies of natural and modified hydrological systems including soil and groundwaters, and the properties of the waters and the water-bearing materials. These studies cover both saturated and unsaturated zones.

Research topic "Groundwater, Soil-Plant Systems" is further divided into following sections:

• Groundwater Systems
• Water Use Systems
• Water Properties and Conditions

Involved research staff

• Godwin Ayoko - Faculty of Science / Physical and Chemical Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 1206 fax: 07 3138 1804 e-mail: g.ayoko@qut.edu.au
• Malcolm Cox - Faculty of Science / Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 1649 fax: 07 3138 1535 e-mail: m.cox@qut.edu.au
• Les Dawes - Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering / Urban Development
  telephone: 07 3138 2776 fax: 07 3138 1170 e-mail: l.dawes@qut.edu.au
• Mark Dwyer - Faculty of Science / Mathematical Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 4382 mobile: 0431 255 691 e-mail: m2.dwyer@qut.edu.au
• Ashantha Goonetilleke - Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering / Urban Development
  telephone: 07 3138 1539 fax: 07 3138 1170 e-mail: a.goonetilleke@qut.edu.au
• Peter Grace - Faculty of Science / Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 2610 mobile: 0434 609 099 fax: 3138 2330 e-mail: pr.grace@qut.edu.au
• David Gust - Faculty of Science / School of Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 2217 e-mail: d.gust@qut.edu.au
• Louise Hafner - Faculty of Science / Life Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 1305 fax: 07 3138 1534 e-mail: l.hafner@qut.edu.au
• Andrew Hammond - Faculty of Science / Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 4185 fax: 07 3138 1535 e-mail: ap.hammond@qut.edu.au
• Megan Hargreaves - Faculty of Science / Life Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 2244 mobile: 0409 069 963 fax: 07 3138 8388 e-mail: m.hargreaves@qut.edu.au
• Gary Huftile - Faculty of Science / Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 4470 fax: 07 3138 2330 e-mail: g.huftile@qut.edu.au
• Flavia Huygens - Faculty of Science / Life Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 2576 mobile: 0403 481 612 fax: 07 3138 1534 e-mail: f.huygens@qut.edu.au
• Serge Kokot - Faculty of Science / Physical and Chemical Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 2472 fax: 07 3138 1804 e-mail: s.kokot@qut.edu.au
• Fawang Liu - Faculty of Science / Mathematical Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 5194 mobile: 0410 688679 fax: 07 3138 2310 e-mail: f.liu@qut.edu.au
• James J Smith - Faculty of Science / School of Life Sciences
  telephone: 61 7 3138 4238 fax: 61 7 3138 1534 e-mail: jj.smith@qut.edu.au
• Ian Turner - Faculty of Science / Mathematical Sciences
  telephone: +61 7 3138 2259 fax: +61 7 3138 2310 e-mail: i.turner@qut.edu.au
• Robert Webb - Faculty of Built Environment an Engineering / Urban Development
  telephone: 07 3138 2434 fax: 07 3138 1170 e-mail: r.webb@qut.edu.au
• Gregory Webb - Faculty of Science / Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 2804 fax: 07 3138 1535 e-mail: ge.webb@qut.edu.au
• Keith Weier - Faculty of Science / Institute for Sustainable Resources
  telephone: 07 5478 6336 mobile: 0428 193 256 e-mail: kg.weier@bigpond.com
• Habib Yezdani - Faculty of Science / Natural Resource Sciences
  telephone: 07 3138 4880 mobile: 0401 657 179 fax: 07 3138 4878 e-mail: h.yezdani@qut.edu.au

Related research projects

• Pumicestone Consortium Coastal Groundwater Discharge
  - Groundwater testing and monitoring network in coastal areas of southern Pumicestone Passage. Collaborative investigations with local government and industry.
  project time frame: 2004-2006
  project budget: $61 500
  project participants: Malcolm Cox, Andrew Hammond
   
• QUT Strategic Links Industry Scheme - Pumicestone Consortium
  - Tied to Pumicestone consortium funds, QUT funding for establishing bores network
  project time frame: 2005-2006
  project budget: $10, 250
  project participants: Malcolm Cox
   
• Understanding the Ultimate fate of pollutants from effluent irrigation
  - QUT Strategic Collaborative Grant for early career researchers
  project time frame: 2005-2005
  project participants: Les Dawes
   
• Gooburrum Salinity Simulation
  - Visualisations of the NRM&E conceptual model of the Gooburrum groundwater area will be built using the extensive data that has already been collected by NRM&E and advanced three-dimensional visualisation environments including, immersive stereoscopic models. These visualisations will take advantage of the QPSF VISAC facility.
  project participants: Mark Dwyer
   
• Survey and analysis of the presence of atypical Mycobacteria in water and aerosols in domestic environments. Establishing a possible link with clinical cases of Mycobacterial disease
  - The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation Grant and Gallipoli Foundation grant
  project participants: Megan Hargreaves
   
