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
Forestry effects on headwater ecosystem health: a multi-catchment experiment. Most catchments in southern Australia have been logged historically. Increasingly, native forest harvesting occurs in regrowth or drier areas. Although foresters have empirical data on ecological effects of harvesting in pristine or wetter catchments, little exists for drier regrowth areas, hampering effective management to minimize impacts on stream ecosystem health. This project will supply ecological data on stre ....Forestry effects on headwater ecosystem health: a multi-catchment experiment. Most catchments in southern Australia have been logged historically. Increasingly, native forest harvesting occurs in regrowth or drier areas. Although foresters have empirical data on ecological effects of harvesting in pristine or wetter catchments, little exists for drier regrowth areas, hampering effective management to minimize impacts on stream ecosystem health. This project will supply ecological data on stream ecosystems to supplement 4 years of hydrological data collected by Forests NSW from 5 experimental catchments. Results will provide a firmer scientific basis for ecologically sustainable harvesting in this forest type, with flow-on benefits to our national economy, biodiversity, and environment.Read moreRead less
Comparative phylogeography and patterns of diversification in Amazonian fishes. I anticipate that this project will increase the research profile of Australia in the international scientific community by answering fundamental questions about the origin of biodiversity in the world's most diverse ecosystem, the lowland forests of central Amazonia. This will be achieved by analysing what will be the most comprehensive phylogeographic data set ever generated for Amazonian organisms. The project wil ....Comparative phylogeography and patterns of diversification in Amazonian fishes. I anticipate that this project will increase the research profile of Australia in the international scientific community by answering fundamental questions about the origin of biodiversity in the world's most diverse ecosystem, the lowland forests of central Amazonia. This will be achieved by analysing what will be the most comprehensive phylogeographic data set ever generated for Amazonian organisms. The project will provide information for comparing with patterns seen in the Australian wet tropics and will be inspirational for studies on population diversification of Australian fishes. Read moreRead less
Phylogeography, Conservation Genetics and Stocking Management of Perches and Basses. This project will use DNA data to address fundamental questions about the origin and maintenance of biodiversity in a popular and widely distributed fish group. From a conservation perspective, the project will produce a benchmark about management of fish resources. We will investigate questions related to important conservation issues (including the recovery plan of a nationally threatened species) and the mana ....Phylogeography, Conservation Genetics and Stocking Management of Perches and Basses. This project will use DNA data to address fundamental questions about the origin and maintenance of biodiversity in a popular and widely distributed fish group. From a conservation perspective, the project will produce a benchmark about management of fish resources. We will investigate questions related to important conservation issues (including the recovery plan of a nationally threatened species) and the management of stocking activities in recreational fisheries of coastal and inland waters. The latter is particularly relevant to rural communities since they provide both social and economic benefits to rural people.Read moreRead less
Toad vs Toad: Innovative approaches to understand and control an invasive species. Understanding the ecology of an invasive pest species can be a powerful tool for developing control methods. Cane toads pose a major threat to Australian native species, and are spreading increasingly rapidly through the Australian tropics. Unfortunately, we still know very little about the biology of invasion-front populations of toads. This project will provide that understanding, and will explore new ideas a ....Toad vs Toad: Innovative approaches to understand and control an invasive species. Understanding the ecology of an invasive pest species can be a powerful tool for developing control methods. Cane toads pose a major threat to Australian native species, and are spreading increasingly rapidly through the Australian tropics. Unfortunately, we still know very little about the biology of invasion-front populations of toads. This project will provide that understanding, and will explore new ideas about ways to control toad populations. For example, if we can reduce the survival of feral animals by increasing the intensity of competition within their own popualtions rather than relying on effects of other species, we may be able to use the toads to control their own populations.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
Predicting the Impact of Damming on the Endangered Mary River Turtle. Little is known about the effects of inland river alteration on the ecology of freshwater turtles, where river damming results in dramatic changes in river physical, chemical and biological characteristics. In Australia there are 446 large dams, necessary for hydro-electric power, navigation, flood control, irrigation and drinking water. Many of these rivers are inhabited by freshwater turtles, endemic to Australia, and this ....Predicting the Impact of Damming on the Endangered Mary River Turtle. Little is known about the effects of inland river alteration on the ecology of freshwater turtles, where river damming results in dramatic changes in river physical, chemical and biological characteristics. In Australia there are 446 large dams, necessary for hydro-electric power, navigation, flood control, irrigation and drinking water. Many of these rivers are inhabited by freshwater turtles, endemic to Australia, and this project will assess the impact of changes in habitat quality on the endangered Mary River Turtle (Elusor macrurus). The study comes at a timely opportunity, as proposed river damming will substantially alter the turtles' habitat, and its survival potential remains unknown.Read moreRead less
Preserving freshwater biodiversity: predictions to manage the effects of suspended sediment and salinity. Natural resource managers wish to minimise deleterious effects of suspended sediment and salinity on biodiversity but do not have adequate knowledge to do so. Increases in salinity and sediment are recognised as the major threats to freshwater biodiversity in Australian rivers. This research will lead to greatly enhanced information on the relative impacts of rising salinity and sediment on ....Preserving freshwater biodiversity: predictions to manage the effects of suspended sediment and salinity. Natural resource managers wish to minimise deleterious effects of suspended sediment and salinity on biodiversity but do not have adequate knowledge to do so. Increases in salinity and sediment are recognised as the major threats to freshwater biodiversity in Australian rivers. This research will lead to greatly enhanced information on the relative impacts of rising salinity and sediment on freshwater biodiversity and aid predictive modelling and scenario testing; enabling managers to make informed choices between various management actions. The project addresses several national research priority goals and it will result in significant national and community benefits by protecting freshwater biodiversity from salinity and sediment.Read moreRead less
Population genetic structure and habitat specialisation in amphibians. This will be the first study to uncover the initial stages of ecological speciation in a fully natural setting, which will solidify Australia's leading position in evolutionary biology. The project promotes active international collaboration and bolsters the vibrant intellectual community here at home. Many Australian undergraduate and PhD students will participate in cutting-edge science and develop connections with overseas ....Population genetic structure and habitat specialisation in amphibians. This will be the first study to uncover the initial stages of ecological speciation in a fully natural setting, which will solidify Australia's leading position in evolutionary biology. The project promotes active international collaboration and bolsters the vibrant intellectual community here at home. Many Australian undergraduate and PhD students will participate in cutting-edge science and develop connections with overseas colleagues, helping Australia maintain its prominent international reputation in the future. The work also advances knowledge and appreciation of the natural world - a more urgent objective now than ever before. Ecological information is especially critical for amphibians, many of which are declining in Australia.Read moreRead less
The fox and the turtle: is predator control in riparian systems effective for threatened species. We address the conservation impact of an introduced predator (the fox) on threatened species. Few studies have addressed the influence of feral predators on riparian species. We will experimentally evaluate the effectiveness of feral species control by examining demography of turtles. Turtles are an ideal species for such studies as they are long-lived, so population models can be applied. Result ....The fox and the turtle: is predator control in riparian systems effective for threatened species. We address the conservation impact of an introduced predator (the fox) on threatened species. Few studies have addressed the influence of feral predators on riparian species. We will experimentally evaluate the effectiveness of feral species control by examining demography of turtles. Turtles are an ideal species for such studies as they are long-lived, so population models can be applied. Results of this work will be significant in (a) empirical testing of rigorous, experimentally-based methodology to quantify demographic effects of predator-prey interactions, and (b) providing a robust basis for management that may serve as a template for feral predator control elsewhere.Read moreRead less