Full Title
Impacts of land use and water quality on organic matter dynamics and secondary production in floodplain wetlands (lower Murrumbidgee River)
Contact Person
Dr Susanne Watkins
Project Team
Dr Susanne Watkins, Dr Daryl Nielsen and Dr Ben Gawne
Funding Body
Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (NSW)
Duration
March 2008 - August 2009
Outcomes
Watkins S, Nielsen D, and Gawne B (2008). Rivers Environmental Restoration Programme Milestone requirements: project development, selection of field sites and methodology. Progress Report to the Department of Environment and Climate Change, August, 7pp.
Watkins S and Nielsen D (2009). Impacts of land use and water quality on organic matter dynamics and secondary production in floodplain wetlands. Final Report prepared for the Department of Environment and Climate Change by the Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre, September, 50pp.
Summary
Models of floodplain ecosystem response to hydrological flows are based on an understanding of the effect of flooding regime, including timing and duration of flooding. While these 'water quantity' considerations are of central importance, the role of a number of 'water quality' factors is often overlooked. The response of a floodplain to watering may be influenced by the quality of water inputs, and also local land-use practices which influence the quality of food being provided to lower-level herbivores and detritivores.
This project will allow the refinement of models regarding the effect of water regimes (i. e. water quantity) on floodplain response by considering the effects of 'water quality'. Methodology will include the determination of the quality, quantity and source of organic matter within wetlands of varying floodplain land-use types as well as the quantification of the abundance and richness of primary consumers within these floodplain wetlands. These insights will be incorporated into models of predicted floodpain response for wetlands of the lower Murrumbidgee specifically, and deduced for other floodplain wetlands being studied under the Rivers Environmental Restoration Program.
