Ecosystem risk assessment. This project aims to develop a type-based framework for the world's ecosystems, and undertake the first broad-scale global risk assessment for ecosystems. It will include detailed Australian risk assessments and scenario analyses to develop sustainable management of ecosystem services and climate adaptation strategies. The outcomes include a global-scale framework for classifying terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the first global Red List of Ecosystems and ....Ecosystem risk assessment. This project aims to develop a type-based framework for the world's ecosystems, and undertake the first broad-scale global risk assessment for ecosystems. It will include detailed Australian risk assessments and scenario analyses to develop sustainable management of ecosystem services and climate adaptation strategies. The outcomes include a global-scale framework for classifying terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, the first global Red List of Ecosystems and identified priorities for protecting remaining wild ecosystems and restoring those that have suffered degradation. This will help meet UN Sustainable Development Goals to improve human well-being globally.Read moreRead less
ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies. The overarching aim of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies is to provide the scientific knowledge necessary for sustaining ecosystem goods and services of the worlds coral reefs, which support the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in the tropics. The Centre will enhance Australia's global leadership in coral reef science through three ambitious research programs addressing the future of coral ....ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies. The overarching aim of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Integrated Coral Reef Studies is to provide the scientific knowledge necessary for sustaining ecosystem goods and services of the worlds coral reefs, which support the livelihoods and food security of millions of people in the tropics. The Centre will enhance Australia's global leadership in coral reef science through three ambitious research programs addressing the future of coral reefs and their ability to adapt to change. A key outcome of the research will be providing tangible benefits to all Australians by building bridges between the natural and social sciences, strengthening capacity, and informing and supporting transformative changes in coral reef governance and management.Read moreRead less
Assessing the ecosystem-wide risks of threatened species translocation. Assessing the ecosystem-wide risks of threatened species translocation. This project aims to develop the first quantitative risk assessment framework to improve decisions about moving threatened species to new places. Moving threatened plants and animals to new environments, or reintroducing them where they previously persisted, is a growing focus of conservation. Moving species can have unanticipated effects on other specie ....Assessing the ecosystem-wide risks of threatened species translocation. Assessing the ecosystem-wide risks of threatened species translocation. This project aims to develop the first quantitative risk assessment framework to improve decisions about moving threatened species to new places. Moving threatened plants and animals to new environments, or reintroducing them where they previously persisted, is a growing focus of conservation. Moving species can have unanticipated effects on other species in the ecosystem. Although the International Union for Conservation of Nature deems ecosystem-wide risk assessments essential for conservation translocations, no framework exists to assess these risks and inform these decisions. New tools for assessing the risks of conservation translocations are expected to improve global and local conservation outcomes.Read moreRead less
Resilience of Moreton Bay to climate change: Links between nutrient inputs and plankton dynamics. A healthy Moreton Bay, with its lucrative fishing, iconic turtles, dugongs and seabirds, helps support the $9 billion per annum tourist industry in SE Queensland. Moreton Bay is under increasing threat from nutrients produced by a mushrooming coastal population and from climate change impacts. Here we investigate nutrient-plankton relationships and develop a simple model to evaluate future impacts o ....Resilience of Moreton Bay to climate change: Links between nutrient inputs and plankton dynamics. A healthy Moreton Bay, with its lucrative fishing, iconic turtles, dugongs and seabirds, helps support the $9 billion per annum tourist industry in SE Queensland. Moreton Bay is under increasing threat from nutrients produced by a mushrooming coastal population and from climate change impacts. Here we investigate nutrient-plankton relationships and develop a simple model to evaluate future impacts on bay health. This project will put Australian scientists at the forefront of research focused on the adaptation of coastal marine environments to climate impacts, and ensure that Moreton Bay remains healthy now and into the futureRead moreRead less
Restoring ecosystem function in altered landscapes to achieve ecologicallly sustainable development goals. Mining and agriculture contribute approximately 10 per cent of Australia's gross domestic product. Hence the sustainable development of these sectors is critical to our long term economic growth and well being. However, this growth is leading to degradation of landscape ecosystem function and loss of ecosystem services. Community reaction will curtail production in these sectors where funct ....Restoring ecosystem function in altered landscapes to achieve ecologicallly sustainable development goals. Mining and agriculture contribute approximately 10 per cent of Australia's gross domestic product. Hence the sustainable development of these sectors is critical to our long term economic growth and well being. However, this growth is leading to degradation of landscape ecosystem function and loss of ecosystem services. Community reaction will curtail production in these sectors where function and services continue to be lost. This project addresses the demand for accurate scientific information, needed by industry and government, to understand ecosystem responses to change, and to develop optimal conservation interventions that take account of the costs and benefits in landscapes where the intensive mining industry intersects with extensive land uses for food and fibre production.Read moreRead less
