International Trade Policy and the Dynamics of Open Economies. The project is concerned with the relationship between an open economy's international trading conditions and the allocation of resources within the economy, particularly over time (dynamic effects). The trading conditions reflect international markets and governments' trade policies. The dynamic effects upon the economy include the rate of growth, saving and inter-generation welfare. The models developed to study these relationship ....International Trade Policy and the Dynamics of Open Economies. The project is concerned with the relationship between an open economy's international trading conditions and the allocation of resources within the economy, particularly over time (dynamic effects). The trading conditions reflect international markets and governments' trade policies. The dynamic effects upon the economy include the rate of growth, saving and inter-generation welfare. The models developed to study these relationships will link international markets with domestic and future markets in a unified and consistent manner. The outcomes include a better theoretical understanding of these relationships and empirical inter-temporal models for the Australian economy that permit measurement of these dynamic effects.Read moreRead less
Climate change and migration in China: theoretical, empirical and policy dimensions. This project will analyse the complex relationship between climate change and migration by focussing in depth on two areas in China anticipated being major hotspots of Climate change impact. It will provide insight into national and international policy development in Climate change mitigation and adaptations.
The Social Production of Science in Antarctica: A Study of Davis Station. Antarctica is a unique scientific laboratory. It is the only continent historically uninhabited by humans; access to its vast land and ice-scapes, and its surrounding oceans, is today almost exclusively reserved for scientists. Although these 'Antarcticans' represent multiple disciplines, and pursue a wide variety of research agendas, their shared experiences of working on the continent, and their shared professional netwo ....The Social Production of Science in Antarctica: A Study of Davis Station. Antarctica is a unique scientific laboratory. It is the only continent historically uninhabited by humans; access to its vast land and ice-scapes, and its surrounding oceans, is today almost exclusively reserved for scientists. Although these 'Antarcticans' represent multiple disciplines, and pursue a wide variety of research agendas, their shared experiences of working on the continent, and their shared professional networks, mean that they constitute a distinct community of practice. However, this community has yet to be subjected to detailed ethnographic enquiry. This project aims to examine Antarctic scientists' research practices, and their cultures of knowledge production, through an ethnographic study of Australia's Davis Station.Read moreRead less
Understanding leaf water isotope composition. This project aims to quantify variation in leaf water isotopes and develop mechanistic models for paleoclimatologists and plant scientists to constrain global carbon cycles. Leaf water stable isotopes influence the isotope compositions of atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour, and impart an evaporative signal on the isotope composition of plant organic material. These isotope signals have been used to constrain global carbon and water c ....Understanding leaf water isotope composition. This project aims to quantify variation in leaf water isotopes and develop mechanistic models for paleoclimatologists and plant scientists to constrain global carbon cycles. Leaf water stable isotopes influence the isotope compositions of atmospheric oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapour, and impart an evaporative signal on the isotope composition of plant organic material. These isotope signals have been used to constrain global carbon and water cycles and reconstruct past climates. This project aims to quantify variation in leaf water isotopes and develop mechanistic models for use by paleoclimatologists, plant scientists and to constrain global carbon cycles and develop accurate models of leaf water isotopes to reduce uncertainty in climate models.Read moreRead less
New methods for solving large models with rational expectations. This project aims to introduce innovative numerical methods to economic modelling to overcome computational barriers associated with the formation of expectations by households and investors. The outcome will be economic models that include sophisticated rational expectations specifications while retaining considerable industry, regional and occupational disaggregation. There will be benefits to economic policy by broadening the r ....New methods for solving large models with rational expectations. This project aims to introduce innovative numerical methods to economic modelling to overcome computational barriers associated with the formation of expectations by households and investors. The outcome will be economic models that include sophisticated rational expectations specifications while retaining considerable industry, regional and occupational disaggregation. There will be benefits to economic policy by broadening the range of questions that can be answered by detailed models and there will be benefits in the research community by providing a platform for examining dynamics in large-scale economic systems.Read moreRead less
Next generation computable general equilibrium modelling for economic policy formulation and evaluation. The aim of this project is to create the next generation of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models. The project will do this by introducing into the CGE framework theoretical structures and data from engineering and environmental studies as well as from modern macroeconomics, labour economics, industrial organization, monetary economics and behavioural economics. CGE models are used by ....Next generation computable general equilibrium modelling for economic policy formulation and evaluation. The aim of this project is to create the next generation of computable general equilibrium (CGE) models. The project will do this by introducing into the CGE framework theoretical structures and data from engineering and environmental studies as well as from modern macroeconomics, labour economics, industrial organization, monetary economics and behavioural economics. CGE models are used by governments throughout the world to assist in policy formulation. The outcome of the project will be to improve the application of CGE models in the areas of: trade; environment; energy; immigration; public finance; and macro stimulation. Read moreRead less
Disentangling climate and evolutionary controls over the temperature dependence of leaf respiration. The project will use field and laboratory studies to establish if there are systematic differences in the temperature responses of leaf respiration in plants adapted to hot and cold environments. The results will enable climate modellers to better predict impacts of climate change on carbon exchange between vegetation and the atmosphere.
Are proposed land-based sinks for greenhouse gases resilient to climate change and natural variability? One strategy to reduce the scale of future climate change is to enhance the storage of carbon in vegetation and soils. Evidence suggests carbon stored in vegetation and soils is itself vulnerable to climate change, placing this stored carbon at risk; this project will assess this risk to advise on the reliability of using terrestrial systems as carbon sinks.
Are subterranean estuaries a source or sink of greenhouse gases? The aim of this project is to investigate the role of subterranean estuaries and submarine groundwater discharge on the marine cycle of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The expected outcome of this project is a better understanding of the role of coastal environments as a net source or sink of greenhouse gases.
Incorporating new knowledge of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation into an ocean-climate model to improve forecasts of ocean function. Phytoplankton drives ocean biogeochemical cycles and regulate Earth’s climate yet are poorly represented in ocean-climate models. This project will use advanced cell sorting and analysis techniques and innovative selection experiments to gain a deeper understanding of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation under projected climate change. Th ....Incorporating new knowledge of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation into an ocean-climate model to improve forecasts of ocean function. Phytoplankton drives ocean biogeochemical cycles and regulate Earth’s climate yet are poorly represented in ocean-climate models. This project will use advanced cell sorting and analysis techniques and innovative selection experiments to gain a deeper understanding of phytoplankton diversity and nutrient utilisation under projected climate change. This new knowledge will be used to improve the biological structure of an existing coupled ocean-climate model and reduce key uncertainties in forecasts of ocean function. This research will provide managers and industry with more accurate insight into the effects of ongoing climate change on the delivery of ecosystem services in eastern Australian waters.Read moreRead less