Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354908
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN). We bring together plant molecular biology, entomology and analytical chemistry to transform three leading fields of Australian research into an advanced science with far reaching capabilities in innovative research and applied outcomes. Expertise studying the biochemical pathways that produce specific plant compounds and expertise in insect recognition and response to these chemicals will be brought together. This will lead to new research outco ....The Insect-Plant Chemical Ecology Network (IPCEN). We bring together plant molecular biology, entomology and analytical chemistry to transform three leading fields of Australian research into an advanced science with far reaching capabilities in innovative research and applied outcomes. Expertise studying the biochemical pathways that produce specific plant compounds and expertise in insect recognition and response to these chemicals will be brought together. This will lead to new research outcomes and solutions to problems in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and protection of Australia's native flora. Researchers are struggling to create these links, constrained by disciplinary boundaries and geographical isolation. Key industries and researchers already support this proposal.Read moreRead less
Maximising the essential oil yield of blue mallee plantations. Felton, Grimwade and Bickford Pty Ltd will collaborate with us to develop plant material and methods for establishing profitable plantations of blue mallee (Eucalyptus polybractea) for eucalyptus oil production. This is important because, as a result of recent legislation, the forest patches currently used in oil production will soon be unavailable to the company. We will also investigate the physiological and biochemical mechanism ....Maximising the essential oil yield of blue mallee plantations. Felton, Grimwade and Bickford Pty Ltd will collaborate with us to develop plant material and methods for establishing profitable plantations of blue mallee (Eucalyptus polybractea) for eucalyptus oil production. This is important because, as a result of recent legislation, the forest patches currently used in oil production will soon be unavailable to the company. We will also investigate the physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying oil quality and quantity in blue mallee. This knowledge will assist the industry in the longer term by allowing them to improve and modify their products in response to changes in market demands.Read moreRead less
Ecophysiological limitations that affect water and carbon balance within large tree canopies: a comparative investigation. Supply of water to forest canopies is a major control of hydrological, atmospheric and biotic processes that impinge on groundwater stability, catchment yield, the fate of pollutants and plant productivity. Fundamental aspects of water transport and distribution within plant tissues remain obscured by conflicting experimental data and conflicting theoretical models that des ....Ecophysiological limitations that affect water and carbon balance within large tree canopies: a comparative investigation. Supply of water to forest canopies is a major control of hydrological, atmospheric and biotic processes that impinge on groundwater stability, catchment yield, the fate of pollutants and plant productivity. Fundamental aspects of water transport and distribution within plant tissues remain obscured by conflicting experimental data and conflicting theoretical models that describe physiological functioning.
Potential hydraulic constraints to the exchange of water and carbon between leaf and atmosphere require investigation before accurate models and informed decisions can be made with respect to the role of forests in biosphere-atmosphere processes. I will use large trees to investigate physiological and morphological determinants of hydraulic function and consider relationships between tree size, water requirements and water supply.
This project will foster comparative analyses of hydraulic functioning in large angiosperm and conifer species to elucidate universal principles that relate form to function and explain relationships between trees and their environment.
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Enhancing natural enemy mortality of chrysomelids in young eucalypt plantations through habitat manipulation. Eucalyptus plantations are the future of Australian forestry. In eucalypt plantations leaf-feeding beetles reduce tree growth by an average of 53%, substantially reducing profits. Sustainable management of these pests is best done by maximising the impact of native beneficial agents, eg wasps and spiders. This research will quantify the beneficial insects in plantations and increase ....Enhancing natural enemy mortality of chrysomelids in young eucalypt plantations through habitat manipulation. Eucalyptus plantations are the future of Australian forestry. In eucalypt plantations leaf-feeding beetles reduce tree growth by an average of 53%, substantially reducing profits. Sustainable management of these pests is best done by maximising the impact of native beneficial agents, eg wasps and spiders. This research will quantify the beneficial insects in plantations and increase their efficacy by manipulating the plantation environment so it provides more of the resources (food & shelter) these beneficials require. This approach is significant as it has not been previously attempted in forestry. Our management recommendations will make the plantation sector more profitable and sustainable.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775739
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$135,000.00
Summary
Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescr ....Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescribed burning, especially trade-offs involving carbon and water; and understanding and predicting air quality and the effects of emissions from cars, industry, fires and natural sources.
