Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE150100047
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$540,000.00
Summary
A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research. A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research: A new capability for airborne remote sensing of key environmental variables will be established. The unique P-, Ku- and Ka-band passive microwave radiometer system will provide information on soil moisture, surface temperature and vegetation, and allow for a new satellite concept to be demonstrated. By combining with an existing L-band radiometer, da ....A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research. A multi-frequency microwave radiometer system for environmental research: A new capability for airborne remote sensing of key environmental variables will be established. The unique P-, Ku- and Ka-band passive microwave radiometer system will provide information on soil moisture, surface temperature and vegetation, and allow for a new satellite concept to be demonstrated. By combining with an existing L-band radiometer, data can be collected simultaneously at P-, L-, Ku- and Ka-bands, with increased spatial resolutions accordingly. The shorter wavelength, but higher spatial resolution data can be used to enhance the spatial resolution of the longer wavelength data, resulting in a capability to derive long wavelength observations from space at unprecedented spatial resolution.Read moreRead less
Better water management through more focus on ecological and social sciences. Current water resources management, focusing on gains of economic efficiency in the short term under the assumption of steady-state conditions, has generally failed to respond to both catchment environmental degradation and to the increasing complexity of human–environment interactions. This project will develop a new approach to water resources management by relating management practices based on ecological understand ....Better water management through more focus on ecological and social sciences. Current water resources management, focusing on gains of economic efficiency in the short term under the assumption of steady-state conditions, has generally failed to respond to both catchment environmental degradation and to the increasing complexity of human–environment interactions. This project will develop a new approach to water resources management by relating management practices based on ecological understanding to the social mechanisms behind these practices at water catchments. It will improve the predictability and precision of water resources management and increase our ability to maintain our options for a sustainable future. This will have a profound effect on catchment sustainability, a globally significant problem.Read moreRead less
Beyond discrete landscape metrics: spatial analysis tools and surface textural measures for quantifying gradients in landscape structure. The project will make an important contribution to an Environmental Sustainable Australia, especially the sustainable use and management of Australia's biodiversity. The focus is Australia's biodiversity hotspots in northern Australia, where fauna species are threatened as a result of habitat modification and biological invasions. The landscape analysis tools ....Beyond discrete landscape metrics: spatial analysis tools and surface textural measures for quantifying gradients in landscape structure. The project will make an important contribution to an Environmental Sustainable Australia, especially the sustainable use and management of Australia's biodiversity. The focus is Australia's biodiversity hotspots in northern Australia, where fauna species are threatened as a result of habitat modification and biological invasions. The landscape analysis tools and supporting knowledge will allow for more effective landscape-level conservation strategies to be developed in northern regions by assisting researchers and managers to answer key questions about how to manage the structure of native vegetation for the long-term conservation of fauna populations. The project will also deliver benefits for conserving marine biodiversity. Read moreRead less
Resource patchiness, dispersal and species co-occurrence: an experimental and levels-of-evidence approach in some lowland streams. Millions of dollars are being spent on rehabilitating river ecosystems that have often been highly simplified by human activities. It is important that such rehabilitation be well-grounded in sound ecological knowledge. We will test how the availability of essential resources of food and living space affect the identity and density of species present. We expect to p ....Resource patchiness, dispersal and species co-occurrence: an experimental and levels-of-evidence approach in some lowland streams. Millions of dollars are being spent on rehabilitating river ecosystems that have often been highly simplified by human activities. It is important that such rehabilitation be well-grounded in sound ecological knowledge. We will test how the availability of essential resources of food and living space affect the identity and density of species present. We expect to provide practical advice allowing managers to enhance biodiversity in streams surrounded by, and serving, agricultural areas. Likewise, we will be able to advise on the consequences of excessive water extraction on the likely success of such rehabilitation in rivers with highly variable flows.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101608
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$394,655.00
Summary
