How will animals respond to climate change? A genomic approach. This research will identify the genetic basis by which Adélie penguins in Antarctica have been able to respond to a dramatic 10 degree increase in temperature. The research will help us understand the biology of climate adaptation.
Unravelling how aquatic coastal networks regulate nitrogen removal . The aim of this project is to determine the nitrogen removal pathways of the coastal zone using a number of innovative field and modelling approaches. Little is known about how the complex coastal landscape controls trade-offs that maximise nitrogen removal but minimise nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) emissions. The outcomes of this study will significantly advance our understanding of the coastal zone in regional and g ....Unravelling how aquatic coastal networks regulate nitrogen removal . The aim of this project is to determine the nitrogen removal pathways of the coastal zone using a number of innovative field and modelling approaches. Little is known about how the complex coastal landscape controls trade-offs that maximise nitrogen removal but minimise nitrous oxide (a potent greenhouse gas) emissions. The outcomes of this study will significantly advance our understanding of the coastal zone in regional and global nitrogen budgets. This will provide significant benefits such as a new science-based quantitative framework to facilitate best practice management to reduce terrestrial nitrogen loads and associated downstream impacts such as eutrophication, and reduce nitrous oxide emissions and associated global warming.
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Resolving the role of kelp in blue carbon cycles to enable management. We aim to uncover how kelp forests contribute to carbon storage, biodiversity enhancement and nutrient mitigation in Australia. We will combine mapping and modelling to identify local variation in kelp carbon stocks and sequestration potential and verify kelp carbon export to deep ocean sinks through genetic tracing in seawater and sediments. Co-benefits will be identified through nutrient experiments and reef surveys. We wil ....Resolving the role of kelp in blue carbon cycles to enable management. We aim to uncover how kelp forests contribute to carbon storage, biodiversity enhancement and nutrient mitigation in Australia. We will combine mapping and modelling to identify local variation in kelp carbon stocks and sequestration potential and verify kelp carbon export to deep ocean sinks through genetic tracing in seawater and sediments. Co-benefits will be identified through nutrient experiments and reef surveys. We will also assess the risk that calcification and production of halogenic gas within the kelp forest could offset its climate mitigation potential. Project outcomes will enable management to consider kelp ecosystem services broadly and optimize our capacity to meet current emission reduction and biodiversity commitments.Read moreRead less
Unlocking the environmental archives of the Kimberley’s past. This project aims to reconstruct the environmental history of Australia’s Kimberley region spanning the past 60,000 years. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the project will provide new understanding of the causes of environmental change and impacts on this region since the arrival of Australia’s earliest inhabitants. This will inform the development of conservation policy to ensure preservation of the region's globally significan ....Unlocking the environmental archives of the Kimberley’s past. This project aims to reconstruct the environmental history of Australia’s Kimberley region spanning the past 60,000 years. Through a multidisciplinary approach, the project will provide new understanding of the causes of environmental change and impacts on this region since the arrival of Australia’s earliest inhabitants. This will inform the development of conservation policy to ensure preservation of the region's globally significant rock art against environmental change and economic development.
