What is the spatial and environmental distribution of phylogenetic diversity in the Australian biota? Almost nothing is known about the geographic distribution of phylogenetic relationships across Australia at fine resolutions of the order of tens of kilometres. The aim of this research is to map the spatial patterns of phylogenetic diversity in the Australian biota and identify possible environmental controls over them. We will analyse five disparate groups at a spatial resolution that is ord ....What is the spatial and environmental distribution of phylogenetic diversity in the Australian biota? Almost nothing is known about the geographic distribution of phylogenetic relationships across Australia at fine resolutions of the order of tens of kilometres. The aim of this research is to map the spatial patterns of phylogenetic diversity in the Australian biota and identify possible environmental controls over them. We will analyse five disparate groups at a spatial resolution that is orders of magnitude finer than previous research, analysing their relationship with possible environmental controls using advanced spatial analysis methods. The knowledge we will generate about the spatial distribution of these relationships is essential to understand and conserve Australia's unique biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Ecology of insect herbivore assemblages: influence of climate, evolutionary history and plant traits. The results from this project will be a key reference when assessing future impacts of human-induced impacts on natural communities. Our research will provide insights into the impacts of climate change on herbivorous insects associated with Acacia: the dominant plant genus in the major climatic zones of Australia. Results and conclusions from this research will aid land-holders, government agen ....Ecology of insect herbivore assemblages: influence of climate, evolutionary history and plant traits. The results from this project will be a key reference when assessing future impacts of human-induced impacts on natural communities. Our research will provide insights into the impacts of climate change on herbivorous insects associated with Acacia: the dominant plant genus in the major climatic zones of Australia. Results and conclusions from this research will aid land-holders, government agencies and other parties in determining how important Acacia-dominated ecosystems are in conserving insect biodiversity in a range of different habitats within regional and rural Australia. Our research will also aid in a better understanding of biocontrol agents of Australian Acacia pest species here and overseas.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the last great Gondwanan mystery: the first land vertebrate fauna from the Tertiary of New Zealand. This project will dramatically increase knowledge about Australia's and New Zealand's shared biodiversity and the history of trans-Tasman dispersals. By comparing Australian and New Zealand fossil records, it will be possible to assess the speed at which evolving vertebrates of one landmass invade another, as well as the biotic consequences of such events, and provide data important fo ....Unravelling the last great Gondwanan mystery: the first land vertebrate fauna from the Tertiary of New Zealand. This project will dramatically increase knowledge about Australia's and New Zealand's shared biodiversity and the history of trans-Tasman dispersals. By comparing Australian and New Zealand fossil records, it will be possible to assess the speed at which evolving vertebrates of one landmass invade another, as well as the biotic consequences of such events, and provide data important for predicting and responding to future potentially-damaging events of this kind. Developing understanding about the timing and intensity of antipodean faunal response to past climate change will improve ability to anticipate and manage processes that threaten ecosystem resilience in both lands.Read moreRead less
Why are Australian cycads endangered: pollinators, climate or humans? The project aims to determine whether Australian cycads were threatened by historical processes, such as ancient climate change, megafaunal extinction, increased fire regimes and pollinator disruption, or by post-European changes to their environment. Globally, and in Australia, a majority of cycad species are currently listed as vulnerable or endangered. Land-clearing post-European settlement is thought to be the major threat ....Why are Australian cycads endangered: pollinators, climate or humans? The project aims to determine whether Australian cycads were threatened by historical processes, such as ancient climate change, megafaunal extinction, increased fire regimes and pollinator disruption, or by post-European changes to their environment. Globally, and in Australia, a majority of cycad species are currently listed as vulnerable or endangered. Land-clearing post-European settlement is thought to be the major threat, but Australian cycads might already have been restricted to refugia following the aridification of Australia or landscape changes induced by the arrival of the first humans. Project findings should inform management of a group of vulnerable plants, and contribute to our understanding of the maintenance of biodiversity in general.Read moreRead less
How isolated is Antarctica? Assessing past and present plant colonisations. The project aims to assess how biologically isolated Antarctica is by discovering how, when and where natural colonisations of the continent have occurred. The research will focus on mosses, the dominant plant group in the Antarctic. genomic tools will be combined with environmental, spatial, and ecological data to assess mechanisms and directions of dispersal to and around Antarctica, and to predict areas most likely to ....How isolated is Antarctica? Assessing past and present plant colonisations. The project aims to assess how biologically isolated Antarctica is by discovering how, when and where natural colonisations of the continent have occurred. The research will focus on mosses, the dominant plant group in the Antarctic. genomic tools will be combined with environmental, spatial, and ecological data to assess mechanisms and directions of dispersal to and around Antarctica, and to predict areas most likely to be colonised in the future. This will help understand the processes underpinning the evolution and diversity of Antarctic species, and the vulnerability and adaptability of Antarctic ecosystems. Read moreRead less
