Impact of increased sediment and nutrient discharges on the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia's greatest natural assets, is under increasing threat from extreme climatic events caused by global warming and from land-based pollution. This research will identify the main sources of sediment and nutrient pollution caused by river runoff and by how much this has increased above 'natural levels'. We will discover how the very sensitive offsho ....Impact of increased sediment and nutrient discharges on the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. The Great Barrier Reef, one of Australia's greatest natural assets, is under increasing threat from extreme climatic events caused by global warming and from land-based pollution. This research will identify the main sources of sediment and nutrient pollution caused by river runoff and by how much this has increased above 'natural levels'. We will discover how the very sensitive offshore coral reefs have responded to increased pollution and whether this is the cause of the very devastating crown-of-thorn-starfish infestations. Understanding the long-term effects of land-based pollution on the ecology of coral reefs in the GBR will thus provide a scientific basis to help ensure that it has a sustainable future.Read moreRead less
Larval Dispersal And The Design Of Marine Reserve Networks: Benefits Within And Beyond Boundaries. Most marine organisms produce tiny offspring that are dispersed unknown distances by oceanic currents. Our present strategies to manage marine resources lack this vital piece of information. This study will apply two revolutionary techniques that finally enable us to determine how far marine larvae travel. Using the team that developed these techniques, field studies will for the first time measure ....Larval Dispersal And The Design Of Marine Reserve Networks: Benefits Within And Beyond Boundaries. Most marine organisms produce tiny offspring that are dispersed unknown distances by oceanic currents. Our present strategies to manage marine resources lack this vital piece of information. This study will apply two revolutionary techniques that finally enable us to determine how far marine larvae travel. Using the team that developed these techniques, field studies will for the first time measure both retention of fish larvae within marine protected areas and dispersal of larvae to adjacent fished areas on coral reefs. This information can be directly applied to optimize the size of reserves and their spacing in marine protected area networks.Read moreRead less
Acoustics for Large Scale Biodiversity Assessment. Aims: This project will investigate using automated acoustic recording to efficiently census biodiversity assessment at a continental scale.
Significance: To generate new techniques for analysing environmental acoustic data and assessing Australian biodiversity, verified empirical estimates of biodiversity, an understanding of causes of variation in biodiversity.
Expected outcomes: methods for large-scale and accurate assessment of biodiversity ....Acoustics for Large Scale Biodiversity Assessment. Aims: This project will investigate using automated acoustic recording to efficiently census biodiversity assessment at a continental scale.
Significance: To generate new techniques for analysing environmental acoustic data and assessing Australian biodiversity, verified empirical estimates of biodiversity, an understanding of causes of variation in biodiversity.
Expected outcomes: methods for large-scale and accurate assessment of biodiversity, enhanced capacity to detect causes of variation in biodiversity, open-source software tools for analysing environmental audio data, biodiversity datasets.
Benefits: measuring and understanding biodiversity change, allowing enhanced management, conservation, and use of Australian natural resources.
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Climate change and coral reef communities: predicting and managing future impacts. Coral reefs are critically important for the goods and services they provide, but are facing considerable threat from sustained, ongoing climate change. Results from this project, and supplementary data from other researchers within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, will help develop innovative strategies to manage the effects of climate change on coral reef ecosystems. There is no comparable te ....Climate change and coral reef communities: predicting and managing future impacts. Coral reefs are critically important for the goods and services they provide, but are facing considerable threat from sustained, ongoing climate change. Results from this project, and supplementary data from other researchers within the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, will help develop innovative strategies to manage the effects of climate change on coral reef ecosystems. There is no comparable team in the world that has the capacity or resources to rigorously integrate world-class research into knowledge-based management of coral reef ecosystems.Read moreRead less
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.
