Pollution and environmental stressors

How can critical stressors affecting plant, soil and water conditions be managed to achieve environmental balance?

Our environment is faced with a myriad of stresses that threaten the ecosystem services on which all human and natural systems depend. Managing the consequences of these stresses costs billions of dollars worldwide each year. Some of the issues we are grappling with that cause system degradation are pollution, fire, surface and groundwater water depletion, salinity, acidification and erosion.

Scientists in our multi-disciplinary team are using world-class laboratory and field facilities available at UNE to understand the critical processes driving these system degradation changes. They identify effective management and mitigation strategies that then inform effective policies and ensure the long-term protection and productivity of the environment and, ultimately, human health.

Research Groups

Our People

Matthew TigheDr Matthew Tighe

  • soil chemistry, particularly the fate and behaviour of nutrients and trace elements
  • soil health and landscape ecology
  • probability based environmental modelling

Susan WilsonDr Susan Wilson

  • environmental chemistry, analysis and monitoring
  • biogeochemical cycling of contaminants in soil systems
  • food chain contaminant transfers
  • ecotoxicity and impacts of contaminants
  • exposure and risk assessment
  • remediation and rehabilitation of polluted systems