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New models for predicting species' distributions. This project will deliver new and more robust methods for generating the information that underpins sound conservation and resource management decisions, with particular focus on new statistical techniques to predict species' distributions. Results will be relevant to a wide range of applications including management of rare and/or threatened species and ecosystems, setting realistic targets for species and ecosystem restoration, improved managem ....New models for predicting species' distributions. This project will deliver new and more robust methods for generating the information that underpins sound conservation and resource management decisions, with particular focus on new statistical techniques to predict species' distributions. Results will be relevant to a wide range of applications including management of rare and/or threatened species and ecosystems, setting realistic targets for species and ecosystem restoration, improved management of pest species, and sustainable harvesting of species. Emphasis will be placed on transfer of knowledge to users, fostering the development of new skills among Australian environmental and conservation managers, and contributing to the sustainable use of our biodiversity.Read moreRead less
Biodiversity planning in the urban fringe: multiple actors, multiple conservation actions, multiple uncertainties. Accelerating urbanisation in Australia is considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, with over 50% of threatened species occurring in urban fringe areas. Conservation planners in the urban fringe lack tools that can simultaneously prioritize multiple conservation actions by multiple actors and reconcile complicated tradeoffs. This project addresses the important gap bet ....Biodiversity planning in the urban fringe: multiple actors, multiple conservation actions, multiple uncertainties. Accelerating urbanisation in Australia is considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, with over 50% of threatened species occurring in urban fringe areas. Conservation planners in the urban fringe lack tools that can simultaneously prioritize multiple conservation actions by multiple actors and reconcile complicated tradeoffs. This project addresses the important gap between conservation theory and real world practice, providing tools for managers to develop optimal strategies given real-world constraints. It will result in better theories and models for designing and evaluating conservation policy and plans to ensure good biodiversity outcomes. Results will be generalisable to any complex conservation planning scenario.Read moreRead less
Genetic evaluation of the diversity of the stygobitic fauna of the Pilbara, Western Australia. This study has two main aims, designed to help manage populations of the subterranean invertebrate fauna in an economically important region of Western Australia: 1) to provide phylogenetic and population genetic information on the structure of populations of amphipods and other groundwater fauna in the Pilbara, Western Australia, and 2) to investigate areas of the ecology of the fauna including respon ....Genetic evaluation of the diversity of the stygobitic fauna of the Pilbara, Western Australia. This study has two main aims, designed to help manage populations of the subterranean invertebrate fauna in an economically important region of Western Australia: 1) to provide phylogenetic and population genetic information on the structure of populations of amphipods and other groundwater fauna in the Pilbara, Western Australia, and 2) to investigate areas of the ecology of the fauna including response to changes in water chemistry. The genetic information will be used to gain an understanding of species diversity, distributions, and movement in order to help set conservation priorities in managing resources, habitats, and fauna. The ecological data will be used to study the effects of dewatering and changes in water chemsitry on morphology and survival.Read moreRead less
A new hypothesis for the development of hollows in Box-Ironbark forest. Timber harvesting in Box-Ironbark forest over the past 150 years has significantly affected the habitat of hollow dependent fauna. Current management aims at speeding the growth of trees to accelerate hollow formation. Recent studies suggest that hollows form in trees of the Box-Ironbark forest following basal stem damage by fire or windstorm, rather than from branch damage as previously assumed. This hypothesis will be t ....A new hypothesis for the development of hollows in Box-Ironbark forest. Timber harvesting in Box-Ironbark forest over the past 150 years has significantly affected the habitat of hollow dependent fauna. Current management aims at speeding the growth of trees to accelerate hollow formation. Recent studies suggest that hollows form in trees of the Box-Ironbark forest following basal stem damage by fire or windstorm, rather than from branch damage as previously assumed. This hypothesis will be tested in relation to wildfires in 1985, 1991 and 1993 and by experimental simulation of these events. The results of this research are likely to have major implications for the management of Box- Ironbark forests.Read moreRead less
Forecasting and managing biodiversity change: birds in an urbanising landscape. The project will help to predict changes in biodiversity from different development options, and will identify forms of urban design that provide improved biodiversity outcomes. The case study region (SE Queensland) is a national "biodiversity hotspot" due to high biodiversity combined with high threat from urbanisation. Findings will also be relevant to the ecological sustainability of forest ecosystems and urban ar ....Forecasting and managing biodiversity change: birds in an urbanising landscape. The project will help to predict changes in biodiversity from different development options, and will identify forms of urban design that provide improved biodiversity outcomes. The case study region (SE Queensland) is a national "biodiversity hotspot" due to high biodiversity combined with high threat from urbanisation. Findings will also be relevant to the ecological sustainability of forest ecosystems and urban areas throughout Australia. The project will develop decision-support tools for conservation planning, with the involvement of research partners from local government and regional environmental management. This will contribute to the sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity, a national research priority.Read moreRead less