• Analysing the determinants of grey-water use in South East Queensland: science vs. community perception
  - ISR Research Platform Fund
  project participants: Megan Hargreaves
   
• Monitoring coastal groundwater
  - QUT Strategic Link with Industry
  project time frame: 2006-2006
  project budget: $27,310
  project participants: Malcolm Cox, Andrew Hammond
   
• Environmental controls over Fe availability and transport in a forested coastal catchment
  - ARC Linkage project with Forest Plantations Queensland
  project time frame: 2006-2008
  project budget: $253,000 (ARC) $114,294 (FPQ)
  project participants: Malcolm Cox, Peter Grace, Andrew Hammond, James J Smith
   
• Defining and promoting soil health for sustainable production systems
  - Land and Water Australia, with Weier T & Wrigley
  project time frame: 2006-2008
  project budget: $236, 736
  project participants: Peter Grace, Andrew Hammond, Malcolm Cox
   
• Soil Landscape Modelling Program in Exotic Plantations
  - Forestry Plantations Queensland (previously DPI Forestry)
  project time frame: 2006-2007
  project budget: $40, 000
  project participants: Malcolm Cox, Andrew Hammond
   

Publications

• Purcell, D; Leonard, G.J.; O'Shea, M.G.; Kokot, S.: A chemometrics investigation of sugarcane plant properties based on the molecular composition of epicuticular wax - Chem. Intel Lab Systems, 76, 135-147, 2005
• Sivapalan, S; O'Brien, L; Ortiz-Ferrara, G; Hollamby, J; Barclay, I; Martin, P: A comparative study for yield performance and adaptation of some Australian and CIMMYT/ICARDA wheat genotypes grown at selected locations in Australia and the WANA region - Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 54(1), 91-100, 2003
• Weier, K.: A stocktake of the levels and sources of nitrate in groundwaters associated with sugarcane areas - In Workshop Reports: (1) Mackay-Proserpine Groundwater Study, 17th August, 1998. (2) Burdekin Groundwater Study, 19th August, 1998. (3) Groundwater Study in the Ingham, Tully, Innisfail, Gordonvale, Atherton, Mareeba and Mossman Regions, 21st August, 1998
• Liu, F.; Turner, I.; Anh, V; Su, N: A two-dimensional finite volume method for transient simulation of time - and scale-dependent transport in heterogeneous aquifer systems - Journal of Applied Mathematics and Computing, Vol. 11, No. 1-2, p.215-241, 2003
• Dawes, L.; Goonetilleke, A.: An Investigation into the Role of Site and Soil Characteristics in Onsite Sewage Treatment - Journal of Environmental Geology, 44, (4): 467 - 477, 2006
• Liu, F.; Turner, I.; Anh, V: An Unstructured Mesh Finite Volume Method for Modelling Saltwater Intrusion into Coastal Aquifers - Korean J. Comput. & Appl. Math., 9(2) 2002, 391-407.
• McNeil V; Cox, M.; Preda, M: Assessment of chemical water types and their spatial variation using multi-stage cluster analysis, Queensland, Australia - Journal of Hydrology, 310, 181-200, 2005
• Carroll, S; Goonetilleke, A.: Assessment of High Density of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems on a Shallow Groundwater Coastal Aquifer using PCA - Environmetrics 16(3): 257-274, 2004
• Sivapalan, S: Benefits of treating a sandy soil with a crosslinked-type polyacrylamide - Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(4), 579-584, 2006
• Liaghati T.; Cox, M.; Preda, M.: Distribution of Fe in waters and bottom sediments of a small estuarine catchment, Pumicestone Region, southeast Queensland, Australia - Science of the Total Environment, 336, 243-254, 2004
• Sivapalan, S: Effect of gypsum and polyacrylamides on water turbidity and infiltration in a sodic soil - Australian Journal of Soil Research 43(6), 723-733, 2005
• Carroll, S; Goonetilleke, A.; Hargreaves, M.; Thomas, E: Environmental and anthropogenic factors affecting fecal coliforms and E. coli in ground and surface waters in a coastal environment - Currently being revised for resubmission
• Kamber, B.S.; Bolhar, R; Webb, G.: Geochemistry of late Archaean stromatolites from Zimbabwe: Evidence for microbial life in restricted epicontinental seas - Precambrian Research, v. 132, p. 379-399, 2004
• Koch, T.J.; Gust, D.; Lyons, W.B: Geochemistry of Radon-rich Waters from Two-Mica Granites - Proceedings of FOCUS Conference of Eastern Regional Ground Water Issues, Stanford CT, National Water Well Association, 1988
• Ezzy T.; Cox, M.; O'Rourke A.; Huftile, G.: Groundwater flow modelling within a coastal alluvial plain setting using a high resolution hydrofacies approach - Hydrogeology Journal, 14, 675-688, 2006