Water resources in a changing climate: impact of climate variability, climate and land-use change on surface water dynamics and ecosystem connectivity. Climate and land use change act synergistically to affect scarce water resources, already under enormous pressure in Australia. This cross-disciplinary project aims to quantify the climate-driven variability and impact of climate and land use change on surface water dynamics and connectivity. This research will take a holistic approach integratin ....Water resources in a changing climate: impact of climate variability, climate and land-use change on surface water dynamics and ecosystem connectivity. Climate and land use change act synergistically to affect scarce water resources, already under enormous pressure in Australia. This cross-disciplinary project aims to quantify the climate-driven variability and impact of climate and land use change on surface water dynamics and connectivity. This research will take a holistic approach integrating remote sensing and climate data, land use science, graph theory and spatial statistics. Findings will, for the first time, assess the impact of multiple drivers of change (climate, land use) on scarce water resources by integrating empirical observations on surface water variability with global climate model projections and land use scenarios.Read moreRead less
Our rural wealth: using functional responses of native fauna to predict conservation values of agricultural landscapes. The aim of this project is to develop and test a new approach for assessing the conservation value of agricultural landscapes in Australia. It is based on identifying the functional responses of the fauna to the extent and pattern of native vegetation and types and intensity of agricultural land-uses in whole landscapes. Different response types will be interpreted in relatio ....Our rural wealth: using functional responses of native fauna to predict conservation values of agricultural landscapes. The aim of this project is to develop and test a new approach for assessing the conservation value of agricultural landscapes in Australia. It is based on identifying the functional responses of the fauna to the extent and pattern of native vegetation and types and intensity of agricultural land-uses in whole landscapes. Different response types will be interpreted in relation to ecological characteristics of species. We will use this knowledge to predict the status of birds and mammals in novel landscapes in three bioregions, and test the predictions by field studies. This new landscape-level approach will help land managers assess present agricultural environments as well as evaluate scenarios for future changes in land-use.Read moreRead less
A novel approach for assessing environmental flows using satellite data. This project will determine how ecosystems respond to environmental flow by linking flooding history with vegetation responses, using remote sensing, climate data layers, spatial statistics, models of environmental flows and ecological theory. Beneficiaries will include water and land managers in Australia.
How much habitat and what configuration maintains natural levels of connectivity in southeast Australian native birds? Maintenance of biodiversity is fundamental to ecologically sustainable development. This project will deepen our understanding of the consequences of landscape change for native birds and enhance our national capacity to integrate nature conservation and agricultural production. We will contribute to sustainable use of rural landscapes by providing land managers with greater und ....How much habitat and what configuration maintains natural levels of connectivity in southeast Australian native birds? Maintenance of biodiversity is fundamental to ecologically sustainable development. This project will deepen our understanding of the consequences of landscape change for native birds and enhance our national capacity to integrate nature conservation and agricultural production. We will contribute to sustainable use of rural landscapes by providing land managers with greater understanding of (1) how and why landscape change affects bird species diversity and persistence, (2) which components of the landscape can most effectively be manipulated to enhance population survival, and (3) estimating the long-term effects of habitat fragmentation on the population structure and function of species.Read moreRead less
Predicting metapopulation dynamics with multiple patch states. Classical theory allows metapopulations to have subpopulations in one of two states, occupied or unoccupied. However, patches may have their own dynamic created by ecological succession or disturbance processes such as grazing. We will develop new theory incorporating patch dynamics, and test the theory on a spatially explicit metapopulation in the real world, the mound spring invertebrates of the Great Artesian Basin. We will use th ....Predicting metapopulation dynamics with multiple patch states. Classical theory allows metapopulations to have subpopulations in one of two states, occupied or unoccupied. However, patches may have their own dynamic created by ecological succession or disturbance processes such as grazing. We will develop new theory incorporating patch dynamics, and test the theory on a spatially explicit metapopulation in the real world, the mound spring invertebrates of the Great Artesian Basin. We will use the theory to forecast the risk of extinction for these endemic species, and develop methods to quantify the statistical power of monitoring for environmental trends.Read moreRead less