Resolving human-flying fox conflict in the face of environmental change. Resolving human-flying fox conflict in the face of environmental change. This project aims to identify socially-acceptable priority areas to be managed for the long-term viability of flying-foxes under a changing climate, and develop strategies to mitigate human-flying fox conflict, using ecological and social analysis in a decision-theoretic framework. Flying-foxes are nationally protected mammals pivotal to Australia’s fo ....Resolving human-flying fox conflict in the face of environmental change. Resolving human-flying fox conflict in the face of environmental change. This project aims to identify socially-acceptable priority areas to be managed for the long-term viability of flying-foxes under a changing climate, and develop strategies to mitigate human-flying fox conflict, using ecological and social analysis in a decision-theoretic framework. Flying-foxes are nationally protected mammals pivotal to Australia’s forest ecosystems, but are threatened by habitat loss, extreme weather and legal culls at orchards. Their exceptional mobility puts them in frequent conflict with human settlements, leading to forced dispersals from roosts. Anticipated outcomes are the conservation of Australia’s flying-foxes and international understanding of how to resolve human conflict with highly mobile species that are threatened but locally abundant and controversial.Read moreRead less
Linking individual traits, the gut microbiome and parasite load in wildlife. This project aims to apply principles of community ecology to the gut microbiome of an urban exploiter – the common brushtail possum - to reveal how animal traits influence individual variation in the load of gut parasites that cause disease in both humans and wildlife. By combining assays defining the behavioural and physiological states of individuals with sophisticated analyses of their gut microbiome, our project wi ....Linking individual traits, the gut microbiome and parasite load in wildlife. This project aims to apply principles of community ecology to the gut microbiome of an urban exploiter – the common brushtail possum - to reveal how animal traits influence individual variation in the load of gut parasites that cause disease in both humans and wildlife. By combining assays defining the behavioural and physiological states of individuals with sophisticated analyses of their gut microbiome, our project will provide a new, yet crucial, perspective on how and why diseases spread. Our discoveries will help understand and manage the burden of infectious diseases from parasites in and beyond our cities and across the human-wildlife interface; essential for improving human and wildlife health in an increasingly urbanised Australia.Read moreRead less
Optimising the ecological performance of cities. One of the most environmentally destructive impacts that people have is also one of the greatest triumphs of modern civilization—the city. This project will study more than 1000 cities across the world to discover how we should build our cities into the future to achieve economic and social growth in a way that causes minimal environmental harm.
Optimising fire management for a resilient future. Optimising fire management for a resilient future. This project aims to quantify how changes in fire frequency, fire season, invasive weeds and climate interact to affect native species’ persistence. Fire risk management is a conundrum for agencies responsible both for protection of life and property and biodiversity conservation. Global change factors (rainfall decline, warming, invasive species, ecosystem fragmentation) interact with changes i ....Optimising fire management for a resilient future. Optimising fire management for a resilient future. This project aims to quantify how changes in fire frequency, fire season, invasive weeds and climate interact to affect native species’ persistence. Fire risk management is a conundrum for agencies responsible both for protection of life and property and biodiversity conservation. Global change factors (rainfall decline, warming, invasive species, ecosystem fragmentation) interact with changes in fire regime (interval and season) associated with prescribed burning to affect native species’ regeneration capacity. Anticipated outcomes are fuel reduction burning policy and management changes that balance and minimise risk of fire to economy, society and biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Novel Propagation and Conservation Technologies for Australian Macadamia. Australia’s $850M macadamia industry is a booming contributor to regional growth with a strong domestic market niche. However the industry is threatened by a severe plant supply bottleneck. Also wild germplasm for breeding is threatened with extinction. This project aims to innovate world-first tissue culture technologies for macadamia propagation and secure cryo-storage of germplasm, aided by cutting edge genomics. Expect ....Novel Propagation and Conservation Technologies for Australian Macadamia. Australia’s $850M macadamia industry is a booming contributor to regional growth with a strong domestic market niche. However the industry is threatened by a severe plant supply bottleneck. Also wild germplasm for breeding is threatened with extinction. This project aims to innovate world-first tissue culture technologies for macadamia propagation and secure cryo-storage of germplasm, aided by cutting edge genomics. Expected outcomes of these new, cross-disciplinary techniques are on-demand supply of superior trees to growers and the protection of invaluable germplasm. This should provide significant benefits for industry growth, food security and conservation de-risked from global change.Read moreRead less
