Colour vision in birds: consequences to fatal collisions with wind farms. Wind-farms represent a key component of sustainable energy generation world-wide. However, many birds die as a result of collisions with wind-farms, posing an unsolved and controversial conservation issue. The proliferation of wind-farms in Australia will exacerbate the problem. Birds rely on vision to negotiate static and moving objects. Wind-farms, currently coloured to meet human aesthetic criteria, may be 'invisible' t ....Colour vision in birds: consequences to fatal collisions with wind farms. Wind-farms represent a key component of sustainable energy generation world-wide. However, many birds die as a result of collisions with wind-farms, posing an unsolved and controversial conservation issue. The proliferation of wind-farms in Australia will exacerbate the problem. Birds rely on vision to negotiate static and moving objects. Wind-farms, currently coloured to meet human aesthetic criteria, may be 'invisible' to birds since they see colours differently from humans. We will determine bird spectral sensitivities and compare them to the spectral reflectance of wind-farms. We will then develop modifications improving the visibility of wind-farms to birds, thereby reducing fatalities.Read moreRead less
Deep Downunder: designing a deep-sea exploration and discovery capability for Australia. Exploration of the deep-sea with the modern technologies to be developed by Deep-Downunder is a first for Australia. We aim to explore and discover life at depths from 50-3000m off The Great Barrier Reef, around the seamounts of Lord Howe Island and Tasmania and in the deep canyons of WA and SA. We expect to discover new species, hope for a glimpse of giant squid at home and will answer specific questions on ....Deep Downunder: designing a deep-sea exploration and discovery capability for Australia. Exploration of the deep-sea with the modern technologies to be developed by Deep-Downunder is a first for Australia. We aim to explore and discover life at depths from 50-3000m off The Great Barrier Reef, around the seamounts of Lord Howe Island and Tasmania and in the deep canyons of WA and SA. We expect to discover new species, hope for a glimpse of giant squid at home and will answer specific questions on Australia's ocean biology, fisheries and biotechnology never before approachable. To be effective guardians of Australian waters we must learn what lies in the depths we can't see from a boat.Read moreRead less
Vision and remote sensing: using nature's technology to examine the health of The Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay. We aim to use what is known and what we will discover about animals visual systems to examine environmental health on The Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay. Technology and knowledge from 8 university departments, 4 industry partners, and 7 international collaborators will be combined to both learn and provide information. The innovative aspect of our approach is to examine the w ....Vision and remote sensing: using nature's technology to examine the health of The Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay. We aim to use what is known and what we will discover about animals visual systems to examine environmental health on The Great Barrier Reef and Moreton Bay. Technology and knowledge from 8 university departments, 4 industry partners, and 7 international collaborators will be combined to both learn and provide information. The innovative aspect of our approach is to examine the world with the eyes of birds, fish and invertebrates. Tricks animals employ to solve visual tasks will be implemented at scales of instrumentation from hand-held to remote sensing and used to address problems such as coral reef bleaching.Read moreRead less