Luke Mosley

Associate Professor Luke Mosley

Associate Professor

School of Biological Sciences

Faculty of Sciences

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.

Biogeochemistry Research Group

The overarching aim of the biogeochemistry research group I lead is to understand and help solve complex environmental issues across multi-disciplinary boundaries (soil, water, ecology, human impacts). Research carried out by the group has increased understanding of processes affecting the generation and fate of chemical species and contaminants (e.g. metals, nutrients and organic matter), and how to manage systems to prevent undesirable impacts. Much of our current research is directed to understanding the effects of climate change arising from increasing droughts, reduced river flows, increasing carbon dioxide levels, and sea level rise. We are also focussed on developing novel measurement techniques and geochemical models to assist in this area. The group’s research is conducted and linked at various scales; from molecular-level studies in the laboratory, to field-scale experiments, and national-global scale assessments.

Our group has strong collaborations with scientists and agencies in Australia and internationally. We have a proven and extensive track record in delivering complex research advice and outputs to government agencies to assist them to manage environmental issues. Importantly these projects also provide students the opportunity to research and solve "real world" issues, and gain valuable contacts and skills to enhance their future employment prospects. The group is located at the Waite Campus in Adelaide, a stimulating and highly collaborative environment. We make a significant contribution to the University of Adelaide achieving a 2015 Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) Rating of 5 ("well above world standard") in our key areas of geochemistry, soil science, and environmental science and management.

I am Deputy Director of the Acid Sulfate Soils Centre, hold a visiting Scientist position with CSIRO Land and Water, and am Vice President of Soil Science Australia (www.soilscienceaustralia.com.au), the peak body representing soil scientists in Australia.

Better living by biogeochemistry!

Current research areas

  • Biogeochemical processes in water and soil
  • Acid sulfate soils – geochemistry and management
  • Impacts of drought and climate change on water and soils – increased CO2, drought, sea level rise
  • River Murray, Lower Lakes and Coorong catchment and water biogeochemistry
  • Modelling of the hydro-geochemistry of soil and water
  • The influence of organic matter availability on biogeochemical processes and generation of hypoxic blackwater
  • Development of novel methods and instrumentation for measurement of pH in soils
  • Remediation of hypersaline and sulfidic systems

Please feel free to contact me directly for a discussion about research collaboration, postgraduate student or consulting opportunities.

The skills in our research group attract large amounts of competitive research, government and industry grant funding as evidenced by the list of selected projects below over last 4 years:

