Experimental translocations to understand and combat eastern quoll declines. The project aims to understand the causes of observed declines of the eastern quoll in Tasmania, and develop tools to safeguard this species in their last wild stronghold. The project will test the innovative approach of undertaking a series of experimental translocations at an early stage of a population decline. This approach will provide reliable information on the causes of observed declines, while simultaneously te ....Experimental translocations to understand and combat eastern quoll declines. The project aims to understand the causes of observed declines of the eastern quoll in Tasmania, and develop tools to safeguard this species in their last wild stronghold. The project will test the innovative approach of undertaking a series of experimental translocations at an early stage of a population decline. This approach will provide reliable information on the causes of observed declines, while simultaneously testing the effectiveness of translocations of captive-bred animals as a management tool for the species. It will also develop evidence-based protocols for undertaking captive-bred translocations, to improve the outcomes of eastern quoll recovery efforts as well as promoting early intervention for other declining species. Read moreRead less
Detecting and deciphering extinction dynamics under environmental change. This project aims to improve knowledge of extinction processes and impacts. It will use high-performance computing and museum collections to disentangle the ecological mechanisms that were integral in the initial decline and later extinction of Australia's unique mammals. Its significance is that it will establish the historical ranges and past population trajectories of Australian threatened mammals, pinpointing the combi ....Detecting and deciphering extinction dynamics under environmental change. This project aims to improve knowledge of extinction processes and impacts. It will use high-performance computing and museum collections to disentangle the ecological mechanisms that were integral in the initial decline and later extinction of Australia's unique mammals. Its significance is that it will establish the historical ranges and past population trajectories of Australian threatened mammals, pinpointing the combinations of ecological characteristics and threats that most affect risk of extinction from environmental change. Expected outcomes and benefits are new data and verified models to enrich conservation research and inform evidence-based solutions to better protect and recover some of Australia’s most threatened species.Read moreRead less
Understanding plant uptake of organic and inorganic nitrogen for optimal fertiliser application in forestry. Nitrogen (N) in soils occurs in both organic and inorganic forms. Plants can take up inorganic N - nitrate and ammonium - but, on average, these account for only 5% of the soluble N in soils. Recent evidence suggests that plants may be able to tap into some of the 95% of N that occurs in organic forms. We will investigate the importance of organic N uptake for two plantation Eucalyptus sp ....Understanding plant uptake of organic and inorganic nitrogen for optimal fertiliser application in forestry. Nitrogen (N) in soils occurs in both organic and inorganic forms. Plants can take up inorganic N - nitrate and ammonium - but, on average, these account for only 5% of the soluble N in soils. Recent evidence suggests that plants may be able to tap into some of the 95% of N that occurs in organic forms. We will investigate the importance of organic N uptake for two plantation Eucalyptus species by tracing the uptake of different N forms by bacteria, fungi and eucalypts. This information will redefine what is meant by 'available N' and will guide the development of a new test for soil N status.Read moreRead less
ARC Australia-New Zealand Research Network for Vegetation Function. Plant species vary widely in quantitative functional traits, and in their relations to climate, soils and geography. Global generalizations are emerging. Vegetation Function network will reach from plant function into genomics and crop breeding, into palaeoecology and vegetation history, into landscape management for carbon, water and salinity outcomes, into forecasting future ecosystems under global change, and into phylogeny, ....ARC Australia-New Zealand Research Network for Vegetation Function. Plant species vary widely in quantitative functional traits, and in their relations to climate, soils and geography. Global generalizations are emerging. Vegetation Function network will reach from plant function into genomics and crop breeding, into palaeoecology and vegetation history, into landscape management for carbon, water and salinity outcomes, into forecasting future ecosystems under global change, and into phylogeny, ecoinformatics and evolutionary theory. Across this span, working groups will target nine identified opportunities for breakthrough research. Each research target needs input from two or more disciplines. Together, the nine targets link across disciplines, as a network that spans from genomic to planetary scales.Read moreRead less
Carbon in - carbon out: can carbon inputs keep up with losses in peatland? This project aims to quantify the current and predict the future carbon balance of a high altitude, carbon-dense ecosystem, namely sub-alpine grassy peatland, by measuring how environmental variables including experimental warming control the fluxes of carbon and water into and out of the system. In this way, this project will produce new knowledge on the susceptibility of high-altitude peaty soils to climate change. Expe ....Carbon in - carbon out: can carbon inputs keep up with losses in peatland? This project aims to quantify the current and predict the future carbon balance of a high altitude, carbon-dense ecosystem, namely sub-alpine grassy peatland, by measuring how environmental variables including experimental warming control the fluxes of carbon and water into and out of the system. In this way, this project will produce new knowledge on the susceptibility of high-altitude peaty soils to climate change. Expected outcomes include an enhanced ability to predict future carbon accumulation rates and the resilience of the vital water-storage and filtration services provided by these systems. This project will enhance outputs from new infrastructure and assist planning for future flood and drought management across SE Australia.Read moreRead less
Restoring diverse native vegetation using drone-based precision seeding . This project aims to make drone technology a viable solution for scaling up the restoration of native vegetation on degraded land. By integrating new research in plant ecology, microbiology and environmental economics the project aims to fill key knowledge gaps about the viability and application of drones in restoration. Expected outcomes are world-first research into the delivery of beneficial soil microbes using drones ....Restoring diverse native vegetation using drone-based precision seeding . This project aims to make drone technology a viable solution for scaling up the restoration of native vegetation on degraded land. By integrating new research in plant ecology, microbiology and environmental economics the project aims to fill key knowledge gaps about the viability and application of drones in restoration. Expected outcomes are world-first research into the delivery of beneficial soil microbes using drones and the first assessment globally of the cost-effectiveness of drone restoration utilizing data from spatial analysis and extensive field trials. This should provide wide-ranging benefits for local land managers restoring remote degraded land and aid in reversing the cumulative effects of habitat loss on biodiversity. Read moreRead less