Snails to the rescue! Conservation of Australia’s island invertebrates. This project aims to deliver an exemplar industry network model for conservation on Australia’s islands which are hotspots both of biodiversity and of extinctions. Protecting species on islands is therefore key to securing Australia’s biodiversity. We will secure Norfolk Island's 60 species of land snails via in situ and ex situ conservation with six key industry partners. The project expects to unite conservation actions ac ....Snails to the rescue! Conservation of Australia’s island invertebrates. This project aims to deliver an exemplar industry network model for conservation on Australia’s islands which are hotspots both of biodiversity and of extinctions. Protecting species on islands is therefore key to securing Australia’s biodiversity. We will secure Norfolk Island's 60 species of land snails via in situ and ex situ conservation with six key industry partners. The project expects to unite conservation actions across research, governments, and industry. Expected outcomes of this project include Norfolk Island emerging as a leader in global conservation. This should provide significant benefits such as a model for conservation that is applicable to thousands of isolated, range-restricted invertebrate species across Australia.Read moreRead less
Cultural Heritage Site Significance, Management and Interpretation in China and Australia: A Comparative Analysis in a Cross-Cultural Framework. The Nara Document 1994 asserts that East Asians see 'cultural heritage' differently from Westerners and that conservation practice should reflect the culture in which it takes place. Given Australia's growing tourism links with China, and China's growing importance in the Asia-Pacific, it is timely to reflect on the Chinese understanding of cultural her ....Cultural Heritage Site Significance, Management and Interpretation in China and Australia: A Comparative Analysis in a Cross-Cultural Framework. The Nara Document 1994 asserts that East Asians see 'cultural heritage' differently from Westerners and that conservation practice should reflect the culture in which it takes place. Given Australia's growing tourism links with China, and China's growing importance in the Asia-Pacific, it is timely to reflect on the Chinese understanding of cultural heritage. Conversely China's relatively new cultural heritage industry can learn from Australian practice. This project aims at better mutual understanding by researching key issues of site significance, management and interpretation. The research will fill a gap in the literature and provide a model for further cross-cultural heritage analysis.Read moreRead less
Towards sustainable floodplain communities: Assessing River Red Gum health. Floodplain vegetation in Australia has suffered severe degradation from river regulation but there is limited understanding of the functioning, responses and requirements of the ecosystem's most critical species, the River Red Gum. We will address three knowledge gaps needed for effective management of floodplain river red gums by assessing current and past health, determining stressors affecting health and by building ....Towards sustainable floodplain communities: Assessing River Red Gum health. Floodplain vegetation in Australia has suffered severe degradation from river regulation but there is limited understanding of the functioning, responses and requirements of the ecosystem's most critical species, the River Red Gum. We will address three knowledge gaps needed for effective management of floodplain river red gums by assessing current and past health, determining stressors affecting health and by building a model for predicting future health based on projected trends. Outcomes from this study will help land managers to prioritise environmental flow allocations based on the requirements for sustaining future river red gum populations.Read moreRead less
New strategies to save the Critically Endangered plant Grampians Pincushion Lily (Borya mirabilis, Liliaceae/Boryaceae) from extinction. The Grampians Pincushion Lily (Borya mirabilis) is Critically Endangered (only 7 remain). Efforts to increase its population and range and maintain or enhance its genetic diversity by standard methods have had only modest success so far. The aim of this proposal is to create more innovative methods in a deeper, more research-based approach to solving these ....New strategies to save the Critically Endangered plant Grampians Pincushion Lily (Borya mirabilis, Liliaceae/Boryaceae) from extinction. The Grampians Pincushion Lily (Borya mirabilis) is Critically Endangered (only 7 remain). Efforts to increase its population and range and maintain or enhance its genetic diversity by standard methods have had only modest success so far. The aim of this proposal is to create more innovative methods in a deeper, more research-based approach to solving these problems by using greater knowledge and understanding of its biology and reproduction. In particular, plant tissue culture and molecular biology will allow us to devise more effective approaches and potentially create methods that could be applied to other endangered species, particularly Borya and its relatives.Read moreRead less
Upscaling genetic management of wildlife populations. Earth’s biodiversity is in crisis: many species are threatened with extinction and need our help. Genetic management helps to stop extinctions and promotes the health and continued existence of our wildlife. This project aims to understand how to use genome science to support preservation of four endangered species in changing climates and apply these learnings to help other species to survive and thrive. Anticipated outcomes include innovati ....Upscaling genetic management of wildlife populations. Earth’s biodiversity is in crisis: many species are threatened with extinction and need our help. Genetic management helps to stop extinctions and promotes the health and continued existence of our wildlife. This project aims to understand how to use genome science to support preservation of four endangered species in changing climates and apply these learnings to help other species to survive and thrive. Anticipated outcomes include innovative approaches to aid conservation decision-making, automated analyses of genome data, and improved conservation training. The expected benefits include larger, healthier populations of four species, new ways of saving other species, and the provision of important resources for conservation managers.Read moreRead less
