Water-use efficiency of Australian tropical trees: mechanistic analysis at multiple scales. The proposed research will provide valuable information about the physiological functioning of trees in northern Australia. Experiments will elucidate mechanisms that can result in variation in water-use efficiency among different tree species. Such a mechanistic understanding will have multiple benefits: (1) results will be able to be incorporated into process-based models of carbon and water cycling ....Water-use efficiency of Australian tropical trees: mechanistic analysis at multiple scales. The proposed research will provide valuable information about the physiological functioning of trees in northern Australia. Experiments will elucidate mechanisms that can result in variation in water-use efficiency among different tree species. Such a mechanistic understanding will have multiple benefits: (1) results will be able to be incorporated into process-based models of carbon and water cycling in the north-Australian landscape; (2) they will provide valuable information for land managers interested in optimizing both plant biomass production and water resource management; and (3) they will provide a critical test of proxy methods for identifying high water-use efficiency in taxonomically diverse tree species.Read moreRead less
High temperature limits of leaf function. In arid and semi-arid central Australia, Acacia spp. dominate the over-storey, but this shifts to Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp. in more mesic coastal regions. Areas of central Australia are extremely hot, dry and sunny, and it is this combination of stresses that likely excludes Eucalyptus spp. from many landforms. There has been little research on high temperature tolerance of Acacia and Eucalyptus, despite the putative importance of this stress, in co ....High temperature limits of leaf function. In arid and semi-arid central Australia, Acacia spp. dominate the over-storey, but this shifts to Eucalyptus and Corymbia spp. in more mesic coastal regions. Areas of central Australia are extremely hot, dry and sunny, and it is this combination of stresses that likely excludes Eucalyptus spp. from many landforms. There has been little research on high temperature tolerance of Acacia and Eucalyptus, despite the putative importance of this stress, in combination with other stresses, in limiting species? distributions. Our program of collaborative research will examine the tolerance of Acacia and Eucalyptus to a combination of high temperatures, drought and high light.Read moreRead less
Measuring tree water use and calculating stand water use. The national benefit of this project is significant. Woodlands and forests transpire vast amounts of water into the atmosphere and this water is thus lost to human consumptive use. Given large variation in rainfall between years and between seasons, it is vital that water and catchment resource managers are able to estimate how much water is lost through trees. This allows estimation of the amount of water available for irrigation, drinki ....Measuring tree water use and calculating stand water use. The national benefit of this project is significant. Woodlands and forests transpire vast amounts of water into the atmosphere and this water is thus lost to human consumptive use. Given large variation in rainfall between years and between seasons, it is vital that water and catchment resource managers are able to estimate how much water is lost through trees. This allows estimation of the amount of water available for irrigation, drinking, other industrial uses or maintaining ecosystem health. This project will be the first to generate a mechanistic understanding thereby allowing estimates of water use across a range of woody ecosystems in Australia.Read moreRead less
Susceptibility to Phytophthora cinnamomi and sensitivity to phosphorus in native Australian plants: why are they linked? Phytophthora cinnamomi is the cause of "Phytophthora dieback", recognised by the Federal Government as a major threat to Australia's biodiversity. This project will enhance our understanding of interactions between species belonging to two iconic Australian plant families (Proteaceae and Myrtaceae) and this serious threat. This understanding will underpin the development of ....Susceptibility to Phytophthora cinnamomi and sensitivity to phosphorus in native Australian plants: why are they linked? Phytophthora cinnamomi is the cause of "Phytophthora dieback", recognised by the Federal Government as a major threat to Australia's biodiversity. This project will enhance our understanding of interactions between species belonging to two iconic Australian plant families (Proteaceae and Myrtaceae) and this serious threat. This understanding will underpin the development of new chemicals to be used in combating the pathogen. In addition, it will provide molecular markers for phosphorus insensitivity and Phytophthora resistance that will be vital for Australia's horticultural industry as well as for the successful rehabilitation of minesites in areas suffering from "Phytophthora dieback". Read moreRead less
The genus Banksia: can ecophysiological traits associated with nutrient acquisition explain species distribution and rarity? We aim to investigate if an important aspect of a specialised mechanism of nutrient acquisition by different species of the genus Banksia (Proteaceae) accounts for their distribution and rarity. This aspect is the pattern of exudates that are produced by their 'proteoid' roots. Different species of the Proteaceae produce different exudates and it is envisaged that variatio ....The genus Banksia: can ecophysiological traits associated with nutrient acquisition explain species distribution and rarity? We aim to investigate if an important aspect of a specialised mechanism of nutrient acquisition by different species of the genus Banksia (Proteaceae) accounts for their distribution and rarity. This aspect is the pattern of exudates that are produced by their 'proteoid' roots. Different species of the Proteaceae produce different exudates and it is envisaged that variation in pattern reflects their capacity to grow on certain soil types. Our studies will provide key information on processes that determine species distribution, with consequences for defining better management regimes for rare and endangered species.Read moreRead less
