Plant species economics and strategy-dimensions of plant ecology. Ecological strategies of plant species are differentiated mainly along economic dimensions. Four key dimensions are the leaf lifespan - leaf mass per area tradeoff, the seed mass - seed output tradeoff, the leaf size - twig size spectrum, and canopy height at maturity. Each dimension reflects a spectrum of allocation patterns. Costs, benefits, tradeoffs and correlations underpinning these strategy-dimensions will be investigated w ....Plant species economics and strategy-dimensions of plant ecology. Ecological strategies of plant species are differentiated mainly along economic dimensions. Four key dimensions are the leaf lifespan - leaf mass per area tradeoff, the seed mass - seed output tradeoff, the leaf size - twig size spectrum, and canopy height at maturity. Each dimension reflects a spectrum of allocation patterns. Costs, benefits, tradeoffs and correlations underpinning these strategy-dimensions will be investigated within Australia, and in collaboration with partner investigators overseas.Read moreRead less
Plant ecological strategies across species and an evolutionary-ecology vegetation model. This proposal is aimed at fundamental science about plant traits and water use and flammability. These vegetation processes underpin management of bushfires, water, salinity and carbon storage, which are national priorities for An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. The proposal pursues cost-benefit understanding of stem-leaf relations and of flammability, and aims also to develop an evolutionary-ecology ....Plant ecological strategies across species and an evolutionary-ecology vegetation model. This proposal is aimed at fundamental science about plant traits and water use and flammability. These vegetation processes underpin management of bushfires, water, salinity and carbon storage, which are national priorities for An Environmentally Sustainable Australia. The proposal pursues cost-benefit understanding of stem-leaf relations and of flammability, and aims also to develop an evolutionary-ecology vegetation model (EEVM). An EEVM will encapsulate the next generation of fundamental ecological science, with direct application for global change scenarios and for ecosystem management. This proposal forms a network among outstanding laboratories internationally for the purpose, and gives Australia a lead role.Read moreRead less
Leaf economics, and the acquisition and use of water and nitrogen for photosynthesis. Successful and sustainable management of both natural and human-modified ecosystems flows from advances in our understanding of the fundamentals of plant ecology. Improved understanding of acquisition and use of water and nutrients by plants should lead not only to better management in the present day, but better-founded management decisions under possible future scenarios such as global warming, higher atmosph ....Leaf economics, and the acquisition and use of water and nitrogen for photosynthesis. Successful and sustainable management of both natural and human-modified ecosystems flows from advances in our understanding of the fundamentals of plant ecology. Improved understanding of acquisition and use of water and nutrients by plants should lead not only to better management in the present day, but better-founded management decisions under possible future scenarios such as global warming, higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations or altered rainfall regimes. High-impact publications resulting from this project will sustain Australian leadership in environmental plant biology.Read moreRead less
Understanding the impact of heat stress on cognition in a changing world. Our research will determine how anthropogenic climate change effects the ability of animals to process information in their environment. This research is significant because it directly addresses the growing issue of wildlife adaptation to climate change. If heat stress, reported widely in wildlife both in Australia and globally, impairs an animal's ability to respond to stimuli in its surrounding environment, then this ma ....Understanding the impact of heat stress on cognition in a changing world. Our research will determine how anthropogenic climate change effects the ability of animals to process information in their environment. This research is significant because it directly addresses the growing issue of wildlife adaptation to climate change. If heat stress, reported widely in wildlife both in Australia and globally, impairs an animal's ability to respond to stimuli in its surrounding environment, then this may cause lower reproductive success (eg lower predator detection rates) and population declines. We aim to identify critical temperature points beyond which the cognitive responses of animals decline rapidly - a significant finding for effective wildlife management priorities in the face of rapid climate change. Read moreRead less
Avian migrants as vectors of zoonotic diseases in a changing world. There is an urgent need to understand the role of migratory birds in spreading avian influenza and other diseases. This project focuses on the effect of global change on the interactions between avian influenza and threatened waders migrating between the Arctic, Asia and Australia. This project will help us assess and manage the health risks to man and birds alike.