Planning for the impacts of land-uses on coral reef fisheries. This projects aims to develop models that can determine the ecological and economic impacts of land-use changes (e.g. agriculture) on fisheries and assess alternative land-use plans that seek to maximise economic opportunity while protecting fisheries. Fisheries support the livelihoods of 12 per cent of the world’s population. Land-based activities are among the most significant threats to coral reef fisheries because sediments and n ....Planning for the impacts of land-uses on coral reef fisheries. This projects aims to develop models that can determine the ecological and economic impacts of land-use changes (e.g. agriculture) on fisheries and assess alternative land-use plans that seek to maximise economic opportunity while protecting fisheries. Fisheries support the livelihoods of 12 per cent of the world’s population. Land-based activities are among the most significant threats to coral reef fisheries because sediments and nutrients degrade reefs, yet they are often ignored in fisheries management. By improving the sustainability of coastal development, biodiversity conservation, and health of fisheries, the models developed by the project could deliver socio-economic and environmental benefits for millions of people reliant upon fisheries for their livelihoods.Read moreRead less
Achieving biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service delivery: the role of landscape structure. Achieving gains for human well-being and, at the same time, conserving biodiversity is the ultimate challenge for conservation policy. This project will develop new understandings and new methods to address this issue, with important impacts on the effectiveness of strategies to conserve biodiversity.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100683
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$418,735.00
Summary
Catastrophic shifts: the value of knowing more about ecosystem feedbacks. Ecosystems respond to gradual change in unexpected ways. Feedback processes between different parts of an environment can perpetuate ecosystem collapse, leading to potentially irreversible biodiversity loss. However, it is unclear if greater knowledge of feedbacks will ultimately change environmental decisions. The project aims to identify when feedbacks matter for environmental decisions, by generating new methods that pr ....Catastrophic shifts: the value of knowing more about ecosystem feedbacks. Ecosystems respond to gradual change in unexpected ways. Feedback processes between different parts of an environment can perpetuate ecosystem collapse, leading to potentially irreversible biodiversity loss. However, it is unclear if greater knowledge of feedbacks will ultimately change environmental decisions. The project aims to identify when feedbacks matter for environmental decisions, by generating new methods that predict the economic benefit of knowing more about feedbacks. Combining ecological modelling and value-of-information theory, the outcomes of these novel methods will provide significant and broad environmental benefits, by enabling managers to make informed decisions and stay one step ahead of potential ecosystem collapse.Read moreRead less
Identifying critical thresholds to prioritise lake restoration. This project aims to conduct a global assessment of lake water quality and prioritise lakes for restoration. This project expects to generate new understanding of trends in lake condition based on application of geospatial frameworks and models for nutrient loads and in-lake trophic state. This information will help to quantify the magnitude of actions required to restore lakes at landscape scale. The intended outcome is a global at ....Identifying critical thresholds to prioritise lake restoration. This project aims to conduct a global assessment of lake water quality and prioritise lakes for restoration. This project expects to generate new understanding of trends in lake condition based on application of geospatial frameworks and models for nutrient loads and in-lake trophic state. This information will help to quantify the magnitude of actions required to restore lakes at landscape scale. The intended outcome is a global atlas linking catchment hydrology, nutrient loads and lake attributes. Expected outcomes of this project include improved methods to predict effects of land use and climate change on lakes across the globe, and recommendations to water resource managers on investing in the restoration of lakes across the landscape.Read moreRead less
Novel governance for marine ecosystems in rapid transition. This project will develop the governance knowledge required to manage rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Australia has the third largest marine estate globally, and its ecosystems support critical economic and sociocultural values. However, human pressures are tipping marine ecosystems into alternate states, inspiring new interventions to sustain industries and communities. New interventions necessitate transitions in governance. Expec ....Novel governance for marine ecosystems in rapid transition. This project will develop the governance knowledge required to manage rapidly changing marine ecosystems. Australia has the third largest marine estate globally, and its ecosystems support critical economic and sociocultural values. However, human pressures are tipping marine ecosystems into alternate states, inspiring new interventions to sustain industries and communities. New interventions necessitate transitions in governance. Expected outcomes include a comparative understanding of novel marine interventions now underway globally, and practical guidance on how to diagnose and implement responsible marine governance. Significant benefits include enhanced governance and sustainability of Australian and international marine ecosystems.Read moreRead less