Forecasting live fuel moisture content, the on/off switch for forest fire. Dry forest fuels are a precursor of large bushfires. This research aims to develop, for the first time, a model to reliably forecast the moisture content of live fuels (e.g. the foliage and fine branches of shrubs and trees). This will be achieved by combining (i) satellite-derived estimates of live fuel moisture content, (ii) forecasts of soil moisture, and (iii) plant physiological responses to soil dryness. Forecasts o ....Forecasting live fuel moisture content, the on/off switch for forest fire. Dry forest fuels are a precursor of large bushfires. This research aims to develop, for the first time, a model to reliably forecast the moisture content of live fuels (e.g. the foliage and fine branches of shrubs and trees). This will be achieved by combining (i) satellite-derived estimates of live fuel moisture content, (ii) forecasts of soil moisture, and (iii) plant physiological responses to soil dryness. Forecasts of live fuel moisture content will deliver an early warning system of the risk of bushfires. These forecasts will also facilitate improved planning of prescribed burns: if fuels are too dry there is a risk of burns escaping, conversely, if fuels are too wet there is a risk that burns will fail to meet objectives.Read moreRead less
Finding damage thresholds in pyrethrum to optimise crop profitability. This project aims to use a new vascular approach to develop a quantitative stress tolerance framework for the crop species pyrethrum, defining the risks to plant production of water, heat and frost stress. Using novel optical and x-ray technology, this project seeks to pinpoint damaging stress thresholds and combine this knowledge with crop monitoring technology in a way that will allow crop managers to avoid damaging stress ....Finding damage thresholds in pyrethrum to optimise crop profitability. This project aims to use a new vascular approach to develop a quantitative stress tolerance framework for the crop species pyrethrum, defining the risks to plant production of water, heat and frost stress. Using novel optical and x-ray technology, this project seeks to pinpoint damaging stress thresholds and combine this knowledge with crop monitoring technology in a way that will allow crop managers to avoid damaging stress events. The intended outcome is to enable the pyrethrum industry, and ultimately a diversity of crop managers, to better utilise new advances in monitoring technology to maximise the benefits of irrigation such that yields are high relative to water use and damage by stress is avoided. Immediate beneficiaries will be the pyrethrum industry, but the research will provide a model, applicable to the multitude of irrigated crops in Australia. Read moreRead less
Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? This project aims to improve our understanding of the capacity of trees to respond to climate change. This is essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, forest health and productivity. In south-west Australia, climate variation has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, which has resulted in tree death and negatively affected essential ecosystem services. Adaptive land management is urgently needed to miti ....Do hotter and drier regions harbour adaptive variation for climate change? This project aims to improve our understanding of the capacity of trees to respond to climate change. This is essential for the maintenance of biodiversity, forest health and productivity. In south-west Australia, climate variation has increased the frequency and intensity of droughts, which has resulted in tree death and negatively affected essential ecosystem services. Adaptive land management is urgently needed to mitigate the risk of large-scale drought mortality in a rapidly changing climate. This project seeks to deliver a scientific basis for the adoption of assisted gene migration in south-west forests, through a detailed understanding of genetic adaptation and physiological tolerance, to improve drought-resilience under future hotter and drier climates.Read moreRead less
Immediate and delayed changes to survival, physiology, reproduction and movement of chondrichthyans following capture stress. Many sharks and rays are negatively affected by the impact of fisheries capture, with unknown consequences. The project will measure changes to survival, physiology, reproduction and behaviour following capture to better understand and manage the impact of fisheries on these animals. This information is vital for their effective conservation.
The role of mycorrhizal fungi in the nutrition of temperate terrestrial orchids. This project addresses the role of external mycelial systems in the carbon and mineral nutrition of temperate terrestrial orchids. The project will determine the processes of nutrient transfer in the protocorm and adult phases of development across a range of terrestrial temperate orchids to inform conservation and restoration efforts.