Year Project Title Client Amount $
       
2018 Investigating Potential nevironmental Factors Causing Corrosion of Feral Proof Fencing  Arid Recovery and Waratah Pty Ltd 15,000
2018 Riverine Project Investigation - Assessing the impacts and management of acid sulfate soils and soil microbial communities in managed wetlands (DEWNRF-00020652) Contract No 1077 Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 450,373
2018 Principal Support, SARFIIP Surface Water Modelling (Q125SW) (W125SW) Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 40,300
2018 A Tidal Restoration Trial at the Dry Creek Salt Fields to Improve Sediment, Water Quality and Ecological Outcomes Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 6,093
2018 Calculation of environmental land management allocations South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board 14,400
2017-2020 Extreme soil acidification and metal release risks from increasing drought (with Prof. Rob Fitzpatrick and Prof. Mike McLaughlin) Australian Research Council (ARC) 508,000
2017 Principal Support, SARFIIP Surface Water Modelling (W089SMKSW) Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 19,968
2017-2019 Goyder Project CA-16-08 - From Salt to C: carbon sequestration through ecological restoration at the Dry Creek Salt Field with Flinders University Goyder Institute, WaterED Australia Pty Ltd (ICEWaRM) 330,000
2017 Evaluation of the Environmental Land Management Application (ELMA) in the Lower Murray Reclaimed Irrigation Area (LMRIA) SA Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board 22,000
2017 Principal Support, SARFIIP Surface Water Modelling (W089SMKSW) Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 34,577
2017 Determining the critical operating limits of irrigation infrastructure in the Lower Murray Reclaimed Irrigation Area (LMRIA) Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 13,874
2017 Ecological assessment of the risks from acid drainage discharges to the Lower River Murray under low flow conditions project - Sediment metals and release component Environment Protection Authority SA 43,610
2016 A Tidal Restoration Trial at the Dry Creek Salt Fields to Improve Sediment, Water Quality and Ecological Outcomes Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 230,307
2016 Synthesis of Coorong Water Quality Data (W087SE) Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 10,527
2016 Analysing River Murray Water Quality Data Murray Darling Basin Authority 6,000
2016 A Tidal Restoration Trial at the Dry Creek Salt Fields Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board 353,225
2016 Coorong, Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Summary Report Environment Protection Authority SA 18,000
2016 Modelling of proposed saline drainage discharges to the Pike River Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 4,700
2016 Lower River Murray Irrigation Area Risk Assessment Modelling Environment Protection Authority SA 14,000
2016 SARFIIP Blackwater Risk Assessment Stage 1 SMEC Australia Pty Ltd 16,658
2015 Expert Input into the Water Quality Risk Assessment for the South East Flows Restoration Project Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 10,325
2015 Report on Flow Optimisation Trial from barrages SA Water 7,000
2015 National Acid Sulfate Soils Guidance CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) 8,400
2014-2017 Sustaining irrigation and soil condition under changing climate and land use in Lower Murray irrigation areas Primary Industries and Regions South Australia (PIRSA) 438,000
2014 Pre-trial research to inform a tidal cycling trial at the Dry Creek site Department of Environment Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR) 49,884
    TOTAL 2,665,221
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  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2019 Co-Supervisor Protection of Native Species by Reducing Corrosion of Feral-Proof Fencing Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Miss Andrea Donne Stiglingh
    2018 Co-Supervisor The Effects of Drought on pH and Metal Speciation in Periodically Flooded and Dried Soils Master of Philosophy Master Full Time Mr Austin Myles Trueman
    2017 Co-Supervisor Phosphorus and Iron in Acid Sulfate Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sonia Samanthi Mayakaduwage
    2017 Co-Supervisor Remote Sensing to Investigate the Response of Coastal Ocean Environments to Reduced River Outflows Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Hannah Caitlin Claire Auricht
    2017 Principal Supervisor The Effect of Sea Level Rise on the Geochemistry of Coastal Soils and Shallow Groundwater Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Emily Ruth Leyden
    2015 Co-Supervisor Nutrient Cycling in Sandy Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Thi Huong Xuan Le

  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)
    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2015 - 2016 Co-Supervisor Effect of organic matter and sulfidic clay addition on pH and redox potential of inland acid sulfate soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mrs Nilmini Jayalath
    2015 - 2019 Principal Supervisor Spectrophotometric Determination of pH and its Influence in Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Ms Sima Bargrizan
    2014 - 2017 Co-Supervisor Capacity of Organic Materials to retain Metals and Protons Released from Sulfuric Acid Sulfate Soils Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Dr Tan Thanh Dang
    2014 - 2015 External Supervisor REMEDIATION OF ACID SULFATE SOILS BY ORGANIC MATTER ADDITION Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Chaolei Yuan
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  • Committee Memberships
    Date Role Committee Institution Country
    2011 - ongoing Advisory Board Member Coorong Lower Lakes and Murray Mouth Scientific Advisory Committee Department for Environment and Water Australia

  • Consulting/Advisories
    Date Institution Department Organisation Type Country
    2017 - ongoing Certified Professional Soil Scientist Soil Science Australia Business and professional Australia

  • Industry Partnerships
    Date Engagement Type Partner Name
    2014 - ongoing Consultant Recently I have undertaken consultancies for the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) South Australia, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, CSIRO, Murray-Darling Basin Authority, and Department for Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR).

  • Offices Held
    Date Office Name Institution Country
    2017 - ongoing Vice President, Soil Science Australia Soil Science Australia Australia
  • Position: Associate Professor
  • Phone: 83135453
  • Email: luke.mosley@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: Waite
  • Building: John Davies, floor 1
  • Room: 1 05
  • Org Unit: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
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