Megafauna and mega-extinction: assessing palaeocommunity change using dental complexity and shape analyses. This research will address an important issue of national interest - the causes of the extinction of the Australian megafauna. By furthering research on the causes of this historic event, valuable insights will be gained into possible causes of current extinction events and the future impact of climate change. It will bring to Australia new technologies and methods developed overseas by an ....Megafauna and mega-extinction: assessing palaeocommunity change using dental complexity and shape analyses. This research will address an important issue of national interest - the causes of the extinction of the Australian megafauna. By furthering research on the causes of this historic event, valuable insights will be gained into possible causes of current extinction events and the future impact of climate change. It will bring to Australia new technologies and methods developed overseas by an Australian researcher, and put Australia at the forefront of several areas of research including 3D scanning and analysis. This project will form part of an international collaboration called the MorphoBrowser, an exciting advance in the study of biological diversity. This will help maintain Australia as a pre-eminent country for palaeontology research.Read moreRead less
The role of atmospheric carbon dioxide in fostering hyperdiversity in Australian conifer palaeofloras. Human intervention into atmospheric processes appears to have triggered an excursion in atmospheric CO2 to levels unknown for millennia. Our ability to predict the environmental implications of such a change will play a major role in ameliorating the social and financial impact upon Australia. This project examines the ecology and function of forests that grew under CO2 levels considerably high ....The role of atmospheric carbon dioxide in fostering hyperdiversity in Australian conifer palaeofloras. Human intervention into atmospheric processes appears to have triggered an excursion in atmospheric CO2 to levels unknown for millennia. Our ability to predict the environmental implications of such a change will play a major role in ameliorating the social and financial impact upon Australia. This project examines the ecology and function of forests that grew under CO2 levels considerably higher than present, and will provide an invaluable insight into how future biological systems will function. The evidence produced by this project has potential economic flow-ons, particularly for long-term planning of softwood versus hardwood plantation forestry.Read moreRead less
Effects of European colonisation on indigenous ecosystems: multiple-scale spatial structure of pre- and post-settlement Callitris forests. Since European colonisation, altered disturbance regimes, especially fire and grazing, have greatly affected intact ecosystems across the globe. However, the extent and causes of changes are often hotly contested. This study will examine how European colonisation has affected natural ecosystems, by documenting historical fire regimes and comparing pre- and po ....Effects of European colonisation on indigenous ecosystems: multiple-scale spatial structure of pre- and post-settlement Callitris forests. Since European colonisation, altered disturbance regimes, especially fire and grazing, have greatly affected intact ecosystems across the globe. However, the extent and causes of changes are often hotly contested. This study will examine how European colonisation has affected natural ecosystems, by documenting historical fire regimes and comparing pre- and post-settlement forest patterns across multiple spatial scales. The study will be conducted in temperate Callitris forests, and will provide the first, multiple-scale, spatial analysis of post-settlement vegetation changes in Australia. Results will enhance our global understanding of European environmental impacts and provide quantitative benchmarks to inform vegetation management.Read moreRead less
Small vertebrates from the Albian-Cenomanian of Queensland - testing hypotheses of provincialism among Australia's mid-Cretaceous dinosaur faunas. This project will add to our knowledge of Australian dinosaurs and the world they inhabited. Dinosaurs are often the means through which many people, especially children, are introduced to science. This project has the potential to greatly enhance this attraction to science, using the results of research on Australian dinosaurs. It has direct links wi ....Small vertebrates from the Albian-Cenomanian of Queensland - testing hypotheses of provincialism among Australia's mid-Cretaceous dinosaur faunas. This project will add to our knowledge of Australian dinosaurs and the world they inhabited. Dinosaurs are often the means through which many people, especially children, are introduced to science. This project has the potential to greatly enhance this attraction to science, using the results of research on Australian dinosaurs. It has direct links with a number of national and international museum exhibitions, and in western Queensland the results will be incorporated into a newly developed regional interpretive centre in Isisford. The enormous social and economic benefits linked to this initiative will open up numerous opportunities for local businesses, and increase the appreciation for science and exploration in outback areas.Read moreRead less
Global implications of Australian Cretaceous faunas: biogeography, evolution and effects of climate change. Climate change is a critical issue with poorly known long-term effects. This collaboration will provide information on how marine and terrestrial faunas have responded to environmental alteration in the past. Mesozoic vertebrates make spectacular fossils that capture public attention. This collaboration will enhance public museum displays by collection and preparation of important new spec ....Global implications of Australian Cretaceous faunas: biogeography, evolution and effects of climate change. Climate change is a critical issue with poorly known long-term effects. This collaboration will provide information on how marine and terrestrial faunas have responded to environmental alteration in the past. Mesozoic vertebrates make spectacular fossils that capture public attention. This collaboration will enhance public museum displays by collection and preparation of important new specimens; many found by the investigators are already centerpieces in major museums (e.g. SA Museum). This project will also promote awareness and sustainable use of the environment through media promotion and 'earthwatch-style' ecotourism field trips; these highlight finite fossil resources as lucrative sources of tourism revenue to regional communities. Read moreRead less
