Cascading effects of Australia's ecological extinctions on biodiversity and ecosystem function. The current rate of species extinctions is so extensive that it has been described as the “sixth mass extinction”. In Australian ecosystems, extinctions and declines of mammals have been dramatic, with formerly abundant species now “ecologically extinct”, meaning they are too rare to continue to play important ecological roles. The loss of entire functional guilds may have cascading effects on biodive ....Cascading effects of Australia's ecological extinctions on biodiversity and ecosystem function. The current rate of species extinctions is so extensive that it has been described as the “sixth mass extinction”. In Australian ecosystems, extinctions and declines of mammals have been dramatic, with formerly abundant species now “ecologically extinct”, meaning they are too rare to continue to play important ecological roles. The loss of entire functional guilds may have cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystem function. This project uses a multi-scalar experimental approach to investigate the broader impacts of mammal declines on Australian ecosystems, accounting for interactions with climate. The outcomes will include new insights into the pre-European state of Australian ecosystems and more realistic targets for ecosystem restoration.Read moreRead less
Genes to ecosystems: drivers of resilience in underwater marine forests. This project seeks to determine if population connectivity and thermal stress limits the ecological performance and capacity for biological adaptation of seaweed forests to environmental change. The rates of warming in Australia’s temperate marine environments are among the fastest in the world, threatening seaweed forests that support rich marine life and generate substantial socioeconomic values. By integrating studies of ....Genes to ecosystems: drivers of resilience in underwater marine forests. This project seeks to determine if population connectivity and thermal stress limits the ecological performance and capacity for biological adaptation of seaweed forests to environmental change. The rates of warming in Australia’s temperate marine environments are among the fastest in the world, threatening seaweed forests that support rich marine life and generate substantial socioeconomic values. By integrating studies of connectivity among seaweed forests along replicate coastlines on both sides of the Australian continent, with field and breeding experiments, this project expects to expose the role of genetic diversity in mediating ecological resilience to rapid environmental change.Read moreRead less