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
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE140100189
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$191,095.00
Summary
A shared mass spectrometer with compound-specific capabilities to support innovative research in biology, the environment and geology. A shared mass spectrometer with compound-specific capabilities to support innovative research in biology, the environment and geology: Stable isotope studies have huge and increasing relevance to environmental studies, many of which form the backbone of understanding Australia's terrestrial and marine systems. Compound-specific isotope analysis yields much more i ....A shared mass spectrometer with compound-specific capabilities to support innovative research in biology, the environment and geology. A shared mass spectrometer with compound-specific capabilities to support innovative research in biology, the environment and geology: Stable isotope studies have huge and increasing relevance to environmental studies, many of which form the backbone of understanding Australia's terrestrial and marine systems. Compound-specific isotope analysis yields much more information than is available through bulk methods. The problem has been that the separations were labour-intensive and employed complex wet chemistry. New methods reduce the work-load enough to make compound-specific studies possible. In the case of carbon isotopes, new liquid chromatographic technology removes the need for derivatisations which dilute the natural signal and can render it unusable.Read moreRead less
A novel approach for assessing environmental flows using satellite data. This project will determine how ecosystems respond to environmental flow by linking flooding history with vegetation responses, using remote sensing, climate data layers, spatial statistics, models of environmental flows and ecological theory. Beneficiaries will include water and land managers in Australia.
Maintaining biodiversity and ecological resilience in the face of global environmental change. This project addresses the two great challenges facing scientists trying to predict the effects of global change on Australia’s ecosystems: i) What factors most exacerbate the total impact of global change? ii) How do the complex responses of so many interacting species actually translate into altered structural properties of the web of life?
Linking terrestrial–aquatic fluxes to rectify the Australian carbon balance. This project aims to rectify the Australian carbon balance by determining the amount of terrestrial carbon that is lost to streams and rivers across the country. Through a novel integration of high-resolution hydrochemical and gas measurements, remote sensing and machine learning algorithms, the project intends to generate new knowledge about the links between terrestrial carbon sequestration and aquatic carbon export. ....Linking terrestrial–aquatic fluxes to rectify the Australian carbon balance. This project aims to rectify the Australian carbon balance by determining the amount of terrestrial carbon that is lost to streams and rivers across the country. Through a novel integration of high-resolution hydrochemical and gas measurements, remote sensing and machine learning algorithms, the project intends to generate new knowledge about the links between terrestrial carbon sequestration and aquatic carbon export. Expected outcomes include a refined estimate of the net carbon sequestration potential across Australian biomes and seasons. This should provide significant benefits such as avoiding misalignment of greenhouse gas abatement policies and advancing carbon cycling models and predictions.Read moreRead less
Reintroduction of ecosystem engineers as a woodland restoration tool. Can we help restore woodlands by reintroducing extinct native mammals? Through a strategic partnership combining innovative research and conservation action, this project will investigate how returning extinct 'ecosystem engineers' could be used as a tool for restoring healthy temperate woodland ecosystems.
Understanding grassy woodlands as whole ecosystems. Restoring Australia's once vast grassy woodlands needs a sound understanding of the whole ecosystem and robust scientific evidence to inform conservation action. This project will generate such evidence by establishing a National Outdoor Laboratory to inform the sustainable management of our nation's precious remaining woodlands.