Transformation of vegetation by big herbivores, from the Pleistocene to now. The project aims to provide a coherent understanding of the effects of extinct and extant large herbivores on ecosystems over space and time. The structure and distribution of vegetation types is determined not only by climate and soils, but also by the impacts of herbivores and fire as consumers of plant biomass. Recent research has shown how fire shapes the large-scale distribution of vegetation types, but we do not h ....Transformation of vegetation by big herbivores, from the Pleistocene to now. The project aims to provide a coherent understanding of the effects of extinct and extant large herbivores on ecosystems over space and time. The structure and distribution of vegetation types is determined not only by climate and soils, but also by the impacts of herbivores and fire as consumers of plant biomass. Recent research has shown how fire shapes the large-scale distribution of vegetation types, but we do not have an equivalent understanding of the effects of large ground-dwelling herbivores. The project plans to test the effects of such animals on vegetation structure in the Pleistocene, when mega-herbivores were common, and today, and thus to compare the impacts of fire and herbivores on the distribution of vegetation types.Read moreRead less
Reconstructing the historical frequency and intensity of Australian droughts: A multi-species dendrochronological approach. Drought directly and indirectly impacts every Australian. Severe droughts devastate rural communities, lead to increased water restrictions and bushfire activity, slows the national economy and threatens diverse ecosystems. Our research will improve understanding of where, when, and how intensely droughts have occurred across eastern Australia in the past. The results will ....Reconstructing the historical frequency and intensity of Australian droughts: A multi-species dendrochronological approach. Drought directly and indirectly impacts every Australian. Severe droughts devastate rural communities, lead to increased water restrictions and bushfire activity, slows the national economy and threatens diverse ecosystems. Our research will improve understanding of where, when, and how intensely droughts have occurred across eastern Australia in the past. The results will provide unique insights into the processes that generate Australian droughts and how future droughts might be anticipated. The results will provide farmers, hydrologists, and policy-makers with better data on long-term variability in water supplies to improve local, regional, and national water planning initiatives and infrastructure development.Read moreRead less
Tracking 3000 years of agricultural adaptation to the resource poor, climate sensitive and remote Solomon Islands using biomarkers and palaeoecology. Establishing research programs with Pacific neighbours benefits Australia's relations with Pacific Island countries generally. This project applies novel research methods to understanding human adaptations to long-term environmental and climatic fluctuations. It will address the National Research Priority goal of responding to climate variability b ....Tracking 3000 years of agricultural adaptation to the resource poor, climate sensitive and remote Solomon Islands using biomarkers and palaeoecology. Establishing research programs with Pacific neighbours benefits Australia's relations with Pacific Island countries generally. This project applies novel research methods to understanding human adaptations to long-term environmental and climatic fluctuations. It will address the National Research Priority goal of responding to climate variability by advancing our understanding of recent climate change in the Australia/Pacific region. It will show that Australian researchers can play a significant role in understanding the spread of humans across the Pacific, and the environmental adaptations required by populations in resource depleted environments. It will increase collaboration between research institutions focusing on the Australia/Pacific region.Read moreRead less
Responses of southern Australian mammal faunas to climate change before and after human arrival. In the past 170 years, southern Australia mammals have suffered one of the worst extinction rates in the world. More losses are predicted in the face of global warming. This recent extinction wave follows a major extinction event that saw 90% of Australia's large animals disappear 60,000-40,000 years ago. The causes are hotly debated. Some researchers argue for a human cause, others suggest that clim ....Responses of southern Australian mammal faunas to climate change before and after human arrival. In the past 170 years, southern Australia mammals have suffered one of the worst extinction rates in the world. More losses are predicted in the face of global warming. This recent extinction wave follows a major extinction event that saw 90% of Australia's large animals disappear 60,000-40,000 years ago. The causes are hotly debated. Some researchers argue for a human cause, others suggest that climate change was to blame. This study will refine our knowledge of the timing and causes of these extinctions in southern Australia by assessing how communities responded to climate change in the lead-up to human arrival. It will provide vital information for managing the conservation of many modern species and guide us in limiting future losses.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100260
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,775,898.00
Summary
Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. This project aims to generate unique insights into the processes and history that produced the current distribution of modern humans and the bacteria we carry with us (our microbiome). The project will use combined signals of bacterial, genomic and climate data to reconstruct the impacts of migrations, changes in diet, environment, and health in different parts ....Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. Using ancient microbiomes and genomes to reconstruct human history. This project aims to generate unique insights into the processes and history that produced the current distribution of modern humans and the bacteria we carry with us (our microbiome). The project will use combined signals of bacterial, genomic and climate data to reconstruct the impacts of migrations, changes in diet, environment, and health in different parts of the world. A key aspect will be the creation of a program to map the genetic history of indigenous Australia, and the impacts of colonisation on indigenous people around the world. Research advances will be transferred to Early Career Researchers through an innovative program of workshops, and the resulting data will be used to create a new format for Australian genetic databases.Read moreRead less