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds: Novel tests for Analysis and Field Validation. This project will give community benefits from new analytical technology and research data to help minimise the threat of environmental contamination with endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). Both urban and rural communities may feel the impacts of EDCs, with potential contamination occurring globally, affecting both wildlife and humans. The main means of transport of EDCs is as contaminants in water and it is ess ....Endocrine Disrupting Compounds: Novel tests for Analysis and Field Validation. This project will give community benefits from new analytical technology and research data to help minimise the threat of environmental contamination with endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs). Both urban and rural communities may feel the impacts of EDCs, with potential contamination occurring globally, affecting both wildlife and humans. The main means of transport of EDCs is as contaminants in water and it is essential to learn the extent of contamination occurring in urban and rural water supplies to decide its significance. The research will involve a multi-disciplinary approach, with benefits falling into all four National Research Priorities of sustainability, good health, frontier analytical technology and national safety.Read moreRead less
Developing Ecosystem Services Economies for northern Australia. The project aims to advance economic opportunities for Indigenous communities across Northern Australia by developing culturally appropriate ecosystem services economies. The project will offer new alternatives for collectively addressing chronic Indigenous socio-economic issues and pressing environmental issues. Expected outcomes include a co-developed ecosystem services economies business model with a toolkit, involving Indigenous ....Developing Ecosystem Services Economies for northern Australia. The project aims to advance economic opportunities for Indigenous communities across Northern Australia by developing culturally appropriate ecosystem services economies. The project will offer new alternatives for collectively addressing chronic Indigenous socio-economic issues and pressing environmental issues. Expected outcomes include a co-developed ecosystem services economies business model with a toolkit, involving Indigenous and business stakeholders, for establishing innovative enterprises across northern Australia. Key benefits include new ecosystem services-based enterprises; sustainable land sector development; jobs in remote locations; improved well-being of Indigenous peoples; and better environmental management. Read moreRead less
Disperse or die: the evolution of dispersal ability in a changing climate. Whether or not climate change will affect a species depends upon the ability of ecological communities to track climate change. Species that rapidly shift their range in response to climate change will not be unduly affected, whereas species that are stuck in one place are at extreme risk from a changing climate (they must either adapt, or perish). We need, therefore, a firm understanding of how, and how rapidly, specie ....Disperse or die: the evolution of dispersal ability in a changing climate. Whether or not climate change will affect a species depends upon the ability of ecological communities to track climate change. Species that rapidly shift their range in response to climate change will not be unduly affected, whereas species that are stuck in one place are at extreme risk from a changing climate (they must either adapt, or perish). We need, therefore, a firm understanding of how, and how rapidly, species shift their range. This project will develop a universal framework within which to model species' responses to climate change. As such, the project will contribute greatly to how we plan for, and manage, the effects of climate change.Read moreRead less
An Assessment of Social-Ecological Resilience in the Context of Marine Resource Management in Melanesia. Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are part of the so-called 'Arc of Instability'. Despite enjoying relatively high levels of food security, mainly due to low human population densities, both countries have low Human Development Indices, particularly in Health and Education, and sustainable development is hindered by a range of problems, including complex and often socially destructive resp ....An Assessment of Social-Ecological Resilience in the Context of Marine Resource Management in Melanesia. Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are part of the so-called 'Arc of Instability'. Despite enjoying relatively high levels of food security, mainly due to low human population densities, both countries have low Human Development Indices, particularly in Health and Education, and sustainable development is hindered by a range of problems, including complex and often socially destructive responses to global markets. Meanwhile fishery resources of both countries are being rapidly depleted by accelerating global commodity demand, threatening food security and undermining progress towards sustainable human development. Targeted, socially-informed resource management policy can prevent these problems from becoming ours as well.Read moreRead less
Novel governance for marine ecosystems in rapid transition. This project will develop the governance knowledge required to manage rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Australia has the third largest marine estate globally, and its ecosystems support critical economic and sociocultural values. However, human pressures are tipping marine ecosystems into alternate states, inspiring new interventions to sustain industries and communities. New interventions necessitate transitions in governance. Expec ....Novel governance for marine ecosystems in rapid transition. This project will develop the governance knowledge required to manage rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Australia has the third largest marine estate globally, and its ecosystems support critical economic and sociocultural values. However, human pressures are tipping marine ecosystems into alternate states, inspiring new interventions to sustain industries and communities. New interventions necessitate transitions in governance. Expected outcomes include a comparative understanding of novel marine interventions now underway globally, and practical guidance on how to diagnose and implement responsible marine governance. Significant benefits include enhanced governance and sustainability of Australian and international marine ecosystems.Read moreRead less