Understanding snow gum dieback for effective and integrated management. The project leverages recent research and infrastructure investments and our determined and collaborative team as it aims to: 1) assess the future geography of snow gum dieback in the high country and identify priority locations for pro-active management, 2) quantify the impact of snow gums on high country water and carbon budgets and thus the socio- economic and biodiversity values, and 3) determine options for mitigation. ....Understanding snow gum dieback for effective and integrated management. The project leverages recent research and infrastructure investments and our determined and collaborative team as it aims to: 1) assess the future geography of snow gum dieback in the high country and identify priority locations for pro-active management, 2) quantify the impact of snow gums on high country water and carbon budgets and thus the socio- economic and biodiversity values, and 3) determine options for mitigation. Dieback of our iconic snow gum forests is diminishing the ecological, hydrological and cultural values of the Australian Alps and will impact state and national water-supply and power-generation systems. Our research will inform Alps-wide management efforts designed for long-term success.Read moreRead less
Predicting climate change impacts on the biodiversity of Lord Howe Island: an approach using experimental and historical data. Climate change will have profound impacts on biodiversity. We will investigate both recent and future impacts of climate change on invertebrate and plant assemblages on Lord Howe Island, an important World Heritage Area. We will 1. compare current assemblages with a unique set of historical databases spanning the past 150 years, to investigate whether recent warming has ....Predicting climate change impacts on the biodiversity of Lord Howe Island: an approach using experimental and historical data. Climate change will have profound impacts on biodiversity. We will investigate both recent and future impacts of climate change on invertebrate and plant assemblages on Lord Howe Island, an important World Heritage Area. We will 1. compare current assemblages with a unique set of historical databases spanning the past 150 years, to investigate whether recent warming has affected community composition and 2. experimentally assess impacts of increasing temperature and CO2 on Lord Howe's unique flora and fauna. Our assessment of species vulnerability to climate change threats will be used to inform future conservation policy and species management on Lord Howe. Read moreRead less
The future of fruit fly control: making the Sterile Insect Technique work for Queensland fruit fly. The future of fruit fly control in Australia lies in the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT): it is the only non-pesticide option that can totally eliminate pest populations. Millions of dollars have already been invested to establish an SIT program against Queensland fruit fly (Q-fly) in southern and eastern Australia, but this program is currently largely ineffective due to the poor performance of t ....The future of fruit fly control: making the Sterile Insect Technique work for Queensland fruit fly. The future of fruit fly control in Australia lies in the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT): it is the only non-pesticide option that can totally eliminate pest populations. Millions of dollars have already been invested to establish an SIT program against Queensland fruit fly (Q-fly) in southern and eastern Australia, but this program is currently largely ineffective due to the poor performance of the mass-reared sterile flies. This project will apply genetic, ecological and technical solutions to the problems facing the current Q-fly control program. Effective control of Q-fly will enhance the international competitiveness of Australia's horticultural industries.Read moreRead less
Forecasting locust outbreaks: evaluation of an Insect Monitoring Radar network. A recently developed technology that allows high-altitude migrations of insects to be detected automatically and at modest cost will be adapted to the specific task of forecasting Australian plague locusts. A network of two 'Insect Monitoring Radars' (IMRs) will be operated in a locust outbreak area, and observation summaries, customised to identify major locust migration events and to estimate their source and desti ....Forecasting locust outbreaks: evaluation of an Insect Monitoring Radar network. A recently developed technology that allows high-altitude migrations of insects to be detected automatically and at modest cost will be adapted to the specific task of forecasting Australian plague locusts. A network of two 'Insect Monitoring Radars' (IMRs) will be operated in a locust outbreak area, and observation summaries, customised to identify major locust migration events and to estimate their source and destination regions, will be presented daily to forecasters at the Australian Plague Locust Commission (APLC). The potential contribution of IMRs to APLC's strategic goal of reducing chemical insecticide usage while maintaining protection of valuable crops will be evaluated.Read moreRead less
Integrating climate adaptation into rainforest restoration plantings. This project aims to investigate the impact of within species adaptation to climate on restoratoin success in the Australian Wet Tropics. For a suite of six species of tropical tree frequently employed in rainforest restoration plantings in northeast Queensland, this project aims to test the hypothesis that collecting seed from populations in similar ecoclimatic settings to the planting site will result in superior seedling gr ....Integrating climate adaptation into rainforest restoration plantings. This project aims to investigate the impact of within species adaptation to climate on restoratoin success in the Australian Wet Tropics. For a suite of six species of tropical tree frequently employed in rainforest restoration plantings in northeast Queensland, this project aims to test the hypothesis that collecting seed from populations in similar ecoclimatic settings to the planting site will result in superior seedling growth and survival. The expected outcome is to provide practical advice to restoration practitioners about the importance of matching the provenance of seed source to planting sites, and opportunities for selecting provenances pre-adapted to predicted future climatic conditions at planting sites.Read moreRead less
