Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Grant ID: DI0775793
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,800.00
Summary
The extent of competition between the native and introduced herbivores of Kangaroo Island. This project examines grazing behaviour and competition among native and introduced herbivores to optimise limited resources in an ecologically fragile environment. The project will provide a biological basis for the development of management strategies to provide positive outcomes for the Kangaroo Island environment and potential economic benefit to the local and national economy. Environmental benefit in ....The extent of competition between the native and introduced herbivores of Kangaroo Island. This project examines grazing behaviour and competition among native and introduced herbivores to optimise limited resources in an ecologically fragile environment. The project will provide a biological basis for the development of management strategies to provide positive outcomes for the Kangaroo Island environment and potential economic benefit to the local and national economy. Environmental benefit includes the reduction of total grazing pressure on pastures and native vegetation of Kangaroo Island, which is one of Australia’s top 15 biodiversity ‘hot spots’, and thus help with conservation efforts on Kangaroo Island. Economic benefit will follow if farmers receive income from a currently wasted resource.Read moreRead less
Temperature-dependent toxicity of plant secondary compounds to mammalian herbivores. Changes in the toxicity of plant secondary compounds is an unexplored consequence of rises in ambient temperatures. Evidence from agricultural and laboratory studies suggests that temperature dependent toxicity can have major effects on the intake and metabolism of plant secondary metabolites by mammals. These effects are mediated by a decrease in liver metabolism and by the effects of plant secondary metabolite ....Temperature-dependent toxicity of plant secondary compounds to mammalian herbivores. Changes in the toxicity of plant secondary compounds is an unexplored consequence of rises in ambient temperatures. Evidence from agricultural and laboratory studies suggests that temperature dependent toxicity can have major effects on the intake and metabolism of plant secondary metabolites by mammals. These effects are mediated by a decrease in liver metabolism and by the effects of plant secondary metabolites on mitochondrial function which leads to greater heat production. The project will quantify the importance of temperature dependent toxicity and measures the changes in the cost of detoxification to better model the effects of climate change on marsupial herbivores.Read moreRead less
Buffering the ecosystem impact of invasive cane toads. This project aims to address the devastating ecological problems caused by invasive species, by developing a novel approach that does not rely upon eradicating the invader through training vulnerable native predators not to eat toxic cane toads. Expected outcomes of this project include building a broad coalition of conservation-focused groups, from private land-owners and local businesses through to Indigenous groups and government and non- ....Buffering the ecosystem impact of invasive cane toads. This project aims to address the devastating ecological problems caused by invasive species, by developing a novel approach that does not rely upon eradicating the invader through training vulnerable native predators not to eat toxic cane toads. Expected outcomes of this project include building a broad coalition of conservation-focused groups, from private land-owners and local businesses through to Indigenous groups and government and non-government agencies across the entire Kimberley region. It will also result in the evaluation of methods for deployment of taste-aversion at a landscape scale. This should provide significant benefits by conserving vulnerable fauna and building a powerful network within a region of high biodiversity in tropical Australia.Read moreRead less