Ecophysiological limitations that affect water and carbon balance within large tree canopies: a comparative investigation. Supply of water to forest canopies is a major control of hydrological, atmospheric and biotic processes that impinge on groundwater stability, catchment yield, the fate of pollutants and plant productivity. Fundamental aspects of water transport and distribution within plant tissues remain obscured by conflicting experimental data and conflicting theoretical models that des ....Ecophysiological limitations that affect water and carbon balance within large tree canopies: a comparative investigation. Supply of water to forest canopies is a major control of hydrological, atmospheric and biotic processes that impinge on groundwater stability, catchment yield, the fate of pollutants and plant productivity. Fundamental aspects of water transport and distribution within plant tissues remain obscured by conflicting experimental data and conflicting theoretical models that describe physiological functioning.
Potential hydraulic constraints to the exchange of water and carbon between leaf and atmosphere require investigation before accurate models and informed decisions can be made with respect to the role of forests in biosphere-atmosphere processes. I will use large trees to investigate physiological and morphological determinants of hydraulic function and consider relationships between tree size, water requirements and water supply.
This project will foster comparative analyses of hydraulic functioning in large angiosperm and conifer species to elucidate universal principles that relate form to function and explain relationships between trees and their environment.
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More bang for your carbon buck: carbon, biodiversity and water balance consequences of whole-catchment carbon farming. Farming carbon via tree plantings on pasture land is becoming increasingly common to address the effects of climate change. This activity is likely to produce dramatic changes in Australia's rural landscapes, but we have little knowledge of likely effects on crucial ecosystem services and attributes such as stream water yields and biodiversity. This project will investigate the ....More bang for your carbon buck: carbon, biodiversity and water balance consequences of whole-catchment carbon farming. Farming carbon via tree plantings on pasture land is becoming increasingly common to address the effects of climate change. This activity is likely to produce dramatic changes in Australia's rural landscapes, but we have little knowledge of likely effects on crucial ecosystem services and attributes such as stream water yields and biodiversity. This project will investigate the relationship between tree cover, carbon uptake, water yield and biodiversity. The outcomes will allow government agencies, landowners and carbon farming groups to better evaluate the effects of different landscape planning options and contribute to effective long-term planning for multiple goals.Read moreRead less
Ancient Ecology: Changes in penguin diet over ~30,000 years in Antarctica. This project proposes the first direct study of ancient ecology using a combination of second-generation DNA sequencing and targeted gene recovery. The food web of the Antarctic Ocean is a classic textbook example of energy and nutrient cycling in the marine environment. Although a great deal is known about the current status of this food web, understanding how this complex set of predator / prey relationships have change ....Ancient Ecology: Changes in penguin diet over ~30,000 years in Antarctica. This project proposes the first direct study of ancient ecology using a combination of second-generation DNA sequencing and targeted gene recovery. The food web of the Antarctic Ocean is a classic textbook example of energy and nutrient cycling in the marine environment. Although a great deal is known about the current status of this food web, understanding how this complex set of predator / prey relationships have changed over long periods of time is vital to understanding the nature of the system itself. The project intends to track changes in the diet of Adélie penguins from serially preserved ancient fecal (guano) remains dating back approximately 30,000 years. These remains are known to contain microscopic remnants of penguin prey.Read moreRead less
Fire regimes and demographic responses interact to threaten woody species. This project aims to extend and test an Interval Squeeze conceptual model which predicts fire-climate interaction effects on plant species persistence. Complex processes affect future species persistence, and an evidence-based conceptual framework is needed. Working across two continents, this project will quantify the effects of projected shortening of fire intervals, lower rainfall and elevated temperatures on woody pla ....Fire regimes and demographic responses interact to threaten woody species. This project aims to extend and test an Interval Squeeze conceptual model which predicts fire-climate interaction effects on plant species persistence. Complex processes affect future species persistence, and an evidence-based conceptual framework is needed. Working across two continents, this project will quantify the effects of projected shortening of fire intervals, lower rainfall and elevated temperatures on woody plant species. Field evidence spans global change predictions, ecosystems and species representing key system dominants and functional response types. The project will synthesise this data into larger simulation models and extend its conceptual framework to directly inform conservation and fire management.Read moreRead less
