The Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC) invites you to participate in a short survey about your
interaction with the ARDC and use of our national research infrastructure and services. The survey will take
approximately 5 minutes and is anonymous. It’s open to anyone who uses our digital research infrastructure
services including Reasearch Link Australia.
We will use the information you provide to improve the national research infrastructure and services we
deliver and to report on user satisfaction to the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research
Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) program.
Please take a few minutes to provide your input. The survey closes COB Friday 29 May 2026.
Complete the 5 min survey now by clicking on the link below.
The regeneration niche of invasive plants: managing the weed-shaped hole. In Australia $20 million was spent on weed control in natural areas in 2001-02 and is indicative of the level of funding for weed control programs each year. An understanding of how current weed control programs affect the regeneration of weeds in the system will give us novel insights into the persistence of weed populations despite sustained investment in control. Environmental weeds threaten biodiversity and ecosystem ....The regeneration niche of invasive plants: managing the weed-shaped hole. In Australia $20 million was spent on weed control in natural areas in 2001-02 and is indicative of the level of funding for weed control programs each year. An understanding of how current weed control programs affect the regeneration of weeds in the system will give us novel insights into the persistence of weed populations despite sustained investment in control. Environmental weeds threaten biodiversity and ecosystem function in unique Australian communities, better management of weeds will have conservation, ecosystem service provision and amenity values nationally. This project highlights the importance of understanding the weed regeneration niche for successful long-term and sustainable control.Read moreRead less
Factors influencing the reovery of orchids and their mycorrhizal fungi in the post-mining landscape. Australian terrestrial orchids are highly vulnerable to reductions in soil fungus diversity after disturbance, due to their highly specific associations with soil fungi. This project would investigate how mycorrhizal fungal diversity and spatial variability changes with time during restoration of jarrah forest vegetation after bauxite mining. The impact of mycorrhizal fungi and other soil and ha ....Factors influencing the reovery of orchids and their mycorrhizal fungi in the post-mining landscape. Australian terrestrial orchids are highly vulnerable to reductions in soil fungus diversity after disturbance, due to their highly specific associations with soil fungi. This project would investigate how mycorrhizal fungal diversity and spatial variability changes with time during restoration of jarrah forest vegetation after bauxite mining. The impact of mycorrhizal fungi and other soil and habitat factors on orchid taxonomic diversity and habitat preferences in rehabilitated bauxite mine soils will be investigated. The post-mining environment will also be contrasted with undisturbed jarrah forest to understand why some orchids are common and others rare in these environments.Read moreRead less
Population structure in the giant Australian cuttlefish - implications for management of a unique eco-tourism and fishery resource in regional Australia. A management strategy for the giant Australian cuttlefish in regional South Australia is required urgently because of potential conflict between ecotourism and fishery sectors. At present, development of a management strategy is stymied by lack of information on stock structure and movements. Analyses of variation in gene frequencies, morphom ....Population structure in the giant Australian cuttlefish - implications for management of a unique eco-tourism and fishery resource in regional Australia. A management strategy for the giant Australian cuttlefish in regional South Australia is required urgently because of potential conflict between ecotourism and fishery sectors. At present, development of a management strategy is stymied by lack of information on stock structure and movements. Analyses of variation in gene frequencies, morphometric and chemical trace element profiles in calcified structures among locations and years will enable the geographic extent of populations or stocks to be determined, including whether natal homing occurs. Such information is critical to sustainable management of the species and design of a marine protected area in the upper Spencer Gulf.Read moreRead less
Are frogs in fragmented lowland rainforest especially susceptible to both disease and climate change? On a world scale, amphibian declines have been especially severe in Australia. Major causes of amphibian declines here are disease and habitat destruction. Our project will significantly advance our knowledge of frogs in coastal lowland rainforest. These frogs are a key to understanding the evolution of disease resistance to the amphibian disease fungus, and they are also likely to experience ....Are frogs in fragmented lowland rainforest especially susceptible to both disease and climate change? On a world scale, amphibian declines have been especially severe in Australia. Major causes of amphibian declines here are disease and habitat destruction. Our project will significantly advance our knowledge of frogs in coastal lowland rainforest. These frogs are a key to understanding the evolution of disease resistance to the amphibian disease fungus, and they are also likely to experience severe impacts from climate change. Thus, studies in this region will allow us to better understand the mechanisms responsible for frog declines in Australia. Also, this project will be useful to industries constructing infrastructure in rainforest, allowing an assessment of the impacts of works on already stressed frog populations. Read moreRead less
Assessing the benefits of closed fishing areas for spawning aggregations and egg production for coral trout. Coral trout is a valuable finfish species that inhabits coral reef systems in Australia. Like most other finfish species, coral trout is managed mainly through catch and size limits. However, closed fishing areas also provide a degree of protection from exploitation. Worldwide, closed fishing areas have been shown to provide larger and more fish within their boundaries. At present, there ....Assessing the benefits of closed fishing areas for spawning aggregations and egg production for coral trout. Coral trout is a valuable finfish species that inhabits coral reef systems in Australia. Like most other finfish species, coral trout is managed mainly through catch and size limits. However, closed fishing areas also provide a degree of protection from exploitation. Worldwide, closed fishing areas have been shown to provide larger and more fish within their boundaries. At present, there are limited empirical data to show that they provide benefits to fish stocks. This project aims to examine whether closed fishing areas provide a benefit to coral trout at the Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia.Read moreRead less
