The pharmacokinetics of plant secondary metabolites and their effects on feeding in the brushtail possum. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are considered to protect against herbivory, although the mechanisms are not well understood. This project will determine how marsupial folivores avoid toxicity when browsing on Eucalyptus leaf. Blood levels of terpenes, phenols and their metabolites will be measured in the brushtail possum while it feeds on a diet of varying PSM content. We expect to be ab ....The pharmacokinetics of plant secondary metabolites and their effects on feeding in the brushtail possum. Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) are considered to protect against herbivory, although the mechanisms are not well understood. This project will determine how marsupial folivores avoid toxicity when browsing on Eucalyptus leaf. Blood levels of terpenes, phenols and their metabolites will be measured in the brushtail possum while it feeds on a diet of varying PSM content. We expect to be able to show relationships between the ingestion and blood levels of PSMs and feeding behaviour. This will give a greater understanding of the effect of plant toxins on browsing behaviour, enabling improved foraging models and more effective habitat management.Read moreRead less
Setting and achieving realistic restoration goals in human-dominated ecosystems. Federal and state programs and community and NGO activities increasingly focus on ecosystem restoration as a tool in conservation and natural resource management. Clearer understanding of ecosystem dynamics and better articulation of realistic restoration goals can lead to much improved restoration success and better investment of government and private funds. This project will provide a better understanding of ecos ....Setting and achieving realistic restoration goals in human-dominated ecosystems. Federal and state programs and community and NGO activities increasingly focus on ecosystem restoration as a tool in conservation and natural resource management. Clearer understanding of ecosystem dynamics and better articulation of realistic restoration goals can lead to much improved restoration success and better investment of government and private funds. This project will provide a better understanding of ecosystem dynamics both under current conditions and also as influenced by future environmental changes. The contribution to the theoretical and conceptual development of the field of restoration ecology will increase the profile of Australian science and enhance our reputation as leaders in this field. Read moreRead less
Conservation management of seed-eating birds in the tropical savannas. Biodiversity loss in the savannas indicates unsustainable management. This research will enhance our abilities to effectively manage Australia's tropical savannas, as well as contributing to several State and Territory, Commonwealth and international obligations to maintain biodiversity. Understanding the processes underlying current declines will also make the effects of future management or environment changes easier to pre ....Conservation management of seed-eating birds in the tropical savannas. Biodiversity loss in the savannas indicates unsustainable management. This research will enhance our abilities to effectively manage Australia's tropical savannas, as well as contributing to several State and Territory, Commonwealth and international obligations to maintain biodiversity. Understanding the processes underlying current declines will also make the effects of future management or environment changes easier to predict. Retaining threatened species can benefit remote and regional communities through tourism, and also through the extra employment required to implement the management prescriptions that will be developed from this research.Read moreRead less
Dynamic networks in a patchy landscape: will species interactions adjust to increased climatic extremes? This project addresses pressing questions on how increased climatic extremes will affect species diversity in arid Australia, building on the longest ecological dataset available for the continent's vast but fragile inland landscapes. Our tests of key ideas about strong interactions among species, their role in building resilient communities and conserving biodiversity, will generate consider ....Dynamic networks in a patchy landscape: will species interactions adjust to increased climatic extremes? This project addresses pressing questions on how increased climatic extremes will affect species diversity in arid Australia, building on the longest ecological dataset available for the continent's vast but fragile inland landscapes. Our tests of key ideas about strong interactions among species, their role in building resilient communities and conserving biodiversity, will generate considerable international interest, while our focus on interactions of species at water sources will address knowledge gaps to inform best practice in managing converted pastoral lands. The results will contribute to retaining healthy functioning ecosystems, and the vital production systems they support, as the global climate changes.Read moreRead less
How do foraging herbivores negotiate the twin perils of plant toxins and predators? Our research uses a new framework which links the costs of both plant toxins and predation risk to determine their effects on individual foraging herbivores. This will enable a new way of analysing and predicting the impact of changes to habitat diversity on native herbivores, and the impact of invasive alien herbivore and predator species on natural ecosystems and in human crop production. This is extremely valu ....How do foraging herbivores negotiate the twin perils of plant toxins and predators? Our research uses a new framework which links the costs of both plant toxins and predation risk to determine their effects on individual foraging herbivores. This will enable a new way of analysing and predicting the impact of changes to habitat diversity on native herbivores, and the impact of invasive alien herbivore and predator species on natural ecosystems and in human crop production. This is extremely valuable in today's economic and social climate, when management must be underpinned by evidence of impact and by quantification of costs and benefits of mitigation.Read moreRead less
Protecting prey with chemical camouflage. We develop an entirely new solution to protect rare and endangered wildlife and to improve the survival of rehabilitated and reintroduced animals at risk from alien predation. Our cost-effective approach will improve conservation efforts in Australia and our solution can be used by both large conservation organisations as well as small community groups aiming to protect key wildlife. Our technique can also be exported to solve alien species problems else ....Protecting prey with chemical camouflage. We develop an entirely new solution to protect rare and endangered wildlife and to improve the survival of rehabilitated and reintroduced animals at risk from alien predation. Our cost-effective approach will improve conservation efforts in Australia and our solution can be used by both large conservation organisations as well as small community groups aiming to protect key wildlife. Our technique can also be exported to solve alien species problems elsewhere in the world. This work strengthens Australia's world renowned expertise for research into alien species and ability to develop novel solutions to alien impactsRead moreRead less