Dark canaries: new multidisciplinary understanding about the origins, radiation and response to environmental change of southern hemisphere bats. This project will overhaul global understanding of the origins of bats, their flight patterns and the role of echolocation in resource partitioning in an environmentally changing Australia. It will also provide information vital for conservation and novel biomimetic understanding of the modulation of ultrasound for medical and engineering purposes.
The Cambrian Population Explosion of Arthropods in Australia: Ediacaran origins, evolution and biodiversity. This project addresses key questions on the origin and diversification of life, by investigating the evolution of the most important fossil group (arthropods) across arguably the most important event after the origin of life (the Cambrian explosion of macroscopic life). It will also excavate, promote and conserve two key geological resources of national importance, in the Flinders Ranges ....The Cambrian Population Explosion of Arthropods in Australia: Ediacaran origins, evolution and biodiversity. This project addresses key questions on the origin and diversification of life, by investigating the evolution of the most important fossil group (arthropods) across arguably the most important event after the origin of life (the Cambrian explosion of macroscopic life). It will also excavate, promote and conserve two key geological resources of national importance, in the Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island. Also, it will lead to increased knowledge of the palaeoecology and geology of the economically-important Adelaide geosyncline, and benefit rural SA communities through ecotourism, a rural schools education program, and public outreach.Read moreRead less
Australia's mammalian carnivore diversity in space and time. To more effectively address the current extinction crisis we need to understand past diversity. This research program will comprehensively investigate the diversity of mammalian carnivores on three continents over geological time. Results will provide insight into whether the evolution of Australia's mammal carnivores differs fundamentally from those of other continents, as has often been suggested but not quantitatively demonstrated. ....Australia's mammalian carnivore diversity in space and time. To more effectively address the current extinction crisis we need to understand past diversity. This research program will comprehensively investigate the diversity of mammalian carnivores on three continents over geological time. Results will provide insight into whether the evolution of Australia's mammal carnivores differs fundamentally from those of other continents, as has often been suggested but not quantitatively demonstrated. Studies focused in the present are important, but often miss critical factors that can only be clarified through analyses with deep time perspectives. The findings will translate into an improved understanding of what makes Australia unique and better-informed decisions regarding wildlife management.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170101325
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$353,705.00
Summary
Opalised fossils and the evolution of Australia's dinosaurs. This project aims to study dinosaur evolution in Australia. Dinosaurs were one of Earth's most successful land vertebrates, but Australia’s perceived poor dinosaur fossil record has stymied significant advances in the field and promoted the view that it was an evolutionary dead-end. This project will challenge this perception by coupling an exceptional but under-valued fossil resource from Lightning Ridge, NSW, with new phylogenetic me ....Opalised fossils and the evolution of Australia's dinosaurs. This project aims to study dinosaur evolution in Australia. Dinosaurs were one of Earth's most successful land vertebrates, but Australia’s perceived poor dinosaur fossil record has stymied significant advances in the field and promoted the view that it was an evolutionary dead-end. This project will challenge this perception by coupling an exceptional but under-valued fossil resource from Lightning Ridge, NSW, with new phylogenetic methodology and synchrotron analyses. The expected result is better understanding of the diversity, biology, and evolutionary relationships of Australian dinosaurs in the context of global dinosaur evolution.Read moreRead less
THE TIME SCALES OF MAGMATIC AND EROSIONAL CYCLES. Precise information on time scales and rates of change is fundamental to understanding natural processes and the development and testing of quantitative physical models in the Earth Sciences. Uranium decay-series isotope studies are revolutionising this field by providing time information in the range 100-100000 years, similar to that of many important Earth processes. This project will establish a dedicated Uranium-series research laboratory and ....THE TIME SCALES OF MAGMATIC AND EROSIONAL CYCLES. Precise information on time scales and rates of change is fundamental to understanding natural processes and the development and testing of quantitative physical models in the Earth Sciences. Uranium decay-series isotope studies are revolutionising this field by providing time information in the range 100-100000 years, similar to that of many important Earth processes. This project will establish a dedicated Uranium-series research laboratory and investigate (1) the processes and time scales of magma formation, transport and differentiation beneath western Pacific island arc volcanoes, (2) the time scales and relative roles of physical and chemical erosion in Australian river basins.Read moreRead less