DNA Method for Detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Soil and Plant Material. The need to impose strict quarantine procedures to prevent the spread of Jarrah Dieback disease hampers the activities of the mining, tourism, wildflower, nursery, and bee keeping industries. These procedures are time consuming and require a high degree of technical expertise. They result in false negatives facilitating the spread of the disease in asymptomatic material. This project will develop a DNA test for detec ....DNA Method for Detection of Phytophthora cinnamomi in Soil and Plant Material. The need to impose strict quarantine procedures to prevent the spread of Jarrah Dieback disease hampers the activities of the mining, tourism, wildflower, nursery, and bee keeping industries. These procedures are time consuming and require a high degree of technical expertise. They result in false negatives facilitating the spread of the disease in asymptomatic material. This project will develop a DNA test for detection of the pathogen in soil and plant material to make detection easier, quicker, and specific. The outcomes will be a test for detection of the dieback pathogen and technology to detect pathogens in soil samples.Read moreRead less
Eucalypt growth in past and future environments - a novel approach to understanding the impacts of atmospheric CO2 and climate. The impact of climate change and rising atmospheric CO2 on Australia's plantation and native forests is a major concern for government and land managers. These forests are important for environmental, aesthetic, and economic purposes, including carbon sequestration and trading. Forests use large amounts of water, reducing stream flow and water supplies for rural and u ....Eucalypt growth in past and future environments - a novel approach to understanding the impacts of atmospheric CO2 and climate. The impact of climate change and rising atmospheric CO2 on Australia's plantation and native forests is a major concern for government and land managers. These forests are important for environmental, aesthetic, and economic purposes, including carbon sequestration and trading. Forests use large amounts of water, reducing stream flow and water supplies for rural and urban communities. Knowledge generated from the proposed project will provide insight into mechanisms driving productivity and water use of forests in current and future environments. The knowledge will be used by land managers and government to develop strategies to cope with future impacts of climate change.Read moreRead less
Testing climatic, physiological and hydrological assumptions underpinning water yield from montane forests. Water collected in dams and reservoirs remains the mainstay water resource for Australian cities, towns and industry. Overwhelmingly, that water is collected from forested catchments where the water balance of forest stands is dominated by the amount of water used by trees. Characterising tree water use, its response to changing climatic and nocturnal conditions, and other aspects of sta ....Testing climatic, physiological and hydrological assumptions underpinning water yield from montane forests. Water collected in dams and reservoirs remains the mainstay water resource for Australian cities, towns and industry. Overwhelmingly, that water is collected from forested catchments where the water balance of forest stands is dominated by the amount of water used by trees. Characterising tree water use, its response to changing climatic and nocturnal conditions, and other aspects of stand hydrology, are crucial to our ability to predict and model future water yields. Working in the Cotter catchment near Canberra and the upper Kiewa catchment in north-east Victoria, we aim to help the agencies responsible for water and catchment management to improve the security of their forecasts of water yield and their on-ground management. Read moreRead less
Eucalyptus gomphocephela (tuart) decline in Western Australia. The decline and death of tuart forest in Western Australia is spectacular, widespread and a significant threat to biodiversity. There is widespread concern and political pressure because of diverse landuse pressures, yet it remains poorly understood and no remedial action is available. This project will attempt to determine the causes by examining predisposing factors (hydrological, salinity, nutrition, fire) and their interaction wi ....Eucalyptus gomphocephela (tuart) decline in Western Australia. The decline and death of tuart forest in Western Australia is spectacular, widespread and a significant threat to biodiversity. There is widespread concern and political pressure because of diverse landuse pressures, yet it remains poorly understood and no remedial action is available. This project will attempt to determine the causes by examining predisposing factors (hydrological, salinity, nutrition, fire) and their interaction with pests and diseases, and the remedial actions necessary. On the basis of these results, propose an action plan so land managers and community groups can arrest and reverse tuart decline.Read moreRead less
Spatially integrated estimates of landscape water fluxes at several contrasting sites. Woodlands transpire large amounts (> 80 % of rainfall) of water into the atmosphere and this water is lost from the catchment. Australia experiences large annual and seasonal variations in rainfall. Water and catchment managers need to estimate how much water is transpired, especially as climate and land-use practices change, as this determines how much water is available for drinking, use in mining, forestr ....Spatially integrated estimates of landscape water fluxes at several contrasting sites. Woodlands transpire large amounts (> 80 % of rainfall) of water into the atmosphere and this water is lost from the catchment. Australia experiences large annual and seasonal variations in rainfall. Water and catchment managers need to estimate how much water is transpired, especially as climate and land-use practices change, as this determines how much water is available for drinking, use in mining, forestry, irrigation, and for ecosystem health purposes. This project is the first to combine the use of scintillometry to compare spatially averaged rates of water use with development of a model to predict landscape water use. By using 4 contrasting ecosystems we shall provide a deep understanding of the controls of vegetation water use.Read moreRead less