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Accelerated breeding for a changing environment: genomic and physiological profiling of newly generated polyploid trees. Global climate change threatens the health and productivity of forests and plantations. Because tree breeding is slow, elite trees cannot be adapted rapidly to new environments. A new procedure for accelerated tree breeding has been developed by the industry partner. The procedure, termed polyploidisation, increases DNA content and produces novel traits that can improve plant ....Accelerated breeding for a changing environment: genomic and physiological profiling of newly generated polyploid trees. Global climate change threatens the health and productivity of forests and plantations. Because tree breeding is slow, elite trees cannot be adapted rapidly to new environments. A new procedure for accelerated tree breeding has been developed by the industry partner. The procedure, termed polyploidisation, increases DNA content and produces novel traits that can improve plant growth and resilience. Polyploidisation is a natural force in plant evolution and its routine application for tree breeding has much potential. Using diverse approaches, we will investigate how newly synthesised polyploid tree species perform under heat and drought stress.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the essential oil yield of clonal blue mallee plantations. Production of high quality eucalyptus oil in Victoria involves sustainable harvesting of foliage from public land. A recent review of land use by the Victorian Government has required that, over the next few years, oil producers move their harvesting operations into plantations on private land. This project will assist producers by developing methods for establishing plantations of eucalypts (blue mallee) with very high and e ....Enhancing the essential oil yield of clonal blue mallee plantations. Production of high quality eucalyptus oil in Victoria involves sustainable harvesting of foliage from public land. A recent review of land use by the Victorian Government has required that, over the next few years, oil producers move their harvesting operations into plantations on private land. This project will assist producers by developing methods for establishing plantations of eucalypts (blue mallee) with very high and economically viable yields of eucalyptus oil. This research will help restore Victoria's position as one of the major producers of high quality eucalyptus oil. Read moreRead less
Explaining forest responses to rising carbon-dioxide concentrations at stand scale using a new, simple model of plant carbon economy. Australia is undergoing large changes in [CO2] and rainfall patterns, with 20% decreases in annual rainfall across southern Australia over the past 30 years, and large increases in north-western Australia. The impacts of rising [CO2] and altered rainfall must be factored into Australia's environmental and water-catchment management strategies. The outcome of this ....Explaining forest responses to rising carbon-dioxide concentrations at stand scale using a new, simple model of plant carbon economy. Australia is undergoing large changes in [CO2] and rainfall patterns, with 20% decreases in annual rainfall across southern Australia over the past 30 years, and large increases in north-western Australia. The impacts of rising [CO2] and altered rainfall must be factored into Australia's environmental and water-catchment management strategies. The outcome of this project will be a new simplified forest model that has been validated for Australia's leading climate-change experiment on forests, the Hawkesbury Forest Experiment, which includes both CO2 and watering treatments. The model will be readily transferable to new sites and at regional scale, so it can be applied as a tool for future management of Australia's forests.Read moreRead less
Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and con ....Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and conditions. This project will address these concerns. We will also be addressing the clear need for further training of PhD qualified researchers in the field of climate change. Read moreRead less
A new hypothesis for the development of hollows in Box-Ironbark forest. Timber harvesting in Box-Ironbark forest over the past 150 years has significantly affected the habitat of hollow dependent fauna. Current management aims at speeding the growth of trees to accelerate hollow formation. Recent studies suggest that hollows form in trees of the Box-Ironbark forest following basal stem damage by fire or windstorm, rather than from branch damage as previously assumed. This hypothesis will be t ....A new hypothesis for the development of hollows in Box-Ironbark forest. Timber harvesting in Box-Ironbark forest over the past 150 years has significantly affected the habitat of hollow dependent fauna. Current management aims at speeding the growth of trees to accelerate hollow formation. Recent studies suggest that hollows form in trees of the Box-Ironbark forest following basal stem damage by fire or windstorm, rather than from branch damage as previously assumed. This hypothesis will be tested in relation to wildfires in 1985, 1991 and 1993 and by experimental simulation of these events. The results of this research are likely to have major implications for the management of Box- Ironbark forests.Read moreRead less