Controlling cane toads by turning their own weapons against them. This project aims to prevent cane toads, which are causing ecological havoc across tropical Australia, from breeding successfully. Attempts to control toad populations have had little impact, but recent research has revealed a new possibility — exploiting the toads' own weapons for intraspecific conflict. Larval cane toads compete intensely with other larval cane toads and as a result, have evolved a way to kill off their competit ....Controlling cane toads by turning their own weapons against them. This project aims to prevent cane toads, which are causing ecological havoc across tropical Australia, from breeding successfully. Attempts to control toad populations have had little impact, but recent research has revealed a new possibility — exploiting the toads' own weapons for intraspecific conflict. Larval cane toads compete intensely with other larval cane toads and as a result, have evolved a way to kill off their competitors. Toad tadpoles produce chemicals that have devastating effects on younger members of their own species, but not on native species. By deploying those chemicals, this project could develop a novel and powerful form of invader control.Read moreRead less
A multispecies approach to managing feral animals in tropical savanna landscapes. Controlling invasive species is important for maintaining healthy landscapes. Often, multiple invasive species occupy a landscape and simultaneous management of them is required. Our innovative management tool will allow land managers to develop and implement control strategies for environmentally invasive species in Northern Australia and globally.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100884
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,691.00
Summary
Do novel diets reshape wildlife microbiomes and resilience to stressors? This project aims to investigate how bacteria can assist wildlife in adapting to the accelerating threat of environmental change. Using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach this project expects to identify interactions between environmental change and the diet, microbial communities and stress resilience of wildlife, using the threatened Grey-headed flying fox as a model system. Expected outcomes include detailed under ....Do novel diets reshape wildlife microbiomes and resilience to stressors? This project aims to investigate how bacteria can assist wildlife in adapting to the accelerating threat of environmental change. Using an innovative, interdisciplinary approach this project expects to identify interactions between environmental change and the diet, microbial communities and stress resilience of wildlife, using the threatened Grey-headed flying fox as a model system. Expected outcomes include detailed understanding of the role of microbial communities in shaping wildlife adaptations and development of ecological interventions to enhance wildlife resilience in Australia and globally. Such outcomes may reveal opportunities for management strategies that safeguard threatened species and reduce human-wildlife conflicts.Read moreRead less
The role of behavioural interactions in shaping invasion dynamics: A global synthesis using the common myna as a model system. Invasive species have detrimental effects on human health, the economy and native biodiversity. This study will address a major gap in our scientific understanding of invasions by undertaking the first large-scale examination of the role of interactions between species in determining the dynamics and outcomes of biological invasions. The project will integrate data, acro ....The role of behavioural interactions in shaping invasion dynamics: A global synthesis using the common myna as a model system. Invasive species have detrimental effects on human health, the economy and native biodiversity. This study will address a major gap in our scientific understanding of invasions by undertaking the first large-scale examination of the role of interactions between species in determining the dynamics and outcomes of biological invasions. The project will integrate data, across four continents, on dispersal, demography, breeding and behavioural interactions into one framework to create a cutting-edge model of invasion dynamics, using the highly invasive common myna as a model system. This novel approach will significantly advance theoretical developments in invasion biology and will inform pest management and threat mitigation efforts globally.Read moreRead less
Systematic prioritisation of action for confronting invasive vertebrates in Australia. This project will use novel scientific approaches to effectively prioritise action for mitigating the threats invasive vertebrate pests pose to humans and to biodiversity in Australia. Results will inform policy and management, substantially advancing our understanding of the key factors shaping spatial invasion sources, hotspots, drivers and impact.
Understanding the tipping point between epidemic and endemic disease: amphibian chytridiomycosis as a model system. The amphibian disease chytridiomycosis has caused declines and extinctions in Australian frogs; it is very sensitive to environmental conditions, and changes in climate or weather could cause outbreaks that would eliminate many more species. This project will build greater understanding as to how and when that could occur and prevent it from happening.
Extinction of turtles in the River Murray: Consequences and Solutions. Turtles are a major ecological component of the Murray-Darling, Australia’s major river system. They are declining alarmingly with potential dire consequences for water quality, biodiversity, and river health. This project unites a world-class research team with diverse industry partners, indigenous groups, and non-government organisations from three states to address a problem of national significance. This project aims to i ....Extinction of turtles in the River Murray: Consequences and Solutions. Turtles are a major ecological component of the Murray-Darling, Australia’s major river system. They are declining alarmingly with potential dire consequences for water quality, biodiversity, and river health. This project unites a world-class research team with diverse industry partners, indigenous groups, and non-government organisations from three states to address a problem of national significance. This project aims to identify and quantify causes of declines in turtles along the whole system, with the aim of developing practical management options to overcome it. This will be the first river-wide study of turtles, achieved by combining cutting-edge genetic and ecological techniques with a citizen science program.Read moreRead less
Investigating the genetic basis for heterogeneous susceptibility of Tasmanian devils to a novel infectious cancer. This project will use genetics and modelling to reveal why Tasmanian devils in northwest Tasmania are not dying from facial tumour disease, a new, unusual infectious cancer threatening this iconic carnivore with extinction. This project will predict extinction risk, develop management options, and provide a new template for managing emerging wildlife diseases.
Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. This project aims to understand how different animals encounter pesticide in the landscape through quantifying residue deposition in arid grasslands and investigating how pesticides used to control locust plagues affect fauna. This project will investigate fenitrothion and fipronil, the main pesticides used in Australia for locust control. It will develop a deposition model for aeria ....Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. Impacts of locust control pesticides on arid-zone fauna. This project aims to understand how different animals encounter pesticide in the landscape through quantifying residue deposition in arid grasslands and investigating how pesticides used to control locust plagues affect fauna. This project will investigate fenitrothion and fipronil, the main pesticides used in Australia for locust control. It will develop a deposition model for aerial pesticide spraying, determine the short-term effect of sprayed pesticides on the behaviour and condition of free-ranging target fauna that use the environment differently, and quantify the relative importance of dietary and non-dietary exposure routes to gauge the importance of animal behaviour on pesticide exposure. Anticipated outcomes are improved baseline assessments for locusticides.Read moreRead less
Manipulating population sex ratio to eradicate invasive mouse populations. This project aims to use house mice, an Australian pest of economic importance which is also a highly tractable system for testing evolutionary theory and generating practical outcomes. Manipulating population sex ratio is a powerful tool for either enhancing the viability of threatened species or decimating pests. However, despite much scientific effort testing sex ratio theory, the cryptic mechanisms driving sex allocat ....Manipulating population sex ratio to eradicate invasive mouse populations. This project aims to use house mice, an Australian pest of economic importance which is also a highly tractable system for testing evolutionary theory and generating practical outcomes. Manipulating population sex ratio is a powerful tool for either enhancing the viability of threatened species or decimating pests. However, despite much scientific effort testing sex ratio theory, the cryptic mechanisms driving sex allocation remain unidentified, hindering progress in these fields. The project will identify the mechanisms by which sex ratio adjustments are made and establish how individual-level responses influence insular population structure and growth. It will provide benefits by assisting Australia's efforts in eradicating invasive mouse populations.Read moreRead less