Optimizing the allocation of resources for defending marine protected areas against invasive species. The National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas contributes directly to the protection of marine biodiversity, and to Australia's international obligations under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Non-indigenous species have potential to undermine native biodiversity in marine protected areas across Australia. By identifying the most effective strategies for dealing with pot ....Optimizing the allocation of resources for defending marine protected areas against invasive species. The National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas contributes directly to the protection of marine biodiversity, and to Australia's international obligations under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. Non-indigenous species have potential to undermine native biodiversity in marine protected areas across Australia. By identifying the most effective strategies for dealing with potential incursions of non-indigenous species in Victorian marine national parks and sanctuaries, the project will make a valuable contribution to the viability of local marine ecosystems and the maintenance of biodiversity. Furthermore, it will provide a template to aid similar decision-making in other marine protected areas around the country.Read moreRead less
Developing tools for assessing ecological performance of marine protected areas. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are rapidly being established around Australia as a device to conserve marine biodiversity. Their ability to sustain animal and plant populations depends critically on the ability of populations to replenish themselves, but we have no ready way of assessing replenishment, relying instead on simple counts of animals and plants within MPAs as a measure of their success. We propose a new ....Developing tools for assessing ecological performance of marine protected areas. Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are rapidly being established around Australia as a device to conserve marine biodiversity. Their ability to sustain animal and plant populations depends critically on the ability of populations to replenish themselves, but we have no ready way of assessing replenishment, relying instead on simple counts of animals and plants within MPAs as a measure of their success. We propose a new measure, using relationships between adult stocks and recruitment, as a way of assessing the long-term success of MPAs. We will test this measure using comparisons among marine national parks that were established recently in Victoria.Read moreRead less
Hazard identification, risk assessment and decision analysis for conservation and management of Australian marine parks. Victoria is the first jurisdiction in the world to proclaim an entire system of marine protected areas at once. The new management responsibilities have created imperatives for robust, scientifically defendable approaches to identifying threats, setting management priorities and developing monitoring systems. This project will develop, for the first time, a risk assessment pro ....Hazard identification, risk assessment and decision analysis for conservation and management of Australian marine parks. Victoria is the first jurisdiction in the world to proclaim an entire system of marine protected areas at once. The new management responsibilities have created imperatives for robust, scientifically defendable approaches to identifying threats, setting management priorities and developing monitoring systems. This project will develop, for the first time, a risk assessment protocol that has due regard for the perception of risks by individuals, and ensures that stakeholder values are an intrinsic part of decision-making. The protocol will create a system that stays faithful to the priorities of those who bear the risks, while using technical methods to ensure that models are consistent and that monitoring provides pertinent information.Read moreRead less
Assessing and understanding ecological changes in highly disturbed estuaries: addressing the complexity of multiple stressors. The conservation of estuarine ecosystems is necessary due to the intrinsic value of their biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide to humans (food, tourism, recreation). This project will identify anthropogenic stressors that pose ecological threats to estuaries. We will identify indicator species and biomarkers that are cost-effective signs of ecological cha ....Assessing and understanding ecological changes in highly disturbed estuaries: addressing the complexity of multiple stressors. The conservation of estuarine ecosystems is necessary due to the intrinsic value of their biodiversity and the ecosystem services they provide to humans (food, tourism, recreation). This project will identify anthropogenic stressors that pose ecological threats to estuaries. We will identify indicator species and biomarkers that are cost-effective signs of ecological change, useful to any manager of Australian estuaries. The simultaneous assessment of multiple stressors is a great advance in the ecological assessment of estuarine health. We will develop a manual of methods and indicators for measuring the success of environmental management programs.Read moreRead less