Coral Reef Fishes And The Global Decline In Reef Health: Is Biodiversity At Risk Or Resilient? Successful management and protection of marine species depends on understanding the processes that control the biodiversity of marine communities at both local and regional scales. This study will develop a general model to predict the response of reef fish communities to declining habitat structure and diversity across the tropical Pacific Ocean. Using expertise and ecological tools developed in Austr ....Coral Reef Fishes And The Global Decline In Reef Health: Is Biodiversity At Risk Or Resilient? Successful management and protection of marine species depends on understanding the processes that control the biodiversity of marine communities at both local and regional scales. This study will develop a general model to predict the response of reef fish communities to declining habitat structure and diversity across the tropical Pacific Ocean. Using expertise and ecological tools developed in Australia, and in collaboration with scientists working on the other side of the Pacific, this project will develop a broad-scale understanding of the threats to coral reefs and play a leading role in the development of marine-biodiversity management plans for Australia and neighbouring regions.Read moreRead less
Biodiversity in high rainfall mediterranean-climate ecosystems: Integrating fields of ecological enquiry to achieve improved conservation outcomes. This project targets research priority 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' through the management and protection of Australia's terrestrial biodiversity, and by increasing understanding of the impact of climate change and variability at the local to regional level. By linking disparate data sets across similar climatic regions, and through dir ....Biodiversity in high rainfall mediterranean-climate ecosystems: Integrating fields of ecological enquiry to achieve improved conservation outcomes. This project targets research priority 'An Environmentally Sustainable Australia' through the management and protection of Australia's terrestrial biodiversity, and by increasing understanding of the impact of climate change and variability at the local to regional level. By linking disparate data sets across similar climatic regions, and through direct links to management agencies, this project will enable development of a landscape conservation culture for improved conservation outcomes, and more direct information use through science-based adaptive management. Efficient use of existing data and the 'promotion of an innovation culture and economy' by linking global perspectives to local conservation needs, are hallmarks of this project.Read moreRead less
Taking eDNA underground: transforming assessment of subterranean ecosystems. This project aims to improve Environmental Impact Assessment and monitoring of subterranean ecosystems by developing a rigorous, credible and practicable environmental DNA assessment framework. Resource companies in Western Australia are mandated to assess groundwater biodiversity under Environmental Protection legislation. Current surveys are time-consuming (expensive) and biased toward common taxa. For regulators, sta ....Taking eDNA underground: transforming assessment of subterranean ecosystems. This project aims to improve Environmental Impact Assessment and monitoring of subterranean ecosystems by developing a rigorous, credible and practicable environmental DNA assessment framework. Resource companies in Western Australia are mandated to assess groundwater biodiversity under Environmental Protection legislation. Current surveys are time-consuming (expensive) and biased toward common taxa. For regulators, stakeholders and industry involved in this project we will provide real-world information and cost savings through innovation in understanding patterns in species boundaries and detection of subterranean fauna. The outcomes will be directly applicable to monitoring subterranean ecosystems across Australia and internationally.Read moreRead less
Effectiveness of temperate Australian marine protected areas as tools for biodiversity conservation and informing fisheries management. The effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) for biodiversity protection and informing fisheries management will be investigated at a continental scale for the first time. Communities of fishes, invertebrates and plants at >100 sites within MPAs in WA, NSW and Tasmania will be studied from prior to fisheries protection, with changes over time compared with ....Effectiveness of temperate Australian marine protected areas as tools for biodiversity conservation and informing fisheries management. The effectiveness of marine protected areas (MPAs) for biodiversity protection and informing fisheries management will be investigated at a continental scale for the first time. Communities of fishes, invertebrates and plants at >100 sites within MPAs in WA, NSW and Tasmania will be studied from prior to fisheries protection, with changes over time compared with changes at fished reference sites. This study represents a human predator exclusion experiment with a scale sufficiently large to distinguish general patterns from among site specific and species specific variability. It will provide management authorities with information crucial to determining MPA number, size and configuration.Read moreRead less
Warrakan'puy Djäma: A new biocultural approach to fauna conservation. This project aims to record endangered Indigenous knowledge of fauna and integrate this with innovative Western science to develop Australia’s first cross-cultural fauna conservation strategy. In partnership with the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area and one of Australia’s strongest Aboriginal cultural groups, the Yolngu, this project expects to generate new biocultural solutions to two of the most urgent challenges of our t ....Warrakan'puy Djäma: A new biocultural approach to fauna conservation. This project aims to record endangered Indigenous knowledge of fauna and integrate this with innovative Western science to develop Australia’s first cross-cultural fauna conservation strategy. In partnership with the Laynhapuy Indigenous Protected Area and one of Australia’s strongest Aboriginal cultural groups, the Yolngu, this project expects to generate new biocultural solutions to two of the most urgent challenges of our time: species and cultural loss. The expected outcomes include targeted on-ground fauna surveys with Elders, Rangers and youth, cross-cultural knowledge mapping, new species and landscape genetics. Innovative multimedia knowledge sharing platforms will demonstrate the multiple benefits of cross-cultural fauna science. Read moreRead less