Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment

We investigate the dynamics of ecosystem function in response to global environmental change. We explore how changes in climate, land use and cover affect the exchanges of carbon, nutrients, water, and energy. Using models, we integrate processes at scales ranging from leaf to globe.

Our research addresses key questions such as how will Australia’s native plant species and ecosystems respond to climate warming, rising atmospheric concentrations of CO₂, and altered rainfall patterns? What are the consequences of biodiversity loss for carbon, water and nutrient cycling? To answer these and other pressing questions, we use observations, experiments and integrative modeling.

We use a wide range of experimental platforms and approaches to investigate ecosystem responses to changing environmental conditions. The Flux Tower Site  quantifies the exchanges of water, carbon and energy in native Cumberland Plain woodland. We use EucFACE, a free-air CO₂ enrichment experiment, to determine how a native eucalypt forest will respond to predicted increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. The Whole-Tree Chamber Facility and Rainout Shelters enable us to simulate climates of the future in order to understand the mechanisms driving changes at the plant, community and ecosystem level. These tools help us predict the effects of global change on the biological diversity, structure and function of ecosystems in Australia and beyond.

Our mission is to advance knowledge of the impacts of global environmental change on native and managed terrestrial ecosystems, providing critical science-based information to land managers and policy makers.

Research staff include: