Silicon: a novel solution to reduce water use and pest damage in wheat. The project aims to improve Australian wheat production by increasing drought resilience and reducing reliance on pesticides. This is achieved by incorporating amorphous silicon (Si), an abundant national resource. Si uptake by wheat has been proven to alleviate stress from drought and pests, but mechanisms and agronomic feasibility remain to be fully assessed. The project will deliver a mechanistic understanding of how Si a ....Silicon: a novel solution to reduce water use and pest damage in wheat. The project aims to improve Australian wheat production by increasing drought resilience and reducing reliance on pesticides. This is achieved by incorporating amorphous silicon (Si), an abundant national resource. Si uptake by wheat has been proven to alleviate stress from drought and pests, but mechanisms and agronomic feasibility remain to be fully assessed. The project will deliver a mechanistic understanding of how Si alleviates stress in wheat, from gene to farm scale, providing cost-benefit analysis and a best–practice toolbox for implementation by farmers. Outcomes are anticipated to provide a cheaper and more environmentally sustainable solution to issues of water scarcity and yield losses to pests in Australia’s leading crop.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
Quantifying kelp carbon and nutrient flows for nature-based solutions . This fellowship aims to resolve carbon removal and nutrient mitigation potential of Australia’s kelp forests now and in future. It will create new understanding of the ecosystem services provided by the Great Southern Reef, and the capacity of kelp forests to provide nature-based solutions to reduce emissions and improve coastal water quality. Using a combination of global models and ecological experiments on kelp forests an ....Quantifying kelp carbon and nutrient flows for nature-based solutions . This fellowship aims to resolve carbon removal and nutrient mitigation potential of Australia’s kelp forests now and in future. It will create new understanding of the ecosystem services provided by the Great Southern Reef, and the capacity of kelp forests to provide nature-based solutions to reduce emissions and improve coastal water quality. Using a combination of global models and ecological experiments on kelp forests and their replacement ecosystem states, the fellowship will predict changes in function with warming. This information is critical to determine net ecosystem mitigation potential and will significantly advance our understanding of the potential of kelp forests to generate co-benefits while conserving biodiversity. Read moreRead less