Vegetation change in coastal Parks and Reserves: risk assessment and management of woody invaders. Coastal heath ecosystems contain some of the highest diversity of plant species for any vegetation type within temperate Australia. These communities exist within and outside the Reserve system, but even those within Parks and Reserves may be undergoing rapid change in structure and composition as a result of invading environmental weeds, resulting in a significant loss of biological diversity. As ....Vegetation change in coastal Parks and Reserves: risk assessment and management of woody invaders. Coastal heath ecosystems contain some of the highest diversity of plant species for any vegetation type within temperate Australia. These communities exist within and outside the Reserve system, but even those within Parks and Reserves may be undergoing rapid change in structure and composition as a result of invading environmental weeds, resulting in a significant loss of biological diversity. As agriculture, tourism and other developments place increasing pressure on these diminishing ecosystems, the maintenance of their biodiversity takes on increasing importance. This project will identify threatening processes and devise cost-effective, practicable management strategies in a context of competing stakeholder interests.Read moreRead less
The roles viruses play in the decline of terrestrial orchids in Australia’s hotspot of global biodiversity. Plant viruses play both positive and negative roles in native plant health and population viability. This study will use deep sequencing and plant physiology approaches to elucidate how threatened terrestrial orchids respond to infection by exotic and indigenous viruses, allowing more informed management of critically-important ecosystems.
Fertility Management of Koalas, Kangaroos and Wallabies. The aims of this work are to test a commercially available long-acting contraceptive on large populations of kangaroos and koalas, and to devise efficient, economic and practical ways of delivering these contraceptives to the animals. The outcome will be a system of controlling the number of these animals which is economically realistic and acceptable to national and international communities. The contraceptive is administered as a small, ....Fertility Management of Koalas, Kangaroos and Wallabies. The aims of this work are to test a commercially available long-acting contraceptive on large populations of kangaroos and koalas, and to devise efficient, economic and practical ways of delivering these contraceptives to the animals. The outcome will be a system of controlling the number of these animals which is economically realistic and acceptable to national and international communities. The contraceptive is administered as a small, subcutaneous implant in the back of the neck. It can be inserted very quickly and has no harmful side effects. A further outcome may be its adoption in other parts of the world, to the advantage of the company which manufactures it.Read moreRead less
Demonstrating the impacts of ground tank closure on biodiversity and landscape function in southeast Australian rangelands. Despite incentives for improving biodiversity outcomes in pastoral landscapes pastoralists are resistant to strategic tank closure. Research will monitor the effects of total-closure, partial-closure and fencing of ground tanks on biodiversity. Results of research will be built into a model to assist land managers in decision making. The research will be conducted in conjun ....Demonstrating the impacts of ground tank closure on biodiversity and landscape function in southeast Australian rangelands. Despite incentives for improving biodiversity outcomes in pastoral landscapes pastoralists are resistant to strategic tank closure. Research will monitor the effects of total-closure, partial-closure and fencing of ground tanks on biodiversity. Results of research will be built into a model to assist land managers in decision making. The research will be conducted in conjunction with land management authorities thus outcomes can be readily passed on to relevant user groups. The project will aid in the adoption of sustainable land management practices in relation to total grazing pressure and biodiversity. The research within arid woodland and shrubland communities is applicable to a large area of Australia's rangelands.Read moreRead less
The impact of high kangaroo populations on regeneration of arid woodland tree species. Remnant arid woodland in south-eastern Australia is threatened by regeneration failure resulting from high grazing pressure from sheep, rabbits and kangaroos. Elimination of sheep grazing, reduction in rabbit populations as a result of RCD and a decision to cull kangaroos has provided an unprecedented opportunity to ascertain the impact of kangaroos on regeneration, in particular the degree to which kangaroos ....The impact of high kangaroo populations on regeneration of arid woodland tree species. Remnant arid woodland in south-eastern Australia is threatened by regeneration failure resulting from high grazing pressure from sheep, rabbits and kangaroos. Elimination of sheep grazing, reduction in rabbit populations as a result of RCD and a decision to cull kangaroos has provided an unprecedented opportunity to ascertain the impact of kangaroos on regeneration, in particular the degree to which kangaroos put a selective pressure on seedlings of overstorey species. Research proposed in association with Parks Victoria, will make a major contribution to understanding of the need for active management of remnant woodlands and assist in the preservation of significant communities.Read moreRead less