Applying macroecology to assist in the management of Kakadu National Park. The ecological integrity of Kakadu National Park is threatened by fires, weeds, and feral animals. To help tackle these problems, we will develop a cost-effective, culturally appropriate, park-wide monitoring system based on changes in the boundaries of closed forests, woodland and grassland. We will gauge the effect of broad-scale land management interventions, and predict the consequences of future change. The findings ....Applying macroecology to assist in the management of Kakadu National Park. The ecological integrity of Kakadu National Park is threatened by fires, weeds, and feral animals. To help tackle these problems, we will develop a cost-effective, culturally appropriate, park-wide monitoring system based on changes in the boundaries of closed forests, woodland and grassland. We will gauge the effect of broad-scale land management interventions, and predict the consequences of future change. The findings of this study will be transferable to other landscape settings in Australia and overseas. It will contribute to debates about the ecological consequences of current land management practices and how these compare with past Aboriginal land management.Read moreRead less
Incorporation of vulnerability and irreplaceability into marine protected area planning. The primary national benefit will be to better safeguard biological diversity by reducing extinction risk for marine species. This will be achieved through analysis of factors affecting extinction risk, and through the development of protocols to improve the siting of marine protected areas for conservation outcomes. A more effective National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas will be achieved t ....Incorporation of vulnerability and irreplaceability into marine protected area planning. The primary national benefit will be to better safeguard biological diversity by reducing extinction risk for marine species. This will be achieved through analysis of factors affecting extinction risk, and through the development of protocols to improve the siting of marine protected areas for conservation outcomes. A more effective National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas will be achieved through decreased extinction risk and lower opportunity costs. In addition, a quantitative baseline dataset will be obtained for evaluating long-term changes in threatened marine species populations, and the effectiveness of future management actions aimed to safeguard threatened species.Read moreRead less
Pelagic ecosystem linkages in a changing Southern Ocean. Our study, which aims to better describe and understand the ecology of the vast Ocean to the south of Australia, will provide the information that will assist in managing this region in an era of change. Many species are of significant conservation concern, others are recovering from previous harvesting, some are being harvested and all will be affected by a changing climate. Understanding the ecosystem linkages and the way in which the p ....Pelagic ecosystem linkages in a changing Southern Ocean. Our study, which aims to better describe and understand the ecology of the vast Ocean to the south of Australia, will provide the information that will assist in managing this region in an era of change. Many species are of significant conservation concern, others are recovering from previous harvesting, some are being harvested and all will be affected by a changing climate. Understanding the ecosystem linkages and the way in which the physical environment affects the distribution and abundance of key ecosystem components will allow us to better manage the system and to predict the effects of future climate change. Read moreRead less