Professor Bradley D Eyre BSc(Hons)(Adel) PhD(QUT) 

Research Interests: 

Estuarine and Coastal Biogeochemistry 

My initial work used simple mixing models, including the development of modified mixing
models, to improve our understanding of the way nutrients are cycled in tropical and
sub-tropical systems. The role of physical forcing events (i.e. floods) was emphasised in
this early work (see Eyre, 2000). I then began focusing, in conjunction with my colleague
Angus Ferguson, on the benthic metabolism of tropical and sub-tropical estuarine and
coastal ecosystems. In particular, benthic carbon production and remineralisation and its
link to nitrogen cycling processes such as benthic fluxes of inorganic and organic
nitrogen, denitrification and N-fixation, and also the flow of carbon and nitrogen
through lower food webs. I use a modified Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometer (see Eyre et
al., 2002) that allows us to measure direct 28N2 gas fluxes as well as 29N2 and 30N2
production following 15N additions allowing us to get simultaneous measurements of
denitrification, N-fixation and net 28N2 gas fluxes. I received the 1999 Cronin Award by
the Estuarine Research Federation (ERF) for my work on estuarine biogeochemistry. 

Whole Ecosystem Scale C. N and P Budgets 

I always had an interest in mass balance budgets as I see them as a way of constraining
what we know, and what we do not know, about whole ecosystem scale flows of carbon,
nitrogen and phosphorus. Budgets also provide a means of quantitatively comparing
different coastal ecosystems. However, rarely do we have sufficient data sets available
to construct these type of budgets (see Eyre and Mckee, 2002). Much of my estuarine
coastal biogeochemical work is being undertaken in the context of providing information
to fill data gaps in sub-tropical and tropical C, N and P budgets. And I will always go
back to the budget framework when I have sufficient data sets. I have also been involved
in LOICZ C, N, and P budgeting exercise having developed a number of budgets for
Australian systems. 

Comparison of Tropical and Temperate Systems 

A common theme through much of my work is the comparison of tropical and temperate
systems. I am interested in identifying the factors that modify the response of estuarine
and coastal ecosystems from different climate zone to nutrient over-enrichment, in
particular the role of benthic-pelagic coupling.

Journal articles

Link

Bacterial and viral dynamics during a mass coral spawning period on the Great Barrier Reef (with Nicole Patten, Jim G. Mitchell, Mathias Middelboe, Laurent Seuront, Peter Lynton Harrison, and Ronnie N. Glud), Aquatic Microbial Ecology (2008)
Bacterial and virus-like particle (VLP) abundances and physical and chemical parameters were measured in reef...
 

Link

Biogeochemical responses to coral mass-spawning on the Great Barrier Reef: effects on respiration and primary production. (with Ronnie N. Glud and Nicole Patten), Limnology and Oceanography (2008)
Coral mass-spawning represents a spectacular annual, short-term, fertilization event of many oligotrophic reef communities. The...
 

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Mass coral spawning: a natural large-scale nutrient addition experiment (with Ronnie N. Glud and Nicole Patten), Limnology and Oceanography (2008)

A mass coral spawning event on the Heron Island reef flat in 2005 provided a...

 
Benthic metabolism and nitrogen cycling in a sub-tropical embayment: spatial and seasonal variability and controlling factors (with Angus JP Ferguson, Jennita M. Gay, Nicolas Emtage, and Lyndon Brooks), Aquatic Microbial Ecology (2007)
Spatial and seasonal variation in sediment properties, benthic metabolism (O2 and TCO2 fluxes) and nitrogen...
 

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Nitrogen incorporation and retention by bacteria, algae, and fauna in a sub-tropical intertidal sediment: an in-situ 15N-labeling study (with Bart Veuger, Damien Maher, and Jack J. Middleburg), Limnology and Oceanography (2007)

We performed a 15N-labeling study to investigate nitrogen incorporation and retention by the benthic microbial...

 

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Conference publications

Sediment biogeochemical indicators for defining sustainable nutrient loads to coastal ecosystems (with Angus JP Ferguson), Proceedings & presentations [electronic resource] / Coast to coast 2002, Australia's National Coastal Conference (2002)
 

Reports

Causes of deoxygenation in the Richmond River estuary, Final report to Environmental Trust (2001/RD/60005) (with Geoffrey Kerr and Leigh A. Sullivan), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2005)
 
Evaluation of the impact of nitrogen and phosphorous loads from the Alstonville, Wardell and Ballina sewage treatment plants on water quality in Richmond River catchment and estuary (with Peter R. Pepperell), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2001)
 
Nitrogen and phosphorous budgets for Tuggerah Lakes, Australia (with Peter R. Pepperell), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2001)
 

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Review of techniques to estimate catchment exports (with Rebecca A. Letcher, Anthony J. Jakeman, Wendy S. Merritt, Lester J. McKee, and B Baginska), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (1999)

This Technical Report was commissioned by the NSW Environment Protection Authority as part of its...