Mr Jaydon King1, Dr. Kathryn Korbel1, Prof. Grant Hose1, Ms Kitty Mcknight1
1University Of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
Biography:
Jaydon is a Research Assistant at the University of Sydney, currently working on low-yield groundwater eDNA research. Previously, he has worked for several projects within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and water (DCCEEW), where he gained abiotic and biotic water quality sampling and assessment skills, including physico-chemical, nutrients, contaminants, and aquatic biological indicators. He spent the majority of that time working for the Darling Baaka River Health Project in far west NSW and in 2025 helped release an updated, field-based, River Condition Index for the Darling River and Great Darling Anabranch. In 2026, Jaydon has been co-publishing papers from work undertaken at DCCEEW and investigating groundwater health through water quality assessments, stygofauna sampling, and eDNA sequencing throughout NSW.
Abstract:
Shallow sandy aquifers underpin water security and economic productivity within many coastal communities. They also provide water for a variety of groundwater-dependent ecosystems including coastal wetlands, estuaries, near-shore marine environments and riparian vegetation. Despite the importance of these ecosystems, which aid nutrient cycling, carbon processing and enhance water quality, little is known about their ecology and biodiversity. Here we present the results of a 12-month project investigating the ecological communities of sandy aquifers from the Macleay, Manning and Richmond river catchments, in northern NSW. A total of 24 sites were sampled twice for water quality, stygofauna and microbial communities. We combined traditional samples of invertebrate fauna with analysis of 16S and 18S rDNA to characterise the biotic communities. Diverse communities were uncovered that included gastropods, copepods, rotifers, protozoa, fungi, bacteria and archaea. Communities were spatially heterogeneous and differed even among closely located bores. Traditional and eDNA methods revealed different communities, indicating that both methods should be applied when characterising aquifers. By developing a basic understanding of coastal groundwater ecology, we can inform sustainable groundwater management, improve ecosystem protection, and uncover a previously unseen dimension of Australia's biodiversity.