Re-evaluating the role of tannins in Australian forest ecosystems. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, eucalypts will respond by decreasing the amount of protein in the leaves and increasing the concentrations of toxins called tannins. Together this will have the effect of making the leaves harder for herbivores to eat and slower to break down on the forest floor. We have developed a new way of measuring these effects and will use it to show which eucalypt communities climate change will mo ....Re-evaluating the role of tannins in Australian forest ecosystems. As atmospheric CO2 concentrations rise, eucalypts will respond by decreasing the amount of protein in the leaves and increasing the concentrations of toxins called tannins. Together this will have the effect of making the leaves harder for herbivores to eat and slower to break down on the forest floor. We have developed a new way of measuring these effects and will use it to show which eucalypt communities climate change will most affect and so which forests will become less able to support fauna. Apart from contributing to the better management of Australian forests, this project also enhances the National Carbon Accounting System by measuring how tannins influence litter decomposition and explaining the link with leaf chemistry.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775739
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$135,000.00
Summary
Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescr ....Environmental Research Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer (ERIRMS). The projects supported by this facility are esential to: sustainable management of Sydney's surface and groundwater; understanding food webs and trophic interactions in Sydney Harbour and elsewhere on the eastern seaboard; developing predictive models for the impacts of climate change on Australia's forests, especially carbon sequestration and water yield; understanding the trade-offs involved in managing fire risks through prescribed burning, especially trade-offs involving carbon and water; and understanding and predicting air quality and the effects of emissions from cars, industry, fires and natural sources.
Read moreRead less
Integrating biomechanics and ecology: moving from an individual- to population-level understanding of the effects of environmental change. Coral reefs, a key Australian resource, face an uncertain future due to environmental change. Up to now, environmental change research has focused on the individual level, severely limiting our predictive capacity. This project will develop a novel 'first principle' approach to solve this shortcoming and make population-level predictions possible.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989608
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$190,000.00
Summary
The Heron Island Climate Change Observatory: An In-Situ Ocean Acidification and Carbonate Chemistry Monitoring Platform. Climate change and ocean acidification are widely recognized as key threats to Australia's natural ecosystems, yet we are currently ill-equipped to respond due to poor knowledge of the scale/nature of the impacts. The Heron Island Climate Change Observatory will establish key infrastructure that will rapidly improve our understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification whic ....The Heron Island Climate Change Observatory: An In-Situ Ocean Acidification and Carbonate Chemistry Monitoring Platform. Climate change and ocean acidification are widely recognized as key threats to Australia's natural ecosystems, yet we are currently ill-equipped to respond due to poor knowledge of the scale/nature of the impacts. The Heron Island Climate Change Observatory will establish key infrastructure that will rapidly improve our understanding of the impacts of ocean acidification which is important to local communities and the nation given that coral reefs support over $6 billion in revenue (and employ 60,000 people) each year. This critically important information is essential to the management and protection of Australia's coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef.
Read moreRead less
The impact of ocean acidification on the fertilization, larval development and recruitment of key Australian marine organisms. This work will define the potential vulnerability for Australian marine ecosystems that arises from the rapid acidification of Australia's coastal environments by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. Our preliminary data suggest that the early life history stages of a wide range of marine species are very sensitive to the impact of ocean acidification. At present, almost ....The impact of ocean acidification on the fertilization, larval development and recruitment of key Australian marine organisms. This work will define the potential vulnerability for Australian marine ecosystems that arises from the rapid acidification of Australia's coastal environments by rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. Our preliminary data suggest that the early life history stages of a wide range of marine species are very sensitive to the impact of ocean acidification. At present, almost nothing is known about the impacts and implications of these changes. Without this knowledge, however, we are in a poor position as a nation to respond and adapt to these changes. We plan to explore this vulnerability for Australian marine organisms and develop a detailed understanding of its implications for Australia's marine ecosystems and associated industries. Read moreRead less
The effect of native invasions on Australian fisheries species. This project aims to forecast climate-related changes in the diversity, distribution and abundance of fisheries species. In a changing world where many people depend on oceans for food and livelihood, predicting the future distribution of fisheries species is a challenge. Native invasions and ocean warming are stressing inshore fisheries species, but rigorous empirical data and models that can reliably forecast these effects are lac ....The effect of native invasions on Australian fisheries species. This project aims to forecast climate-related changes in the diversity, distribution and abundance of fisheries species. In a changing world where many people depend on oceans for food and livelihood, predicting the future distribution of fisheries species is a challenge. Native invasions and ocean warming are stressing inshore fisheries species, but rigorous empirical data and models that can reliably forecast these effects are lacking. This project intends to reveal the drivers of successful native invasions, evaluate their effect on fish diversity and productivity, and develop holistic models that forecast their effects on inshore fisheries species’ near-future distribution and stocks.Read moreRead less
Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and con ....Quantifying tree and soil respiration and their responses to global change. The Australian Greenhouse Office, as well as independent analysis, recognizes that belowground processes must be better quantified if Australia's contributions to atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GG) are to be firmly based. A major issue is the lack of dedicated research focused on soil and plant root emissions of GG and, in particular, a lack of testing of methodologies suited to Australian soils and conditions. This project will address these concerns. We will also be addressing the clear need for further training of PhD qualified researchers in the field of climate change. Read moreRead less
Fitness in free-living populations in a changing world. We understand very little about the evolutionary and ecological response of populations to periods of rapid environmental change or volatility. New methods raise the possibility dissecting the various causes of change, and their demographic consequences. However, these methods depend on long-term studies of the genealogy, survival and reproductive success of individuals. Data on the iconic superb fairy-wren will be used to establish this ....Fitness in free-living populations in a changing world. We understand very little about the evolutionary and ecological response of populations to periods of rapid environmental change or volatility. New methods raise the possibility dissecting the various causes of change, and their demographic consequences. However, these methods depend on long-term studies of the genealogy, survival and reproductive success of individuals. Data on the iconic superb fairy-wren will be used to establish this species as a model for the study of climate change, and the extent to which living in social groups helps or hinders evolutionary response to such change.Read moreRead less
Understanding the ecological resilience of nearshore marine communities. Our thinking about climate change and its effects on marine ecosystems is shifting from considering how we can prevent it occurring to understanding how natural systems might adapt to climate change, or how we might improve the ability of these ecosystems to recover, that is, their resilience to change. In many shallow water ecosystems, one or a few key species provide habitat structure that in turn determines the abundanc ....Understanding the ecological resilience of nearshore marine communities. Our thinking about climate change and its effects on marine ecosystems is shifting from considering how we can prevent it occurring to understanding how natural systems might adapt to climate change, or how we might improve the ability of these ecosystems to recover, that is, their resilience to change. In many shallow water ecosystems, one or a few key species provide habitat structure that in turn determines the abundance of a wide range of other species. This proposal will take two important temperate marine 'engineers' and identify the factors that make them most resilient.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120101263
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Assessing the impact of global environmental change on the nutritional ecology of marsupial and insect folivores of Eucalyptus. Higher atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are predicted to alter plant nutrient and toxin content, while higher ambient temperatures may compromise the abilities of animals to metabolise plant toxins. This project will assess how climate change scenarios are likely to impact native marsupials and insects that rely on eucalypt leaves for food.