Towards a climate theory of tropical cyclone formation. In Earth's current climate, about 80 to 90 tropical cyclones form every year around the globe, but the reasons why cyclones form at this rate are unknown. This project will use a combination of theoretical techniques and numerical simulation to elucidate the links between large-scale climate and the rate of tropical cyclone formation. A series of climate model experiments will be performed that also have the potential to improve confidence ....Towards a climate theory of tropical cyclone formation. In Earth's current climate, about 80 to 90 tropical cyclones form every year around the globe, but the reasons why cyclones form at this rate are unknown. This project will use a combination of theoretical techniques and numerical simulation to elucidate the links between large-scale climate and the rate of tropical cyclone formation. A series of climate model experiments will be performed that also have the potential to improve confidence in our predictions of tropical cyclone incidence in a future, changed climate.Read moreRead less
Are proposed land-based sinks for greenhouse gases resilient to climate change and natural variability? One strategy to reduce the scale of future climate change is to enhance the storage of carbon in vegetation and soils. Evidence suggests carbon stored in vegetation and soils is itself vulnerable to climate change, placing this stored carbon at risk; this project will assess this risk to advise on the reliability of using terrestrial systems as carbon sinks.
Understanding leaf water isotope composition. This project aims to quantify variation in leaf water isotopes and develop mechanistic models for paleoclimatologists and plant scientists to constrain global carbon cycles. Leaf water stable isotopes influence the isotope compositions of atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour, and impart an evaporative signal on the isotope composition of plant organic material. These isotope signals have been used to constrain global carbon and water c ....Understanding leaf water isotope composition. This project aims to quantify variation in leaf water isotopes and develop mechanistic models for paleoclimatologists and plant scientists to constrain global carbon cycles. Leaf water stable isotopes influence the isotope compositions of atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour, and impart an evaporative signal on the isotope composition of plant organic material. These isotope signals have been used to constrain global carbon and water cycles and reconstruct past climates. This project aims to quantify variation in leaf water isotopes and develop mechanistic models for use by paleoclimatologists, plant scientists and to constrain global carbon cycles and develop accurate models of leaf water isotopes to reduce uncertainty in climate models.Read moreRead less
Coupling tropical cyclone and climate physics with ocean waves. It is argued that without accounting for the wave effects directly, the physics of large-scale air-sea interactions is inaccurate and incomplete. The project will introduce explicit coupling of large-scale atmospheric and oceanic phenomena with the physics of surface waves which should lead to improved predictions of tropical cyclones and climate.
Modelling policy interventions to protect Australia's food security in the face of environmental sustainability challenges . This project will use an innovative scenario modelling approach to quantify the potential impacts of population growth and emerging climate and environmental challenges on Australia’s future food security. In collaboration with an advisory committee it will specify and prioritise policy solutions in terms of their social and economic credentials.
Re-evaluating the role of tannins in Australian forest ecosystems. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, eucalypts will respond by decreasing the amount of protein in the leaves and increasing the concentrations of toxins called tannins. Together this will have the effect of making the leaves harder for herbivores to eat and slower to break down on the forest floor. We have developed a new way of measuring these effects and will use it to show which eucalypt communities climate change will mo ....Re-evaluating the role of tannins in Australian forest ecosystems. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, eucalypts will respond by decreasing the amount of protein in the leaves and increasing the concentrations of toxins called tannins. Together this will have the effect of making the leaves harder for herbivores to eat and slower to break down on the forest floor. We have developed a new way of measuring these effects and will use it to show which eucalypt communities climate change will most affect and so which forests will become less able to support fauna. Apart from contributing to the better management of Australian forests, this project also enhances the National Carbon Accounting System by measuring how tannins influence litter decomposition and explaining the link with leaf chemistry.Read moreRead less
Determination Of Spawning Areas For King George Whiting In South-eastern Australia Using Hydrodynamic Modelling
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$152,830.00
Summary
Objectives: 1. To use spawning dates estimated from otoliths of post-larvae collected in bays and inlets of Victoria, and reverse modelling with the VIMS Bass Strait Model based on climatic conditions over the developmental period, to estimate spawning sites of King George whiting in Bass Strait or beyond.
RFIDS: National Recreational Fishing Education Program - “Establish Activities And Tools To Promote Recreational Fishing On A National Level”
Funder
Fisheries Research and Development Corporation
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The need for RF promotion and education has been recognised in many sector strategies which is part of the need to:
•(A) Promote the key messages to existing Recreational fishers ;
"The National Code of Practice for Recreational and Sport Fishing" (Recfish Australia, 2010) identifies four main areas of fishing responsibility; - Treating fish humanely; - Looking after our fisheries; - Protecting the environment and - Respecting the rights of others. Th ....The need for RF promotion and education has been recognised in many sector strategies which is part of the need to:
•(A) Promote the key messages to existing Recreational fishers ;
"The National Code of Practice for Recreational and Sport Fishing" (Recfish Australia, 2010) identifies four main areas of fishing responsibility; - Treating fish humanely; - Looking after our fisheries; - Protecting the environment and - Respecting the rights of others. This also includes a communication strategy, noting its impact in angler education.
Past key national projects in RF education have sought to inform and change angler behaviour eg. Release Fish Survival Program, NSW Rock Fishing / Angel rings (Vict / NSW), and provision of Fishing line waste bins sites at the coast. These have been “from the ground up” RF initiatives.
Educational initiatives respond to requests from RF enthusiasts for fishing clinics and “learn to fish” classes". RF education has broadened to also include fishing safety issues and impacts on non-English speaking fishers (see"Recreational Fishing and Safety in Australia...", Pepperell, 2008). RF educational agencies need to position themselves in the merging realm of social media.
There has been less focus on:
• (B) promoting the benefits of RF to the general populace;(both encouraging people to go fishing and lessening criticisms of RF- often through ingorance)
In the Recfishing Research Business Plan 2010/11 one of five strategic priorities is educational - ”... social, health and economic benefits of recreational fishing are recognised and valued by communities and governments...”. How can this be achieved?
RF education has gained minimal entry into the formal schools education system, and into non-formal education (sports/ recreation). A fuller nationally coordinated promotion and education approach is needed in this non-government voluntary sport sector. This is why the project, and the approach we propose, is needed. Objectives: 1. Review and summarise education activities relating to recreational fishing occurring around Australia. Identify common themes, key messages, target audiences, success stories and gaps. 2. Develop a national network of all those involved in the education of recreational fishers nationally, to facilitate sharing of experiences, knowledge and resources and promote consistent delivery of messages at a national scale. 3. Develop strategies and tools to engage with audiences not currently reached through fisheries education activities, and to deliver key messages to target audiences not currently being communicated with (to be identified through objective 1). 4. Encourage recreational fishers to be involved in research, community monitoring and habitat enhancement programs. Read moreRead less
Understanding the mechanisms of thermal acclimation in the symbiotic algae (Symbiodinium) within cnidarian corals. Global warming is a major threat to coral reefs, contributing to devastating coral bleaching. This project will provide new insight into how coral reefs can respond to rising global temperature through clarifying the thermal acclimation mechanisms in corals using molecular techniques.