Forecasting live fuel moisture content, the on/off switch for forest fire. Dry forest fuels are a precursor of large bushfires. This research aims to develop, for the first time, a model to reliably forecast the moisture content of live fuels (e.g. the foliage and fine branches of shrubs and trees). This will be achieved by combining (i) satellite-derived estimates of live fuel moisture content, (ii) forecasts of soil moisture, and (iii) plant physiological responses to soil dryness. Forecasts o ....Forecasting live fuel moisture content, the on/off switch for forest fire. Dry forest fuels are a precursor of large bushfires. This research aims to develop, for the first time, a model to reliably forecast the moisture content of live fuels (e.g. the foliage and fine branches of shrubs and trees). This will be achieved by combining (i) satellite-derived estimates of live fuel moisture content, (ii) forecasts of soil moisture, and (iii) plant physiological responses to soil dryness. Forecasts of live fuel moisture content will deliver an early warning system of the risk of bushfires. These forecasts will also facilitate improved planning of prescribed burns: if fuels are too dry there is a risk of burns escaping, conversely, if fuels are too wet there is a risk that burns will fail to meet objectives.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100900
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,718.00
Summary
When and where are temperate reef communities vulnerable to ocean warming? This project will test in the laboratory and the field, when and where ocean warming will exceed the thermal limits of marine species and why certain species show greater sensitivity to warming temperatures than others. This project expects to generate robust estimates about how temperature sensitivity varies between populations across species’ ranges and identify the ecological implications for habitat loss in areas wher ....When and where are temperate reef communities vulnerable to ocean warming? This project will test in the laboratory and the field, when and where ocean warming will exceed the thermal limits of marine species and why certain species show greater sensitivity to warming temperatures than others. This project expects to generate robust estimates about how temperature sensitivity varies between populations across species’ ranges and identify the ecological implications for habitat loss in areas where thermal limits differ between key species. Expected outcomes include an enhanced capacity to detect when and where vulnerability hotspots will emerge that could jeopardise the immense social, ecological, and economic value of Australia’s temperate reefs, next to which 70% of Australians live, along 8,000 km of coastline.Read moreRead less
Reef Breath Testing (RBT): exhaled volatile-gas biomarkers of coral health. This Project aims to uncover volatile gas "fingerprints" of coral reef taxa and how they are diagnostic of healthy reef functioning over space and time. All organisms emit distinct volatile gases via physiological fine-tuning and signalling as their environments change. Whilst coral reef taxa and coral reefs are hotspots for volatile gas emissions, which gases are produced, when and why, is entirely unexplored. This proj ....Reef Breath Testing (RBT): exhaled volatile-gas biomarkers of coral health. This Project aims to uncover volatile gas "fingerprints" of coral reef taxa and how they are diagnostic of healthy reef functioning over space and time. All organisms emit distinct volatile gases via physiological fine-tuning and signalling as their environments change. Whilst coral reef taxa and coral reefs are hotspots for volatile gas emissions, which gases are produced, when and why, is entirely unexplored. This project unites a multidisciplinary team of experts to, for the first time, couple volatile gas assessment, metabolic physiology and functional genomics techniques to transform understanding of how key volatile gases underpin coral resilience to stress and disease, which is essential to improve coral reef ecosystem management.Read moreRead less
Understanding the survival of forests under drought . Droughts are predicted to become more extreme in the near future, with potentially devastating impacts on Australian forest ecosystems. This project aims to address key knowledge gaps in our understanding of how plants tolerate extreme drought stress and utilise this new knowledge to improve vegetation models suitable for assessing ecosystem vulnerability. We will use innovative experimental methodology to determine the processes by which wat ....Understanding the survival of forests under drought . Droughts are predicted to become more extreme in the near future, with potentially devastating impacts on Australian forest ecosystems. This project aims to address key knowledge gaps in our understanding of how plants tolerate extreme drought stress and utilise this new knowledge to improve vegetation models suitable for assessing ecosystem vulnerability. We will use innovative experimental methodology to determine the processes by which water transport breaks down in roots, stems and leaves and the mechanisms governing recovery from severe drought stress. The project will provide a deeper understanding of drought tolerance in trees, improved forecasting of risks to native vegetation, and enhanced management of native forest resources. Read moreRead less
Skin in the game: biomimetics, fitness and the springtail cuticle. This project aims to examine the relationship between cuticle (skin) properties, water balance, and fitness in springtails, key players in soil systems. Springtail cuticles are diverse, responsive, and extremely resistant to wetting by water, alcohol and other substances. Their Australian diversity has not been well explored for biomimetic new materials. This project expects to explore options for new applications in materials sc ....Skin in the game: biomimetics, fitness and the springtail cuticle. This project aims to examine the relationship between cuticle (skin) properties, water balance, and fitness in springtails, key players in soil systems. Springtail cuticles are diverse, responsive, and extremely resistant to wetting by water, alcohol and other substances. Their Australian diversity has not been well explored for biomimetic new materials. This project expects to explore options for new applications in materials science and engineering by generalising the cuticle structure-function relationship. Expected outcomes are new information to harness for industry the diversity of nature’s self-cleaning, water repellent surfaces. Significant benefits lie in potential new biomimetic manufacturing options.Read moreRead less
