Fingerprints of global climate change and forest management on rhizosphere carbon and nutrient cycling. Using a series of innovative techniques, this project seeks to capture the excellent, exciting opportunities for studying impacts of global climate change (GCC) and forest management on plant-soil-microbe interactions in rhizosphere carbon and nutrient cycling, with two of the world's best GCC forest experiments in Sweden and USA and three long-term forest management experiments in Australia. ....Fingerprints of global climate change and forest management on rhizosphere carbon and nutrient cycling. Using a series of innovative techniques, this project seeks to capture the excellent, exciting opportunities for studying impacts of global climate change (GCC) and forest management on plant-soil-microbe interactions in rhizosphere carbon and nutrient cycling, with two of the world's best GCC forest experiments in Sweden and USA and three long-term forest management experiments in Australia. The successful conduct of this multidisciplinary collaborative research will result in: improved understanding and management of forest ecosystems in response to GCC and effective biodiversity conservation in managed forests; and enhanced international reputation and expertise of the Australian scientists in the relevant research fields.Read moreRead less
How do characteristics of seeds and landscape heterogeneity determine plant spread in new environments? Climate change and exotic invasions are among the greatest threats to Australia's, and the world's, biodiversity. Under a rapidly changing climate many Australian plant species will have to spread across a fragmented landscape to persist. In order to contain or eradicate invasive plant species we need to know how they will spread in novel landscapes. We will develop models which will be used f ....How do characteristics of seeds and landscape heterogeneity determine plant spread in new environments? Climate change and exotic invasions are among the greatest threats to Australia's, and the world's, biodiversity. Under a rapidly changing climate many Australian plant species will have to spread across a fragmented landscape to persist. In order to contain or eradicate invasive plant species we need to know how they will spread in novel landscapes. We will develop models which will be used for invasive plants to predict ecological and evolutionary responses to novel landscapes and novel dispersers and for native plants to predict their spread in to fragmented landscapes. These models can be used to prioritise management actions for species of most conservation concern, and predict how far and fast invasive species will spread.Read moreRead less
The role of learning in conservation management: developing adaptive approaches for the conservation of biodiversity in a changing climate. Biodiversity underpins several major industries: agriculture, tourism, forestry and fisheries. To mitigate the loss of biodiversity, there have been significant investments from all levels of government, including 2.2 billion dollars to manage biodiversity and 138 million dollars simply to gather data on the impact of climatic changes. Despite this well inte ....The role of learning in conservation management: developing adaptive approaches for the conservation of biodiversity in a changing climate. Biodiversity underpins several major industries: agriculture, tourism, forestry and fisheries. To mitigate the loss of biodiversity, there have been significant investments from all levels of government, including 2.2 billion dollars to manage biodiversity and 138 million dollars simply to gather data on the impact of climatic changes. Despite this well intended funding, the key questions of how to best allocate this money between the many threatened species and regions of Australia, and how to adapt this allocation in light of climatic changes, remain unanswered. Our research will develop explicit and practical frameworks by which we can cost efficiently learn and act simultaneously.Read moreRead less