Stress, virulence and bacterial disease in temperate seaweeds: the rise of the microbes. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread and virulence of pathogens, and decrease the resistance to disease via temperature stress on the hosts. Combined with other human impacts (higher nutrients, pollution), we may be facing a major rise in the effect of disease on natural communities. However, these effects are largely unstudied. We will investigate the impact of marine pathogens on kelps and ....Stress, virulence and bacterial disease in temperate seaweeds: the rise of the microbes. Climate change is predicted to increase the spread and virulence of pathogens, and decrease the resistance to disease via temperature stress on the hosts. Combined with other human impacts (higher nutrients, pollution), we may be facing a major rise in the effect of disease on natural communities. However, these effects are largely unstudied. We will investigate the impact of marine pathogens on kelps and other seaweeds when they are stressed by temperature, elevated nutrients or other anthropogenic stressors. Kelp are the 'trees of the oceans', the organisms responsible for creating much of the habitat that fishes and other organisms live in. The loss of kelp forests due to disease would radically change these environments.Read moreRead less
Causes and consequences of disease in the habitat forming seaweed Ecklonia radiata. Despite compelling arguments for the increasing importance of disease as a key structuring force in marine communities, we know little about the causes or broad impact of disease for most natural marine systems. This is particularly true for kelp forests, the dominant community type on temperate rocky shores. This project will integrate field ecology with microbiology and modern environmental gene sequencing tech ....Causes and consequences of disease in the habitat forming seaweed Ecklonia radiata. Despite compelling arguments for the increasing importance of disease as a key structuring force in marine communities, we know little about the causes or broad impact of disease for most natural marine systems. This is particularly true for kelp forests, the dominant community type on temperate rocky shores. This project will integrate field ecology with microbiology and modern environmental gene sequencing techniques to characterise the frequency, causative agents and impact of disease on Ecklonia radiata, the dominant seaweed in Australia. This project will further investigate how environmental conditions, including human impacts, modulate disease in this key, habitat forming seaweed.Read moreRead less
Future climate change: consequences for decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through rhizosphere fungal communities. The proposed collaboration will provide novel insights into likely consequences of global climate change on decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through forest soils. This will refine predictive models of future climate change and its impacts on the sustainability of Australia's forests. It will also enhance the protection of our valued habitats and their important soil ....Future climate change: consequences for decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through rhizosphere fungal communities. The proposed collaboration will provide novel insights into likely consequences of global climate change on decomposition and pathways of carbon flow through forest soils. This will refine predictive models of future climate change and its impacts on the sustainability of Australia's forests. It will also enhance the protection of our valued habitats and their important soil biodiversity. The knowledge gained will help land managers to adapt current practices to meet the demands of future climate change. This will maximize the opportunities for sequestering carbon in Australia's forests and so contribute to meeting Australia's global responsibility for mitigation of climate change.Read moreRead less
Bacterial disease and bleaching of chemically defended marine algae. Disease has emerged as a major factor in the ecology and management of natural marine communities. Moreover, the impact of disease in marine ecosystems is linked to environmental changes such as global warming. Much of the research in this area has focused on tropical systems (coral reefs). However, in temperate reef systems seaweeds are the major habitat formers. This proposal investigates how environmental factors (temperat ....Bacterial disease and bleaching of chemically defended marine algae. Disease has emerged as a major factor in the ecology and management of natural marine communities. Moreover, the impact of disease in marine ecosystems is linked to environmental changes such as global warming. Much of the research in this area has focused on tropical systems (coral reefs). However, in temperate reef systems seaweeds are the major habitat formers. This proposal investigates how environmental factors (temperature, UV) mediate bacterial disease of seaweeds, key temperate organisms. The proposal thus adresses National Research Priority 1: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia, and in particular the Priority Goals 'Sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity' and 'Responding to climate change and variability'. Read moreRead less
Towards a predictive model for coastal marine microbial assemblages. Coastal regions are overwhelmingly the most intense point of interaction between human activity and oceanic provinces. At this interface, the marine biological ecosystem provides critical services that are required to maintain industrial, economic and social well-being. Our work will identify how these marine systems respond to anthropogenic and climatic variability, National Research Priority 1, and in turn, how this response ....Towards a predictive model for coastal marine microbial assemblages. Coastal regions are overwhelmingly the most intense point of interaction between human activity and oceanic provinces. At this interface, the marine biological ecosystem provides critical services that are required to maintain industrial, economic and social well-being. Our work will identify how these marine systems respond to anthropogenic and climatic variability, National Research Priority 1, and in turn, how this response affects ocean services. This knowledge will inform management efforts in resource and biodiversity conservation, and identify novel areas for future resource exploration.Read moreRead less
Coastal tropicalisation – adapting to novel ecosystems and trajectories. This project aims to quantify the impacts of a changing climate on key ecosystem functions of temperate reefs. As global temperate reefs respond to ocean warming, iconic and economically important kelp forests and associated fishes and invertebrates are being lost. Novel communities and never-before seen configurations of species are emerging in these systems. This project aims to characterise the new dynamics of these nove ....Coastal tropicalisation – adapting to novel ecosystems and trajectories. This project aims to quantify the impacts of a changing climate on key ecosystem functions of temperate reefs. As global temperate reefs respond to ocean warming, iconic and economically important kelp forests and associated fishes and invertebrates are being lost. Novel communities and never-before seen configurations of species are emerging in these systems. This project aims to characterise the new dynamics of these novel systems, and provide an understanding of how to maintain key ecosystem functions - primary productivity, fish production - that underpin the benefits that humans derive from our coastlines.Read moreRead less