New thinking on the relationship of dingo ecology to biodiversity conservation and sustainable cattle production. This project will provide new understanding of the role of Australia's only native large mammal predator in sustaining biodiversity and ecological function. This will result in improved management of dingoes as a key part of Australian ecosystems. The project will also test the possibility that relaxation of current controls on dingoes could provide net benefits to beef cattle produc ....New thinking on the relationship of dingo ecology to biodiversity conservation and sustainable cattle production. This project will provide new understanding of the role of Australia's only native large mammal predator in sustaining biodiversity and ecological function. This will result in improved management of dingoes as a key part of Australian ecosystems. The project will also test the possibility that relaxation of current controls on dingoes could provide net benefits to beef cattle producers, and thereby improve the viability and sustainability of Australia's cattle-grazing industry.Read moreRead less
The contribution of human/marine herbivore interactions to reef degradation. This project aims to define how interactions between human society and herbivores influence marine ecosystem structure and function. It will analyse geographic patterns from recent systematic sampling of reef communities worldwide and study fish, macro-invertebrate and meso-grazer herbivory to identify herbivores’ role in the collapse and recovery of reef ecosystems. This project will examine the match between a critica ....The contribution of human/marine herbivore interactions to reef degradation. This project aims to define how interactions between human society and herbivores influence marine ecosystem structure and function. It will analyse geographic patterns from recent systematic sampling of reef communities worldwide and study fish, macro-invertebrate and meso-grazer herbivory to identify herbivores’ role in the collapse and recovery of reef ecosystems. This project will examine the match between a critical ecosystem function and community structure across local to global scales, including the identification of non-linearities and interactions involving human effects on this process. This research is expected to safeguard marine ecosystems from collapse.Read moreRead less
Quantifying the impacts of environmental stress on marine microorganisms. Microorganisms underpin marine ecosystem health, yet there is limited understanding of how they will respond to different environmental pressures. This project will resolve this critical knowledge gap by developing a unique molecular platform for deriving quantitative stress thresholds for microbial communities inhabiting key reef habitats (seawater, sediments, invertebrates). Quantifying how reef microorganisms respond to ....Quantifying the impacts of environmental stress on marine microorganisms. Microorganisms underpin marine ecosystem health, yet there is limited understanding of how they will respond to different environmental pressures. This project will resolve this critical knowledge gap by developing a unique molecular platform for deriving quantitative stress thresholds for microbial communities inhabiting key reef habitats (seawater, sediments, invertebrates). Quantifying how reef microorganisms respond to a broad suite of environmental perturbations (temperature, nutrients, contaminants), will generate stress-response data that can be incorporated alongside eukaryotic data in environmental assessments, greatly improving the ecological relevance and reliability of risk and vulnerability assessments.Read moreRead less
Disease in endangered species: The importance of multiple-host infection and spatial structure. Pathogens are increasingly recognised as threats to endangered species. Managing such threats requires models to assess alternative strategies. Most current models deal with a single host and single pathogen, without spatial structure, although multiple-host pathogens pose the greatest conservation threats. This project develops a new generation of spatially-structured multiple-host models, and applie ....Disease in endangered species: The importance of multiple-host infection and spatial structure. Pathogens are increasingly recognised as threats to endangered species. Managing such threats requires models to assess alternative strategies. Most current models deal with a single host and single pathogen, without spatial structure, although multiple-host pathogens pose the greatest conservation threats. This project develops a new generation of spatially-structured multiple-host models, and applies them to two case studies. The first is the chytrid fungus that is thought to have lead to widespread declines and extinctions of frogs in Australia and overseas. The second is birdpox and malaria that have led to the extinction and endangerment of much of Hawaii's endemic avifauna.Read moreRead less
Keystone effects of Australia's top predators: dingoes, devils and biodiversity. This project will study the interactions of Australia's two largest predators, the dingo and Tasmanian devil, with other species. The project will help develop an understanding of the value of these predators in maintaining ecosystem processes and diversity, and guide their management in the future.
Investigating the genetic basis for heterogeneous susceptibility of Tasmanian devils to a novel infectious cancer. This project will use genetics and modelling to reveal why Tasmanian devils in northwest Tasmania are not dying from facial tumour disease, a new, unusual infectious cancer threatening this iconic carnivore with extinction. This project will predict extinction risk, develop management options, and provide a new template for managing emerging wildlife diseases.
Ultrahigh-resolution remote sensing for assessing biodiversity hotspots. Robust indicators are central to the complex problem of conserving vegetation biodiversity. The project aims to address this by developing advanced techniques for interpreting data from ultrahigh-resolution remote sensing of essential indicators in Australian biodiversity hotspots. The expected benefit is to significantly advance international efforts in the large-scale validation of biodiversity indicators mapped from sate ....Ultrahigh-resolution remote sensing for assessing biodiversity hotspots. Robust indicators are central to the complex problem of conserving vegetation biodiversity. The project aims to address this by developing advanced techniques for interpreting data from ultrahigh-resolution remote sensing of essential indicators in Australian biodiversity hotspots. The expected benefit is to significantly advance international efforts in the large-scale validation of biodiversity indicators mapped from satellites.Read moreRead less
Climate-driven windblown dust and flood runoff can increase marine diseases by fungal pathogens. Determination of the role of fungal pathogens in marine disease outbreaks, and their linkages to climate-driven dust and flood events, have important applications for coastal fisheries and the Great Barrier Reef. This project will develop molecular tools and plankton recorder protocols to detect fungal outbreaks and assess ecosystem resilience.
Mechanisms of acclimation of coralline algae to ocean acidification. This project aims to investigate the biological and ecological mechanisms by which reef-building coralline algae may have survived past ocean acidification and warming events and may acclimate to future changes. Coralline algae play critical roles in coral reef ecology but are sensitive to human-induced ocean acidification. However, the abundant geological record coincident with past acidification events is inconsistent with th ....Mechanisms of acclimation of coralline algae to ocean acidification. This project aims to investigate the biological and ecological mechanisms by which reef-building coralline algae may have survived past ocean acidification and warming events and may acclimate to future changes. Coralline algae play critical roles in coral reef ecology but are sensitive to human-induced ocean acidification. However, the abundant geological record coincident with past acidification events is inconsistent with their sensitivity to high carbon dioxide. Acclimation and adaptation is therefore possible but in ways we do not yet understand. The project expects to provide insights to the ability of key marine organisms to acclimate to rapid environmental change and provide information critical for the conservation of valuable marine systems.Read moreRead less