Unravelling how ecosystems function through time and space

This project aims to build a whole-of-ecosystem model to trace the production and cycling of energy as it cascades through river catchments. It is expected to generate new knowledge about ecological responses to environmental change through the novel integration of all major food-web compartments – from dissolved molecules to predatory fish – in a single framework. The expected outcome of this project is a capacity to predict the ecological consequences of future water management scenarios, facilitating more precise management of river systems. This should provide considerable benefits to the health of Australia’s rivers and the contributions these ecosystems make to society.