Economics of Conserving Australian Tropical Wildlife: An Analysis of the Role of Economic Valuation, Property Rights and Commercialisation. Australian tropical native animals are selected to analyse economic valuation (use and non-use valuation) of wildlife species and to assess systematically the role of property rights and commercialisation in conservation. The project will (1) reduce bias of Australian economic studies in favour of temperate species; (2) answer several unresolved questions ra ....Economics of Conserving Australian Tropical Wildlife: An Analysis of the Role of Economic Valuation, Property Rights and Commercialisation. Australian tropical native animals are selected to analyse economic valuation (use and non-use valuation) of wildlife species and to assess systematically the role of property rights and commercialisation in conservation. The project will (1) reduce bias of Australian economic studies in favour of temperate species; (2) answer several unresolved questions raised in the Parlimentary Report on Commercial Utilisation of Australian Wildlife; (3) advance economic theory (e.g. relating to dynamic influences on economic valuation) and provide new insights into property rights making use of empirical and experimental results, and (4) thereby contribute to public policy decision-making.Read moreRead less
Epidemiology and pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis in Australian frogs. Strong evidence exists that chytridiomycosis is an introduced disease of amphibians that has caused mass mortality resulting in amphibian population declines and extinctions. Epidemiologic studies will include i) field and experimental studies to determine mortality rates, transmission rates, differences in species susceptibility, and persistence of the pathogen as a saprobe, and ii) molecular epidemiology of fungal strains t ....Epidemiology and pathogenesis of chytridiomycosis in Australian frogs. Strong evidence exists that chytridiomycosis is an introduced disease of amphibians that has caused mass mortality resulting in amphibian population declines and extinctions. Epidemiologic studies will include i) field and experimental studies to determine mortality rates, transmission rates, differences in species susceptibility, and persistence of the pathogen as a saprobe, and ii) molecular epidemiology of fungal strains to examine spread and origin. Pathogenicity studies will be aimed at how chytridiomycosis causes death in frogs. The results will be significant for the conservation of amphibians worldwide and in improving our understanding of diseases in free-living animals.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE160100154
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$250,000.00
Summary
The Advanced DNA Identification and Forensics Facility. The advanced DNA identification and forensics facility:
The project aims to establish a national integrated facility for cutting-edge forensic genetic research, resources and expertise in wildlife, forest and environmental DNA identification to improve our capacity to identify unknown biological material. The project’s goal will be to enhance synergies between academic research, service delivery and forensic application of DNA identificati ....The Advanced DNA Identification and Forensics Facility. The advanced DNA identification and forensics facility:
The project aims to establish a national integrated facility for cutting-edge forensic genetic research, resources and expertise in wildlife, forest and environmental DNA identification to improve our capacity to identify unknown biological material. The project’s goal will be to enhance synergies between academic research, service delivery and forensic application of DNA identification technologies, addressing vital questions such as: From which individual or species did this material originate? Where in the world is it from? Is it legal? The proposed facility may deliver applied outcomes for government, the criminal justice system, and industry, such as improved pest and threatened species identification; biosecurity, prosecutions of wildlife crime and illegal logging; and missing person and disaster victim identification.Read moreRead less
The social and environmental implications of privately regulated food quality standards for agri-food networks in Asia-Pacific. This proposal will contribute to an environmentally sustainable Australia in two ways. First, the research will highlight barriers to the uptake of environmental standards among fruit and vegetable growers as well as potential strategies to encourage certification. Second, the research will assess the extent to which compliance with internationally harmonised standards ....The social and environmental implications of privately regulated food quality standards for agri-food networks in Asia-Pacific. This proposal will contribute to an environmentally sustainable Australia in two ways. First, the research will highlight barriers to the uptake of environmental standards among fruit and vegetable growers as well as potential strategies to encourage certification. Second, the research will assess the extent to which compliance with internationally harmonised standards actually assists or encourages farmers to address local priority environmental issues. Improved understanding of the social and environmental impact of standards will highlight domestic policy and regulatory shifts which may be necessary to maximise positive environmental outcomes.Read moreRead less
Making better decisions about built assets: learning by doing. This research will assist the built environment professions and their clients to make better decisions about new developments through a novel 'learning by doing' approach. Used successfully in other fields such as natural resource management, this idea will capitalise on the large number of asset investments undertaken to benchmark original stakeholder intentions and aspirations against the reality of current performance. Decisions w ....Making better decisions about built assets: learning by doing. This research will assist the built environment professions and their clients to make better decisions about new developments through a novel 'learning by doing' approach. Used successfully in other fields such as natural resource management, this idea will capitalise on the large number of asset investments undertaken to benchmark original stakeholder intentions and aspirations against the reality of current performance. Decisions will be re-evaluated in the context of contemporary economic, social and environmental criteria to enable existing multi-criteria models to deliver more sustainable outcomes that are also feasible and in the national interest, and consequently minimise the industry's current exposure to future climate change.Read moreRead less
