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
Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservat ....Identifying cost-effective reforestation approaches for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration in the Australian wet tropics. There is great potential for rainforest reforestation to help in the protection of Australia's tropical flora and fauna. Little is known, however, about how to reforest pasture to rainforest for the purpose of maximising the recovery of native biodiversity. We propose a unique experimental study of rainforest reforestation practices with biodiversity conservation as a primary goal. Reforestation is currently an unlikely option for most landholders in Australia's tropics given the lack of data on the economic benefits obtainable from such efforts. Our study examines the profits obtainable through the carbon market for each reforestation approach with the goal of increasing the feasibility of rainforest reforestation in North Queensland.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
Conservation Management of the Endangered Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard. The Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard probably occurred over 150km of the Adelaide Plains before European settlement, but is now known from only a few privately owned properties in the mid-north of South Australia. Before adopting specific conservation strategies, such as release to new sites, more needs to be known about the genetic and social structure of viable populations, and the natural parasite fauna that may detrimentally affect an ....Conservation Management of the Endangered Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard. The Pygmy Bluetongue Lizard probably occurred over 150km of the Adelaide Plains before European settlement, but is now known from only a few privately owned properties in the mid-north of South Australia. Before adopting specific conservation strategies, such as release to new sites, more needs to be known about the genetic and social structure of viable populations, and the natural parasite fauna that may detrimentally affect any transplants. This project explores those aspects of the lizard biology, enhancing both our general understanding of lizard population structure and our specific understanding of conservation issues for this species.Read moreRead less
A landscape-scale experimental test of factors driving mammal declines in northern Australia. Australia has suffered the highest rate of modern mammal extinctions in the world. Foxes have been largely responsible for this extinction in southern Australia and probably also Central Australia. However the decline in mammals in northern Australia has occurred later than that in the south, and in the absence of foxes. We will adopt an experimental approach to determine the mechanisms driving mammal d ....A landscape-scale experimental test of factors driving mammal declines in northern Australia. Australia has suffered the highest rate of modern mammal extinctions in the world. Foxes have been largely responsible for this extinction in southern Australia and probably also Central Australia. However the decline in mammals in northern Australia has occurred later than that in the south, and in the absence of foxes. We will adopt an experimental approach to determine the mechanisms driving mammal declines and extinctions in northern Australia. Populations of brush-tail tree rats (Conilurus penicillatus) will be translocated to suitable habitat on mainland sites that experience different fire regimes and predation pressures.Read moreRead less
Evolution, disease and extinction - using ancient and modern Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to investigate molecular evolution in the Tasmanian devil. The Tasmanian devil is Australia's largest living marsupial carnivore and one of Tasmania's key tourism icons. Extinction in the wild will have long-term impacts on Tasmanian native ecosystems and economy. This study will provide critical genetic data and tools to monitor and prioritise conservation strategies, including insurance populations and dis ....Evolution, disease and extinction - using ancient and modern Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to investigate molecular evolution in the Tasmanian devil. The Tasmanian devil is Australia's largest living marsupial carnivore and one of Tasmania's key tourism icons. Extinction in the wild will have long-term impacts on Tasmanian native ecosystems and economy. This study will provide critical genetic data and tools to monitor and prioritise conservation strategies, including insurance populations and disease suppression, aimed at preventing extinction. It will strengthen ongoing conservation programs carried out by the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program and will help publicise the plight of the devil both nationally and internationally.Read moreRead less
Comparative phylogeography of mound springs-invertebrates: identifying genetically divergent populations for conservation and management. The mound springs of the Great Artesian Basin represent one of Australia's most unique and significant environments and are of national biodiversity, cultural and economic significance. The conservation of these unique environments is a national issue following their listing as a threatened ecological community. As economic productivity in the GAB intensifies, ....Comparative phylogeography of mound springs-invertebrates: identifying genetically divergent populations for conservation and management. The mound springs of the Great Artesian Basin represent one of Australia's most unique and significant environments and are of national biodiversity, cultural and economic significance. The conservation of these unique environments is a national issue following their listing as a threatened ecological community. As economic productivity in the GAB intensifies, the mound springs are under increasing threat from escalating groundwater use. The results of this study of genetic diversity in the spring communities will provide a means for the management groups to incorporate a significant biological information into their decision making and help facilitate the conservation of mound springs communities in the Lake Eyre regionRead moreRead less
Spatial-dynamic models to identify optimal fire mosaics, based on demography, dispersal and fire responses of plants, birds and reptiles. Inappropriate fire regimes threaten native species with extinction. The threat is higher in cleared landscapes where habitat is isolated and recolonisation unlikely. Furthermore, climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of intense bushfires. To meet the priority goals Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, and Responding to Climate Change, landscape-sca ....Spatial-dynamic models to identify optimal fire mosaics, based on demography, dispersal and fire responses of plants, birds and reptiles. Inappropriate fire regimes threaten native species with extinction. The threat is higher in cleared landscapes where habitat is isolated and recolonisation unlikely. Furthermore, climate change is predicted to increase the frequency of intense bushfires. To meet the priority goals Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, and Responding to Climate Change, landscape-scale fire management is essential. We will use simulation models based on detailed biological data and fire-behaviour to explore large-scale and long-term consequences of alternate fire management policies. Our project will enable fire mosaics to be implemented that maintain biodiversity and will identify effective fire management responses to climate change, and habitat fragmentation.Read moreRead less
Understanding successional processes to maintain vertebrate populations in production landscapes. This project will develop principles that will help maintain biodiversity across production landscapes and provide national benefits by furthering the ability of resource extraction industries to conduct their activities in areas of conservation value, while maintaining those values. By providing greater confidence in the ability of land managers to balance the needs of resource extraction and socia ....Understanding successional processes to maintain vertebrate populations in production landscapes. This project will develop principles that will help maintain biodiversity across production landscapes and provide national benefits by furthering the ability of resource extraction industries to conduct their activities in areas of conservation value, while maintaining those values. By providing greater confidence in the ability of land managers to balance the needs of resource extraction and social benefits, such as conservation, recreation, water management and tourism, the project will have important community benefits. Given the high level of endemism in the jarrah forest, this project will also help maintain biodiversity and will provide a critical national benefit.Read moreRead less
Assessment of the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of subterranean animals from calcrete aquifers in central western Australia. Recently a rich and diverse subterranean invertebrate fauna (stygofauna) was unexpectedly discovered from numerous isolated calcrete aquifers associated with palaeodrainage channels in central Western Australia. Our recent taxonomic and molecular studies have suggested that stygofaunas within each aquifer may be highly endemic. We aim to test this hypothesis by in ....Assessment of the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of subterranean animals from calcrete aquifers in central western Australia. Recently a rich and diverse subterranean invertebrate fauna (stygofauna) was unexpectedly discovered from numerous isolated calcrete aquifers associated with palaeodrainage channels in central Western Australia. Our recent taxonomic and molecular studies have suggested that stygofaunas within each aquifer may be highly endemic. We aim to test this hypothesis by investigating the diversity, distribution and uniqueness of stygofauna from three major calcrete regions. We further aim to document the environmental conditions and variability within the aquifers and to develop rigorous sampling protocols. Such data are essential for the development of appropriate strategies for sustainable management of subterranean water and their ecosystems.Read moreRead less