Optimum control of the in-use performance of talc-based compositions. It is important to improve the quality of their Talcom body powder, baby powder and other cosmetic products involving talc. The areas that can and need to be improved are shining characteristics, assessing the slip properties as well as developing the cosmetic chemistry of talc and other additives. The proposed project will generate: a) simple but reliable test methods for measuring slip and shine, b) methods for control of t ....Optimum control of the in-use performance of talc-based compositions. It is important to improve the quality of their Talcom body powder, baby powder and other cosmetic products involving talc. The areas that can and need to be improved are shining characteristics, assessing the slip properties as well as developing the cosmetic chemistry of talc and other additives. The proposed project will generate: a) simple but reliable test methods for measuring slip and shine, b) methods for control of the physical and chemical characteristics of talc blends, c) mathematical model(s) for property and process control, which is useful to improvement of the final talc properties and in-use service.Read moreRead less
Environmental change in northern Cenozoic Australia: a multidisciplinary approach. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that by 2020 to 2050, Australia will suffer significant biodiversity loss and water shortages. Our research will document and date the evolution of Australia's biota through three cycles of climate change over the last 25 million years to quantify and thereby better anticipate the nature and dimension of threats facing our natural and cultural communities ....Environmental change in northern Cenozoic Australia: a multidisciplinary approach. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that by 2020 to 2050, Australia will suffer significant biodiversity loss and water shortages. Our research will document and date the evolution of Australia's biota through three cycles of climate change over the last 25 million years to quantify and thereby better anticipate the nature and dimension of threats facing our natural and cultural communities. We will develop innovative techniques to date prehistoric biotic and climatic events and, using a range of tracers, characterize ancient environments and groundwater. This project will assist rural and regional Australia through education and job creation in geotourism and natural resource interpretation and provide a mechanism to combat generational skill shortage.Read moreRead less
The evolution of Australian rainforest faunas and the implications of continuing climate change. Australia's rainforest animals and ecosystems have been evolving for millions of years yet we routinely use only the last 200 years to assess changes that will affect their future - far too short a time interval to distinguish short-term perturbations from long-term trends in lineage health or community response. Our multidisciplinary team proposes to learn from 55 million years of response to rainfa ....The evolution of Australian rainforest faunas and the implications of continuing climate change. Australia's rainforest animals and ecosystems have been evolving for millions of years yet we routinely use only the last 200 years to assess changes that will affect their future - far too short a time interval to distinguish short-term perturbations from long-term trends in lineage health or community response. Our multidisciplinary team proposes to learn from 55 million years of response to rainfall and other climate change documented by the spectacular national, natural treasures in the fossil deposits of Tingamarra, Riversleigh and Rockhampton, to assess probable impacts of future environmental change and inform development of effective, long-term conservation strategies for rainforest communities. Read moreRead less
Developing a geomorphological framework to underpin management decision-making on the Great Barrier Reef. The paucity of data on coral reef growth histories inhibits attempts to integrate regional reef growth data into coral reef management - despite the major influence on habitat type and diversity. This project will gather such data for one region of the Great Barrier Reef, and develop such datasets to support future reef management decision-making.
Thallium isotopes: a novel geochemical tracer to map recycling in Earth's mantle. This project will transfer to Australia an advanced new methodology: the characterisation of thallium isotopic signatures in the mantle system introduced during recycling of crustal material. This will allow the tracking of fluid processes in the mantle system in a completely new way and will provide significant new information about the fluids that can percolate up from subduction zones. The source of most econo ....Thallium isotopes: a novel geochemical tracer to map recycling in Earth's mantle. This project will transfer to Australia an advanced new methodology: the characterisation of thallium isotopic signatures in the mantle system introduced during recycling of crustal material. This will allow the tracking of fluid processes in the mantle system in a completely new way and will provide significant new information about the fluids that can percolate up from subduction zones. The source of most economically interesting elements in the crust is from mantle-derived fluids, so their characterisation is critical to an understanding of the whole ore-forming process. Hence, this study will provide unique new information to apply to this important large-scale Earth problem.Read moreRead less