Research

Current projects

• Overcoming soil biological constraints to yield  (2002-2006)

• Biological indicators of soil quality (2002-2006)

• Identifying benefits of composted soil amendments to vegetable production (2001-2004)

• Quantifying the re-establishment of soil processes and the impact of fire management on rehabilitated bauxite mines in Western Australia (2004-2006)

• Maintenance of Australia’s soil resource – water, microbial diversity and function (2004-2006)

• Optimising mine floor strategies for diverse regolith types to enhance rehabilitation success: Faron Mengler (ARC Linkage project: LP0214954)

• Embankment erodibility study examining the susceptibility of constructed embankments to erosion and evaluation of amelioration methods at the Worsley Alumina Refinery (2004)

• Pre-mine survey and characterisation of soils in the Brockman Ridge mining lease area (Ecologia Environmental Consultants / BHP Biliton) (2004)

• Fertiliser application study examining method and timing of fertiliser application to rehabilitated forest areas at Boddington Bauxite Mine, (Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd) (2003 – Present)

• Deep ripping investigation involving the assessment of soil ripping techniques on soil structure development and root growth in rehabilitated forest areas at Boddington Bauxite Mine, (Worsley Alumina Pty Ltd) (2003 – Present)

• Investigation of hardsetting properties of reconstructed soil profiles at Yoganup Extended Mine Site (Iluka Pty Ltd) and effect of soil amendment materials on these properties (2002 – Present)

• Preliminary investigations on the potential causes of dieback of eucalyptus tetrodonta at Gove 

• Assessing Minesoil Rejuvenation: Survival of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculum in the Presence of Eucalyptus Hosts at Ensham mine, Emerald, Queensland 
 
• Hydrocarbon Remediation on Barrow Island 
 
• Rehabilitation of Bauxite Residue Storage Areas (BRDAs) at Worsley Refinery, involving the assessment of capping material options and vegetation parameters.