Satellite tracking of health threats from grass pollen exposure. This project aims to discover why pollen exposure has increased since the 1960s. Grass pollens are the main environmental allergen source in Australia and the primary cause of allergic diseases. This project will investigate the ecological causes of changing pollen allergen exposures through integrating 40 years of satellite data, field phenology cameras, and pollen traps that track grass pollen sources, their evolution and impact ....Satellite tracking of health threats from grass pollen exposure. This project aims to discover why pollen exposure has increased since the 1960s. Grass pollens are the main environmental allergen source in Australia and the primary cause of allergic diseases. This project will investigate the ecological causes of changing pollen allergen exposures through integrating 40 years of satellite data, field phenology cameras, and pollen traps that track grass pollen sources, their evolution and impact areas. The outcomes are expected to advance knowledge of environmental drivers and enable more accurate pollen forecasts that alleviate the medical and socioeconomic burden of allergic diseases, estimated to cost 30 billion dollars.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100047
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,000.00
Summary
A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research. A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research: A new capability for airborne remote sensing of key environmental variables will be established. The unique P-, Ku- and Ka-band passive microwave radiometer system will provide information on soil moisture, surface temperature and vegetation, and allow for a new satellite concept to be demonstrated. By combining with an existing L-band radiometer, da ....A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research. A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research: A new capability for airborne remote sensing of key environmental variables will be established. The unique P-, Ku- and Ka-band passive microwave radiometer system will provide information on soil moisture, surface temperature and vegetation, and allow for a new satellite concept to be demonstrated. By combining with an existing L-band radiometer, data can be collected simultaneously at P-, L-, Ku- and Ka-bands, with increased spatial resolutions accordingly. The shorter wavelength, but higher spatial resolution data can be used to enhance the spatial resolution of the longer wavelength data, resulting in a capability to derive long wavelength observations from space at unprecedented spatial resolution.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101466
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,000.00
Summary
Can Indigenous land management forestall an extinction crisis? This project aims to test the theory that a lack of Indigenous land management precipitated the collapse of Australia's mammal fauna. Current rates of species extinction exceed background rates by 100-1000 times, because of changes to ecosystems by humans. Paradoxically, Australia’s most pressing extinction crisis could be due to too little human disturbance. This project will test Indigenous land management’s capacity to forestall f ....Can Indigenous land management forestall an extinction crisis? This project aims to test the theory that a lack of Indigenous land management precipitated the collapse of Australia's mammal fauna. Current rates of species extinction exceed background rates by 100-1000 times, because of changes to ecosystems by humans. Paradoxically, Australia’s most pressing extinction crisis could be due to too little human disturbance. This project will test Indigenous land management’s capacity to forestall further mammal declines and restore degraded ecosystems, and enhance Indigenous livelihoods. Anticipated outcomes include on-ground principles for integrating Indigenous knowledge into biodiversity conservation, and transformative insights on the interdependence of humans and their environment.Read moreRead less
Automated benthic understanding with multimodal observations. This project aims to deliver cost-effective techniques to explore and monitor marine environments. The project will develop novel methods for classification of large extent, multimodality seafloor surveys consisting of high-resolution visual 3D gigamosaics made of tens of thousands of images coregistered with broad-scale, lower resolution remote sensing data. This knowledge is essential for designing cost-effective, scalable systems t ....Automated benthic understanding with multimodal observations. This project aims to deliver cost-effective techniques to explore and monitor marine environments. The project will develop novel methods for classification of large extent, multimodality seafloor surveys consisting of high-resolution visual 3D gigamosaics made of tens of thousands of images coregistered with broad-scale, lower resolution remote sensing data. This knowledge is essential for designing cost-effective, scalable systems to explore, map and monitor Australia's marine environments. At a broader level, the approach and the techniques developed in this project have the potential to have applications in other areas such as terrestrial and intertidal ecology, extending positive impacts beyond benthic environments.Read moreRead less
Rehabilitating a changing landscape: using the latest advances in koala ecology to direct adaptive management. The koala has been identified as one of the world's flagship species suffering from environmental change. In contrast to the decline of koalas in New South Wales generally, the eucalypts planted in Gunnedah to combat salinity led to an increase in koalas. However, the startlingly high death rate of Gunnedah koalas (25 per cent of the population) in the heatwave during the drought in 200 ....Rehabilitating a changing landscape: using the latest advances in koala ecology to direct adaptive management. The koala has been identified as one of the world's flagship species suffering from environmental change. In contrast to the decline of koalas in New South Wales generally, the eucalypts planted in Gunnedah to combat salinity led to an increase in koalas. However, the startlingly high death rate of Gunnedah koalas (25 per cent of the population) in the heatwave during the drought in 2009 must be understood. There are also new threats brought about by intensive land modification. This project aims to determine the effects of environmental change on the koala population through a study of landscape ecology, leaf chemistry, disease epidemiology and koala movements. This aims to lead to better management decisions for arboreal fauna.Read moreRead less
