MrHarrison Stevens

Project Total: $34,650; The water level regimes of several lakes in the Central Highlands, Tasmania, Australia, are manipulated by Hydro Tasmania for power generation and irrigation supply. This has led to concerns regarding the ecological stability and resilience of these lakes under varying water levels. I will use geochemical indicators (C, N, and P concentrations, grain size, 𝛿15N, 𝛿13C) as well as isotopic dating techniques to trace changes in lake habitats, nitrogen sources, and sediment and nutrient fluxes because they have probably been altered by damming and subsequent water level manipulations. I then propose to investigate metal concentrations to see if they meet interim sediment quality guidelines because atmospheric metal contamination may be an issue from current and legacy mining operations on the West Coast of Tasmania. This will also include isotope ratios of lead because they have the potential to indicate the sources of the lead (and l other metal contaminants); and levoglucosan concentrations because it acts as a proxy for biomass burning and the ratios between levoglucosan and its isomers (mannosan and galactosan) may indicate the type of biomass burnt. Funded by: Australian Institute of Nuclear Science & Engineering - Scholarship-Postgraduate Research ($34,650); University of Tasmania.