Functional genetic analysis of wood formation genes in Eucalyptus. Eucalypts are the world's most important plantation hardwood species due to their superior wood characteristics and high growth rates that make them excellent carbon sequestration platforms. Australia is the custodian of the world's natural eucalypt resource and our results will assist in their sustainable use with the potential to transform the national forestry industry by helping to streamline tree improvement efforts. This wi ....Functional genetic analysis of wood formation genes in Eucalyptus. Eucalypts are the world's most important plantation hardwood species due to their superior wood characteristics and high growth rates that make them excellent carbon sequestration platforms. Australia is the custodian of the world's natural eucalypt resource and our results will assist in their sustainable use with the potential to transform the national forestry industry by helping to streamline tree improvement efforts. This will be achieved by increasing our understanding of the development and production of wood, which will lead to increased productivity (more and better quality wood from less land). Custom designed wood also holds much promise for the production of novel biopolymers and as a renewable source for improved biofuels.Read moreRead less
High performance drying of plantation grown eucalypt timber. Forest industries generate $14 billion annually in Australia and employs 86,000 staff. Hardwood sawn timber is a value added product and microwave technology will increase returns due to more improved timber utilization and better profit margins due to more efficient processing and reduced drying degrade. At the forefront the development of clean, high-tech microwave drying technology and equipment, that is invented in Australia, will ....High performance drying of plantation grown eucalypt timber. Forest industries generate $14 billion annually in Australia and employs 86,000 staff. Hardwood sawn timber is a value added product and microwave technology will increase returns due to more improved timber utilization and better profit margins due to more efficient processing and reduced drying degrade. At the forefront the development of clean, high-tech microwave drying technology and equipment, that is invented in Australia, will allow Australian companies to be forefront in this industrial area, to sell licences, designs, project management and equipment on international markets. This initiative will value-add plantation forests, reduce oil consumption and sequester CO2 in high value products.Read moreRead less
Mistletoe as a keystone resource---an experimental test. My recent synthesis of known interactions between animals and mistletoe suggests that mistletoe functions as a keystone resource, influencing diversity patterns in forested ecosystems worldwide. This project tests the keystone hypothesis explicitly for woodland communities using landscape-scale manipulation. In 40 woodland remnants, all mistletoes will be removed from 20, with subsequent seasonal censuses of woodland birds, arboreal mars ....Mistletoe as a keystone resource---an experimental test. My recent synthesis of known interactions between animals and mistletoe suggests that mistletoe functions as a keystone resource, influencing diversity patterns in forested ecosystems worldwide. This project tests the keystone hypothesis explicitly for woodland communities using landscape-scale manipulation. In 40 woodland remnants, all mistletoes will be removed from 20, with subsequent seasonal censuses of woodland birds, arboreal marsupials and butterflies. Incorporating data on spatial and temporal variation in fruit, nectar and arthropod availability, this study represents a model system for understanding the ecosystem-wide role of ecological keystones and the influence of resource distribution on diversity patterns in fragmented habitats generally.Read moreRead less
Forest ecosystem diversity, function and service in response to perturbations: the key regulatory role of biogeochemical cycling. The natural and anthropogenic perturbations such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen(N) deposition, fires and land contamination have transformed much of the land surface on the earth and significantly modified terrestrial biogeochemical cycles in the past century. This project seeks to develop and apply novel nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ....Forest ecosystem diversity, function and service in response to perturbations: the key regulatory role of biogeochemical cycling. The natural and anthropogenic perturbations such as elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen(N) deposition, fires and land contamination have transformed much of the land surface on the earth and significantly modified terrestrial biogeochemical cycles in the past century. This project seeks to develop and apply novel nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, isotopic and bio-molecular techniques to examine the key role of interactive biogeochemical cycles of carbon and major elements (N, Phosphorous) in regulating forest ecosystem responses to these perturbations. This project will result in improved mitigation and adaptation strategies for such perturbations, thereby restoring and sustaining forest ecosystems and conserving biodiversity in natural ecosystems.Read moreRead less
