Understanding mycorrhizal phenotypes using functional traits. This project aims to develop a new framework linked to tangible, measurable traits of beneficial plant-fungal partnerships that lead to empirical predictions. The project expects to deliver an understanding of how ecological strategies of plant-fungal partnerships control plant productivity and soil nutrient cycling. Expected outcomes include new methods for predicting whether beneficial partnerships can be realised and knowledge that ....Understanding mycorrhizal phenotypes using functional traits. This project aims to develop a new framework linked to tangible, measurable traits of beneficial plant-fungal partnerships that lead to empirical predictions. The project expects to deliver an understanding of how ecological strategies of plant-fungal partnerships control plant productivity and soil nutrient cycling. Expected outcomes include new methods for predicting whether beneficial partnerships can be realised and knowledge that can be transformed into recommendations for practitioners. This should lead to significant impact associated with trustworthy assessments of commercial products and of management recommendations, supporting economic and environmental benefits linked with more productive soils and improved ecosystem health.Read moreRead less
Time to prime: using silicon to activate grass resistance under higher CO2. This project aims to deliver insight into how CO2 affects defence trade-offs in Australian grasses and establish if silicon (Si) supplementation with an industrial by-product restores resistance. Grasses contain more Si than nearly any other plant, resulting in multiple beneficial functions, including increasing resistance to disease and herbivory. However, increasing atmospheric CO2 reduces Si uptake in some grasses and ....Time to prime: using silicon to activate grass resistance under higher CO2. This project aims to deliver insight into how CO2 affects defence trade-offs in Australian grasses and establish if silicon (Si) supplementation with an industrial by-product restores resistance. Grasses contain more Si than nearly any other plant, resulting in multiple beneficial functions, including increasing resistance to disease and herbivory. However, increasing atmospheric CO2 reduces Si uptake in some grasses and frequently compromises plant defensive responses/signalling to herbivore attack. A key outcome will be identifying and maximising silicon-based resistance in vulnerable grasses against the threat of climate change and invasive herbivores. This will provide benefits such as increased productivity of Australian grasslands using a pollution-free, broad-spectrum and environmentally safer pest control approach.Read moreRead less
Extreme Heat: A new driver of desert mammal assemblages . Heat waves cause more deaths than any other severe weather event and are becoming longer, more frequent and more intense. Consequently, extreme heat may soon rival predation and rainfall as a major driver of desert mammal assemblages. This project will investigate how heat wave attributes (duration, intensity, frequency), species attributes (physiology, behaviour, plasticity) and landscape features (refuges, fire, grazing) interact and co ....Extreme Heat: A new driver of desert mammal assemblages . Heat waves cause more deaths than any other severe weather event and are becoming longer, more frequent and more intense. Consequently, extreme heat may soon rival predation and rainfall as a major driver of desert mammal assemblages. This project will investigate how heat wave attributes (duration, intensity, frequency), species attributes (physiology, behaviour, plasticity) and landscape features (refuges, fire, grazing) interact and contribute to lethal and sublethal effects of extreme heat on desert mammals. Modelling will predict changes in desert mammal assemblages under different climatic and land management scenarios. Results will inform fire and grazing management, threatened species recovery programs and arid zone restoration. Read moreRead less