• Liaghati T.; Preda, M.; Cox, M.: Heavy metal distribution and controlling factors within coastal plain sediments, Bells Creek catchment, southeast Queensland, Australia - Environment International, 29, 935-948, 2003
• Harbison J; Cox, M.: Hydrological characteristics of groundwater in a subtropical coastal plain with large variations in salinity: Pimpama, Queensland, Australia - Hydrological Sciences Journal, 47, 4, 651-665, 2002
• Herngren, L; Goonetilleke, A.; Ayoko, G.: Investigation of urban water quality using artificial rainfall - Proceedings of WEF Watershed 2004 Conference in Dearborn, Michigan USA, 14 July 2004, 16pp, 2004
• Thorburn, P.J.; Biggs, J.S.; Weier, K.; Keating, B.A.: Nitrate in groundwaters of intensive agricultural areas of coastal northern Australia - Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 94(1) 49-58, 2003
• Weier, K.; Keating, B.A.; Sunners, F: Nitrogen isotope ratios as indicators of the source of nitrate contamination in groundwater - In: Sugarcane:Research Towards Efficient and Sustainable Production. (Eds.) JR Wilson, DM Hogarth, JA Campbell and AL Garside, pp269-270, CSIRO Division of Tropical Crops and Pastures, Brisbane, 1996
• Weier, K.; Doran, J.W.; Mosier, A.R.; Power, J.F.; Peterson, T.A.: Potential for bio-remediation of high nitrate irrigation water via denitrification - Journal of Environmental Quality 23, 105-110, 1994
• McNeil N.H.; Cox, M.: Relationship between conductivity and analysed composition in a large set of natural water samples, Queensland, Australia - Environmental Geology, 39, 12, 1325-1333, 2000
• Forsyth A.; Bubb K.; Cox, M.: Runoff, sediment loss and water quality from forest roads in a southeast Queensland coastal plain Pinus plantation - Forest Ecology and Management, 2006, 221, 194-206
• Preda, M.; Cox, M.: Sediment-water interaction, acidity and other water quality parameters in a subtropical setting, Pimpama River, southeast Queensland - Environmental Geology, 39, 3-4, 319-329, 2000
• Qian, J.H.; Doran, J.W.; Weier, K.; Mosier, A.R.; Peterson, T.A.; Power, J.F.: Soil denitrification and nitrous oxide losses under corn irrigated with high-nitrate groundwater - Journal of Environmental Quality 26, 348-360, 1997
• Weier, K.; Biggs, J.S.; McNeil, A; McEwan, C.W.: Source and nitrate concentration in groundwater beneath Australian sugarcane fields - Agronomy Abs. 1998, p.331
• Weier, K.; Biggs, J.S.; McNeil, A; McEwan, C.W.: Source and nitrate concentration in groundwater beneath sugarcane growing regions - Proc. Australian Sugar Cane Technologists. (Ed. D.M.Hogarth) p.497 (Australian Society of Sugar Cane Technologists: Brisbane)
• Webb, R.; Cox, M.; Hammond, A.: Spatial measurements to support groundwater monitoring in coastal settings, Southeast Queensland - Combined 5th Trans Tasman Survey Conference & 2nd Queensland Spatial Industry Conference 2006 - Cairns, 18-23 September 2006. Land and Sea Spatially Connected - In A Tropical Hub, 2006, paper 036, 9pp.
• Locsey K.L.; Cox, M.: Statistical and hydrochemical methods to compare basalt and basement rock-hosted groundwaters: Atherton Tablelands, north-eastern Australia - Environmental Geology, 43, 698-713, 2003
• Preda, M.; Cox, M.: Temporal variations of mineral character of acid-producing pyritic coastal sediments, Southeast Queensland - Science of the Total Environment, 326, 257-269, 2004
• Liaghati Tania; Preda, M.; Cox, M.: The influence of mineralogy and geological setting on trace metal concentration within subtropical weathered profiles, Bells Creek catchment, Queensland, Australia - Journal of Pacific Science, 59, 3, 421-438, 2005
• Weier, K.: The quality of groundwater beneath Australian sugarcane fields - Australian Sugarcane 3(2), 26-27, 1999
• Cox, M.; Preda, M.: Trace metal distribution within marine and estuarine sediments of western Moreton Bay - Geographical Research: Journal of the Institute of Australian Geographers, 43, 2, 173-193, 2005
• Preda, M.; Cox, M.: Trace metal occurrence and distribution in sediments and mangroves, Pumicestone region, southeast Queensland, Australia - Environment International, 28, 433-449, 2002
• Preda, M.; Cox, M.: Trace metals in acid sediments and waters, Pimpama River, southeast Queensland - Environmental Geology, 40, 6, 755-768, 2001
• Dawes, L.; Goonetilleke, A.: Using multivariate analysis to predict the behaviour of soils under effluent irrigation - Water Air and Soil Pollution, 172: 109-127, 2006
• Dawes, L.; Goonetilleke, A.: Using undisturbed columns to predict long term behaviour of effluent irrigated soils under field conditions - Australian Journal of Soil Research, 44(7): In Press, 2006
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