Rapid Recovery from Radiation-induced Errors in Reconfigurable Hardware. This project aims to develop new methods for implementing satellite-based digital systems using reconfigurable hardware devices. The results aim to extend knowledge on the design of fault-tolerant systems and enable the use of off-the-shelf digital hardware in the implementation of satellite systems. The project aims to develop essential tools to assist in implementing fault-tolerant reconfigurable systems. These tools will ....Rapid Recovery from Radiation-induced Errors in Reconfigurable Hardware. This project aims to develop new methods for implementing satellite-based digital systems using reconfigurable hardware devices. The results aim to extend knowledge on the design of fault-tolerant systems and enable the use of off-the-shelf digital hardware in the implementation of satellite systems. The project aims to develop essential tools to assist in implementing fault-tolerant reconfigurable systems. These tools will be founded on the discovery of techniques needed for modifying a design into a form amenable to error recovery and for implementing the design in hardware. During the course of the project, these techniques will be demonstrated and tested in-orbit on the international QB50 CubeSat program.Read moreRead less
Ecology, morphology and the diversification of Australian lizards. This project aims to determine the factors driving the spectacular radiation of lizards in Australia. To date, most investigations of lizard anatomy have focused exclusively on external characteristics. This project will examine the underlying internal anatomy to investigate whether morphological innovation is associated with enhanced rates of ecological, life-history and species diversification. The project expects to shed light ....Ecology, morphology and the diversification of Australian lizards. This project aims to determine the factors driving the spectacular radiation of lizards in Australia. To date, most investigations of lizard anatomy have focused exclusively on external characteristics. This project will examine the underlying internal anatomy to investigate whether morphological innovation is associated with enhanced rates of ecological, life-history and species diversification. The project expects to shed light on the evolution of Australia’s most diverse vertebrate lineage, and provide comparative data with which to interpret the lizard fossil record in Australia, and the range declines and relative extinction risks of native lizard species.Read moreRead less
Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driv ....Improved seasonal rainfall prediction for grain growers using farm level data and novel modelling. Successful grain production, a key export commodity for Australia, depends heavily on reliable seasonal forecasts. However, the highly variable climate means that for Australia’s 25,000 grain growers current forecasts lack detail in space and time. Using a combination of fuzzy classification and artificial neural networks, this project will develop a locally detailed continuously updating data-driven seasonal forecast system using high density climate data from the 17,000 Grain Growers Association members and climate drivers such as sea surface temperature from the Bureau of Meteorology. After validation against observed data, the forecasts will be delivered via a web-based portal to users.Read moreRead less
Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. This project aims to develop and apply new methods to scale forest water use from plot to catchment-level, using relationships between plot-level annual evapotranspiration and biophysical and biochemical properties of stands detectable by unmanned aircraft systems and other remote sensing platforms. Australia's water security depends on understanding how changes in forests from disturbance and ....Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. Remotely sensed forest water use in space and time. This project aims to develop and apply new methods to scale forest water use from plot to catchment-level, using relationships between plot-level annual evapotranspiration and biophysical and biochemical properties of stands detectable by unmanned aircraft systems and other remote sensing platforms. Australia's water security depends on understanding how changes in forests from disturbance and climate change influence catchment water yields. This project will estimate water yields over time and space in ungauged catchments with disturbed eucalypt forests. This research is expected to enable more effective risk mitigation and planning for augmentations; improved fire management strategies; and better water management of the Murray Darling Basin.Read moreRead less
New methods for mapping variation in forest water use in time and space. Disturbance of eucalypt forests can have dramatic impacts on catchment water yields. In partnership with Melbourne Water Corporation, this project will develop and test new methods for accurate mapping of variation in water use across forested water supply catchments and for accurately determining the effects of this on water supplies.