Native fish stocking of rivers: discriminating between hatchery-reared and wild fish. Stocking of fish is widely used in attempts to restore native fish populations. Little is known of the fate of stocked fish or the effects of stocking on resident populations. We will develop and evaluate protocols for chemical marking of otoliths of hatchery-reared fish so that their source can be determined. Experimental stocking of hatchery-reared fish will be undertaken and population structure and sourc ....Native fish stocking of rivers: discriminating between hatchery-reared and wild fish. Stocking of fish is widely used in attempts to restore native fish populations. Little is known of the fate of stocked fish or the effects of stocking on resident populations. We will develop and evaluate protocols for chemical marking of otoliths of hatchery-reared fish so that their source can be determined. Experimental stocking of hatchery-reared fish will be undertaken and population structure and source of stocked versus wild fish determined in stocked and unstocked rivers. Natural chemical signatures will also help determine important recruitment areas. The outcomes will allow fisheries managers to make informed decisions regarding stocking strategies.Read moreRead less
Population genetics and dynamics of orchids and their pollinators in fragmented landscapes of South Australia. Many species of orchids in fragmented landscapes need active management to secure their persistence. The effects of fragmentation can be direct (e.g. reduction in population sizes, environmental quality, increased inbreeding, reduced dispersal ability), or indirect through negative effects on pollinators. Little information exists on the complex interactions between effects of fragmenta ....Population genetics and dynamics of orchids and their pollinators in fragmented landscapes of South Australia. Many species of orchids in fragmented landscapes need active management to secure their persistence. The effects of fragmentation can be direct (e.g. reduction in population sizes, environmental quality, increased inbreeding, reduced dispersal ability), or indirect through negative effects on pollinators. Little information exists on the complex interactions between effects of fragmentation on plants and their pollinators. This project aims to understand how fragmentation affects the genetic diversity and demography of selected populations of orchids and their pollinators in the Mt.Lofty/Flerieu Peninsula area. This information will help to develop and implement more effective conservation plans.Read moreRead less
Estimating fishing-related mortality and designing sustainable management protocols for shark fisheries in Northern Australia. Sharks are extremely valuable economically, with the landed catch in the NT alone exceeding $10 million in 2004. The increasing world demand for high-quality protein will necessitate appropriate management so that over-exploitation does not occur as it has in most other shark fisheries worldwide. The proposed project will provide key information that will direct careful ....Estimating fishing-related mortality and designing sustainable management protocols for shark fisheries in Northern Australia. Sharks are extremely valuable economically, with the landed catch in the NT alone exceeding $10 million in 2004. The increasing world demand for high-quality protein will necessitate appropriate management so that over-exploitation does not occur as it has in most other shark fisheries worldwide. The proposed project will provide key information that will direct careful and informed management decisions well into the future. The added benefit of collecting information on the rarer and more susceptible non-target species caught in this fishery will ensure that any negative impacts are reduced. The project will also provide information on the potential impact of illegal fishing by neighbouring countries to our north.Read moreRead less
Ecological-epidemiological models of feral swamp buffalo control in northern Australia. This research is locally, nationally and internationally significant because it 1) improves the capacity of the Northern Territory and its traditional aboriginal owners to manage together this prevalent species in an effort to minimise disturbance to native flora and fauna and to understand the long-term implications of continued proliferation, 2) provides a nationally relevant system to monitor and project t ....Ecological-epidemiological models of feral swamp buffalo control in northern Australia. This research is locally, nationally and internationally significant because it 1) improves the capacity of the Northern Territory and its traditional aboriginal owners to manage together this prevalent species in an effort to minimise disturbance to native flora and fauna and to understand the long-term implications of continued proliferation, 2) provides a nationally relevant system to monitor and project the spread of disease through feral animal populations in Australia, and 3) combines quantitative data and robust analytical tools that can be used as a template for solving many broad-scale feral animal problems around the world.Read moreRead less
Climate change and phenotypic divergence at a landscape scale. Birds provide key ecosystem functions like pollination, insect control, and seed dispersal in Australia. Climate change is well documented and has a pronounced effect on birds, commonly leading to range shifts. This study will quantify patterns of gene flow at a landscape scale in declining and common birds in Australia and abroad. The project builds on strong international links to the Galapagos Islands as well as a regional focus f ....Climate change and phenotypic divergence at a landscape scale. Birds provide key ecosystem functions like pollination, insect control, and seed dispersal in Australia. Climate change is well documented and has a pronounced effect on birds, commonly leading to range shifts. This study will quantify patterns of gene flow at a landscape scale in declining and common birds in Australia and abroad. The project builds on strong international links to the Galapagos Islands as well as a regional focus for South Australia. The linkage organisations are committed to implementing management outcomes for native flora and fauna, which need to be underpinned with quality baseline data. The outcomes will also inform climate modelling for the State and Australia. Read moreRead less