The return of the native: reintroductions, reinvasions, and a new paradigm in restoration ecology. We develop a new solution to improve pest control used to protect rare and endangered wildlife by using reintroductions of common native species as a block to reinvasion following pest control. Our approach will significantly reduce the ongoing costs of pest control in Australia and our solution can be used by both large conservation organisations as well as small community groups aiming to control ....The return of the native: reintroductions, reinvasions, and a new paradigm in restoration ecology. We develop a new solution to improve pest control used to protect rare and endangered wildlife by using reintroductions of common native species as a block to reinvasion following pest control. Our approach will significantly reduce the ongoing costs of pest control in Australia and our solution can be used by both large conservation organisations as well as small community groups aiming to control pests and protect key wildlife. Our technique can also be exported to solve alien species problems elsewhere in the world. This work strengthens Australia’s world renowned expertise for research into alien species and ability to develop novel solutions to alien impacts.Read moreRead less
Annual rainfall variability and extreme drought over the late Holocene. This project aims to understand long-term rainfall variability for Australia by developing a network of extended, high resolution rainfall records from tree rings. How anthropogenic changes to the atmosphere have influenced changing rainfall patterns across Australia is unclear. By extracting climatic information from tree growth rings across a latitudinal gradient from the subtropical north to the south coast of western Aus ....Annual rainfall variability and extreme drought over the late Holocene. This project aims to understand long-term rainfall variability for Australia by developing a network of extended, high resolution rainfall records from tree rings. How anthropogenic changes to the atmosphere have influenced changing rainfall patterns across Australia is unclear. By extracting climatic information from tree growth rings across a latitudinal gradient from the subtropical north to the south coast of western Australia, the project will extend hydroclimatic records by several centuries, to identify the frequency and extent of extreme droughts across the continent. Outcomes are expected to provide appropriate context for evaluating and adapting to climate change, allowing climate modellers, agricultural producers and other industries to improve forecasts of likely change for risk management.Read moreRead less
Urban salinity in Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Causes, extent and treatment through revegetation - a pilot study for Australian rural towns. The National Land and Water Resources Audit suggests that salinity will threaten 200 towns in Australia by 2050. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has a salinity problem caused by shallow, saline groundwater. This project will: (a) document and map the extent and causes of salinity, (b) determine whether salinity can be controlled through improved surface drainage an ....Urban salinity in Kalgoorlie-Boulder: Causes, extent and treatment through revegetation - a pilot study for Australian rural towns. The National Land and Water Resources Audit suggests that salinity will threaten 200 towns in Australia by 2050. The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has a salinity problem caused by shallow, saline groundwater. This project will: (a) document and map the extent and causes of salinity, (b) determine whether salinity can be controlled through improved surface drainage and revegetation, and (c) conduct adaptation trials of ornamental trees and shrubs for tolerance to salt, waterlogging and inundation. The work will be conducted in partnership with the City Council and local Urban Landcare Group. Outcomes will be disseminated through WA's Rural Towns Program, national conferences and scientific papers.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100635
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$365,058.00
Summary
Demographic distribution models for ecology, conservation & public health. This project aims to advance distribution modelling by developing a new demographic species distribution modelling (DSDM) framework that unites correlative and process-based approaches. This project will develop ecologically realistic models of the distributions of species and diseases, leading to better decision-making in conservation and public health. This will provide significant benefits, such as a better understandi ....Demographic distribution models for ecology, conservation & public health. This project aims to advance distribution modelling by developing a new demographic species distribution modelling (DSDM) framework that unites correlative and process-based approaches. This project will develop ecologically realistic models of the distributions of species and diseases, leading to better decision-making in conservation and public health. This will provide significant benefits, such as a better understanding of where and how to control mosquitoes to reduce malaria transmission in Africa, how best to conserve the vulnerable greater glider in Eastern Australia, and to forecast where and when outbreaks of Ross River virus are likely occur in Victoria.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100203
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$385,000.00
Summary
Autonomous benthic observing system. This project seeks to improve our ability to monitor marine habitats and characterise their variability by enhancing the Integrated Marine Observing system (IMOS) Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) Facility. The new AUV infrastructure will reduce operating costs, increase robustness of the sampling effort and insure continued operation for the next decade.
Defining biologically significant units in spinifex (Triodia spp.) for improved ecological restoration in arid Australia. This project will investigate composition and functioning of the iconic spinifex grasslands of arid Australia. The findings will increase the capacity to restore these landscapes after mining. Project outcomes directly address the national priority for sustainable use of Australia’s biodiversity, particularly of vulnerable ecosystems.