Is restoration working? An ecological genetic assessment. This project aims to assess the success of restoration in terms of ecological and genetic viability for plant species in the Fitzgerald River–Stirling Range region of Western Australia, where significant investment is being made in restoring connectivity at a landscape scale. The project intends to compare reproductive output, pollinator behaviour, mating, genetic diversity and pollen dispersal in restored sites with those of undisturbed ....Is restoration working? An ecological genetic assessment. This project aims to assess the success of restoration in terms of ecological and genetic viability for plant species in the Fitzgerald River–Stirling Range region of Western Australia, where significant investment is being made in restoring connectivity at a landscape scale. The project intends to compare reproductive output, pollinator behaviour, mating, genetic diversity and pollen dispersal in restored sites with those of undisturbed natural vegetation. The project moves measures of restoration success beyond that of population establishment and survival to incorporate the evolutionary processes that provide long-term resilience, persistence and functional integration of restored populations into broader landscapes.Read moreRead less
Functional links between estuaries and their catchments: How does land use change affect estuarine ecological and bio-geochemical function? Estuaries are iconic recreational areas of high ecological and socio-economic value. Estuarine health is strongly linked to the catchments that feed them, yet we have no detailed understanding of these links. This project will use a number of state of the art approaches to better understand how land use affects estuarine health.
Optimising the spring in your step to enhance footwear design. This project aims to examine how the nervous system adjusts the mechanical function of our feet across a spectrum of speeds, from slow running through to maximal effort sprinting. The proposed research will explore how the nervous system controls the function of the foot to meet the ever-varying demands of locomotion in the real-world. Expected outcomes of this project are to determine if running shoes help or hinder the natural spri ....Optimising the spring in your step to enhance footwear design. This project aims to examine how the nervous system adjusts the mechanical function of our feet across a spectrum of speeds, from slow running through to maximal effort sprinting. The proposed research will explore how the nervous system controls the function of the foot to meet the ever-varying demands of locomotion in the real-world. Expected outcomes of this project are to determine if running shoes help or hinder the natural spring-like function of the foot. It will explain a conceptually novel design allowing shoes to support our feet, whilst harnessing the energetic benefits of the foot's spring-like function. This research has the potential to revolutionise athletic footwear design and has direct implications for enhanced performance in running athletes.Read moreRead less
Impacts of groundwater extraction on ecophysiology of Australian trees. The aim of this project is to determine the response of trees to the extraction of shallow groundwater. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems rely on a supply of groundwater to maintain ecosystem health, structure and function, and excessive depletion of groundwater resources has a negative impact on these ecosystems. The project intends to combine a field-scale experimental depletion of groundwater resources simultaneously with ....Impacts of groundwater extraction on ecophysiology of Australian trees. The aim of this project is to determine the response of trees to the extraction of shallow groundwater. Groundwater-dependent ecosystems rely on a supply of groundwater to maintain ecosystem health, structure and function, and excessive depletion of groundwater resources has a negative impact on these ecosystems. The project intends to combine a field-scale experimental depletion of groundwater resources simultaneously with alterations in rainfall input and measurements of tree responses. The results of the project are intended to inform industry regulators and the water supply industry on how to improve management of both groundwater and vegetation resources.Read moreRead less
Building giants: the origins of extreme biology in baleen whales. Baleen whales are unlike any other animal. They have evolved unparalleled specialisations for feeding, hearing, smell, cognition and – above all – the largest ever body size. These extreme features underlie the unmatched dominance of baleen whales in today's oceans. The origins of these key adaptations required major changes in the anatomy and function of the skull and teeth. However, exactly how and when the extreme innovations o ....Building giants: the origins of extreme biology in baleen whales. Baleen whales are unlike any other animal. They have evolved unparalleled specialisations for feeding, hearing, smell, cognition and – above all – the largest ever body size. These extreme features underlie the unmatched dominance of baleen whales in today's oceans. The origins of these key adaptations required major changes in the anatomy and function of the skull and teeth. However, exactly how and when the extreme innovations of baleen whales began remains an outstanding question in animal biology. This proposal aims to combine exceptional Australian fossils with recent advances in 3D imaging, biomechanics, and evolutionary analysis to discover how the secrets to the success of baleen whales first evolved.Read moreRead less