Early warning of cyanobacteria blooms in drinking water reservoirs by means of evolutionary algorithms. Estimated economic cost of cyanobacteria blooms to Australia are at $150 million p.a. Early warning for cyanobacteria blooms will inform water managers to conduct preventive and operational control in reservoirs and water works, and significantly lower risks for public health and costs for monitoring and treatment. Resulting early warning systems will be novel prototypes for cyanobacteria bloo ....Early warning of cyanobacteria blooms in drinking water reservoirs by means of evolutionary algorithms. Estimated economic cost of cyanobacteria blooms to Australia are at $150 million p.a. Early warning for cyanobacteria blooms will inform water managers to conduct preventive and operational control in reservoirs and water works, and significantly lower risks for public health and costs for monitoring and treatment. Resulting early warning systems will be novel prototypes for cyanobacteria blooms in drinking water reservoirs based on forecasting models adaptable to environmental and climate change. Model-based scenario analysis will also assist in informed decisions on effects of drought, injection of recycled water and global warming to cyanobacteria growth.Read moreRead less
Range dynamics and demographics of spatially structured populations under global change. Why are particular species present in some locations, but not others? This is a simple, fundamental ecological question, yet surprisingly, our answers on this point remain far from complete. Using an integrated, systems-based approach, we will determine the interplay between: (i) birth, death and movement rates, (ii) species interactions, and (iii) the constraints of the physical environment (temperature, ra ....Range dynamics and demographics of spatially structured populations under global change. Why are particular species present in some locations, but not others? This is a simple, fundamental ecological question, yet surprisingly, our answers on this point remain far from complete. Using an integrated, systems-based approach, we will determine the interplay between: (i) birth, death and movement rates, (ii) species interactions, and (iii) the constraints of the physical environment (temperature, rainfall, soil type), which determine the limits of species' ranges. Our models will provide Australian conservation managers with a novel, validated toolbox to explore the trade-offs, and synergies, inherent in trying to adapt to climate change and other stressors on biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Planning for a transformed future: Modelling synergistic climate change and land use impacts on biodiversity. Climate change poses a dire threat to Australia's biodiversity and natural resources due to its all-encompassing reach and the speed at which human-driven changes are taking place in already heavily modified systems. The proposed research, on modelling the synergistic impacts of anthropogenic threats, will provide new knowledge and innovative solutions for protecting unique ecosystems fa ....Planning for a transformed future: Modelling synergistic climate change and land use impacts on biodiversity. Climate change poses a dire threat to Australia's biodiversity and natural resources due to its all-encompassing reach and the speed at which human-driven changes are taking place in already heavily modified systems. The proposed research, on modelling the synergistic impacts of anthropogenic threats, will provide new knowledge and innovative solutions for protecting unique ecosystems facing severe environmental challenges this century. The validation of these new methods, which aim to capture ecological responses to global change, will represent a major and timely addition to the national research capability on climate change adaptation, and add to Australia's reputation as a global leader in the field of ecology.Read moreRead less
Sea Snake Diversification: Why Are Certain Taxa And Regions Species-Rich? By generating new knowledge of ecologically and medically important Australasian organisms, this project will benefit biodiversity management, snakebite therapy and pharmaceutical research. Sea snakes reach peak diversity in the Indo-Australian hotspot and are threatened by habitat degradation, fisheries bycatch and rising sea temperatures. Sea snake conservation and marine reserve management strategies will directly ben ....Sea Snake Diversification: Why Are Certain Taxa And Regions Species-Rich? By generating new knowledge of ecologically and medically important Australasian organisms, this project will benefit biodiversity management, snakebite therapy and pharmaceutical research. Sea snakes reach peak diversity in the Indo-Australian hotspot and are threatened by habitat degradation, fisheries bycatch and rising sea temperatures. Sea snake conservation and marine reserve management strategies will directly benefit from a better understanding of local endemism, species boundaries and possible cryptic species. Sea snakes are highly venomous and pose a significant health risk in fishing communities; venom variation has a strong phylogenetic component and is of vital importance in antivenom preparation and bioprospecting. Read moreRead less
Spatial-dynamic models to identify optimal fire mosaics, based on demography, dispersal and fire responses of plants, birds and reptiles. Inappropriate fire regimes threaten native species with extinction. The threat is higher in cleared landscapes where habitat is isolated and recolonisation unlikely. Furthermore, climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of intense bushfires. To meet the priority goals Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, and Responding to Climate Change, landscape-sca ....Spatial-dynamic models to identify optimal fire mosaics, based on demography, dispersal and fire responses of plants, birds and reptiles. Inappropriate fire regimes threaten native species with extinction. The threat is higher in cleared landscapes where habitat is isolated and recolonisation unlikely. Furthermore, climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of intense bushfires. To meet the priority goals Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, and Responding to Climate Change, landscape-scale fire management is essential. We will use simulation models based on detailed biological data and fire-behaviour to explore large-scale and long-term consequences of alternate fire management policies. Our project will enable fire mosaics to be implemented that maintain biodiversity and will identify effective fire management responses to climate change, and habitat fragmentation.Read moreRead less
