Landscape-scale monitoring and adaptive management of woodland birds in the Mt Lofty Ranges. Despite the fundamental role of scientific monitoring in nature conservation, its research importance and potential is widely neglected. There is an urgent need to improve quantitative rigour, particularly to ensure adequate statistical power is achieved when monitoring at a landscape scale. We will apply new analytical tools to the problem of devising a powerful and flexible monitoring regime for a high ....Landscape-scale monitoring and adaptive management of woodland birds in the Mt Lofty Ranges. Despite the fundamental role of scientific monitoring in nature conservation, its research importance and potential is widely neglected. There is an urgent need to improve quantitative rigour, particularly to ensure adequate statistical power is achieved when monitoring at a landscape scale. We will apply new analytical tools to the problem of devising a powerful and flexible monitoring regime for a highly threatened woodland bird community in South Australia. Monitoring will be embedded within a decision-making framework with explicit links to local management agencies. Results will be broadly applicable across agricultural areas of Australia, where bird assemblages are in general decline.Read moreRead less
Ecology and conservation of a unique, threatened guanophilic invertebrate community. This project aims to study the biology and ecology of a unique assemblage of insects and other invertebrates that live specifically in bat guano at Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area. The caves are a major ecotourism and research location because of their world famous Pliestocene fossils, and because one cave is a critical breeding site for the large bentwing bat, Miniopterus s. bassianii. The guano cave, whic ....Ecology and conservation of a unique, threatened guanophilic invertebrate community. This project aims to study the biology and ecology of a unique assemblage of insects and other invertebrates that live specifically in bat guano at Naracoorte Caves World Heritage Area. The caves are a major ecotourism and research location because of their world famous Pliestocene fossils, and because one cave is a critical breeding site for the large bentwing bat, Miniopterus s. bassianii. The guano cave, which contains numerous endemic invertebrates, is potentially threatened by both direct and indirect human impacts. The results of this research will form the basis of a long-term management strategy to conserve this diverse community.Read moreRead less
Climate change and phenotypic divergence at a landscape scale. Birds provide key ecosystem functions like pollination, insect control, and seed dispersal in Australia. Climate change is well documented and has a pronounced effect on birds, commonly leading to range shifts. This study will quantify patterns of gene flow at a landscape scale in declining and common birds in Australia and abroad. The project builds on strong international links to the Galapagos Islands as well as a regional focus f ....Climate change and phenotypic divergence at a landscape scale. Birds provide key ecosystem functions like pollination, insect control, and seed dispersal in Australia. Climate change is well documented and has a pronounced effect on birds, commonly leading to range shifts. This study will quantify patterns of gene flow at a landscape scale in declining and common birds in Australia and abroad. The project builds on strong international links to the Galapagos Islands as well as a regional focus for South Australia. The linkage organisations are committed to implementing management outcomes for native flora and fauna, which need to be underpinned with quality baseline data. The outcomes will also inform climate modelling for the State and Australia. Read moreRead less
Population genetics and dynamics of orchids and their pollinators in fragmented landscapes of South Australia. Many species of orchids in fragmented landscapes need active management to secure their persistence. The effects of fragmentation can be direct (e.g. reduction in population sizes, environmental quality, increased inbreeding, reduced dispersal ability), or indirect through negative effects on pollinators. Little information exists on the complex interactions between effects of fragmenta ....Population genetics and dynamics of orchids and their pollinators in fragmented landscapes of South Australia. Many species of orchids in fragmented landscapes need active management to secure their persistence. The effects of fragmentation can be direct (e.g. reduction in population sizes, environmental quality, increased inbreeding, reduced dispersal ability), or indirect through negative effects on pollinators. Little information exists on the complex interactions between effects of fragmentation on plants and their pollinators. This project aims to understand how fragmentation affects the genetic diversity and demography of selected populations of orchids and their pollinators in the Mt.Lofty/Flerieu Peninsula area. This information will help to develop and implement more effective conservation plans.Read moreRead less
