The major histocompatibility complex and scent-mediated mate choice in a Procellariiform, Gould's petrel. In Australia, there are 25 species of Procellariiformes listed as threatened or endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Formulating comprehensive conservation plans for endangered species requires a good understanding of the species' breeding biology yet virtually nothing is known about the mechanisms involved in mate choice in the procellariiforms ....The major histocompatibility complex and scent-mediated mate choice in a Procellariiform, Gould's petrel. In Australia, there are 25 species of Procellariiformes listed as threatened or endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Formulating comprehensive conservation plans for endangered species requires a good understanding of the species' breeding biology yet virtually nothing is known about the mechanisms involved in mate choice in the procellariiforms. A better understanding of the traits these long-lived birds use when choosing their lifelong breeding partner could greatly benefit conservation strategies designed to protect them. This could be particularly beneficial where translocation is an option because birds being translocated could be assessed for compatibility prior to translocation.Read moreRead less
Increasing the effectiveness of Australian threatened bird conservation. Conservation of threatened species is expensive and success rare or fleeting. Analysis of nearly three decades of threatened species conservation management, and an understanding of the complex of factors that affect success, will help increase the efficiency of conservation planning. Improved understanding of the biological, economic, social and institutional environment within which conservation management occurs will hel ....Increasing the effectiveness of Australian threatened bird conservation. Conservation of threatened species is expensive and success rare or fleeting. Analysis of nearly three decades of threatened species conservation management, and an understanding of the complex of factors that affect success, will help increase the efficiency of conservation planning. Improved understanding of the biological, economic, social and institutional environment within which conservation management occurs will help managers allocate resources appropriately. This type of analysis has never been done for an entire fauna at a continental scale and will have global significance. Furthermore the networks to which the investigators are connected will ensure that the results can be rapidly translated into practice.Read moreRead less
Aquatic eye design: sharks and rays as models of underwater colour and luminance vision. Sharks are usually assumed to be colour blind. We have discovered that they may in fact see colour very well and that the eyes of different species are adapted to their particular lifestyles. Our research will help to raise the profile of sharks and portray them as animals with advanced sensory systems and complex visual behaviours rather than just dangerous killing machines. Studying the vision of sharks m ....Aquatic eye design: sharks and rays as models of underwater colour and luminance vision. Sharks are usually assumed to be colour blind. We have discovered that they may in fact see colour very well and that the eyes of different species are adapted to their particular lifestyles. Our research will help to raise the profile of sharks and portray them as animals with advanced sensory systems and complex visual behaviours rather than just dangerous killing machines. Studying the vision of sharks may also help to reduce the number (currently >50,000) that are killed each year as bycatch by Australian long-line fisheries and make a valuable contribution to one of Australia's National Research Priorities (an Environmentally Sustainable Australia) for managing and conserving our biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Fertility Management of Koalas, Kangaroos and Wallabies. The aims of this work are to test a commercially available long-acting contraceptive on large populations of kangaroos and koalas, and to devise efficient, economic and practical ways of delivering these contraceptives to the animals. The outcome will be a system of controlling the number of these animals which is economically realistic and acceptable to national and international communities. The contraceptive is administered as a small, ....Fertility Management of Koalas, Kangaroos and Wallabies. The aims of this work are to test a commercially available long-acting contraceptive on large populations of kangaroos and koalas, and to devise efficient, economic and practical ways of delivering these contraceptives to the animals. The outcome will be a system of controlling the number of these animals which is economically realistic and acceptable to national and international communities. The contraceptive is administered as a small, subcutaneous implant in the back of the neck. It can be inserted very quickly and has no harmful side effects. A further outcome may be its adoption in other parts of the world, to the advantage of the company which manufactures it.Read moreRead less
Comparative ecology of common and threatened plants in fire-prone habitats. There is a critical lack of data on the fire responses of many threatened plant species in Australia, yet such information is essential for species recovery planning and land management. This project will use plants in the Family Epacridaceae (the heaths) as a case study to test whether particular plant traits are associated with rarity vs commonness in fire prone habitats of south eastern Australia. The results will in ....Comparative ecology of common and threatened plants in fire-prone habitats. There is a critical lack of data on the fire responses of many threatened plant species in Australia, yet such information is essential for species recovery planning and land management. This project will use plants in the Family Epacridaceae (the heaths) as a case study to test whether particular plant traits are associated with rarity vs commonness in fire prone habitats of south eastern Australia. The results will increase knowledge of the ecology of this particular, under-studied plant group and will also enable the development of ecologically sound fire management practices, especially in relation to threatened species.Read moreRead less
