Ms Kitty McKnight1, Dr Kathryn Korbel2, Professor Grant Hose2, Professor Amanda Reichelt-Brushett3
1Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, 2The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, 3Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia
Biography:
Kitty McKnight is a PhD candidate with 10 years' experience in environmental science, spanning groundwater biomonitoring (including the use of eDNA as a monitoring tool), and contaminant effects and risk management across surface water and groundwater. Over this time, she has worked on a wide range of industry and research projects, including environmental impact assessments (EIAs) and monitoring programs for the mining and oil and gas industries, water quality guideline development, groundwater health monitoring, and research into the effects of new and emerging contaminants.
In 2024, she completed a Master of Research project investigating the impact of prolonged groundwater extraction on stygofauna communities and groundwater quality in an alluvial aquifer in New South Wales, Australia. Her current PhD research explores the spatial and temporal variability of groundwater ecosystems across NSW, with a particular focus on subterranean biota.
Abstract:
Groundwater sourced from shallow aquifers across NSW, including throughout the Murray–Darling Basin, supports agriculture and industry and is particularly important during times of drought. These aquifers harbour subterranean ecological communities whose functions contribute to water quality and flow. The health and functioning of these communities are essential for the ongoing provision of clean, usable groundwater, and the integrity of groundwater dependent ecosystems.
In recent decades, biomonitoring has become an important tool for tracking ecological changes and assessing risks to groundwater ecosystems. However, monitoring data are often restricted spatially and temporally, limiting our understanding of broad ecosystem patterns. Analysing broader-scale data can provide valuable insights into regional trends and is valuable in predicting future risk. To investigate spatial patterns in groundwater biota across NSW, we consolidated and analysed existing data on groundwater ecosystems from ~300 sites across twelve major NSW catchments, spanning over 20 years. Metabarcoding (16S and 18S targets) and microscopy (invertebrates) were used to characterise groundwater ecological communities, with environmental DNA proving important for characterising protozoan and microbial communities. Invertebrate (stygofaunal) and microbial communities were diverse and heterogeneous. Groundwater ecological communities varied between regions and areas of high biodiversity were apparent throughout NSW. This research supports sustainable groundwater management and will contribute to future prediction of risks to groundwater ecosystems throughout NSW.