Conserving and recovering the koala populations on NSW Far North Coast. Conserving and recovering the koala populations on NSW Far North Coast. This project aims to develop a novel, integrated socio-ecological approach for connecting landscapes and communities for the recovery of threatened koala populations on the New South Wales far north coast. This should increase understanding of how local landholders and land managers respond to koala recovery programs and why they respond positively and b ....Conserving and recovering the koala populations on NSW Far North Coast. Conserving and recovering the koala populations on NSW Far North Coast. This project aims to develop a novel, integrated socio-ecological approach for connecting landscapes and communities for the recovery of threatened koala populations on the New South Wales far north coast. This should increase understanding of how local landholders and land managers respond to koala recovery programs and why they respond positively and become engaged for the long-term. The intended outcome is a spatial prioritisation framework for species recovery that integrates social and ecological values, and increased global knowledge of how to recover declining wildlife populations.Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Training Centres - Grant ID: IC150100041
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$4,961,622.00
Summary
ARC Training Centre for Mine Site Restoration. ARC Training Centre for Mining Restoration. This training centre aims to deliver integrated research projects and industry-ready professionals focused on the needs of the mining restoration industry. It aims to improve the capacity of the industry to deliver improved financial, social and environmental outcomes. Restoration sits at the heart of Australia’s ability to sustainably and responsibly exploit its vast mineral wealth, and regulatory approva ....ARC Training Centre for Mine Site Restoration. ARC Training Centre for Mining Restoration. This training centre aims to deliver integrated research projects and industry-ready professionals focused on the needs of the mining restoration industry. It aims to improve the capacity of the industry to deliver improved financial, social and environmental outcomes. Restoration sits at the heart of Australia’s ability to sustainably and responsibly exploit its vast mineral wealth, and regulatory approval for mining is dependent on effective restoration. However, the lack of cost-effective restoration solutions at the scale required is currently a major impediment for regulatory and social compliance. The centre aims to overcome this impediment by establishing industry-integrated research training positions that specifically address industry requirements for restoration.Read moreRead less
Restoring on-Country performance: song, language and south coast landscapes. This project aims to investigate relationships between place, people and endangered performance traditions in the south coast region of Western Australia. For the first time, it will bring together work on archival song and language material, ecological readings of landscape and Indigenous community expertise to extend and enhance knowledge of critically endangered Nyungar songlines. Expected outcomes include increased ....Restoring on-Country performance: song, language and south coast landscapes. This project aims to investigate relationships between place, people and endangered performance traditions in the south coast region of Western Australia. For the first time, it will bring together work on archival song and language material, ecological readings of landscape and Indigenous community expertise to extend and enhance knowledge of critically endangered Nyungar songlines. Expected outcomes include increased community capacity to develop, maintain and share a place-based performance repertoire and the potential to nourish social cohesion, strengthen connection to Country and aid re-interpretation of the landscape. This should provide benefits to Indigenous wellbeing, environmental understanding and processes of reconciliation.Read moreRead less
Fire severity, habitat heterogeneity and life histories. Resolving the persistence ability of plants in frequently fired landscapes. The wise management of Australia's biodiversity has major economic and social benefits for the nation through the provision of ecosystem services, bio-products and tourism. Fire is a pivotal environmental factor that will continue to influence plant biodiversity in fire-prone ecosystems. Inappropriate fire regimes, however, threaten biodiversity through disruption ....Fire severity, habitat heterogeneity and life histories. Resolving the persistence ability of plants in frequently fired landscapes. The wise management of Australia's biodiversity has major economic and social benefits for the nation through the provision of ecosystem services, bio-products and tourism. Fire is a pivotal environmental factor that will continue to influence plant biodiversity in fire-prone ecosystems. Inappropriate fire regimes, however, threaten biodiversity through disruption of life cycles. If too many or too few fires occur in an area this can lead to decline and extinction of plant and animal species. This research will provide a risk-assessment tool for the management of biodiversity to reverse population declines and prevent extinctions.
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Water Dreams, Earthen Histories :The Penrith Lakes Scheme and the Remaking of Old Castlereagh, NSW. The project explores the history, archaeology and environment of Castlereagh and the Penrith Lakes Scheme in Sydney's west. Conceived in the 1960s, this Scheme aims to rehabilitate gravel quarries by creating huge lakes, but is destroying a rich palimpsest of earlier landscapes. Using a multidisciplinary, holistic approach, the project will assess the Scheme's history, impact and management, and ....Water Dreams, Earthen Histories :The Penrith Lakes Scheme and the Remaking of Old Castlereagh, NSW. The project explores the history, archaeology and environment of Castlereagh and the Penrith Lakes Scheme in Sydney's west. Conceived in the 1960s, this Scheme aims to rehabilitate gravel quarries by creating huge lakes, but is destroying a rich palimpsest of earlier landscapes. Using a multidisciplinary, holistic approach, the project will assess the Scheme's history, impact and management, and will develop a new kind of environmental history: one which integrates science and engineering with history and heritage, and explores the meanings of the place (both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal) and the consequences of its loss and remaking.Read moreRead less