Translocation as a Conservation Strategy for the Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard. This project contributes to the body of research guiding efforts to conserve the biodiversity of Australia. It will benefit the broader scientific community by advancing knowledge of the dynamics of endangered species, and the role of recruits to the population. It has particular potential benefits for the local conservation activities of the community of the Burra area, by informing landholders of best conservation practi ....Translocation as a Conservation Strategy for the Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard. This project contributes to the body of research guiding efforts to conserve the biodiversity of Australia. It will benefit the broader scientific community by advancing knowledge of the dynamics of endangered species, and the role of recruits to the population. It has particular potential benefits for the local conservation activities of the community of the Burra area, by informing landholders of best conservation practices and by providing a firm basis for actions by the pygmy bluetongue recovery programRead moreRead less
Marine conservation planning for persistent coral reef communities: Incorporating connectivity and resilience. Australia's biological diversity underpins much of our economic wealth - for example the remarkable diversity of coral reefs fuels a multibillion dollar tourism industry. However, despite substantial efforts to conserve marine ecosystems, Australian coral reefs are at increasing risk from climate change related catastrophes. To counteract this trend, we must choose marine reserve networ ....Marine conservation planning for persistent coral reef communities: Incorporating connectivity and resilience. Australia's biological diversity underpins much of our economic wealth - for example the remarkable diversity of coral reefs fuels a multibillion dollar tourism industry. However, despite substantial efforts to conserve marine ecosystems, Australian coral reefs are at increasing risk from climate change related catastrophes. To counteract this trend, we must choose marine reserve networks using methods that account for the dynamic nature of climate change and reef community responses to maximise the persistence of reef biodiversity. The new theory and methods will enable us to create more effective and economically efficient marine reserve systems.Read moreRead less
The roles of stress and immunocompetence in biological invasions. Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity worldwide; and within Australia, cane toads are widely viewed as one of the biggest such problems. Building on recent studies that reveal weakened immune systems in invasion-front toads, this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of immune responses in cane toads and native frogs, with the aim of exploiting the toads' immunocompromised state to develop new and more ....The roles of stress and immunocompetence in biological invasions. Invasive species pose a major threat to biodiversity worldwide; and within Australia, cane toads are widely viewed as one of the biggest such problems. Building on recent studies that reveal weakened immune systems in invasion-front toads, this project will provide a comprehensive understanding of immune responses in cane toads and native frogs, with the aim of exploiting the toads' immunocompromised state to develop new and more effective control measures. The project will develop a new paradigm about the roles of stress and immunity in biological invasion, applicable to the control of other invasive species and to understanding processes at work when environmental changes force species to shift their ranges.Read moreRead less
Applying search theory for eradicating invasive species. Invasive species have major economic and environmental impacts in Australia and are a major cause of extinctions worldwide. Monitoring is crucial for the timely control of invasive species in sensitive environments. Early detection increases the probability of eradication and increased accuracy in detection reduces the impact of control programs on non-target species. Efficient monitoring also is crucial in determining whether eradication ....Applying search theory for eradicating invasive species. Invasive species have major economic and environmental impacts in Australia and are a major cause of extinctions worldwide. Monitoring is crucial for the timely control of invasive species in sensitive environments. Early detection increases the probability of eradication and increased accuracy in detection reduces the impact of control programs on non-target species. Efficient monitoring also is crucial in determining whether eradication has succeeded. Search Theory has been applied for over 60 years in a wide range of non-biological monitoring problems, resulting in large increases in target detection rates. Gains of a similar magnitude in invasive species detection would greatly enhance Australia's capacity to manage these threats.Read moreRead less
Naturalisation to invasion: how do naturalised plants become successful invaders? Invasive plants have enormous environmental, economic and social impacts in Australia, significantly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes, agricultural productivity and recreational amenity. This research will contribute substantially to our understanding of the processes that underlie the transition from naturalised to invasive for introduced plants. By identifying the key factors enabling naturalised pl ....Naturalisation to invasion: how do naturalised plants become successful invaders? Invasive plants have enormous environmental, economic and social impacts in Australia, significantly affecting biodiversity and ecosystem processes, agricultural productivity and recreational amenity. This research will contribute substantially to our understanding of the processes that underlie the transition from naturalised to invasive for introduced plants. By identifying the key factors enabling naturalised plant species to become invasive pests, this research will enable plant species most likely to threaten Australia's biodiversity and agricultural productivity to be identified and prioritized for screening and eradication.Read moreRead less