Time-series analysis of suspended solids and nutrients entering the Great Barrier Reef

The Australian and Queensland governments commenced the Reef Water Quality Improvement Plan in 2003 with the aim of decreasing the annual loads (total mass) of suspended solids and nutrients entering the lagoon of the GBR. While there has been extensive monitoring of these pollutants at up to 38 sites for up to 13 years, progress in reducing loads has been based on modelling. This project will use time-series methods to analyse water quality monitoring data to determine if loads have remained static, have improved or got worse. Opportunities for new methodological advances in multivariate time-series analysis with varying sampling frequencies will be key to this project. The findings of this work will be of great interest to the Australian and Queensland governments, researchers in general and will feed into on-going development of policy. We expect that the results would be published in a scientific journal. This honours project is available to start in first semester, 2020. A stipend of $5 000 will be paid to the successful candidate who undertakes this project.

Please contact Dr Alan Huang email: alan.huang@uq.edu.au ph: +61 7 336 52315 and Associate Professor Michael Warne email: michael.warne@uq.edu.au ph: +61 7 33469056/ +61 7 0424133 053 for further details and discuss your interest in the project.