The energetic basis to seed longevity and storage. The energetic basis to seed longevity and storage. This project aims to quantify patterns of metabolic rate in Australian native seeds to research seed ecology, dormancy, germination, longevity and persistence in natural and artificial seed banks. The project aims to optimise and refine current respirometry technology for use with native seeds, understand the allometric relationship and patterns with seed diversity, and apply this knowledge to b ....The energetic basis to seed longevity and storage. The energetic basis to seed longevity and storage. This project aims to quantify patterns of metabolic rate in Australian native seeds to research seed ecology, dormancy, germination, longevity and persistence in natural and artificial seed banks. The project aims to optimise and refine current respirometry technology for use with native seeds, understand the allometric relationship and patterns with seed diversity, and apply this knowledge to benefit restoration and conservation seed banks. By interpreting the energetics of seeds in a phylogenetic context, this project will develop an experimental protocol to predict the physiology and longevity, and test the viability of seeds in storage. Anticipated outcomes are improved efficiency of seed bank storage, conservation and restoration efforts.Read moreRead less
Circumventing demographic processes that limit seagrass restoration. Circumventing demographic processes that limit seagrass restoration. This project aims to explore a demographic approach for seed-based restoration of seagrasses. Sustainable strategies are needed to restore the structure and function of seagrass ecosystems. Although seed-based restoration has been successfully used for decades in terrestrial ecosystems, failures in seagrass restoration are common because the science of seed-ba ....Circumventing demographic processes that limit seagrass restoration. Circumventing demographic processes that limit seagrass restoration. This project aims to explore a demographic approach for seed-based restoration of seagrasses. Sustainable strategies are needed to restore the structure and function of seagrass ecosystems. Although seed-based restoration has been successfully used for decades in terrestrial ecosystems, failures in seagrass restoration are common because the science of seed-based restoration is grossly underdeveloped, and transitions from dispersed seed, seedling, recruiting juvenile to reproductive adult in seagrasses are poorly understood. Recent demographic approaches in terrestrial vegetation restoration identify transitions most limiting to recruitment and successful establishment. Anticipated outcomes are successful seed-based restoration of seagrasses.Read moreRead less
Managing ecosystem change requires the integration of above and belowground hydrological processes at relevant scales. Unprecedented levels of keystone Banksia species mortality and an increased number of species with reduced capacity to provide vital ecosystem services is leading to ecosystem change and reduced resilience of Western Australian woodlands. In water sensitive ecosystems, failure to capture and integrate above- (tree function and ecology) and below-ground (soil hydrology and physic ....Managing ecosystem change requires the integration of above and belowground hydrological processes at relevant scales. Unprecedented levels of keystone Banksia species mortality and an increased number of species with reduced capacity to provide vital ecosystem services is leading to ecosystem change and reduced resilience of Western Australian woodlands. In water sensitive ecosystems, failure to capture and integrate above- (tree function and ecology) and below-ground (soil hydrology and physics) processes at various scales (individual to landscape) has seen global tree decline remain unresolved. Using this approach, the project aims to identify processes leading to, and identify areas at high risk of, significant ecosystem change. Outcomes are expected to include the establishment a benchmark approach in understanding global ecosystem change to inform land management in a changing climate.Read moreRead less
Movement patterns and behavioural strategies of Estuarine Crocodiles: A long-term remote monitoring study using an underwater acoustic array. The on-going recovery of the estuarine crocodile population is creating a paradox for Australians. Although a salient species, an iconic animal, and a firm tourist attraction, estuarine crocodiles pose a significant risk to the public. Knowledge of where crocodiles go, what they do when they get there, and why they select particular habitats at certain tim ....Movement patterns and behavioural strategies of Estuarine Crocodiles: A long-term remote monitoring study using an underwater acoustic array. The on-going recovery of the estuarine crocodile population is creating a paradox for Australians. Although a salient species, an iconic animal, and a firm tourist attraction, estuarine crocodiles pose a significant risk to the public. Knowledge of where crocodiles go, what they do when they get there, and why they select particular habitats at certain times is critical for sustaining the Australian crocodile population, whilst ensuring public safety. This long term study will utilise the latest advancement in underwater acoustic technology to monitor the behavioural and physiological strategies used by estuarine crocodiles in occupying critical habitats, providing vital information for resource managers and policy makers. Read moreRead less
Making Green Guard® greener: enhancing the efficacy of a biopesticide. The project aims to identify naturally occurring micro-organisms to increase the effectiveness of Green Guard ®, which is a biopesticide used against the Australian plague locust. The project will use next-generation sequencing and other molecular techniques to potentially identify candidate microbes or combinations of microbes that can be added to Green Guard to enhance locust susceptibility. The project also aims to quantif ....Making Green Guard® greener: enhancing the efficacy of a biopesticide. The project aims to identify naturally occurring micro-organisms to increase the effectiveness of Green Guard ®, which is a biopesticide used against the Australian plague locust. The project will use next-generation sequencing and other molecular techniques to potentially identify candidate microbes or combinations of microbes that can be added to Green Guard to enhance locust susceptibility. The project also aims to quantify the interactive impact of temperature and nutrition on immune function, disease resistance and host-plant quality of plague locusts; and to explore the combined effects of temperature, habitat and Green Guard, in combination with candidate microbes or pathogens, on the behaviour and collective movement of locusts. It is anticipated that this will have implications for management and control strategies.Read moreRead less