Assessment of the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of subterranean animals from calcrete aquifers in central western Australia. Recently a rich and diverse subterranean invertebrate fauna (stygofauna) was unexpectedly discovered from numerous isolated calcrete aquifers associated with palaeodrainage channels in central Western Australia. Our recent taxonomic and molecular studies have suggested that stygofaunas within each aquifer may be highly endemic. We aim to test this hypothesis by in ....Assessment of the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of subterranean animals from calcrete aquifers in central western Australia. Recently a rich and diverse subterranean invertebrate fauna (stygofauna) was unexpectedly discovered from numerous isolated calcrete aquifers associated with palaeodrainage channels in central Western Australia. Our recent taxonomic and molecular studies have suggested that stygofaunas within each aquifer may be highly endemic. We aim to test this hypothesis by investigating the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of stygofauna from three major calcrete regions. We further aim to document the environmental conditions and variability within the aquifers and to develop rigorous sampling protocols. Such data are essential for the development of appropriate strategies for sustainable management of subterranean water and their ecosystems.Read moreRead less
Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservat ....Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservation as a primary goal. Reforestation is currently an unlikely option for most landholders in Australia's tropics given the lack of data on the economic benefits obtainable from such efforts. Our study examines the profits obtainable through the carbon market for each reforestation approach with the goal of increasing the feasibility of rainforest reforestation in North Queensland.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354791
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$40,000.00
Summary
Understanding the Australian Ecosystem: integrating contemporary and historical perspectives on the evolution, ecology and management of Australia's living resources. Integration of information from multiple disciplines is vital to answering questions like 'What governs distribution of evolutionary lineages in Australia? How and why did distributions change in the past? How might distributions change in the future?' We will develop a comprehensive network bringing together experts in geochronolo ....Understanding the Australian Ecosystem: integrating contemporary and historical perspectives on the evolution, ecology and management of Australia's living resources. Integration of information from multiple disciplines is vital to answering questions like 'What governs distribution of evolutionary lineages in Australia? How and why did distributions change in the past? How might distributions change in the future?' We will develop a comprehensive network bringing together experts in geochronology, geomorphology, climatology, biogeography, palaeobiology, functional anatomy and physiology, phylogenetics, biodiversity assessment, ecosystem dynamics, and population biology and modeling. This network will provide deeper understanding of and more accurate and influential management advice for Australia's biotic resources. The public outreach program to be developed will be significant given the high profile of many participants.Read moreRead less
Avian Recruitment: The Key to Maintaining Biodiversity. With increased global trade, the threat to native species from the spread of disease and parasites requires exploration. This is particularly relevant as we link fragmented habitats through vegetation corridors at a national level, thereby creating potential pathways for disease transmission and predator access. This study will contribute to Research Priority 4: Safeguarding Australia from invasive diseases and pests. It will do this by gen ....Avian Recruitment: The Key to Maintaining Biodiversity. With increased global trade, the threat to native species from the spread of disease and parasites requires exploration. This is particularly relevant as we link fragmented habitats through vegetation corridors at a national level, thereby creating potential pathways for disease transmission and predator access. This study will contribute to Research Priority 4: Safeguarding Australia from invasive diseases and pests. It will do this by generating a detailed understanding of the link between nesting success, parasite transmission, and immune response in endemic Australian birds in geographically separate populations. The results will be used to inform the establishment of vegetation corridors in the proposed study sites in the next decade.Read moreRead less
Understanding successional processes to maintain vertebrate populations in production landscapes. This project will develop principles that will help maintain biodiversity across production landscapes and provide national benefits by furthering the ability of resource extraction industries to conduct their activities in areas of conservation value, while maintaining those values. By providing greater confidence in the ability of land managers to balance the needs of resource extraction and socia ....Understanding successional processes to maintain vertebrate populations in production landscapes. This project will develop principles that will help maintain biodiversity across production landscapes and provide national benefits by furthering the ability of resource extraction industries to conduct their activities in areas of conservation value, while maintaining those values. By providing greater confidence in the ability of land managers to balance the needs of resource extraction and social benefits, such as conservation, recreation, water management and tourism, the project will have important community benefits. Given the high level of endemism in the jarrah forest, this project will also help maintain biodiversity and will provide a critical national benefit.Read moreRead less