CDU’s Northern Institute and Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods have unparalleled experience and deep engagement across the NT. In line with the invitation to provide feedback on the Mineral Development Taskforce Final Report, this submission focuses on key recommendations where CDU looks forward to continuing to work with the NT Government and industry to deliver the training, education and research needed to underpin the NT’s future economy.
This submission proposes a new approach to funding for CDU through the Universities Accord so that future generations of Territorians continue to have access to world-class training and higher education. CDU is positioned to make a significant contribution to some of the nation’s biggest challenges: shoring-up energy and water security in the face of climate change; acknowledging our geopolitical environment to protect our national interests; and developing sustainable economic growth in Northern Australia, particularly for First Nations peoples. Case studies throughout this submission demonstrate that innovative research for Northern Australia is much more impactful when underpinned by First Nations knowledges appropriately interweaved ‘with’ Western knowledges.
Developing quantitative PCR assays to target microbial nitrogen cycle genes: A new tool to monitor ecosystem function in sediment
The activity described in this report was developed from initial research co-funded by Power and Water Corporation (PWC), Northern Territory Government (NTG) and INPEX. The initial study showed that some bacterial nitrogen cycling genes (functional markers) detected in sediment and water of Darwin Harbour were different between human impacted and reference sites. These included nosZ genes associated with denitrification (the removal of nitrogen or nitrogen compounds that results in the escape of gaseous nitrogen), archaeal amoA genes associated with ammonia oxidation (the biological oxidation of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite), and nitrite oxidation genes.
The activity described in this report was developed from initial research co-funded by Power and Water Corporation (PWC), Northern Territory Government (NTG) and INPEX. The initial study showed that some bacterial nitrogen cycling genes (functional markers) detected in sediment and water of Darwin Harbour were different between human impacted and reference sites. These included nosZ genes associated with denitrification (the removal of nitrogen or nitrogen compounds that results in the escape of gaseous nitrogen), archaeal amoA genes associated with ammonia oxidation (the biological oxidation of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite), and nitrite oxidation genes.