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Do marine reserve networks work? Larval connectivity, sustainable harvesting and ecological resilience. The Great Barrier Reef is a globally iconic marine ecosystem and benefits from the world's largest network of no-take reserves. While we know reserves contain more and bigger fish, several key questions about how reserves contribute to sustainable harvesting, protecting biodiversity and resisting climate change remain unanswered. Answers depend on a new understanding of the degree to which fis ....Do marine reserve networks work? Larval connectivity, sustainable harvesting and ecological resilience. The Great Barrier Reef is a globally iconic marine ecosystem and benefits from the world's largest network of no-take reserves. While we know reserves contain more and bigger fish, several key questions about how reserves contribute to sustainable harvesting, protecting biodiversity and resisting climate change remain unanswered. Answers depend on a new understanding of the degree to which fish population on different reefs are connected, and whether or not reserve networks help sustain these linkages. This project will use new technologies to measure the transport of fish larvae between reefs, to assess strengths and weaknesses of the reserve network, and examine ways to improve species protection and sustainable harvesting in a changing climate.Read moreRead less
Ecosystem resilience of Shark Bay under changing ocean climate. This project aims to investigate the resilience of the Shark Bay World Heritage Site to projected climate change. This project will generate new knowledge for marine conservation through analyses of habitat loss on nutrient budgets and productivity in seagrass and microbialite ecosystems. Expected outcomes are an improved understanding of climate-driven shifts on ecosystem processes in Shark Bay, incorporating science-based evidence ....Ecosystem resilience of Shark Bay under changing ocean climate. This project aims to investigate the resilience of the Shark Bay World Heritage Site to projected climate change. This project will generate new knowledge for marine conservation through analyses of habitat loss on nutrient budgets and productivity in seagrass and microbialite ecosystems. Expected outcomes are an improved understanding of climate-driven shifts on ecosystem processes in Shark Bay, incorporating science-based evidence for better conservation and management. This will provide significant benefits by contributing to the future-proofing of Shark Bay’s World Heritage values to climate change, and more broadly by demonstrating the consequences of the continued tropicalisation of Australia’s coastline.Read moreRead less
An integrated examination of the drivers of movements of large filter feeding organisms of high ecotourism value: a case study. This aim is to define key drivers behind movements of large filter-feeding organisms, using the manta ray as a model system. As dive eco-tourism often depends on the presence of such charismatic filter-feeding animals, an understanding of why animals occupy particular sites at particular times is important, especially in the face of climate change.
A global standard for the status of Wetlands of International Importance. The project will develop and test a new global standard for the assessment and reporting on ecological condition of internationally important wetlands, listed under the Ramsar Convention. It has four aims: establishment of a strategic adaptive management and governance framework, a meta-analysis of the 2,303 internationally listed wetlands, development of a protocol for assessment and prediction and delivering a digital re ....A global standard for the status of Wetlands of International Importance. The project will develop and test a new global standard for the assessment and reporting on ecological condition of internationally important wetlands, listed under the Ramsar Convention. It has four aims: establishment of a strategic adaptive management and governance framework, a meta-analysis of the 2,303 internationally listed wetlands, development of a protocol for assessment and prediction and delivering a digital reporting platform for effective management. The project is significant because it tackles the decline of freshwater ecosystems, by targeting the most prominent wetlands. It also assists state and national governments to meet their obligations under the Ramsar Convention and most importantly guides more effective management.Read moreRead less
Between a hot place & hypoxia: Quantifying fish-kill risk in inland rivers. Native fish populations in Australian ephemeral rivers are highly valued but are subject to widespread decline. During drought waterholes serve as critical refuges for native fish, however thermal extremes and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) have led to regular fish-kill events. Whilst we know the general conditions that lead to fish-kills, we do not have a clear understanding of why some species are more tolerant than others, ....Between a hot place & hypoxia: Quantifying fish-kill risk in inland rivers. Native fish populations in Australian ephemeral rivers are highly valued but are subject to widespread decline. During drought waterholes serve as critical refuges for native fish, however thermal extremes and hypoxia (lack of oxygen) have led to regular fish-kill events. Whilst we know the general conditions that lead to fish-kills, we do not have a clear understanding of why some species are more tolerant than others, or how we can help decision-makers anticipate fish-kill risks. This project will combine laboratory ecophysiology investigations and novel field monitoring techniques to develop a next-generation fish habitat model for stakeholders to use to assess fish-kill risks and plan for restoration. Read moreRead less
Next generation satellite tools for understanding change in coral reef ecosystems due to multiple global and local stressors. Rapid changes in sea temperature and acidity are driving major changes in important ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef, putting at risk billions of dollars per annum in tourist and fishing earnings. This project will improve the satellite toolkit that the industry partners, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio ....Next generation satellite tools for understanding change in coral reef ecosystems due to multiple global and local stressors. Rapid changes in sea temperature and acidity are driving major changes in important ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef, putting at risk billions of dollars per annum in tourist and fishing earnings. This project will improve the satellite toolkit that the industry partners, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have at their disposal for responding to these serious threats.Read moreRead less