Global implications of Australian Cretaceous faunas: biogeography, evolution and effects of climate change. Climate change is a critical issue with poorly known long-term effects. This collaboration will provide information on how marine and terrestrial faunas have responded to environmental alteration in the past. Mesozoic vertebrates make spectacular fossils that capture public attention. This collaboration will enhance public museum displays by collection and preparation of important new spec ....Global implications of Australian Cretaceous faunas: biogeography, evolution and effects of climate change. Climate change is a critical issue with poorly known long-term effects. This collaboration will provide information on how marine and terrestrial faunas have responded to environmental alteration in the past. Mesozoic vertebrates make spectacular fossils that capture public attention. This collaboration will enhance public museum displays by collection and preparation of important new specimens; many found by the investigators are already centerpieces in major museums (e.g. SA Museum). This project will also promote awareness and sustainable use of the environment through media promotion and 'earthwatch-style' ecotourism field trips; these highlight finite fossil resources as lucrative sources of tourism revenue to regional communities. Read moreRead less
Contemporary ecological threats from historical pollution events and their modification by environmental conditions. Many Australian ports have contaminated sediments that are a legacy of industrial pollution. The resuspension of these sediments through shipping or dredging activity represents an obvious, yet unsubstantiated, threat to the biodiversity and health of marine communities living well above the seafloor. This research proposal addresses a strategic knowledge gap with implications for ....Contemporary ecological threats from historical pollution events and their modification by environmental conditions. Many Australian ports have contaminated sediments that are a legacy of industrial pollution. The resuspension of these sediments through shipping or dredging activity represents an obvious, yet unsubstantiated, threat to the biodiversity and health of marine communities living well above the seafloor. This research proposal addresses a strategic knowledge gap with implications for appropriate management of port operations. Identifying the conditions under which contaminated sediments may cause an impact, and the environmental factors that modify these effects, will produce significant advances in scientific understanding and the results will be of strategic interest to all Australian Port Authorities. Read moreRead less
How does flow regulation affect food web linkages between juvenile and larval fish and aquatic invertebrates in a coastal river? River regulation to supply water for human demands has altered flow regimes in many Australian rivers. These changes in flow impact on native invertebrate and fish community composition. Environmental flow allocations seek to alleviate these impacts but managers are hampered by lack of data on the effects of flow on food web linkages, particularly for juvenile and lar ....How does flow regulation affect food web linkages between juvenile and larval fish and aquatic invertebrates in a coastal river? River regulation to supply water for human demands has altered flow regimes in many Australian rivers. These changes in flow impact on native invertebrate and fish community composition. Environmental flow allocations seek to alleviate these impacts but managers are hampered by lack of data on the effects of flow on food web linkages, particularly for juvenile and larval fish (JLF). We aim to compare food webs of invertebrates and JLF in six tributaries of the Hunter River, three of which are regulated, to determine how flow regulation changes trophic linkages. A flow release in one tributary will let us test the hypothesis that river regulation restricts food availability to JLF, reducing their viability, growth rates, and abundance.Read moreRead less
Understanding the relationship between sociality and cognition. The evolution of cognition is a fundamentally important yet poorly researched area. It has recently become clear that rather than measuring cognitive performance between species, understanding the causes of intraspecific variation in cognitive performance is vital to accurately measure the selective benefits of cognition. Recent groundbreaking research on Australian magpies has revealed individual differences in cognitive performanc ....Understanding the relationship between sociality and cognition. The evolution of cognition is a fundamentally important yet poorly researched area. It has recently become clear that rather than measuring cognitive performance between species, understanding the causes of intraspecific variation in cognitive performance is vital to accurately measure the selective benefits of cognition. Recent groundbreaking research on Australian magpies has revealed individual differences in cognitive performance are influenced by differences in sociality. This proposal will determine the causality of these results by examining the developmental and fitness consequences of individual differences in cognitive performance in relation to social interactions, thus directly addressing the sociality-cognition debate.Read moreRead less
Sources of genetic and phenotypic variation in sexual selection. This project will contribute towards Australia's reputation as a country where excellent and original research in evolutionary biology is conducted. The project will focus on the evolution of mate choice in the Western Australian rainbowfish, which has never been formally studied. Our research will therefore work towards a better understanding of Australian native fauna. Conceptually, the work encompasses new and innovative experim ....Sources of genetic and phenotypic variation in sexual selection. This project will contribute towards Australia's reputation as a country where excellent and original research in evolutionary biology is conducted. The project will focus on the evolution of mate choice in the Western Australian rainbowfish, which has never been formally studied. Our research will therefore work towards a better understanding of Australian native fauna. Conceptually, the work encompasses new and innovative experimental procedures that will address fundamental questions in sexual selection. The results will ultimately be geared towards publication in the highest ranking journals, thereby promoting Australian science on the international stage. Australian science will further benefit from the training of young scientists.Read moreRead less