In vitro propagation (through somatic embryogenesis) of rush and sedge species important for land rehabilitation. This project aims to transform existing propagation methods for rushes and sedges (recalcitrant, but key colonizer species) for restoring critical biodiversity in Australian mine-site restoration. This will be achieved through the process of somatic embryogenesis and will result in cost effective and efficient mass propagation. Significantly, this somatic embryogenesis research will ....In vitro propagation (through somatic embryogenesis) of rush and sedge species important for land rehabilitation. This project aims to transform existing propagation methods for rushes and sedges (recalcitrant, but key colonizer species) for restoring critical biodiversity in Australian mine-site restoration. This will be achieved through the process of somatic embryogenesis and will result in cost effective and efficient mass propagation. Significantly, this somatic embryogenesis research will provide the springboard for development of seed analogues (coated, desiccated somatic embryos) with subsequent economies from bypassing more costly nursery production of whole plants, utilizing existing infrastructure for direct seeding of restoration sites, and reducing dependence on dwindling reserves of wild-harvested seed.Read moreRead less
The physiological ecology of forest succession: explaining shade tolerance variation in evergreen and deciduous trees. This work will strengthen both the theoretical framework and the local knowledge base for sustainable timber production from natural forests, and for habitat restoration programs (National Research Priority 1.5: Sustainable Use of Australia's Biodiversity). These same advances of global and local relevance will also enable better quality input into models predicting vegetation d ....The physiological ecology of forest succession: explaining shade tolerance variation in evergreen and deciduous trees. This work will strengthen both the theoretical framework and the local knowledge base for sustainable timber production from natural forests, and for habitat restoration programs (National Research Priority 1.5: Sustainable Use of Australia's Biodiversity). These same advances of global and local relevance will also enable better quality input into models predicting vegetation dynamics under climate change scenarios (Research Priority 1.7: Responding to climate change & variability). Furthermore, by clarifying relationships of shade tolerance with other stress-tolerance strategies, this work will help us understand the evolutionary potential of local floras to respond to global change.Read moreRead less
Hybridisation and gene flow in Eucalyptus. We propose to use a molecular approach to study hybridisation in eucalypts. We will study the genetic barriers to gene flow and provide base-line data to assess the potential threat of genetic pollution from exotic plantations to our native forest gene pools. We will concentrate our studies on species of subgenus Symphyomyrtus which includes all the major plantation species. This will allow us to extend our long-running studies of hybridisation towar ....Hybridisation and gene flow in Eucalyptus. We propose to use a molecular approach to study hybridisation in eucalypts. We will study the genetic barriers to gene flow and provide base-line data to assess the potential threat of genetic pollution from exotic plantations to our native forest gene pools. We will concentrate our studies on species of subgenus Symphyomyrtus which includes all the major plantation species. This will allow us to extend our long-running studies of hybridisation towards understanding the dynamics and consequences of genetic invasion and help develop guidelines to minimise the risk of genetic pollution.Read moreRead less
Breeding for resistance: Diagnostic toolkit for predicting variation in plant defence compounds in Eucalyptus. Pulp and timber from plantations are important for Australia's economic and environmental future. However, we must ensure that these plantations are grown sustainably. One area of concern is the current reliance on pesticides to control herbivores of plantation eucalypts. The work proposed here aims to use existing ecological findings together with early access to the genome of Eucal ....Breeding for resistance: Diagnostic toolkit for predicting variation in plant defence compounds in Eucalyptus. Pulp and timber from plantations are important for Australia's economic and environmental future. However, we must ensure that these plantations are grown sustainably. One area of concern is the current reliance on pesticides to control herbivores of plantation eucalypts. The work proposed here aims to use existing ecological findings together with early access to the genome of Eucalyptus to develop ways of using the natural resistance of Eucalyptus as an alternative to chemical pesticides. The work will also help us to understand how eucalypts produce the distinctive odours that are so characteristic of Australian landscapes.Read moreRead less