Strategic Assessment of Building Adaptive Reuse Opportunities. This research will review a large database of existing buildings, many of which have exceeded their useful life. An innovative model will be developed to enable Australia's building and property industries to identify the most viable opportunities for building adaptive reuse. The model will integrate financial, environmental and social sustainability, enabling community stakeholders to make informed decisions with widespread benefits ....Strategic Assessment of Building Adaptive Reuse Opportunities. This research will review a large database of existing buildings, many of which have exceeded their useful life. An innovative model will be developed to enable Australia's building and property industries to identify the most viable opportunities for building adaptive reuse. The model will integrate financial, environmental and social sustainability, enabling community stakeholders to make informed decisions with widespread benefits. The research is aligned with the national priority area: An Environmentally Sustainable Australia: Transforming Existing Industries. The expertise developed in this project will be regionally and internationally applicable, providing momentum for the growing adaptive design and conservation market.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160101182
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,500.00
Summary
Navigating the complexity of conservation's illegal wildlife trade crisis. This project seeks to investigate the conditions under which policies that prohibit or regulate trade in wildlife products are more likely to lead to conservation outcomes. Illegal trade in wildlife is a pressing conservation issue, threatening numerous species with extinction. The crisis has attracted over US$350 million in donor and government funding since 2012, primarily for enforcement of trade bans. Fierce debates r ....Navigating the complexity of conservation's illegal wildlife trade crisis. This project seeks to investigate the conditions under which policies that prohibit or regulate trade in wildlife products are more likely to lead to conservation outcomes. Illegal trade in wildlife is a pressing conservation issue, threatening numerous species with extinction. The crisis has attracted over US$350 million in donor and government funding since 2012, primarily for enforcement of trade bans. Fierce debates rage in the academic literature about the conditions under which regulated markets may yield better outcomes. Policy options are also constrained by opinions about whether pro-use policies for wildlife are morally appropriate. The project aims to investigate this issue and assess the impact of stakeholder values and preferences on policy decisions.Read moreRead less
Understanding the lessons of Australia's Gold Coast through the late 20th century debate on criticality and instrumentality in architecture. This project will investigate the role of architecture in the western city through problems in 20th century architectural theory. It will show how the Gold Coast offers new insights into contemporary architecture and will result in two closely related books: an architectural history of the Gold Coast; and a new account of contemporary architectural theory.
Carbon neutral communities: making the transition. This project has well defined National benefits, both economic and social, for the collaborative partners, the business community, policy makers, community groups and the broader Australian community. It contributes toward NRP 1, through developing practical measures for reducing GHG emissions in Australian urban areas, and strategies for overcoming barriers to greater uptake of energy efficiency and alternative technologies; and helping Austra ....Carbon neutral communities: making the transition. This project has well defined National benefits, both economic and social, for the collaborative partners, the business community, policy makers, community groups and the broader Australian community. It contributes toward NRP 1, through developing practical measures for reducing GHG emissions in Australian urban areas, and strategies for overcoming barriers to greater uptake of energy efficiency and alternative technologies; and helping Australia to meet its greenhouse reduction targets. The project economic benefits to through energy savings; stimulating innovation in urban design, building design and transport use; promoting new business opportunities; and encouraging more sustainable lifestyle decisions. Read moreRead less
Emerging futures: transit-oriented development as a strategy for dealing with urban sprawl and congestion in South East Queensland. This project will examine the phenomenon of urban sprawl in SEQ to understand how sprawl is impacting on architectural and urban environments. Transit-oriented devlopment (TOD)is seen as a global strategy for inhibiting urban sprawl, but the benefits of TOD are not yet measured in Australia. With increased density around railway infrastructure the threat to public s ....Emerging futures: transit-oriented development as a strategy for dealing with urban sprawl and congestion in South East Queensland. This project will examine the phenomenon of urban sprawl in SEQ to understand how sprawl is impacting on architectural and urban environments. Transit-oriented devlopment (TOD)is seen as a global strategy for inhibiting urban sprawl, but the benefits of TOD are not yet measured in Australia. With increased density around railway infrastructure the threat to public safety is raised. This study will examine the wider issues of TOD with respect to four inter-disciplinary areas: architecture and urban design, urban planning, security, counter-terrorism and threat management, transport strategy and insitutional management.Read moreRead less