• Lake Mackay Sulphate of Potash Project
  • Detecting Stygofauna in Groundwater Using eDNA

Aquatic & Subterranean Ecology

Protecting Australia’s biodiversity and ecosystems

Australia’s aquatic and subterranean biodiversity faces various threats. We need a multifaceted approach to protect our ecosystems, incorporating conservation, legislation and policy, community engagement, research, education, and raising public awareness. As a team, we have the knowledge and experience to integrate these approaches to support the diverse flora and fauna in aquatic and subterranean environments.

Whether you need help with the biological, physical, or chemical aspects of aquatic or subterranean ecosystems, we can help. We design and implement sampling plans and analysis strategies that adhere to the most stringent global regulatory standards for the protection of the environment.

Our strategies and deliverables are tailored to the needs of our clients, grounded by comprehensive expertise in the fields of aquatic and subterranean ecology.

We safeguard the integrity of our aquatic environments

From novel artificial habitat collectors to AI-driven habitat mapping and unmanned aerial and underwater vehicles, we use the most advanced technologies to provide solutions whilst safeguarding the integrity of aquatic and subterranean environments. We house some of the most advanced facilities in Australia with dedicated in-house laboratories in both Western Australia and New South Wales. Our ecologists and taxonomists are certified under various programs including the Australian River Assessment System (AusRivAS). Read More

Detecting species without capturing them

Every living organism leaves detectable traces of their presence through biological processes—which we can look for. Our team is at the forefront of developing and using environmental DNA (eDNA) to detect and monitor various species across project sites. You can’t protect what you can’t detect. Using eDNA, we can discover which species are present without capturing them—a game changer for our researchers.

Protecting salt lakes, ephemeral waterways, and subterranean fauna communities

We have extensive knowledge regarding remote salt lakes and the ephemeral waterways of arid areas. Relying on that expertise, we can survey these systems during dry and flooded conditions, and we can conduct laboratory-based rewetting trials to investigate their unique animal and plant life. We can also examine the life within groundwater systems and the overlying unsaturated zone. From desktop and field-based assessments to 3D habitat modelling, we help you understand the environmental values of these remote systems.

Our research informs our models and next steps

Research in the field of aquatic ecology plays a crucial role in refining and shaping our models. It provides data on various aspects such as species interactions, ecosystem dynamics, environmental factors, and human impacts. Data is then used to develop and validate models that predict the behaviour of the ecosystems, helping us understand how they function and change over time.

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