Feast or famine: how Australian plants stay productive under low phosphorus. Phosphorus (P) is in low supply in soils around the nation, and limits plant production in the Australian landscape, as well as for many tropical forests worldwide. How scarce P restricts photosynthetic capacity has remained elusive. We will determine how Australian plants achieve high phosphorus-use efficiency despite low P concentrations in leaves and soils. We will synthesise knowledge of how plants maintain producti ....Feast or famine: how Australian plants stay productive under low phosphorus. Phosphorus (P) is in low supply in soils around the nation, and limits plant production in the Australian landscape, as well as for many tropical forests worldwide. How scarce P restricts photosynthetic capacity has remained elusive. We will determine how Australian plants achieve high phosphorus-use efficiency despite low P concentrations in leaves and soils. We will synthesise knowledge of how plants maintain productivity with low P availability, and inform global models how to represent P biogeochemistry and photosynthesis to improve C-cycle estimates. The understanding of plant photosynthetic and P-saving mechanisms that emerge should provide benefits through improved ecological models and enhanced management of primary production.Read moreRead less
A step change in modeling leaf respiration-photosynthesis relationships . This project aims to use innovative, high-throughput technologies to develop a novel framework that links daytime photosynthesis and starch/amino acid mobilisation to variations in night-time leaf respiration. Variations in leaf respiration can have large impacts on ecosystem functioning and the Earth’s climate. Although advances have been made in respiration modelling, current models are unable to predict dynamic, day-to- ....A step change in modeling leaf respiration-photosynthesis relationships . This project aims to use innovative, high-throughput technologies to develop a novel framework that links daytime photosynthesis and starch/amino acid mobilisation to variations in night-time leaf respiration. Variations in leaf respiration can have large impacts on ecosystem functioning and the Earth’s climate. Although advances have been made in respiration modelling, current models are unable to predict dynamic, day-to-day variations in respiratory rates. Expected outcomes include equations that predict daily variations in night-time leaf respiration for environments across Australia and overseas. Benefits to planners include the ability to more accurately model vegetation-atmosphere carbon exchange and future changes in climate. Read moreRead less
Computing the climate-life history nexus for Australia's fauna. Life histories are the trajectories organisms follow as they develop, grow, reproduce and age; they are shaped by evolution and limited by the physical and biological environment. Recent breakthroughs by the CI allow the computation of life histories in any sequence of climatic environments, with demonstrated potential to gain new insights into the past, present and future responses of species to climate variability and change. This ....Computing the climate-life history nexus for Australia's fauna. Life histories are the trajectories organisms follow as they develop, grow, reproduce and age; they are shaped by evolution and limited by the physical and biological environment. Recent breakthroughs by the CI allow the computation of life histories in any sequence of climatic environments, with demonstrated potential to gain new insights into the past, present and future responses of species to climate variability and change. This project aims to apply the new methods to understand how species' life histories have adapted to Australia's unique physical conditions and predict how they will respond to future conditions. It will simultaneously lay the foundations for a long-term, open-access research program on species' climate responses.Read moreRead less
Diatom silica production under future ocean conditions, genes to biomes. This project aims to quantify how ocean warming and acidification will alter natural diatom assemblages and silica production rates to predict changes in the cycling and transfer of carbon and silicon in the future ocean. This project expects to generate new knowledge of environmental controls on diatom silicification and their ocean-scale implications by integrating the disciplines of physiology, molecular biology and quan ....Diatom silica production under future ocean conditions, genes to biomes. This project aims to quantify how ocean warming and acidification will alter natural diatom assemblages and silica production rates to predict changes in the cycling and transfer of carbon and silicon in the future ocean. This project expects to generate new knowledge of environmental controls on diatom silicification and their ocean-scale implications by integrating the disciplines of physiology, molecular biology and quantitative modelling. Expected outcomes include essential advancements in future simulations of marine productivity and silicon cycling and a deeper understanding of threats to marine life from climate change. This should provide significant benefits such as improved valuations on the sustainability of ocean ecosystems.Read moreRead less
The future of forests under climatic stress. This project aims to measure the vulnerability of forest trees to more extreme drought as global temperatures inevitably rise. Australian forests face the immediate threat of increased mortality associated with intensifying drought stress in the future. Understanding the magnitude of this threat is of the utmost urgency. This project aims to predict future mortality of forest communities in Australia and worldwide using recent breakthroughs enabling t ....The future of forests under climatic stress. This project aims to measure the vulnerability of forest trees to more extreme drought as global temperatures inevitably rise. Australian forests face the immediate threat of increased mortality associated with intensifying drought stress in the future. Understanding the magnitude of this threat is of the utmost urgency. This project aims to predict future mortality of forest communities in Australia and worldwide using recent breakthroughs enabling the rapid quantification of lethal stress in trees. This new understanding will provide a basis upon which to make far-reaching decisions about land management, conservation and restoration.Read moreRead less