Mid-rotation diagnosis and management options for correction of water and nutrient deficiencies in plantation-grown eucalypts. This research will improve productivity of bluegum plantations by improving current diagnostic techniques (foliage and soil analysis) for nutrient disorders and the supply of water. Using a novel phloem sampling and analysis technique, we will develop a nutrient (e.g. N, P) and water diagnosis procedure that is quick, cheap, robust and reliable for field use. A major in ....Mid-rotation diagnosis and management options for correction of water and nutrient deficiencies in plantation-grown eucalypts. This research will improve productivity of bluegum plantations by improving current diagnostic techniques (foliage and soil analysis) for nutrient disorders and the supply of water. Using a novel phloem sampling and analysis technique, we will develop a nutrient (e.g. N, P) and water diagnosis procedure that is quick, cheap, robust and reliable for field use. A major innovation will be distinguishing the effects of shortages of water on growth from those of other growth influences. Overall, this project will provide a highly significant theoretical, conceptual and practical advance in mid-rotation, diagnostics for plantations with considerable commercial promise.Read moreRead less
Spatially explicit solutions for managing fire and biodiversity. This project aims to develop a framework for predicting the impact of future fire regimes on the distribution and abundance of plant and animal species. Inappropriate fire regimes are one of the most significant threats to biodiversity in Australia. There is an urgent need to better understand how species respond to fire and to develop effective fire management strategies that achieve conservation goals. This project intends to int ....Spatially explicit solutions for managing fire and biodiversity. This project aims to develop a framework for predicting the impact of future fire regimes on the distribution and abundance of plant and animal species. Inappropriate fire regimes are one of the most significant threats to biodiversity in Australia. There is an urgent need to better understand how species respond to fire and to develop effective fire management strategies that achieve conservation goals. This project intends to integrate ecological models, fire behaviour simulation and formal decision-making approaches to evaluate alternative fire scenarios in real landscapes. The major output is anticipated to be linked ecological models and decision tools that help managers to better protect biodiversity in flammable landscapes.Read moreRead less
Predicting the ecological impact of cane toads on native fauna of northwestern Australia. At current rates of spread, cane toads will invade the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia within a few years. We urgently need to be able to predict which native species will be at risk from toads, and which will be relatively unaffected either because they are not killed by toads, or because they can rapidly learn, or evolve, in ways that reduce this impact and thus allow population recovery. We ....Predicting the ecological impact of cane toads on native fauna of northwestern Australia. At current rates of spread, cane toads will invade the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia within a few years. We urgently need to be able to predict which native species will be at risk from toads, and which will be relatively unaffected either because they are not killed by toads, or because they can rapidly learn, or evolve, in ways that reduce this impact and thus allow population recovery. We will obtain these data by exposing native animals to toads and recording the results; and thus, can identify the most important priorities for conservation efforts.Read moreRead less
Reengineering a dynamic vegetation model to explore the stability of Australian terrestrial carbon. Overseas models do not represent Australian biophysical processes well: our flora and fauna are unique and our soils are old and nutrient poor. In contrast, the National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) is a world-class framework for estimating current carbon processes. By building NCAS expertise into an overseas model of soil and vegetation processes we can develop the capacity to increase our con ....Reengineering a dynamic vegetation model to explore the stability of Australian terrestrial carbon. Overseas models do not represent Australian biophysical processes well: our flora and fauna are unique and our soils are old and nutrient poor. In contrast, the National Carbon Accounting System (NCAS) is a world-class framework for estimating current carbon processes. By building NCAS expertise into an overseas model of soil and vegetation processes we can develop the capacity to increase our confidence in future projections of carbon and vegetation change. Our proposal, linking Universities, CSIRO and the Australian Greenhouse Office establishes a team that is internationally competitive. It will enhance local expertise and local model development to ensure national policy development is underpinned by world-class science.Read moreRead less
Assessing the impact of a native parasitic plant, Cassytha pubescens, on the weeds gorse (Ulex europaeus) and English broom (Cytisus scoparius). Each year invasive plants cost Australia billions of dollars through costs associated with their control and through lost agricultural production and degradation of native ecosystems. Two particularly damaging plants are gorse and broom. The problems gorse causes are so serious that it has been recognized as a Weed of National Significance (Federal Depa ....Assessing the impact of a native parasitic plant, Cassytha pubescens, on the weeds gorse (Ulex europaeus) and English broom (Cytisus scoparius). Each year invasive plants cost Australia billions of dollars through costs associated with their control and through lost agricultural production and degradation of native ecosystems. Two particularly damaging plants are gorse and broom. The problems gorse causes are so serious that it has been recognized as a Weed of National Significance (Federal Department of Environment and Heritage). Biological control efforts have seldom use native agents, and even less often, parasitic plants. This project will help to develop strategies for the control of two noxious species using a native parsitic plant.Read moreRead less