Forecasting live fuel moisture content, the on/off switch for forest fire. Dry forest fuels are a precursor of large bushfires. This research aims to develop, for the first time, a model to reliably forecast the moisture content of live fuels (e.g. the foliage and fine branches of shrubs and trees). This will be achieved by combining (i) satellite-derived estimates of live fuel moisture content, (ii) forecasts of soil moisture, and (iii) plant physiological responses to soil dryness. Forecasts o ....Forecasting live fuel moisture content, the on/off switch for forest fire. Dry forest fuels are a precursor of large bushfires. This research aims to develop, for the first time, a model to reliably forecast the moisture content of live fuels (e.g. the foliage and fine branches of shrubs and trees). This will be achieved by combining (i) satellite-derived estimates of live fuel moisture content, (ii) forecasts of soil moisture, and (iii) plant physiological responses to soil dryness. Forecasts of live fuel moisture content will deliver an early warning system of the risk of bushfires. These forecasts will also facilitate improved planning of prescribed burns: if fuels are too dry there is a risk of burns escaping, conversely, if fuels are too wet there is a risk that burns will fail to meet objectives.Read moreRead less
Ecosystem resilience of Shark Bay under changing ocean climate. This project aims to investigate the resilience of the Shark Bay World Heritage Site to projected climate change. This project will generate new knowledge for marine conservation through analyses of habitat loss on nutrient budgets and productivity in seagrass and microbialite ecosystems. Expected outcomes are an improved understanding of climate-driven shifts on ecosystem processes in Shark Bay, incorporating science-based evidence ....Ecosystem resilience of Shark Bay under changing ocean climate. This project aims to investigate the resilience of the Shark Bay World Heritage Site to projected climate change. This project will generate new knowledge for marine conservation through analyses of habitat loss on nutrient budgets and productivity in seagrass and microbialite ecosystems. Expected outcomes are an improved understanding of climate-driven shifts on ecosystem processes in Shark Bay, incorporating science-based evidence for better conservation and management. This will provide significant benefits by contributing to the future-proofing of Shark Bay’s World Heritage values to climate change, and more broadly by demonstrating the consequences of the continued tropicalisation of Australia’s coastline.Read moreRead less
Innovative approaches to identifying regional responses of biodiversity to climate change. Australia is facing a biodiversity extinction crisis that is likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Existing models of climate at regional scales require significant advancement, not only to better understand impacts on biodiversity, but also to assist with decision making and adaptation strategies. The project will produce innovative and robust climate maps that are at a scale that is relevant for re ....Innovative approaches to identifying regional responses of biodiversity to climate change. Australia is facing a biodiversity extinction crisis that is likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Existing models of climate at regional scales require significant advancement, not only to better understand impacts on biodiversity, but also to assist with decision making and adaptation strategies. The project will produce innovative and robust climate maps that are at a scale that is relevant for regional management, enabling predictions of how management actions interact with climate change to affect climate and biodiversity. The project will innovatively identify climate refugia and quantify the effectiveness of existing processes of conservation decision making, whilst engaging the community in climate science and providing considerable scientific training.Read moreRead less
Either side of the Big Wet: the future resilience of south-eastern Australia's biota. Australia must develop strategies for managing its biodiversity under climate changes expected to occur under projected Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emission scenarios. The project will furnish comprehensive data on the response of plants and animals to the break in the Big Dry (1997-2009) in 2010-11 and evaluate how predict biotic components will cope with future climates.
Long-term changes in the phenology of Australia's temperate marine macroalgae: has climate change impacted the world's most diverse algal flora? Looking back at herbarium specimens collected over the past 100 years, this project will reconstruct a historical baseline of reproduction in Australian seaweeds. This unique opportunity to rigorously assess the extent of recent changes in response to ocean warming, will help secure the continued existence of the most species rich marine flora in the wo ....Long-term changes in the phenology of Australia's temperate marine macroalgae: has climate change impacted the world's most diverse algal flora? Looking back at herbarium specimens collected over the past 100 years, this project will reconstruct a historical baseline of reproduction in Australian seaweeds. This unique opportunity to rigorously assess the extent of recent changes in response to ocean warming, will help secure the continued existence of the most species rich marine flora in the world.Read moreRead less
Next generation satellite tools for understanding change in coral reef ecosystems due to multiple global and local stressors. Rapid changes in sea temperature and acidity are driving major changes in important ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef, putting at risk billions of dollars per annum in tourist and fishing earnings. This project will improve the satellite toolkit that the industry partners, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administratio ....Next generation satellite tools for understanding change in coral reef ecosystems due to multiple global and local stressors. Rapid changes in sea temperature and acidity are driving major changes in important ecosystems such as the Great Barrier Reef, putting at risk billions of dollars per annum in tourist and fishing earnings. This project will improve the satellite toolkit that the industry partners, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have at their disposal for responding to these serious threats.Read moreRead less