Dr Scott Johnston BAppSc(NE), PhD(SCU) Dr Scott Johnston's research interests are soil and water quality interactions and the coupling of hydrology and biogeochemistry in coastal floodplains. Dr Johnston's research has had a particular focus on interpreting and quantifying landscape-scale processes in acid sulfate soil environments, in order to assess and refine applied remediation and management techniques. He was awarded an APDI in 2008 and has worked closely with industry, state and local governments developing guidelines for managing broad-acre acid sulfate soil drainage. Recent research efforts aim to improve and transform our understanding of the hydro-geochemical consequences of rising sea-levels and climate change for iron, sulfur and arsenic cycling on coastal floodplains. For further information about any of these publications please contact the author.
Journal articles
Coupling of arsenic mobility to sulfur transformations during microbial sulfate reduction in the presence and absence of humic acid (with Edward D. Burton and Britta Planer-Friedrich), Chemical Geology (2013)
Microbial sulfate reduction is an important terminal electron accepting process in arsenic-contaminated subsurface environments. Humic...
Seawater-induced mobilization of trace metals from mackinawite-rich estuarine sediments (with Vanessa NL Wong, Edward D. Burton, Richard T. Bush, Leigh A. Sullivan, and Peter G. Slavich), Water Research (2013)
Benthic sediments in coastal acid sulfate soil (CASS) drains can contain high concentrations (∼1–5%)...
Sulfate availability drives divergent evolution of arsenic speciation during microbially mediated reductive transformation of schwertmannite (with Edward D. Burton, Peter Kraal, Richard T. Bush, and Salirian Claff), Environmental Science & Technology (2013)
The effect of SO42– availability on the microbially mediated reductive transformation of As(V)-coprecipitated schwertmannite (Fe8O8(OH)3.2(SO4)2.4(AsO4)0.004)...
Arsenic mobilization and iron transformations during sulfidization of As(V)-bearing jarosite (with Edward D. Burton, Annabelle F. Keene, Britta Planer-Friedrich, Andreas Voegelin, Mark G. Blackford, and Greg R. Lumpkin), Chemical Geology (2012)
Jarosite (KFe3(SO4) 2(OH)6) is an important host-phase for As in acid mine drainage (AMD) environments...
Impact of silica on the reductive transformation of schwertmannite and the mobilization of arsenic (with Edward D. Burton), Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (2012)
Schwertmannite is an important Fe(III) mineral in acid–sulfate soil and acid–mine drainage environments because it...
Books and monographs
Floodgate and drain management on coastal floodplains: basic principles, Leaflet 3, Managing drains and tidal creeks for fish passage (with Andrew Bruce and Ferderieke Kroon), (2004)
Floodgate and drain management on coastal floodplains: basic principles, Leaflet 4, Managing salt water when opening floodgates (with Andrew Bruce and Ferderieke Kroon), (2004)
Theses
The hydrology, biochemistry and management of drained coastal acid sulphate soil backswamps in the lower Clarence River floodplain, PhD thesis, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW (2004)
Conference publications
Arsenic mobilization during seawater inundation of acid sulfate soils - hydro-geochemical coupling at the tidal fringe (with Edward D. Burton, Annabelle F. Keene, Richard T. Bush, and Leigh A. Sullivan), Understanding the geological-medical interface of arsenic: 4th International Congress on Arsenic in the Environment (2012)
Hydro-geochemical coupling in seawater inundation acid sulfate soils: mobilisation of arsenic and hysteresis in iron and sulfur cycling (with Annabelle F. Keene, Edward D. Burton, Richard T. Bush, and Leigh A. Sullivan), 3rd National Conference on Acid Sulfate Soils (2012)
A large-scale field trial indicates that tidal seawater inundation of coastal acid sulfate soils (CASS)...
A national demonstration site for acid sulfate soil remediation in the Australian tropics - an overview of the East Trinity environmental success story (with Colin R. Ahern, D Smith, Angus E. McElnea, Richard T. Bush, Steven T. Wilbraham, Simon van Heel, Annabelle F. Keene, Bernard Powell, and B Malone), Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World (2010)
Assessment of saturated hydaulic conductivity in coastal floodplain acid sulfate soils (with Phillip Hirst, Peter G. Slavich, and Simon Walsh), Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science, Soil Solutions for a Changing World (2010)
Climate change impacts on acid sulfate soil landscapes (with Richard T. Bush, Leigh A. Sullivan, Edward D. Burton, Annabelle F. Keene, Vanessa NL Wong, and L Mosley), Proceedings of Earth, energy and the environment: 20th annual VM Goldschmidt Conference (2010)
The anticipated impacts of climate change are warmer conditions, an increasing proportion of rainfall to...
Reports
Assessment of hydraulic conductivity in coastal floodplain acid sulphate soils on the north coast of NSW (with Phillip Hirst, Peter G. Slavich, and Simon Walsh), Industry and Investment, NSW (2009)
Estuarine wetlands are characterised by complex interactions between vegetation type, surface water fluxes and porewater...
Reviewing indicators of sustainable agriculture: final report, NSW Department of Primary Industries (2007)
The hydrological effects of floodgate management on coastal floodplain agriculture: Final report for project DAN13 (with Peter G. Slavich), Land and Water Australia: NSW Agriculture (2004)
Hydraulic conductivity in the sulfuric horizons at Partridge Creek acid sulfate soil hotspot (with Peter G. Slavich and Phillip Hirst), Report to Hastings Council no. DAN13/1 (2003)
Restoring the balance : guidelines for managing floodgates and drainage systems on coastal floodplains (with Frederieke Kroon, Peter G. Slavich, Alan Cibilic, and Andrew Bruce), School of Environmental Science and Management Papers (2003)
These guidelines are written for people who actively manage coastal floodplain drainage systems, including local...