Conservation genetics and socio-ecology of marsupials in fragmented populations of south-eastern South Australia: towards a regional biodiversity management plan. Habitat destruction and fragmentation is causing the decline of many species in native forests of eastern and southern Australia. Our project will investigate the interplay between the human activities of agriculture and forestry and their effects on native forest ecosystems. It will provide new data on the consequences of fragmentati ....Conservation genetics and socio-ecology of marsupials in fragmented populations of south-eastern South Australia: towards a regional biodiversity management plan. Habitat destruction and fragmentation is causing the decline of many species in native forests of eastern and southern Australia. Our project will investigate the interplay between the human activities of agriculture and forestry and their effects on native forest ecosystems. It will provide new data on the consequences of fragmentation to native mammal species in the rural and regional communities of south-east South Australia and western Victoria. It will establish a strong collaborative partnership between two forestry companies, conservation agencies and university conservation biologists to develop strategies to sustainably manage biodiversity in native forests and conserve populations of rare and threatened native mammals species. Read moreRead less
Impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi on native vegetation in South Australia - understanding underlying mechanisms to improve management. The disease Phytophthora dieback threatens many Australian native plants and the animals that rely on them for food and habitat. This research will provide new knowledge of the susceptibility to the disease of plant species that are threatened with extinction, and of the effects of plant and soil microbial community composition on patterns of spread of the disease ....Impact of Phytophthora cinnamomi on native vegetation in South Australia - understanding underlying mechanisms to improve management. The disease Phytophthora dieback threatens many Australian native plants and the animals that rely on them for food and habitat. This research will provide new knowledge of the susceptibility to the disease of plant species that are threatened with extinction, and of the effects of plant and soil microbial community composition on patterns of spread of the disease. This knowledge will assist the recovery of rare and threatened plant species and ecological communities statewide and nationwide. Read moreRead less
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
Avian Recruitment: The Key to Maintaining Biodiversity. With increased global trade, the threat to native species from the spread of disease and parasites requires exploration. This is particularly relevant as we link fragmented habitats through vegetation corridors at a national level, thereby creating potential pathways for disease transmission and predator access. This study will contribute to Research Priority 4: Safeguarding Australia from invasive diseases and pests. It will do this by gen ....Avian Recruitment: The Key to Maintaining Biodiversity. With increased global trade, the threat to native species from the spread of disease and parasites requires exploration. This is particularly relevant as we link fragmented habitats through vegetation corridors at a national level, thereby creating potential pathways for disease transmission and predator access. This study will contribute to Research Priority 4: Safeguarding Australia from invasive diseases and pests. It will do this by generating a detailed understanding of the link between nesting success, parasite transmission, and immune response in endemic Australian birds in geographically separate populations. The results will be used to inform the establishment of vegetation corridors in the proposed study sites in the next decade.Read moreRead less
Early warning of cyanobacteria blooms in drinking water reservoirs by means of evolutionary algorithms. Estimated economic cost of cyanobacteria blooms to Australia are at $150 million p.a. Early warning for cyanobacteria blooms will inform water managers to conduct preventive and operational control in reservoirs and water works, and significantly lower risks for public health and costs for monitoring and treatment. Resulting early warning systems will be novel prototypes for cyanobacteria bloo ....Early warning of cyanobacteria blooms in drinking water reservoirs by means of evolutionary algorithms. Estimated economic cost of cyanobacteria blooms to Australia are at $150 million p.a. Early warning for cyanobacteria blooms will inform water managers to conduct preventive and operational control in reservoirs and water works, and significantly lower risks for public health and costs for monitoring and treatment. Resulting early warning systems will be novel prototypes for cyanobacteria blooms in drinking water reservoirs based on forecasting models adaptable to environmental and climate change. Model-based scenario analysis will also assist in informed decisions on effects of drought, injection of recycled water and global warming to cyanobacteria growth.Read moreRead less
Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles ....Origins of invertebrate fauna in Australia since the Cretaceous: a molecular approach using bees as a model taxon. Australia's unique biota is vital for ecological, recreational, and economic reasons, and is a major resource that we need to understand and manage. This project is aimed at understanding the genesis of this biota, and will help us anticipate what lies ahead, in terms of the impact of exotic species and climate change. Benefits also include developing world class scientific profiles with consequent flow-on effects, including international collaboration, and enhanced teaching and awareness of native biota. The project will maintain our already strong track record for training a large number of postgraduate and honours students in benchmark evolutionary research techniques. Read moreRead less