Reimagining the Australian Suburb: Biodiversity planning in urban fringe landscapes. Over 40% of nationally listed threatened ecological communities occur in urban areas. Accelerating urbanisation in Australia is considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. This threat will increase without a more strategic approach to conservation planning in urban environments. Protection of biodiversity in urban areas brings numerous societal benefits but involves complicated tradeoffs between com ....Reimagining the Australian Suburb: Biodiversity planning in urban fringe landscapes. Over 40% of nationally listed threatened ecological communities occur in urban areas. Accelerating urbanisation in Australia is considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. This threat will increase without a more strategic approach to conservation planning in urban environments. Protection of biodiversity in urban areas brings numerous societal benefits but involves complicated tradeoffs between competing land uses including housing development, agricultural production and conservation. This project builds on recent advancements in ecological modelling and mathematical optimisation to develop and test tools to facilitate transparent decisions based on optimal trade-offs between competing values. It will result in a more strategic approach to planning conservation in urban environments.Read moreRead less
Testing the utility of habitat models in making conservation planning decisions. Habitat models are used in conservation decisions. The aim of this project is to develop a system for assessing models that explicitly tests and demonstrates the link between model reliability and planning outcome. This research is significant because it will explore the importance of a suite of implicit assumptions that underlie current approaches to conservation planning in Australia and internationally. The resul ....Testing the utility of habitat models in making conservation planning decisions. Habitat models are used in conservation decisions. The aim of this project is to develop a system for assessing models that explicitly tests and demonstrates the link between model reliability and planning outcome. This research is significant because it will explore the importance of a suite of implicit assumptions that underlie current approaches to conservation planning in Australia and internationally. The results of this research will provide natural resource managers and planners with a protocol for evaluating the reliability of the habitat maps at their disposal, and their utility in supporting decisions involving the allocation of land to different uses.Read moreRead less
Building sound ecological restoration strategies for endangered amphibians. This project integrates the principles of ecology and restoration ecology to secure the persistence of a population of an endangered frog in the context of a large urban renewal and ecological rehabilitation precinct at the Sydney Olympic Park. Habitat rehabilitation at the site provides an unrivalled opportunity for ecology to provide robust scientific direction and support for conservation management practices and deve ....Building sound ecological restoration strategies for endangered amphibians. This project integrates the principles of ecology and restoration ecology to secure the persistence of a population of an endangered frog in the context of a large urban renewal and ecological rehabilitation precinct at the Sydney Olympic Park. Habitat rehabilitation at the site provides an unrivalled opportunity for ecology to provide robust scientific direction and support for conservation management practices and develops the site as a model site illustrating adaptive management practices. The project investigates the role of two threatening processes in amphibian decline in a habitat management context and the outcomes have wide implications for the global amphibian decline. Read moreRead less
The effects of habitat fragmentation on the dispersal behaviour of a rainforest restricted bird, the logrunner. Dispersal is thought to be critical for the persistence of small avian populations in fragmented landscapes. However, our knowledge of avian dispersal behaviour is limited. I will combine behavioural observations on radiotagged birds and powerful genetic markers to examine the effects of habitat fragmentation on the dispersal behaviour of a rainforest restricted bird, the logrunner. ....The effects of habitat fragmentation on the dispersal behaviour of a rainforest restricted bird, the logrunner. Dispersal is thought to be critical for the persistence of small avian populations in fragmented landscapes. However, our knowledge of avian dispersal behaviour is limited. I will combine behavioural observations on radiotagged birds and powerful genetic markers to examine the effects of habitat fragmentation on the dispersal behaviour of a rainforest restricted bird, the logrunner. This study will determine how landscape structure influences the movement of juvenile logrunners, investigate the causes and consequences of variation in dispersal behaviour, and use genetic data to test predictions about connectivity between populations made using behavioural observations on dispersal.Read moreRead less
Conservation genetics and socio-ecology of marsupials in fragmented populations of south-eastern South Australia: towards a regional biodiversity management plan. Habitat destruction and fragmentation is causing the decline of many species in native forests of eastern and southern Australia. Our project will investigate the interplay between the human activities of agriculture and forestry and their effects on native forest ecosystems. It will provide new data on the consequences of fragmentati ....Conservation genetics and socio-ecology of marsupials in fragmented populations of south-eastern South Australia: towards a regional biodiversity management plan. Habitat destruction and fragmentation is causing the decline of many species in native forests of eastern and southern Australia. Our project will investigate the interplay between the human activities of agriculture and forestry and their effects on native forest ecosystems. It will provide new data on the consequences of fragmentation to native mammal species in the rural and regional communities of south-east South Australia and western Victoria. It will establish a strong collaborative partnership between two forestry companies, conservation agencies and university conservation biologists to develop strategies to sustainably manage biodiversity in native forests and conserve populations of rare and threatened native mammals species. Read moreRead less