Physiological effects of extreme hot weather on animals’ metabolism, development, body size and cell lifespan. This project aims to determine the physiological effects of extreme hot weather on animals’ metabolism, development, body size and cell lifespan. Body size in animals is negatively related to latitude; individuals are relatively small in hot climates. The project will test the idea that the adverse effects of heat during development constrain body size. The project will draw on physiolo ....Physiological effects of extreme hot weather on animals’ metabolism, development, body size and cell lifespan. This project aims to determine the physiological effects of extreme hot weather on animals’ metabolism, development, body size and cell lifespan. Body size in animals is negatively related to latitude; individuals are relatively small in hot climates. The project will test the idea that the adverse effects of heat during development constrain body size. The project will draw on physiology, endocrinology, behaviour and cell biology and study birds across Australian climates and in a temperature-controlled laboratory. The outcomes of the project will provide insight into regional variation in species vulnerabilities to climate variation and inform biodiversity management.Read moreRead less
Assessing the ecological costs and benefits of artificial wetlands in urban landscapes. The nature and distribution of wetlands around cities is changing at an unprecedented rate, with artificial wetlands increasingly dominating urban landscapes. The consequences of these changes for animals, however, are largely unknown. Some artificial wetlands may be poor quality habitats that pose considerable risks to urban biodiversity, while others may play an important role in conservation. The project a ....Assessing the ecological costs and benefits of artificial wetlands in urban landscapes. The nature and distribution of wetlands around cities is changing at an unprecedented rate, with artificial wetlands increasingly dominating urban landscapes. The consequences of these changes for animals, however, are largely unknown. Some artificial wetlands may be poor quality habitats that pose considerable risks to urban biodiversity, while others may play an important role in conservation. The project aims to examine the ecological costs and benefits of artificial wetlands for native animals, and provide guidelines to help ensure wetland construction and management is cost effective and maximises biodiversity outcomes.Read moreRead less
Designing green spaces for biodiversity and human well-being. Designing green spaces for biodiversity and human well-being . This project aims to determine mechanisms linking urban design to socio-ecological benefits from green spaces. Ecological restoration in urban green space could attract more biodiversity into urban environments, reduce maintenance costs, provide market advantage for the development industry and improve a sense of place for residents. However, how best to encourage biodiver ....Designing green spaces for biodiversity and human well-being. Designing green spaces for biodiversity and human well-being . This project aims to determine mechanisms linking urban design to socio-ecological benefits from green spaces. Ecological restoration in urban green space could attract more biodiversity into urban environments, reduce maintenance costs, provide market advantage for the development industry and improve a sense of place for residents. However, how best to encourage biodiversity using urban design is poorly understood, and little is known about how green spaces create health and well-being. This project will alter levels of green space design explanatory variables in modular experimental plots, in both Royal Park, the City of Melbourne’s largest public green space, and Melbourne’s CBD; conduct biodiversity and human wellbeing experiments; and develop urban design recommendations that support biodiversity and human wellbeing.Read moreRead less
Managing urban trees. Managing urban trees. This project aims to explore the effects of different urban tree types and plantings on people and wildlife in Melbourne, Moreland and Ballarat so they can better plan their future urban forests. Local governments spend millions of dollars planting and maintaining urban trees every year. Research provides little guidance to these land managers when making critical decisions in a rapidly changing social and physical environment. This project will combin ....Managing urban trees. Managing urban trees. This project aims to explore the effects of different urban tree types and plantings on people and wildlife in Melbourne, Moreland and Ballarat so they can better plan their future urban forests. Local governments spend millions of dollars planting and maintaining urban trees every year. Research provides little guidance to these land managers when making critical decisions in a rapidly changing social and physical environment. This project will combine tree inventory data with new information on the social and ecological effects of trees (e.g. human well-being, bird diversity). This research is expected to guide future tree management decisions that have better social and environmental outcomes for Australia’s cities.Read moreRead less
Preserving vegetation health and biodiversity of natural, urban reserves. The aim of this project is to quantify the links between water resources, vegetation health and biodiversity in small native and remnant vegetation reserves embedded in urban environments. The project will examine four reserves within Greater Melbourne hosting native tree species (river red gum), identified as vulnerable or endangered, and experiencing different rainfall regimes as well as water management practices. The s ....Preserving vegetation health and biodiversity of natural, urban reserves. The aim of this project is to quantify the links between water resources, vegetation health and biodiversity in small native and remnant vegetation reserves embedded in urban environments. The project will examine four reserves within Greater Melbourne hosting native tree species (river red gum), identified as vulnerable or endangered, and experiencing different rainfall regimes as well as water management practices. The specific objectives are to quantify water requirements and carbon balances, and to test a set of measurement methods (in situ and remote sensing) to relate water use with tree growth and biodiversity in urban reserves. Based on these studies, the project aims to develop a model for water balance and vegetation growth to assist in the management of urban reserves and parks.Read moreRead less