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  • Alicia Gorbould

    Alicia Gorbould

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  • See Also
  • ORCiD profile
    https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4473-2257
  • ORCiD profile
  • ResearchGate profile
    https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alicia_Gorbould
  • ResearchGate profile

Alicia Gorbould

Overview of thesis

Plastics and pesticides are critical global pollutants, yet their combined effects on freshwater microbial communities remain poorly understood. This project investigates how these contaminants affect microbial communities in the Mandoon Bilya (Helena River), Western Australia. The Mandoon Bilya is under increasing pressure from vegetation loss, urbanisation, and reduced water flow, and its health has direct consequences for water quality in the Swan River estuary.

Australia’s freshwater systems support unique microbial communities that play essential roles in maintaining ecological balance. These microbes may be particularly sensitive to microplastics and pesticides. This study will track the spatiotemporal presence of these contaminants and experimentally test their individual and cumulative impacts, focusing on how they shape the structure and function of microbial communities in freshwater ecosystems. The findings will support efforts to protect water quality in both the Mandoon Bilya and Swan River.

Qualifications

  • Master of Science by Research, Edith Cowan University, 2024.
  • Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences), Edith Cowan University, 2021.
  • Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting), Curtin University, 2009.

Scholarships and Awards

  • 2021 – Phoenix Environmental Biological Sciences Prize.

Supervisors

Contact

Alicia Gorbould
PhD Student
Conservation and Biodiversity Research Centre
School of Science
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